The Big Fat Marketing Blog

I’m reading reports about the cancellation of gala, big-ticket events surrounding this weekend’s Super Bowl, a true sign of the economic apocalypse. Playboy and Sports Illustrated both cancelled what in the past have been some of the hottest parties taking place in the host city. Restaurants and strip clubs–both big attractions during Super Bowl week–are reporting sagging sales. And celebrity golf and poker tournaments have been abruptly cancelled this week because corporate sponsorships have disappeared. Analysts are predicting at least a 20% drop in revenues for Tampa associated with the Super Bowl, with less visitors and less spending this weekend. Hotel rooms are still available. And so are tickets–the official ticket site, TicketsNow, has hundreds if not thousands of tickets available, ranging from $1600 for the upper deck to $197,000 for one of two dozen unsold luxury boxes.

This is unprecedented. There seems to be little demand, and very little interest, in what’s usually the first major holiday of the year for Americans.

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I should stay out of flea markets. A few years ago, I found this chart of ad agency services. It’s not unlike the geographical maps I used to see in my earth science textbook.

There’s Publication Lake—home to magazines, newspapers, trade papers. more

I should stay out of flea markets. A few years ago, I found this chart of ad agency services. It’s not unlike the geographical maps I used to see in my earth science textbook.

There’s Publication Lake—home to magazines, newspapers, trade papers. more

I’ve noticed that everyone I talk to is depressed. Cranky, even. Everyone knows someone who’s out of work, and even those of us with jobs seem dissatisfied, and edgy. This happens every January in the midwest, I’m aware, about the time holiday bills start arriving, the sun disappears for weeks at a time and the temperature stays stuck at zero.

But this year is different. Ad agency superstars I know around town are anxious, unhappy with their jobs (hey, at least they HAVE them) and bitter about work, clients, food, music, sports, their friends and their sex lives, and not always in that order.

Hell, everyone’s already bitching about Obama’s lack of impact. The guy’s been on the job for less than a week!

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Whatever messages emanate from the Vatican these days will likely be streamed on YouTube in what is a landmark departure from the traditionally austere veil of selective communications that has characterized the Church’s practices. The stated reason Pope Benedict becomes a YouTube celebrity is an intention to broaden his reach and better control his image on the new channel, http://www.youtube.com/vatican.

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Typically, one holiday is barely over before the products for another flood store aisles.

Think about it. Fourth of July fireworks go up and Halloween candy hits the shelves. Carve your pumpkin and malls are decked with boughs of holly.

But this year, there seemed to be no big rush to spread the Valentine’s Day merchandise love at the retail level.

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