Consumers vote with their money too

Both the "double" and his comment were out of character. Fred had always been laid back even to the point of being lazy. He was a typical live and let live, liberal. In all the time I knew him, I only saw his hackles rise on one issue and that had to do with the Nationalist Government's madness, encapsulated in the horror of apartheid. The progressive demeaning and dehumanization of fellow South Africans really got him going.

But the first 10 years of democracy had brought about a relative peace the likes of which he had never in his life, known before. At last he was proud to be South African.

"Things are changing," he said.

The early euphoria is wearing thin. Expectations are not being met. Blaming the past, as an excuse, is now wearing thin. Over-sensitivity to being criticized of lack of delivery is growing. Stresses in the structures. Young lives lost during "lack of delivery" protests in Harrismith.

Marketers and politicians alike, share these problems.

Brands also lose the early glow of being new and need to be re-launched or re-positioned, to stay current. Complacency in the manufacture of product itself, lack of sensitivity to competitor offers and not keeping abreast of new technology, are all parallel symptoms. And worst of all, just repeating the same old advertising, exhorting users to use, come what may, soon palls. And, in marketing there is no debate. Consumers vote with their money, every day.

Promise before delivery (or without delivery) is always a dangerous marketing strategy, especially if the product itself is below par. But if the product delivers, the promise is met, the advertising is believed and, even, sometimes loved.

And the money votes pour in.

In politics these issues become part of open debate, and politicians defend their positions with vigour. The five-year election cycle is not frequent enough to release the tensions.

The Mbeki / Trahar spat had clearly sparked off a feeling of unease in Fred. The accusations and counter-accusations often took on a blatantly racist and colonist tone. This encapsulated his growing unease. The debate was ultimately sterile, of the past, not of the future.

"Sadly, being PC is starting to mean Perfectly Compliant."

I had no answer.