The Force 5 Connection

It’s Memorial Day weekend so I thought I would take a picture of the Flag that flies outside our offices here at Force 5.   There is a lot happening this weekend:  Graduations, cookouts, parties and all kinds of outdoor fun.  The famed Indianapolis 500 will run this weekend too.  For many, Memorial Day marks the beginning of a great Summer.

I am hopeful though, that in the midst of all that fun and fraternity, we’ll take a moment to remember what Memorial Day is about.  Just a moment to pause and reflect on the over 1 million Americans who have died in wars since the Revolutionary War.   I am hopeful that we are aware that there might be among us, a family that will not have a son or daughter returning from the Middle East alive.

Force 5 wishes to thank the many service people and their families who made the ultimate sacrifice for our Freedom.

Picture the scene.  I’m driving into town toward the University of Notre Dame campus on my way to our offices at Force 5.  It’s a beautiful morning. The weather’s perfect.  As usual, there is a lot of morning traffic.  I stop at an intersection where there is a wonderful digital billboard.  As I sit in my car sipping my morning coffee, I watch the steady and captivating rotation of advertisements.   I see well-designed, graphical ads for local hospitals, prominent banks, respected physicians, and in the mix … I see an ad with a picture of a scary-looking individual that reads, “WANTED!  FOR MURDER.”
Hmmm.�

Maybe you’ve seen Crime Stoppers ads on billboards, too.  Before I comment further I have to say this:  I love Crime Stoppers and the work they do to protect our community.  Also, I need to say this:  I have tremendous respect for Burkhart Advertising, an outdoor advertising and marketing firm here in South Bend; they do tremendous work.
However, from a marketing perspective, I have questions about this particular strategy.  Yes, the placement of this ad caught my attention.  Yes, it made me aware of someone in our community who could harm my family. And yes, this ad may actually expedite the killer’s arrest.  

 But, as Newton stated:  “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction,” and this is true for marketing as well.

In South Bend, a city that is deparately attempting to attract businesses and good-paying jobs, (which some social scientists consider to lower crime in communities) its important to consider what this billboard communicates to tourists and investors on their way to visit our landmark University and the surrounding community?  Is it:

“Boy, I’m glad these people are addressing crime and making this place safer.” 

 Or

“Boy, this city has a real murder problem.  Better not move here.  Next town, please.”

What about the other companies whose ads appear just before and just after the felon’s picture?   Companies spend a lot of money to associate good feelings with their brands. It can be tough when someone thinks to himself:
“Ah, it’s a heart surgeon.” And eight seconds later: “AGH! It’s a murderer!”
Probably not the best brand association; at least for me anyway. 

This is a tough, moral marketing dilemma.  What are your thoughts?

I’ve worked for a lot of years, enjoyed a lot of roles in my career, and had a lot of supervisors who imparted their wisdom to me.   I thought I would share some of their best stuff with you in this series of posts called, “The Boss Rules.”

Rule #2:  “Ask them, ‘What are you trying to accomplish?’ ”

I spent a few years in the IT department of a large corporation.   I am not an IT person, per se, but I had an understanding of the business we were in and the processes the company employed in its go-to-market strategy, so I was invited to join the CRM process team.  The team was charged with identifying, prioritizing, and allocating resources (time, people, and money) to support strategic company objectives in the CRM space.   Our team was the first filter that helped determine who got the IT department’s resources.  The number of project requests was daunting and I soon learned that it was impossible to complete even a small portion of them.  

Some would say, “My department needs a new web site on the intranet.” 

Others said, “We need to develop a new commission structure and system to manage it.”

Still others, “We need a new Contact Management System.”

The company’s needs were vast but its resources were limited.  Having spent considerable time in sales, I hated to say no.  I remember going to my boss a little frustrated, “How are we going to get all this done?  These are good people asking for help, I hate to let them down.”

My boss said, “Maybe we don’t have to let them down, Butch.  Maybe we need to ask them, ‘What are you trying to accomplish?’  You see, it may be that the Sales Department, really just wants to grow sales.  It may be they only think they need a new commission structure and system to accomplish that.  Perhaps you can help them figure out another way for them to grow sales without having to invest thousands and thousands of dollars and hours of time to change our current commission structure.”

“What are you trying to accomplish?” 

Six simple words that have proven again and again to be the single most important question I can ask clients, associates, and myself.  At Force 5, we ask that question every time we can.  It helps us find the best and most direct solutions possible for our clients and ourselves.