Rite Aid Wants to Fight (You) for Your Business
2008 February 14
After a recent purchase at Rite Aid, I was shocked to find this inflammatory slogan on my printed receipt. The cashier may have thanked me, but the receipt was practically provoking me, throwing down the gauntlet, slapping its glove against my cheek. If “this time, it’s personal” indicates that someone’s gearing up to avenge a wrongdoing, then “with us, it’s personal” tells me that Rite Aid is always ready to fight back at any moment. In fact, I’m sensing here that Rite Aid has been pissed at me for quite some time, but only now that I’ve made an in-store purchase with my credit card can it look up my home address and use the element of surprise to its advantage — during dinnertime, say, or just as I’m getting home from school. (Note to self: In the future, always use cash.)
Seriously though, this is scary stuff. The branding committee must have thought this would sound comforting, but I read it as confrontational. Is it just me?
To me, saying “it’s personal” simply provides an explanation as to why RiteAid’s checkers are so unfriendly. Based on my experience, their motto might as well say, “We get paid minimum wage, so you should forgive the chip I have on my shoulder.”
RiteAid’s slogan reminds me of another instance of poor branding’s unintended consequences. According to one company van I saw today, Diebold’s motto reads “We Won’t Rest.” Their marketing people probably thought this communicates a strong company work ethic and high quality product lines. But it also makes one wonder what Diebold is trying to avoid by not taking rests. Hard work can lead to great products, but hard work is also necessitated when products fail, management blunders, and employees have to clean up a mess. To me, their motto also says, “We work non-stop to cut our losses from mistakes we’ve made.” Voting irregularities, anyone?
Comment by michael — 2008 February 18 @ 2:15 am
Now I see it differently, who’d a thunk it. Again, it’s the drugs. They take their distribution of pharmaceutical as a calling. They know that the system sucks and that many people are screwed by the system so they are intent on telling you that THEY take your illness seriously and they, personally, will fight to see that you get what you need. Of course they are a huge cog in the corrupt and greedy system but if they tell you they care you may be fooled. Ya know?
Comment by Pat — 2008 February 20 @ 4:12 pm
I would comment, but with me it’s personal.
Comment by Karen — 2008 February 22 @ 1:55 pm