standards

here's something i found in my journal from last summer...

few people will admit that their standards are lower than those of others. there's something about our standards that we link to our rank or status in this world. if i have high standards, then it suggests that i know what is good and what is not. and if i have higher standards than those around me, then it must mean that i am better than them. a) i must know more than them, and b) it takes more to satisfy or please me - even if i don't hold myself to the same high standards in the things i do.

it's interesting how we can elevate our own status through being unhappy and disappointed. i would argue that having higher standards doesn't necessarily mean you're a more evolved person - it just means you're more likely to be miserable.

i think it's like what anton ego says at the end of the movie "ratatouille":

In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so.

he's saying that being a critic is low risk because you can puff yourself up without ever offering anything up. you don't have to put yourself out there. you just have to declare your own disappointment. if you want to get a good example of how this works, simply tune in when they televise question period (government).

now, this isn't a condemnation of standards. nor is it an invitation to be blase about everything or to settle for mediocrity. but just to be aware of how and why we critique.

the best example of this is, naturally, God himself. He's got the highest standards of all: absolute perfection. after all, He is perfect. but in His perfection, he introduces grace and love. so He still has his high standards, but instead of disdaining us or succumbing to that very human trap called pride, He patiently and lovingly works with us to help us improve. sure, He gets frustrated and angry when we don't meet His standards. but it's more likely to test His patience when we simply don't care.

so the next time something doesn't match up to my expectations, i pray that i'll remember the grace and patience that i've been afforded so i, in turn, can extend the same grace to others.

forever xxi

whoever called the recession failed to notify several hundred women in the north toronto area.

this morning, i went with my wife to the grand opening of a store called forever xxi at fairview mall. fairview mall, the dominant mall in my early youth (due to the fact that it was geographically the most accessible), has been undergoing an overhaul in an attempt to attract a more upscale clientele. forever xxi is the latest in a wave of new stores that target this trendy set with, apparently, a fairly unlimited disposable income (more on that later).

first, let's break down some elements of the opening (this is the marketer in me). first the boards put up during the construction of the store pegged the grand opening to be around february 2009. actual opening: april 2009. keeping people waiting (my wife included) amps up the anticipation, excitement and desire. it may not have been intentional, but you can see it as helping the brand in some ways. i like it. one of my marketing profs told me that it's never a bad idea to "always keep someone's face pressed up against the window."

next, the offer. first 200 shoppers to enter the store receive a gift certificate. of course, no amount is specified in any of the marketing communications surrounding the opening. pretty ingenious. this is because it could be a large amount, the possibility of which increases the likelihood of a shopper considering to go for it. sure, it could be a small amount, but what if it isn't? classic fear of loss. it turns out the amounts were randomized and ranged from a small amount up to $250 (or at least that's what i heard other people saying).

my wife pointed out that the mall opens at 9:30am and the grand opening of the store was scheduled for 10:00am. the offer drew quite a number of ambitious shoppers. by the time we got to the mall, there was already a sizeable lineup. of course, we fell into the ambiguous range that may or may not have been past the 200 mark. so the offer drew a crowd. this crowd was, in turn, set up for other shoppers to see. nothing draws a crowd like a crowd. if you ask me, setting the grand opening a half hour after the rest of the mall opens was brilliant. draw in other normal shoppers (who may not have been exposed to the marcomm efforts) by using the existing crowd. the spectacle is born.

i could have done without the lame clapping from the store managers and staff at the cash register - either celebrate properly or not at all. but other than that, the opening seemed fairly successful. not so successful for my wife and i, because we ended up being 207th or so and missed out on the gift card. my fault, really. had i gotten out the door 15 minutes earlier, we probably would've scored.

the store itself was fairly large and brightly lit. there were several rooms built into the layout, some to mark a separate collection (e.g. twelve by twelve), and others for the type of clothing (e.g. shoes, men's clothing). accessories were en route to the cashiers, i think placed in hope of stimulating impulse purchases while waiting in line.

i think what struck me most, though, was how much merchandise was still hanging after several hundred ravenous young women had been in the store for half an hour. the lineup for the change rooms was pretty long and more than several girls had a pile of selections they had gleaned off the racks. but yet, the store didn't look anywhere close to empty, even without any apparent restocking efforts made by staff. it barely looked like it was touched. that was kind of scary. just how much stuff there was. and the fact that, despite this economic downturn, so many people are still so hungry for this stuff and eager to spend their money to get it.