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Jan18
A Commercial Suggesting it's Good to be Part of a Machine
NextStage: Predictive Intelligence, Persuasion Engineering, Interactive Analytics and Behavioral Metrics I've written before about commercials that make me uncomfortable. I recently saw one for a very recognizable credit card company. I give the marketing folks who came up with this commercial an "A" for the idea and an "F" for execution. The "A" is because the commercial's underlying idea is that cash -- real folding money and coins -- are going away and debit cards, cash cards, smart cards (oh, I can't wait for these to reach the US shores) are taking its place.

The "F" is for how the commercial demonstrates this.

People are in what looks like a coffee shop. Somehow their order is psychically known by the staff as they walk in the door (this could be due to new cellphone apps. I don't know), they're given a bag as they get to the counter, turn towards the checkout and, once there, run their card through the slot and head out the door.

All with the precision of a machine.

Except for one fellow who pays with cash. Nasty, messy cash.

The line collapses. People bump into each other with looks of exasperation and rage. Bags open and spill. Who is this fool? Why is he destroying the symmetry, the simplicity, of the machine?

I was sure I was reading a page from Fahrenheit 451 again, some scene where Beatty tells Montag about how wonderful it is to not disturb anything or anyone by doing something different, unique, special.

"...group spirit, fun, and you don't have to think, eh? Organize and organize and super organize... The mind drinks less and less. Impatience."

I know people who don't take coin change any more. It all goes into one of those change jars next to the cash register. I also use a debit card myself more often than not and have no problem with the concept of plastic replacing cash.

But to target someone for using coin of the realm? For being different? For being so...so...20th century???

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