I’ve recently returned from a holiday on a beach resort near Venice. I’ll not bore you with my holiday snaps or adventures but whilst I was there I did become curious about some of the beach traders and one in particular… Hasan. He walked up and down the beach tirelessly selling, of all things, beach towels… not an easy sell as everyone already had one. A tough job made much worse by the fact he seemed to be carrying his entire stock over his shoulder. And the temperature at the beach ranged from 32-38C.
Yes… the feet do belong to me!
Whilst he was delivering one of his hourly sales pitches which was largely a priced based affair – sounds familiar – I couldn’t help wondering… how did Hasan get this gig – there must have been a bit of marketing spin on that job ad. It got me curious about what the job ad must have looked like.
Yes pure marketing vomit… Hasan didn’t have a chance. And we’re all vulnerable to it, especially our own spin. Most of our decisions are made following a short commercial in our head justifying the actions we are about to take . I don’t believe there are any worthwhile shortcuts in life… you might get to your destination quicker but it’s the journey that counts. Just ask Hasan about his boat trip.
David Sadler-Smith
Great ad,
you should work in recruitment, as a copywriter (I’ve heard it’s a dream gig – ha!)
Recruitment copywriter – how would I sleep at night. Anyway there are too many good copywriters out there and too many diyers. T
David
Take a look at Jim’s blog if you want to see the difference good copy can make. http://blog.storiesthatsell.co.uk/
Definitely missed your vocation, maybe estate agent ?
and …double glazing, life insurance, fitted kitchens, driveways… professions that all require an overly optimistic view… but king of them all… marketing – my vocation
Now I know whom to contact next time we have an open position in the sales….
I have the easy part… dressing up the promises… but its the recruiter than needs to deliver the dream. Anyway you have a low staff turnover so I guess working for you must be a dream
I responded to an ad like that once, in my youth, they promised I’d earn a fortune living in paradise. Suddenly found myself on a Greek island trying to sell timeshare apartments that weren’t built yet. Needless to say I came home penniless 10 months later. I agree with your sentiment and I’m afraid that those of us that actually work in marketing are more vulnerable than most to the tripe we all peddle for a living…maybe falling for other people’s spin makes us fell less guilty about our own?
I think your right… not sure what that says about us… but I’m buying your last line… does that make us philanthropists… yes I believe it does
Good to hear from you again