Comments on The Drayton Bird Blog: Sorry, Rich, you're wrong about Obama

"It was being a better speaker. It was "the econom...

2008-11-16T09:42:00.000Z

"It was being a better speaker. It was "the economy, stupid". It was reaching into neighbourhood churches. It was not having Sarah Palin."

...It was not being an erratic nut-job like John McCain.

It was not being the candidate of the incumbent party with the low appoval ratings.

It was not voting with Bush 96% of the time.

It was having the positive message.

It was being the taller, more attractive candidate.

I think that, at best, politicians are flawed people in a flawed system. And, unfortunately, it seems to be the ones with the combination of the most ambition + the fewest principles that tend to get to the top.

So, god knows what Obama is going to turn out to be.

But, he's not John McCain and he's not one heartbeat away from turning into Sarah Palin, so I think the Americans chose the one option that might not be a disaster.

Steve

Drayton truly nails it. Obama's marketing was over...

2008-11-13T01:01:00.000Z

Drayton truly nails it. Obama's marketing was overwhelming and decisive.

The list of 14 weapons is truly classy. While the foolish can't see the forest for the trees, Drayton effortlessly rattles of the the genus and species of every tree in the forest.

Drayton,One of your better entrys in a long time. ...

2008-11-12T19:56:00.000Z

Drayton,

One of your better entrys in a long time. And one I can agree with to boot.

Eli

Very good points, Drayton...and I think you hammer...

2008-11-12T18:45:00.000Z

Very good points, Drayton...and I think you hammered it right!

However, one detail question: what's "black but not too black?"

There's a strong & growing black middle class in the States who have done what many of their white counterparts have done by shedding redneck/lower class characteristics.

This idea that they are becoming white or whatever is a bit counter productive, imo.

Just needed to say that...

Drayton,Looks like that list is so good... you had...

2008-11-12T18:44:00.000Z

Drayton,

Looks like that list is so good... you had to say it twice.

I have especially agree with this: "Your staff..."

Too many people forget they wouldn't have a business without their sales force, and treat them like dirt.

Richard...I really enjoyed that viewpoint from the...

2008-11-12T15:58:00.000Z

Richard...
I really enjoyed that viewpoint from the warfare paradigm. A little surprised at first, but your story was so compelling, I read everything.

The best war metaphor I heard for marketing is from Clausewitz.
"Victory with concentration of superior force at the point of attack".

Very curious about your degree now...

Drayton...
Thanks. 10 + 4 weapons. That's powerful. Curious about workplace marketing, how do you use the workplace for this matter?

Didn't read it anywhere in your books.

Be Well.

Sorry, took that weapons reference a bit literally...

2008-11-12T10:03:00.000Z

Sorry, took that weapons reference a bit literally... Still, I guess the general point about new weapons, their effectiveness and development is still valid!

I lied, Tian Yan. The weapons I listed were 14 in ...

2008-11-12T10:01:00.001Z

I lied, Tian Yan. The weapons I listed were 14 in all:

Research
Advertising
Sales Promotion
Point of Sale
Packaging
PR
Product placement
Guerrilla
Word of mouth
Workplace marketing
Sales people
Experiential
Sponsorship
Cause related marketing

I also suggested that audiences often overlooked but often more important than the average customer were:

Employees
Distributors, retailers, brokers, intermediaries
Shareholders
Your staff - especially your sales force

Then I gave a few examples.

I lied, Tian Yan. The weapons I listed were 14 in ...

2008-11-12T10:01:00.000Z

Tian - I have a book somewhere about precisely tha...

2008-11-12T09:23:00.000Z

Tian - I have a book somewhere about precisely that. Sorry, can't get off my lazy behind to rummage through the bookshelves, but the one I remember most clearly (because it related to my degree) was the needle gun, deployed by Prussia in the war with Austria-Hungary in 1866. Essentially the first breech-loading rifle, it meant out-firing the enemy by 5 to 1. That was the end of Austria as the prime Germanic power.

The problem with these decisive weapons is that once they've been used, everyone has to come up with their own version - or something better - which renders them useless. So they tend to have one or two applications before everyone sues for peace (eg Japan after it was atom-bombed) while they develop their own version.

Equally interesting, I would imagine, is decisive tactics - again, it's battlefield stuff, not not really into the realms of wider political strategy, but just as effective as a great new weapon. I know Napoleon is credited with a few revolutionary (ho, ho) battlefield moves as well as some pretty decisive changes to the practice of military logistics.

Final point: this whole thing about decisive weapons is why the defence industry (and more particularly, the defence industries of belligerent entities) is such an engine for scientific discovery.

Well said, good old Bird.I would kill to learn the...

2008-11-12T07:13:00.000Z

Well said, good old Bird.

I would kill to learn the 10 different weapons you gave as examples to appeal to the audience. Definitely stretch my thinking.

Old school, fundamental direct marketing still trumps new age fads marketing.

Be Well.