It’s the time of year for saving money!
A buddy of mine mentioned that he just “unfriended” an AV industry legend last week because the person was celebrating Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment onto the Supreme Court. In a time where the United States are so very divided, this person chose to gloat about something that more than half of Americans are furious about. Let me be clear: that’s not good for business. Not one bit.
It’s not the first time businesses have oddly delved into politics and/or religion. Privately-owned, SoCal-based In-and-Out Burger subtlety promotes their religious beliefs to patrons with prayer messages on their packaging materials, such as a little “John 3:16” on the inside of the bottom of their drinking cups. Granted, a prayer before you eat is harmless, but a recent $25,000 donation to the GOP to back up their right-wing beliefs brings bitter politics into greasy hamburgers in a way that some people will boycott. Simply put: I don’t want my burger joint supporting bigots and hate mongers and I will vote with my economic ballot, as will many others. Same goes for Chick-Fil-A and the likes of Papa John’s. When it comes down to it, there’s a chance that their politics align with your own. But the fact of the matter is that, with such hot-button issues, there are simply many other options for fast food that don’t get needlessly political or religious, and hence don’t piss off anyone.
Alaska Airlines got the message about imposing religion on its travelers when, in 2012, they ended a program that included a “free Psalm” with every meal. Not everyone prays before they eat, and lots of people who do pray to different deities. Respecting those beliefs is good for business. Alienating people? Not so good. Since focusing on being a better airline and not a harbinger, Alaska has had some record profits, bought Virgin America, and invested in a pretty swanky new fleet of planes.
Audio today is a very personal business. In the modern world, an audiophile can call many of the cult-of-personality oriented businesses in the hobby and actually speak with the namesake leader. Said founders attend regional and national audio shows and are often involved on a day-to-day basis with the products that we know and love. By all means, they are allowed to have their beliefs–even when they are out of the mainstream or bordering on extreme. But when said beliefs are made brazenly public, such as on social media, there is a big risk in terms of business. Not one audiophile product is so far above its competition in terms of performance that it can’t be replaced with a suitable other component. Building an association with extreme political views or taking a bold and exclusionary stance on religion can be off-putting to consumers. Blasting those views on Facebook or other social media makes it such that large volumes of the buying public can and will stop listening to you and–more importantly–stop buying your products on principle.
Years and years ago, one of my best clients at Cello needed a new pair of speakers, but literally would not buy the type of speakers that I had at the time because of the strong religious ties that the company made somewhat public. There was no Facebook at the time, but there was enough scuttlebutt about this company that my client, who made $20,000,000 selling his technology company in the late 1990s in San Jose, just respectfully said “find me something else.” He wasn’t angry at all. He just wasn’t writing a check for these speakers under any circumstances and it didn’t matter how good they would sound with his Cello Performance II Class A amps, Cello Encore preamp, Cello Audio Palette EQ, and Meridian digital front end. (It would have sounded great, by the way).
The divisions in the country, especially since the 2016 election, have given birth to the #DeleteFacebook movement. Two of my friends’ wives did in fact quit Facebook this summer, and they have not looked back. My wife rarely uses the social media anymore, as she says, “I prefer to see photos of puppies, kids, food, and vacations” on Instagram versus the often acrimonious dialogue on Facebook. Be it Russian “influencers” or just people who you hoped weren’t that stupid talking smack, more and more people are bailing from places like Facebook because it doesn’t make their life any better. But for audio companies, the older, wealthier demographic on Facebook paired with the group and hobby association make for a great way to build a brand.
In the end, cutting one’s potential client base by more than half isn’t a good business model. Fox News does it. So does MSNBC. And they reach, on a good night, about 2,000,000 polarized people. The Big Bang Theory, at its peak viewership reaches 18,700,000 people. Who do you think gets higher ad rates and makes more money?
So, to audio companies: keep your politics and religion out of the hobby and off of social media, especially in such polarized and polarizing times as these. If you simply must bloviate on Facebook for whatever reason, create a private account that has nothing to do with your business and keep your views there, assuming you have that luxury and your name isn’t so synonymous with your brand that one may as well be the other. That’s assuming, of course, that you care about the potential backlash.
End of sermon.
I quit Facebook 6 years ago and haven’t looked back. When asked why, this is what I said: “Facebook has become uninteresting, repetitive, geared towards business and companies. In addition, it is now about ones friends, friends, friends. The original idea of your friends posting their own thoughts has been replaced with meaningless shares. Also it has become important to “like” things that again, are meaningless except as marketing tools. What made Facebook unique and important in its early days has now been diluted into a miasma of misinformation, dated causes, advertisements, viruses launched by clicking on cliffhangers, and a whole host of other time wasters. It is inevitable that this has happened, but the bottom line is that Facebook simply doesn’t provide me with anything of use anymore”…and that was 6 years ago, I felt that way. I can’t imagine the mess it is today.
I would like to quit Facebook. I can’t because of the publications. I would otherwise. Its not a source of joy, information or much meaningful.
