Ed Staley: Marketing can’t mask higher prices or electricity rates

Having spent my career advising people how to sell things, I can spot marketing guru fallacies in a heartbeat. Just look at this morning’s Modesto Bee. It’s all there.

Comcast is “tripling the size of its social media team to 60” to provide better service. What this really means is that the top paid executives expect that with more Facebook and Twitter experts you will be able to endure totally bad service. Their theory: More Facebook equals better service.

Toys R Us is making “All of its locations more engaging places for children” to coax parents back into stores. What this really means is that the top paid executives expect that with better playgrounds inside their stores they will be able to compete with lower prices at Wal-Mart and Target. Their Theory: More playgrounds inside stores equals lower prices.

And finally we come to the Modesto Irrigation District board of Directors. “Modesto area farmers will pay more for Tuolumne River water this year irrigation leaders decided Tuesday...” Their theory: More money equals more rain! Understanding that, I am sure they will lower our highly subsidized electricity rates to compete with what was once the lowest rates in the nation.

This story was originally published March 25, 2015 at 11:27 AM with the headline "Ed Staley: Marketing can’t mask higher prices or electricity rates."