Quite Coincidental Results of Miss Universe Beauty Contests, Games and Sports After Japan Disasters

Now, that the Miss Universe Japan contest is over and my dear friend Andrew over at the "It's a Wonderful Rife" blog picked the winner (the guy does have good taste!) I have an observation that I'd like to share with you.

sexy Japanese girls

This observation comes from years of working in the mass media and in marketing. It is an observation on something that happens so repeatedly I am surprised that it seems that few others notice it.

In the seminal George Orwell book, 1984, the protagonist Winston Smith is at his office working. He gets up from his desk and heads to the restroom. There he is greeted by his boss. His boss asks Winston if he saw the 'big game' last night. Winston answers in the negative. Then the boss says something like,

"Wow! That was an exciting finish to a very exciting game! That's the best script we've written in a long time!" 

"I wouldn't kick any of them out of bed for eating sembei!"

I think most people can already get what I am implying here. What I want to say is not a negative comment, nor a positive one. I am merely making  an observation as to the way things are and run in this world.

It doesn't matter if it's sports, or elections, news or even beauty pageants; if big money is involved you can bet that a big factor of "entertainment" and "drama" is indelibly tied into the result.

Let me give you some recent examples:

Japan suffers the worst natural calamity in centuries.... That year Japan's Women's Soccer team wins the world championship for the first time in their history...

A year later, the winner of the Miss Universe Japan 2012 beauty contest comes from the prefecture that was worst hit by the earthquake and tsunami...

In 1995, Kobe was devastated by the Great Hanshin Earthquake... Quite coincidentally, I'm sure, the Kobe baseball team, the Orix Blue Wave, won the championship in 1995 and 1996.

There's a ton more of examples like this... Remember a few years back when Japan and Korea hosted the 2002 World Cup and Korea met powerhouse Spain? Yeah, Spain lost to Korea. In the final 10 minutes of the game, three goals by Spain were called back. Now, I'm not saying that game was "fixed" per say... But, face it folks, the World Soccer League is a business like any other. The Asian countries all had lots of money and any business knows that expansion into Asia is a smart and profitable move... The league knows that the local leagues must succeed and do well at home. This, of course, made for a situation whereby the league tries to arrange, how do you say? Better and more accommodating conditions for the Japanese and Korean teams.   

I think Japan finished in the top 8. Korea finished in the top 4. Neither of them have ever been in the top 16 (32?) before or since. You judge for yourself what that implies.

And don't think for a moment that this is confined to Japan and soccer... It happens in the USA and Europe for ALL major sports events. The bigger the money involved, the more corrupt the results will be. Please refer to Sumo is Fixed Like All Other Pro Sports

Take the example of CBS who used to do the Superbowl every year. CBS sells commercial time on the Superbowl for tens of millions of dollars. CBS wants to sell 4 or 5 hours of this commercial time to a sponsor.

If the games are blowouts and 70% the viewers turn off their TVs before the first half ends, sponsors are very upset. When sponsors are upset, the TV stations are very upset. Why? Because, if games are boring and people tune out, if this happens too much and too often then sponsors won't want to spend big money next year because they fear the same thing will happen.

If the sponsors don't pay big money, then who doesn't make big money? The league and team owners.

If you are an American, you might remember the Denver Broncos getting to the Superbowl in the early 1980s. They got blown out two years in a row. The games were basically over 1/2 way through the second quarter. The viewers turned their sets off. There haven't been any blowouts since then. Is it any wonder why?

Like I said, pro sports are a big business. The leagues have a product to sell. That product is supposed to be an exciting sports event that last for 4 hours and is profitable to their mass media partners too. When the game is over after 45 minutes, there are some very unhappy sponsors and media partners.

The league cannot afford to have that.

Now, many people will get angry at what I am saying here... But it's true. 

The girl who won the Miss Universe Japan Beauty Contest is a very beautiful girl and she deserves to win... I'm not taking anything away from her. But don't think for a moment that she didn't get special attention because of where she's from. I think it would be foolish to entertain the thought that she didn't.

