COMIC: Genericore rears its ugly head

Special 3 part comic and blog entry by the The Intergalactic Hustler!

“Genericore” is what happens when people adopt the marketing strategy of a company and decide to make it their lifestyle. Because the company presents itself as progressive and free-thinking, people buy the products and think they are presenting themselves as progressive, free thinking and independent…even though they’ve fallen hook, line and sinker for a marketing ploy.

I pretty much saw the definition of “genericore” today. On my drive home from work I wound up behind an SUV with two bumper stickers on it from the now-defunct airline Independence Air. The Independence Air logo is a lower case I with a little halo behind it. The bumper stickers said “I am not normal” and “I do not follow,” only the I was the “i” from the Independence Air logo. Dude. You glued an ADVERTISEMENT to the back of your SUV. That’s pretty normal. No wait, it’s genericore.

A good example of this phenomenon is the store “Hot Topic.” You walk into the store and it’s dark and loud and all the people working behind the counter are pierced and surly. You buy your t-shirt that says something like “You laugh at me because I’m different, I laugh at you because you’re all the same.” You go home thinking “I’m soooooo hardcore, man. I don’t dress like all of those preppies at school. I listen to all of these metal bands and I pin anarchy buttons that cost $2.50 to my bookbag.” But where did you hear about these bands? Was it on MTV? Or in between commercials on adult swim? Or was it from “Rolling Stone?” You’ve allowed a corporation to pigeonhole you and you’re gobbling it up. I can guarantee no one in the boardroom of whichever conglomerate owns Hot Topic looks like their typical customer.

Don’t get me started on Abercrombie…all I’m gonna say is “Aberzombie.”

Apple is another “genericore” brand. They reintroduce what is essentially the same mp3 player every few months…they add more bells and whistles and NEVER extend the battery life…but people clamor to buy their products because they’re shiny and their website is fun to go to. They feel cool because they “think different,” just like Einstein, King and Gandhi…three people who have been prominently featured in Apple ad campaigns. People… “Think different” and buy an mp3 player that’s worth your money.

Text for the visually impaired:
(There are two guys talking, the one on the left is smoking a cigarette, has messy short hair, and emo glasses, and is quoted saying) “have you heard ‘pretentious indy bands’ new release? probably not, they’re pretty underground”.
The caption says “tired of hipster jerks showing thinly-veiled disdain for your musical choices?”

Text for the visually impaired:
Join the ‘genericore wave’! your band is genericore if:
-they bought their last hit from a super producer
-if they are a singer model / actor
-if you can’t hear their voice through the other layers of their voice
Now that crummy music has a movement, you can be a snob too! Now you can:
-wear tight shirts
-ramble incoherenly about how “deep” the lyrics to ms. new booty are
-go to concerts to sigh and look bored

Text for the visually impaired:
This could be you:
(a dude with a shirt that says “I love major labels” is quoted saying) “have you downloaded paris hilton’s club remixes from itunes? they’re brilliant”