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The Marketing Whipping Post
I don’t go through life with eyes that see actuality. Everything I see is instinctively filtered through a marketing and public relations lens because those two things are part of my DNA. As an example, when I see the Aflac duck, I can’t help but think about a bunch of stiff insurance execs in a conference room listening to a bunch of creatives from an ad agency explain why they should build the Aflac brand around a hapless duck. Two snaps and a circle to the insurance execs who actually took the risk and went with the concept. It is brilliant and remains one of the most effective evergreen campaigns of all time. Or, when I see a story in the media, I can’t stop myself from wondering what the PR pitch was behind the story and whether it played out in favor of the PR person or became a train wreck completely derailing the pitch’s intentions. Some may view my lens as a curse, but I actually enjoy it. I feel like I always have an additional dimension to the world around me.
Yesterday, I was driving on the highway and a Christmas Tree Shop truck went barreling past me. OK, chances are I went barreling past it, but the details aren’t germane to the story. Christmas Tree Shops are an east coast phenomenon today, but I expect a national expansion is in the plans. They position themselves as “your favorite, fun place to shop that has the stuff you need and use everyday at the low prices you expect.” For those of you that have never been to a Christmas Tree Shop it is a place to get all the everyday crap you need at ridiculously cheap prices. People swarm to the stores, however, please note: Do not go to a Christmas Tree Shop if you are claustrophobic or looking for feng shui. Contrary to what the name may invoke, these stores are open all year round. The brand jingle “Don’t you just love a bargain” can probably be identified by more east coasters than those who can correctly identify the capital of Oregon. I am not kidding.
When I saw the Christmas Tree Shop truck, my visceral response was holy shit, they violated every major best practice associated with naming and branding. Think about it. If someone came to me and said they wanted to build their brand around a religion, a holiday AND a short seasonal window, I would have told them to take their lips off the crack pipe and step away. Imagine if someone started a company called Rosh Hashanah Fourth of July Stores. Something tells me that just wouldn’t fly. However, what I love is that often times we are wrong. I would have been 100% wrong if I told them Christmas Tree Shop was a bad idea for a brand name. As it turns out it is a fantastic idea for a brand name. It’s almost as unbelievable as a guy named Barack Obama being the Democratic nominee for President.
I love the fact that everyone is wrong and makes mistakes at some point. For some reason Marketing people are often the whipping post for mistakes whether they were responsible or not. If the product doesn’t sell, it’s marketing’s fault. Nobody ever thinks the product is a piece of crap and is probably something nobody wanted to begin with. You can almost hear the tone when someone says, “it is Marketing’s fault.” Think of a whining five year old with a runny nose. Here is the dirty little secret — Marketing peeps don’t make any more mistakes than anyone else. When software developers make a mistake, they call it a “bug.” When accountants make a mistake, they call it something that needs “reconciliation.” When the VP candidates’ daughter makes a mistake they call it “a family matter.” We’re all human. Do people really believe that people who are genetically predisposed to making the absolute highest level of mistakes end up in Marketing? Homey don’t think so. To those who disagree, get over your big, bad self. Nobody is perfect and if you think you’re more perfect than anyone else, particularly people in Marketing, then on behalf of Marketing people around the world I want to tell you to f**k off. Hehe. I love blogging. You can say anything.
What do you think?
September 30th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I agree. The tough thing for marketers is when a mistake is printed stamped and sealed for thousands of people to see. You can have an army of proofreaders but the reality is that we all have those “OMG this one is the big one” moments…
September 30th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
frank, i know that scenario all too well. takes your breath away and stops your heart. it’s kinda like child birth though. after time you forget about the pain and it fades from memory.
September 30th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
I have the same goggles on daily. From the local pizza joint to an international brand I love to think of the idea behind it, how to make it better, or I just want to meet the people who thought of the brilliance. I scratched my head at the Cheesecake Factory. I would not have named it that but my god it worked. At the end of the day when a product has something unique and delivers on a promise it can be named anything.
Marketing gets a bad rap because it’s so emotional. Everything is hanging out there and everyone is an expert. I truly believe when a product is not compromised and there is a unique and owned attribute…it’s all gravy.
September 30th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
tara, the cheesecake factory is another great example. seriously! the literal translation is just wrong. i also agree the emotional aspect of marketing puts a bulls eye on everything. naming in particular is very emotional. anyone who has named a child and suffered the wrath of opinions that comes with it knows this all too well.
September 30th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Hey, Kel, my reaction is that you were having a bad day and decided to let off some steam as only you can…BTW, you forgot the rest of the analogy…product works, development did well…doesn’t work, marketing screwed up…sells well, sales did well…fails in the marketplace, marketing screwed up.
Keep up the good work…and your great spirit!
Love ya’
October 1st, 2008 at 5:58 am
grace, thanks for reminding me of the bottom line analogy. so true. so sad. btw, this wasn’t rooted in a bad day. had one of the best days in the history of k&p. triggered by christmas tree shops truck. you know my mind well. starts in one place and lands in another. always trying to find the humor in it all. thanks for sharing your perspective!
October 1st, 2008 at 4:42 pm
How about an investment adviser called Adviser Investments?
October 1st, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Kel
You just made my day after having one of the meetings you described. Thanks for being you on the right day (well day before) and the sentiment I needed to hear. Maybe we marketing types are too sensitive to show our muscle, but measurable media will be our savior!
You are both PR/Marketing brilliance and a soul mate to the world.
October 1st, 2008 at 8:58 pm
dave, that’s a pretty bad name! investment dudes have it better than anyone when it comes to mistakes. they invest other people’s money. if they do well they get huge bonuses. if they make mistakes and do poorly they lose other people’s money. not a bad gig, although probably not the place to be in the last two weeks. ugh!
October 1st, 2008 at 9:00 pm
david, did you lose the can of whoop-ass i left you last time i was there? open it on the fool that ruined your day. thanks for the kind words. always makes me smile.
December 30th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Kel…I’ve just recently stumbled across your blog and I love, love, love it. I’ve been in senior level marketing roles for a bunch of well-known brands and I often find myself the only non-BS artist in the room. Thanks for cutting through the crap. I do hope to have the opportunity to work with you and your team (assuming they’re disciples) sometime in the near future.
December 30th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
sue, i’m always happy to cross paths with another non-bs artist. we are a rare breed. the only reason i am successful is because of the k&p team that supports my wild-ass ideas. i’m sure you would love them. happy new year!