of savvy retailers had instigated a plan to position
VCR’s in each and every home—not that it would have been the solution
to all of their woes.
VCR’s actually afford Americans more than an opportunity
to shop during prime television viewing hours, take college classes at night
or cheer from the sidelines at a child’s soccer game. When replaying the
recorded programs, America can fast forward through
all of those costly commercials— another poke in the eye with a sharp
stick to retail America!
It is no secret that retailers are getting it each and every
time they turn around. It was in part due to their financial support that the
original big three television networks were built and began
to flourish.
The success of these networks spawned competitors in the
form of cable and satellite television. The market is now so diluted by all
of this competition that retailers face a difficult decision when forced to
choose an accurate path for their advertising dollars to travel.
You probably expect me to come through with an analogy that
will link offering custom corporate and recognition jewelry to business and
industry in your area as a novel solution to this dilemma. Unfortunately,
this can not be done.
I have said before that offering corporate and recognition
services to business and industry in your area does not replace anything, interfere
with anything or
solve anything.
I have also said that it enhances everything, because it
does. I
wasn’t kidding!
The arrival of the video cassette recorder into the homes
of Americans has definitely had an impact felt far beyond the living room! I
don’t have time to perform a scientific survey to back up this claim, but
you wouldn’t want to read it even if
I did.
In my lifetime alone, I can recall how a televised event
such as the final episode of The Fugitive prompted America to alter any and
all plans to be home at an appointed time in front of
a television.
As a part time waitress at a restaurant adjacent to a shopping
center during my college years, I stood alone that night, coffee pot in hand,
wondering what had become of my customers and their tips! Imagine the impact
on the retailers in the mall.
After that night, it wouldn’t have surprised me at all
if a bunch
