The Marketing Agency Talk

Walked into a mall earlier with no intention to buy anything other than eat my lunch.  Yet, I was drawn to a CD shop due to the crowds gathered outside. Many were queuing up to make a purchase, some holding up a few CDs in their hands. A few were obviously crying.

Ahhh…

The enterprising proprietor placed an extra table outside the shop, piled high with Michael Jackson CDs alongside with some gigantic posters of the King of Pop’s in his heydays.  The speakers were belting out his hits one after another. With a visually long queue and music so loud, it’s no wonder more and more people were attracted to this little shop.

Those slick dance moves. From Taipei to Lima, Shanghai to Mexico City, fans of the late Michael Jackson pay tribute to the music icons by impersonating him and by snapping up anything about him. Michael Jackson could very well be worth more when dead.  Smart merchants globally, like this one , are cashing in from all sorts of merchandises from CD to posters to mugs to black hat to white glove to dark glasses etc etc.

Is this exploiting the dead? Yes but this is still clever marketing. The merchants basically swim with the flow of the tides and stand in the direction of the wind. I see nothing wrong with that. This opportunity is so big and so obvious that I would be totally surprise if merchants retailing in souvenirs and CDs don’t make a move.  Yet again, I’m not surprise if some don’t.

Marketing opportunities are everywhere however, how many people actually sees the wood in the trees? Even if they do, how many take action?

This was the text message that came in earlier:

“OK with design. Except to change 2C to 4C. Hope you can absorb cost in view that we are likely to award you the design job of the XXX event”

This is a trying time for both the clients and agencies, where everyone must manage their cost carefully and wisely. I can understand the client needs to tighten their budget but from which angle should our agency look at this scenario?

1) Why should we be absorbing the cost? They have their headache, so do we.

2) OK, we will absorb the cost in view of the past support of this client. When time gets better, they will surely support us.

3) OK, we will absorb the cost in view that the client is likely to award us the future projects. At least we know that the client will not abandon us.

4) OK, let’s talk to our printer to see if they can help. If the printer can drop his price even further, we’ll do our best to break even and not make a loss.

5) OK, We know the printer is already giving his best price and we are actually putting more time than quoted on this job. The only way is to explain to the client nicely that we cannot.

Actually, we are a little shy to press down the printer’s price. He is already doing his best and squeezing him any further will be a little unreasonable.

Anyone wants to give an opinion?

Tags: marketing cost

My team is working right now as I took a breather to write a short post.

The annual report must go on press on Good Friday – yes, it is that urgent that our printer is prepared to work on a sacred day – and yet, amendment is still triggering in. We would just roll our eyes and said “not again” if it’s the accountants and auditors emailing us a new set of financial data and figures for the 15th time.  We had enough experience with auditing houses to know that frequent data changes are the norms. It’s the senseless change of photographs that’s making us boiling. That corporate HQ building was shown in our draft since day 1. Yet, after countless of revision over the past 5 weeks, the client decided that the said building was “not nice” yesterday.  Of course, the cafe’s lighting was too dim too; we must digitally touch it up to make the room brighter.  2 hours ago,  the group shot that graced the back page should be removed. My AD finally lost it after keeping cool and mum all these while, “What the heck am I supposed to use to fill up that empty space?”

My printer had the unglamourous job of working on Good Friday through Sunday so that we can deliver on Monday. Yet, I wonder how we are going to get everything ready by tomorrow with so many last minutes request.

In fact, my AD just gave me the title of this post. He was shrieking, “Why are they rocking the damned boat now?”. One of our freelance guys quipped, “That’s why they are called CLIENTS”.

Hmmm, this is just one of those memorable days in the agency.

This isn’t a post on marketing, advertising or design.

It’s simply a meaningful article I read recently George Carlin – comedian of the 70’s and 80’s. An article that is not only very eloquent but also very appropriate and relevant to read at the beginning of a new year.

I hope it will resonate with you and hopefully, makes you think how you can make 2009 a year of abundance.

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years.

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space.

We’ve done larger things, but not better things. We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less.

We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side..

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.. Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind. AND ALWAYS

REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

by George Carlin

Tags: George Carlin

What was your biggest triumph in 2008?

What was the smartest decision you made in 2008?

What major indulgence are you willing to experience in 2009?

What would you most like to change about yourself in 2009?

These are just some of the great questions Vivienne asked in her Completing 2008, Creating 2009 post.  Please check out the questionnaire originally designed by John Stamoulos as these cool questions really serve us to recollect 2008 and plan for 2009 with a better clarity.

Perturbation may be what you will experience as you go through the questions but then again, that’s part of the learning and growing process.  If you think this is one of those cliche “plan-ahead” post that will not help. Well, think again, is the problem with the questions or with you.