MAHA Global and IPR: Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words?
L S A Alice
1.
2. Alice: There is no use trying.
One can’t believe in impossible things.
The Queen: I dare say you haven’t had much practice.
When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day.
Why, sometimes I’ve believed in as many as six
impossible things before breakfast.
3. WHY ALICE CAN TEACH US A THING
The Queen: It’s a poor sort of memory
that only works backward.
OR TWO ABOUT MARKETING
In 1865, a mathematician/logician by the name of Lewis Carroll decided to
take a crack at writing and ended up penning an innocent children’s tale
that has become a literary classic. Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland
has grown in stature over time because it improbably bends creativity,
wit and logic in directions that, on the surface, seem inconsequential and
nonsensical. But Alice is ultimately much deeper, on many levels, than
simply entertainment for children.
As a matter of fact, Alice has a great deal to teach us about marketing.
Think about it. It can be argued that marketing professionals daily encounter
many of the same challenges Alice faced when falling down a dark rabbit
hole, trying to make sense of impossible situations, searching for meaning in
a sea of illogic, attempting to reason with unreasonable authority figures,
and looking for ways to help people who don’t fully realize they need help,
nor appreciate it when they receive it.
Sounds like a typical day in the marketing department to us.
Alice In Wonderland is a different kind of children’s book. When
viewed afresh through the eyes of a different kind of ad agency, it becomes
an important learning resource for marketers.
4. March Hare: You should say what you mean.
Alice: I do; at least -- at least I mean what I say
– that’s the same thing, you know.
HOW LOVE SCOTT IS A DIFFERENT
Mad Hatter: Not the same thing a bit! Why, you might just as KIND OF AD AGENCY AND WHY YOU
well say that, “I see what I eat” is the same as “I eat what I see.”
SHOULD CARE
Aren’t all ad agencies pretty much alike? They all provide pretty much the
March Hare: You might just as well say, that “I like what I get”
same services, apply pretty much the same resources to a problem, bring
is the same thing as “I get what I like.” pretty much the same level of expertise to the table, and charge pretty much
the same way for their services.
The Dormouse: You might just as well say, that “I breathe when Right?
I sleep” is the same thing as “I sleep when I breathe.”
Not exactly.
In fact, in our case, not even close. We’re very different in some very
important ways. We’re different in how we look at things and in how we
think. We’re different in how we’re structured and how we can react.
We’re different in how we relate to our clients and how they relate to us.
And we’re different in how we charge.
Take those Love Scott differences out of the equation and yes, all ad
agencies are pretty much alike. But when you take those differences out
of the equation, you take Love Scott out of the equation.
5. Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way
I ought to go from here?
IT ALL STARTS WITH HOW AND
The Cat: It depends a good deal on where you want to get to. WHEN WE THINK
Strategy is what Love Scott does best.
Alice: I don’t much care where.
And always does first.
The Cat: Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go. From the outside, thinking strategically looks a lot like daydreaming.
Feet on the desk, hands behind the head, staring at the ceiling, mumbling
to one’s self, launching paper airplanes, doodling. From the doorway it
may look like daydreaming, but when it happens in a Love Scott office, it
always results in a well thought out marketing strategy… one that starts
with recognizing realities and moves purposely toward relevance as a goal.
Relevant positioning in the marketplace, relevant brand development,
relevant messaging and relevant delivery channels.
If the goal is just to be clever, it probably isn’t going to be relevant. If it isn’t
relevant, it isn’t strategic. If it isn’t strategic, it wasn’t developed by us.
Because strategy is what we do best. And it always comes first.
6. Alice: I’ve had nothing yet, so I can’t take more. THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING BEEN
AROUND THE BLOCK A FEW TIMES
Mad Hatter: You mean you can’t take less; Someone once said, “Experience is the best teacher.” We think they’re
it’s very easy to take more than nothing. onto something.
We’ve been in the marketing business for more than 40 years now. In that
time, we’ve seen a lot, heard a lot, tried a lot, experienced a lot, failed a lot,
succeeded a lot, and, most importantly, learned a lot.
We bring the positive results of all that experience to every
marketing challenge.
We’re certainly not the only ad agency with experience, but what makes
us a different kind of ad agency is how we use our experience to guide our
clients toward totally new and unique approaches. Experience breeds
confidence. We dare to be bold… to step beyond the tried and true and
reach for the marketing stars.
It’s just one of the advantages to having been around the block a few times.
7. The Duchess: Be what you would seem to be – or, if you’d
like it put more simply – Never imagine yourself not to
THAT THING THAT’S BEEN
be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what
FOLLOWING US AROUND IS
you were or might have been was otherwise than what you had
OUR REPUTATION
been would have appeared to them to be otherwise. We have the feeling we’re being followed. And we are.
It’s not possible to work in the marketing arena for 40 years without leaving
Alice: I think I should understand that better if I had it some footprints. Those tracks in the sand turn out to be your reputation.
We’re proud of the trail we’ve left. In fact, after 40 years, our reputation is
written down: but I can’t quite follow it as you say it.
one of the things we’re proudest of.
Over the years, many of the brands you’ve become most familiar with were
developed by us. Many of the positioning statements you continue to see
and hear were created by us. Many of the strategic marketing plans we’ve
implemented are still in use.