In the case of this Miss Universe contest, the folks who run these contests also have concerns about public image and Corporate Social Responsibility. They also don't want to be seen as exploiting women so they want to put the best face forward and show that their contest is good and beneficial for society. Miss Miyagi winning this contest brings much good publicity and business to that devastated area. 

Miyagi needs good news, no?

It's good that Miss Miyagi won the contest but don't think for a minute that the disaster, pain, suffering and memory of March 11 didn't help the give the judges more consideration of her over the other girls.

The contest is, after all, run like a business.

Entrepreneur Association Of Tokyo: Worst Marketing & Promotion of 2011 Award "No Riff Raff!"

Ladies and gentlemen the Worst Marketing and Promotion Award of 2011 goes to.... Envelope please... A Linked in group in Japan called the Entrepreneur Association Of Tokyo!


Clap! Clap! Clap!

The flunky association with the funky title gets the award for an extremely lame attempt at building their data base by obtaining contact information and details of company owners and executives. Then they can use this information to market those people and probably use/sell this data to obtain sponsors. How clever! How original! Took a page right out of Marketing 101.


Fantabulous and superbulous are words that come to mind..


Hello? Guys! I think that most people, who would matter to you, for this sort of thing (a thinly-veiled crass attempt at data-mining), are pretty protective of their personal information.


But, that's just me, I suppose.  


First, let's look at what the commotion is all about:


The Entrepreneur Association Of Tokyo plans on holding a "Shacho Night" (President's Night) at a bar in Tokyo. The charge for the event is ¥10,000. The invitation, in its hoity-toity, manner claims that:


"This is a “members only” event. Attendees must be a Company President, Owner, CEO or Country Head and an approved member at www.tokyoexecutives.com or our Linked in Group "Tokyo Executives."


Wow! High-powered clientele! There must be some great speaker and entertainment lined up for this event, right? Or, heck, maybe even some hot belly-dancers? Well, if you thought so, you thought wrong. Go to the back of the class!


At the top of the invitation it says:


"We are pleased to introduce the first ever “Shacho Night” – A Special Dinner Event especially for Company Presidents, Business Owners, and CEOs. This event will be organized and hosted by Tokyo Executives.

This will be a great opportunity to meet with other CEOs and we expect the dinner discussions to be lively and engaging."

No entertainment? No famous speakers? "Expecting the dinner discussions to be lively and engaging"?! Not much of a killer line up there. No wonder they didn't try to book Tokyo Dome for this gala event.

And just who are Tokyo Executives? Must be a well known and long established company in Tokyo, right? Wrong. A look at their web page reveals that the company was established way back in (August?) of 2010 - ancient! Coupled with  that long and storied history, the company also boasts a staff of three people.

Count them: One, two, three.

Far be it from me, though, to trash some small businessmen trying to make a buck, but, guys at least have some basic manners - as well as a tiny bit of common sense - before you go off acting like the King of Siam. 

I showed this invitation to my friend Roger Marshall. Roger, of course, is merely a rookie only having been living in Japan since 1971 and a managing partner at one of the most reputable executive search companies in the entire world. I sweep floors, empty waste bins and clean the latrine twice a week at Roger's offices. So while I am shining his shoes, sometimes Roger will talk to me. Roger laughed when he saw this invitation and this was how our conversation went,


"Mike?" Roger said as his lips curled on a hundred dollar Cuban cigar.


"Yes, boss?" I muttered.

"It's OK what they are trying to do. How they are doing it is idiotic." He added.


"Yes, boss." I replied


Roger then tipped me a dollar and walked off in the rain towards the train station. 


The qualifications listed on the Tokyo Executives web page might be good enough to get an teaching job or job at a restaurant (nothing at all wrong with gainful employment). May I suppose that it stretches the imagination to think it  qualifies these people to decide who is "presidential enough" to fit into their little club? Does, say, the president of a large car manufacturing company have to apply too? How about someone who has received funding from a major Japanese corporation for their project? Or does the application requirement and approval process only apply to small businessmen and riff raff like me?

