January 2009 Archives

Frigid temperatures, combined with the fact that we've had our share of snow, make you yearn for a sojourn to the Caribbean or those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. It also got me thinking about a blog I wrote back in October about how Old Man Winter creates unforeseen marketing opportunities. I took an in-depth look at how chain saw and wood stove manufacturers were seizing on economic conditions to move product. For every downturn, there's an upturn. You just have to look for them. In the "Marketplace" section of last Thursday's Wall Street Journal, there was an extensive piece on how snowblower manufacturers are experiencing the same sales lift as wood stoves and chain saws. Credit the cold winter, with a little economic downturn thrown in for good measure.

Everywhere you look or turn, you're sure to find yourself smack dab in the face of dire economic news. You can't escape it. This downturn shows no signs of abating anytime soon. The numbers keep growing increasingly worse - be they retail sales figures for the recent holiday shopping season or the staggering number of layoffs. Given all the daily negativity, what's a marketer to do?