NationStates Jolt Archive

You know those commercials... nearly all of them shun Christmas, Chanukkah and Kwanzaa in favor of the generic "Happy Holidays"

Given the reports of angst among Christmas celebrators (celebrants?) that their holiday is being shunned by marketers... and the anger that might be caused among those who don't do Christmas -- the fairly small percentage of those who celebrate Kwanzaa, Chanukkah or nothing -- what should marketers do?

Please vote and discuss.

Personally, I choose to use "happy holidays" when I don't know someone's religion (or lack thereof), but that's personal choice. If a retailer says merry christmas on it's windows, I won't be offended (I'm jewish). In the same vein, christians have no reason to be angry about happy holidays: there are other holidays and it is nice to have happy ones. Therefore, I don't think anyone should have a problem with either.

I voted for MC, HC and CK because with that, the only people you piss off are those who don't celebrate anything... which has to be a pretty small percentage.

If I'm a marketer, I want to piss off as few people as possible... and Happy Holidays is pissing off a lot of people who want the real reason for the season (whether it be Christmas, Chanukkah or Kwanzaa) to be celebrated.

Personally, I choose to use "happy holidays" when I don't know someone's religion (or lack thereof), but that's personal choice. If a retailer says merry christmas on it's windows, I won't be offended.

yeah, it's not that big of a deal... and ascertaining one's leaning is probably a good idea before launching into MC or HC (etc.)

Well, in my country they all just say "Christmas" because that's what it's called. In Ireland we don't usually make political issues out of shit that doesn't matter at all. Unlike Americans.

I voted for MC, HC and CK because with that, the only people you piss off are those who don't celebrate anything... which has to be a pretty small percentage.
If I'm a marketer, I want to piss off as few people as possible... and Happy Holidays is pissing off a lot of people who want the real reason for the season (whether it be Christmas, Chanukkah or Kwanzaa) to be celebrated.
No, wrong actually. You forget there are more holidays than Christmas, Hannukah and Kwanzaa.

Well, in my country they all just say "Christmas" because that's what it's called. In Ireland we don't usually make political issues out of shit that doesn't matter at all. Unlike Americans.

this is a marketing ploy, so i'm wondering, i guess, why they say "Happy Holidays"

No, wrong actually. You forget there are more holidays than Christmas, Hannukah and Kwanzaa.

cool, what are they?

...besides Yule Tide (progenitor of the pagan part of Christmas, right?), the new year, etc.?

I guess this is more for westerners...

Read my 1st post for my reasoning behind hapopy holidays Frangland^

Read my 1st post for my reasoning behind hapopy holidays Frangland^

then how about "Merry Christmas and happy everything else..."?

hehe

cool, what are they?
:rolleyes: Deepvali, Chinese New Year, Ramadan, Tet.....It goes on.

I voted "other"

they shouldn't even use Xmas, the holidays or or anything. It's all rather annoying.

Maybe they could say "We've got a seasonal sale, come buy it cuz its a good product for a good price. Perhaps you could get it for yoruself or for someone else." if they really have something they want to sale.

Perhaps they could say "We really don't care what season it is, just buy this if you wan tit. You know you want it. Buy it. *insert subliminal message here*"

:rolleyes: Deepvali, Chinese New Year, Ramadan, Tet.....It goes on.

How many Americans celebrate them? If I'm a marketer, should I be concerned with snubbing these holidays?

Because many, many people are pissed off at Happy Holidays.

Other: Who cares how they advertise? They can advertise the holidays in whatever way they feel.

How many Americans celebrate them? If I'm a marketer, should I be concerned with snubbing these holidays?

Because many, many people are pissed off at Happy Holidays.
Meh, I sort of doubt that.
I hear "Merry Christmas" about as often as I hear "Happy Holidays". And almost nobody that I've spoken to really cares whether advertisers say one thing or the other. If it's "many, mnay people" that are angry, it would seem to be a rather small group of "many, many people".

How many Americans celebrate them? If I'm a marketer, should I be concerned with snubbing these holidays?

Because many, many people are pissed off at Happy Holidays.


Though I hate those ugly Old Navy clothes, I liked their Christmahanakwanzica idea. It was funny and didn't take this whole stupid names thing seriously because it's all a bunch of crap. WHo cares what peopel celebrate this time of year? For some its about gifts, others it's about family, religion, time off, nothing...


Just sell your damn product and dont worry about what people think because you are bound to piss somebody off no matter what.

