Why almost everything marketers do is wrong – and how to make it right In 1956 I walked out of university to become a writer. My father was horrified. “Think of all the money we lavished on your education” he …
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A yowl of despair from Oz about the world’s biggest crooks
Never mind the banks. Been ripped off by an insurance firm yet? Don’t worry: you will be. God, I am old. It’s 40 years since I first met Malcolm Auld while acquiring an epic hangover on Sydney Harbour. The view …
Read MoreThe March of Marketing Folly proceeds apace – with a little treat from “Mismanagement Today”
Is there any area of human endeavour which gives sanctuary to more fools than marketing? Take this, for instance The March of Folly is a superb book by historian Barbara Tuchman. It deals with failure, mismanagement and delusion in government through …
Read MoreHow successful do you have to be before the morons take over?
One of Paypal’s resident cretins brilliantly demonstrates Bird’s Law: Nothing fails like success Murphy’s Law – anything that can go wrong will – has been with us over 100 years. Despite my wrinkled aspect I wasn’t around then, but I …
Read MoreDoes boasting work in marketing?
In real life we all hate bores who talk about themselves – unless they are amusing. Why should marketing be any different? In the last 24 hours I’ve received two messages from …
Read MoreDon’t be in such a hurry to get engaged. It could cost you money
In search of knowledge a leading marketer tries to find out what precisely “engagement” means – and whether you should seek it Since I knew him as a young pup at American Express Martin Chilcott has worked all over the …
Read MoreHow can anyone take marketing seriously when people spew out such incoherent guff
You’re quite right. Marketing and advertising are populated by incompetent, illiterate, clueless nitwits – or so the research shows I read this in Advertising Age about an hour ago. “What fraud is doing is making this category of engagement advertising, …
Read MoreAre your meetings a waste of time? Of course they are – but what’s the solution?”
Expert gives what seems an insane answer. Then a quick video reveals a billionaire’s views Sadly our business only has one meeting a year. It is called Christmas Lunch. This is clearly not enough. Most businesses have lots of meetings. …
Read MoreA black curse on techno-loonies who confuse change with improvement
The Mystery of the Phantom Books – and have computers improved things that much? One of my favourite pessimists is Lord Salisbury, a deeply conservative Prime Minister under Queen Victoria. Whenever change was suggested he would ask “Aren’t things bad …
Read MoreDo people write boring dreary corporate tosh because they lead boring dreary corporate lives?
Who are those two maniacs in the swimming pool? A little glimpse into the way it was when we ran our first agency Dozy old codgers always moan on about the good old days. So this is my turn. When …
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