The Real Reason Why Marketing Doesn't Work

Seems like our well timed press release about David Copperfield has generated buzz...not all extremely positive. Why? Because most people don't understand the concept of putting yourself out there. And they don't understand the tactics that make marketing effective.

Who's talking? Everyone from Brandweek to the Washington Post.

We find all too often that people are too worried about being politically correct and brand sensitive and afraid to actually sell and make money.

Many people who received our release on the same day Copperfield was purported to have committed sexual misconduct thought it was shear coincidence or bad timing.

What??? It was perfect timing. It was carefully thought out and orchestrated. When would you want to launch a press release about a celebrity? When they're hot and in the news or when they are not? The answer seems obvious...but the obvious is not generally understood or accepted.

Here are a few links to people talking about our release.

Express: A Publication Of The Washington Post – "Copperfield And The Best Press Release Ever"

Brandweek: "TIMING IS, INDEED, EVERYTHING"

We even got the magic community buzzing.

Quinlan's Inside Magic – "Class Act: Twosome Issue Press Release Using Copperfield"

Look, the goal was to generate buzz. It looks like it did the trick.

Comments

[Bill McHurley]

Are there other sites that offer free online marketing classes?

[John Huff]

Wow - talk about timing. It still could have used a line like, "With the right kind of "magical marketing", your customers will end up lying naked and vulnerable on a remote desert island - just waiting to be "sold." Proverbially speaking of course.

[Tom Justin]

Your release is interesting in the lack of mention regarding Copperfield's troubles. In fact, the very reason you used him as an analogy is because he was so prominent that week, infamous or not.

It's a great lesson in promotion. You don't have to be a part of the controversy to profit from the attention in a positive or even in a slightly provocative manner.

I did the same thing a couple years ago with American Idol, using it as an analogy. I got some website visitation and sales as a result. This piece is a good reminder to keep on doing things like that.

Tom Justin
www.tomustin.com

[Travis Miller & Jimmy Vee]

John,

That made me laugh... I wish I had thought of it. It would have been a great line. Although it does cost $25k a day to lay naked on his private island.

Jimmy