Does American commercialism know no bounds? The cheapening of Holidays

[CO skier]

This thread is inspired by the Wendy's "Misfortune Awaits - Lucky You" commercial I just witnessed on TV. At first I did not "get it." What idiot marketing firm put goths in charge? Then I connected it with a recent article about Home Depot's all out Halloween displays -- c'mon, three months before Halloween? Does every annual occasion (Halloween does not rise to the honor of "Holiday") get its own corporate fiscal quarter?

Do not even get me started on the Christmas decorations displayed in a Costco beginning a month ago.

I did not like it when Christmas marketing appeared before Thanksgiving sometime 40 years ago. "Back then" the only Halloween yard decorations were carved pumpkins.

Is it just me, or is American commercialism completely out of control?

Meanwhile, I will engage in a one-man protest and no more Wendy's Chicken Club Sandwich and a Chili until well into 2026, maybe not ever!

Who is with me? Boycott the greedy corporations' cheapening of Holidays! What will you do to "send a message"?

 

[dioxide45]

I don't know that it is specifically tied to Halloween as a holiday. Perhaps, but it is a collaboration in conjunction with the Netflix television series Wednesday that is based on the Addams Family. Wendy's does a lot of these collaborations. Mostly terrible. While the Sponge Bob collaboration was somewhat successful, many people complained how lame it was. No special packaging, just some additional sauce they would squirt on the hamburger. I see they have special packaging in the commercial for the Wednesday collaboration, I wonder if that will actually show up in the restaurants.

 

[davidvel]

I don't know that it is specifically tied to Halloween as a holiday. Perhaps, but it is a collaboration in conjunction with the Netflix television series Wednesday that is based on the Adam's Family. Wendy's does a lot of these collaborations. Mostly terrible. While the Sponge Bob collaboration was somewhat successful, many people complained how lame it was. No special packaging, just some additional sauce they would squirt on the hamburger. I see they have special packaging in the commercial for the Wednesday collaboration, I wonder if that will actually show up in the restaurants.

Exactly. Not sure how OP connected Wendy's and Wednesday Addams with Home Depot and Halloween or Christmas decorations.

Ironically OP thinks they now get it and isn't eating their regular menu items for no reason at all, except for maybe another collab that Wendy's has been doing for awhile.

Now, get off my lawn!

 

[Brett]

This thread is inspired by the Wendy's "Misfortune Awaits - Lucky You" commercial I just witnessed on TV. At first I did not "get it." What idiot marketing firm put goths in charge? Then I connected it with a recent article about Home Depot's all out Halloween displays -- c'mon, three months before Halloween? Does every annual occasion (Halloween does not rise to the honor of "Holiday") get its own corporate fiscal quarter?

Do not even get me started on the Christmas decorations displayed in a Costco beginning a month ago.

I did not like it when Christmas marketing appeared before Thanksgiving sometime 40 years ago. "Back then" the only Halloween yard decorations were carved pumpkins.

Is it just me, or is American commercialism completely out of control?

Meanwhile, I will engage in a one-man protest and no more Wendy's Chicken Club Sandwich and a Chili until well into 2026, maybe not ever!

Who is with me? Boycott the greedy corporations' cheapening of Holidays! What will you do to "send a message"?

Might be you. I'm not going to buy Halloween and Christmas stuff in August.
I'm also guessing you don't like the "Addams Family"
Good luck with that boycott

.

 

[Snazzylass]

Haven't seen a Wendy's commercial but I caught Dave Ramsey on a podcast recently and he suggested if we Americans would just spend 20% less on Halloween and pets, we would have the funds to help those less fortunate. Interesting!

 

[DeniseM]

With so many more serious issues in our country right now, this is trivial.


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[am1]

Haven't seen a Wendy's commercial but I caught Dave Ramsey on a podcast recently and he suggested if we Americans would just spend 20% less on Halloween and pets, we would have the funds to help those less fortunate. Interesting!

Some people value pets more than the less fortunate. Including some of the less fortunate.

 

[dioxide45]

Might be you. I'm not going to buy Halloween and Christmas stuff in August.
I'm also guessing you don't like the "Addams Family"
Good luck with that boycott

.

View attachment 114199

If I had that many kids on my lawn, I would tell them to get off too.

 

[am1]

People are only thinking about this now? It has been going on forever.

