Filed under: Attitude & Aptitude, Corporate Evil, Crap Campaigns In History, Marketing Fail
So I was driving into work a few days ago when I heard MasterCard talk about their priceless causes campaign.
Apparently every year they choose a charity they are going to help and in a bid to raise money for them, they launch campaigns to try and get additional support from their customers.
OK, so you could argue this is a blatant attempt to look less like a bunch of money-hungry bastards, but it’s better than nothing, so we’ll let that pass.
But I’ll tell you what I won’t let pass and that’s them placing a limit on how much they are willing to donate.
Yep, even though they call this program ‘Priceless Causes’, the reality is they do have a price and in the case of their chosen charity, STAND UP TO CANCER, it’s 4 million dollars.
Oh it gets even worse than that …
First is the fact that 4 million is the maximum they’ll pay out and given the criteria they have stated to make a donation, there’s a chance they’ll get a way with a lot less.
Then there’s the fact their donations are directly linked to their customers spending [on their MasterCards of course] you could say every cent they hand over [and they’re literally giving 1 cent for every $10 spent] is coming from their customers pocket rather than theirs.
Why didn’t someone say anything?
Sure, the potential of 4 million dollars is a good thing … but apart from the fact the CEO of MasterCard was paid over $15 million dollars in 2015, it’s pretty shit to talk about ‘Priceless Causes’ and then put a price on it.
I should be happy about this campaign.
I should be glad a financial institution is doing something good for others.
And yet I’m left with the overwhelming impression that all they’re doing is stealing from the pockets of society. Again.
Filed under: Brand Suicide, Communication Strategy, Crap Marketing Ideas From History!, Linkedin, Marketing Fail
I’ve written a lot about Linkedin in the past.
None of it, let’s face it, that complimentary.
Part of that is because of what some users view as professional and part of that is because they show a total lack of understanding of who their users are … but it also doesn’t help its become a place where bullshit head hunters blindly contact you about bullshit jobs.
Or worse, where they ask you for names of people they can then bombard with their bullshit jobs.
Continuing the theme of bullshit and Linkedin, have a look at this …
WHAT. THE. FUCK?
Seriously, what are they talking about?
Why are they going on about ‘secret sauce’?
Why are they trying to make it sound that the average schmuck can have the same power and influence over Linkedin as THE PEOPLE WHO OWN LINKEDIN?
And given no one actually knows what they’re talking about, why would anyone care how Linkedin uses Linkedin to market their secret sauce … let alone the fact that given no one knows what their secret sauce is, it must mean Linkedin is absolutely shit for marketing.
I swear to god this is nothing more than a bet some people had in Linkedin to see how many times they could put the word Linkedin into an ad. Because any other reason just doesn’t make the slightest bit of sense.
This is another perfect example of when companies try and act in a way that is totally inauthentic to them. Embrace your boringness Linkedin, because at least it will make me think you’re self aware, whereas now, I just think you’re a bloody idiot.
Today is the 68th birthday of this lovely fellow.
If you don’t know who he is, it’s Roger Taylor – the drummer from Queen.
I don’t know how I’ll be at 68, but having seen him perform in concert at the amazing Hollywood Bowl only a month ago, I can tell you I doubt I’ll have as much energy as he has.
Hell, I don’t have as much energy as he has now.
I would love to sit down with him and talk to him.
Find our how he looks at his life.
How he feels playing songs he wrote in his 20’s and 30’s.
Anyway, as it’s his special day [and let’s not forget Mr Poodle Perm, Brian May turned 70 only a week ago, SEVENTY!!!] I will honour this man of rock by giving him his own 1970esque drum solo on this blog.
Not just any solo, but one he did with his son Rufus, the drummer in The Darkness.
While doing that must have been utterly amazing for both of them, even I can’t deal with 10 minutes of skin-bashing so I’ve edited it down to a more manageable chunk.
[You can thank me later]
And with that, I wish Mr Taylor a very happy birthday.
Yes it’s Monday.
Yes, the weekend was no where near as good as we needed it to be.
Yes, we are starting to get inundated with Christmas stuff in the shops.
But on the bright side – apart from the fact there’ll be no post tomorrow as I’ll be on a plane – you don’t have friends like these.
Actually, I absolutely have friends like these. Damnit.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Comment, Culture, Cunning, Devious Strategy
So I’ve been asked to speak at a McKinsey conference.
No, I’m not exactly sure why either.
Anyway, while they want me to talk about creativity, my goal is to cause debate and conflict among these highly paid, process driven, business brains which is why my presentation will be called, “You Wouldn’t Understand …” and I’ll be focusing on the magic of chaos.
Now I’m under no illusion the audience will regard me – and the industry I represent – as a bit of a joke, which is why I will do my usual 8 Mile strategy of owning all the prejudice and negativity they could throw against me so I rob them of their ammunition and force them to listen rather than judge.
And that’s where I need your help.
Of course there’s a bunch of stuff I could say, but I’m interested in things that go beyond just the process or thinking of creative development, but the ridiculous ways adland conducts it’s business.
To start you off, I want to leave you with a quote from a friend of mine, a new business guy at a super-successful agency’ that said this to me:
“I will travel miles to talk about myself to someone for free”.
When you see it like that, it’s pretty insane … ignoring the fact many management consultants do exactly the same thing except they call it a ‘business audit’. [Though to be fair to them, they then charge a fee that makes this sort of cold-calling pay for itself]
Anyway, any other suggestions or examples will be very, very welcomed and remember, you’re fighting for creativity here. And my personal vindictive satisfaction.