On the journey home for Christmas I came across the top censored stories as reported by Utne Reader. It seems a media story was buried during the election this year, reporting that the top 1 percent of the U.S. population now owns about a third of the country’s wealth, and the highly touted American middle class is quickly disappearing. Thanks to various legislative measures that were passed last year, the division between rich and poor has been [and is] being further accelerated. Beyond political and international repercussions, I began to think about the implications this division of class has on advertisers.

I will not lie. I am, what some may call a “redneck.” I was born in a small blue collar town in America’s heartland. Most people still have four kids and live in a trailer park waiting for Friday’s paycheck in order to buy a six pack of Bud and $20 in lottery tickets. The norm is minimum wage and two jobs or 10-hours in a factory assembly line. Kids grow up on a bevy of fast food and the latest American Idol episode where anyone can be a star. Groceries are bought, not by brand loyalty but by “what’s on sale.” It’s a different reality.

In a bit of light hearted humor [and yet seriousness] …a further examination of this consumer audience shows us that:

1.Any hors d’ourve with a “fine piece of cheese” will most likely contain a slab of Velveeta on a Ritz cracker. If it is a special occasion, it will be served on a pizza pan covered with tin foil. [BTW: Don’t expect to cook anything that requires Feta, if you do… only one supermarket chain carries it and the package will have expired last month.]

2. There are people in this world who still use AOL. And LOVE it.

3. Oprah Winfrey is still the Queen of all things good. Med actually watch Dr. Phil. And Martha is not only guilty; she’s “done.”

4. Miracle Whip is not a white viscous product in a jar sold by Kraft - - but a fine flavor enhancer for your bologna sandwich. Also, Grey Poupon = expensive mustard.

5. Given the choice between a free cotton t-shirt that can be washed at home and an expensive designer Cashmere sweater that says “dry-clean,” the cotton shirt will win every time.

6. “Me Time” isn’t a bubble bath with floral accents. It isn’t curling up on a couch with a relaxing cup of chai tea [how do you say that?]. It is simply the 15 minutes of quiet time after the kids have fallen asleep from their over scheduled day when she sits down on the couch [and before she passes out in utter exhaustion.]

7. “I am on a diet” means ordering the fried chicken salad with extra ranch dressing and a Diet Coke instead of the fried chicken sandwich, fries and a Mt. Dew.

8. Masstige is a foreign word. And Target is pronounced “Tar – get” not “Tar-ghay” and it’s a place to buy cotton towels not some “fancy” clothes or “city” décor.

9. Yankee Candles. 17% sales increase for the year. Nuff said?

10. There is a segment of the American population that will join Bally’s health club yet still insist on getting in the car and driving across the strip mall parking lot instead of walking to the other end.

***************************************************************** As I was home, I got to looking at the culture around me and to thinking back to this year’s election… the strife between red and blue states…has living in New York City made us this out-of-touch with the rest of America? And if NYC is the “heart” of advertising… are we, as an industry, out of touch with the consumers we sell our client’s products to? And should we be paying more attention?

After all, these are the same folks that gave us Scrapbooking, NASCAR, Deep Fried Turkeys, and Trucker Hats.