Abso-blogging-lutely
Doc Searls nails it every frigging time. Here he is on the semi-mystical creative idiocy that spurs "stealth" marketing campaigns:
"One secret to success is not to keep secrets. Yes, there are times it makes sense. Hardware companies especially need to be careful about not "Osborne-ing" their old products with promises of new ones. But in most cases secrecy is based on the almost military notion that Enemies of the Company are going to steal our good ideas. Here's the problem: all qualified enemies are busy. They're doing their own thing. No matter how cool your new idea is, they don't care. They're overcommited to their own problems."
So right.
I'm not really a big Ayn Rand fan, but for years I've been using a Rand quote in counselling clients: "Competition is a by-product of productive work, not its goal. A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others." In fact, this quote just won't die - it resonates for me like a struck wine glass. This is the way you run things if you don't want to be Larry Ellison - it's both a business and a life choice.
In other words: while you're barrelling down the highway in your startup mobile, if you're too busy watching the rear-view mirror to see who might be edging up on you, you won't notice the sixteen-wheeler in front till you're already half way underneath it.
Stealth marketing is mostly complete pants, yet it appeals to egocentric startup CEOs/CMOs because of the perceived ninja coolness of it all - "yeah man, it'll be like Transmeta - awesome stealth, baby".
Knickers.
The worst extreme is when you see companies that genuinely do have something cool on the go becoming more and more paranoid that the fearsome Microborg is going to wake up and eat their lunch. What bollocks - get on with your life and build some cool stuff that makes you proud. And if Microsoft or anyone else really does wake up and give a rat's arse - if they want to beat you or buy you, make like Sabeer Bhatia and sweat 'em for it.
But I'm repeating myself. I already blogged about this exact scenario at a friend's company a few days back.
Doc Searls nails it every frigging time. Here he is on the semi-mystical creative idiocy that spurs "stealth" marketing campaigns:
"One secret to success is not to keep secrets. Yes, there are times it makes sense. Hardware companies especially need to be careful about not "Osborne-ing" their old products with promises of new ones. But in most cases secrecy is based on the almost military notion that Enemies of the Company are going to steal our good ideas. Here's the problem: all qualified enemies are busy. They're doing their own thing. No matter how cool your new idea is, they don't care. They're overcommited to their own problems."
So right.
I'm not really a big Ayn Rand fan, but for years I've been using a Rand quote in counselling clients: "Competition is a by-product of productive work, not its goal. A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others." In fact, this quote just won't die - it resonates for me like a struck wine glass. This is the way you run things if you don't want to be Larry Ellison - it's both a business and a life choice.
In other words: while you're barrelling down the highway in your startup mobile, if you're too busy watching the rear-view mirror to see who might be edging up on you, you won't notice the sixteen-wheeler in front till you're already half way underneath it.
Stealth marketing is mostly complete pants, yet it appeals to egocentric startup CEOs/CMOs because of the perceived ninja coolness of it all - "yeah man, it'll be like Transmeta - awesome stealth, baby".
Knickers.
The worst extreme is when you see companies that genuinely do have something cool on the go becoming more and more paranoid that the fearsome Microborg is going to wake up and eat their lunch. What bollocks - get on with your life and build some cool stuff that makes you proud. And if Microsoft or anyone else really does wake up and give a rat's arse - if they want to beat you or buy you, make like Sabeer Bhatia and sweat 'em for it.
But I'm repeating myself. I already blogged about this exact scenario at a friend's company a few days back.
