The Trump marketing machine

There is a second story in Trump’s response to that question about what to do about Muslims in America.

What Trump said in response is very similar to his response to questions about all domains.  “We are looking at lots of things.  And we will consider lots of things.” 

What the hell kind of answer is that?  Even if it was a legitimate question about a legitimate subject, “things” is not exactly (or even generally) an answer.  Basically, he is just saying “trust me.”  He may not know anything now. He may not have any solutions now.  He may not have any ideas now.  But he will someday.

Oh gee – thanks.

But the truth is that I don’t think he really intends to be President.  There is not enough money in that.  If you look at the fantastic Business Week cover story about his business, you will see that he makes money from licensing his name.  His other business dealings are mostly losers.  When all he does is stick his name on buildings run by others, cologne and cuff links sold at Macy’s, and so on, he makes money hand over fist.  But as soon as he tries to add his unique insights into the business, bankruptcy court is the next stop. 

So his Presidential strategy makes total sense.  It adds to the value of putting his name on t-shirts and golf clubs without requiring him to do much investment.  And by losing the election, he can get right to it. 

And he will lose.  You can that to the bank!

This Week in EID - Episode 72

Because I was out of town for half of the week, I didn’t have a chance to share much about the EID posts in real time this week.  It’s too bad because there were some great topics.  If you missed and of them this week, I really recommend clicking through.

The best one, IMNSHO, was the piece on Escape Rooms.  This is a great case of something that is really fun, mentally and physically engaging, and even possibly a learning experience if you follow up (but of course you don’t have to).  One of the best features is that is it engaging no matter what kinds of mysteries or challenges you like to solve.  There are physical puzzles, mental puzzles, creative problem solving, riddles and other word problems, and more.  I am not sure how effective the various companies are at advertising in advance so you can pick just the right combination that is best for you and your friends/family.  But the possibilities are endless.

And on the opposite side, I included somewhat of a criticism of the marketing approach to authenticity.  In contrast, I talked about how the opportunity to play out a fantasy role play could be a better exhibition of your authentic self.

Instead of my usual weekly morsel of self-delusion, I went back in time and found some old (1940s and 1950s) studies on self-delusion to get a historical perspective.  Since I am also a history buff, that is always a fun diversion for me.  And hopefully for you too.

Finally (well, actually it was the first post of the week), we shared some new innovations on kitchen design that focus on how basic human factors principles like transparency and visibility can save food, money, and the environment.  Not a bad combination, if I do say so myself.

Enjoy.

Lies in public life

This week’s episode of On The Media is a must listen. There are several stories about politicians, companies, and organizations playing fast and loose with the facts. 

There are a few key points I took from the show that really hit me in the gut:

• Many of the candidates in the CNN GOP debate completely lied. Not the usual political embellishments that we have come to expect (which is sad in itself), but bold, bald-faced lies.  Clearly intentional.
• We don’t seem to care about the lies.  In fact, if they are criticizing something we don’t like or supporting something we do like, we cheer on the lies. Better to believe a lie we like than accept a truth we don’t. What the bleep is wrong with us?
• We are all suckers for emotional photos and videos on social media. We and them without even a hesitation to see if they are true or not. The example in the show about the Europe immigration crisis is really pathetic. And scary.

If any of you have a chance to listen to the show, I would appreciate your feedback. I am not shocked, but I am saddened by these stories.

What does this imply for our futures?