In doing a bit of research on Audiovox for a project unrelated to Home Theater Focus I came across some sad comedy that I believe speaks ill of certain segments of the consumer electronics industry.  Audiovox is an aftermarket car stereo company turned cell phone maker in recent years.  Both ventures have churned out, let's just say nothing memorable.  Audiovox owns Advent and Acoustic Research, speaker companies aimed at the Home Theater market.  I can’t say anything bad about Advent or AR, Advent makes cheaper stuff for a lower price point, which is fair.  I’ve examined Acoustic Research speakers on at least one occasion and decided they were well made but overpriced speakers.  AR is one of those manufacturers like Infinity and lately Harmon Kardon whose products sit on the expensive side of the big box stores shelves. 

I stumbled across one of the most laughable attempts at transparently naked hipster marketing by middle aged guys in three piece suits I’ve ever seen.  This faux “newsletter” Audiovox calls “da’ buzz” is a publishing equivalent of a train wreck.  McDonalds uses new tag:  “i’m lovin’ it.”  No caps for an informal, kicked back feel that's just catching on in advertising circles.  This particular edition of “‘da buzz” (also no caps) promotes Audiovox’s participation in an even more scary promo tour for consumer electronics companies to target college kids called the “techknowoverload”.

techknowoverload is not only a noun that doesn’t begin with a capital letter but it breaks laid back barriers by being so informal that it doesn’t even both with spaces.  Now, that’s more relaxed than half time at a Perry Como Christmas special.

It’s an alarming exercise in embedded advertising that attempts to capture hip-hop esthetic, but instead they’ve created an antiseptic mess with all the urban street-cred of a bottle of Pine-Sol.  The whole premise of the techknowoverload itself is what’s most alarming.  Obviously created by suits whose own kids don’t have to worry about student loans.  It’s aggressive advertising designed to brow beat kids into buying what they cannot possibly afford with no value to return.

technoloverload is the evil creation of mad marketers!

Don’t get me wrong, I love consumer electronics and I see no problem with promoting the industry.  But a tour of US college campuses to market expensive gear to kids who can ill afford it is no more than schoolyard bullying.  When I was in college I could barely afford drink specials at the Red Dog Tavern (in Peterborough) let alone a Toshiba satellite receiver/tablet PC w/ built in LCD flat-screen monitor.  The only thing missing from this tour’s long line of consumer electronics manufacturer’s is a long line of banks and credit card companies who could make a killing slipping these kids further into debt than they’re already going to be when they graduate. 

Let’s be honest.  Consumer electronics are the prize for hard work, the toys of our work-a-day existences, and maybe even the light at the end of the tunnel when these kids graduate to become middle class Joe and Jill Schmoes.  They’re not required for education nor should they be marketed directly at very segment of our society working hardest to better themselves to keep the wheels of our civilization turning.  Shame on these companies for their brazen reach to tempt 19 year old kids into harder times ahead.