Business 101: The "Out of Touch" People Speak. | iCapitalMarketing.com

Business 101: The "Out of Touch" People Speak.

Yes, I know, but it is just so perplexing. A celebrity, an actor, a writer, a producer, and the entertainment and media industries as a whole are a product. Their customer is, and has to be, the general public in order to be successful. So how does one, either as a member of the industry or as an entire industry, make a conscious decision to alienate, turn off, not appeal to, or however you want to say it, at least half of the population, or half of their potential customers? Do you know of any other business or industry so unwise as to go this route? No chance. Only in Hollywood as they say. Let's see what the Hollywood industry can teach us about good business practices.

It has actually gotten to the point now that they don't even have to share their opinions publicly, we just know. Our perception of all of Hollywood and the media has been formed and they aren't doing anything to change it. In fact, they seem to be getting worse and more in your face about it, especially with the Internet. Just look at the upcoming show about "the people" speaking as an example. On the surface, it sounds like it has the potential for being a pleasant informative show, but as you can quickly infer from who is involved, and after doing my own research, it's just another in a long list of misguided political propaganda designed to convert some young people. In fact, right on their homepage... "Recommended for high school and college students". They even have a workbook! It's anti-war, wealth/hard work redistribution, anti-business, ant-capitalism, how mean and evil America is and has been, etc. Have we always done the right thing? No, but we need to move on to the future and not continually try to guilt people into a mentality and way of thinking because of the past, all to get people to vote a certain way.

Unfortunately for those in the Hollywood business that see the light, and keep their politics to themselves, they are the ones who are paying the price for all of the broken spokes in their wheel. I have tried, but I just cannot think of any other company or industry that is selling a product or service to America and that consciously and publicly does things to shrink their customer base. Okay, maybe B & J. What is equally as perplexing is that I believe many in the industry have rationalized their actions to the point that they honestly do not believe it has had a huge impact on their overall success! Don't expect them to figure it out anytime soon because the real world is something many there aren't too familiar with any longer. They don't need me to remind them that revenue has declined and is continuing to decline enormously for Hollywood, music, television, and print media. The numbers are horrific, and it's not the Internet or illegal CD's/DVD as they like to say.

Don't kid yourself Hollywood to think that there is not a direct impact, in the severe range, on the bottom-line of movies, music, television, and news outlets as a result of the poor perception millions have of that industry. Sure, everything counts, including insane ticket prices, poor quality, and the internet, but movies, movie "stars", production studios, Hollywood, writers, and directors have gone way over the top politically. They are the ones who ironically use warn out bromides like "extremist" to describe others! The bottom-line is that political celebrities, political movies, and political media does not appeal to tens of millions of potential customers. Here is a friendly reminder, politics is not entertainment. Entertainment is an activity designed to give people a diversion, a pleasant diversion. For the entertainers who think they are politicians, you're not, and allow me to say it; NO one cares what you think. Okay, your colleagues might, but they don't count and they don't pay your bills. Also, you're really not influencing anyone, except people who don't think on their own or who are under-educated or misinformed on particular topics. Like many in that crowd eventually do, they grow up and become informed, and then you have lost them.

Interestingly, even though the overwhelming majority of movies, TV shows and new music isn't very good (admit it) wouldn't you think they would still want to do more to appeal to everyone and give themselves a better shot at success? Wouldn't you think it would still make sense to try and grow their customer base versus shrinking it? If you have a so-so movie, but you liked the actor, director, or writer, you just might still go. Well, being that every movie and TV show being made today is suspect in terms of quality and politics, having a bunch of actors, writers, directors, and producers’ continually sharing their distorted views on issues makes it an easy decision to not go or to not watch.

The movie and media industry's revenue has been declining for years. It actually doesn't do anyone any good to have this since it results in less people being employed. Why perpetuate the problem by turning off your customers? If you need to effort a cause to feel good about yourself, why don't you focus your actions on solving your own industry problems? This may actually give you some semblance of credibility. It's like the government's involvement in basically anything. They have yet to efficiently and effectively solve one problem, hence the complete distrust and lack of believability when they say they are going to provide solutions to a perceived problem. Technology, incentivized people, and business solves problems and provides real solutions, not politicians. Maybe this explains the love affair between celebs, the media, and many politicians. They all seem to get each other.

