John Shanahan’s Newsletter

From a state of nothingness we will create a company that is acknowledged as the best marketer of business services.

An insight that will drive the strategy will be that today’s affluent young managers are bored by business and its repetitive self centred focus. Instead these business people want to be stimulated entertained engaged recognised, given their time in the limelight, they want to learn so that they feel their options are opening not being closed down, they want to be a part of the greater good and make the world a better place. The want their lives to have meaning and relevance. These are the people we want to deliver to.

Continue Reading »

Hi all,

Continue Reading »

In the middle of a frantic last week I did not even have time to answer a call from Gabrielle telling me my Mum had a stroke and was in hospital paralysed.

Continue Reading »

Yesterday I was called by a key executive of Telstra who advised me that Telstra has just completed a review of all their market research suppliers and Colmar Brunton came out top of the list. What a remarkable accolade that Australia’s biggest research spender rates us as No1.

Continue Reading »

The era of Private Equity is upon us. As Private Equity firms increase their influence the marketing discipline is loosing out. In the USA the average length of the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) has declined to 18 months. What is strategic or long term when the leaders of the discipline survive less than 2 financial years? And where are the great marketing gurus today. It is as if the great marketing and advertising personalities are of a bygone generation. And with their passing the marketing has lost potency. In Australia who is replacing the likes of John Singleton, Mo and Jo, Hugh Mackay. Off shore is much the same. Philip Khotler is still the main author of marketing texts. The Saatchi brothers were the last great profile ad men.

Continue Reading »