Reply
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,600
Registered: ‎03-21-2010

The Harbinger zip code odd footnote in history

Some researchers several years ago, did a research on people that buy a certain product.  And that the product would fail.  They called this group of people the Harbinger House hold (or zip code).  Some of these products are Crystal Pepsi and Colgate frozen meals.  The products flopped.  These people are usually  suburban, not very educated and always use coupons.  I had to google this and there is a Harbinger NC, but doesn't really have anything to do with this study.  They just happened to attach the name to it.  Odd story.

 

https://boingboing.net/2019/12/03/harbringer-of-doom.html

 

Colgate Foods

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,201
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: The Harbinger zip code odd footnote in history

@songbird 

This reminds me of an old Jimmy Stewart/Jane Wyman movie I happened upon, where JS's character needed/used an average town that predicted how the country would flow in order for him to make a personal profit.

 

Then along came Gallop..... (Even mentioned in the movie!)

 

We really don't know how or when we are being played in these things. Very interesting!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,814
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: The Harbinger zip code odd footnote in history

Interesting article.  I didn't know there was such a thing.

Highlighted
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,654
Registered: ‎06-10-2015

Re: The Harbinger zip code odd footnote in history

 

noun

a person who goes ahead and makes known the approach of another; herald.
anything that foreshadows a future event; omen; sign:Frost is a harbinger of winter.
a person sent in advance of troops, a royal train, etc., to provide or secure lodgings and other accommodations.

verb (used with object)

to act as harbinger to; herald the coming of.
 
 
 
I think the zip code means people in certain areas of the country.  For legal reasons they did not want to publish the zipe codes they use for this study.
 
It is odd.
BE THE PERSON YOUR DOG THINKS YOU ARE! (unknown)
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,935
Registered: ‎07-02-2015

Re: The Harbinger zip code odd footnote in history

[ Edited ]

This "research" indicates nothing to me of any value and even smacks of the same type of divisiveness and biases which separate political parties, "haves vs. have-nots" and richer vs. poorer neighborhoods, not to mention single-parent households.  

It does indicate that some companies, even the biggest ones, sometimes make lousy product creation and marketing decisions.

 

Surprised it  failed to mention the epic fail of The New Coke after it was introduced by the Coca-Cola Co.  I doubt that product failed only among lower socio-economic groups

 

 

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,600
Registered: ‎03-21-2010

Re: The Harbinger zip code odd footnote in history

The odd thing is that these people would move......to a totaly different location.....and repeat the same thing over and over.