Dilbert creator, Scott Adams, has spent years skewering all things corporate America, and marketing is no exception. If you want a good laugh, read through some of these Dilbert strips on the subject:
And, honestly, most of the time, corporate America has earned the skewering. In fact, when I see things like I saw today, it just reminds me of how bad things can be. But, instead of ranting, I’ve decided to turn my observation into a bit of advice (hopefully, useful) for business and organizational leaders who are contemplating doing business with marketing types. Here goes:
- How long has the firm, agency, or individual been ‘building brands’?
- How many years have the biz/orgs referred to been strong?
If the answer to (1) is less than 4 years and the answer to (2) is more than 30 years, it’s pretty safe to say that the firm, agency, or individual is blowing smoke up your behind and deserves to have a Dilbert strip made about them. I advise you to place both hands firmly on your wallet and back away slowly.