Just after midnight, at the beginning of the Friday after Thanksgiving, in the secretive headquarters of Sideways Marketing, the red phone rang. This emergency phone rang seldomly, but Sideways Marketing founder Louis Sideways was always ready to answer the call.
The phone only rang for marketing emergencies.
“Hello?” Sideways answered, picking up the phone.
“It’s Black Friday!” the voice on the other end said.
“I am aware,” Sideways said. “Is that an emergency?”
“Sorry, I got ahead of myself,” the caller said. “It’s Joe Treasure of Treasure’s Trinkets in the Southgate Mall.”
“Hello Joe, what’s up?”
“I was just lying down to sleep after a great Thanksgiving meal when I realized it’s Black Friday. I forgot!”
“That’s okay, Joe,” Sideways said. In the office, he grabbed his hot chocolate and turned on the multicolored lights of a Christmas tree that was not there a moment ago.
“It’s not okay, Louis,” Joe said. “I don’t have employees to work. I’m missing the sales.”
“Joe, you already run a successful business,” Louis said. “You don’t need Black Friday.”
“That’s true, but what if people buy other gifts?”
“Here’s what you do,” Louis said. “Make a sign that says, ‘Hope you enjoyed Thanksgiving with the family. We showed our employees thanks by giving them Black Friday off. See you tomorrow!”
“What will that do?” Joe asked.
“It will endear you to the people you want to sell to. People who are looking for thoughtful gifts. It’s thoughtful, Joe.”
Joe was unsure.
Sideways found a remote and hit a button. The first notes of “All I Want for Christmas is You” started to play.
“Happy Holidays, Joe. Talk to you soon.”