Yes, I know. Globalization is here and here to stay. But even as everything seems to be globalizing, there are still differences in this world ... and Vive La Difference! Hawaii is a deliciously wonderful petri dish that demonstrates how a place can be part of the big wide world and still be different. Even quirky.
Some years ago, there was a book published titled "The Nine Nations of North America." The author made the case that, even with globalization, there were regional distinctions that defined nine regions in the US. Even with this regionalization, though, there were two places the author couldn't fit into a region: Manhatten and Hawaii. They were just too different.
Once, when I was doing the marketing for the Taco Bell franchise in Hawaii, the National Taco Bell organization decided to promote "value" by downsizing some of its menu items. Here in Hawaii, when it comes to food, it's all about how much you get ... not how much it costs. We tested some of the teensy food items in a focus group ... and some of the bruddahs described the items as "Barbie Food." I had to take a marketing exec from the company to see a plate lunch place (Masa's Massive Plate Lunch) to show her the difference between her definition of value and Hawaii's definition of value. Food value for lunch here is two scoops rice, macaroni salad and a huge portion of protein smothered in gravy.
Oh, and if you need to see more proof that Hawaii is different, just look at what constitutes a "door buster" sale here in the islands. The picture on today's blog is a floor display for a Spam promotion. - six feet high! Spam is a hot item here. The reasons are lost in history, but it's one of those quirky things that make us different. If globalization means that everything, everywhere is the same, the flat world would be a boring place. Fortunately, there are little quirks to keep us defined ... and amused.
