Super-sized Big Mac Index: A Proposal For Project Red Stripe
I have an idea for The Economist Group, which has assigned six staffers from various divisions to develop an innovative web based product for the company that can pull content from any of its properties. They're blogging about their progress on the Project Red Stripe blog and soliciting ideas from the outside world. Since this group is developing an Internet based product, it better take advantage of what the web has to offer when it comes to interactive features. My idea is a super-sized Big Mac Index section with community and interactive features that personalizes and expands the scope of the index.
The Big Mac Index is an understandable way to present currency exchange-rate differences around the world since a Big Mac is a fast food item that is virtually the same to many of us. Thus, it is simple to understand that Argentina's economy is relatively weak compared to the United States' economy if the Big Mac is significantly cheaper in Buenos Aires than it is in Boise.
That seems simple enough, but why not flesh it out more?
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When Customers Attack
In the past when a company goofed up with a patron, the snafu remained relatively unknown. The customer likely was disgruntled and either never turned to the company again with their business or thought hard before doing so. Very few people initiated a vicious word of mouth campaign since they have plenty of other things to do besides dissing a company.
However, the Internet enables people to spread their wrath towards a company unhindered by their social network and geographic constraints, and disgruntled customers have harnessed the web to spread their displeasure. When this happens, it is important for companies to remember that when a customer attacks online, nothing prevents the company from participating in the discussion. Further, such involvement could help alleviate any PR problems associated with complaints aired online.
The Internet has changed how customer complaints can spread throughout society.
Asking Politicos Questions On-line
Would you like to ask a politician or a political candidate a question? OK, maybe only if you're a political junkie, but now you don't have to track them down and get their attention in a personal setting. In fact, you can ask a politician a question using the same machine that allows you to read this post.
Back in the day (early last year) this option was not readily used, but now you can ask politicos like German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President George Bush, and Senator Hillary Clinton questions via your computer and Internet connection.
Last year, German business student Caveh Valipour Zonooz and some cohorts developed a site where normal folk could post text, audio, and video questions for the chancellor on a website named Direkt zur Kanzlerin (Straight to the Chancellor), and after thousands of submitted questions Merkel noticed and she — her PR advisers, that is — started answering. Perhaps she'll answer some questions on her weekly podcast (not radio message) sometime.
Merkel is not the only lady responding to on-line questions. Shortly after Hillary Clinton announced her candidacy for US President in the 2008 election she held a video conference where she used Internet video to field questions from normal folk. Even Senator John McCain who is also running for President is accepting video questions via YouTube.
Now that politicians are cozying up to answering questions posted on-line some Americans want President Bush and political candidates to do the same. In a project related to Direkt zur Kanzlerin, Straight2thePresident.com and Straight2theCandidates.com aim to empower Americans to ask questions like Germans. These sites will launch in April of this year.
While no one can compel politicians to answer questions on-line, everyone can see the questions. Jeff Jarvis recently told Faith Salie on PRI's Fair Game that it is important to see what questions politicians don't answer.
Thus, the Internet has not only enabled people to more effectively dig up dirt on politicians, it allows them to see questions that they will not answer. Politicians should also worry about what they are not doing on-line — not just macaca moments.