Why Obama & Marketers aren't Unifiers
Note, the Sgt. James Crowley - Prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr. episode is not about them, but about Barack Obama. The incident must be analysed not for what happened but for the response that President Barack Obama came up with. He called the actions of the officer 'stupid'.
And in that lies an Obamaian tactic that may not be visible on the surface, but lies deceptively concealed within. At a time when Barack Obama is besieged on his economic policies, what he needs badly is a respite. What he needs even more is support.
His calling the officer stupid and siding with the Professor, who hollered racism, is in line with what he intends to acheive, tactically. The American public's focus on his economic policies has been deflected for the moment. In addition, by bringing in the race card, Obama's using the 'divide and rule' strategy to get his agenda through. He's endearing himself to the black community by showing how he cares for them. The irony is, far from being a 'unifier', Barack's divisive. He's miles far from his prophetic calls for unity. And in doing so, he's playing the marketing game to perfection.
Marketers are never unifiers. They are divisive, like Barack. The divisiveness they engage in is what helps them target consumer segments with precision. To get the targeted segment from among the divided consumer space to buy into their message, they do exactly what the President does. They (read, brands) become the solution to a problem they propagate. To one party. The target party.
Take fairness creams for instance. There's a sizable community in India that can't come to terms with their dark skin tone. Of course, I am in no way suggesting that this is a perceived problem and not a real one. It is very much real. You can get discriminated against, due to your skin tone. The Indian marriage market's a great example of how darker skinned women find it difficult to get mates. There's even a case of murder. And so they desperately seek a fairer tone. Fairness creams prey into these insecurities to give them a solution. Note, I am not deriding these creams. They give the consumer what they want, or at least what they evoke (this could be termed unfair) in a consumer.
Barack Obama's capitalised on the victim mentality that many share in the Black community, to turn into a savior. In effect, when he called the actions of an officer stupid, he was telling the black community, I know you are being discriminated against, I know and I care. Such talk ensures he gets their support. It also solidifies adoration from liberals.
A must have, at besieged times like these.
And in that lies an Obamaian tactic that may not be visible on the surface, but lies deceptively concealed within. At a time when Barack Obama is besieged on his economic policies, what he needs badly is a respite. What he needs even more is support.
His calling the officer stupid and siding with the Professor, who hollered racism, is in line with what he intends to acheive, tactically. The American public's focus on his economic policies has been deflected for the moment. In addition, by bringing in the race card, Obama's using the 'divide and rule' strategy to get his agenda through. He's endearing himself to the black community by showing how he cares for them. The irony is, far from being a 'unifier', Barack's divisive. He's miles far from his prophetic calls for unity. And in doing so, he's playing the marketing game to perfection.
Marketers are never unifiers. They are divisive, like Barack. The divisiveness they engage in is what helps them target consumer segments with precision. To get the targeted segment from among the divided consumer space to buy into their message, they do exactly what the President does. They (read, brands) become the solution to a problem they propagate. To one party. The target party.
Take fairness creams for instance. There's a sizable community in India that can't come to terms with their dark skin tone. Of course, I am in no way suggesting that this is a perceived problem and not a real one. It is very much real. You can get discriminated against, due to your skin tone. The Indian marriage market's a great example of how darker skinned women find it difficult to get mates. There's even a case of murder. And so they desperately seek a fairer tone. Fairness creams prey into these insecurities to give them a solution. Note, I am not deriding these creams. They give the consumer what they want, or at least what they evoke (this could be termed unfair) in a consumer.
Barack Obama's capitalised on the victim mentality that many share in the Black community, to turn into a savior. In effect, when he called the actions of an officer stupid, he was telling the black community, I know you are being discriminated against, I know and I care. Such talk ensures he gets their support. It also solidifies adoration from liberals.
A must have, at besieged times like these.
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