“Cheap is cool.” Thus was MediaPost’s conclusion upon naming Wal-Mart retail marketer of the year. Like ‘em or not, I have to agree with the choice.
And anyone reading this blog regularly will probably guess my choice for worst marketer of the year (a caffeinated drumroll please)… Yes, Starbucks. A painful example of the fact that (a) brands that don’t change with the times get into trouble and (b) having your founder return in a Michael Dell-like manner does not always work.
But I digress.
The “cheap is cool” mantra will hold through 2009. It’s not that you can’t have fun, or a treat once in awhile, but in-bred ostentatiousness is so 2007 (and 2006 and 2005….). Consider how your product or service can reflect the changing times and mood – even if you only make a customer feel better about all the money he’s spending.
Case in point: slum tourism, the phenomenon of people spending a lot of money to visit the poorest slums of the world. Are they helping matters? Questionable. Do they have a more soulful story for their friends (formerly known as Lehman Brothers masters of the universe) when they come home than they did after last year’s trip to St. Bart? Absolutely.
slum tourism Wal-Mart Starbucks
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I am switching to Dunkin Donuts’ Eggwhite Turkey Sausage Flatbread Sandwich and Coffee breakfast special – you can’t beat $1.99…The ‘cool and the hip’ may not have a choice either…
Comment by Alex Romanovich 01.10.09 @ 8:12 pmLeave a comment
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