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[Clyde-B]

"People like Kristi Yamaguchi don't represent, at least with marketers, the wholesome all-American image".

The thing that makes this statement so ironic is that advertisers are the ones that determine what to show the American public, and to a great extent that defines what the "wholesome all-American image" is.

In other words, what they are actually saying is that she doesn't fit their idea of the "wholesome all-American image," so they aren't going to incorporate her into it.

You notice it didn't interfere with Kristi Yamaguchi winning the 2008 Dancing with the Stars competition.

[milomorris]

The money people do have their finger on the pulse of our fears and prejudices, and they play to those prejudices and fears rather than helping us get past them because for them it’s all about the money. 

As someone who is one of those money sucking whores, I can tell you that it not our job to help people get past their prejudices. The job of marketing professionals is to measure what is already there, and find a way for companies to earn money from it. Its part of the capitalist process. There are other people out there whose job it is to guide America morally.

I also want to point out that there are numerous organizations that do help guide America's morality, and they frequently use our money sucking talents too. It doesn't matter whether a company is selling pizza, or racial tolerance, if you want the public to buy it, come to us. We'll find your audience for you, and we'll tell them your story the best way possible.

It was thanks to us money sucking whores that shows with real sexual minorities--as opposed to cardboard cutouts--are making it to airwaves these days. "Brother's & Sisters" is such a hit in part because of the diversity of the characters in the cast. There is an audience for diversity, and we know how to find them, and get them to watch. Then we money sucking whores will turn right around and help the companies that advertise on such shows take that audience's money.

I love it!! I think capitalism is GREAT!! And I love the role I play in it.

ETA: Just like Ellen Degeneres, there are indeed companies and products that Yamaguchi and Mitcham would be perfect for. Their agents should be out there finding them.

[Clyde-B]

Advertisers tout to the heavens their abilities to persuade the public to buy products, but when confronted with the notion that they themselves actually create or destroy prejudices with that same advertising they are mystified as to how that could possibly be!

[milomorris]

The thing that makes this statement so ironic is that advertisers are the ones that determine what to show the American public, and to a great extent that defines what the "wholesome all-American image" is.

In other words, what they are actually saying is that she doesn't fit their idea of the "wholesome all-American image," so they aren't going to incorporate her into it.

Before we go too far down this road, let me explain the role market research plays in terms of what gets on the air and what doesn't.

Let's say a network is considering whether or not to put a show on the air. What they do is look over the script, and figure out who the likely audience for that show will be. Once they produce the pilot, they pull together a focus group made up of people from that likely audience, and some people who are not from that likely audience. If the target members in the focus group like the pilot, that's good. If the show has any appeal at all to those outside the target even better. If nobody likes it, it doesn't air. During the follow up that is usually done after testing the pilot, members in the focus group typically get to talk about the details of the show: "character A was too mush of a dickhead," "character B wasn't funny." Then the network assess the feedback it got, makes changes to the pilot, and the whole things starts all over again. At some point, a go/no-go decision is made. Then of course, once the show is on the air, then the Nielsen ratings guide the choices made by the network/producers.

So the marketers do not create, or define anything. All they do is measure. The people who say what America likes/doesn't like are the regular, everyday folks in the focus groups, and the regular everyday people who contribute to the Nielsen ratings. And in case you're not aware, Nielsen is very good at making sure that their families represent a cross section of America. Literally EVERY group is represented. Why? So they can measure accurately, and report back to the networks and the marketing pros exactly who is watching what.
 

You notice it didn't interfere with Kristi Yamaguchi winning the 2008 Dancing with the Stars competition.

That's a good point. Maybe she was not the "wholesome all-American" for some advertiser back whenever, but she certainly didn't have that problem with DWTS audience. They loved her.

[LauraGigs]

One argument about the Kerrigan/Yamaguchi thing is that Kerrigan overcome even greater obstacles than the other skating contestants because of having had to recover from having had her knee brutally clubbed (a great American "triumph over adversity" story).  More to the point, she was already a household-name celeb because of the knee-clubbing.

Advertisers tout to the heavens their abilities to persuade the public to buy products, but when confronted with the notion that they themselves actually create or destroy prejudices with that same advertising they are mystified as to how that could possibly be!

People in the advertising industry are are often individually pretty progressive, but they in turn are at the mercy of their clients. And CEOs of old-school, family-owned companies are notoriously conservative and don't dare do anything the slightest bit imaginative, or new.

Ah, the marketing creeps, the ones who are only in it for the money.  The money sucking whores are the ones who make sure that every crappy 1970's TV show gets made into an even more crappy feature film.  They are the ones who make sure that every halfway successful film is made over and repackaged again and again.  They are the ones who would have advised against putting money into Brokeback Mountain... 

And Gary, I swear, submit your writings to HuffingtonPost or something.  Please!

[delalluvia]

One argument about the Kerrigan/Yamaguchi thing is that Kerrigan overcome even greater obstacles than the other skating contestants because of having had to recover from having had her knee brutally clubbed (a great American "triumph over adversity" story).  More to the point, she was already a household-name celeb because of the knee-clubbing.

I should have included more of the Wikipedia article.  The fact that Nancy Kerrigan got more endorsements than Yamaguchi was before the knee-clubbing incident.

[delalluvia]

Milo does have a point.

There are Kentucky Fried Chickens and McDonalds' from here to the Great Wall of China because many people want the same stuff they get at home.  Many people are not interested in trying something new everywhere they go.  Some people are traveling just to get from one place to another, not to experience local flavor.

Jeez, how many CSI TV shows are there?  People like the same format of storytelling.  People like movie sequels because they feel at home with the same characters.

Yes, change and diversity and experimentation is good for everyone.  But there is a market and a demand for what is familiar and comfortable as well.

[LauraGigs]

[milomorris]

People in the advertising industry are are often individually pretty progressive, but they in turn are at the mercy of their clients. And CEOs of old-school, family-owned companies are notoriously conservative and don't dare do anything the slightest bit imaginative, or new.

Excellent point. When I was at my last ad agency, we were working on a print campaign for a major cosmetics company who was about to launch a set of new sunblocks. We presented the president with the photos of about a dozen children of different ethnic backgrounds. We needed him to pick 3 (one for each of the products). He picked the two blond kids, and said we needed to come up with a third blond kid. So we did as we were told. The Creative Director for the agency was so mad you could have fried an egg on his bald head. His design called for one blonde kid, a latin kid with dark hair, and a redhead.

[milomorris]

Oh, boy and HOW!!!