Let me allow you, dear reader, to decide if I am just over-reacting to some pompous nonsense from some amateurish clowns or is this really insulting? Here's their email notice:

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW

There's several problems here that I'm sure Miss Manners would take offense to. Please refer to the amateurish writing skills and redundancies as designated by the arrows 1 & 2. 

#1 says: "Please Note: This event is for Company Presidents, CEOs, Business Owners, and Japan Country Heads only. All participants must RSVP in advance. There are a limited number of spaces available. "

#2 basically says the same thing: "This is a “members only” event. Attendees must be a Company President, Owner, CEO or Country Head and an approved member at www.tokyoexecutives.com or our Linked in Group "Tokyo Executives"

This invitation made me laugh at just how preposterous it was. I suggested to these eager beaver business men on their Linkedin page:


"...You should have added to the invitations, 'No riff raff allowed and only pompous twits need apply.'" 


My error! I should have written:


"...You should have added to the "insultations", 'No riff raff allowed and only pompous twits need apply.'"

This is a crass and shallow attempt to data mine information for marketing purposes. And just how does one become an "approved member" pray tell? Well... Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! They must register at the Tokyo Executive website and/or register by sending in their email and contact information. Like I said crass, low class, no common sense, poorly written (redundancies) and pretty transparent what they are trying to do. 


When I went back to see what other people had responded to my own comedic and low class remarks, I found that I have been blocked from the site!

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW

It says, "Sorry! You're not permitted to view the information you requested."


Oh for shame. I guess I'm out of the club! What'll I ever do?

I guess, though, that I can console my devastated pride by remembering the words of that great and genius businessman Groucho Marx when he remarked about club memberships:


"Please accept my resignation. I don't want to belong to any club that will accept people like me as a member!"


Actually, I wouldn't. I would, though, think that people would take some common sense advice on manners and professionalism when it is obvious that they have been very amateurish and lacking in writing and marketing skills with this very poor presentation.


If they can't do that, they could at least have a sense of humor... But, nope. Doesn't seem like a sense of humor is what these guys are strong in.


Sounds like it's going to be a fun night!


NOTE: Of course, on this blog, I rip these guys. They deserve it for this   neanderthal effort. It is unfortunate that they are the target of my derision today. Recently, I have been saving such criticism for high-fliers like Groupon, Linkedin, Twitter, etc. So, in a way, I am complimenting Entrepreneur Association Of Tokyo by putting them in with such a big name crowd... As if it actually matters what I think anyway... 


Whenever I write a post and blast some big name company, that article will get at least a few hundred and, sometimes a few thousand reads - especially if they are rewritten and posted on Lew Rockwell where they will get several hundred thousand reads. Alas, that won't happen with with this article as Entrepreneur Association Of Tokyo isn't a popular enough name to justify an article like that. (And my piddly reputation isn't big enough to carry it alone...)


So, let's let bygones be bygones. May I suggest to Entrepreneur Association of Tokyo that, had we met in private, of course I wouldn't be blasting them in public like this. But, as this is a blog, readers are not interested in niceties and pretty things. It seems they are interested in cutting straight to the chase.


They blew it big time with this arrogant effort. They used public media to promote their effort, they get blasted in the same public media for doing so poorly. It's called the "Free Market". By the way, it is laughable that they block me from visiting the page that they sent me. I guess the free market only goes so far... Perhaps they should write to Linkedin and try to have me banned? (But don't think I am complaining, you can freely associate with whomever you wish)

Entrepreneur Association of Tokyo? All entrepreneurs are equal. Some are more equal than others.

I find it astounding that I should have to recommend this to people who supposedly head an organization called "Entrepreneur Association Of Tokyo" but may I suggest reading "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnagie? 


If we all would read and practice the wisdom of that book, we could most probably double our response and, most certainly wouldn't, at least, have people thinking we are stuck-up, rude or incompetent.


Good luck. 


(I wonder if I'll get invited to this year's Christmas Turkey dinner?)

"What Makes a Great Boss, 'Great'?"

