Overview:
Some issues are timeless as is the topic of today’s discussion. Each generation of course invents (in their own mind) the world and everything that is in it. Ok, so God said he did that. But really, young people with little experience are molded by the media into believing almost anything. Spin doctors as they are called today are adept media moguls with an attitude and agenda. Now that isn’t always bad, mind you. And we soon learn to separate the real from the imaginary.

Kids today have grown up believing what is on the tube is true just like the generation before believed everything on the radio or in print had to be true. 

Anyway, Merkel and I got to talking about the subject of Image or Form over Content. Examples include buying a house or a car, where our decision  is based more on how it looks or how we perceive it will make us look. We seem to gloss over the true substance of the thing. Great paint jobs will cause us to overlook the fact that the plumbing is lousy, or the transmission is ready to fall out.

Merkel:
Well Joe, as an instructor at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena for nearly two decades, I worked with aspiring new car designers many of whom became famous in later years. Students design cars to excite us and advertisers seize that excitement to build a certain image that makes us want to buy. And like so many other products, the actual content of the product has often become less important. More to the point, how we perceive we will look to our friends has taken over the top slot, even above the products reliability.

Joe:
Well put Merkel, and we agree that is particularly true in the automotive market place today where the Sport Utility Vehicle has become King. The perception is that we “Need” a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

Merkel:
The actual usefulness of this class of vehicle is undeniable. SUV’s are easier to enter and exit due to the height off the ground. They hold lots of stuff including people, haul trailers, and the styling is beginning to be attractive. I would simply ask, ‘is this a vehicle that people actually need or do buyers just want to look and feel more rugged’?

Joe:
Well, Merkel, SUV’s are indeed big sellers and at the end of the day it is the consumers choice of what fits their wants and or needs. Look at the most recent craze. The Hummer at about $100,000, the smaller version H2 at about $48,000 and the even smaller version H3 expected to be about $38,000. That should just about capture a wide price range of buyers. Jeep, of course, is the grand daddy and still one of the best sellers.

Merkel:
Joe, I agree with those consumers that Jeeps design is one of the best of all SUV’s (my friend Matt calls them sport futility vehicles). However, the Cherokee, up until the 2000 year model, had been one of the least reliable vehicles available in the USA. Yes, it was certainly possible to get a good one, but there have been a lot of problems.

Joe:
I haven’t had problems with Jeep but my friend Norman had a Grand Cherokee that was surely a lemon, and no vehicle is exempt from producing a lemon now and again. But you must admit, they look cool.

Merkel:
Getting back to my point that, as a culture, we have fallen victim to our own advertising campaign blitzes. We have seemingly forgotten that as with people, looks are not as important as character or content. Product image is really not as important as what is underneath. But Image over content has become a way of life and a powerful marketing tool developed in the USA and exported all over the world. I think it is thinly disguised superficial materialism.

Joe:
You’re on a roll Merkel. Don’t stop now, I like it.

Merkel:
Consider ads like the Chevrolet Cavalier ad that touted "It has something that money can't buy - a great reputation. And it feels safe". Forget the substandard crash test results and the less than industry average reliability ratings of the Cavalier when that ad ran. It looked bitchin and that’s what counts.

Joe:
Sometime you have to appear to be, before you can become what your image implies. And as products are promoted and sold, money is available to improve the product. With improved engine designs including fuel injection and electronic ignition and all the other improvements in component parts today’s cars more reliable and quieter with longer intervals between maintenance. So it hasn’t been all bad.

Merkel:
The fact remains that the lure of Image has filtered into every aspect of consumer products so the manufacturer can save money by delivering less quality. The result is that the consumer discards the product earlier creating even more sales. Further, compare the quality or reliability of many American products against those made in Japan and we quickly realize that the US product is often cheaper in price as well as construction. Cars, consumer electronics, tools, you name it.

Joe:
Ok, so we’re gullible and superficial. But consider Japan just 40 or 50 years ago. They exported junk in the beginning and even though we knew it, we allowed them to get a foothold and today, Japan enjoys world respect for superior products

The Japanese plowed profits back into improving their products and their work ethic may still be better than Americas. It is undeniable they have become a formidable competitor in almost every field. I suspect China is following that lead and both are serious threats to American industry. The mitigating fact however is that as they become more successful they too fall prey to arrogance and cockiness inevitable in the cycle of the human experience. They will lose their edge and the pendulum will inevitably swing in the other direction. 

Consumer Recommendation:
Next time you buy a car, ask those hard questions. Seem really interested in the fact that it consumes too much fuel. Get a clear understanding of what the warranty covers and doesn’t cover. Take issue with questionable history or reported mechanical failure. Discuss the cost of operation and repairs. Be involved and don’t assume anything. Hold their feet to the fire and let them know you’re tired of their BS and you don’t intend to be conned by a Manufactured Image. You should expect to get more for your money than the approval of your neighbors.

Good News:
Technology allows for products that can be better than ever.

 Bad News:
Consumers are lulled to sleep by ads that give the perception of quality, and the emphasis is on Image over Content.
 

Your comments are welcomed. My e-mail is joe@autolove.com
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