It's a peculiarly American phenomenon that when Americans find a good thing, they ride it to death. That observation is particularly appropriate to the marketing arena. Christmas has mutated from a time of warmth, fraternity and family bonding to just another retail feeding frenzy whose start date gets pushed earlier every year. Catalogs deluge the home, and retailers offer outrageous discounts to maintain interest with an increasingly cynical buyer. Christmas is just another event on the retail calendar, right up there with Mother's Day.
Customer service continues to decline.
It represents a wound that refuses to heal. In spite of proliferating philosophies attached to quality circles and change management, consumers increasingly say that they expect more, but get less customer service. Retailers and marketers make the right noises, but deliver the wrong service. But that's a testament to the good times and not the efficiency and effectiveness of the ad business. Check out the award reels and portfolios.