Blow-Up

 

I was watching preparations for the Macy's Thanksgiving parade recently. They were busy inflating Sancho Panda. (Or was it Sponge Boob Square Bra, Spaniel Boone or Lady Kaka. I'm not sure. But I know it wasn't Richard Reid, who didn't need inflation by others – he'd be happy to blow himself up. In any case, I remember that it was one of those bloated, larger-than-life cartoon characters.) It was a red-letter day, just before “Black Friday.” And Macy's was preparing for one of its two major events of the year.

It struck me that the other major event Macy's sponsored also involved blowing things up, only the subjects of our awe were not balloons but exploding fireworks, with exploding colors far more impressive than the cardboard, paper, and powder objects from which they had been made. They were full of sight and fury, but their significance, apart from spectacle, escaped me.

Then I realized, of course, that both events were really fancy, though not overly sophisticated, advertising efforts which turned out to be money-makers on their own, what with television rights and the value of the publicity itself. People on-site, and sitting at home on their couches,ⁱ got their jollies from watching things blown up or, at least, out of proportion. And they would be grateful to Macy's for providing the entertainment.

And I also realized that both were really representations of advertising itself. Both were intended to enlarge on whatever it was that they were showing, and to make more of it than was really the case. They were making something out of nothing. That's advertising.

You start by finding some sort of minor problem or condition, or even a non-problem, and blow it up into what can be marketed as a major catastrophe which the consumer desperately needs to address. The recognition of the very existence of what is a newly discovered “problem” suggests that some other creative merchandiser hasn't thought of it first. The next step is to “discover” a solution to the problem, or a cure for the condition. And, fortunately, your store (in this case Macy's) is selling it. You don't even have to identify a product if you've indoctrinated your audience as to where they should look first for anything they need – the remedy to any problem. It's important to inflate the value of the remedy since you're sure to inflate the cost far beyond what it costs to produce or obtain. And consumers know that you get what you pay for. If the price isn't highⁱⁱ the product is probably not very good.

Sometimes the product is the latest version of one that already exists. Clothing is a good example of this situation, and a department store is likely to be a major vendor of such products. In this case it's important to expand the importance of change for the sake of style, or even for its own sake. Either way, though, the seller will make a big issue of it. The consumer is gullible and profits are more important than honesty. One of the major reasons why profits are high – especially for some women's clothes – is that “less” is often “more” – the less material used, the higher the price.

But back to the metaphor. The parade and the fireworks show were nothing more than advertisements for Macy's that had become annual events which advertised New York City as well as the retail store. The more people talked about the shows – and that was a lot – the more Macy's benefited. And the images of happy, appealing, and excited New Yorkers, both adults and children, had the priceless effect of countering all the negative images which allege the coldness and aloofness of Metropolis's citizens. Prime-time publicity. A boon for both store and city.ⁱⁱⁱ

It's obvious, as well, that the balloons themselves have another resemblance to the advertisements, and especially to the sales which will take place the next day. Let out a little of the helium and Derek Cheetah and Betty Burp will still fly high. Similarly, if you overprice your product, you can afford to cut back on the price and still make a good profit.

So if you sponsor an event of this type you get lots of good will, international publicity and a boost in sales. Blow things out of proportion and it's easy to satisfy the dreams of those mesmerized by the images. Don't believe me? Ask Greta Garbanzo or Tiger Wolf or Miss Twiggy.^iv

Next episode: “Hot Flash” – The universal bane.

 

i    That's not what I originally wanted to say, but it will have to do. Referring to an expanding part of the anatomy – one on which people sit – would probably be viewed as indelicate.

ii   That is, the list price. I'm sure you can get it at a discount or in a generic form at a lower price.

iii   The lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is another annual event that New York City uses as an advertising too. It also brings in the tourists and, with them, the money.

iv   Actually she's underblown, not overblown.