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FROM THE EDITOR I Looking at techn technology Looki ng at ology and emotional needs wasreading readingaabook, book,but buthalfway halfwaylistening listeningto tothe the was TV, when when my my ears ears perked perked up. up. II heard heard aa TV, startling, yet yet revealing revealing statement statement from from aa MiMistartling, crosoftemployee employeebeing beinginterviewed interviewed about aboutBill Bill crosoft Gates' palatial mansion rumored to have cost Gates' palatial mansion rumored to have cost $25 million. million. He He said said that thattechnology technologyisis always always $25 changing but man's emotional needs don't. changing but man's emotional needs don't. Although itit struck struck me me as as profound, profound, II don't don't Although think I fully understood what he meant until think I fully understood what he meant until II started thumbing thumbing through through an an old old "Life" "Life" magamagastarted zine from 1949 I had picked up at the Milwauzine from 1949 I had picked up at the Milwaukee airport airport aafew few years years ago. ago. While Whilemy my original original kee Valerie Cognevich Cognevich Valerie Editor Editor PLAYMETER METER PLAY thought was was that that itit would would thought be revealing revealing to to see see some some of of be the stories that were in the the stories that were in the news the the year yearIIwas wasborn, born, itit news was the ads that would was the ads that would catch my my eye. eye. catch that was these these ads ads that ItIt was would put meaning to the would put meaning to the statement about about emotional emotional statement needs. After Afterseeing seeingsome some of of needs. the ads, ads, itithit hit me me that thatwhat what the we want want isis relatively relatively the the we same; it's it's how how we we satisfy satisfy same; those wants wants that that changes. changes. those Let me me cite cite several several examexamLet ples: ples: "Watch the the Fords Fords Go Go By By "Watch and Watch the Buyers Go and Watch the Buyers Go For That That New New Ford Ford Feel." Feel." For That's from from 1949, 1949,but buthow how That's about this this one one from from 1997: 1997: about "Meet Chevy Chevy Venture, Venture, the the "Meet NewMini MiniVan Van with with aaGreat Great New Sense of ofAdventure." Adventure." Sense couple more: more: From From 1949, 1949, "Choose "Choose AA couple the One One Car Carwith withThese These Extra ExtraValValChevrolet, the Chevrolet, ues: Valve-in-Head Valve-in-Head Engine, Engine,Fisher Fisher Body, Body,CertiCertiues: Safe Hydraulic Hydraulic Brakes, Brakes, Curved Curved Windshield Windshield Safe With Panoramic Panoramic Visibility, Visibility, and and Low-Pressure Low-Pressure With Tires." From From 1997, 1997, "The "The Mercury Mercury Villager Villager Tires." With Seven Seven Windows, Windows, Rear RearSeat Seat Cup Cup Holders, Holders, With Independent Heating Heating and and Air Air Conditioning Conditioning Independent Controls, Four Four Captain's Captain's Chairs, Chairs, All All Window Window Controls, Solar Tint Tint Glass, Glass, Integrated Integrated Child Child Restraint Restraint Solar Seat." Seats,and and aaRear RearSliding SlidingSeat." Seats, From 1949: 1949: "The "TheBig Big Rugged Rugged Dodge, Dodge,Just Just aa From Than the the Lowest Lowest Priced Priced Few Dollars Dollars More More Than Few Cars;" "Plymouth, "Plymouth,the the Car Carthat thatLikes Likes to to be be ComComCars;" Smarter to Own a Mercury;" "Nash pared;" "It's pared;" "It's Smarter to Own a Mercury;" "Nash with Hydra-Matic Hydra-Matic Drive Drive and and Airflyte Airflyte ConstrucConstrucwith tion;" and and "Rent "Rent aa New New Car Car From From Hertz Hertz and and tion;" Drive ItItYourself." Yourself." Drive From 1997: 1997: "Pack "Pack Up Up the the School School Bus Bus and and From Go Camping Camping in in the the Mazda Mazda MPV MPV All All Sport;" Sport;" Go "Chances Are Are Their Their Teeth Teeth Will Will Need Need More More "Chances Work Than Than Your Your Lumina;" Lumina;" "Plymouth "Plymouth Voyager Voyager Work forthe the Active Active Family;" Fan1ily;" "The "The All-New All-New Regal, Regal ,OfOffor 10 10 ficial Car Car of of the the Supercharged Supercharged Family;" Family;" and and ficial "TalkAbout About High High Standards, Standards, The The Ford Ford Taurus." Taurus." "Talk While automobiles automobiles and and their theirfeatures featureshave have While eclipsed advertising advertisingever ever since since there therewas wasadveradvereclipsed tising and and since since there there were were cars, cars, other othersubjects subjects tising dominated ads ads in in 1949. 