Snake Oil Salesmen

Clark Stanley was one of the most famous (infamous) snake oil salesmen. His performative medicine shows involved slicing open snakes and boiling them in front of a live audience. This single act was used to convince the naïve public that the product he sold contained a snake derivative. The origins of snake oil come from China, where the oil from water snakes was used to relieve joint pain. Clarke’s magical solution contained nothing of value.

Similarly we regularly hear from clients about old agencies or freelancers that sold them the universe and delivered something closer to a black hole. Some of the common themes we see:

Trend-hopping, aesthetically-driven, social media influencers who talk a lot about a little. We’ve taken over campaigns from someone very prominent in this space. They charge clients a few thousand to set up campaigns that apparently will set them on their way. These campaigns were set up so poorly (and the results showed it) that it was all turned off within days.

Giant agencies. Huge ones. Absolutely massive. Sitting at the top are great sales people, with outdated experience. With little training or oversight, juniors are allowed to manage millions. Budgets are just numbers on a spreadsheet, and there’s little understanding of the impact their actions can have on a business. Clients with little experience with agencies often believe bigger is better, leading to the agency being able to fumble their way through, with the client taking the hit.

Lazy agencies, lazy freelancers, whatever it might be, we often hear about the problem of ‘set and forget’. Quick actions taken right before a call, minimal analysis, and reactive behaviour. It’s a slippery slope to mediocrity, even within a brand with a great product.

There’s no substitute for patience, experience, and thoughtful work.