Consumers Deserve Better Than Marketing

I've spent enough years in the personal safety industry that I can finally say something I've wanted to say for a long time: consumers deserve better. Not necessarily better products, although there's always room for innovation. They deserve better information.  Less marketing.

I've had the unusual opportunity to see this business from nearly every angle. I've worked for major brands, built brands from the ground up, manufactured products, stood in front of retail buyers, attended countless trade shows, and sat through more marketing meetings than I care to remember. I've watched companies spend hours debating words and phrases that consumers would never notice, while the questions people actually wanted answered often went unaddressed.

After hundreds of conversations with ordinary people, I've found that almost everyone is trying to answer the same basic question: "What should I buy to protect myself?" It sounds simple, but it's one of the most complicated questions in this industry because there is no universal answer.

One thing I've watched grow over the years is the industry's fascination with bigger numbers and bigger claims. If you've ever shopped for pepper spray, you've probably seen packaging covered with phrases like "maximum strength," "ultimate," "extreme," "military grade," or "police formula." Consumers naturally assume that bigger numbers and more aggressive marketing automatically translate into a better product. The reality is much more complicated.  Did you know there is no such thing as "police strength" pepper spray?  That's just a marketing term.  

One marketing claim I've never been impressed by is "squirts per can." You'll sometimes see companies boast that their pepper spray delivers more squirts than the competition, as if that's automatically an advantage. I don't see it that way. A half-ounce canister is still a half-ounce canister. If the only way to advertise more squirts is by using a smaller nozzle that releases less pepper spray with each press, that isn't a feature in my book. It's simply stretching the contents over more trigger pulls.

At PepperSprayWarehouse.com, my answer to the "How many squirts does your pepper spray have?" question is simple: one. I don't want you trying to conserve it like an expensive bottle of cologne. If you're ever forced to defend yourself, I want you to empty the can into your attacker's face, create an opportunity to escape, and if the can is empty and it helps buy you another split second, throw it at them on your way out. That's also one of the reasons our premium models contain 3/4 of an ounce instead of the more common 1/2 ounce. You have 50 percent more product available when you need it most. Use it. Don't shop by "squirts per can." That's marketing, not meaningful performance.

A self-defense product isn't useful because it has the highest number printed on the label. It's useful because it works reliably when you need it, because it's easy to carry every day, and because it's actually with you when an emergency occurs. A canister left in a glove compartment or buried at the bottom of a purse isn't protecting anyone. Throughout my career, I've come to believe that the best self-defense product is almost always the one you consistently carry and know how to use.

Another topic that rarely receives enough attention is product freshness. Pepper spray isn't designed to sit untouched forever. Manufacturers establish expiration dates for good reason. Over time, pressure, seals, and other internal components can gradually degrade, potentially affecting performance.  The pepper itself is fine, but the propellant starts to break down, so instead of shooting 10 feet, it might shoot 5 and you'll never know that until you need to use it. Checking expiration dates and replacing products according to the manufacturer's recommendations is one of the simplest and most important habits responsible owners can develop, yet it's something many people never think about until years after their purchase.  We etch a three year from production date into our cans.  We could do four, but you might forget.  So we do three in hopes that in between that third and fourth year, you remember to replace it.  We might create a registration just to send you a reminder.  

Owning pepper spray also isn't the same as being prepared to use it. This is probably the biggest misconception I encounter. Someone buys a canister, drops it into a purse or backpack, and six months later couldn't tell you which direction it sprays or how quickly they could access it under stress. They've never practiced drawing it, never considered where it should be carried, and never verified that it remains within its expiration period. The same principle applies to fire extinguishers, first aid kits, and emergency supplies. Purchasing equipment is easy. Becoming familiar with it takes intention.  One of the reasons we sell multi-packs is we hope you will test one out before you need to use it for the first time in an adversarial situation.  

