Marian Salzman, the Queen of Obvious, presented another pointless perspective at Adweek.com. This time, Salzman turned her dubious expertise on the subprime mortgage crisis. The first four paragraphs are basic information undoubtedly culled from a two-minute Google search. In the fifth paragraph, Salzman revealed the inspiration for her interest:
“I myself am a victim of the mortgage meltdown. My home has lost roughly 20 percent of its value since I purchased it 24 months ago, putting down 10 percent, which means I have negative equity in a house that now feels like a barn/big black hole (it’s both!).”
Ah, Salzman’s personal money problems now make her a financial futurist.
It’s amazing how the woman manages to perpetuate the illusion that she’s some sort of thought leader or culture guru. Even a casual reader of newspaper business sections could have cobbled together Salzman’s column, including the predictions for marketing decisions in the coming months.
Salzman tapped her protégé, JWT director of trendspotting Ann Mack, for additional insight. “During this time of uncertainty, look for marketers to ramp up their interactive spending more than ever before, as it’s extremely accountable and the results can be virtually immediate,” proclaimed Mack. “This is a significant difference from the post-9/11, dot-bust downturn, when marketers withdrew what little investment they had in the then-nascent Net.”
You think?
Porter Novelli chief marketing officer Salzman closed by stressing the growing importance of public relations. “When times are tough, communication is more critical than ever,” said Porter Novelli managing director Jean Wyllie. “If companies don’t communicate at a difficult time, it leaves a vacuum to be filled by speculation.”
Porter Novelli, of course, is a public relations firm. So it’s fair to speculate Salzman’s entire column is a blatant sell for her own services.
Hey, the woman has house bills to pay.
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