Monday, November 20, 2006

Shred the marketing menu

I might have done a little Arsenio Hall fist pumping while reading John Wagner's commentary on the requirements for media relations v. other forms of marketing. This is refreshing. And highlights one of my pet peeves - the perpetuation of the marketing menu.

Good for John, a PR practitioner and OWNER of a PR firm for coming out and saying this. I know I’ve been guilty of not taking the stand I’m obligated to take – as counsel – and executing a client’s request without full buy-in that what I’m doing will truly move the needle. We've all done it. More often than not this is caused by us perpetuating the idea that marketing be made up of discipline boxes instead of:
a) integrated solutions (not just services...real solutions)
b) imagined, constructed and delivered in a new or well-tailored way

Glory can be found – and great relationships forged – when we get more comfortable taking away the marketing menu (“I’ll have some media relations and direct mail campaign please!”) and bringing out the blank specials board ("What can I make you?").

Thanks to Mason for the tip.

Listening to - Joe Purdy, Paris in the Morning

1 Comments:

Blogger John Wagner said...

Andrew ... thanks for the comments. There are few clients who truly have a "great story to tell" all the time. When they do, great. But as you say, they need to explore the full range of communication activities available to them in the meantime.

4:02 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home