“The Masses Are 'Stupid'… Bad Assumption"

 Hillary, in part, lost her bid for the presidency because she viewed the masses as the “Deplorable” and “Irredeemable.”

Those who claim Manhattan, San Francisco Bay and Hollywood as their home base share a similar, rather perverted viewpoint of the world, too.

So it’s not much a surprise that a large portion of the creative produced by the BIG AD AGENCIES is literally killing brand equity.

Freud would have a ball with many of the copywriters and production teams that bring us ad commercial series like the Dr. Pepper game day vendor, the GIECO Insurance gecko-lizard, Progressive saleswoman Flo and the myriad other character-spokesperson-voice-overs. 

Freud would quickly summarize that many seek to replace their production staff positions with a deeper desired role of Hollywood producer. 

On the client side too, there are CMOs and marketing teams that crave to do more than commute daily to dwell in their cubicle offices.  They are the ones that beg to go meet with the ad agency so that they call spend time in their funky, ping-bong table, quasi-coffee café, open-forum think-tanks.

Every time I see the Chevrolet ads with the focus group man, I want to throw up. 

The loon ad agency that produces the ads is a division of McCann called “Commonwealth//McCann” – that is exactly how they format the name.

AdAge notes them as the “global agency of record for Chevrolet” and describes them as “innovative” and “an open forum” team.

I know.  I know.

I get upset because the focus group facilitator rips off what I do.

When I shared with a table of friends how stupid I felt that the ads were last week, they immediately responded back with, “well how do you think an insurance sales person feels when they see the duck, or the newt or Flo?”

No… that is actually not why I think that agency producing them is a bunch of loons... not that I am opinionated nor speak my mind.  

Just like the immediate “wows” expressed by the “characters that are real and not actors” is not the reason I want to throw up.

Just like the newest ad that showcases a focus group discussion taking place on an entrance ramp to the LA Freeway in the middle of afternoon rush hour… is not the reason I want to throw up. 

The reason why I want to throw up is that the focus and the mission of the Chevy brand… the brand equity and brand culture… the essence of the brand EIP or Emotional Ignition Point… that is all pushed aside by both the marketing mavens client side and the ad team within the ad agency…

…To live in the fantasy world of the present thinking that they are all actually the next breed of Hollywood producers with a storyline series and high personality, featured actor.   

Two weeks ago when I drove from Atlanta to Nashville, I stopped off and got gas in Kimball Tennessee.  There’s a large, super-size Walmart and a Chrysler dealer just across the street from where I got the gas. 

As I was filling up the tank, I watched the folks looking at cars in the Chrysler lot and wondered just how many of those Commonwealth // McCann creative and production folk ever have stepped out of their open-forum work space and walked and talked at dealer lots.

Okay, maybe they went to a dealer lot in Hoboken, but did they go to one in Albany or Norfolk or Knoxville or Norman, Mesa or Medford? 

I doubt if any have done so. 

What makes me throw up is that this is where brands that ARE IN TROUBLE focus today. 

Staying on cars for one moment longer, this morning I ran into two guys who recently each purchased a new KIA Sorrento.  They are now big fans and brand endorsers of KIA. 

One of my cars is a KIA Sorrento. 

They asked me if I loved my KIA as they love their KIA and I said, “nope.”

I then went on to explain how way too much is automated and high tech.  I showcased how whenever the temperature hits 40 degrees, a red light warning icon lights up on the dashboard right next to the speedometer to let me know that the roads might ice. 

They claimed that their new KIAs don’t have that feature.  Since mine is a 2017 and their KIAs are 2018, I think that the new ones do have that feature.  Given that I am about 15 years younger than either of the two guys, my bet is that they cannot see it even when it lights up.

The masses are not only NOT STUPID, they are changing the framework of the marketplace as I script this blog and you out there are reading it.

Just as I watched the folks walking the lot at the Chrysler dealership, this past week I took a couple of hours and went and visited a mall out in the metro that many think is soon being torn down. 

I watched people and talked to people. 

I asked them what was it about the mall that drew their car to take them to it (that’s a Chevy pun, by the way.)

In addition to using terms like “convenience” and phrases like “variety of stores,” they went on to talk about how nice it was to simply go somewhere, take time to walk around and get away from the house and work.

They talked about how sometimes they meet up with friends or family at the mall and they actually have more than a text line of conversation.

They talked about how they enjoyed sorting through stuff on the shelves and trying on clothes at the department stores.

The malls are coming back to life as I write this post.

Just as the “masses,” “the great unwashed” and the “deplorables” are refueling malls, they are also purchasing lots of baby products and un-prepared food items to actually cook and tools at the hardware stores and videos for the DVDs and books – actually printed hard-cover books – at the bookstores.

Corporate investment is coming back BIG TIME just as we enter 2018. 

When I person at the coffee table this morning told me that people would no longer be driving the next wave of industry in the U.S. and that it would all be automated by machines… I quickly asked what was the nature of the company that has many major markets sitting with bated breath to hear where its opening a second HQ. 

That company that is forecasting the hiring of 50,000 new employees is a company that many believe is totally, 100% staffed by high-tech automation. (Amazon if you don't catch much news)

And one last commentary about the absurd perceptions of those that dwell in the confines of their mobile apps and Google created town squares…

If “someday more than 80% of all shopping will be competed on the Internet,” how will the products get from the warehouse to the home pantry?

If those semi-trucks on the tollways and outer belts and interstates and side-roads drive you a bit nutty now… just wait.

The nuggets of insight that will drive brands forward is not sitting on the iPhones nor in the creative circles of Madison Avenue and Michigan Avenue, nor Hollywood and the Silicon Valley. 

Nope. 

Those nuggets of insight can be found where the masses today dwell.  Those nuggets can be found in backyards and houses of worship and neighborhood restaurant dinner tables and yes... even in the malls.