Somewhere in Impromptus today, I go on a mini-rant about the weeniness of corporations. (“Weenieness”?) I had watched a golf tournament in which AT&T kept saying it was “giving back to the community.” One of my points is: How about giving me cell service that works?
Anyway, a likeminded reader — bless such readers! — writes,
I wonder whether you’ve noticed that so many ads on TV these days have some philanthropic/humanitarian angle. It’s almost like nobody says “Acme Corp. builds a better mousetrap” anymore. We are told instead that Acme Corp. loves the environment, or the community, or the children, or Africa, etc. Energy companies are probably the worst offenders in this area.
Well, as long as it sells soap (or mousetraps, or gas).
In another part of Impromptus, I talk about what I term “word inflation”: the use of grand or dramatic words when moderate words are more appropriate.
I used as an example an article about Daniel Radcliffe, the Harry Potter actor. The article said he had “broken from his generally pleasant media demeanor” to “tear into” the Academy Awards people for overlooking his movie (or something).
Turned out Radcliffe had said such things as, “I was slightly miffed,” and, “There’s a certain amount of snobbery,” and, “It would’ve been nice to have some recognition.” Tear into?
A reader points out that a British tearing into can be very different from other tearings into. (Radcliffe is British.) True. The reader then says, “I’m reminded of the time I saw Bjorn Borg lose his temper at a line judge during a match at Wimbledon: His left eyebrow rose a quarter of an inch. I was shocked he wasn’t reprimanded for his poor sportsmanship.”
Phlegmatic Swedes — wish we had more of them.
As a "volunteer leader" of a PGA TOUR event (arguably one of the top 6 tournaments in the world), we're bombarded with "Giving Back". It's the TOUR's major theme. It REALLY kicked in about three years ago this time, when banks were excoriated by the liberal lame stream media about the corporate practice of "hospitality", or networking at TOUR events. Very Evil, One Percent type of stuff.
The TOUR took notice. You see it at every event now.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusestop. bashing. American. business.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCorporations, swayed by the MSM and Leftist dominated culture in America have succumbed to the idea that their profits have been TAKEN from the community, hence their need to give back.
What corporations do for communities is provide them paychecks, what they owe is a return on investment to their shareholders.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseATT (telecom) and energy companies - two industries that are heavily regulated. Maybe they do all this PC stuff to appease the State, in the hopes of better treatment.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe sad fact, Jay, is that such obsequious commercials *are* attempts to build a better mouse trap. Remember, this trend emerged *after* the tobacco-company lawsuits.
In the aftermath, you started having beer companies promote "Drink Responsibly" campaigns and gas/oil concerns promoting environmental awareness. They're preemptive attempts to keep the government away so they can continue on with their own business.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe first time I really noticed the "non-commercialization" of commercials was a lawyer's ad. After he spoke about what a great attorney he was there was the disclaimer, "this doesn't intend to tell you that the quality of legal services performed by this shyster will be any better that any other shyster you pick" or legal words to that effect. I'm in sales and while I don't tear down my competitors I certainly believe my product is great. I never badmouth anyone but what is the problem with being proud of your product?
Years ago I got out of the Navy and went to work in a factory. We were going through ISO-9000 certification. The upper management had come up with a mission statement that was probably 100-words of pablum. They had to print it on wallet cards because nobody could remember it. I told the management it was junk (they had spent a day off-site preparing it). Our mission was to make a profit legally. The rest was nonsense. I was told that all the nonsense was required by ISO and, if it wasn't there, we wouldn't get the certification (I still don't believe them).
Maybe if corporations would remember their real mission (profits) the Government would remember its (Defend the Constitution)!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI hope I never live in that libertarian utopia where nobody is nice to anyone unless there is money involved. The "kindness of strangers" better fits my picture of America. This applies to companies, as the likely Presidential nominee says, because "corporations are people too."
That sportsmanlike Swede, Bjoern Borg, was driven to retire early by that nasty American McEnroe who constantly cheated by throwing tantrums at crucial points.
I recall another Swedish player who muttered things to himself in the back-court that made other Swedes blush. Literally translated: "Oh Devil!"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMan, I've never seen so much hatred in one small post.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI would try to educate you on Libertarian philosophy, but you have proven in the past that you have no interest in reality. Just hating those who don't agree with you.
"I wonder whether you’ve noticed that so many ads on TV these days have some philanthropic/humanitarian angle. It’s almost like nobody says “Acme Corp. builds a better mousetrap” anymore."
It's probably because Acme Corp. is no longer trying to build a better mousetrap, but rather building the cheapest possible mousetrap while convincing you that the mousetrap will make you happy, even though you don't have any mice.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhen corporations "give back," they are basically giving away their shareholders' profits to "charities" that the shareholders might not themselves support.
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