Donkey or Elephant?

If you want to make a political statement, buy a $195 tie.

By Carol Tisch

Okay, so I’m not a political pundit – I write about shopping. Maybe that’s why I got so excited when I opened a press kit from Saks Fifth Avenue announcing the arrival in 23 stores across the country of their donkey and elephant ties. Naively, I thought the donkeys and elephants were frolicking happily together on the same tie – the photo was really small on the press release – and I guess after the past two weeks of conventions, I wanted to believe that we could actually cross party lines and work together for the greater good.

Alas, the silk ties are partisan. They come in Republican or Democrat. They are $195 each. Sally Schule of Saks won’t give me the unofficial poll numbers – easily accessible through sales receipts – because Saks is not taking sides. The personal shopping at Saks is just that: personal.

New donkey and elephant ties from Saks Fifth Avenue.

But as a retail expert and marketing major I know they can extrapolate pretty reliable numbers through sales and reorders – I want full disclosure. I want to know what political party is getting Saks’ “open to buy.” Because people don’t tell you one thing in the store and then vote differently in private. Saks’ poll would be truly reliable – I’m not talking exit poll; I mean at point of sale. Better still, maybe we could vote at Saks with each purchase: There’s no hanging Chad when you use a credit card (cash is another story).

Now if this were one of those extremely divisive political blogs we wouldn’t be giving equal space to the elephant ties (the purple one) and the donkey ties (shown in blue). If this were the biased press, we’d reveal some stats I got on the sales floor while silently observing sales and comments from both customers and staff. But we won’t. I will tell you that people are buying five ties at a clip as gifts for friends and family. The ties are beautiful and made in Italy exclusively by Charvet for Saks – each comes in a choice of three colors, and they’re so tasteful you could wear them all year.

So in the midst of this, the craziest campaign in my lifetime as a retail therapist – I say buy a tie. It says so much more about you as a political advocate, and makes you so much more credible than a fake fur donkey- or-elephant hat.

Posted: 9/5/2008 3:31:29 PM | 0 comments

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Donkey or Elephant?

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