lipstick on a pig

or turd polishing.

The "creative class" theory has merit, but it's not a law. Just as cities like Dayton, OH are not going to attract the creative class by installing bike paths and public poetry plaques, we must be careful to choose the right application for the marketing.

I've been reading some of the contrarian viewpoints on the cc theory and finding some interesting results. The author, Richard Florida, went on a pretty extensive world tour and set up a consultancy to advise cities on how to attract the cc. In the end, many of the silly little towns that bought into the theory by investing in outdoor activities, arts, etc are still dying and losing their population. Why? Because a pig with lipstick is still a pig.

The analogy for us is that some airlines might not ever be able to implement recession resistance. We need to be careful in choosing the right sector.