>> It all started with just four …
Not native to their new Colombian home, these hippos were illegally imported – along with rhinos, giraffes flamingos, kangaroos and zebras – by Pablo Escobar.
It’s said his collection included around 200 animals. All kept in a zoo built on his Hacienda Nápoles estate, along the River Magdalena.
As you can imagine, having this many spectacular beasts doesn’t come cheap. But when you’re reputed to be one of the world’s richest men …
“El Patrón” was so wealthy he allegedly spent $2,500 every month on rubber bands to hold his money together. And wrote off 10% of his profits because, “the rats would eat it in storage, or it would be damaged by water or lost.”
After Escobar was shot dead by police in 1993, Colombian authorities seized his estate and sent almost all his animals to zoos.
But with each hippo weighing well over a ton, they were left where they were – the thinking probably being they’d die.
However, with no natural predators, the water they need and all the plants they could ever want to eat …
… they flourished and now, depending on who you believe, there are 80 – 120 of them.
They’re doing so well, the Colombian government has started a sterilisation program to prevent their numbers swelling. And, long term, see them peter out.
Unlikely as it may seem, there’s five marketing lessons in this tale – let me know if you can spot more:
- A big budget makes it much easier to “shout louder” – ie advertise – than anyone else … but money alone won’t guarantee you success in either the long or short term
- Marketing isn’t a “try it once” thing. You need to invest in it every month.
- You need to write off some of your marketing budget; not every ad or campaign will work – measure everything and cut out the deadwood as you find it.
- You can find success in unexpected places. And if you’re the first to spot the fertile, new market … it’s yours to lose.
- Whether you sell a product or service, if it’s no good – or not good for the market – the “authorities” will want to “sterilise” you and get you to stop.
Whatever you sell, would you like to sell more, to more people, for bigger profits?
If you would, let us help you. Just as we have for:
- Photography workshops in Australia
- Language courses in America
- Print and design in the UK
- Anti-fouling coating for ship’s hulls in Belgium
- Market research in America
- Gents clothing in Canada
- Business loans in Israel
- Online personal training in New Zealand
As you can see, we get results for clients selling an extremely wide range of products and services – Drayton says he doesn’t know any other agency like it.
It really doesn’t matter what sell … who you sell it to … wherever you and your customers are … what it costs … whatever the size of your business…
… we guarantee results, or your money back.
Like to see some examples of our work, a list of 35 very different clients we’ve worked with and read what people say about us?
Just go here. Then, complete the short form on the page – I’ll get back to you right away.
Why not do it now – before your competitors make off like a bloat of hippos in the River Magdalena?
Best,
Drayton
