Today, July 4, is Independence Day in the US. Advertisers do all they can to tie into a holiday. I find the following headlines:
Declare Independence Day from Head Lice
It is an ad for a lice removal business called, Hair Faries. Treatment services for head lice removal are springing up all over the US. These new businesses have attracted the attention of Businessweek. Job postings for “Lice Ladies” and business investment in emerging salons has led to reviews of investment opportunities and articles.
Head lice are a contentious issue. School policies that remove children from classrooms until the infestation is “eliminated” and return is approved by the school nurse can cause fireworks between the school and parents. There is an “uncleanliness” stigma to head lice which is undeserved leading to blame of others and social rejection. This is unfair since even the cleanest well-kempt children can become infested with head lice.
Busy parents suddenly have a new task to add to their schedule. Lice removal is time consuming and requires patience. For some people, there is a “yuk” factor to overcome. They are desperate for help. Lice removal is not inexpensive. Some services can cost several hundred dollars. However, busy people who have unsuccessfully tried to address the problem themselves become desperate enough that any price seems like a bargain.
Money Quote:
“To be perfectly honest,” she says, “our clients are people who have more money than time.”
Head Lice Cartoon from BusinessWeek
Illustration: Kelsey Dake
