--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought we were going to get customers…" description: "\"I thought we were going to get customers excited by telling them there were no antibiotics in our meat or no growth hormones used to raise the animals ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/steve-ells-9755_animals_i-thought-we-were-going-to-get-customers_2475959.png" --- # I thought we were going to get customers excited by… ![“I thought we were going to get customers excited by telling them there were no antibiotics in our meat or no growth hormones used to raise the animals or no RBGH in our cheese or sour cream. Well, that's not a very appetizing message.” quote by Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/steve-ells-9755_animals_i-thought-we-were-going-to-get-customers_2475959.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/steve-ells-9755_animals_i-thought-we-were-going-to-get-customers_2475959.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/steve-ells-9755_animals_i-thought-we-were-going-to-get-customers_2475959.png) > “I thought we were going to get customers excited by telling them there were no antibiotics in our meat or no growth hormones used to raise the animals or no RBGH in our cheese or sour cream. Well, that's not a very appetizing message.” [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Marketing that focuses on negative attributes can alienate customers; positive, appealing messaging is more effective. **In simple terms:** Negative messaging can backfire; use positive appeals. Key Takeaway Emphasize benefits, not just lack of negatives. Themes marketing communication branding Mood strategic pragmatic Type advertising business When to use this quote - food advertising - product launch - public relations Key Concepts consumer psychology messaging strategy Questions to Reflect On - What positive aspects can you highlight? - How to balance honesty and appeal? A Different Perspective Positive framing may be less truthful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Antibiotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antibiotics/) [Antibiotics Meat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antibiotics-meat-810737/) [Appetizing Message](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appetizing-message-810739/) [Customers Excited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customers-excited-355989/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Meat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meat/) [Message](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/message/) [Telling Antibiotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-antibiotics-810738/) ## Related quotes > [Collectively with my design team we spent time working on the feel, fit and style to ensure the product is not only something I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/collectively-with-my-design-team-we-spent-time-working-on-the-feel/) [David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/) > [“Are you aware that they inject all kinds of antibiotics into that meat you eat? Yes, that same food supply and those same corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-connie-d-dedona/are-you-aware-that-they-inject-all-kinds-of-antibiotics-into-that/) [Cornelia Connie D. DeDona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-connie-d-dedona/) > [I don't want food that comes from animals that are caged up and fed antibiotics. I am really suspicious of that kind of production…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/i-don-t-want-food-that-comes-from-animals-that-are-caged-up-and-fed/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [Up to 90% of the total decline in the death rate of children between 1860-1965 because of whooping cough, scarlet fever, diphtheria, and measles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-kalokerinos/up-to-90-of-the-total-decline-in-the-death-rate-of-children-between/) [Archie Kalokerinos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-kalokerinos/) > [People are going to start realizing, why take those antibiotics that are extracts of mushrooms? Why not just have the mushrooms?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wolfe/people-are-going-to-start-realizing-why-take-those-antibiotics-that/) [David Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wolfe/) > [Even diseases have lost their prestige, there aren't so many of them left. Think it over... no more syphilis, no more clap, no more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/even-diseases-have-lost-their-prestige-there-aren-t-so-many-of-them/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Do any of us actually want to live in a world where your boss can decide that he or she is morally opposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/do-any-of-us-actually-want-to-live-in-a-world-where-your-boss-can/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) > [Medicine allows people to live who would otherwise die, so antibiotics will let people survive infections that they might be otherwise very vulnerable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/medicine-allows-people-to-live-who-would-otherwise-die-so-antibiotics/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [I've never had a sinus infection or been on antibiotics since cutting out dairy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayim-bialik/i-ve-never-had-a-sinus-infection-or-been-on-antibiotics-since-cutting/) [Mayim Bialik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayim-bialik/) > [I don't prefer to fill my body with antibiotics, pesticides, steroids, and growth hormones - my body is my temple, and I treat it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-whang/i-don-t-prefer-to-fill-my-body-with-antibiotics-pesticides-steroids/) [Suzanne Whang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-whang/) > [I have vowed never to take antibiotics again unless I really need them. I also learned to pay attention to my body, know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nargis-fakhri/i-have-vowed-never-to-take-antibiotics-again-unless-i-really-need/) [Nargis Fakhri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nargis-fakhri/) > [While consumers may be more shocked by pink slime or the feeding of Prozac to poultry, the routine feeding of millions of pounds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-greger/while-consumers-may-be-more-shocked-by-pink-slime-or-the-feeding-of/) [Michael Greger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-greger/) > [When you look at the consequences of climate change, at rainforest deforestation, at antibiotic resistance, these are not necessarily political issues, but rather issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/when-you-look-at-the-consequences-of-climate-change-at-rainforest/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [When we prescribe antibiotics for a strep throat, it's not even for the strep throat. It's for the complications of the strep throat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-varshavski/when-we-prescribe-antibiotics-for-a-strep-throat-it-s-not-even-for/) [Mikhail Varshavski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-varshavski/) > [Widespread use of antibiotics promotes the spread of antibiotic resistance. Smart use of antibiotics is the key to controlling its spread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-j-abdul-kalam/widespread-use-of-antibiotics-promotes-the-spread-of-antibiotic/) [A. P. J. Abdul Kalam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-j-abdul-kalam/) ## More by Steve Ells > [You know, I hate to borrow Apple's tag, but think different. Really. From the very beginning. I didn't know what the fast-food rules were.