Crazy idea for an advertisement for Walls ice-cream
Discussion
Marcellus said:
If marketing is something you want to “get into” then go for it, it can be great fun!
It's something I think I would have enjoyed had I tried it years ago. As a 51 year old running a bathroom installation company, it's too late! I'm likely to part retire in about 4 years time but do like the idea of little projects that could top up my income. I've had a few ideas in the past that I either didn't pursue or couldn't afford to that have arrived on the market since by someone else, so they're not all 'crazy' ideas like this one!bernhund said:
It's something I think I would have enjoyed had I tried it years ago. As a 51 year old running a bathroom installation company, it's too late! I'm likely to part retire in about 4 years time but do like the idea of little projects that could top up my income. I've had a few ideas in the past that I either didn't pursue or couldn't afford to that have arrived on the market since by someone else, so they're not all 'crazy' ideas like this one!
I am "guilty," of this kind of thing too. By thirty years in one case. One thing to remember is that even a poor idea or concept can be made to work.whilst a great idea may never see the light of day.It can and has been done,nothing is impossible just maybe difficult.
Good luck
jas xjr said:
bernhund said:
It's something I think I would have enjoyed had I tried it years ago. As a 51 year old running a bathroom installation company, it's too late! I'm likely to part retire in about 4 years time but do like the idea of little projects that could top up my income. I've had a few ideas in the past that I either didn't pursue or couldn't afford to that have arrived on the market since by someone else, so they're not all 'crazy' ideas like this one!
I am "guilty," of this kind of thing too. By thirty years in one case. One thing to remember is that even a poor idea or concept can be made to work.whilst a great idea may never see the light of day.It can and has been done,nothing is impossible just maybe difficult.
Good luck
About 25 years ago I designed a box of tricks that linked into your heating system and used 'touch tone' technology for you to call home to switch on/off heating/hot water etc. Got as far as a world wide search at the Patent Office after which I was told I could apply for the patent. I simply couldn't afford to pursue it and perhaps just as well, as a few more years down the line came the mobile phone explosion and apps. Of course Hive now does what my invention did and more!
jonamv8 said:
Find out which marketing agency they use, the scope out their competitors they will more likely be a smaller company and more flexible than going straight to walls !!!!
This. If they think it's any use they are closer to the right people to make it happen.But tbh I wouldn't waste my time. And (or rather, because) I wouldn't expect to be paid.
bernhund said:
<snip>
I bet there are countless people out there who had an idea, did nothing and watched someone else make a killing later with the same. They'd then feel hard done by and tell all their mates 'I invented that!'...
Out of interest, what's the ballpark figure you think you might receive? Of course, I realise you can't be precise, but you must have a figure in mind that you would hope for, bearing in mind your quote above?I bet there are countless people out there who had an idea, did nothing and watched someone else make a killing later with the same. They'd then feel hard done by and tell all their mates 'I invented that!'...
EddieSteadyGo said:
bernhund said:
<snip>
I bet there are countless people out there who had an idea, did nothing and watched someone else make a killing later with the same. They'd then feel hard done by and tell all their mates 'I invented that!'...
Out of interest, what's the ballpark figure you think you might receive? Of course, I realise you can't be precise, but you must have a figure in mind that you would hope for, bearing in mind your quote above?I bet there are countless people out there who had an idea, did nothing and watched someone else make a killing later with the same. They'd then feel hard done by and tell all their mates 'I invented that!'...
EddieSteadyGo said:
bernhund said:
Ikemi said:
I think you might struggle to protect such an idea, let alone receive payment ...
I totally agree. But a good idea is a good idea whether it came via Saatchi and Saatchi or someone acting as a freelance on their own. I was thinking along the lines of a legal agreement that states any variation of the idea created by the company once disclosed to them would be a breach of the agreement. To be honest it would be impossible for them to vary it anyway because every part of the idea is critical to it.
So I get their interest, they sign the agreement to listen to my idea and if they don't want to know they've lost nothing. If they do want to run with it, my charge would be significantly lower than an additional agency. My problem is taking the idea to them/the right person.
