Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The Fluff Market


Do you ever get the impression that a large number of corporations are in the market for fluff?

I cringe at some of the expensive consulting programs that various companies purchase. One shallow exercise after another. Questionable conclusions piled upon even more questionable ones. Cute and clever categories. And always a clever title.

What is it about those programs that is so appealing?

Are the people making the hiring decisions so inept that they cannot spot the hollowness of the products? Or is it a case in which one person's fluff is another person's substance?

I ask that in all seriousness. It may be that I am missing something significant. I'm certainly missing a marketing approach that has proven appeal.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Often times, the busy decision makers fall for the clever titles and short advertising write-ups and don't dig deeper to assess the real value being provided. I know I'm inundated with offers on a daily basis and I might just have fallen for one or two from the fluff category in my lifetime.

The question is: How does one distinguish between the fluff and the real deal?

Michael Wade said...

Deron,

I think we're all guilty of buying some fluff. I've picked up some management books that once impressed me and upon re-reading them was greatly disappointed with my earlier assessment.

There is also an emotional component that can outweigh substance at certain points.