What media agencies can learn from Clive Palmer
In this guest post, Maxus’s Rob Pardini argues that smaller agencies need to find ways of differentiating themselves on things other than price.
Clive Palmer has grabbed widespread media attention lately, with one sensationalist allegation after another.
Earlier this week, he claimed the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is corrupt and biased, even though, at the time, tally room results suggested he was poised to win the lower house seat of Fairfax.
Just a couple of weeks ago, he alleged that Wendi Deng, ex-wife of Rupert Murdoch, is a Chinese spy.
“If you’re rich, you can say anything, no matter how ludicrous it is, and get away with it”
The difference is though that Clive does not have to back up his claims – he can claim to be the richest creamiest chocolate flavour and turn out as vanilla as everyone else (although I imagine he will be some bizarre licorice / fruit loop).
In the real world your talk has to match your walk…
Clive can i please loan $1 mill??
if Clive Palmer starts a media agency we are all doomed.
Where does the idea find credibility that because Palmer has amassed a fortune he can’t be a fool? Many people, including Hitler, have made fortunes, who were otherwise as thick as a plank. Many would hold Howard Hughes up as an example of a successful and wealthy man, yet there is much evidence that apart from his largely inherited wealth and his off beat genius, he was as mad as a cut snake.
Palmer had success in the political circus ring because he appealed to the lunatic fringe, the great unwashed, the philistines and the greedy, trendy, would be if they could be set.
The Malthusians and Nazis of this world who look for someone weak and isolated to blame for all the ills of the country. The head nodding non thinkers who seek to follow a rich man because they believe that to know, or to follow a rich and famous person is to be somehow famous themselves.
No, Palmer couldn’t teach us very much at all, certain eight to twelve year olds perhaps, but after that, I believe he would begin to pale very significantly as an educationalist.
…no doubt he will find even better ways to rip off clients than the existing mob already do (and they ain’t bad at clipping the ticket off the radar)