Ran into Graham Smith, whose career as a ballsy and ahead-of-his-time marketer I've followed for years. We were seated at the same table at a fundraiser...and well, I didn't even have a chance to put my butt to seat before Graham pulled me outside to talk Pow! and show me its influence on his latest venture.
Always a compelling communicator, I think it's best to let Graham explain in his own words:
"I owned a very successful advertising agency for 22 years, never lost a client to a competing agency (did the advertising for Tommy Hilfiger, Budget Rent-A-Car, monsieur Felix & Mr. Norton, Laura etc.) I sold it in '02 and spent the next 5 years figuring out what I wanted to do when (and if) I grew up.
Short story long, I bought a franchise for Montreal for the largest dog training company in the world: 350,000 dogs trained - we come to your house and solve all your dogs' behavioral problems in one 3-hour session, leave you with a written lifetime guarantee... (Always Be Closing...)
So being a bit of an advertising expert - I set out to figure the most cost-effective advertising I could do (are you still following?). In my travels I came to fall in love with your Blog; loved your approach to advertising, business, life and really have learned a ton from it... (sunshine upskirt).
I figured I'd drive about 1,000 kms a week and could cross about 100 eyeballs per km; did a quick calculation and realized my car was going to be most cost-effective form of advertising. Being a disciple of POW I knew it had to be BIG, BOLD AND STAND OUT so I set out to design something that would make Andy Nulman - 'Over the top car graphic designer' proud.
The results have been nothing short of mind blowing...people stopping me to ask for info, cars swerving, (I have literally had people following me on their cell phone asking for information...).
All this for less than 3K....
Thank-you Andy; for teaching this 'old dog' new (advertising) tricks...
I guess this is what they mean when they say "Some days, this stuff writes itself."
Here's a picture of Graham and his BarkBusterMobile (as well as his dog Elvis). You can find out more about Graham and his company by clicking here.
