Should Retailers Target Low Income Markets?

September 11, 2007 · Filed Under · 8 Comments 

Colt 45 Beer SignThe United States is the land of personal freedom and liberties. With this freedom comes a catch, and that is, you are held responsible for your actions. You may be a teenage boy, who lives in a low-income urban area with a ‘Colt 45′ beer billboard on your street. Whether you then choose to buy their beer or any beer for that matter is your personal decision. It may be the wrong decision in many cases, but the blame does not fall on the shoulders of the advertiser who is just trying to maintain a profitable business. Instead, the blame falls squarely on the boy’s character which is shaped and molded by the people involved or not involved in his life, namely his parents, extended family, and friends.

Unfortunately, we live in a country where a lot of people blame or even sue companies for assumed wrong doings. A recent example of this involved a person who sued McDonald’s for making them obese. McDonald’s does not make anyone obese, over consumption of any junk food and lack of exercise will do that quite fast. McDonald’s, not unlike Colt 45, is heavily advertised in low-income, urban areas. They advertise in such areas because people are consuming their product, thus making it profitable. In my opinion, that is the definition of a sound business practice. The country will be a better place if we accept that you cannot blame businesses and marketers for the choices you make. We must acknowledge that we are solely responsible for the choices in our life. The finger of responsibility needs to point back to yourself and those who shape your character when you are discussing the consequences of your actions.

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Comments

8 Responses to “Should Retailers Target Low Income Markets?”

  1. Andrew on September 11th, 2007 6:13 am

    Well said, Kyle. Although I may place a little blame on Billy Dee Williams. He’s just too charismatic, y’know?

  2. Lynnae @ Being Frugal on September 11th, 2007 6:13 am

    I couldn’t agree more. People need to take responsibility for their own actions.

  3. Kyle on September 11th, 2007 7:41 am

    Andrew and Lynnae – Thanks for the comments, and yes, good ol’ Lando Calrissian could sure turn on the charm….

  4. Brip Blap on September 11th, 2007 8:31 pm

    I guess the only counterargument I’d make is in the case of products marketed to children. Are children to blame if they succumb to Joe Camel, or Ronald McDonald? Many of the advertisers are specifically targeting young children to get around any concept of responsibility or cause-and-effect. I see Ronald McDonald prancing around on the supposedly commercial-free Disney Playhouse channel.

    So although I may know eating at McDonald’s may make me fat, I’m not sure I can be held accountable if, for example, low-cal diet Coke is pushed on me for years then it turns out that aspartame causes brain cancer. People need all the facts before they can be held accountable for their choices.

    All that having been said, in general I agree. Lando did betray Han, after all, so you can’t really trust him when he says it works every time, can you?

    That is a brilliant line, by the way, the marketing guy who came up with that was a genius. Not that I approve of the message but man, what a sticky slogan….

  5. Kyle on September 12th, 2007 6:57 am

    BB – I am with ya on Joe Camel and the Marlboro Man, especially 30 or 40 years ago when many teens inspired to be the “cool” smoker. But I don’t have a problem with Ronald McDonald dancing around in commercials on kids programming, for me he is more of a “hey kid, go bug and pester your parents to take you to Mickey D’s” kind of ad. Comes down to the parent actually parenting and teaching their kids proper nutrition and exercise. So in that case parents are to blame if their kids succomb to Ronald McDonald.

  6. Kyle on September 12th, 2007 7:08 am

    Oh yeah and good point on the betrayal of Han Solo!!!! I am going to try an experiment and go out in public and pop a Colt 45 and see if women flock to me…need to rob a pimp of his wardrobe first though.

  7. WorksForMom on September 12th, 2007 4:11 pm

    This is such a good introspective topic. Personally I think people should be responsible for their actions. Having said that, marketing folks are tricky I tell ya (my husband is one, so I can attest)!

  8. Kyle on September 13th, 2007 7:39 am

    Hi WorksForMom – thanks for the comment, yeah, I can remember from my marketing classes that they are some tricky folks!

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