Marketing is design

Last week, as mentionned in my last post, I was travelling for my job in the USA

It first started quite well, as we were seated in Business Class for the transatlantic flight (my first and very enjoyable real sleep across the ocean). But upon landing on american grounds it went downhill very steeply !

For we had chosen the very worst week-end of the year to travel, right after Thanksgiving, when half the american population travels back home and air traffic is at its peak!
And rain and wind were pouring all over the east coast, delaying flights all over the zone.
And we had also chosen, for cost and destination reasons, the worst airport in the US and the worst airline, namely Philladelphia and US Airways!

So after our 5.30 PM connection flight was cancelled , and we negotiated to be booked on the following 11PM flight, we had a lot of time to visit the commercial zones and tour around souvenirs shops, or the GAP shop to buy nightgear and extra nickers (in case we had to sleepover without our luggage, which was waiting for the plane too...). We even tested the massage shops !

But then our plane was delayed to 12.15, then to 12.45 , then to 1.15AM, then to 1.40AM.......
By that time I had slept on my suitcase, on a chair, on the floor..
We finally took off at 2AM after 10 hours spent in the airport, and when we arrived at the hotel, I had been "awake" more than 28 hours!! A good start , huh ?

Luckily after that, all went well

We visited our cousin company to discover (if ever there was any doubt) that americans are far better organised than us to take care of their customers. It is quite amazing how their operations are optimised to help salespeople deal with sales only and not bother with administrative stuff, and how everybody is dedicated to doing business and delivering the best service possible.

And the trip was actually fun in terms of American-way-of-life observation :

We watched live on TV Obama announcing that Hillary Clinton was to be his Secretary of State (not as moving as watching the news from France the day he was elected, but still a big moment !)

We witnessed in real life, (and not through the TV series) the larger-than-life beverage and food serving in the restaurants, or the enormous SUV cars where every driver has a cup holder.

We looked in hilarious amazement as those huge billboards along the interstate highway, that were promoting hollywood-movie-looking lawyers ready to help you make money in case of medical malpractice or personal injury. Or doctors promoting in 1m large letters... a vasectomy !!

And we listened all day long to Christmas carols, in hotels, elevators, shops, gardens, restaurants, played on all rythms and style (I personnaly recognised "Jingle Bells" in classic, reggae, blues, groove, R&B, jazz and calypso style!!) But it all sounded really weird under the palm trees and 77°F (25°C) down in Florida !

It was finally quite interesting, despite the horrendously silly TV ads that spoilt my only "Dr House" TV night...

Merry Christmas to you all !