Any agreement like would need to go to their legal department, who I can guarantee will think they are flat out busy. So unless someone with authority in the company asks them to work on it, they won't even open your legal document.
And what is the incentive for a marketing director or someone similar to look like a maverick by going outside of the normal processes? They will already have a dozen potentially good ideas they don't have the marketing budget to implement at the moment. Why add another to the list?
Big companies already have their own projects, processes, systems and suppliers. They aren't nimble and (generally speaking) they don't employ entrepreneurs which is why you will find it difficult to speak to anyone who will want to take a risk understanding your ideas.
I contract to a household name. They will not deal with me direct though, it has to be through a bigger organisation.who add a layer of cost.
The project I'm working on could be delivered by a small cheap one man band, but my client will only work with a big service company at about double the cost. It's just the way big businesses operate.
You would have more luck pitching to their add agency.
Contrary to popular belief, no decent business is short of good ideas. What is hard is selecting the good ones, and then successfully executing them.
The probability of any uninformed idea, quite by chance, nailing all the criteria a business requires is really very low (imagine someone who knows nothing about cars telling you they’ve a great idea for a car...). It’s far more likely you think it’s great because you don’t know much about what makes an idea in this space work or not. For this reason, it’s very unlikely that anyone in the business will waste time on you, just on the off-chance.
If you really believe you’ve an incredible idea, you could take the advice of an earlier post and make it yourself, and then cash in on it going viral. But my recommendation? Just enjoy the nice feeling of having had an idea and move on, ideally to an idea that relates to something you do have some expertise in. It’s far more likely to be valuable.
The probability of any uninformed idea, quite by chance, nailing all the criteria a business requires is really very low (imagine someone who knows nothing about cars telling you they’ve a great idea for a car...). It’s far more likely you think it’s great because you don’t know much about what makes an idea in this space work or not. For this reason, it’s very unlikely that anyone in the business will waste time on you, just on the off-chance.
If you really believe you’ve an incredible idea, you could take the advice of an earlier post and make it yourself, and then cash in on it going viral. But my recommendation? Just enjoy the nice feeling of having had an idea and move on, ideally to an idea that relates to something you do have some expertise in. It’s far more likely to be valuable.
cashmax said:
Despite what some other have said on this thread, a large business would definitely listen to an idea. The barrier will be getting in front of the right people (who might not even work for your target) so you would need to find a sponsor to get you over that hurdle.
Have a look on linkedin and find the right people and drop them a message to talk?67Dino said:
Contrary to popular belief, no decent business is short of good ideas. What is hard is selecting the good ones, and then successfully executing them.
Or, as the adage goes:Million pound idea plus 5 pound execution is worth a fiver. A five pound idea with a million pound execution ...
MikeStroud said:
Why does it have to be Walls? There are many smaller independent ice cream producers who may be willing to quickly go down your NDA route.
I asked that too, didn't get an answer.I think it's probably because the OP has written a song with the name Walls in it. Probably a bit harder to rhyme something if you replace the name with Ben and Jerry's!
OP - the man you need to write to is Keith Weed at Unilever. He controls the $5 billion advertising budget for Unilever - he is about to retire, so don't leave it too long. I know Keith, he's a very nice chap.
You don't need NDA's - they wouldn't sign one anyway. Just have proof that you made contact on a particular date and outlined your idea. Reach him on Twitter, not with your idea, but the fact you have one, he might bite.
Companies like Unilever and P&G are labyrinthine in their decision making, I would think it highly unlikely that your idea would be adopted as it most likely wouldn't fit into their creative process.
But anyway, you now know who the man is you should write too.
You don't need NDA's - they wouldn't sign one anyway. Just have proof that you made contact on a particular date and outlined your idea. Reach him on Twitter, not with your idea, but the fact you have one, he might bite.
Companies like Unilever and P&G are labyrinthine in their decision making, I would think it highly unlikely that your idea would be adopted as it most likely wouldn't fit into their creative process.
But anyway, you now know who the man is you should write too.
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