the "beauty" of photosmart

Last night, Jenn (my wife) and I were watching the evening news--well, she was watching, I was half-way paying attention--when we heard about the following story. Thankfully enough, this quasi-mini-documentary was found under the segment "Don't Waste Your Money." Personally, I think there should be a tag-line that reads: "And Don't Be A Complete Idiot."

Think about this one with me: if you happen to be overweight, and if you happen to be (overly) self-conscious about it, and if you want to change things; then using a camera that has (get this) a "slimming feature" in its menu options is not truly going to bring about the (real) desired changes. But here is the sad part(s): this camera has been made with that very feature (and that very feature is a part of the sales pitch), and people are (presumably) buying this camera and using it for the purpose of making themselves look thin. There are two key problems with this whole deal: 1) a picture that has been altered does not alter reality, and 2) the marketers of this product are implicitly insulting. Not only that, but they stand to line their pockets quite heavily. With respect to the second problem, consider the following:

As of 30-Nov (9:47--EST) the population of the US is: 300,313,684.*
CDC notes the number of US adults who are obese: over 60-million.**
CDC notes the number of US children who are considered overweight: over 9-million.***
The Photosmart R727 camera runs for: $206.99 (after your wonderful "instant rebate")
These figures translate into a rather captivating potential bottom line: $14.5-billion.

How do I get this? One of the first things to learn in marketing is "know your customer", which tends to bleed into the second lesson: "location, location, location." Another variable to consider, when it comes to mass-production of a given product, is its viability--what is the cost-profit ratio (or, more simply: is the product worth the time and effort--or, even more simply: will it make money?) Therefore, possibly those who wrote the proposal to create this camera with a slimming feature possibly did the same quick analysis I just did, which took only about 10 minutes. They got to know their (potential) customers. Having such information handy, the all-important question was dealt with, which produced a rather appealing figure.

Granted, I understand that not all 70-million people who are considered obese/overweight are going to buy this camera--that is not what I am saying. What I am saying is that these are the variables taken into consideration when generating ideas for new products. Even if only a fraction of that 70-million purchase this camera, HP will still receive a nice handfull of pocket change. Keep in mind, the potential $14.5-billion profit is only from one product within the HP line.

Go back to the first problem--i.e., a picture does not change reality. I know it sounds harsh, but it better than honestly believing that a picture will actually change how you feel--or how you actually look. (If you actually believe it will, I recommend reading, "The Picture of Dorian Grey", by Oscar Wilde). I openly admit that I now have a fair amount of insulation around the belly than I have ever had. Many years ago, I was 150lbs and somewhere between 6 and 7% body-fat. Today, I'm around 165lbs and I honestly have no idea what the percentage is. A picture from my honeymoon, which was in August, reveals the reality that I am not what I once was and I confess that I don't like my current state. Now, I could take the logic of the Photosmart sales pitch and use it for my advantage by slimming down the (visually noticable) insulation. But here's the deal: I could do that, put the picture somewhere in my office or some other room in my house; but I would know that the picture does not reflect reality. And if ever I am unsure about whether or not the picture reflects reality, a quick glance in the mirror will give me the proof I need.

Let's not be complete idiots in thinking that a camera is going to solve a particular issue. If problems exist, then we need to use real solutions that produce real results. If we buy into the notion that problems can be masked or altered or concealed, then we have fooled ourselves and we have become blind to reality. Masking, altering, or concealing problems does not make them go away--it only makes them appear more tolerable and/or less ugly. But: altered reality is not real reality.

--------------------------------------------------

* This site has a "real-time" counter--I saw four documented US births and three worlds births in less than a minute. Just for fun, at the time this post was completed (11:00--EST), the US number increased to: 300,314,035.
** This figure, found here, is inclusive of only those between the ages of 20 and older.
*** Same site noted above. The age range in question is between 6 and 19 years old.