 

[free2travel]

Haven't seen a Wendy's commercial but I caught Dave Ramsey on a podcast recently and he suggested if we Americans would just spend 20% less on Halloween and pets, we would have the funds to help those less fortunate. Interesting!

Not just Americans, if 21st Century people would spend 80% less time paying attention to marketing, on media and in stores, they would have lower blood pressure and better conversations and generally better lives

 

[davidvel]

With so many more serious issues in our country right now, this is trivial.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Everything is relative obviously, but that doesn't mean we ignore the smaller things until we have dealt with every major thing. Also, some people can walk and chew gum at the same time.

People use this trope all the time: "Why are you so busy rescuing animals when there are people living on the street?" As if no one can have their own cause if it is lesser than the most noblest of causes. Of course, those same people do nothing to help the people on the street.

It is akin to saying "Speeders, red light runners, shoplifters, simple batteries, and DUI are trivial issues that should not be enforced until we have stopped every murder, war, and child sexual assault."

 

[jp10558]

Not just Americans, if 21st Century people would spend 80% less time paying attention to marketing, on media and in stores, they would have lower blood pressure and better conversations and generally better lives

I swear that my life has been better since I stopped watching live TV (so no ads there) and started using an adblocker online, my life is generally better. Cutting back on news helped too. Of course, the downside is I have no idea what's happening much of the time, but I think I'm less anxious.

 

[DeniseM]

I was answering this question in the first post:

Who is with me? Boycott the greedy corporations' cheapening of Holidays! What will you do to "send a message"?

I guess I should have answered: "Not me, nearly all big corporations are greedy, I'm not sending a message about this - it's trivial."

 

[davidvel]

I was answering this question in the first post:


I guess I should have answered: "Not me, nearly all big corporations are greedy, I'm not sending a message about this - it's trivial."

Got it. You know, this thing helps clarify when responding to a specific post.

 

[dioxide45]

Looking at retailers and holidays, it isn't like this is new. This kind of thing has been going on for years. Halloween is also a big event for many people. Thus why places like Lowes and Home Depot devote entire sections to it. Mostly cheap stuff from China, but some of it is pretty cool. We like to go in and look around at some of the big animatronic stuff. These stores don't want to have to clearance a lot of stuff, they've gotten better over the years of not having too much left behind after the holiday is over. I can't remember the last time I got a great deal on Halloween or Easter Candy after the holidays.

Certainly if you don't want to shop at a certain store or restaurant because of something, go right ahead. That is your prerogative. No one is stopping you. Cross marketing is very effective, which is why restaurants and stores do it. Even McDonalds in the 80s was putting movie related toys in kids meals. It has been going on for decades.

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

I swear that my life has been better since I stopped watching live TV (so no ads there) and started using an adblocker online, my life is generally better. Cutting back on news helped too. Of course, the downside is I have no idea what's happening much of the time, but I think I'm less anxious.

It's a great way to live.

 

[dioxide45]

I swear that my life has been better since I stopped watching live TV (so no ads there) and started using an adblocker online, my life is generally better. Cutting back on news helped too. Of course, the downside is I have no idea what's happening much of the time, but I think I'm less anxious.

We don't really watch regular television. I have an ad blocker for online ads but I do allow ads on YouTube. It just doesn't seem right for someone who relies on YouTube ads to cover the costs to operate a YouTube channel then block ads on YouTube also. I find ads on websites to be super intrusive, especially on mobile.

 

[LannyPC]

...Halloween displays -- c'mon, three months before Halloween? Does every annual occasion (Halloween does not rise to the honor of "Holiday")

I was just at Costco today and saw a bunch of costumes for Halloween. But if they want to start selling them now, hey, I don't buy or need them. I just go there to buy what I need.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I was just at Costco today and saw a bunch of costumes for Halloween. But if they want to start selling them now, hey, I don't buy or need them. I just go there to buy what I need.

Yep.

 

[Krteczech]

I guess we may be one of few households living without TV. We don’t miss it at all. When I shop for fall potted plants Halloween decor is at all stores. It is entertaining, but doesn’t lure me to spending.

 

[geekette]

This thread is inspired by the Wendy's "Misfortune Awaits - Lucky You" commercial I just witnessed on TV. At first I did not "get it." What idiot marketing firm put goths in charge? Then I connected it with a recent article about Home Depot's all out Halloween displays -- c'mon, three months before Halloween? Does every annual occasion (Halloween does not rise to the honor of "Holiday") get its own corporate fiscal quarter?

