[Previous entry: "The Marketing Magic of eBay."] [Next entry: "How to Make Money on Ebay and How to Lose Your Shirt . . . a Marketing Lesson."]

10/08/2005: "A Return to the Good Things and a Kinder Time."

People are once again wanting tasteful, high-quality living. An example is the fact that everyday eateries are serving upscale coffees. The likes of McDonalds and other chains are now offering premium brews and that shows that people want coffee that really tastes great --- not the swill that's passed for coffee for years in this country.

I have been a coffee snob for years. Nothing pleases me more than a great cup of Starbucks fresh ground french roast in a delicate hand painted German china cup. Anything less is torture.

Moreover, people are returning to the love of fountain pens, ink blotters, inkwells and all the class they represent. There's nothing more rewarding than writing with a fountain pen that writes wet and easily --- the writing flows and with the right ink looks elegant. We Americans long ago lost our desire for these good things. Europe never lost it. I'm delighted we're once again returning to the desire for --- not so much stuff --- but elegant, rich stuff.

What's that got to do with marketing? Well, not much unless you want to sell to Americans in this age when living is dangerous and life more uncertain than ever. People want quality and they'll pay extra for it. They want a return to a kinder time. A time when life had class and people had charm. And that's a good thing.