Effing The Dog | Getting Things Done...Eventually

Note: Mike was on ill for most of last week...having contracted the speech impedement known as laryngitis.  This also, oddly enough, caused him to lose his ability to write.

With the invasion of Barack Obama in primetime last week, it brings up an eventual form of advertising that has yet to be fully explored here at the site:  The Infomercial.  We've all seen these long-winded forms of pseudo-entertainment, extolling the virtues of such products as juicing machines to the latest Chuck Norris offering, but unlike the traditional 30 second spot - these tend to stick with you in much the same way as a dog gnaws at a bone until it is either digested or thrown by the wayside.

Later on tomorrow, the free world will know who the next U.S. President will be.  The strategies of each campaign have been varied and really varied, with the Obama camp eventually ponying up some major cash to pull off the infomercial.  To counter this, McCain appeared in a fireside chat with some guy (who may very well be older than him) on CNN.  Most interviews are quick and dirty in today's media, and the fireside chat was an effective maneuver in EffTD terms, as it seems as if the interview takes a long time with the backdrop of a crackling fire.  The smoking of pipes and cardigan sweaters can only strengthen that eventual sensation.  Alas, there was none of this on CNN on that night.

Obama's infomercial trumps the McCain chat in that it literally took up more time, and will remain embedded in the collective consciousness for some time.  It has worked for such luminaries as Anthony Robbins, who fills the screen with his larger than life personality and figure with his infomercials on how to be better and stuff.  Obama's message was how to be a better nation and stuff.  McCain's shorter message was warmer, but only in that it was done near a fire.

So, the messages doled out by infomercials are both eventual and perpetual.  Nothing sticks with a person longer than that.

Except maybe for a financial crisis.

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