The Cost of This Ad Includes The Phone Call
Most of our daily routines include some form of interaction with people. It may be co-workers, people on the bus or someone at the local mart. It doesn't really matter who they are or where they're from. The fact is, most people we meet and know we would classify as "normal." But every now and then someone comes along who clearly doesn't play by the same rules. It's not even that they're weird or so different from the rest of us. Rather, it simply seems that they're wired differently. They think, respond and sometimes see things differently than the rest of us. These people are what I classify as "characters" and I heard a funny story about one today.Most people who follow the daily news in the print media and advertising industries have probably at some point heard of Richard Desmond, the flamboyant owner of the UK's Express Newspapers. He's a character, known well for his strange tirades and often bizarre behavior. Well, it was announced this week that Mr. Desmond has come up with a brilliant new financing scheme for his media empire. Starting immediately, callers to his editorial and advertising sales departments will be paying to make their calls. This is because Mr Desmond has decided that if banks, software firms, attorneys and other such professions can charge for incoming calls, then newspaper publishers should be able to do the same. Never mind the fact that he operates a tabloid newspaper whose content, both news and advertising, are commodities that can be just as easily picked up and handled by competitors. Never mind the fact that when most people want to encourage a certain action, in this case getting stories from sources or phone calls from advertisers, they typically try to make that action as painless as possible. All that aside, perhaps Mr Desmond is on to something. Maybe he's just savvy enough to realize that in today's busy world most people will never give their phone bills that close of a look. Or, maybe he's being great and noble by taking a stand for newspaper publishers all over the world paying too much in telephone bills. Or finally, maybe he's just slipped off his rocker. Whatever his reasons and whatever people may say about him it won't be said that he didn't try. Will it work? Who knows for sure. Media buyers have already threatened to reverse the charges or worse yet, stop calling. Will they? Probably for a while. The question will be who can hold out longer and who needs who worse. This should provide a interesting lab experiment for all you print media junkies interested in following the story. Mr. Desmond, we tip our hats to you. That's not to say we agree with or suggest others emulate you. We'll let some times pass before settling any conclusions. But in the mean time, thanks for a little more interesting news and should you wish to call, for the time being our lines will be free and open.
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