Marketing is the business of making money by spending money. But not often do you succeed in this venture. It takes a lot of trial and error to get things going for you. But when it still doesn’t, to quote Mr. Wonderful Kevin O’Leary, the only option left is to “…take it behind the barn and shoot it.” 

When Thanush Joseph, Director of 70 EMG, told me that he won’t be honouring the company’s contract that I had fulfilled, I was enraged. I worked with them for months to fulfill the objectives they had set, I delivered as per their contractual requirements, even going beyond what was committed, and they decided to deduct part of my receivable amount. 

But then what he disclosed brought tears to my eyes. The pride of the event company, India Bike Week has been a loss making initiative for the past 6 editions over 7 years. The company is holding on to it by a thread, because their livelihood depends on taking money from its sponsors without providing any ROI. 

In fact, the situation is so dire, that they launched another IP known as the ISUZU X Food Festival, to flush some fresh money out of the system.