OK, I know this may be hard to believe – but I have a soft spot in my heart for the Miss America pageant. It’s not some weird, I-like-smart-girls-in-swimsuits thing … although, my wife is exceptionally smart and, well, TMI.

But back when I was in high school, my first brush with “show biz” was working and singing in the Miss Iowa pageant. We were all teenagers back then (the singers and the dancers) but we worked with professional musicians and a couple of “C” or “D” list celebrities who would come in and serve as the host.

Still, it was enough to give this kid the bug and convince him that he wanted to work in television, music or film.

So, it’s just a little more than painful to see how the Miss America brand has become so in-grown and distorted by its own devices. Check out the Miss America website now and this week the site is dedicated to the annual pageant – which, I suppose it should be. But included in there are plenty of opportunities to purchase merchandise, apply for an affinity credit card, etc. All revenue generators intended to support the Miss America organization and support a mission that is not easily definable or blatantly obvious off the site.

Too bad. The Miss America program does a lot to help promote the education of young women and has, I think, contributed greatly to society.

The problem is that darn pageant, low television ratings and the fact that the Miss America brand has been allowed to become passe. Look, the Miss America beauty pageant was one of the original “reality” television shows. I remember, as a kid, staying up late to watch it and rooting for Miss Iowa who always got cut in the first round. Apparently, playing Camptown Races on a corn cob xylophone just didn’t impress enough judges.

Whatever.

But by the mid 1970′s and early 1980′s, Miss America was in trouble. Bert Parks was getting old – literally and figuratively – and the pageant format, content and brand promise was nothing short of a 1950′s throw-back. The Miss America pageant jumped the shark when they hired Ron Ely, television’s Tarzan, to host the show. Yikes.

Now, if it’s at all possible, the powers that be at MAO properties have jumped back over the shark and straight into its gaping maw. By signing a 2-year deal with Speedo, MAO has gone from flash to flesh and put contestants in bikinis. The talent competition has been cut waaaay back to allow for more “physical fitness” exhibition.

Yeah, right.

I think Miss Utah’s physique looks fine and fit to me, too. She won on the third night of competition. Miss California, who has also won a preliminary talent competition (doing a jazz dance) is also highly ranked/rated. There’s no word if Miss California’s scholarship will be awarded in one dollar bills or if she’ll actually get a bonus scholarship by table dancing for some of the judges.

Oh brother.

How could it get this bad and what’s this mean for businesses who are into something other than beauty pageants? Well, the beauty of this whole thing is that there are direct implications for business owners and managers to keep in mind.

1.) You have to keep your brand’s promise fresh and relevant. By keeping Bert Parks and a crusty, out-of-step format for too long, MAO surrendered the high ground and has failed to re-claim it.

2.) You have to remember who your audiences are and make sure you spend as much time understanding them as you hope they spend getting to know you. MAO and several of the state pageants have had more than their share of ups and downs with political infighting which took their collective eye off the ball.

3.) Look at the potential threat posed by new competition in and out of your favorite medium and understand the long-term social issues. You could say it started with Playboy Magazine, but the Miss America pageant (and specifically the swimsuit competition) was doomed as soon as Sports Illustrated finally figured out the real appeal of their annual swimsuit edition. Add everything from Maxim Magazine to Victoria’s Secret catalogs and it all spelled trouble. As for pageants as entertainment vehicles – their days were numbered as soon as variety television shows started biting the dust. Actually, it’s remarkable the Miss America pageant has lasted this long.

So, what should Miss America do? Is cutting back on material (literally and figuartively) during pageant week a smart move? I think it may be relying on “too little” too late. Titillate or not, these girls and the pageant they represent are in trouble. It’s too bad a great brand has to die such a long, lingering death.

I fear it is too late to save it.

Later.

CNN.com – Less talent, more skin at pageant – Sep 17, 2004

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