• by Nina Lentini , Staff Writer @Nina_Lentini, March 22, 2007

I find Julie Roehm's concern over the "party" image of marketing a comic hypocrisy.

She refers to GoDaddy's ad with disdain, bemoaning the historical reputation of marketing, all while embodying that party-girl image herself. Playing ... with subordinates? Wining and dining with vendors and their sports cars?

In her desire to come off as a qualified and professional guru (both jokes themselves), she is essentially saying, "Do as I say, not as I do." Beyond her improprieties, she has very little talent, and should look for work as a Mary Kay consultant.

Curt Craighead
Managing Partner
Best Light Communications

I read your article about Julie [Roehm] and Sean [Womack] and their vision of Marketing 2.x and 3.x. One question: I'm curious to know what, in the eyes of the media, is qualification for guru status?

I wish our industry would concentrate more on what is truly important -- that is, the talent we need, the diversity we need and the need for more great clients that recognize great work and the value great work brings to a brand.

This on-going following of what is a soap opera, at best, has no real meaning anymore within our industry other than the fact that a new term has emerged when it comes to forming relationships with clients (or the lack of the ability to do so).

We now have to be wary of the Wal-Mart effect when we market ourselves to clients.

Just recently, while congratulating a new CMO on an appointment, I sent off a standard agency creds package that also contained a hat and a t-shirt with our logo and a bottle of something we call "Cliff juice" (Trader Joe's wine)- which was promptly Fed Ex'd back to me at a cost greater than the package I originally sent.

Ultimately this business, still, is very much reliant upon relationships and is, at its core, a business of people. And, in most cases, good people do good things. The glass truly is half full.

Genuine things and acts of professionalism and friendship are recognized and remembered while building a relationship -- and ultimately trust.

Let's get back to talking about the good things people in our industry are doing and clients that are pioneering and pushing us and as a result become worthy of talking about in this great marketing "2.x-3.x" new world of discovery we're fortunate to be a part of.

Jeffrey M. McClelland
Chief Executive Officer
Cliff Freeman & Partners

"Marketing Daily" welcomes feedback from our readers. Feel free to send yours either to the reporter who wrote the story or the editor, Nina Lentini, at nina@mediapost.com.