Marketing and all things related

Okay readers, uncork the Champaign—this is the 1000th post to Marketing Blurb since we launched January 1st of 2006. Back in January, we promised to share our passion and bewilderment for the crazy business of marketing. We also pledged that everything you would read here is true. (After all, we could never possibly invent Whirlpool’s laundry-themed romance games and their partnership with Perfectmatch.com.) Yes, we have biases with regards to the marketing trade—but these are honest biases developed from dirt under our fingernails working with major brands like McGraw-Hill, Borden, CompuServe, AOL, Highlights for Children, Yahoo! and more. We can say with confidence that direct marketing, point-of-sale merchandising, sampling, and buzz marketing are more productive than television commercials. Oh, and we also know that managing distribution is more critical than any advertising campaign. Wal-Mart is the most successful retail merchant in the history of civilization because their cost-efficient distribution system. (Forget their frightening merchandising, advertising, and public relations.) So we hope readers will see the big picture of marketing here—the subtleties of product, pricing, promotion, and distribution. Don’t let the glare of celebrity bling confuse you. Demand quality products and services. Trust your personal experiences. Enjoy wine women and song in moderation, and keep reading. Thank you.