• Marketing Mag Website

  • Marketing Blogs

by Online Editor | Scotland

on Jun 17

The Great AMI Debate: Round 2

Advertise with us

This post is the second in a series looking at the AMI. Click below to read the others:

  1. What's wrong with the AMI
  2. The Great AMI Debate: Round 2
  3. The Stark Reality of the AMI
  4. The AMI Bites Back
  5. Marketing the Marketers: the UK perspective
  6. Bowll bites back: Geoffrey responds to the AMI

Roger James, chairman of the AMI, has hit back at Geoffrey Bowll in a response he’s written to Marketing magazine, and he doesn’t mince his words.

"I am a passionate believer in the benefits of marketing and that’s why I spend a lot of my time working on this cause. If you feel the same way and can put aside those unsubstantiated assertions, let me know."

Ouch! Looks like Geoffrey might have stirred up a hornets nest.

So where do you stand in this debate? Do you agree with Has been that AMI stands for ‘Absolute Minimum Influence’ or perhaps the problem isn’t the AMI at all. Perhaps, as Roger James says in his response,

"Sorry. Maybe it’s you."

The full response from the AMI will be published here on the website this Friday, and you can also read it in July’s issue of the magazine, which hits the newsstands on June 25.

Check out the original snapshot of Geoffrey's article online, or pick up a copy of June's Marketing magazine to experience the inimitable Geoffrey in his element.

8 Comments

MKTG
  • Wrote on 18 Jun, at 04:50PM
I am a member of the AMI and PRIA. I have AMI to be part of the CPM program but PRIA gives me so much more - free webinars every month, events, mentoring etc. I attended one online webinar for AMI and it was a complete shamble. No powerpoint or preparation, it came across as complete spin. I was also very disappointed to see a previous boss of mine (with no education or genuine marketing experience) who was the biggest used car salesman Ive ever met be accepted into AMI. The guy was the type of person who gives honest marketers a bad name and he was welcomed and now gives presentations!
The Marketer
  • Wrote on 19 Jun, at 07:51AM
I cant wait...my computer is ready.

Scott, if Roger James only response is to blame AMI members...then, our AMI Chairman is a second hand car salesman, not a marketer.
noisy johnny
  • Wrote on 19 Jun, at 09:51PM
Why wait to publish Roger James full response? What are you hiding?
Editor | Scotland
  • Wrote on 20 Jun, at 10:37AM
Hahahah - good call noisy johnny. Not hiding anything, in fact very happy to totally transparent on this one.

We wanted to make sure you guys were aware of when we were publishing the response, so hands up, it was a teaser. Looks like it might have worked a bit ;-)

The full text of Roger James' response can be found if you follow this link. So what do you think? Has Roger addressed the concerns that Geoffrey raised?

And, I think, more importantly, does Roger address some of the issues that our community have been discussing in the comments sections of this site?

You decide noisy johnny.
noisy johnny
  • Wrote on 21 Jun, at 01:41AM
Teaser eh Scotland. The angle you took seems a bit mean spirited.

Roger's article gives a good account of what the AMI is doing and has achieved. He corrects many of the rash assertions from the Captain but your teaser didn't reflect that. It was misleading and that is something the AMI often reminds its members is unethical marketing practice.

I have been reading your online newsletter since launching. I'd consider subscribing to the print version to read along with the B&T and Professional Marketing magazines that I get as a benefit of my AMI membership but I'm concerned you are trying to be too sensationalist. I want to read well researched, quality marketing news, information and thought leadership. I don't have time for teasers and whinges.

There is room for more marketing publications with high quality content. Think about your positioning Scotland.
Editor | Scotland
  • Wrote on 26 Jun, at 10:30AM
Hey @noisy johnny - mean spirited? Not at all. If you take a look around the site you will notice that our insight (including blogs from some of Australia's most established marketing professionals) is free and accessible for all.

I take your point. Sensationalism for the sake of it doesn't work. But I like to think we are delivering a diverse range of content across many areas of marketing, and that we are aiming to bring the content to life as much as possible. Glad to hear you're reading the online newsletter. All I would suggest is keep reading and keep dropping by the site.

We're eight weeks into delivering all new and original content across the site, and there are lots of exciting initiatives in the pipeline.

Cheers for the feedback @noisy johnny. We're totally committed to bringing quality marketing content to Australia's marketing community, and feedback like yours helps us to take the pulse of the marketing community and better deliver to meet their needs.

Keep on reading, keep on commenting and we'll keep on listening.
Spud
  • Wrote on 1 Jul, at 12:46PM
I've just read Roger James' response to the article of Geoffrey Bowll.

I'm very disappointed with the attitude of Mr James and the statements he made, specifically:

1) Mr James did not concede that there was any merit in any of the myriad suggestions made.

2) Mr James concedes numerically that after a decade trying, the AMI has only achieved a 10% market penetration rate with memberships. He doesn't state this of course. If my Marketing Manager achieved the same results he/she would be working elsewhere.

3) An ISO standard for Brand Valuation! - Give me a break.

4) "Unparalled tools being developed by the AMI to measure marketing performance". We dont need these tools Mr James. We already have them, they're called customers and P&Ls.

5) Of the 3,400 members in 1999, how many of those people are still members?

Finally, its a simple rule Mr James. Ignore your customers / constituents / members at the peril of the AMI, you can either embrace change and implement it, or the members of the AMI will find someone that will.
PrincePlanet
  • Wrote on 4 Jul, at 03:28PM
Im sorry if i offend anyone, but the premise of joining a "marketing" club or "institute" is like sleeping with the enemy, as marketers we are in competition with each other, we are vying for market share and consumer attention. It totaly alien from say CPA or NIA where they are acting as interpreters for complex goverment legislation and dollars and debits. Typically the people who do join the marketing clubs are often the very people who fail to understand what marketers actually do. Mr Bowlls is on the money.

To have your say, login at the top of the page or register free and start commenting.