I Think We’re All Overreacting to This Fonzie Scheme…
Come on, everyone. I don’t see what the big deal is, or why we’ve waited so long to complain about this Fonzie scheme. Or why I have to write about it.
We’re talking the 70s here, and even a little bit of the 80s. Anyone turning 40 next year either had a Fonzie lunchbox, or a friend who did. Or for that matter, a Fonzie action figure or a leather jacket. Sure, now a days marketers would be savvy enough to run more targeted ads during first-run Happy Days episodes, even after The Fonz jumped the shark (figuratively and literally) in 1977.
Yeah, that was the Fonzie scheme I remember best – jumping the shark in that three-part episode where the Cunningham gang made its way to California. The episode cashed in on Evel Knievel’s fame, the popularity of Jaws, and of course the Arthur Fonzarelli icon. And it brought us the great phrase “jumping the shark” to describe a show trying to regain some popularity by bringing in an absurd plot line.
Probably one of the best schemes the Happy Days gang ever pulled off with Fonzie. Heck, it led to Laverne and Shirley, Mork and Mindy and of course Joanie Loves Chachi. And Scott Baio… I mean, he made people stay home to watch Battle of the Network Stars. What an athlete that kid was!
Maybe Fonzie should have had a few more schemes during the Happy Days run, it could have helped ABC rolling through the 80s.
But why the heck do the higher-ups at Chief Marketer want me to blog about a Fonzie Scheme? I just don’t get it. Fonzie Schemes seemed to be a great thing for all parties involved, though marketers could have done a better job cashing in!
Oh, wait… the e-mail says they want me to blog about a PONZI scheme…
Can I hit “Cancel” and start over, please?
