Welcome to the Staycation Era

There was one of those complimentary copies of USA Today hanging from Gas & Country’s hotel room on Wednesday morning and while it’s not our usual fare, into the backpack it went.  If nothing else, we’ve always enjoyed that page where they find something–anything–newsworthy (and bite size) from each of the 50 states.  But there was more!  Kudos to the Colorful Lady on great articles about how gas prices are:

• contributing to the steady decay of rural towns (see our first post)
• forcing seniors to make choices that are just plain depressing
• giving rise to carpools in the sky

And then there was the Jose Cuervo ad touting the ‘Staycation.’  Leave it to Madison Avenue to seamlessly hitch the rising cost of gas to the rising consumption of Cuervo-laced margaritas:

The pitch: gas is approaching $5 a gallon; we’re celebrating the birth of our nation this weekend; out of town trips are more expensive than ever, and; either way, you’re gonna be drinking…so stay put.

The payoff: a $5 coupon towards 750ML of Especial and $5 not spent on gas.  All of a sudden, that $20 bottle of tequilla just cost you ten bucks.

Editor’s note: Of course, you’d do well to put that $10 towards a bottle of Cointreau (instead of triple sec) and fresh-squeezed lime juice (instead of say, Rose’s).

Anyway, it would appear the folks at Cuervo have done their research (now that right there’d be a focus group worth your time!).  According to a CNN/Opinion Research poll, 31% of Americans have canceled or shortened their planned holiday weekend vacation because of the recent increase in the price of gas.  On a broader level, of those surveyed, 72% said record gas prices have caused them to make changes in their daily lives, and 30% said those changes were major ones.

Not to overstate the case, but this may just be the dawn of a new era.  Go ahead, book a staycation.  No blackout dates apply.