Those Stride gum TV commercials.
You know which ones I’m talking about.
The seriously unfunny ones involving the CEO of Stride gum and animals/strongmen sent out to get chewers of Stride gum to “spit out that first piece” because the flavor supposedly lasts SO long. That’s what the ads are talking about.
Here’s one, if you haven’t seen it:
So, what’s the problem, you ask? How do these stupid TV ads expose a flaw in our precious capitalism/market system?
Well, here’s how.
Okay, you have a company that has supposedly created and manufactured a product SO GOOD (in this case, gum that probably has Aspartame) that its’ very purchase by a consumer renders future purchases obsolete.
They thought that this would be a funny thing, but let’s analyze this.
Company makes supposedly amazing product.
Consumer purchases product once and does not need to purchase more, thereby eliminating all future profits for the company.
What we have today in our capitalist market systems are companies that PURPOSEFULLY create products that need refills, or the purchase of other products in the future, to continue the use of said product.
So, the companies, by need of future profit, must manufacture often sub-par products that will need replacement.
Which products, you ask?
Tires, for one. Did you know that there is supposedly a way to make tires that would last the life of (or close to the life of) your vehicle?
Probably not.
And the tire manufacturers wouldn’t want you to know that, either. How would they make more money if buying tires was a one-time deal?
Also consider batteries – THOSE could certainly be made to last longer. But where’s the long-term profits for Duracell or Energizer or any of the makers of car batteries?
So this is (one of) the fatal flaw(s) of capitalism.
Increased or unnecessary production of goods of lesser quality and shorter life in order to require future purchase of the same or other products.
Also, one other disturbing consideration, since the consumer BOUGHT the gum originally, and now the very company that sold it is forcing it to be spit out (in other words, rendered unchewable and most likely dirty from the ground), doesn’t that make the Stride people THIEVES? They are TAKING the VERY PRODUCT they sold to the consumer and rendering it useless themselves, on purpose. Very troublesome, even in a (hopefully) fictional scenario. Hah.
So there’s our advertising/marketing lesson for the day.
5 responses so far ↓
HeatherRainbow // November 14, 2008 at 5:22 pm |
It’s great to see your blog. Yes, this is the problem with capitalism. The necessity for job security. It comes from all the way down, and all the way up.
For example, Stride Gum, down. Up capacity… what if government created a system that rendered itself useless? What if government actually empowered its people to the point where each person / group / etc were able to enforce justice? Then we wouldn’t need the government anymore. But, the government needs to make sure that people will continue to need it. Like a drug.
Jake // November 16, 2008 at 9:05 am |
Heather! Nice to meetya, and thanks.
NICE other example you give here. Very interesting, and not something a lot of people think about, or even HAVE thought about.
It’s all drugs. It’s just a matter of which ones groups (the religious) choose as best for all of us, the society, and the greater good.
It’s like the nine inch nails album Year Zero. It’s all on there.
rob // December 1, 2008 at 2:33 pm |
It’s clear that things works exactly you say.
Consumer electronics is the best proof.
Every recently produced hi-tech device does have a pre-programmed life time.
If not, marketing will request a new protocol, communication standard, hardware requirement, or simply a driver, or a brand new OS, which will make you (the consumer) totally unsatisfied by your “old” device.
This is absolutely true for devices like cellphone, PDA, MID, notebooks, etc.
Curiously, on the other side, terrific tracking devices like RFIDs are completely battery-free and they simply keep working ad infinitum… They only need an ambiental transmitter wich keep them up and running..
And Corporations and Governments are pressing on this kind of tracking technologies.
Jake // December 3, 2008 at 3:44 pm |
Yeah isn’t it weird? Oh the irony that RFIDs would be eternal. That’s what they want.
Kyle // May 25, 2009 at 11:45 pm |
I found this blog via Google because a Stride commercial just came on the TV. I can’t agree more, and am glad that others share the same sentiment. Well said.