The Spin on Black Friday. Or is it Thursday?

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Take your pick. So many choices are available!

Midnight. That’s when stores are opening for Black Friday. Oh! Wait a minute. 

Some of them are opening at 8PM! Hello Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us Sears and Kmart! Target, 9PM. Kohl’s and Macy’s and Best Buy are keeping it at midnight. Sure hope you can get a nap in before standing on line and freezing. Brrrrr.

And Nordstrom? They are maintaining their stance on no Holiday décor until Black Friday. Great marketing strategy guys! You are doing a great thing and it makes you shine like a Christmas ball ornament.
Well, I for one am done with the whole Black Friday hoo-ha. How much savings is there anyway? Do people buy MORE because they are “saving”?

Are gifts and who has the latest and greatest or the biggest and the best really important?

Who started this whole Black Friday thing? There’s different explanations for it however the most realistic one is that the term evolved from a statement that the Philadelphia Police Department made in 1966 regarding crowds and traffic jams on the day after Thanksgiving. Guess someone saw a marketing opportunity and ran with that!

Last year, I took a leisurely drive. No, didn’t go too far with the price of gas. It’s amazing how many things one can see that are fifty miles or less from home. And if you are concerned about the price of gas, save money on your drive by packing a picnic lunch! Some advice: Don’t go driving anywhere near a mall or major shopping center and you’ll be just fine! 

Or,

Just sleep in and have a peaceful day at home. Order gifts online. Download a movie you always wanted to see. Gear up for small business Saturday; mom and pop stores are the quiet backbone of this country; they could become tomorrow’s well-known names. Support them and help them grow. That evening, put the radio on and play some board games. Pretend the internet and TV don’t exist just for one day.

Ooooh, scary. Spending time with family and friends! Think about it. What has more long term value: Good conversation, a few laughs and some new memories, or getting on line at 6PM after gobbling turkey so that you can save $10 to get your kid can have a new Xbox game?

Los Bravos sang about the color black back in the 60’s; do you want your baby back? And if you haven’t had enough Black Friday, read more here and here. But wait; there’s more! If you want to read, laugh, and learn, stop by and say hello on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or the website. 

Where Did Thanksgiving Go?

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On the fourth Thursday of November, lots of people sit down and, well, pig out with too much turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and a veggie or two until they feel like their stomachs are going to burst.

Wow. Sounds like fun, huh? 

It’s so important that it’s a holiday. You get a day off, with pay. It’s an excuse to see family. You travel by car, you travel by plane, or maybe there’s enough family in your house already! Or, maybe they’re coming to see you.

That first Thanksgiving. Pilgrims. Religion. Turkey wasn’t even the star of the meal! Certainly, this special day has evolved into something else. And, amazingly enough, those pesky marketers have barely begun to take advantage of it, choosing to exploit the “Ho Ho Ho” of Jolly Saint Nick instead. Whatever happened to the Turkey Trot?

In October, the stores were all aglow touting everything orange and black; yes, and some green and purple items too. Costumes, pumpkins, lighting, fog machines. Yeah; we’ve got to have it all!

In the meantime, some stores were already hawking the red and the green; ready to spring into full action. And, the day after Halloween, the leftovers are shoved into a corner and reduced for quick sale. And now it’s time. Suddenly, the red and the green seems to multiply faster than bunny rabbits. The amount of floor space it creeps into is considerable in a cheery effort to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

And you do. Who doesn’t like pretty lights and elegant trees?
Oh! Wait a minute. What happened to Thanksgiving? Ah, there it is. There’s a couple of different sizes of paper turkeys and some resin varieties too. Well, dear marketers, this is the last frontier; why have you been holding out on us?  Those paper plates would look perfect with a scoop of mashed potatoes on them.

Colors of maize, butternut, and pumpkin with a little red thrown in. A turkey that’s not named Tom, nor is a butterball, that doesn’t wind up on someone’s table. The first Thanksgiving had seafood and other fowl besides turkey. Why hasn’t someone created cartoon characters and a whole new tradition with an annual TV special? Oh, if this has been done, pardon me!

C’mon marketing powers that be: Get those thinking caps on. Oh! The opportunity! Dancing clams and lobsters! Thanksgiving swans!  The possibilities are endless.

Wait! Maybe there is a light at the end of tunnel after all, and its name is Walmart! Walmart has boldly stepped where other stores have feared to go; for your consideration and to avoid having you trampled on by over-excited sale seekers they are opening at 8PM on Thanksgiving! Jolly good, now we can walk off those calories and belch our way through the aisles of bargains and buy Christmas stuff! Should we be thanking them for this extraordinary opportunity? 

Brace yourselves, folks. The holiday season is almost here. And for me? I’m still basking in the orange glow of Halloween! There are still a few light sets left to take in from outside. Eh, I’ll put them inside my home after Thanksgiving!

We're not talking turkey! Visit the website, Facebook page, Google+ page or tweet with us. 

Why is Friday Black?

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Are you curious about the term “Black Friday”? I was. So I looked it up. The best explanation attributes it to a statement made by the Philadelphia Police Department in 1966 as a reference to traffic jams and crowds in that fair city on the day after Thanksgiving.

