Trump Goes Hollywood
Today NBC announced that the sixth edition of "The Apprentice" will take place in Los Angeles. While Manhattan unquestionably epitomizes "big business," it's good to see the Left Coast recognized as an economic powerhouse worthy of attention by developer-turned-reality TV icon Donald Trump. "The Donald" is no stranger to the City of Angels. Over a decade ago, he brashly proposed building a gigantic skyscraper on the site of L.A.'s historic Ambassador Hotel; more recently, he acquired a golf course on the Palos Verdes Penninsula and flirted with the idea of buying the Transamerica (now SBC) Tower in Downtown.
The change of setting to "the entertainment capital of the world" is probably driven by the Peacock's desire to boost the flagging ratings of "The Apprentice," whose current run garners 4 million fewer viewers than the last. Despite the decline in its popularity, the show is still one of NBC's most appealing for the key demographic of young adults and a linchpin of its Thursday night line-up. Currently ranked at a dismal fourth place in viewership among the major networks, the Peacock is willing to try almost anything to generate excitement and advertising revenue.
My loyal readers know I am an unabashed Trump fan. Frankly, I'm tempted to apply for a spot on the sixth edition of "The Apprentice," as I'll have "home court advantage" as an Angeleno. My main concern is that, if selected, I will undoubtedly make a fool of myself in front of a national TV audience at some point, but I figure by next fall no one will be watching anyway. My dream would be to sell Mr. Trump on the idea of investing in redevelopment in South Los Angeles...not bloody likely.
posted by Mitch Glaser @ 9:01 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Though ratings are down for The Apprentice, the show is still one of the more popular for the Peacock. I'm pretty interested to see how they'll do here in L.A.
I say, why the heck not apply...what can you loose? The Donald may very well want you! :)
Don't forget to reference your blog when you're auditioning too. ;)
You should definitely audition! (Just make sure you carry some *dramatic* backstory so they have fodder to feed on).
I think The Apprentice really bombed out when they aired the "Book Smarts vs Street Smarts" series. I have never seen such an unintelligent, self-absorbed, and non-aesthetically pleasing group of people bunching together on one Apprentice airing before. Their projects lacked creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit so sought out by Trump just was not present.
Unfortunately, striking good looks and dramatic back-stories do play a huge role in reality TV, even The Apprentice. However, the uniqueness of this reality series is the search for talent and business-savvy, which that particular season was lacking.
Perhaps the move to the west coast will provide The Apprentice with a fresh start and a new talent pool, and with all hopes breathe some life back into a withering television concept!
~Carrie =)
yes mitch but what about the food court at the century city mall
I could totally see you on The Apprentice, Mitch. You should apply.
I believe that Apprentice auditions came to St Paul once, and the CEO of my company went to them. He's much better at telling the story than I am, but it was in a hotel, and they had to walk up six flights of stairs, and when they were there they were instructed that a topic would be announced, and they had to do whatever it took to get everyone to listen to them.
Apparently it was complete pandemonium. There's more to the story, but I can't remember it, so I apologize for the build up to nothing.
Mitch, get back to work!
in lieu of Mitch updating his blog, allow me:
Shopping Malls
In this world today, we as Americans live and survive on the presents of malls. Malls now are enacted into our way of living, our ability to consume the standards of social and economic impacts brought on by malls have and will continue to alter the composition of day to day survival. Margaret Crawford’s article (“the World in a Shopping Mall”) breaks down how the world is placed within a shopping mall, and because of this, the impacts that have resulted from the world being placed in such a situation. The article discusses the foundations or fundamental themes that have causes the World to be in a Shopping Mall.
