June 21, 2005

Disney Decals? Well, they're made by Mission Foods, self-described as "the world leader in authentic Mexican tortillas and snacks." Don't you just know that any "authentic Mexican tortilla and snack" includes a tasty Tinkerbell or delicious Daffy decal!

Question is...how could/would a company purporting to be "authentic" sell out to the company that is anything BUT authentic?

The Biggest Marketing/Communications Challenge Around

What is the percent of Americans who think Congress shares their priorities for the country?

According to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll, it's 19%.

That's an astonishing number.

Much more astonishing than President Bush's numbers: Only 39% approve of his foreign policy; 39% approve of his handling of the economy; and 25% approve of his handling of social security. And 42% approve of the way he's handling his job. (I think Nixon was still around 39% when he resigned.)

Presidents are supposed to be leaders, and their positions may not always be popular.

But members of Congress are supposed to be representatives of the people. And 4 out of 5 Americans are saying that Congress doesn't represent their priorities! To me, that is stunning.

This incredible disconnect may be the most consequential marketing/communications challenge around today.

What's the problem? Are members of Congress spending too much time talking, and not enough time listening? Are they so ingrained with the go-along-to-get-along mentality that they've lost any sense of what their constituents really want them to fight for? Are their egos out of control? Are they spending too much time on junkets and party circuits? Have their brains been numbed by endless committee meetings, rubber chicken dinners, and gratuitous speeches?

What's to become of our country if the people elected to represent us don't?

They don't need spin doctors. They need truth doctors.

Suppose your sister or brother magically became a member of Congress tomorrow. What advice would you give them on how to stay in touch - REALLY in touch - with the people they represent? How would you tell them to stay in sync with their constituents' priorities?

No Newsprint on Your Fingers

Check out this trend: Nielsen/Net Ratings data says 21% of regular newspaper readers do most of their news reading online. The New York Times leads the online newspaper category with 11.3 unique users in May, followed by USA Today at 9.2 million.

A challenge AND an opportunity for newspaper publishers.

Liza's Back in Town...

...and she loves Curves. So do millions of women, and Curves no-frills workout spots are popping up everywhere. They're not hoity toity...they're not for the super buff (necessarily)...but they sure are popular.

Iconoculture accurately observes that, "There's a whole swath of consumers who'd rather invest in comfort and ease rather than status and station. And, in that world, familiarity and low-stress simplicity are a far more inviting welcome mat than power labels and ultra luxe price tags."