What does that tell you about the work we do?
Over the years we’ve become known for our strategic thinking, recognized
for our creativity, appreciated for our honesty and integrity, honored for our
willing hearts, and known for the longevity of our client relationships.
What does that tell you about the kind of people we are?
If you’re in business long enough to develop a reputation, ours is the kind
you want following you around.
8. The Caterpillar: What size do you want to be? BIGGER ISN’T ALWAYS BETTER
The larger the army, the slower it moves.
Alice: Oh, I’m not particular as to size,
That’s a fact. So it’s also a fact that sometimes smaller is better. We’re a
only one doesn’t like changing so often, you know different kind of ad agency in that we’re smaller and okay with that. There
are lots of smaller ad agencies, but most of them are not okay with that and
live for the time when they can be much larger (and as a result, much slower).
If cumbersome is what you seek, hire a large ad agency. Spend lots of time
working your way around and through the various layers and empires built
without regard to responsiveness… not to mention cost controls. Get used to
“taking a meeting” whenever you need an answer and whatever you do, don’t
cross the prima donnas in the creative department. They’re very sensitive.
Or, you could hire us, a different kind of ad agency. Smaller, more
responsive, simply an extension of your own company. We haven’t
had a receptionist in our offices for 20 years. When you call us, the
phone will be answered by whoever hears it ring and reaches for it first.
Sometimes that’s going to be the president of the company.
No layers. No empires. No prima donnas. Sometimes smaller is better.
When it comes to piles of money, however, bigger is almost always better.
9. A SURPRISE IS ONE THING YOU’LL
The White Queen: Can you do addition?
NEVER FIND ON OUR INVOICE
What’s one and one and one and one and one and one
The most common complaint we hear about ad agencies has to do with how
and one and one and one and one?
they charge for their services.
Not what they charge, but how they charge.
Alice: I don’t know. I lost count.
One client came to us after complaining that their former agency seemed to
spend more time figuring out how to charge them than how to help them. No
matter how good you are, if you’re not viewed as bringing value to the table,
you’re viewed as over-charging. Expecting one price and getting invoiced for
a much different price is not going to be viewed as bringing value to the table.
Fact: clients hate billing surprises.
Consequently, so do we. So we virtually eliminated surprises from our
billing procedure. Charges for all jobs, for all clients, are agreed upon
upfront, before the work begins. The resulting invoice will always be
exactly what we agreed upon.
No more. No less. No surprises. Ever! That definitely makes us a different
kind of ad agency.
10. March Hare: Have some wine.
(Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea.)
Alice: I don’t see any wine. RELATIONSHIPS ARE OUR PASSION
We’re a different kind of ad agency because we consider all business
March Hare: There isn’t any.
relationships personal.
It’s not about the work we do, it’s about the people we do it for. So we
Alice: Then it wasn’t very civil of you to offer it.
don’t collect clients like trophies. In fact, we carefully select our clients,
with personal chemistry being a huge factor. Our passion is for building
quality, long-term, personal relationships with our clients, founded on
March Hare: It wasn’t very civil of you to
mutual trust and respect.
sit down without being invited.
We have to like each other as people to succeed as marketing partners.
11. Public relations
Public Relations is a critical part of the marketing mix. Many businesses think they need it, but
most have no clue why. By targeting, researching, listening, sharing, responding and relating,
It all starts with strategy. PR helps your target audience better understand you and what you stand for. In other words,
PR creates awareness and understanding. And that creates relationships with those you hope to
do business with.
Strategy is king at Love Scott. Smart marketing begins with questions and a single-minded
commitment to discovering the answers. The homework always gets done and a strategic Our PR services include:
direction is agreed upon before production ever begins on marketing materials. To us, the
• Media Relations • Employee Relations
big idea is to outsmart the competition, not outspend them.
• Investor Relations • Community Relations
• Promotions
relevance marketing
We don’t believe in magic. We believe in the power of relevant marketing.
Without relevance, you have nothing. With it, you control the game. Just as creativity alone inTeractiVe
is not the answer, neither is strategy. But a chemical reaction occurs the moment good The marketplace continues to change at breakneck speed. So do the rules for operating
creativity fuses with a relevant marketing strategy, and that alone can clear the way to action. within it. “Who are you?” is no longer a question being answered solely by you. Today, you
are much more defined by the conversation going on in the marketplace about you, and not
Our relevance marketing services include: necessarily with you.
• Writing • Strategic marketing planning
Our Interactive services include:
• Design and layout • Television commercials
• Interactive strategy • Interactive marketing
• Newspaper ads • Logos / Corporate Identity
• Web site development • Social media consulting
• Video presentations • Radio commercials
• Social media marketing • Search engine optimization
• Marketing consultation • Sales promotion materials
• Search engine marketing • Email marketing
• Billboards • Media planning and placement
• Package design • Magazine ads
• Displays and exhibits • Market research
• Direct mail • Product brochures
12. The Duchess: You’re thinking about something,
my dear, and that makes you forget to talk.
I can’t tell you what the moral of that is,
but I shall remember it in a bit.
Alice: Perhaps it hasn’t one.
The Duchess: Tut, tut, child!
Everything’s got a moral, if only you can find it.