Do not even get me started on the Christmas decorations displayed in a Costco beginning a month ago.

I did not like it when Christmas marketing appeared before Thanksgiving sometime 40 years ago. "Back then" the only Halloween yard decorations were carved pumpkins.

Is it just me, or is American commercialism completely out of control?

Meanwhile, I will engage in a one-man protest and no more Wendy's Chicken Club Sandwich and a Chili until well into 2026, maybe not ever!

Who is with me? Boycott the greedy corporations' cheapening of Holidays! What will you do to "send a message"?

Haven’t seen the commercial, I see very few commercials. Back when I did see commercials, there were plenty for crap we don’t need and I learned that many department stores have big sales every week. Moved me to spend not one bit. This is a consumer- based economy and the fight for dollars from your wallet will never end. Since there are enough spenders that enjoy “lesser holidays” like Halloween, there will be merchandise for it. Considering that this is the year of tariffs, it’s not a big surprise for holiday displays to start asap to get inventory bought months ago gone.

Since I live quite a ways from any retail, or drive through window, it’s easy to not spend. I don’t know where the nearest Wendy’s is, maybe within 40 miles but not along any route I regularly travel. That said, McDs would have to seriously offend me to end my Egg McMuffin enjoyment. It’s about 45 minutes to the place and breakfast has hard stop, so it’s a rare treat. My mornings are in the gardens outside.

Overall, sure, corps want profits and they are as “ensheepened” to the advertising industry as the recreational shopper is to “deals”. Nothing I do will change any of that, but I do vote with my wallet. There are some places that will never see my money and I do try to support the small businesses. I have some long standing issues with Walmart, but, darned the luck, that is the only sensible place to do the bulk of my shopping, about an hour drive time one way (good staff there, and, of course, always interesting people watching). Depending on the need, Dollar General is much nearer and I’ve come to accept the understaffing and inventory carts in the aisle. While I can do without a takeout burger or Egg McMuffin, I gotta have TP, no matter what corp DG is doing to solve problems (or let them fester). The practical reality of my new mountain living requires getting over some of my biases and preferences. If there were a Costco nearby, I would easily walk on by the holiday aisles undisturbed.

 

[davidvel]

I was just at Costco today and saw a bunch of costumes for Halloween. But if they want to start selling them now, hey, I don't buy or need them. I just go there to buy what I need.

Exactly. You can walk into a Costco near us tomorrow and see 40lbs. of fertilizer, 50 foot hoses, wetsuits, surfboards, Flojo sandals, Halloween costumes, holiday gifts, filet mignon, pre made golden margaritas, toilets, mattresses, avocados, dried mango, and thousands of other products.

Some nuts will go to the manager and rant and rave. Rational people will assess, buy what they want/need, maybe get a snack at the food court and head home. Same for Wendy's McDonalds, or any other place.

 

[easyrider]

We stream everything with no adds so I haven't seen any holiday adds. I did see Halloween stuff at Costco while I was hanging out waiting for tires. I really didn't care.

I wouldn't care, but also wouldn't like it all, if Spotify started playing Christmas music now.

Bill

 

[b2bailey]

Some people value pets more than the less fortunate. Including some of the less fortunate.

A local healthy foods market gives a token when you bring your own grocery bags.
At the exit there's a place to deposit your token to a local charity of your choice.
Each month the store makes donations based on the number of tokens.
Recently I noticed the $ given for prior period.
(Keep in mind this is only a few miles from the agricultural area known as the lettuce bowl of USA).

I usually donate to an organization that serves field workers. I was pleased to see them in #2 position.

I was disappointed to see the #1 highest dollars went to a local pet rescue group -- by a magnitude of 50% more.

 

[davidvel]

A local healthy foods market gives a token when you bring your own grocery bags.
At the exit there's a place to deposit your token to a local charity of your choice.
Each month the store makes donations based on the number of tokens.
Recently I noticed the $ given for prior period.
(Keep in mind this is only a few miles from the agricultural area known as the lettuce bowl of USA).

I usually donate to an organization that serves field workers. I was pleased to see them in #2 position.

I was disappointed to see the #1 highest dollars went to a local pet rescue group -- by a magnitude of 50% more.

As I said, everyone has their cause, and no one likes anyone else's.