Monthly Archives: August 2008

BReast CAncer: An Unimaginable Decision

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Surgery or Surveillance?

At the risk of becoming overly focused on celebrities with genetic conditions, I can’t help but comment on Christina Applegate’s interview on Good Morning America last week. She speaks openly about her recent breast cancer diagnosis and reveals that she has a genetic mutation in her BRCA1 gene that makes her at a very high risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer. In what some are calling a controversial decision, Applegate opted to forgo radiation and chemotherapy treatment and chose prophylactic removal of both breasts instead.

After watching the documentary In the Family, I have a newfound appreciation for the agonizing decisions about surgery that women with BRCA mutations are faced with. Genetic counselors learn to present BRCA-positive women with a choice: prophylactic removal of the breasts and/or ovaries OR close surveillance using mammography, MRIs and ultrasounds with the hope of catching developing cancer early. This film, which brought a room full of GC’s to a deafening silence, very clearly illustrates the lack of support for women who choose the “surveillance” option. Time and time again the heroine/director Joanna Rudnick is gently pushed towards choosing surgery by everyone around her.

Here’s the movie trailer:

Christina Applegate doesn’t talk about how long she has known about her BRCA status, nor does she speak about her decisions surrounding ovarian cancer screening or surgery. Given the gravity of the decision I imagine that she prefers to keep this information private, and rightly so. She does, however, credit her breast MRI with saving her life, and has committed to creating a foundation that will raise money for the costly MRI screening for women at high risk for breast cancer. I applaud this effort – especially because it will provide some much needed support to those who would like to choose surveillance.

In the Family will air as part of POV on PBS on October 7, 2008. Although it is very heavy, I highly recommend it. For more information about hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, click here or here.

the Agency’s Farm Team

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Client Scouting

If 1) unremarkable and irresponsible products eventually falter, and 2) the product is the best marketing, then why aren’t more agencies aggressively seeking out great new products for future clients. New Biz is always on the radar, and a couple innovative agencies are playing venture capitalist, but I’m talking aggressive, strategic product scouting here – like a pro sports team or a record label’s A&R department goes after fresh talent.

The way I see it, the big agencies should be setting up a farm system collecting a roster of emerging products that they want to develop into household brands. Sure these new clients won’t have cash up front, but they would be long-term partners, investments set-up to protect the company from current declining markets.

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Idea:

- the Agency Farm Team

How It Works:

- For their long-term security, agencies create a group (perhaps made up of up-and-coming talent) that recruits a roster of up-and-coming products they believe in, invests in them, and grows them into household brands.

Why It Works:

- The product is the best marketing in this age. Good products with good marketing will succeed in the New Marketing era. Partnering with emerging young brands will allow agencies to learn and showcase learnings in this space.

Enhancement:

-The farm agency holds a yearly open call for young companies requiring marketing dollars and services. Emerging businesses pitch their products and winning client partners are selected. Good press for everyone.

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Update: here is a PR agency experimenting with the idea – and getting props for it.

Is Our Market Responsible?

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Seth Godin’s Responsibility post is one of my favourites when it comes to marketing ethics. Here he refutes the irresponsible marketer’s case that the market itself is to blame:

The problem is… the market is short sighted. Which means that in a year or two or five, when the market changes its mind and wakes up, you’re left holding the bag. By not taking responsibility for growing and nurturing the market in the right way, you get punished later.

Seth uses cigarettes and SUVs as great examples. But what I especially love about his argument is it also applies to the marketing industry as a whole. It’s no secret our market is correcting. The ploys and schemes of the old model are getting punished. On the other hand, those who are taking responsibility for their actions – marketing with transparency and respect – are beginning to reap rewards. To be continued…

Michael Phelps and Marfan Syndrome?

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His body has been described as a “freak of nature” and “transhuman.” The BBC has a comprehensive break-down on why it’s perfect for swimming. But as I watched 23-year-old US Olympian Michael Phelps win his 7th gold last night, I couldn’t help but think “Marfan Syndrome.”

