October 29, 2006
e-mail of the week
A certain Michael Baldeon sent me an e-mail, consisiting of only one single line:
No talent. None. Way too obscure for general consumption.
Too funny.
I think worrying about what interests you, what stirs your passion, is a far more effective recipe for success than worrying about “general consumption”. I have a strange feeling that Mr Baldeon hasn’t quite learned this lesson yet. Poor guy.
Don’t you find it funny when you post things that are simply expressions of yourself (that’s what a web-log is after all!), others assume you’re doing it for profitable consumption by the masses? And, beside the point, has he not noticed that your cartoons are EVERYWHERE?
Well clearly Mr. Baldeon fails to grasp the dichotomy between “general consumption” and your concept of the global microbrand. Probably a Michael Bolton fan.
Yeah, shame there are always trolls out there. Guess it makes them feel better about not doing anything themselves.
Keep up the amazing work!
keep it on, hugh, never mind. ehi you’re for the 2.0 what dilbert has been for the 1.0… i’m proud to sport your badge on my blog, it’s worth reading every day. thanx!
Screw that. Do you think you can get him to buy a bottle of Stormhoek
Out of curiosity, I googled this fellow, and found few references. He is apparently an expert on obscurity. *snicker*
Thing is, your blog and blogs like, oh, Brand Autopsy, are often lumped together by marketing pundits on the same shelf in “Branding, Aisle 3″.
Different animals to some readers, but to others, it’s more murky. Many people don’t get that English Cut doesn’t aspire to be the Starbucks of tailoring, nor Stormhoek aspire to be Whole Foods of vintners.
Yet supposedly smart branders in big cities who make good six-figure incomes will ask: Why don’t they aspire to riches? Doesn’t everyone want to be worth billions? Shouldn’t everyone emulate Starbucks and Whole Foods?
Perhaps those marketing “pros” are looking to your clients’ modest successes as proof that if blogs/market conversations can help the small guys succeed small, they can help big guys succeed big?
At least that’s the message we get from having read GV for the past 3 years. We could be wrong. But if your clients do have those aspirations, then maybe Baldeon is right after all.
what is general anymore? what isn’t? my new biz cards are hughs [again!]
I suspect what he means is “way too intelligent for people who don’t like to think.”
Keep it up.
General Consumption? Wasn’t he defeated at the battle of Little Big Intestine?
Or is it something you might pick up in a cheap restaurant?
Oh no, wait…it was that thing around the 118th century which wiped out all those ‘general’ people.
Obviously your talents baffle and confuse Mr. Baldeon, Hugh…
The rest of us big fans, well, they dazzle and delight. Thanks for continuing to teach us introspection through humor.
I pity Mr Baldeon .
Is he General Consumption’s Aide de Camp? The General probably prefers it short sharp and snaaaapppy!!!
Don’t change your humor or perspective one bit (well, unless it’s an authentic change, then it will still seem like your humor). You gotta be you!
Those who are remarkable and interesting tend not to aim towards pleasing the “general consumption.” They aim to be authentic just by being their remarkable and interesting selves. Often, their unique success is a happy by-product.
So, keep up the great work.
I have ONE word: Brilliant! (can I count the exclamation point?) — who gives a fuck about “general consumption” — your audience found you and defined who THEY are. You, in turn continue to, unapologetically, produce Gaping Void to the chagrin of witless cretins.
Rock on!
Hey Rich, point taken…
Frankly, I dunno. What I’m doing works for me, and it seems to be working for my clients. Yes, it des have its challenges, but compared to how most poor souls make a living, we’re not complaining. Whether it works or not for some mid-level corporate marketing dork is frankly not my problem.
Besides, the people who say “let’s be bigger than Starbucks” in corporate meetings are invariably never the people who become bigger than Starbucks. Their currency is more about fear, politics, mediocrity and golf handicaps. Their lot is simply not that interesting to me.
AFTERTHOUGHT: I know there’s a lot of “caring about the customer” talk going on in marketing circles these days.
From my experience dealing with mainstream corporate marketing types, hell, these guys find it hard enough caring about their wives, let alone their customers.
Is it just me, or is that a paradox?
PS to Everybody else: Thanks for the kind words =)
bang on hugh. if it doesn’t stir you first it’s never going to move anyone else. you’re proof of that.
Och,perhaps he was talking about his own work ? Is that perhaps the case ? And I don’t mean that in a condescending way.
»No talent. None. Way too obscure for general consumption.
I love it! It’s going on my chalkboard at work tomorrow. Something like this let you know you’re on track and haven’t sold out.
These are the best cartoons going. I’ve never liked cartoons before!
Sure this B. –yes why mentionning him, it’s doing him a favour, no way– is a grumpy guy somewhere on the planet. He should drink this geek wine you are representing, Stormhoek (hoek in flemish means “corner”, so it’s stormcorner, it’s exactly what his little mind needs, no ?). I just added today your “thing” on my blog, before I saw this Mr M. curious sentence about your drawings. Who cares about general consumption, anyway. Do we want to wal-martized our lifes & blogs. NEVER.
At, judging from his second e-mail to me [which included the words, “Fuck you you stupid fuck”], I’m in no doubt whatsoever he was talking bout my stuff. Heh.
Baldeon has got to be pulling someone’s leg, quite possibly his own!
Hugh writes “Is it just me, or is that a paradox?”!!
I say “Damn right!!!”
General consumption? Mr Baldeon is welcome to it. The land of fast moving consumer goods, big brands, market research, homogenised creativity and safety. Toilet paper, soap powder and dog food.
All those Stormhoek drinking, English Cut wearing GapingVoid card carrying “stupid fucks” like the rest of us, please stand aside for those wise enough to know ahead of time what “works.” Like the creators of Pretty Woman, Lost, YouTube and PostIt notes before them — none of whom had ANY idea that what they were up to would be hits — I say here’s to Hugh, Ze Frank, Judson Lapailly and others for having no idea what works, and sticking to it.
Does Michael Baldeon do this every time he comes across a site he doesn’t like?
What helpfulness!