Jerry, couldn’t the same thing be said of your companies? You have – on more than one occasion – made disparaging remarks about President Trump. There are at least 2 other reviewers that also do that.
Just in this article, you ***seem*** (I could be wrong though) to be defining either the GOP, or companies that support the GOP, as “hate mongers.” Wouldn’t this and the 1st example be alienating potentially 50% of your readers? What would happen if 50% of your readers contacted the companies that buy ads from you and said they were boycotting until they stopped?
You’ve brought up climate change several times. Why on earth would that be relevant when you’re espousing the good, bad, and the ugly of “Product X?”
You write some really great product reviews – you really do! They are very insightful, interesting and some of your side comments about the product are hilarious. I sit there and think that I could not have thought of that if I had another 50 years to do so. But since a few days ago when you used God’s name in vain (the “GD” remark about something being sexy), I’ve mostly skip your stuff now. I thought today’s article would be different but you have proven once again that your personal agenda is always going to take precedence.
Please don’t misunderstand. I truly wish you all the success in the world. I just wish you would practice what you’re preaching here today.
Careful, that’ll get you removed.
Nothing like an article about polarizing audiophiles which itself polarizes audiophiles.
Perhaps a little self-reflection is in order.
Joel
Read my comments above.
Sadly, you too have missed the point of the entire article.
Its my JOB to engage readers. Ask Google.
Jerry,
I’m hoping you’re capable of engaging readers by means other then dividing and insulting some of them.
If you can’t offer audio insights without the kinds negative judgments you’ve made, consider me one less statistic for Google.
Joel
Michael,
Sadly, you’ve missed my point much like the VERY ANGRY and THREATENING people on Facebook.
Yes, I think Donald Trump is a bigot, a proven liar, an almost assured tax cheat, a terrible mysoginist and perhaps the worst U.S. President in history. That’s my take but NOT MY POINT. My point is: for those selling audio-video gear – they should leave their thoughts out of social media. I sell ads. I create content with opinion. I GIVE IT away for FREE to all of you and ALWAYS HAVE.
Note: I gave credit to companies like Alaska Airlines who changed their Psalm’s in Meals program in 2012 because some didn’t like it (I dislike the food more than them offering a prayer before I eat!!!). I would have given the same emphasis to George Soros if he owned an audiophile company and was using his influence there to promote say Hillary Clinton (can’t we be done with Hillary already?)
If you are marketing to the masses – I think its important to stay out of the political or religious fray. That’s the point of the article.
What people are trying to say here and on Facebook is that because they are SO WORKED UP over politics right now – they want to attack “Jerry the Liberal”. Its OK, I guess but they simply didn’t get the point of the article. Once again: we are in the opinion business and our product is FREE. Its is our job to engage our audience and guess what? This article does just that. And we don’t charge $100 per year for paywall access. We could? Should we?
Jerry polarizing can be fun. I have a list of all the members of the audio press who support MQA and the few that don’t.
I don’t feel that strongly one way or the other about MQA other than to say that I like the idea of smaller files allowing for better/bigger music streaming through “the pipe”.
I don’t see the Hattfields and the McCoys although i know there is a reportedly nasty video from RMAF that is supposedly really ugly.
A well-respected designer/manufacturer of audio consoles used for re-recording mixing in many Hollywood film studios in the mid- and late-80s was a very religious evangelical and was so offended by Universal Studios’ release of The Last Temptation of Christ that he cancelled Universal’s order for a new re-recording console. The sound directors of the studios are always talking to each other — among other reasons, they refer projects to each other when their facilities are fully booked. Soon afterward, the studios cancelled every order for a new re-recording console from his company, and he went out of business.
I wonder what your advertisers think of YOU alienating so many potential customers? In an article about the risks of insulting half of your base…you insulted half of your base. There’s no way on earth I would pay to have my product associated with such an irritating polarising individual as you. Goodbye.
Reading comprehension is a lost skill for many…
Fascinating to read the reactions to a commentary about business and its relationship to politics. I can think of a reviewer for another AV blog who has made it known he endorses a conservative perspective. I still value his views on most* media, and haven’t turned away from his publisher. On the other hand, I’m aware of several company CEO/owners who actively promote their views and make a public display as they donate their money to political causes I find offensive. They no longer do that with my money, which I’ve redirected. Maybe these are distinctions without a difference to others, but they are important for me. It’s one thing to have a political opinion, it’s quite another to make me a partner in your activities, which is what those public displays seem to be intended to accomplish. I don’t see JDC’s comments in that light, but, then again, I share his conclusions. Maybe I might feel different from the other side, but . . . well, . . . . haven’t changed my behavior yet.
*I’m not going to rely on his opinions of media related to social or even natural science issues.
Your job is opinion..on audio gear. Not politics. You just alienated half your readership with this stupid article and your ill-informed political rant. This site has always been a “once in a while” for me, and now it’s a “never again.” Good riddance.
fozziet gg
As Michael Jordan said a long time ago “Republicans buy sneakers too.”