Richard Fouts

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Richard Fouts
Research Director
2 years at Gartner
23 years IT industry

Richard Fouts analyzes best practices in marketing management for technology and service providers, including insight and advice in brand management, market and competitive position, messaging, sales, and go-to-market strategies. Read Full Bio

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Never Bash the Competition…. ah, Why Not?

by Richard Fouts  |  September 23, 2009  |  Comments Off

We’re all told to “never bash the competition” when we take our first Sales 101 course. However, when I was a 24 year-old sales rep for HP, my boss (an amazing guy named Phil Endliss)  told me that rule didn’t apply when it came to IBM. Apparently it was okay to bash the big guys, but only if they were really big, to the point where a little bashing sure as heck wasn’t going to change anything.

I was vividly reminded of this story when I saw an ad in today’s New York Times by Barrie D’Rozario Murphy .. the 2009 O’Toole Award Winner for best small agency. In a case of head-on, no holds bar, blatant, unapologetic, take-the-gloves-off advertising, Murphy ran an ad for itself. They congratulate themselves, but graciously include a hearty congrats to their bigger fish competitors as well.

Ah, but keep reading. If you like sarcasm, you’ll love this ad. As the winner of best small agency, they admit that they would prefer to be a bigger player.  Why?

Well, for starters, they would get to charge three times more for similar work, bill by the hour, throw 12 creative teams at every project, and conduct big dog-and-pony shows for big prospects … but then take the pups and ponies away after prospects become clients.

If you’ve ever worked with big agencies (famous for their our-way-or-the-highway approach and their attitude that all clients are dummies) you’ll get the sarcastic undertones.

I’m not sure if it was Dave, Stuart or Bob that dreamt this up (maybe it actually came from one of their creative people) but I have no doubt it was the idea of  one person. Things like this rarely emerge from a committee .. and the ad is actually a representation of letting creative thought have its own way without interruption.

Congratuations guys .. for building a good agency .. . and giving me a bit of entertainment on an otherwise typical Wednesday at Starbucks in midtown Manhattan.  Two patrons couldn’t help notice my sly smile and asked me what I was reading.  You gotta love nosy New Yorkers.

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