Can a quieter and more efficient dishwasher lead to marital bliss?
That’s the tongue-in-cheek question that the home appliance supplier Bosch asks in a humorous new marketing campaign, which offers solutions to that age-old question: Who’s loading the dishwasher?
Believe or not, a Harris Interactive survey of more than 2,100 adults finds that two-fifths of Americans say they fight with their significant others over that task. The clashes revolve around the need for pre-rinsing; separating or cramming as much as possible into a load; whether knives should be placed into the machine points up or down; where cups and plates should go; and whether plastics should be kept on the top rack.
“Loading the dishwasher has become a highly contested subject in households across the country, but at Bosch, we believe that a dishwasher should make your life easier,” Micaela Shaw, Bosch’s brand manager for home appliances, says with a straight face.
In an accompanying video, a stern-looking woman dressed in business attire, who calls herself “Dahlia” and describes her job as “dishwashing marriage counselor,” explains how features in Bosch’s dishwashers can alleviate marital discord, such as its half-load option, its third rack for horizontal utensil placement, and a flow-through heating element that prevents plastics from dissolving.
(The campaign doesn’t say much about how to motivate the 38% of male respondents who find excuses to avoid loading the dishwasher altogether.)
This marketing tack also calls attention to Bosch’s German engineering, its claim that its machines are the quietest on the market, and its top ranking for customer satisfaction from J.D. Power & Associates.
John Caulfield is senior editor for Builder magazine.
