One
of the pleasures of the holidays is visiting with relatives who express points
of view that are different from my own, usually on subjects pertaining to religion
and politics. Part of being in the holiday spirit is, after all, being in the
state of knowing everyone around you shares your opinions on everything, as if
under one great big mistletoe.
Yeah
right.
When
you think about it, it’s not the difference of opinion that bugs us; it’s the assumption
that we’re in agreement. And this is just on top of all the usual
presumptuousness around the holidays.
So
if I can dare to assume that there’s more bad advertising during the time of
year when there’s the most advertising, then ‘tis the season for assumptions. Hey,
do you hear what I hear? It’s the consumer crying out:
Don’t assume I like you. Don’t assume I’m in the
market for your product
or that I care or that I’m interested. Don’t assume like some sort
of psycho stalker that my disinterest is a sign I might someday come around. Don’t
assume that if you’re happy and cheerful and ALL blue-sky and optimistic, my
feelings about you will change. Don’t assume – NOW! – that I want your new gizmo.
Don’t even assume I want your product now that it’s on sale. Don’t assume that I’m
more likely to like you if I see people I like liking you. And don’t assume
Like means Love. Don’t assume that I’d like you if I can choose the color and
add racing stripes. Don’t assume I’ll like you if you send me a note with
my very own name on it. Hell, don’t assume I’ll feel like you know what I want,
if you know a lot of details about me already, because that’s just creepy.
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