Bernays Quote of the Day

“The public mind poses little danger and could be engineered through dexterous appeal to its instinctual and unconscious inner life.”

 

American City Diner: Not Just a Restaurant, but a Way of Life

Imagine the shock: I was taking a quick trip to Maryland on Connecticut Avenue and there he was: Bernays. “There’s No Way Like the American Way” is on a billboard on Connecticut Avenue above a diner that makes birthday parties available for children for $9.75 per kid, with unlimited burgers, pizza, chicken tenders and hot dogs…

Well, I don’t know, but that seems a bit far afield from how Benrays saw his contribution to public relations. But, its standing in a major metropolitan area is a testament to what many Americans still hold true. We still see ourselves a certain way and at least some of us still think about a time when life was more simple, more straight forward.

I wonder about this pull between simple and complicated going forward from a marketing perspective. Can we find business models that accurately address complicated or “customized?” In theory, it’s a great shift to make, but what would that require from American business? Latecomers are probably in the best position, but what about everyone else….