Brain Candy and Big Business

U.S. corporations greatly under-estimate the intelligence of the American consumer. Whether it is the McDonald’s inside Wal-mart claiming that health concerns is the reason outside plastic cups can no longer be refilled at their soda fountain or the entertainment industry only producing television shows, movies, and books that appeal to the lowest common denominator, it has become obvious that Big Business does not think much of its customers. When the majority of television is reality TV or the same two shows in different incarnations and books must be either about or by a celebrity, then it is time reinvent the wheel.

Before we discuss this further, let’s clear up a couple of things. McDonald’s, we know the real reason you don’t want us to bring outside cups in is you were losing money by not being able to strictly control the size of the cup or diameter of the straw. Yes, we also know about capillary action and we, the American consumer, did notice when you increased the diameter of your straws twenty some years ago. We even know why you did it – to make us drink more and buy larger drinks – we were not fooled. Do you think it is a coincidence that this was about the same time you had to begin to fight for your share of the fast food market? Disrespect the customer and they go elsewhere.

What Big Business does not understand – what they need to start to understand if they are going to survive – is that humans are complex creatures. It is entirely possible for the same person to attend the national ballet and to watch USAF wrestling and enjoy both equally well (just hopefully not at the same time.) Just because we watch reality television doesn’t mean that’s all we want to see.

This blog is, at times, eclectic. Some posts are about nothing more than my puppy eating popcorn on the cob. They’re brain candy. Others analyze the language behind well-distributed urban legends or examine what is and what is not free speech. They’re more demanding of you, the reader, and your time. One thing I’ve noticed is that the brain candy posts get more comments, but the more in depth posts get more hits. What this tells me is that while you, the reader, like the occasional sweet, what you’re searching for is something more substantial in your internet reading diet. You want to be challenged, or at least treated like the adult you are.

Maybe that’s why independent films and self-published books are starting to be more widely received than they were in years past. Film studios, TV networks, and the large publishing houses are producing too much brain candy. That leaves us dissatisfied and looking for something more nutritious in our entertainment diet. When that happens, we’ll hunt until we find what we’re missing, with little regard for where it came from. And when we do find it, we tell our friends, who tell their friends. Word of mouth has always been the best marketing tool.

If Big Business wants to survive this economic downturn, then maybe they should step back and really examine what the consumers are spending their hard-earned entertainment dollars on rather than wasting time, money, and energy trying to convince people that the latest sugar-filled snack is worth the cost of a well-balanced dinner. Otherwise, they will not survive. There are plenty of little guys waiting in the wings, ready and willing to become the next Big Thing. US corporations should remember that every time they're tempted to under-estimate their customers. It is the consumer, after all, who ultimately decides which businesses survive and which ones file for Chapter 11.