Brand New - Your Workout for Wisdom

Dear Fighter,

I must say that I have realized it last year already, but only until today I have not been compelled to write about it.

Have you noticed it, perhaps not as you are not living in the UK, that once New Year’s Eve has passed the DVD charts at your local supermarket has lots and lots exercise, weight loss or aerobics videos on the upper ranks of it. Just look on the pics below from today, go on the TESCO website, go to Book and "Entertainment" and you immediatly find fitness videos there with its own special banner link. Further, once you click on the charts, you will find in the top 20 #9-15 are exercise videos. That is a whooping 30%.

It would be great if this would be the case throughout the year. Finally the length of the skirts here in the UK would finally match the figure of the person wearing it.

Clearly the ladies, maybe even the gents, have a craving for exercise….let me correct that, a craving for improving their health, looks or weight or maybe even just pleasing their psychy that they have one of em in the shelf to show her friends.

However, why is this a regular occurrence? Surely, if a large number of people purchase these videos in year one, they should not lead the ranks in year two any longer. People will commence with their exercise, feel better, lose weight and therefore will not need another video in year two because they stick with it. I know from experience that this is not the case. One could argue that just x% of the population have purchased these videos in year one, enough to push it up the charts but not enough to not create demand in year two. However, which brings me to one of my main arguments, if it would have worked then the happy lady (or gent) would have passed it the her/his friends. That would surly dampen the sales expectations for all those jumpy videos. This could be an indication that they do not work. But the more important questions is WHY. Is it because people that purchase these videos do not have the stamina to continue the ambitious program throughout the year? YES, we all know that. But what is more important than this, is that the people who produce them do not want them to have long term effects. Why would they? If you produce the perfect video, who would you sell it to once you have reached 100% penetration. Moreover, how much would you have to invest into reaching 100% penetration in the first place? You would have to find ways to get, Peter Smith, 40 stone, love pizza, pie and beer, feeling no need to change to actually purchase this video.

The producers therefore stick to videos that do not work, even if you actually manage to take it out of the wrapping, even if you, once actually playing on your DVD player, you manage not to take the piss and actually follow the instructions. Cause, if they don't work, then they can tell you next year: "HEY WE GOT A NEW ONE and THIS TIME IT WILL WORK" and the cycle starts all over again.

I just love capitalism and the human psychy.

Keep Fightin,

Jochen