[Re: Loose Cannon: Ya Picks Yer Moguls and Ya Pays Yer Money, Direct Newsline, Sept. 13, 2004]:
Normally I agree with much of what you write but I think you’ve missed the mark on this one.
Sure, it’s sometimes hard to explain the appeal of “The Apprentice”. I liken it to “Survivor” for adults. If nothing else the opportunity to make fun of the man’s hair and take pot shots at some of the totally ridiculous things the contestants are doing provides me with a great deal of entertainment value. Heck, I even hosted a party at my home for the final episode last year.
While some of the tasks that last years contestants were assigned certainly seemed inane, if you look at this year’s show you’ll see that Mr. Trump knows marketing. Instead of selling lemonade, the contestants are working with a number of big name companies such as Mattel, Toys R US, and Pepsi to name a few. I’m guessing these companies paid a pretty good price to be featured on one of the most popular TV show to come along in awhile. After all, how else are the producers going to afford to pay the $1,000,000 per episode that he wanted after last years successful season.
People such as Carnegie, Rockefeller and Revson may have done it better but few have done it with the flare of “The Donald”.
You keep writing and I’ll keep reading,
Mike Daniels
Vice President-Sales
Advantage Line Division of Call_Solutions
Williston, ND
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Donald Trump’s “The Art of the Deal” (Second Edition)
Ch 1 - Be born rich
Ch 2 - Distract people with bad hair
Ch 3 - Further distract people by being a world-class bore
Ch 4 - Further distract people by using TV to belie the fact that you are almost broke
Ch 5 - Write books about how good you are
Mark Amtower
Partner
Amtower & Company
Highland MD
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I read your column religiously...always tickled by your choice of topic. No less so, today. But I gotta weigh in for the obnoxious big guy's side on this one, if only to bend your view a tad.
I do not watch The Apprentice. I watch The Donald.
He has brand, baby! He is consistently on message, intolerant of the excuses and preambles which might diffuse the point, and he is the ultimate direct response marketer. He puts the test out there and measures the results and eliminates the poor performing element(s).
Are the campaigns silly? Sure. Are the metrics irrational? At times. Do I sometimes want to hurl my own hard-earned television against the wall in protest of an effort that is clearly insulting? Absolutely, but in it all, I find the stoic quietude of the watching analysts in George and Carolyn, the Boardroom test results, and the ultimate dictate by The Donald to be perfectly in keeping with my experience of win/lose in our industry.
The Donald resurrects himself time and again, and I marvel at that, and at the fact that he got a hunk of America to care that he can.
Thanks for the Tobias recommendation. I'll read it.
Charlotte Hart
Regional Account Manager
SmartMail Services, LLC
Los Angeles
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I couldn't agree with you more. I also fail to see any value in Trump's show.
My only conclusion is that a lot of people are just in awe of him and would practically do anything he asks of them.
In a way it shows how little they understand about being successful. They must figure that just by being close to him, they may pick up a few nuggets.
John Carr
Associate Broker
Royal Lepage Johnston& Daniel
Toronto
