Wii Have Left Country Music Behind
Tip: Click any photo for the larger, uncropped version.A few things outside of the realm of photography.
This morning Jessica and I purchased a Wii at our nearest Target. She was trying on some clothes when I discovered they had a few in stock. There were already people coming over to buy them, so i asked the “team member” if she could hold on for ten minutes while I waited for Jessica to finish up in the dressing room. No go. Well, Jessica made it in time for us to scoop up one of them. After we finished many other errands we came home and I began hooking everything up to the tv etc. Everything was working great until I went to insert a game disc. It wouldn’t take it. I tried and tried and no go. I figured maybe it didn’t “grab” the disc like a cd player and maybe I needed to help it in. Nope…that just resulted in a Wii that wouldn’t eject a disc it didn’t know it had. I was finally able to get it out with some tweezers. So I called Target. They said “yeah we’ve got a couple left in the back”…I said, “great, could you hold on to one for me; I’m on the way to exchange the broken one for a good one.” “No sir, it’s first come first serve.” I understand supply and demand, but that to me is a lame move in customer service. I’ve already given them money and they gave me a broken piece of merchandise. All I was asking was that something I’ve already payed them for be operational. Well, I wasn’t in the mood to fight with them on the phone as during all of this I started to feel hot, nauseated, and felt as though I would be seeing my breakfast again any minute. SO – Jessica and I packed the broken system up perfectly and took another drive to Target. They still had one left…phew. It took about 10 minutes for multiple people to check to be sure everything was in the box we were returning along with snide remarks about how they have never had one returned out of the however many million they’ve sold etc. Even better customer service. So we finally got our Wii, came home, hooked it up and it works…Yay! I know everyone loves Target, but I used to work there and today’s experience is just another reminder that Target is still a big box gleaming with waxed floors and fluorescent lighting just like the other big one that everybody loves to hate. The biggest difference to me? One has more expensive commercials that appeal to the same crowd that like Apple commercials. People like me that happen to be okay with showing a little brand loyalty. I’ve got Apples galore and Target bags for cleaning the litter box. However, hip music and “different” creative directing on commercials do not make up for poor customer service. </rantOne>
Country music currently sucks and has for about the past ten years or so. This isn’t even a “cool guy” comment about how it was better when it was just Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard. Nope, it was fine just a decade ago even. Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Garth, George Strait, the old guys mixed in along with the classic ladies of course. It all sounds like someone is strangling Jessica Simpson now. Forced twang, over produced session musician tracks, steel guitar just because, all the fiddles playing the same harmony in every song. It’s just not what it used to be. I know I said this isn’t a “better than though” snob kind of thing, but just listen to “Big City” by Merle Haggard and then listen to “Takin’ Off This Pain” Ashton Shepard. Sorry Ashton…I’m sure there is real talent in there somewhere, but the producers thought it would be better for you to sound like just a little more “polished”.
</rant2>
Sorry about that…just had to vent a little. ;)
-JG
 |
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
Michelle
Jeremy
Nicole Keller
Justin:
Target:
Pay their workers eh? Maybe now, but when I worked there it was hardly enough to get by (That's a big reason I ended up coming to you for work). I worked on the flow team. That's the people that get to work at 3am and unload a truck in an unreasonable amount of time, then stock the contents of said truck to the shelves. All the while we were being yelled at and treated like babies for somewhere around $6.50/hr. at the time. Before the unloading would start we would all get in a circle and and do stretches while saying in unison "I love Target up to the sky – I love Target down to the ground – I hate KMart – I hate WalMart". That was just a bit over the top if you ask me. I know it's not like that in every Target store, but that was enough for me to leave and resume being a skeptic of anything that is instantly appealing…hipster ads or not. Ultimately…ads and products have little to do with customer service.
Popular Country:
Of course it's what's on the radio. Not ten years ago there was good country on the radio too. I'm well aware of the fact that there are great bands out there that aren't getting Clear Channel airplay. That wasn't the point. Rock music as heard on the radio is Nickelback, Panic at the Disco etc. The average Joe on the street, or at the office (Excluding Green or King Street and yours and other ultra hip offices) have no idea who Sun Volt is unless they were listening to 96 Wave in the early 90's. What was 96 Wave? A RADIO station. Believe it or not, there are still people that don't look to the internet or college radio for music. People like my siblings or parents and a lot of my friends have never heard of half the bands I listen to and they aren't even obscure. Death Cab for Cutie isn't exactly obscure, but when I mention them to some people they know the name is familiar and they think they may have seen them on SNL or heard that one song about the soul and the body…they heard it or saw it from the mainstream media. And the mainstream media version of Country music for the most part currently sucks. Good Country used to be popular country was my point.
Target:
They pay their workers… They have more than 2 registers open… and they have great products. Oh yeah, they do have good ads, design and have you seen the women who shop there???
Country music:
I think you are referring to popular country. Trust me, there are is some great stuff out there that just isn't making the main stream due to "big radio". You are force fed songs about "redneck women", "sexy tractors" and insert another comment about making white people look even more trashier. I'm not big into country but I will listen to the old stuff, alt-country, bluegrass, and americana. My ipod is covered with Son Volt, Cash, Ryan Adams, and Dylan and I always try to tune into Praire Home Companion on Sunday mornings on NPR and the Red Bank Bar and Grill on WUSC on Saturday morning. Note: that is where I first heard the bluegrass tribute to Modest Mouse, good stuff ;) Judging country music like that is like saying rock music is all Nickelback, Panic at the Disco and whatever the suck ass rock station is playing right now for the frat boys…
Good Layout and design. I like your blog. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. .
Jason Rakowski