1949. One One was was alcohol. alcohol. dominated There were were more more ads ads for for liquor liquor and and beer beerthan than There just about about any any other other products, products, except except of of course course just cars and and related related things things like like oil oil and and batteries. batteries. cars These examples examples might might surprise surprise you you because because These they were appealing to people's sense ofwellwellthey were appealing to people's sense of being. "Whoever "Whoever You You Are Are (in (in Store Store or or Bar) Bar) It's It's being. Smart to to Switch Switch to to Calvert Calvert Whiskey;" Whiskey;" "Have "Have Smart You AAFriendly Friendly Face? Face? Double DoubleYour YourEnjoyment! Enjoyment! You Ask For ForThis This Double Double Rich Rich Kentucky Kentucky Whiskey Whiskey Ask Today;" "Now "NowIIKnow KnowWhy WhySchlitz SchlitzisisThe TheBeer Beer Today;" ThatMade MadeMilwaukee MilwaukeeFamous;" Famous;""When "WhenDay Dayisis That Done, You You Deserve Deserve Schenley SchenleyWhiskey;" Whiskey;" "Beer "Beer Done, Belongs, Enjoy Enjoy It." It." Belongs, That's ce1iainly radicaldeparture departure from from ads ads That's certainly aaradical today concerning concerning alcohol, alcohol, and and cigarettes cigarettestoo! too! today Butwe're we're still still trying trying to to fill fill that that emotional emotional need need But with our our health. h ealth. In In 1949 1949 you you saw saw "Stepping "Stepping with Out, Don't Don'ttake take Along Along Acid Acid Indigestion;" Indigestion;" "Fo"FoOut, ley's Starts StartsIntestinal Intestinal Tract TractMoving MovingAgain;" Again;"and and ley's "Bufferin Acts Acts Twice Twice As As Fast Fast As As Aspirin;" Aspirin;" In In "Bufferin 1997 we we saw saw "When "When My My Arthritis Arthritis Pain Pain Acts Acts 1997 UpIIGo Go Right RightFor ForMy My Advil;" Advil;" "Bayer "Bayerisis the the Only Only Up Leading Pain Pain Reliever Reliever That That Can Can Save Save Your Your Leading Life;" and "Ask Your Doctor About Flonase, Life;" and "Ask Your Doctor About Flonase, ItIt KeepsYour YourNasal NasalAllergies Allergies In In Check." Check." Keeps And, of course, adve1iisers have appealed appealed to to And, of course, advertisers have women's sense sense of ofbeauty beauty with with ads ads like like these: these: women's From 1949, 1949, "Blondes, "Blond es, Give Give Your Your Hair Hair Extra Extra From Lightness-Shine,"and and from from 1997, 1997,"You "You Have Have Lightness-Shine," Nothing To Lose But The Gray." Nothing To Lose But The Gray." AsIIlook look over overthese these examples examples of ofthe the emoemoAs tional needs that manufacturers have been aptional needs that manufacturers have been appealing to for half a century, it's revealing pealing to for half a century, it's revealing when we we understand understand that thatwe we aren't aren'tembracing embracing when technology for for technology's technology's sake. sake. It's It's only only aa technology tool we use to appeal to basic emotional needs. tool we use to appeal to basic emotional needs. Forus usin in the the coin coinmachine machine industry, industry, the the emoemoFor tional trigger trigger isis entertainment entertainment and and fun. fun. My My two two tional young nieces were at my house for the weekyoung nieces were at my house for the weekend .Since Since II don't don't have have young young children, children ,toys toys end. werenon-existent. non-existent.But Buttwo twoegg eggcartons cartonsbecame became were caterpillars, purses, purses, houses, houses,and and vehicles. vehicles.They They caterpillars, had fun fun like like most most of of us us did did when when we we were were had ourimaginations imaginationswith withthe thenew new thrilled to to test test our thrilled refrigerator box box that thatbecame became aahouse, house,aa fort, fo1i, or or refrigerator an 18-wheel 18-wheeltruck. truck. an We can't can't lose lose sight sight of of the th e emotional emotional needs needs We we are aretrying tryingto to fill fill with with our ourproducts. products.People People we want to to be be entertained, entertain ed , they they want want social social interinterwant action, and and they theywant wantto to feel feel that that they they can can find find action, these things in the equipment we provide. Now these things in the equipment we provide. Now how could could we we put put aa bill bill acceptor acceptor on on aarefrigerarefrigerahow torbox? box? .6. tor OCTOBER1997 1997 OCTOBER