With the impending predicted doom of 2012 and dates with multiple ones in them, numerologists and other kooky-types are having a field day determining the auspiciousness of certain dates. Since I’m generally skeptical of big, earth-shaking predictions and the importance of numerology, I’m going to close my ears to the dire warnings posted around the net. While a certain percentage of the population focuses on the probabilities of a Zombie Apocalypse, I predict that the rest of us will succumb to the powers of subliminal (and non-subliminal) marketing schemes concocted by brilliant advertisers.
Here are a couple of dates that I predict will be hey-days for certain marketers and advertisers:
7-11-11: In the United States, July is usually only noted for the Fourth and is associated primarily with fireworks and deviled eggs. If the marketers and advertisers at 7-11 are smart, 7/11/11 will be the day for all of America to visit their local 7-11. The large chain of convenience stores could promote the special day in advance, have prizes on the bottoms of Slurpee cups, and have in-store parties on the special day. The date would actually be easy to remember as every single radio and TV announcer would be reminding you of the date all day long. I’m telling you; if 7-11 doesn’t jump on this opportunity, they’ll be regretting it for a century.
11-11-11: In the United and Canada, 11-11 is Veteran’s Day, but in South Korea (where creative advertisers and marketers have already found out how to use dates to their advantage) 11-11 is Peppero Day--the day where everyone gives each other Pepero sticks. Pepero Sticks are edible sticks that taste like dry cookies dipped in chocolate and were inspired by Japanese Pocky sticks. Imagine the possibilities of marketing something similar in the United States; I’m thinking that Pick Up Stix should be heavily marketed just before 11/11/11 since Americans aren’t really familiar with Peppero Sticks yet. (Heavy marketing of Strike-Anywhere matches did also cross my mind for 11/11/11, but I have a feeling it would be too controversial because of the whole fire-hazard issue which parental units tend to take seriously.) Maybe the band Styx could give a concert on 11/11/11.
What do you think? Should we as a population forget about the predicted doom and gloom by the Mayans and leave a little room for even more consumerism in our sonsumer-driven society? Or should we be so worried about the possibility of a Zombie Apocolypse that we don’t allow the corporations to influence us on certain dates?