COLLEGE ON A CURVE
The familiar A through F grading system seems to have been invented at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts in 1884. By the 1940s, this system had been mapped to corresponding percentages and was the dominant form of grading used in most U.S. educational institutions. The scale was centered around 70% as an average level of acceptable performance, granting a letter grade of C. Anything below that was considered unsatisfactory, and anything above that was considered superior. Work that was in the top 10% of all students was deemed excellent, and awarded an A. This empirical gauge, originally conceived as a standard bell curve with most students in the middle, held true through the first half of the 20th century. But something changed around 1960.
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
On June 22, 1942, Congress adopted the Pledge of Allegiance as the official oath of the United States. In addition, the law also created the official Flag Code, including regulations for display, care, and etiquette of the American flag. The only change made to the Pledge after it was signed into law was on June 14, 1954, when two words were added, rendering it in its current state today.
THE OLYMPICS BANKRUPTCY MACHINE
In 1970, Denver, Colorado, was awarded the 1976 Winter Olympics. Everyone felt the location would be ideal to celebrate both America's bicentennial and Colorado's centennial. Despite the fact that the previous Winter Olympics had cost over $1 billion to produce, Denver boasted that they could do it for $14 million. But the citizens of Denver disagreed, and after two years of protests and pushback, Denver became the first, and only, city to rescind their bid to host the Olympics. The move forced the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to scramble for a new host, and in three months, the group chose Innsbruck, Austria, the Winter Olympics host twelve years earlier. The 1976 Games ended up costing over $100 million, more than seven times Denver's original estimate. Montreal's Summer Games that same year came with a $6 billion price tag and a $1.5 billion loss, bankrupting the city and saddling its citizens with 30 years of debt. Denver and Montreal sparked a discussion that continues to this day. Is it ever worth it for any city to host a megaevent like the Olympics, and if not, why do we keep doing it?
THE OLYMPICS
Next month, on April 16, one of the most enduring rituals of the past century will begin. In a sacred ceremony in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Olympics, the rays of the sun will light the Olympic torch, and it will begin its journey to Paris. Over 68 days, 10,000 different people will carry the torch throughout France, ultimately arriving across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower on July 26 for the now iconic and epic Opening Ceremony of the XXXIII Olympiad. This event is so deeply entrenched in the lore and culture of the games that it would seem to have always been a part of the Olympics, but along with most of the other aspects of the games that have elevated them to legendary status, it had a definite beginning. It all started in 1936 with a truly despicable propaganda campaign.
UNTYING THE DATA FROM THE KNOT
The Knot is the number one wedding network in the United States with over 11 million monthly visitors, and reaches 8 out of 10 brides. In 2022, the company surveyed 12,000 of its users to provide its annual wedding statistics. Among dozens of data points, that survey reported that couples in America spent an average of $5800 on engagement rings. As the wedding authority, this statistic from The Knot is cited by numerous media outlets, including Vogue and American Express. There's just one problem: that figure isn't true. That same year, Today's Wedding Jewelry Consumer, an independent market research firm dedicated to the wedding jewelry industry, released the actual purchasing data for engagement rings, and it was significantly less: $3670. The fact that The Knot's figure is so far off and gets cited far more often reveals a lot about us as a culture and the wedding industry as a business.
DIAMONDS
In 2022, over 2 million engagement rings were sold in the United States. Almost 90% of those rings featured diamonds. That same year, diamond sales made up $340 billion of the global economy. But historically, diamonds were never that popular, and certainly weren't associated with marriage. That cultural shift occurred in the 1940s when one company decided to redefine the marriage proposal.
KODAK'S WILD RIDE
The Eastman Kodak Company was officially formed in 1901, right after the company invented the first inexpensive, portable, personal camera. By 1992, Kodak was a $20 billion company, and the 18th largest business by revenue in the United States. Twenty years later, the company filed for bankruptcy. Kodak's story has become a classic, cautionary tale about a business that developed tunnel vision, refused to diversify, and actively fought technological developments. It's an overly simplified story that is easier for us to understand and repeat, but the actual data tells a different story.
SELFIES
The word "selfie" first appeared in an Australian internet forum in 2002. By 2013, "selfie" was declared the "word of the year" by the Oxford English Dictionary. With the invention of the digital camera in 1975, and the first phone with a camera in 1999, photography had evolved to allow an individual to effectively take a snapshot of anything at any time. But it wasn't just technology which caused this phenomenon to explode around the world. The vision of this behavior was actually cast in the early 1900s with an innovative marketing campaign.
HOW MARKETING CHANGED THE WORLD
Culture changes constantly. Most of us think it happens organically, shaped by things like technology, art, politics, or activism. But you'd be surprised how many deep-seated behaviors and beliefs were actually created by carefully-crafted marketing campaigns. Smiling for photos, diamond engagement rings, even the pledge of allegiance - all of these were created by a corporation that was intentionally trying to change our minds, and it worked. In How Marketing Changed the World, we'll explore the fascinating true stories behind some of the most successful, and often unknown, marketing campaigns of all time. Join us every month to learn how powerful marketing can be, and perhaps how to rethink or enhance the promotion of your own brand.
THE DATA BEHIND THE BUSINESS
Data not only provides a more accurate view of things; it can also tell better stories. In a world of catchphrases and memes, we'd all like a more researched and robust picture of the business world. What factors were most significant for the meteoric rise and fall of certain companies, and was their trajectory truly meteoric? How true are the organizational narratives we've all been conditioned to believe? Were the most celebrated advertising campaigns actually as successful as everyone thinks they were? Every month in The Data Behind the Business, we'll look at hard numbers and statistics to get a better understanding of how industries are actually shaped. The truth will surprise you, and may also change the way you look at your own business.
PULSAR ANIMATES SAFER TOGETHER CHATS
Pulsar recently created graphics and animations for the new York County Safety Collab podcast - Safer Together Chats. These monthly episodes focus on bringing law enforcement and the York County community together to discuss efforts toward public safety in our neighborhoods. The ultimate goal is help the entire York County community be "safer together" through trust and transparency.
PULSAR OFFERS DIGITAL SOLUTIONS COURSE
Pulsar just completed a seven-week elective course on digital solutions for high-school students at Logos Academy. Logos Academy is a private, K-12 school in York, PA, dedicated to providing an excellent and affordable education for all families, and reserves two-thirds of classroom seats for students who live below or near the federal poverty line.
PULSAR PROMOTES THE YORK COUNTY SAFETY COLLAB
Pulsar has been chosen to promote the York County Safety Collab, one of the most exciting and progressive efforts to address increasing national unrest surrounding the fair policing of our communities. The York County Safety Collab is a powerful initiative which is actively restoring hope in our communities, confidence in our legal system, and trust in our police.
PULSAR TEACHES MARKETING TO STUDENTS
Pulsar recently hosted a marketing class for the students of Logos Academy. Logos Academy is a private, K-12 school in York, PA, dedicated to providing an excellent and affordable education for all families, and reserves two-thirds of classroom seats for students who live below or near the federal poverty line.
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