Over the years, I've also become increasingly skeptical of absolute claims. There isn't one magical pepper spray formula that's perfect for every individual or every situation. Different formulations, spray patterns, canister sizes, and safety mechanisms all involve tradeoffs. Instead of asking which product is the strongest, I encourage people to ask which product best fits their needs, daily routine, and comfort level. Those are entirely different questions, and the second one usually leads to a much better decision.

One subject I wish every manufacturer emphasized more is practice. I don't necessarily mean practicing with a live canister. I mean practicing your habits. Think about where you carry your spray. Can you reach it quickly? Could you access it with either hand if necessary? What happens if you're carrying groceries, holding a child, or walking through a parking lot with your hands full? These questions cost nothing to consider, yet they may matter more than any specification printed on the package.

I've never been comfortable with fear-based marketing, even though I understand why it exists. Fear certainly sells products, but I've never believed it builds confident people. Crime is real, and preparation matters, but convincing consumers that the world is constantly falling apart isn't the answer. The goal of preparedness should be confidence, not anxiety. People who are informed and prepared tend to make better decisions because they feel more capable, not because they're more afraid.

One area that deserves far more attention is the legal side of personal safety. Laws governing self-defense products vary significantly from state to state. Some states regulate container size, others regulate formulations, and some impose restrictions on where these products may be carried. Understanding the laws where you live and where you travel is part of being a responsible owner, and I believe that knowledge is every bit as important as selecting the product itself.

People occasionally ask why I decided to return to manufacturing after spending so many years in different parts of this industry. The answer is straightforward. I felt the industry had become too comfortable relying on marketing (and watered down products to hit cheap prices at cheap retailers) while investing too little effort in consumer education. I wanted to build products I would confidently recommend to my own family, but even more importantly, I wanted to build a company that educated first and sold second. That's one of the reasons I created Fight Back. If someone becomes more prepared because of something they read here, even if they never purchase a single product from me, I'll consider that a success.

There's another reality that doesn't receive enough attention. Pepper spray has been an effective self-defense tool for decades. While formulations, delivery systems, packaging, and manufacturing have continued to improve, the category itself hasn't been reinvented. Much of what consumers perceive as revolutionary is often better marketing, updated packaging, or incremental improvements rather than dramatic breakthroughs. That's one reason I spend far more time writing about awareness than equipment. Awareness has unlimited room for improvement, regardless of what product you carry.  We really don't sell product on this Fight Back blog.  We sell safety.  

After building companies, launching products, and watching this industry evolve for more than thirty years, I've reached one conclusion that matters more than any marketing campaign ever could. Don't buy the most impressive-looking canister. Buy knowledge first. Understand your risks, learn your state's laws, think carefully about how you'll carry your chosen product, and then select the option that fits your lifestyle. That order matters, and I believe it always will.

Every industry relies on marketing, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that. But personal safety isn't like buying a television or a coffee maker. The decisions people make can affect their lives in very real ways. That's why I've always believed consumers deserve education before they make a purchase, not after.

If there's one lesson I'd like readers to remember, it's that preparation begins long before you ever hold a self-defense product in your hand. It begins with understanding your environment, developing good habits, and making thoughtful decisions. The equipment matters, but the person carrying it will always matter more.

About the Author

David Happe has spent more than three decades in the personal safety industry. During his career he has served as Executive Vice President of Mace Security International, President of Fox Labs Pepper Spray, founded Vigilant Personal Protection Systems, and spoken at the International Security Conference (ISC). Today he manufactures pepper spray in the United States and continues to advocate for practical, education-first approaches to personal safety through Fight Back.

Thank you for reading Fight Back.

I started Fight Back because I believe consumers deserve honest information about personal safety. My goal isn't simply to help you choose a product. It's to help you make better decisions before you ever need one.

If you have a question or an idea for a future article, I'd love to hear from you.

Contact: support@PepperSprayWarehouse.com

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Until next time...

Take Your Safety Into Your Own Hands™

David Happe
Founder, PepperSprayWarehouse.com