Made in America ‘Weak’

Did you blink and miss it? Well, the concept of backing “American-made” has of course been around a while – and it will make the rounds again, for sure – with or without the White House.

 

July 16 through 22, by proclamation of POTUS 45, was the first Made in America Week and the 17^th was in fact “Made in America Day.” Yeah, I think you’re not alone. Most folks missed it. Most of the news around this campaign seems to have rolled out on the last day – though there was a huge dog and pony show for the kick-off.

I did find mention of Trump showcasing products and corporations from each of the 50 states on announcement day, and an article from The Telegraph. I wonder who’s just out of frame in this shot by Carolos Barria/Reuters.

Marketing professionals should be rolling their eyes at these campaigns. No matter the merit of the subjects. I ask myself “What’s spent on creating and adding this for the record? Bringing these folks to D.C.? Who will remember it a week later? And does no one in Washington know how to run a campaign?”

The office of the White House Press Secretary offered news of the proclamation “For Immediate Release” on the second day of the week in question on the date of note. Not very media friendly, but then I don’t think this administration reinvented this wheel.

I guess when the media is on your doorstep waiting for the next big thing, you don’t have to respect editorial calendars.

Now, before we get sidetracked on the short-lived career and fate of former Press Secretary Sean Spicer – who in my opinion sadly sold his soul in an attempt to deliver for his boss in the face of impossible obstacles — I’m not taking pot shots.

Let me confess, to those who wondering – yes I know this is all a little half-baked.

In jazz terms, I’m just riffing on the phrase ‘Made in America.”

Look for the union label.

Made in America is also the main title of Sam Walton’s rushed ‘autobiography.’ Setting the retailer’s mid 1980s campaign to revive American manufacturing – “Made in the U.S.A.” aside – as few companies so successfully relied on imported goods to undermine American manufacturing. Of course Walton was certainly ‘made’ here. At least I’ve heard of no “Walton Birther movement” to suggest otherwise. Further, he was quite successful in business by several measures.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Of course in “The Bully of Bentonville How the High Cost of Wal-Mart’s Everyday Low Prices is Hurting America,” a book by Anthony Bianco, a strong case is made against any publicized altruism.

Here’s Newsday columnist Michael Dobie’s take on how Made in America Week went. Of note on this list is O.J.’s parole – for its relationship to the ‘Made in America’ theme. The ESPN exhaustive documentary O.J. : Made in America aired the same week – the night before the hearing – I think. Simpson plans to live in Florida. Great golf, right? I suppose it won’t be long before he’s spotted at Mar-a-Lago. Mark your calendars; perhaps I said it here first.

The missus and I have a page-a-day calendar in the kitchen – ice cream day, hot dog day, beach day – you get the idea. Perhaps the idea is to reveal the day and be inspired. I tend to find inspiration elsewhere, and often my wife reveals two or three days at a time to get us caught up. Occasionally, I look ahead to see what’s coming up. … Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!

This light-hearted calendar does a better job of building interest and momentum than the White House, to a degree. There are cute cartoon drawings of pigs and cows and chickens. We save them. Sometimes share them, or text snapshots to family members. Hell, I could peek weeks or months ahead and plan my shopping list accordingly. It’s a success!

Chocolate chip cookies, made in America. Yum.

 

Thanks for reading. You can also subscribe on WordPress read about Jonathan Ment Photography, and attempt to follow more random thoughts on twitter.