This is a most enjoyable guest posting by Stew Richland about the SuperBowl and more. Read and enjoy.
For the last 49 years my wife and I have watched the Super Bowl. Sad to say, for the first time in all these years, I can honestly profess that Phyllis and I belong to a dwindling generation.
The Romans and Barnum & Bailey had it right. Give the masses a circus and they will come. I bet you think that I was referring to the game. Wrong! I am writing about the big sell that went on before and during the game. You're right - the commercials.
Vance Packard, who wrote the definitive tome on how to capture consumers' attention and manipulate their buying choices, in his book The Hidden Persuaders, has got to be applauding the creators of the 30 second segments and flaunting their diplomas as master manipulators of the millennium generation.
The commercials were geared to a generation that enjoys seeing moving, twisting and gyrating bodies to music written and played by a generation so far removed from my reality its akin to an outer-body experience.
The commercial that tells the 20’s age group that in order to function in your world you need to drink Kick-Start. Now you guys/gals can gyrate to your kick-start content. The Rebock commercial which informs you that if you wear their product you get Human!, but it doesn’t spell out what type of human you will become. Life is like a Fortune Cookie, choose from column A or B. How about the guy who has a truck and plays loud music (which will lead to hearing loss) becomes a sex symbol and the poor schnook who drives a Mini is a loser. Don’t forget that the Game of War is a free AP, and you will be transported to Tomorrow Land, a place where you can change the world. Please. Lets make Century Village a better place. I wish we had a free AP for this.
There was a commercial for Terminator and Beyond. Yikes, another remake. Just like Century Village. Where we have a mentally limited creative and recycled leadership. I wonder which came first, Hollywood or Century Village?
The half-time show was cute. The costumes were creative and the dancers were very energetic. However, I tried very hard to understand the lyrics. I could not.
Lights were constantly moving, the main singer was hoisted above the crowd singing away with the mike attached to her wrist. Not my world anymore.
Just as a comparison. I watched a great Hollywood musical, Sweet Charity. Not only did I understand the lyrics but it made sense. The dance scenes were outstanding. All the dancers moved as one, there were no dancers shaking their long hair from side to side. No pole dancing, just smooth, artful movements.
The following day I watched all the news stations for their reviews about the Super-Bowl half-time show. Each one raved about the show. How great the singing was and lights, just magic. I shook my head and I now know what its like to old, out of touch, and lack the “with-it-ness”- that it takes to get along in today’s society.
Maurice Chevalier sang a song in the movie Gigi. it was entitled, I am glad I am not young anymore.
Nothing else has to be said on the subject.
How lovely to sit here in the shade
With none of the woes of man and maid -
I'm glad I'm not young anymore!
The rivals that don't exist at all,
The feeling you're only two feet tall -
I'm glad I'm not young anymore!
One last observation. The owner of the New England Patriots said how he thanked the loyal fans. However, I don’t think that there was more than 1% of the spectators that were loyal ticket holders for either team. Here’s the way it works. Every team player, management and team employees are given tickets at face value to the game. Most of these players sell their tickets to ticket brokers for a huge premium. The brokers then package the tickets with hotel rooms and private parties for these ticket holders. The ticket prices ranged from 7K to 35K depending on location. The game announcers had the cameras pan the stadium and honed in on politicians and celebrities that were in attendance. None I assure you are season ticket holders who attend the games in the rain and snow. Corporations who own season tickets also had access to the game. You may ask how do I know this; well my nephew was once a ticket broker and he told me the dirty secrets that go on behind the scenes. I was a Giant season ticket holder for 40 years. When they won the championship and were going to the super-bowl we were advised to mail in our requests and first come first served. Well I drove to New Jersey and had my application stamped at the Giant post office 12:01. I never got a ticket. In addition, many of the students that I taught at a private school had gone to the game. None were season ticket holders; they were able to purchase packages for 5K and above. My nephew said that he could provide me with a ticket for a low ball price of 3K. Compare this to the when issued ticket price of $250.
Conclusion: Enjoy the game on TV; ignore the commercials and the half-time show. Invite a few friends over and enjoy knowing how much money you have saved.
No comments:
Post a Comment