Old General Speaks Up

Commenting on the post below, Mike "The General" Smock speaks up for the school of command-and-control:  "As a proud practioner of "traditional" command and control marketing I am damn delighted to see the trends on the "General's" chart heading up. If you new marketing pukes would stop partying and start competing you might see results like this too.  In all serious, I'm still waiting for you to provide some solid case studies of how your new marketing "partying" leads to genuine competitive advantage."  I admire Mike's strident style but I think it's increasingly difficult to see how command and control can work in a world where consumers (aka people) hold all the cards.  And that's not just the view of new marketing pukes, but also some super senior players.  But you know what they say about the old guard.  UPDATE:  The General and his soldiers are NOT happy.
 

Comments

[Mike Smock]

Hi James,

You keep dodging my question. Show me proof that YOUR new marketing notions work. Not what P&G, McD's or Verizon are saying. I have told you before that I want you to succeed. As campaigners we are continuously on the lookout for anything that will make us more competitive. So if you have discovered a new strategy that generates competitive advantage then I will be the first to sing your praises. Which is why I keep asking for case studies of enterprises who have truly put people in control. Pointing to comments made by P&G, McD's, and Verizon are not case studies. Maybe somebody else can step up and provide proof?

Also a simple reading of our blog will tell you that we both agree that contemporary marketing is broken. vSente has been one of the loudest voices critical of traditional Madison Ave agencies/marketers. Which is why we have developed an alternative form of campaigning that is both effective and accountable.

By the way, have you ever found something new in something old?

[Sir Winston O' Boogie]

I'm afraid I sympathize with the General here. I really want all the whizzy new people-power stuff this site constantly celebrates to be true. Death to trad ads and command/control - who wouldn't want that? But examples of 'collaborative marketing' actually working are pitifully few and far between. So all that's left is the hype.

[James Cherkoff]

Thanks for your comment Sir Winston...you might want to enjoy the debate over at The General's site where I have responded to a couple of his questions....

http://twoscenarios.typepad.com/maneuver_marketing_commun/2006/03/amazons_werner_.html#comments

....the bottom line for me is that traditional approaches have had 50 years to get their case studies/stat models in order. But new techniques are catching up fast and are quickly reaching the level of sophistication that corps and brands like to operate at....exciting times ;-)

[Mike Smock]

So James, my good friend, would not discretion be the better part of valor in this case? Should you not wait to see if your new marketing notions work?

And by the way whats with this death meme with Mr. Moore and Sir Winston? Sheeesh can't we all just get along?! At the ripe old age of 51 (wish me happy birthday, it's my 51st today) and a card carrying member of the old guard, you're gonna have to deal with me a little longer... God willing!

[James Cherkoff]

Happy Birthday Sir! I look forward to many years of enjoyable sparring! ;-)