I had two experiences today that illustrate the highs and lows of marketing.

The first was on the floor of the big VMWorld show in San Francisco this week… a spectacle of vendor-wear, booth babes, and carelessly asymmetrical facial hair.

One of the big vendors had a “virtual attendant” on display, giving the pitch to passers by:

It was not hard to get this photo. Turns out no one wants to interact with a projection on a girl-shaped plexiglass cutout.

For me this technology indicates everything that’s wrong with most marketing. If these guys are trying to build a brand around not really giving a shit about the people who buy their products, this was a home run.

At the other end of the spectrum I returned to my Kimpton hotel room a little later, and found this on my night stand:

One of these tactics cost a whole bunch of money, leveraged state-of-the-art technology, and dramatically enhanced Theoretical Marketing Productivity. The other involved a front-line service employee taking 2 minutes to hand write a note.

Quickly now… Which brand do you have a stronger affinity for?

6Branding, Kimpton Hotels, Palomar Hotel, VMWare, Marketing,