It Sounded Better On Paper..

I love to watch marketing trends. Even the Microsoft Viral Marketing schemes are oddly compelling to me if not a bit hard to keep up with at times. But nothing is funnier to me than when a big push for a product hits the wall with such impact that it’s commercials make me break out into open laughter.

Enter the bitter sweet Houston Texans current season. While being 0 and 3 is depressing as all get out the flip side is that some businesses look really foolish as a result of their record as well.

Exxon has this deal going on where if the Texans win you get a free cup of Bengal Traders coffee on the Monday after the game. The radio spot has these two fans saying things like “by some twist of fate if the Texans should lose you get your coffee at half price”. While this doesn’t sound all that funny here just imagine the gusto in which this line is delivered here in Texas. It’s like the idea was we had a real chance this year to take it all the way to the Super Bowl or something.

Now with no wins and this commercial spot running 20 times a day on local stations it becomes a declining slope of funny and abysmal sadness. Often by the third quarter on Sundays my wife hears me exclaim “Oh great no free coffee this Monday either”. Since we have very little chance at even a wildcard at this stage free coffee sounds pretty good to me. And the thought that millions of dollars in player salaries and commercial time are now only geared to get me to by a Bear Claw to go with my eventual free coffee tickles me to no end.

But realize that I am from New Orleans and I still have my brown paper bag from the 80’s Aints days. Oh yeah and I was a “Luv Ya Blue” fan too. Come to think of it I seem to be a Bride’s Maid a lot as a Houston sports fan. Sigh..