Saturday, August 29, 2009
Annals of advertising: Mocking the customer
Who knew Los Angeles County had a fair? Not surprisingly, it is very well promoted...
CWCID: Glenn Reynolds.
7 Comments:
By 
, at
Sat Aug 29, 11:35:00 PM:
Do not make fun of our fair. We have fried everything on a stick, just like all the other county fairs. The commercials, and there are many, feature the same mom and girls and are hilarious.
We can poke fun at ourselves too.
By 
Country Squire, at
Sun Aug 30, 07:51:00 AM:
Vicki,
It's nice to hear that the folks in LA can take a joke - even when it's at their expense. As memory serves, you're from Ohio and have probably attended at least one "real" county fair.
I just have to wonder exactly how much animal husbandry/food production is represented at the LA fair? Because those of us in rural America have a tendency to chuckle at the stereotypes used in this commercial - especially the ones that think meat only comes from the grocery store shrink wrapped in plastic.
By JPMcT, at
Sun Aug 30, 08:45:00 AM:
I wonder what the "Carnies" look like at the LA fair? Does Armani make wife-beater undershirts?
By Dawnfire82, at
Sun Aug 30, 10:47:00 AM:
They should. Wife beating isn't limited to the underclass, you know.
We could have a whole new Cops spin-off after that.
By , at
Sun Aug 30, 12:01:00 PM:
I lived in Davis in northern California for 2 years and went to the state fair in Sacramento. The LA county fair has it's share of cows, sheep and other fare found at county fairs. Pies, cakes and quilts too, but also wine, air and water purifiers and country western acts. Some of the bands that perform in the Rose Parade (in my fair city) actually do their try outs at the fair and some of them are actually selected based on their performance at the fair. Of course we have the oreos, snickers, pickles and whatever dipped and fried into submission. It is fun and a small throwback to simpler times. Dude, this is a company town and that company is entertainment. The carnies, like waiters, valet car parkers, personal trainers and nannies are out of work actors and actresses, trying to make a living.
The buckeye in me will never die but being California Casual is all it's cracked up to be, in spite of the fires. Say a small prayer for the residents of La Canada and Altadena, my neighbors 2 miles to the north. I can see the fires from my front door and it is scary and kind of spooky.
By JPMcT, at
Sun Aug 30, 05:21:00 PM:
The last time we were in San Fran a few months ago, we were having dinner on the Wharf and the dinner crowd quietly amused itself watching the mountain across the Bay burn down. Like watching fireworks without the "Ooohs" and "Aaahhs"
A strange and beautiful state. A shame, really...
By , at
Mon Aug 31, 12:53:00 AM:
My favorite LA County Fair memory was walking finding a small plaster human skull at one of the booths. I asked the proprietor, "Is this cast from the same mold as the skull sold at the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland in the 1960's?"
He replied, "Yes, it the same skull".
Apparently a family member owned the original molds and they did a lot of work in Hollywood and Disneyland.
Reliving the joy of childhood toys is awesome, as is the LA County Fair.
Our renaissance Fairs and Historical Reenactors sport a lot of Hollywood pros and wannabes. One time I was at the shooting range and a guy pulled up in a truck full of fully automatic weapons. He was a licensed special effects man with 16 movies to his credit, including a few that featured our governor.
