On my run the other morning, I realized that the greatest product ever designed didn’t happen in a lab or come as a result of opinion polls. Consider some of the characteristics of this amazing product: instant recognition, multiple models, multiple locations, and predictable interactions. Another aspect of a good product is the ease of marketing said product. This particular product doesn’t require a large ad campaign and often relies on word of mouth to differentiate between the various models.
Drum roll please…I speak of none other than the human body. (Imaginary air going out of imaginary balloon). How, you may ask, does the human body count as a product? Let’s put it into context. The purpose of a product is to be attractive so someone takes it home with them or at least is willing to engage for a few hours with it. Few things are more attractive to us than other people. And with the variety of models available, few things are more customized or personal. However, there’s a certain level of predictability, and thus comfort to the human form.
For instance, most everyone has the same parts: heads, arms, legs, etc. While these parts vary in specifics from person to person, they are easily recognizable. The same goes for the differences between the sexes.
I came to my conclusion about the human body on my run as I noticed how, without fail, every single car that went by with a male in it couldn’t help but look, or even stare, as our paths intersected. Sometimes these individuals made eye contact. Now, in the cars where only women were present, I got nothing. No look, head turn, or even acknowledgement of my existence, a somewhat scary prospect when sharing the road.
I’m neither a model nor a troll, so I know there’s nothing particularly eye-catching about me. But it’s like guys couldn’t help themselves. By my very existence as a female, I registered on their radar. The same thing happens if I’m driving somewhere, too. My eyes are pulled to the males, frequently ignoring the females.
What company wouldn’t sell its soul to generate a consistent response to its product like human beings do to each other? I think that’s why I’m so impatient with people who only focus on the marketing aspect and pay little attention to the quality of the product itself. I’ve written before about quality and my frustration over its lack in our modern world. I think the human body makes the perfect case for what can be accomplished if proper thought and investment is put into the outcome.
Too much of what clutters our landscape is crap, created with the sole purpose of generating as much money as possible, as soon as possible, before people discover that’s it’s really just crap. Will we ever say, “Enough?”
