Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

Of course, there is much - um - truth to the old saying, “There’s two sides to every story, and then there’s the truth.” However, we marketers have to be vigilant that we don’t get so wrapped up in the selling that it becomes easy, even expected, to spin the truth more and more - until it’s non-existent (along with our integrity). Once we get started, it can be hard to stop - particularly when we’re under pressure to produce and have little things like mortgages, aging parents, and kids’ college tuition bills. Personally, if I can’t look myself in the mirror at the end of the day, it’s time to quit and join a nunnery (I can’t sing or fly but I’m really good at cleaning. Do I have to get up early? Can I still drink martinis?)

So, to the Truth game. For example, pick a Bill O’Reilly rant topic. (You could do some variation of this with just about any of the talking heads on the news channels.) Do some fact checking. Reward points to players on their determining his degree of spin on something: a. 1/4 turn. Still some semblance of facts; b. 1/2 turn. Well, he at least got one of the names and a date right; c. Whoa! We’ve fallen down the rabbit hole! Oh nooooooo, Mr. Bill. Then watch the show and give bonus points (given to high roller of dice every fifteen minutes) for every time Mr. Bill says a real whopper and “no spin zone” without taking a breath. I’d suggest taking a drink instead of bonus points, but alcohol poisoning is a bad way to go.

The man is always good for a laugh. Of course, I don’t think he believes most of the things he says - it’s all about those big entertainer bucks, baby. Privately, he’d probably admit to his close buds that 60% (or more) of it is “crap” as David Letterman suggested recently when interviewing O’ Reilly. In other interviews, Mr. Bill has said he’s getting tired and might quit soon. Could it be exhaustion - or a problem with his mirror?

(Above image of Malaysian top spinners from Pulse of the Planet. Another wonder of the Web, presented by the National Science Foundation You can listen to two minute sound portraits of the Planet Earth. A nice break from truth-seeking.)