La-Z-Boy finally decided to have something other than a Moonlight Madness Sale. I think one thing I did appreciate about the Moonlight Madness Sale shirts in comparison to this national RECLINE-a-THON is that the Moonlight Madness had a distinct look to it. A look that said, "We want your god damn money and do not care how stupid we look while trying to get it". Some readers may know the same look from previous trips to a local bar. The look that is reputed to make you go "la-la-la-la-la". The national RECLINE-a-THON is just another pedestrian logo from La-Z-Boy. Although, I suppose that would be the better compliment to the brand image that I think La-Z-Boy wants to promote.

I feel that one of the main problems with the advertising La-Z-Boy and other firms commission is the classic trap of considering customers only in terms of bargain-crazed customers who will shop only when provoked by yet another meaningless sale. At the local La-Z-Boy that I drive past most days it seems that there is a perpetual sale that changes names like I could change free shirts. This probably does bring in the person who suddenly is looking for furniture, but what about us paying any sort of attention? I am sure that we would still give La-Z-Boy a try against our better instincts of shopping at places that insult us. Yet, we still want to sit down. We continue to shop, so no wonder we put up such insulting behavior on the part of firms fighting for market share.

Market share, though, is important considering the flooding of the industry with foreign competition. As with nearly everything else in America, the consumers' unwillingness to spend on American goods, many American companies willingness to outsource, and government's unwillingness to close market without substantial political pressure. So if insulting advertising gets the people in the stores, I suppose that is a small price to pay. Especially since I have not been in the market to buy furniture like Haley. Sadly, the way it is going people will not be able to continue buying as much furniture as they have been. The less money people have, the less they spend and the less other companies are supported.

As far as I am able to discern, in most cases, the national RECLINE-a-THON is just another name for a sale at La-Z-Boy stores. I did find one link on a trade website that suggests that at least in Phoenix, Arizona, there was some sort of thoning. The article speaks of people gathering pledges and teams that "rock and recline" in La-Z-Boy recliners. How charitable of them to brand their name over the entire proceeding!