Taking Advantage of My Misfortune aka Marketing the Recession

I have a grand idea! Let’s market the recession. Just like Obama-mania was a marketing ploy, the recession is the next “big idea” in marketing circles. Wow. So original.

With all this obsession over the recession, marketers are latching onto the idea of promoting the value and quality of their products, all at a low price. Wal-Mart is heading up the charge with a marketing frenzy – redesigning its private label packaging and bolstering its PR and advertising program so that when this thing is over with, they will be seen as the “go-to” store – whether their customers are penniless or profitable.

Wal-Mart, the only retailer with revenue increases, is launching a PR craze hiring five agencies to bid for multiple projects to publicize the company and bring positive press to the somewhat unfavorable news of the past. With Target at its heels, see what Wal-Mart has been up to.

Wal-Mart recently also gave their hourly employees bonuses – funny it coincides with the timing of legislation that would make it easier for employees to unionize, something that Wal-Mart has long opposed and is lobbying hard against. Hmmm.