A broader appeal would be an obvious first step towards building back your customer base. Unfortunately for them, I actually believe there is a thought process with many celebrities and the media that sharing their politics and being biased towards a particular product is somehow good for business. Needless to say, what a gross misjudgment. Interestingly, the customers who can most easily afford movie tickets, DVDs, cable, magazines, and newspapers these days are the ones they continually turn off the most! They don't seam to get that they are targeting the wrong customers.

Have you ever noticed that most of the nominated and award winning movies had little or no box office success and that Hollywood has been reduced to honoring mostly commercially unsuccessful movies, and the people involved in them? It's not by mistake that some of the most outspoken political celebrities and politically themed movies are the ones being honored. We get what you're doing, Hollywood. You're not sneaking in a political message that is going to change the world, or anything else. You're just annoying most of us. Continuing to compound the problem of your general lack of appeal by propping up your politically outspoken members, and movies with a political message that you are trying to propagate, in almost a spite like manner, is doing nothing but continuing to kill your customer base.

Aren't they entitled to their opinion? Absolutely, and they certainly won't be the last group to knowingly shoot themselves in the foot spouting it off. The problem is that when you attempt to use your notoriety to affect a political cause or agenda, you're going to pay the price by alienating many customers, because informed people see through this activity. I'm not sure Hollywood thinks the general public is very bright, so they abuse the gift they have been given in the form of broadcasting and promoting often failed political philosophies and theories. They think they know something you don't, or they think they know what is good for you, like you know who. They clearly don't. This is an abuse of the notoriety or "celebrity" we have given them. As easily as we give it to them, we can take it away just as easily.

A few theories on why they are like they are...

1. They believe people will actually like them more. They have a misguided belief that people will think they are "for the people" or "compassionate" if they espouse ideas that, on the surface, may appear this way.

2. A deep underlying sense of guilt. Most of them are so far removed from reality as compared to the overwhelming majority of Americans, that this somehow in their minds makes them think they understand and are normal.

3. Fear. They believe they will stand out negatively if they buck the industry mentality. They are economically forced into agreeing with their bosses. What a way to go through life.

4. Individual issues or topics they believe in. Once they have glommed on to a particular cause, it's easiest at this point to just adopt the entire platform. That also happens in the real world.

5. Bad PR. They believe the old adage that any publicity is good publicity. It's not.

6. They are trying to appeal to young people, who take for granite what people tell them without researching the fallacies of a particular topic.

7. They think they have influence. Over some, yes, but not many when you break it down. Many people do actually have the ability to utilize critical thinking skills and to know when their individual rights, pocketbooks, and freedoms are being attacked.

8. Unions / guilds. Like anyone that belongs to these groups, they believe that not supporting this activity might appear poorly to other members. They are basically forced into this way of thinking, even when they know it's ruined many businesses and industries.

9. They have a superficial knowledge base, so basically they have a lack of depth and breadth of knowledge on topics. Like many, they hear a slogan, sound bite, or political label and they decide that's for them, with zero understanding of what it really means.

10. Global markets. The rest of the world has adopted socialism, hence the miserable conditions and low standards of living most endure. Not by mistake, Hollywood and many media outlets have chosen to sacrifice the quiet majority of clear thinking individuals in America in an to attempt to appeal to the socialist people and countries worldwide. These days, movies, news outlets, magazines, etc. are marketed, sold, and viewed worldwide. They keep forgetting that we are the ones with the disposable income, for now anyway, not them.

If the global socialist appeal was working, why are they all continuing to sink lower financially? It is because your average Joe outside of the U.S., unlike the the average Joe in the U.S., has limited money for entertainment and other pleasures in life. Fun money goes to fund burgeoning governments and government programs designed to help those who choose not to help themselves, or for those who have given up due to a complete lack of incentive. What's lacking outside of the U.S., and often within the U.S., is that people do not understand true freedom, incentive, productivity, limited government, and the enormous benefits America's Capitalism has provided to the masses who have chosen to taken advantage of all that it has to offer.

Just like they won't change you, you won't change them. They have spoken. Although their profession is entertainment, they inexplicably have chosen the path of being political (sorry again to those Hollywood professionals that haven't gone this route and who are paying the price for some in your industry). In turn, you will continue to seek out more valuable and positive forms of entertainment, and they will continue to seek out more political content to act, write, direct, and produce. You will continue to develop and progress, and it appears they will continue to digress and relive the past.

Article written and provided by iCapitalMarketing .com, a blog targeting the three interrelated components required for career, business, and financial success; Preparation, Hard Work, and Emotional Intelligence. The opportunity to thrive is limitless. Keep improving and increasing your value in the marketplace.

Recent Articles Sponsored Links