Another source says it’s from the 70’s.

But perhaps none of that matters. To some, it’s a day that no one wants to be involved with. For others, it means getting Guitar Hero at half price.

And it’s no longer Friday. Wal Mart opens at 10PM on Thanksgiving evening this year for Black Friday. With this lousy economy, were employees were lining up to make a few extra bucks despite missing out on festivities at home?

Many big box stores will open at midnight, including Kohl’s, Macy’s, Target and Best Buy. Will you be on line, waiting to get in?

Two years ago, I stood outside of a Target at 4:30AM. Luckily, it was in Southern California, and a comfortable 55 degrees. Now keep in mind, for native Californians, this is more aligned to 20 degrees to them. Many wore heavy winter coats. My New Jersey blood merely required a lightweight fleece pullover.

The 200 plus strong crowd politely waited on line and made the best of it. For most, it was an adventure; on a scale of were conquering the challenge of climbing Mount Everest. The gleam of realizing great values and saving megabucks was shining in many pairs of eyes. I spoke with the people both in front and behind me; all were laughing, smiling, and eager to get inside for those door busters!

My day was carefully mapped out in advance. At Target, there were four items, and nothing more. Swooping in, pushing a cart rapidly, and 10 minutes later, I was checking out. Done. Moving on to the next few stores, again, grabbing exactly what I wanted, surrendering a coupon or two and leaving, I was ready to treat myself to a big breakfast by 9. By 10:30, safely home. Whew.

I will never do that again. Why? I felt no holiday spirit. Sure, it’s about giving, but it felt like I was playing a game.

Frankly, I’m already tired of the Black Friday ads on TV as well as the news articles. On Today, they discussed how to get the most out of Black Friday shopping. I can tell you how to accomplish that as well.

Stay home.

Yes, I write about marketing. But there’s a breaking point for all of us. And marketing should not be a part of your lives 24 hours a day. Black Friday is a day off, with pay, for many people. Spend it with friends and family. Play a game, an old-fashioned board game. Watch a movie that you meant to watch 6 months ago. Make a big plate of lasagna and hold off on leftover turkey until Saturday. Take a walk around the block and notice things you’ve never slowed down to see. If you must shop, the world is at your fingertips. Celebrate the day. For you.

There will be more sales. Black Friday isn’t THE only day for bargains. But we sure are made to believe so.

Cindy Lou Who, Go Back to Whoville...You're Too Early!

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The Grinch was shown on TV a couple of days ago; a friend on Facebook posted that fact. I played Cindy Lou Who wearing my own pink and green bathrobe in the third grade production of that enduring tale, but upon hearing that Whoville happenings had already descended on us put a damper on my fond memory.

On Halloween, I stopped at Target to buy candy for Trick or Treaters. One side of the aisle was haphazard with bags of candy scattered around by past shoppers scrambling for their favorites. The other side was being stocked with everything red and green, from yummy candies to seasonal coffees. The sharp contrast wreaked havoc on my psyche and took an ounce of fun out of Halloween for me, particularly when I had to ask a Target employee to move the large cart heaped with soon to be shelved holiday delights just so I could get through the aisle.

In the supermarket, I heard a Christmas song was playing. It was a catchy one, and I started to bob a bit and mouth the words. Then I realized it was a holiday song and …November 2^nd. My initial reaction quickly ceased, replaced by bewilderment.

My local hardware store, OSH, just sent an email with 20% off holiday décor online. I stopped by there yesterday to buy a few things and the Christmas shop was in full bloom at the front of the store, resembling a store within a store with lighted arches over the aisles. How festive!

Bah humbug.

Hey all you marketers; I’d really like to enjoy Thanksgiving. Will you please take a step back and allow me to be THANKFUL before I have to start thinking about a jolly man in a red suit?

Seriously.

I know marketing is important; uh, I do it for a living too. Consumers need to be aware of you and learn what your brand is about and what it can do for them. No issues with that! What I don’t like (and I’m sure many of you agree with me) is the shoving down the throat syndrome; pressuring us all to gulp rather than sip.

October through December represents BIG bucks for the retailers peaking with “I dare you to find a parking space” Black Friday. While I welcome the frivolous “gotta get a gift” spending since it contributes to the lousy U.S. economy, I wonder if we’ve lost touch with what the end of year holidays are all about. It’s not about buying gifts for people!

I’m not against the tradition of gift giving. And now, I have to admit there are alternative ways to participate in my share of holiday giving. No, I don’t regift nor am I a crafter. I DO peruse the sales of course, but I’ve found that shopping at garage sales, resale shops and vintage stores results in unique, one-of-a-kind items that can usually can be bought for a song. I’m not talking about 1984 shoulder padded blazers here, but focusing on items more ornamental in nature that suit the recipient’s décor, a gently used collectible book, or something more practical…would you believe I know someone that collects old waffle irons?

In other words, I frequent those sellers who have little or no marketing! I’m still spreading the wealth, right?

The point is that through the magic of marketing, we continue to drift away and lose sight of what the end of the year is all about. Personally, I will do my best to avoid anything associated with red and green until after Thanksgiving. Bring on the turkey and all the trimmings!