Here is the first rule anyone learns who is even remotely concerned with marketing …
“Sell the sizzle and not the steak.”
In other words, an appeal to what excites the consumer is much more effective than the properties of the product. This is not necessarily deceptive. In many cases, products can be so similar that the only real difference among them is in their perception, ie- ‘sizzle,’ by the public.
If ever anyone in cyberspace has excelled with this principle, it’s The Rich Jerk.
If you’ve done any significant cybercruising, you’ve surely encountered his promotional campaign. His spiel is impressively creative. He claims that he’s rich, not necessarily because he works harder than you, but because he’s better than you. As a result, he doesn’t really care what you think about him or whether you’re interested in buying his product. However, he makes it very clear that it’s due to his product that he can claim his arrogant superiority over you and everyone else.
The Rich Jerk could be the Don Rickles of the 21st century. He revels in spewing insults at his...