Marfan Syndrome is a rare genetic condition that affects the connective tissue in the the body. Some of the more obvious physical features seen in Phelps include:

- Wing span much greater than height

- Long and slender fingers/toes

- Protruding sternum (pectus carinatum)

- Hyperflexibility of joints

- Long narrow face

- Small jaw

- Overcrowding of teeth

Unfortunately, Marfan Syndrome is also associated with a high risk for a fatal heart condition in which the major vessel leading from the heart can tear.

A quick google search made it clear that I am far from the first person to have linked the swimmer with this condition. Phelps himself writes about being evaluated for Marfan Syndrome in his autobiography Beneath the Surface:

I could feel something wrong one day when I dove into the water at practice. My heart was accelerating and Bob suggested I see the doctor. Because I was very flexible and had long hands and feet, I had some early symptoms of Marfan Syndrome. (Page 66)

In his book, Phelps goes on to say that he is regularly monitored and his heart is in good shape. It is not clear from his recount whether he has been given a definitive diagnosis of the condition, and out of personal curiosity I wonder whether he has had genetic testing. But if in fact he does have Marfan Syndrome, we can expect a 50% chance that little Michael Phelps offspring will share their father’s unique physique and potential for swimming prowess.

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Post Script: Phelps’ possible genetic advantage is generating some interesting ethical discussions in the blogosphere

Trumpets!

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Comedy isn’t strategic. True funny lives in the gut, not the mind. It’s something I’ve observed as I’ve spent time playing in both strategy and comedy of late (vote for Sure Lock!). Sure, you can argue that comedy falls under strategy, or point to comedic patterns and formula, but ultimately it’s a mix of creative content and execution that makes you chuckle – or doesn’t. Some evidence: with all the thought put into dreaming up viral ideas, you see things like this succeed:

Does it tell me something about the product? yep.

Does it make me feel good? yep.

Will I share it with friends? yep.

Does the joke make any sense? nope.

But it’s ridiculously funny.

A writer I work with wondered how that client pitch went. I’m very curious myself. What was the strategy? Regardless, I’m willing to bet – with already 10,000 views and 85 very positive comments in 2 days – this video will be referenced in plenty of wacky client pitches to come. Bring on the trumpets!

-appropriately via Talent Imitates, Genius Steals

My Customer Thinks I’m Cool

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Is this brand cool?

Until recently, the Post-It people thought they made a simple (read: boring), useful product. To their surprise, almost overnight, their Notes became a means of creative expression. Liam points to the many talented people showcasing their skills with these li’l sticky canvases. Yet another example of customers using products in original and alternative ways to express individuality.

So often you hear marketers complaining “but, my brand isn’t cool”. Newsflash – cool is subjective. If your consumer product/ service is any good, someone somewhere probably thinks it’s kinda cool. These people are very important. And if you’re willing to listen to them, and relinquish control, there’s opportunity there.

Defining my “Gene Scene”

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Lately Sean and I have been talking about Blogging and Mentors. Sean will hopefully post more extensively on this soon, but essentially the idea is that the blogging world has given our generation access to daily insights and experiences from some of the brightest minds in our fields– access that would be next to impossible to obtain in person. This network is currently far more extensive in the world of marketing than it is in genetics or more broadly science. While I have yet to identify a specific mentor, I am slowly becoming more familiar with the online genetics world.

I recently stumbled up the Center for Genetics and Society, a quirky California based non-profit organization. As they explain it:

The Center supports benign and beneficent medical applications of the new human genetic and reproductive technologies, and opposes those applications that objectify and commodify human life and threaten to divide human society.

I vaguely remember looking into this organization several years ago, but I am pretty sure that their blog was not up and running at that time. Reading through it, it’s exciting to find another source of online guidance that I personally identify with. The content is interesting and easily accessible for scientists and non-scientists alike. I highly recommend a visit.

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Notes on “Gene Scene”:

- While I was in school a friend and I created a facebook group named Gene Scene. Our goal was to engage all audiences in thinking about the impact of genetics in daily life

- The Sarah Lawrence Human Genetics Program has adopted this term for their newly published alumni newsletter