Why It Matters & What It Can Accomplish

There has been one question that I’ve been holding onto since the end of January. And it’s kind of the ultimate question.

Clearly, I take the Times Union Best of the Capital Region poll too seriously. In the past I’ve mentioned a lot of the reasons.

– It’s about highlighting truly great local businesses.

– It’s about rising up over the drone of mediocrity that permeates the region.

– It’s about getting national chains off the list of what is best about living here.

Those all stand. But in my mind there is a bigger idea behind this too. Because while the above are all noble goals, if they were just an end to themselves, I’m not so sure I would be as committed to the cause. However, we’ve been so busy discussing which places are best, promoting the slate, and defending some of its selections, that there hasn’t been a chance to reflect on the deeper meaning of the FUSSYlittleBALLOT.

It may sound a little crazy, but hear me out.

First the question that –S asked all the way back in Phase One, which references a statement I had previously made:

> This poll affects not only how the region sees itself, but also how those outside

> the region see us. When people consider relocating to the area or take the next

> step and move here, among other things, this annual poll is a resource for information.

Why is it? You mention Yelp, UrbanSpoon, etc, why are you assuming people relocating wouldn’t have heard of these resources where they come from, and wouldn’t trust them as well here? I think you are putting way too much emphasis on (and credit to) the TU poll.

I’m going to answer the direct question and then address the part about what I think changing the poll results can do for the region.

My background is in advertising, and not just any advertising, but national brand advertising over mostly traditional media platforms. This is not to say that I devalue online communications for the strengths that they bring. However, I am keenly aware of the power of reaching a mass audience with one message at the same time.

Let’s take a case in point. This video is the number three clip of all time on YouTube with over 291 million views, but I’ve never heard of it until just now. But go around and ask anyone over 30 to sing the Oscar Mayer Bologna song, and you’ll get it every time.

Yes, Yelp and Urbanspoon are out there to help those who know of those resources and trust them. However, that’s still overall a very small section of the population. And even while the local newspaper’s role in public life is diminishing, it still reaches the largest percentage of those who live here. Plus it continues to be an authoritative voice in the community.

The Annual Reader’s Choice poll has an even further reach.

And while the results of this poll are not the paper’s editorial picks, it still runs under the banner of the Times Union. The results are imbued with their authority. The fact that these selections are all reader-generated fades into the background, and all that remains is that the Times Union said they were the best.

The better question would be, how would changing the results of the Times Union poll amount to a hill of beans? Well, here’s another question.

Why would anyone open a serious coffee shop in the region if Albany is perceived to be a Dunkin’ Donuts kind of town? Yes, there are people who like their DD coffee, loaded with cream and sugar, sucked through a small hole of a plastic lid, atop a Styrofoam cup. They may even sell the most coffee in the region.

But Caffe Vero is doing a brisk business, and it has been great to see people start to flock to our one solid espresso joint. Now what might happen if this relatively little known place on Lark Street got propelled into the top spot of the Times Union Poll results? This is my hope:

1) More people would find out about its existence

2) More people would make it through their doors

3) More people will taste what espresso is supposed to be

4) More people will have less tolerance for lesser coffee

5) Others will notice Vero has no competition

6) More excellent espresso places will open

7) Better espresso for all

If you can extrapolate this to the other food categories in the TU poll, you can hopefully see the path to raising the bar of the entire food scene and culture of the Capital Region.

Okay, great. So there’s better food. Big deal.

Yes, it is a big deal. You know why? People like good food. And they don’t like paying a lot for something that’s mediocre. Apparently this isn’t true for people who live here, because in the past our choices have been quite limited. But visitors to the region who vacation up in Saratoga Springs generally seem to breeze right past Albany.

And that’s a shame. Because we’ve got history and beauty here too. What we don’t have is a lot of cute neighborhood centers to walk down with great restaurants in which to eat. There are a few places that are coming close, but could still use some work. And it’s amazing how businesses thrive when there are great restaurants that brings people out.

Ultimately, this is the goal. It’s a bit lofty, and it’s a bit far removed from the immediacy of what I’m asking you to do. Plus the timeline goes out a good bit farther than just this year. A process like this takes time.

But to get great restaurants, we need to celebrate the best restaurants that are here now. If we continue to reward mediocrity, we’ll never get to where we need to be. And people will continue to breeze past Albany on their way to Saratoga Springs, Lake George, the Adirondacks and Montreal.

Please help me with this small but meaningful first step.

Review the slate of businesses on the FUSSYlittleBALLOT and go vote for them on the Times Union site. Then send an email to all your friends asking for their support. Albany can be great. We’ve got the seeds of greatness here. They just need to be watered. You may want to wait for rain, but I’m going to grab a hose.