On a regional scale many would not consider how much a mall can impact the particular area that it is placed in. In the article, Margaret refers to the impacts on small towns, historic downtowns, and traditional strip/suburban centers that malls induce. Commercially and economically the construction of malls will either benefit or reduce productivity within an area. Throughout history the developments of malls have successfully been theorized to only be productive, and mall designers have implemented formulas to ensure that malls do not fail. Malls in small towns economically and sociably alter the living conditions. Small towns are modest and potentially set on a way of living, the want and needs of everyday living are localized with in particular area. Specialty shops, such as hardware stores, and grocery stores individualize many of the goods needed. The majority of the income and revenue stays within the area. The construction of a mall within a small town, (summarized by Margaret) will change market values, possibility taking away for the small town. The mall will centralized the customers goods, eliminating the need to visit numerous stores to complete daily shopping, nevertheless, the mall acts as a one-stop shop-&-go development. Now, some malls that were constructed, that have been taking away from the nearby town or area, have allowed for businesses to relocated within the confinement of the mall, keeping self-own business stable. Margaret pointed out that shopping malls have particular themes or usage’s; some malls are comprised of small specialty shops, instead of nationally owned retail shops, the different usage’s servers its purpose by following the local wants and needs of the community
Historic downtown’s areas are sometimes transformed into a regional shopping mall. For the most part historic downtown’s are comprised of local owned shops, and abandoned or degrading building that once serves as the center point for the survival of downtown. Big warehouses lose their intent with the growing economy and the large building or historic areas are candidates for reconfiguration into a mall. As stated in the article, “Americans regularly browse through renovated factories, piers, and government building”, looking for places to develop. With the development to the historic downtown, can possibility take away from the present downtown. On the other hand, commercially the development to a historic downtown could possibility enhance the area because of cultural attractions such as museums, and bring the influence of cultural festivities into the area creating a profitable marketplace. Keeping the downtown area profitable and managing to maintain the high real-estate costs, malls add hotels, condominiums, and offices to become a world inside a mall.
Moving into the presence of suburbia, traditional strip/suburban shopping centers start appearing. The typical shopping centers are constructed to provide a one-stop shopping. For the most part strip mall varies in purposes. Some malls have major departments stores located on either end, and between a multitude of variety stores. This design makes the consumer walk past the stores, inducing a want to purchase. Strip malls are presumably located along the major highway and interstate’s, provided access to local residents and access to nonresidents using the interstate. Strip malls reinforce the ideal placement for mall construction. New interstates and highways will bring forth new drivers and the potential for commercialism, which on one hand may decrease the usage of the local, downtown, or regional shopping malls. Strip malls land values are economically low compared to high dollar downtown areas, and because newly located strip malls inhabit an unrestricted abundance of land, and they are more productive. In the article Margaret quotes Reilly’s Law of Retail Gravitation, which posit that, all other factors being equal, shoppers will patronize the largest shopping centers they can get to easily.
The article explains the Science of Malling as one of the theme, in which it explains the characteristics, statistics, and variables that are modeled and used in consideration to the development of a mall. Developers use a variety of formulas, which consider finance and marketing techniques. Take for instance, the article describes “threshold demand”---the minimum number of potential customers living within the geographical range of a retail item to enable it to be sold at profit. It goes on to explain the distance a consumer will travel, a neighborhood center serves a local market with a two-mile radius; the community-three to five miles; regional malls-twenty miles, and super-regional malls-hundred mile radius. This measure and the VALS (Values of Life Styles program) measures subjective factors surrounding income brackets, geography and climate in shopping patterns. It analyzes the ethnic composition, income levels and wants of a particular area. These and other methods to the science of malling; have been developed by engineers and designers of early and present existence often using examples from previous malls.
The Utopia of Consumption is a reflection of decision making by the consumer. This theme that Margaret discusses relates the commodities that are present in daily life, differentiating between an actual need or the need to want because it’s available. Today designers of malls know how to manipulate shopping malls to increase the consumption by an individual. Stated in the article, malls have familiar tricks---limited entrances, escalators placed only at the end of corridors, fountains and benches carefully positions to entice shopper into stores. These strategies used, along with other features converts shopping into a different dimension, to impulse consumption buying. This is how malls retain such a high level of profit gains, setting there market schemes to fit the consumers wants and needs.
