[Speed Gibson,
Sunday October 8, 2006 at 1:43am]
Cheapening the Brand
Much of retail these days is about "branding" - establishing a brand name or product niche that customers both want and can't find elsewhere. Once established, it is a great retail sin to "cheapen" that brand by getting greedy. Offering deep discounts, selling through too many channels, and saturation of the market make your branded product look cheap and commonplace are common mistakes that turn chic brands into mere commodities.
Mark Yost on the NARN today spoke of the National Football League's (NFL) product labeling / endorsement. They signed everyone that approached them, and soon the NFL and team logos were everywhere, from lunch boxes on up. It stopped being special, and NFL has since corrected that mistake.
Now consider Patty Wetterling, who founded the Jacob Wetterling Foundation is response to the tragic abduction and we presume worse of her son in 1989. This group advocates via education and lobbying for stronger laws, and assists victims of similar crimes. This is a fine organization by all accounts.
But now as candidate for U.S. House in District 6, Wetterling "has approved" two messages in ads still running I believe. One concerns Michele Bachmann (23% sales tax) and the other the House (i.e. Republican) leadership regarding disgraced and resigned Rep. Foley. Maybe Eric Black senses his job is on the line. Maybe Wy Spano continues to be somewhere between an idiot and unprincipled partisan. But we're adults here, including Wetterling. These messages were blatant lies. If you've followed my blog, you know I never make such a charge lightly. When even the Minneapolis Star Tribune and WDFL-TV are groaning, there is no reasonable doubt here.
Patty Wetterling has cheapened her brand, i.e. her Foundation. Lost now is the broad appeal, the wide public sympathy, and the ability to raise funds from all segments of the population. But she has moved on from founder and advocate to politician and liar.
We could understand how she might think political office would allow her to do still more for her cause. We couldn't understand why she thinks that cause is enough, that she didn't need to study, understand, and speak to the many other issues we face. She was defeated handily in 2004 as a result despite her name recognition and sympathy.
She is running again in 2006. She will lose again in 2006, probably by a still wider margin. But right or wrong, the Wetterling Foundation she will return to now looks like a political group, and that will cost it at least some of the good will and financial support of Republicans, maybe even a few Democrats, too. The Foundation also can no longer lobby as effectively. Even Democrats may not want to ally with it, fearing another, larger mistake in 2008 should Patty run again.
This is truly a shame. I never thought for a moment that Patty Wetterling would stoop to the Dean Johnson level, not once but twice.
Two apologies and a promise never to run for office again are now needed to set things right for the good of the Jacob Wetterling Foundation. I'm not holding my breath.
Mark Yost on the NARN today spoke of the National Football League's (NFL) product labeling / endorsement. They signed everyone that approached them, and soon the NFL and team logos were everywhere, from lunch boxes on up. It stopped being special, and NFL has since corrected that mistake.
Now consider Patty Wetterling, who founded the Jacob Wetterling Foundation is response to the tragic abduction and we presume worse of her son in 1989. This group advocates via education and lobbying for stronger laws, and assists victims of similar crimes. This is a fine organization by all accounts.
But now as candidate for U.S. House in District 6, Wetterling "has approved" two messages in ads still running I believe. One concerns Michele Bachmann (23% sales tax) and the other the House (i.e. Republican) leadership regarding disgraced and resigned Rep. Foley. Maybe Eric Black senses his job is on the line. Maybe Wy Spano continues to be somewhere between an idiot and unprincipled partisan. But we're adults here, including Wetterling. These messages were blatant lies. If you've followed my blog, you know I never make such a charge lightly. When even the Minneapolis Star Tribune and WDFL-TV are groaning, there is no reasonable doubt here.
Patty Wetterling has cheapened her brand, i.e. her Foundation. Lost now is the broad appeal, the wide public sympathy, and the ability to raise funds from all segments of the population. But she has moved on from founder and advocate to politician and liar.
We could understand how she might think political office would allow her to do still more for her cause. We couldn't understand why she thinks that cause is enough, that she didn't need to study, understand, and speak to the many other issues we face. She was defeated handily in 2004 as a result despite her name recognition and sympathy.
She is running again in 2006. She will lose again in 2006, probably by a still wider margin. But right or wrong, the Wetterling Foundation she will return to now looks like a political group, and that will cost it at least some of the good will and financial support of Republicans, maybe even a few Democrats, too. The Foundation also can no longer lobby as effectively. Even Democrats may not want to ally with it, fearing another, larger mistake in 2008 should Patty run again.
This is truly a shame. I never thought for a moment that Patty Wetterling would stoop to the Dean Johnson level, not once but twice.
Two apologies and a promise never to run for office again are now needed to set things right for the good of the Jacob Wetterling Foundation. I'm not holding my breath.