Meh, I sort of doubt that.
I hear "Merry Christmas" about as often as I hear "Happy Holidays". And almost nobody that I've spoken to really cares whether advertisers say one thing or the other. If it's "many, mnay people" that are angry, it would seem to be a rather small group of "many, many people".

hehe

there are reports of millions, nay, billions

How many Americans celebrate them? If I'm a marketer, should I be concerned with snubbing these holidays?

Because many, many people are pissed off at Happy Holidays.
I wasn't talking about marketing. In the post I was responding to you basically said that Kwanzaa, Hannukah and Christmas were the only holidays and everyone else were atheists. I didn't say it's mandatory to say happy holidays (once again points to 1st post).

As I said moments ago, if non-christians can/will tolerate merry christmas, christians should have no problem with happy holidays. Bill O'Reilly and the rest of those blowhards keep acting like "happy holidays" will singlehandedly destroy the US and all of christendom...utter BS. Doesn't our nation have about a hundred other things we should be more worried about?

hehe

there are reports of millions, nay, billions
Are you saying that there are billions angry with it? There are more people angry about this than there are citizens of the US?
Err, that's a bit difficult to swallow without evidence...

Though I hate those ugly Old Navy clothes, I liked their Christmahanakwanzica idea. It was funny and didn't take this whole stupid names thing seriously because it's all a bunch of crap. WHo cares what peopel celebrate this time of year? For some its about gifts, others it's about family, religion, time off, nothing...


Just sell your damn product and dont worry about what people think because you are bound to piss somebody off no matter what.

hehe, Christmahanakwanzica sounds good.

SCROOGE: (SINGING) Bah, humbug, everybody.
CHORUS: Good morning, Mr. Scrooge!
SCROOGE: Well, the meeting will come to order, if you please. Are all the advertising people represented here?
CHORUS: Everyone except Amalgamated Cheese!
MUSIC: OUT

SCROOGE: Well, if they're not here for the Christmas pitch, I can't help them find new ways of tying their product in to Christmas. That's why I'm chairman
of this board! Let's hear it for me!
CHORUS: Hear, hear!
SCROOGE: All right, Abercrombie, what are your people up to?
ABERCROMBIE: Ahhh, same thing as every year. Fifty thousand billboards showing Santa Claus pausing to refresh himself with our product.
SCROOGE: Mmmmm, hmmm, well, I think the public has come to expect that and . . .
ABERCROMBIE: That's right. It's become tradition!
SCROOGE: You there, Crass, uhh, I suppose your company's running the usual magazine ads showing cartons of your cigarettes peeking out of the top of Santa's sack?
CRASS: Better than that! This year we have him smoking one.
SCROOGE: Um-hmmm...
CRASS: Yes. We've got Santa a little more rugged, too. Both sleeves rolled up and a tattoo on each arm. One of 'em says "Merry Christmas."
SCROOGE: What does the other one say?
CRASS: "Less tar!"
SCROOGE: Great stuff!
CRATCHET: But Mr.Scrooge...
SCROOGE: What? Who are you?
CRATCHET: Bob Cratchet, sir. I've got a little spice company over in East Orange, New Jersey. Do I have to tie my product in to Christmas?
SCROOGE: What do you mean?
CRATCHET: Well, I was just going to send cards out showing the three wise men following the Star of Bethlehem...
SCROOGE: I get it! And they're bearing your spices. Now that's perfect.
CRATCHET: No, no... no product in it. I was just going to say, "Peace on Earth... Good Will Toward Men."
VOICES: MUMBLING IN BACKGROUND
MAN: Well, that's a peculiar slogan!
SCROOGE: Old hat, Cratchet! That went out with button shoes! You're a businessman . . . Christmas is something to take advantage of!
MUSIC: PUNCTUATES
SCROOGE: A red and green bandwagon to jump on!
MUSIC: PUNCTUATES
SCROOGE: A sentimental shot in the arm for sales! Listen!

