By Andrew Fortunato
What Can Your Brand Learn From The Marines?
The phone on my desk rings. It’s the boss. I know this because of the first words I immediately hear – “Are you doing anything RIGHT NOW? That line was always good for a laugh. For about a nanosecond the thought crosses my mind; I’m only running the entire multi-million dollar global marketing effort for one of the world’s most recognized and respected brands, in the midst of the most dramatic generational target shift in recorded history. Too much hesitation -- obviously. That next thing I hear – “Get Me a MEETING with David Letterman!” Click…
Now I don’t know about you, but I didn’t exactly have “Mr. Top 10 List” in my speed dial. I didn’t know anyone who knew Dave, nor did I know anyone who had ever met him. For a regular executive this might have posed a problem. You might have even thought it was a joke, and been tempted to blow it off. Trust me – this was no joke.
When you’re a leader in the world’s premier leadership organization, making the impossible happen (rescuing stranded US citizens in peril abroad, keeping the world safe for democracy, etc.) is all just part of another day at the office. Failure in any forum is never an option. As one of our advertising campaigns at the time read, “Everyday You Have to Test Yourself, Otherwise It’s a Wasted Day”. It was time to put that bit of wisdom into action, once again live the brand, and keep truth in advertising. Contact and schedule a meeting with one of the most well screened and private celebrities in the world. This was going to be one more doable challenge.
So, what had I done to earn myself this task? Well, as you know, the home of the Letterman show is New York City. This is the same New York City that was the site of the terror attacks on the World Trade Center. In the wake of the September 11th attacks, as was his style, Dave chose to broadcast a few select, very poignant comments. Dave caught my attention with his words, “I have three new heroes now. They are New York’s bravest, the Firefighters, New York’s finest, the Cops, and the United States Marine Corps, because, as you know, before this thing is finished it will be the Marine Corps that will go in and settle the score.”
In a marketing organization known for producing classic posters for more than two hundred years, my team saw an opportunity. What we creatively called “The Letterman Poster” was born. Now as this project came together, naturally, I had occasion to share it with the boss. The boss happened to really be taken with this piece of work. He was deeply appreciative of Dave’s thoughtful words. As the project neared completion, the boss thought it would only be appropriate to thank Dave for what he had said in person.
In a very private meeting in his office, David Letterman was presented a copy of the poster featuring his words. Words have meaning. Words are important. Sometimes words have deeper meaning and are even more important. When push comes to shove, is your brand thought of first as the most reliable -- the one people depend on? Will your brand words be what people think of first?
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About the author: Andrew Fortunato, http://www.linkedin.com/in/AndrewFortunato, former Marketing Chief for the Marines, CMO, consultant, and speaker, advises and leads organizations seeking marketing and operational success. Andrew shares insights in-person and on his “What Can Your Brand Learn From The Marines?TM” blog at http://marinesbrand.blogspot.com.
