When critics speak: A peek into our inbox

Noteworthy

16 October 2023 by WTF Notebooks

If you've been following WTF Notebooks, you know we never take ourselves too seriously. But as the saying goes, "different strokes for different folks." While humour is often considered universal, not everyone seems to grasp the joke. In our almost four-year journey of supplying the world with hilariously witty, sarcastic, and occasionally irreverent notebooks, we've encountered our fair share of criticism. We've been called names, told we're tasteless, and even faced accusations of being unfit for certain office environments.

Rather than simply brush off the negative feedback, we decided to give some of these critics a platform. In September 2023, we took the top hateful comments and shared them with our 36,000+ Instagram followers.

While these anti-comments were indeed real and from real individuals, we took steps to protect the privacy of our critics by changing their names and profile photos – because, hey, we're not heartless.

Our first not-so-friendly testimonial came from "Risha H.," who expressed, "These are way too inappropriate for a decent office job (and I constantly use notebooks at work). Just tasteless and rude … it’s a no from me."

The response was overwhelming, with hundreds of followers chiming in. One Instagram user declared, "This just makes me love them more. IT’S A YES FROM ME RISHA." Others pushed back against the idea of inappropriateness in the workplace, with one supporter stating, "I think your products are very funny. Maybe you really wouldn't want to have some in certain office environments or jobs, but they ARE funny and cause no harm." Another fan took it a step further: "I want people at work to notice my WTF notebooks. Keep up the great stuff."

Next up, we highlighted a comment from "Evelyn B.," who had once commented on a Facebook post from WTF Notebooks, saying, "I am beyond disgusted by your company. I would never shop from a company that uses the f-word in marketing. I am reporting your post."

To Evelyn, we say, "Welcome to the internet." Here's a response from a fan who understands the world of social media: "Wow! If it's not for you, then don't buy it! They should understand their target market!" Another supporter added, "People need to relax."

Last but not least, we put the spotlight on "Richard M.," who made a rather controversial (and perhaps illegal) comment: "Can you explain to me what's funny about this? Call me old-fashioned, but if my staff used one of these notebooks at work, I'd immediately fire them."

Getting strong support in the form of a few hundred comment likes on Instagram, one user had a humorous comeback: "This has made me really laugh! He would fire his staff for a notebook?! Could be your new advertising slogan, 'Getting people fired since [2020].'”

Further down the comments section, a dedicated fan of WTF Notebooks shared, "I bought notebooks for our entire staff; they loved them and thought they were funny. This includes the Director of HR." To this, another replied in agreement, "I am an HR Director and bought them for my team as well."

It's not just in the office where WTF Notebooks shine, but also in healthcare practices and hospitals. As one Instagram user proudly stated, "As a doctor, I have gifted these notebooks to my staff!!" Another enthusiastic fan chimed in, "THESE PEOPLE are the reasons why we NEED these notebooks to begin with!!! Get a sense of humor and a life, people!"

Perhaps one of our favourite comments came from @klotzguest, who summed it up perfectly: "I love it. This is who you are for. And… It's not for everyone." With a mic drop, they concluded, "Bye now to those who are offended."