Malls have combined a variety of strategies used in marketing. By providing a variety of services, malls stimulate the curiosity of the shopping experience. Using focal points such as themes resembling Disney, providing recreational activities and ultimately creating a safe world within a mall is the link to Retail Magic. The magic of retail can take the shape of numerous images, time and space, this allows for malls to alter reality. For example West Edmonton Mall in Canada, burrowed themes from Disneyland, simulating different countries, geographic regions, cultural, historical, and fictional setting. They used the setting to heighten the relationship between the commodity and the consumer.
Public Life in Pleasure Dome and Hyperconsumption: Specialization and Proliferation are two other themes describe the relationship of a department store values and design providing pleasurable experience in shopping. In which in design mall and department stores provide an high comfort zone; having designs that are customer friendly, having low prices, a combination of setting that provides a relationship to suburbia, downtowns, along with community and social centers. Hyperconsumption: Specialization and Proliferation focuses on the economic levels and market values the mall present. Malls are geared to the area, high priced malls or department stores are not located in areas that are dominated by mostly black and hispanic, but the wealthy high dollar consumers. This theme shows the importance of the different formulas that allow for malls to retain high diversity and the potential for financial success. Again image, location, and design are the backbones that developers use to draw gullible consumers.
The world as a Shopping Mall is a statement that is factual when pondered upon. Depending on where a person is located within the world, they are subjected to different perspectives of malls. When I think of this article I can deeply see why Margaret ends the article with “ The world of the shopping mall---respecting no boundaries, no longer limited even by the imperative of consumption-–has become the world”. Many of the malls that she described in the article, I have visited at least once, not analyzing the mall as she has, but just going to the mall because its there. She talked about Galleria in Houston, I can remember driving the 610 loop and preceding down Post Oak Blvd., I was going to work in that area for the summer, but as I drove through that area, I recall only seeing store after store, many restaurants and office building. That area resembled a mini concrete jungle. I almost seemed sectioned off from the rest of the city; looking a map it was a city set to the side and driving down the highway from a distance, it was lit up like Christmas or New Year’s Eve. She also discussed the Lloyd Center in Portland Oregon, how that mall completely satisfied the wants of their customers, and they would have no reason to venture else where for goods and services. I can recall being in that mall for more than 6 hours and making multiple trips to car placing bags in the trunk. My intention was to buy nothing at all but it just so happened that the mall had everything that I was looking for with excellent prices.
Growing up in the Washington Metro Area I have been exposed to a numerous mall experiences. It is possible to place each mall in different levels, from distance, to price and location, (who the Mall is geared to), and the renovation or construction of new shopping centers. It seems like malls back home that (sucked) do not suck any more, giant department stores have moved into the sucky shopping center making them worth visiting. Some malls I refuse to visit because of locations along with economic and social statues associated with the mall, such as Tyson Galleria. That mall is too costly for my needs and it mostly geared to shoppers who can afford the prices of Bloomingdale’s. Some malls I visit is just for the social interactions, Pentagon City Fashion Center and Springfield Mall are excellent malls that allows for social interactions. Driving for twenty minutes I am guaranteed to pass at least 8 to 10 shopping centers or malls in the metro area, all geared to the social status of the area. The only type of shopping centers that the area does not have is outlet centers,
From personal experiences and the fundamental themes and examples discussed in the article, I agree highly with Margaret Crawford. The world is in a Shopping Mall and the world is becoming a shopping mall. From recreating the outside setting, to providing a safe heaven, malls have everything that a consumer wants. If it not at one particular mall or shopping center it could possibly be found elsewhere. Recreating reality by designers will continue to reshape, isolate and simulate boundaries used for planing a world with a mall.
Post a Comment
<< Home