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A diverse college campus chock-full of hippies, yuppies and flunkies rarely comes together to accomplish anything. The simple act of marketing aimed at college kids is a mistake often made by companies who underestimate our finely tuned B.S. detectors. With that in mind, I’m going to paint a little picture for you that will arm you with information which could ensure your financial future.
This Thanksgiving while you are sitting around your dinner table, instead of being thankful for your hot 17-year-old cousin who just got her braces off, be thankful that your parents still have a job and can afford to provide a turkey with all the fixings. Once that sinks in, reflect on the following:
Every year, corporations and conglomerate retail chains push mom-and-pop stores out of business. Capitalism at its best, right? Wrong. This system of cutthroat business practices does cut costs for many struggling Americans at first, but eventually these champion retail chains must start sending work overseas just to keep their heads above water.
I find it ironic that without fully realizing the harm we’re doing to our economy by contributing to the success of these retail giants, we curse and scream at the low quality crap we spend half an hour in line to buy. It’s hard for me to keep a straight face when I hear the phrase, “I hate shopping at-” followed up with your choice of retail bully. But time and time again they come back with their tail between their legs, looking for the almighty “buy one, get one free sale.” I will be the first to admit that I am guilty of returning to the scene of the crime against humanity time and time again.
Before you start crying into your cranberry sauce, find comfort in the fact that as an informed college student you possess power rivaled only by Joe Bornstein in making politicians and billion dollar tycoons pee their pants. The result of this month’s polls should be evidence enough that people working together can make a positive change.
Every year Black Friday is a marketing black hole for consumers and retail stores alike. No calendar day single-handedly transforms Americans into pissed-off zombies more than the day after Thanksgiving. In order to preserve our sanity and our economy, a group called Ad Busters developed a campaign to stick it to the man. The campaign called “Buy Nothing Day” is arguably the best thing to come out of Canada since Bret “The Hitman” Hart.
Buy Nothing Day is an annual event that takes place the day after Thanksgiving and is easy to participate in. Ad Busters offers ways in which people can take part in Buy Nothing Day on several levels. Tactics range from the simple act of packing a lunch and not buying gas, to more drastic measures of cutting up credit cards and protesting in front of stores. For a real jab in the eye, Ad Busters recommends hitting up your least favorite retail outlet, and spending the day buying and returning merchandise over and over.
For those of you who think the idea of conglomerates wasting your resources may sound absurd, consider it a personal challenge to see if you can go one day without stepping into any store to purchase gas, cigarettes or a even a meal. This Thanksgiving break, roll out of bed around 2 p.m. and stuff your face with leftovers. Your laziness could ensure food on the table come next Thanksgiving.
Randy Cummings ate a little too much paste while making hand-traced paper plate turkeys.
