Scope Article

SIGHT CONSULTING

 Where is your marketing plan taking you?

Watching the bull die

For our one year anniversary, my wife and I went to Mexico. I remember taking a day trip to a small town to watch bull fighting – a spectacle that I had never witnessed. It is only now that I look back on that event and realize its direct connection to the potential death of many brands today.

Next, the entire point of a bull fight is to pit competitors against each other; matador versus bull. One on one, the bull should win. But this is not a fair fight. The bullfighter has a competitive advantage through distraction and partners; he will often use a flailing cape to draw the attention of the bull in one direction and then swiftly attack from another. If the matador feels in danger or drops his weapon – someone else comes to his rescue by either drawing the bull’s attention or providing him the spear/sword to strike. The lesson for the bull (and your brand) is to stay on target. Avoid distraction. Strike with force.

 

Although we are using the euphemism of bull as brand there are lessons from the matador. Most strikingly, leverage your network. The bullfighter has support from “clowns” and partners – and he knows this going into the arena. The matador specifically understands his role and the role of his “channels.” Furthermore, the matador positions the bull rather than the other way around; from this he creates an advantage, and the audience cheers him on. Most importantly, however, the bullfighter and his network are all working toward a common, understood goal – kill the bull. And they have the resources to achieve it.

 

Therefore, the questions to ask yourself are: Is the competition defining your market perception? Are they wearing you down and putting you in the corner so that they can strike? Are you reacting to the market or proactively picking your attack points?

 

If I think back to that hot day in Mexico, the last connection I make between the bull and the brands of today is the slow, agonizing pain the bull suffers just before the matador’s sword is driven in for the kill. Today, I am watching major organizations slowly suffer because they choose not to act or cannot stay on target; their matadors dance around pelting the bulls with spears and positioning themselves for the final sword thrust. The opportunity for the bull to overcome defeat exists but it cannot wait. You must charge at the bullfighter and regain the respect of the audience. Now is the time.

If you relate the scenario of the bull with the confines of corporate structure you too can foresee the imminent fate of the brand. The entire situation is designed for the bull (and brand) to die.

 

First, the setting of the stadium defines not only the context of the competition but also the environment. The bull in this case is “trapped” with a limited audience. I remember the concrete bench that I sat on and can only juxtapose it with the rigidity of a defined market. The key take-away is a need for diversification both in terms of your target audiences as well as the arenas in which you compete.