July 11, 2005

Took a few day break. Not sure why. Maybe the weather. What's going on out there? There have been major stories documenting global warming. (Does anyone in the Administration believe in ANY science?) Hurricanes have already begun. The dogs are in a constant state of anxiety. I happen to be someone who is very affected by the weather. I'm surprised that more marketers don't make the emotional connection between people and weather. They tell you it's warm - or even that it's cold - but they only brush by the feelings associated with those climates. They do a kiss-on-the-cheek. They're missing the point. They should read Tennessee Williams. Who's his equivalent in the snowy environs?

Trends in African-American Buying Power

We hear so much these days about marketing to Hispanics, so I was wondering what's up with the African-American market. Fact is...it's booming. Updated numbers will come out in a couple of months. But the latest data I have show African-American households now earning more than $656 billion.

Among the products that showed the largest one-year increases last year were refrigerators (+24%), computer hardware (+23%) and software (+75%), satellite dishes (+112%), cable TV service (+15%) and video games (+86%). Sports and recreational equipment purchases rose 130%, while purchases of new cars and trucks increased 10%.

Top five expenditure categories were housing ($145.2 billion), food ($56.5 billion), cars/trucks ($32.6 billion), clothing ($23.0 billion), and health care ($18.0 billion).

The US African-American population presently exceeds 38 million.

Time Was....

Is anyone else disturbed by Norman Pearlstine's decision to give up sources at Time last week?

I know the issue is incredibly complicated, but it seems to me that Pearlstine decided to protect his company instead of protecting the right of journalists NOT to disclose their sources. And doesn't a compromise in integrity run a lot deeper than a compromise in profitability?

The Time magazine empire has flourished over the past several years. The company now churns out more than 140 magazines, up from 24 when Pearlstine took over. During the same period, annual revenues jumped from $2 billion to $5.6 billion. That's a big success.

And, I suppose, if your lifeblood is magazines like People and InStyle, what's a little compromise in journalistic integrity?

Well, just ask CBS. They caved to the tobacco companies years ago, and have never recovered.

Time used to be a magazine that great journalists wanted to write for and thoughtful people wanted to read. Those days are now pretty much over, thanks to Mr. Pearlstine. So that magazine is likely to become as sycophantic as its sister publications. And that's a shame.

Meanwhile, Judy Miller is in jail for not revealing sources on a story she didn't write.

Sometimes truth IS stranger than fiction.

Women and Marketing Automobiles

Comments to my last posting were so great. Thank you! I'm thinking more about women and automobile advertising and remembering the deal Chrysler had with Martha Stewart. As I recall, it was a comprehensive deal cutting across several of her enterprises. I'm not sure it was very successful, although I don't know why. Maybe timing. After all, this past year or so hasn't been so good for her, and I think Chrysler bailed early in the game.

Don't leave town to buy a Toyota, Nikki. Just run down Highway 17 and see Pat Fogerty at West Ashley Toyota. They've got comfy chairs and refreshing beverages (even though this Pat is a guy!).