Viewpoint: Tons of Candy, Tons of Fun
Sometimes things strike me as funny. Lori and I, son-in-law Danny, daughter Amber and four grandchildren of various sizes and shapes, ages two months thru almost six years old, went to the Colorado Springs Zoo a few weeks ago. That, right there, has the potential for comedy. But, no, the comedy this particular day was in a poster pasted all around the zoo advertising a Halloween at the Zoo bash.
One of the prominent headlines on the printed advertisement was “Tons of Candy. Tons of Animals. Tons of Fun.” And for the low, low price at the gate of only $20.75 you could have all of those things: tons of fun, tons of animals and, at least in the case of my grandchildren, most importantly, tons of candy.
There were a number of sponsors to assist in providing tons of candy. There was Toyota, T. Rowe Price, Les Schwab Tires, and others. But the one that caught my attention, and tickled my funny bone enough to point it out to anyone who would listen, was Colorado Springs Pediatric Dentistry.
Perhaps you almost feel robbed at this point because, with all the build up, you aren’t rolling around on the floor suffering from side splitting laughter, but the humor here seems to be the irony. Doesn’t it?
There would have been no smile if Hershey’s was sponsoring the event, or Blue Bell ice cream, or…. you get the point. But the idea that, not only a dental association, yet a pediatric dental group was doling out tons of candy with their blessing seemed a bit funny to me.
The four dentists who make up the organization have a very attractive web site for children. On their home page they say, “As pediatric dentists, we focus on preventive care to help each child develop a healthy smile that will last a lifetime.”
They go on to mention that they serve infants, children, teens and special needs in Colorado Springs, Fountain, Widefield, Security, Monument, Falcon and Woodland Park, CO. They also have an affiliated office in Canon City.
In fairness, they are probably excellent dentists. Since 2014 (five consecutive years) they have won a “Best of Colorado Springs Award” in dental categories. As most of you know, those kinds of awards are voted on by the people who, in this case, read the Colorado Springs Gazette and/or vote online.
Actually, what appears on the surface to be a way to generate business is probably just a love of the zoo and the importance it has to the Colorado Springs community.
Who knows the possibilities this kind of marketing might generate? Perhaps the Pueblo County Republican Party will sponsor a man-made global warming conference. The Democrats may counter with a Right to Life Celebration. The possibilities of such contrasts are endless.
Well, enough for now, I have to spend some time scouring Facebook for tons of news.