With markets tanking across the globe and mainstreeters worried about jobs, I’m thinking this holiday season is going to be heavy on the practical and light on the whimsy.
“These stuffed toys absolutely reek of fun.”
Consider this gift item, for example. A set of pee and poo plush dolls set. $38. Yep, your kids can have their own pee and poo dolls to cuddle with and cart around.
In flusher economic times, this might be a fun gag gift. Today? I can do a whole lot better with $38.
What about you? How has your thinking about holiday giving this year changed? If you work in B2C markets, are your clients asking you to take a different tack? (I notice Target’s ad have begun to focus on having fun with the basics - like cutting your children’s hair. Like I would think that was fun.)
My mother-in-law uses the phrase “you people” or “those people” a lot in conversation.
Neither phrase, through my albeit uniquely personal lens, ever sounds good or flattering. My emotional hackles rise because in my head, I’m filling in the blanks of “you people” to you [DESCRIPTOR, DESCRIPTOR, hot menopausal mamas - okay, maybe I like the last one
When I ask her what she means by "those people" she generally responds with "Oh, you know ..."
Code talking.
In last night's debate, we saw John McCain - not having the best of nights in his preferred town hall format - respond to a question about energy. He pointed to his side and without even looking at Senator Obama, snarled “ ... do you know who voted for (2005 energy bill)? That one!"
Uh, oh, John. Your code is showing.
Now here's the thing. I really don't believe McCain meant anything beyond the usual round of political insults and pointed jibes. But when I heard him use the phrase "that one" I knew, I felt, the wrenching wrongness of it.
And as we smart marketers understand, it's how we feel that makes the difference whether we're buying things or voting for presidents.
[We've seen similar tactics used before. Not too long ago, when cornered about his extra-marital "orality" with Monica Lewinsky, Bill Clinton shot back with a wagging finger proclaiming how he ... didn't ... have ... sex ... with ... that woman. Another fine moment of nasty, demeaning code-talk if there ever was one. From Presidential squeeze to non-entity delivered with a snappish, syncopated beat.]
This whole us vs them thing is probably the biggest reason I made the decision long ago not to do ANY political direct marketing work, even for candidates/causes I support. To do it well, I’d have to learn the”us/them” code. (That and the fact that it’s hard to get paid when your candidate loses.)
What about you? Have you worked in the political marketing arena? Would you if given the opportunity?
I know that cute cat videos are everywhere. I generally avoid them since they’d completely kill my work day once I got started. Perhaps you’ve even seen this one already. If not, have some fun.
It just got me to thinking … are cats and people all that different when it comes to puzzling out technology?
Let’s go to the videotape and find out.
All done? Then shoo, shoo … get back to work, play or whatever it is YOU do on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
Popcorn and Sleepy Time tea at the ready, I thought I was going to be watching a debate. He talks, she responds, and the moderator breaks up the fist-fight ugliness.
… I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I’m going to talk straight to the American people …
Hmm. I got to wondering how a client might react when having handed over a set of guidelines for a new campaign heard “I don’t really care to follow the guidelines you’ve just given me. I’m just going to write it straight to your customers.”
I think we’d be quickly shown the door, if not forcibly removed due to fear we were completely wacky and might cause someone great harm.
I wonder why the moderator didn’t step in with a “Governor Palin, this is a debate between you and Senator Biden. Not a stump speech. Please respond to the Senator and step lively. We only have XX minutes left in this segment.”
But that’s me. I like keeping people and projects focused and on track.
No wonder interviews give Palin the yips. She doesn’t like the format. I have to admit tho, it would be intriguing to watch her in a typical, free-for-all press conference — all perky poses and talking points that don’t quite connect to the questions being asked — but I’ll leave that to Tina Fey and the SNL comedy crew to sketch out that scenario.
I know, I know. Like you I was a little sad we didn’t get at least one “Sir, you are no Jack Kennedy!” moment or major foul-ups. (I did like her “O’Biden mash-up. That was fun.) But as political performances go, it was reasonably good theater.
Back to what ‘tackling the task’ means … if we treat last night’s debate as an actual debate, well, you just can’t give her a passing grade. Even the third grade kids in her shout out last night know what happens when you fail to follow the directions of an assignment.
You get an F no matter how gosh darn cute you are. Period.
According to Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of world. Now while I don’t actually believe the world is only 5769 solar years old, I like the fact we can celebrate with cake.
Because, afterall, what’s a birthday without cake? Pretty crappy, I’d say.
So rather than regale you with the serious sounds and traditions of my tribal members at this holiest time of the year, I prefer to simply wish you all things sweet and cake … and lots of it.
L’Shana Tova - Happy New Year. May you all be inscribed in the Book of Life.
