Virgil Winston:Marketing Guru
I still remember my ninth birthday. The whole beautiful thing—friends, family, presents, games, cake, candles and, of course, Uncle Isadro, who at the end of my party, put his teeth back in his mouth, raised his scotch to me and said, “Kid, ten million people share your birthday…you’re not that special.”
Now, Isadro was a bitter old man who obviously never had kids, let alone a wife or, for that matter, friends, but I was an impressionable young kid and his words had a profound affect on me. I felt anonymous and uninteresting—not the best gift for a nine year old. I made a wish and then blew out the candles, convinced that with all the other wishes that day, I didn’t stand a chance. And, sure enough, Julie Andrews and I never married.
Now, had it not been for the word “lieutenant” who knows how long I might have stayed in that gloomy state of depression. That was the word that won me first place at the annual spelling bee at the Jim Morrison Elementary School. To this day, I can still remember the feeling I had when I picked up that trophy. It weighed no more than a few ounces, but it had my name on it. First Prize. Best Speller. I felt out of all the billions of people in this world, there was no one who could claim what I had just won. I felt special…and what with Uncle Isadro back in rehab, no one was going to take that away from me.
Truth is, we all need to feel special. We all need to stand out once in awhile. This is why we need to reward others…and when we do, we need to make it count. We need to present awards that reflect how we genuinely feel about those we honor. The Extra Terrestrial Medium is the answer. This award is not just bold and unique, but it’s futuristic, giving the distinct impression that you were “looking at things to come.” That’s a message we should all send. Each piece is a unique work of art with differing color and size—the perfect award to recognize achievements that are out of this world.
Well, I got to run. It’s tango night at the Y—proof positive that no one in the world can dance as bad as me. Until next time, “If you want to stand out, don’t be different; be outstanding.”