Arizona a Marketing Winner? I Say No
I always enjoy reading posts from our guest blogger John Tantillo, the Marketing Doctor, but I need to disagree with his pick last week of Arizona as a marketing winner with its new illegal immigrants law.
From a marketing standpoint, I don’t see the new law helping the state attract economic engines such as convention business or companies relocating headquarters or building new facilities. Business leaders above all else, in my experience, want to avoid controversy and controversial places. Talk of boycotts of anything associated with Arizona – witness the backlash against poor Arizona Iced Tea which originated in Brooklyn, for example – point to troubles that the average CEO would rather steer clear of.
On a more personal note, as the grandson of immigrants, I find the Arizona law repugnant and a throwback to the know-nothing-ism, America-first attitudes that I had hoped we left behind in the 20th century if not the 19th. Stopping people to ask for their papers because they might look illegal isn’t far removed from shipping Japanese-Americans to camps during World War II because they might be working for the enemy; it’s presumed guilt by ethnic association.
No, I don’t condone illegal acts and coming here illegally is wrong. But the issue that should be addressed, I believe, is unrealistic immigration quotas that keep out people who want to make their new lives in this country. I do share John’s hope that Arizona’s action will spur a comprehensive national discussion about immigration policies.
Immigrant drive has built America. My grandparents were fortunate to come here at a time (the early 20th century) when immigration quotes were relatively liberal. That all changed because of fear, both economic and racial quite frankly. It’s time to go back to more open borders.
I grew up not far from the Statue of Liberty and her invitation to the world –
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore;
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me…”
I’ve always thought that was the best marketing message America has. Let’s get back to it, shall we?
Comments
John, your response is terrific and I think right on so many levels especially about what it means to be American.
As the descendant of immigrants, the words on Lady Liberty are never too far from my belief in what America stands for.
But America, even during the great immigrations of the 19th century, didn’t translate into simply open borders. I think the marketing question here is one of the politicians and Arizona generally “re-setting” or “re-establishing” the ground rules.
It might seem draconian and a shock after years of poor enforcement and looking the other way, but from what I hear, and keep hearing, Arizonans are on the front lines and their immediate representatives have taken the kind of action that supports long-term “marketing” success –the kind of fundamental action that addresses threats to quality of life, crime, the cost of doing business in the state and infrastructure.
I definitely agree that our borders should remain open to those aspiring to become Americans legally, but the essence of my argument was that Arizona has the right to take strong action in the face of a very difficult situation that is creating incredible stresses on its Target Market.
I also think we should consider the possibility that this was a savvy marketing tactic to force the Federal government, whose job this really is, to start taking substantive action.
As some have said, Arizona’s action might even be unconstitutional and because of this is more of a cry for help than a permanent change. My guess is that the short-term consequences, though, like sullying the state’s name, even hurting product sales for Arizona Iced Tea, will be just that for the state and that the long-term effect will be positive both for the state’s politicians and its citizens.
As always a pleasure working with you,
A domani,
John
John Tantillo, Ph.D.
President
Marketing Department Of America Ltd.
Posted by: John Tantillo | May 18, 2010 9:06 AM