As many people have pointed out, even the most worldly among us live in tiny bubbles generally filled with people who are more like us than not. So every once in a while, it's nice to be startled by something unexpected--something that forces you to perhaps consider the world in a new way.
As startling things so often do, these facts I happened upon made me think about advertising and the cloistered world-view we often employ when we create work.
First the facts: According to Helen Simpson in "Granta" (2008), 95% of the world's population has never been on a plane. There are two-billion flights taken each year by the remaining 5% (or 335 million) people on Earth.
I guess what struck me about that 95% figure is how myopic I've become. (After all, if you go to any airport it seems like 95% of the world is crowded in there all waiting for a bag of stale pretzels or to be molested by a Republican law-maker.) We write ads for people like ourselves. People who think nothing of hopping on a plane for a long weekend.
I realize that the 5% of the population that flies probably has 90% of the world's wealth. Therefore, that's who we're speaking to. No real conclusion here, just something I'm ruminating on.
Forgive me if this is a bit of a tenuous link to your post, but I'm sitting here watching Dr. Phil interview teens, teachers and parents who are explaining a new trend of having sex on the dance floor at school dances.
ReplyDeleteOut in the open. In front of cell-phone cameras. Not caring one bit who sees or who it is they're with.
And I'm thinking I know bubkus about today's teenager. How can create ads for an entire subset of people who've just shocked the life out of me? I can barely stomach how terrible the trend is, let alone try to speak to these morally vapid creatures.
We're stuck in our bubbles, indeed.
But only 5% of those teens will have sex on a dance floor while flying.
ReplyDeleteTwo idle thoughts:
ReplyDelete1) There's probably no way to find out, but I wonder what the stats were back in, let's say, the 1700s of people who'd been on a boat trip in excess of 100 miles. Probably 5% of the world's population would be my guess.
2) I am stunned by the percentage of people here in New Brunswick, Canada, who've never been on an airplane. As a Canadian citizen, Teenie can probably attest to the relatively lower-end demographics here, but it's not dirt poor. Plenty of nice houses with satellite dishes and nice cars in the driveway. From what I see, they simply don't put that much value in travel.
Jake: Canadians in general tend to think travel is luxurious and financially off-limits, I think--although I'm in a big city so it's a bit different. For me, it's far better to have a smaller house (and no car!) and head out a few times a year. Especially since the other half's family are all overseas.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's a matter of priorities--although Europeans sure get a better deal when it comes to airfare.
@Teenie, I just realized I should clarify my previous comment. When I said "lower-end demographic here," I was speaking specifically about New Brunswick--not all of Canada! It seems like NB is held in low regard by the other provinces, n'est-ce pas?
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm totally sympatico on the "small house, big travel budget." I hate stuff, but love experiences.
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