The Business Beat
By Sandra Lewrey
I was recently flipping through the December issue of In Style magazine when I came across an article entitled “Counting Down: Gifts for 2000.” My first instinct was to pitch the magazine over my shoulder. I, like everyone else, have had enough of Y2K prophecies. If I never have to hear the M-word again, it will be too soon.
But something on the page caught my eye. In the upper right-hand corner was a picture of a sparkly, crystal-studded “2000″ tiara, complete with tiny, twinkling rhinestone numbers. It was beautiful and I wanted it.
“But you hate all this millennium fuss,” I told myself, scoffing at the tiara’s $185 US pricetag. “If you buy this glorified headband, you’ll be giving in to the businesses that want you to blow you hard-earned money on gimmicky purchases.”
But by this point, I had stopped listening to myself. Did I need the tiara? No. Could I afford the tiara? Of course not. But did I want the tiara? You’d better believe it.
I would like to think I am the only person bitten by the millennium business bug, but I know I am not alone. This bug is a wily one and the only way to stop it from emptying our wallets is through sheer human willpower.
Since the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve 1999, consumers have been targeted by businesses looking to peddle millennium wares the most resourceful person could never reuse. Champagne flutes engraved with the words “Hello 2000,” Y2K matchbooks and the Monopoly Millennium edition are clear signs of the times: we are targets for gimmicky goods.
It appears this arbitrary, man-made date has been quite a boon for business – almost every company seems to have jumped on the millennium bandwagon, from Parker Brothers, to Cartier, to Disney. The fact is, these businesses make their money any way they can, even if it means driving the final nail into the millennium coffin with a barrage of Y2K-inspired goods.
Of course, you can’t blame them –this once in a lifetime event cries out for quirky collectibles and “I survived the end of the world” T-shirts. Never mind that the “true” millennium doesn’t start until Jan. 1, 2001 – this event means one thing, and one thing only: big business.
When the ball drops on New Year’s Eve 2000, I’ll be out with my tiara sparkling brilliantly atop my coifed ‘do. Sure, it may have cost a pretty penny, and I’ll never have another opportunity to wear it again, but that’s just the point.