Indecision runs riot – and a week of yakkety-yak

Thank you to everyone who answered my questions about what might interest you in the way of seminars.

The result created a certain sense of schizophrenia. There was very little difference in number between those who wanted a seminar on integrated marketing and those who wanted one on copy.

Quite a few people said they wanted me to do something in the U.S. as well. I have a lurking suspicion they were mostly those who just hope I’ll leave this country in peace.

Anyhow, the solution is simple. I shall do seminars on copy and integrated – probably here in Bristol, because I find it convenient, at the end of May.

I am talking to someone in Denver about doing something there. I know nothing about Denver except I always thought John Elway was a great quarterback.

I spent most of the last week talking, and much as I adore the sound of my own voice it was excessive, especially as I had copy to write for two clients.

The most interesting day was a talk to some bright young people from marketing agencies. Not one of them had heard of Claude Hopkins or John Caples.

After that I had a splendid lunch at the Ivy Club with one of the cleverest and surely the funniest man in this business – Rory Sutherland. If you’ve never seen Rory, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=audakxABYUc.

Rory will be speaking again at EADIM this year, and so will I.

All the presentations will be new. I have decided to have as my title “I wouldn’t do that if I were you”. This will be dedicated to a rundown of twenty or so of the more spectacularly stupid things people do in marketing.

It took me about 10 minutes to make a list, but it will take me much longer to make it interesting enough to keep you awake.

EADIM is on October 3/4/5/6 – just a cocktail party on the first night, though.

I thought I’d sold all the seats, but there are still seven. I don’t expect them to hang around long as I have a little deal coming up.

The day after the talk I was doing a video interview, where one of the questions was “What do you think direct marketers should be learning about now.” I said, “What they should always have been learning, but most haven’t.”

I think that’s quite enough marketing for this week, don’t you?

About the Author

In 2003, the Chartered Institute of Marketing named Drayton one of 50 living individuals who have shaped today’s marketing.

He has worked in 55 countries with many of the world’s greatest brands. These include American Express, Audi, Bentley, British Airways, Cisco, Columbia Business School, Deutsche Post, Ford, IBM, McKinsey, Mercedes, Microsoft, Nestle, Philips, Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Unilever, Visa and Volkswagen.

Drayton has helped sell everything from Airbus planes to Peppa Pig. His book, Commonsense Direct and Digital Marketing, out in 17 languages, has been the UK’s best seller on the subject every year since 1982. He has also run his own businesses in the U.K., Portugal and Malaysia.

He was a main board member of the Ogilvy Group, a founding member of the Superbrands Organisation, one of the first eight Honorary Fellows of the Institute of Direct Marketing and one of the first three people named to the Hall of Fame of the Direct Marketing Association of India. He has also been given Lifetime Achievement Awards by the Caples Organisation in New York and Early To Rise in Florida.

1 Comments

  1. Thank you Drayton, really enjoyed the video of Rory Sutherland in action.

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