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/you-know-i-hate-to-borrow-apple-s-tag-but-think-different-really-from/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [The economic model was formed by the constraints that I had: a small space, relatively inexpensive building materials, relatively inexpensive investment, a very efficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/the-economic-model-was-formed-by-the-constraints-that-i-had-a-small/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [When I started on the very first day with just one restaurant, we used to pick oregano off the stems and chop them. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/when-i-started-on-the-very-first-day-with-just-one-restaurant-we-used/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We have two day-parts, lunch and dinner. We don't have breakfast. We don't have drive-thru. We don't have late night. We don't have 24-hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-have-two-day-parts-lunch-and-dinner-we-don-t-have-breakfast-we-don/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [If we really want to change the way Americans eat, we need to make delicious, sustainably-raised food accessible to everyone. Most people are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/if-we-really-want-to-change-the-way-americans-eat-we-need-to-make/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [Our investors are here for only one reason: great returns. They want to make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/our-investors-are-here-for-only-one-reason-great-returns-they-want-to/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [One of the pivotal moments for me was realizing that our 'food with integrity' approach at Chipotle was satisfying my passion. That's about bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/one-of-the-pivotal-moments-for-me-was-realizing-that-our-food-with/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [When our folks focus on exactly what is needed to succeed in the restaurants, they should be able to lead themselves to restaurateur level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/when-our-folks-focus-on-exactly-what-is-needed-to-succeed-in-the/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [I'm very much looking forward to relentlessly focusing on ensuring an excellent guest experience, removing unnecessary complexity from our operations, championing innovation, and pursuing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/i-m-very-much-looking-forward-to-relentlessly-focusing-on-ensuring-an/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [When our employees walk in in the morning, they see food. They have to cook. At the restaurants, we chop cilantro, onions, and limes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/when-our-employees-walk-in-in-the-morning-they-see-food-they-have-to/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We want to show all of our customers that the industry standards that we had been employing before - which are considered great standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-want-to-show-all-of-our-customers-that-the-industry-standards-that/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [The earliest recollection I have of being in the kitchen and cooking was in the third grade, and we lived in Germany. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/the-earliest-recollection-i-have-of-being-in-the-kitchen-and-cooking/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We aspire to make artisanal tortillas on an industrial scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-aspire-to-make-artisanal-tortillas-on-an-industrial-scale/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We have a terrific team, and our managers are terrific managers, but we have made it too complicated for them and too complicated in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-have-a-terrific-team-and-our-managers-are-terrific-managers-but-we/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [If food is processed - like canned or frozen - you can reduce the risks of pathogens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/if-food-is-processed-like-canned-or-frozen-you-can-reduce-the-risks/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) [Explore all 70 Steve Ells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) ## More Animals quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [We animals are the most complicated things in the known universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-animals-are-the-most-complicated-things-in-the-known-universe/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“All these creatures spend their time explaining, realizing happily that they agree with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/all-these-creatures-spend-their-time-explaining-realizing-happily/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [We need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-need-in-a-special-way-to-work-twice-as-hard-to-help-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [No creature can attain a higher grade of nature without ceasing to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananda-coomaraswamy/no-creature-can-attain-a-higher-grade-of-nature-without-ceasing-to/) [Ananda Coomaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananda-coomaraswamy/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) [Browse all 6,813 Animals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought we were going to get customers excited by telling them there were no antibiotics in our meat or no growth hormones used to raise the animals or no RBGH in our cheese or sour cream. 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