Post Christmas Bargains

Yes, this past year has been rough. Many have lost their jobs, thus their ability to enjoy the Christmas we as Americans enjoy with excess consumption. It all starts with the Black Friday sale through last minute shoppers on Christmas Eve until the final merchandise is picked up from some bargain shopping thrill seeker such as myself.

However, this year considering how bad sales were I found the sales to not be anything special. I think there was more hype and the stores made us feel the sales were great so we would purchase more goods. But, in the end it was the same old song and dance. My belief is that the stores didn't want the customers to get extreme bargains, since they would continue to expect them and drive down prices in the future. Rather, I noticed popular store brands such as Banana Republic and CK in outlet stores and discounters (TJ MAX) a lot quicker this year. Not a bad strategy in my opinion, just deceiving if the sales were nothing special. We all know our society has a compulsion to consume, so just getting someone in the store equates to some sales. Having worked in retail for a couple years I might be biased or just more insightful. I don't know which one. I do know I am a bargain shopper, so I will be a critic. Either way, I have to say hats off to the mall stores since I was in them a couple days ago and most their winter clothes are gone, except for a few sale racks in the back.

At times you need more sizzle than steak and this could be one of those days.

Spring Break...What's the deal?

Just fresh off winter break college ( & graduate students) all across America start to think of the illustrious one week off known as spring break. This intermission from academia is what most students needs, especially those who hale from the 4 season climates. From keg stands in Florida to Tequila shots in Mexico Americans all over consume more in alcohol that any bachelor party.

How and why did the spring break phenomenon begin? It is not a recent concept promoted by Bacardi and the big three brewing companies. Rather, some date it back to the Greek and Roman periods in a B.C. period for men and women to meet as it was fertility season. Well then I take it back, after all Spring Break is a big hook up session with wine. I guess as time evolved our society modified this concept to turn Spring Break into a destination. So does that mean the airlines and hotel companies are to blame? I don't think so. I think this just boils down to the concept that we as Americans like to be a mobile society that enjoys consuming alcohol in great amounts. I mean last year I was stuck in Dallas for a night with a friend. With no one to call and no clue what to do we decided to get drunk. Yes the night is a blur and I spent at least $100. But for this blur I have some good memories.

With that I think our marketers have done a great job in creating an artificial need to our nation. We tell spring breakers they need to be in a warm place, they need alcohol and lots of it, they need to have the right clothes, they need to have the right tan before arriving (huh? aren't you going to a warm place to get tanned), they need to have the right accessories (IPODS and beach games). The point here is that all these needs have been built on a simple premise that goes back to the B.C. period. Our marketers have done a fine job telling me what do to.

For spring break I am going to Peru. Do I need to NO. But, some marketer made me believe that this one week off is a great time to do something in a warm place. I love it!

General Mills cuts some corners

A recent Multi Grain Cheerios commercial played in the US. However, the commercial was one from the UK market that had the actors voices dubbed over in American English. Most people are criticizing them for doing this. But I feel this was smart. The message is clear that the cereal is good for you and knowing it came from abroad tells that more of the world likes this product. What is wrong with that? In fact after watching the commercial a couple times I noticed a couple slips where the British accent came out. Also, it is no coincidence that the male looks like Paul McCartney. Who I know if British, but has a lot of American fans too.

Where I am going with this is that cross cultural ads are a good thing. I think sometimes when Americans see a white European endorsing a product it is viewed as not being international enough. But if a Chinese, Indian, or black Frenchman was advertising it that would be fine. That was a paradox I used to fall into, where only if someone looked different from the norm would that be fine. But, as I have aged I have learned there are many traits to internationalism.

36 Seconds of Side Effects

We all have used prescription drugs in our life. In fact its one of the best things our advanced society can attribute to a better quality of living and longer life. Unless one is superhuman or belongs to a niche group prescription meds have helped billions of people.

I understand that all meds carry a side effect or two. I got heartburn while taking a steroid a couple years ago. And some meds carry more than others due to their ability to solve bigger problems. However, recently I have been seeing commercials for Abilify and the side effects are crazy. The commercial that is listed below is 63 seconds long with 36 seconds devoted to side effects! I know this is a FDA approved drug, but one must be desperate to take this med for bipolar disorder. In fact just listening to the commercial made me think who made this? I know pharma companies have huge budgets and hire the best, but there must have been a better way to have make this commercial. Could the side effects been broken up with talking about the medication or perhaps make the commercial longer so the consumer does not think the pill is deadly?

Science has gotten so advanced these days that almost anything is possible. I don't know what is next, but I am sure the bigger it gets the harder it will fall.


Abilify Commercial

Are Millennials the new Hippies?

While reading the book Millennials and the Pop Culture the author seems to draw a lot of indirect parallels in my opinion. Although Millenials are much more wired and are able to multi-task a lot better. It seems in their deep underpinned sets of values are in line. Both groups to me appear to value the benefit of society/peers more versus personal benefit. Both groups seem to be open to alternative methods of thinking or living. This is all in contrast to Generation X. That group seemed to value their own benefit and glory.

Recently I saw a few of my high school cousins and they were talking about how when they lose stuff at school like a thumb drive or IPOD they have a great chance of getting it back. I remember when I was in high school during the 90's if you lost say a graphing calculator you had no chance of getting it back. In fact, there was always a group of students looking to steal those calculators in order to sell them. I asked my cousins about this and they said they have not experienced such a act.

I think what has happened is that media has promoted good behaviour so much that younger kids today feel like doing the right thing. Rather 10-15 years ago when I was growing up doing the right thing was more of catch phrase. As I think about it I feel like sitcoms had a lot to do with this. In the 90's the last few minutes would be reserved for an apology or learning lesson with some cheesy music being played to signify this event. Today's shows have the lesson learned embedded throughout the episode and poke humor. I believe the witty and spontaneous format has aided this new generation.

Excess Consumption is finally realized? Or not.

With the current economic meltdown, layoffs, and lack or credit most American's are experiencing something most have never before. This situation is no different is how trendy America really is. Remember back to the summer of 2008 when regular gas was around $4/gallon. Back then a 1995 Ford Festiva went from being worth $1500 to $4000 simply due to its fuel efficiency. Now the trend is to live with less. But is this mentality really here to stay? Many people say once this dark cloud begins to pass (which it will) the decadent consumption we used to will continue. How many people are going to remember the current economic times in 2, 4, or 6 years when our economy will be recovered? Large homes, SUVs, and granite countertops will make a comeback. Afterall how can you change the mentality of millions of Americans in just a few years with only one or two hard years of economic hardship. While I am not advocating a longer recession I am adocating a little more thought from my fellow Americans. Even in this current glut high end auto manufactorers such as BMW, Mercedes, and Porche are planning to introduce more higher end cars. Yes, they might be fuel friendly but BMW see's growth in the their flagship 7 series sedan during the next 3-6 years. These are $60,000+ cars I am talking about. Porche, they feel so confident that they are now introducing a $70,000 sedan in the US market in the next couple years.

Why are auto makers so confident in America? Is it they know we will always be prosperous? I am sure that is true. But, they know a nation of excessive consumption will always find a means to purchase what they produce. Even if it means financing a $70,000 for 60 months. My mentality is if you need to finance a $60,000 car for more than one year, then you should not be buying it.

Time will only tell.