Marketing

Watching yet another presentation from yet another social media expert I'm suddenly overcome by a wave of...something. Is it anger? Well yes, in part. Frankly I'm fed up of the consensus being peddled by people who have set themselves up to profit from these things that if I don't get with the programme where social media is concerned my entire business and possibly my entire life, is going to go down the pan. Is it frustration? Yes, it's that, too.

The news that American TV company Showtime is launching a new comedy series about management consultants, subtly entitled House of Lies makes for a depressing start to the year for anyone working in the consulting industry.  But it’s also a timely reminder that any attempts to improve the image of management consultants in the media (clients’ views and would-be recruits into the industry are different) will need to engage people’s hearts as well as their minds.

I'm willing to bet that when the marketing departments of consulting firms sit down with their favourite marketing agency to discuss developing a new logo, there's one thing that isn't on their agenda: acquisitions. They'll discuss all the usual stuff, of course: brand values, the way the logo will look  on everything from neon to neoprene, and what sort of mood their preferred colour will illicit amongst potential customers, but the issue of acquisitions won't get a look in. I think that's a mistake.