MUSIC: CYMBAL CRASH
CHORUS: Deck the halls with advertising,
Fa la la la la la la la la.
While you can be enterprising,
Fa la la la la la la la la.
On the fourth day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me
Four bars of soap,
Three cans of peas,
Two breakfast foods,
And some toothpaste on a pear tree!
On the fifth day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me. . .
SCROOGE: Five tube-less tires!
CHORUS: Fo-ur quarts of gin,
Three ci-gars,
Two cig-ar-ettes,
And some hair tonic on a pear tree!
(TEMPO CHANGES ROMANTICALLY)
Chest-nuts roasting. . .
ANNOUNCER: Sayyyy, Mother, as sure as there's an X in Christmas, you can be sure those are Tiny Tim Chestnuts roasting. Tin-y Tim Chestnuts are frill-bodied . . . longer lasting! This visible shell . . .
SOUND: KNOCK-KNOCK
ANNOUNCER: ...protects the nut! Now with X-K 29 added, for people who can't roast after every meal.
GIRL TRIO: Tin-ee Tim! Tin-ee Tim! Chest-nuts all the way!
ANNOUNCER: Tin-y Tim's roast hot... like a chestnut ought! And.. . they are
(ECHO) mild, mild, mild, mild.
ORCHESTRA: PUNCTUATES

CHORUS: Deck the halls with advertising,
Fa la la la la la la la la.
'Tis the time for merchandising,
Fa la la la la la la la la.
Profit never needs a reason,
Fa la la la la la la la la.
Get the money, it's the season,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

SCROOGE: Words to live by, Cratchet!
CRATCHET: For you, maybe. Can't you just wish someone merry Christmas, for the pure joy of doing it?
SCROOGE: Why? What's the percentage in that? Let me show you how to make Christmas work for you!

CHORUS: We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
And please buy our beer!

SCROOGE: There you go, Cratchet! That's Christmas with a purpose.
CRATCHET: I know, but wait a minute. Don't you guys make enough profit the other eleven months? Christmas comes but once a year.
SCROOGE: Humph! Funny thing you should bring that up. That's exactly the point I was about to make. Hit it, boys!

SCROOGE: Christmas comes but once a year,
So you better make hay while the snow is falling,
That's opportunity calling you!
CHORUS: Rub your hands, December's here,
What a wonderful time to be Glad and merry!
SCROOGE: Just so you're mercenary too!
CHORUS: Buy an ad and show all the toys,
Show all the toys up on the shelf
SCROOGE: Just make sure that you get a plug,
You get a plug, In for yourself!
SCROOGE AND CHORUS:
Christmas comes but once a year,
So you better cash in,
While the spirit lingers,
It's slipping through your fingers,
Boy! Don't you realize
Christmas can be such a
Monetary joy!

CRATCHET: Well, I guess you fellows will never change.
SCROOGE: Why should we? Christmas has two s's in it, and they're both dollar signs.
CRATCHET: Yeah, but they weren't there to begin with.
SCROOGE: Eh?
CRATCHET: The people keep hoping you'll remember. But you never do.
SCROOGE: Remember what?

CRATCHET: Whose birthday we're celebrating.
SCROOGE: Well, ....... don't get me wrong. The story of Christmas, in its simplicity, is a good thing - I'll buy that. It's just that we know a good thing when we see it.
CRATCHET: But don't you realize Christmas has a significance, a meaning.
SCROOGE: A sales curve! Wake up, Cratchet, it's later than you think.
CRATCHET: I know, Mr. Scrooge, I know.
CHORUS: On the first day of Christmas,
The advertising's there, with
Newspaper ads,
Billboards too,
Business Christmas cards,
And commercials on a pear tree. . .
Jingles here, jingles there,
Jingles all the way.
Dashing through the snow,
In a fifty-foot coup-e
O'er the fields we go,
Selling all the way. . .
Deck the halls with advertising,
What's the use of compromising,
Fa la la la la la la la la.

MUSIC: AS TRADITIONAL HYMNS ATTEMPT TO BREAK THROUGH THE MUSICAL ENDING, IT BUILDS TO A CRESCENDO. WE HEAR "JINGLE BELLS" PUNCTUATED WITH THE SOUND OF A CASH REGISTER RINGING UP SALES. ON THE LAST NOTE OF THE MUSIC, WE HEAR MONEY DROPPING IN AND THE CASH REGISTER SLAMMING SHUT!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Christmas

Are you saying that there are billions angry with it? There are more people angry about this than there are citizens of the US?
Err, that's a bit difficult to swallow without evidence...

that's what the "hehe" is for.

If you seek, you shall find... so I sought and found. lol:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/5775315.html

http://www.operationjustsaymerrychristmas.com/

this is a marketing ploy, so i'm wondering, i guess, why they say "Happy Holidays"
Apparently to draw people of every possibly stripe in to buy their crap. But it looks to be backfiring, with all these people who have started to feel offended by "Happy Holidays".