Frighteningly Accurate

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Today I was informed of the following link, which is one of the best blogs ever, particularly if you work in the advertising/marketing industry: THINGS MARKETING PEOPLE LOVE.

I had a laugh and a half reading through the posts and realizing how disgustingly accurate this list is.

The first thing I noticed about my peers at my first agency job was an onslaught of black clothing--specifically, black shirts--and funky-framed glasses, in particular on the creative team. The wearing of Chuck Taylors also prevailed. There are Starbucks ventis aplenty if you look around the desks in our office along with plastic ninja toys.

There's also lots of marketing-speak that would be lost on an outsider. This blog references "tapping into" things but listen in for a minute and you'll also hear, "viral app", "low-hanging fruit", "organic spread", "the core idea" and much more.

Advertising is such a weird profession. I find it ironic how much whoring goes on that we try to skew as wholesome and clever. Not literally whoring, at least for the most part, anyway, but whoring of ideas and products and brands. We're like pimps and our client's products are our little hos. Is this even making sense? It's been a 12+ hour day, after all.

Whoring or not, I like it. Luckily for me, I enjoy black t-shirts, overpriced sushi, Keynote, and awards. Let the stereotypes live on!

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7 comments

  1. At my first marketing job I was introduced to the "low hanging fruit." I hated it because the only person who ever used the term was my pompous, asshole of a boss. I hoped and prayed he was the only one in the world who used it. Sadly, I was very mistaken and am reminded of him every single time I hear it.

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  2. Finding things first was one of my particular favourites especially having just bragged about being one of the first few to see a particular viral vid.

    Oh Hi Stereotype. Nice to meet you again.

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  3. eek that's sooo my boyfriend. perhaps i should start talking him out of law school... and now i have some gift ideas too. ha!



    all i really have to say about that stereotype is that it's not nearly as bad as the engineering one!

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  4. the funniest stereotypes are the ones that are true :)

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  5. @dutchess i hate the phrase "low hanging fruit". HATE. that's one thing on the list that i'm not guilty of doing!

    @Ben it's all going viral!! The kids are loving it!!

    @heisschic what's the engineering stereotype? save your boyfriend before it's too late :D

    @Sarah they say there is a grain of truth to every stereotype. I believe it!

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  6. I work with some loathsome salespeople that try to push these kinds of techniques and buzz words and catch phrases... I have found very few marketing people I like...uhhmmmm...scratch that...I have found very few people I like, period...hahaha!

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  7. I'm weak ... we may or may not have done *this* today: http://thingsmarketingpeoplelove.blogspot.com/2009/07/taking-photobooth-pictures-of.html

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