We all know bad bosses. What makes them bad? I think it is something like comparing lies to the truth. There is always only one truth. There are many lies. So, there are many reasons a bad boss is bad. 

Bad bosses are never cute... Excepting in Japanese anime.

What makes a good boss? Being a nice person? Perhaps. But what makes a great boss? I mean a really great boss?


Actually, this post is about a TV producer but it is interchangeable with any boss at any occupation. So, instead of just referring to a "producer," a title that doesn't strike a chord with most people, let me refer to this person as a "boss" 


There are a lot of bad, stupid bosses.

JIMMY REED - BIG BOSS MAN 

But first, let me tell you what a producer does. A TV producer is a person who coordinates everything concerning the production of a TV program or movie. Many people confuse "TV Producer" with "Director" but they are two distinctly different things. In many cases a producer lines up sponsors and stars to appear on shows and also hires directors and staff. They are the people who set up the over all view of how a program is to be run. The director, on the other hand, is the person who is actually in-charge of the shooting and is the boss at the set.


The producer has a lot of say in what goes on and can give his opinion to the director in how s/he thinks the production and editing should be done, but the final say goes to the director. If the producer, or producers, don't like what they see in the director, they can fire that director and hire another one. 


Producers of TV shows are much like people on the Board of Directors at a company; they can advise on policy and choose a CEO but the actual daily running of the company is left up to the CEO. If the Board of Directors doesn't like the direction in which the company is going, they can remove the CEO and get another one.


I have been a producer of programs many times. I have only been a director a few times. Being a director is a tough job. Being a producer is an easier job, I think. Why? Because a good producer doesn't really have to do much excepting make sure that there is an atmosphere whereby everyone, including the director, can be and do their best.


In other words, in many cases, producers are glorified "coffee boys." 


As a producer (and I think I am a good one) I make sure that everyone is happy and is enjoying their work. I try to prevent tensions and disagreements. I always try to make sure that there are enough refreshments and coffee back stage for everyone. I try to make sure the "talent" or sponsors and staff of the program know that they are well respected and cared for.


Of course, though, there are times when I must put my foot down; but I like to think that when I do, it is for what is best for the show or the people who appear on the show. It is never for what is best for me.


The great producers are humble and are, like I said, de facto servants to the staff and talent. Everyone needs to know that they are needed and everyone needs to know that their opinion's are heard. Everyone needs to like the producer and want to work hard for him because he is such a good person and an inspirational leader.


That's the key here: The great producer's make everyone want to work hard and do their best. The great producers are able to make an atmosphere whereby everyone feels important and everyone feels that they are respected and they know that they can blossom and bloom to be their very best.


If you, as a producer or boss, can create the atmosphere where everyone knows they are respected, where their opinion counts, where they are somebody important, where they can be their absolute "best" then you have real power.


Once again, the truly great producers (and directors) are able to create an atmosphere whereby everyone can be their best. That is the key to success. They are also the ones that, when praise does come, the first thing out of their mouth's is something like, 


"Well. I have a great team!" 


Great producers never take credit for themselves. They always thank the team first... Bad producers suck up praise like Spongebob sucks up water. (I like Spongebob!)


Alas, there are far too many bad producers (bosses) who get confused and start to think of themselves as superior to their staff. They take all the credit for success and blame others for failures. They talk down to their staff and belittle them. They start to believe that all the success that has been gained so far is 100% due to themselves and not to the hard efforts of those around them.


Those are the bad producers. 


The bad producer yells at people in a disrespectful manner. The bad producer treats people with little respect. The bad producer will belittle people in front of others. The bad producer will not motivate people to be their best.


The bad producer is his own worst enemy. The bad producer is a fool.


There are a very many bad producers and bosses in this world.


Think about it; which is better? Motivating people to do their best and to grow and achieve or to disrespect them and demotivate them to do the minimum required? When the staff are not doing their best, who suffers? Of course, as workers, the staff do, but also the producer does.


Who loses money when the staff don't perform up to the best of their abilities? The producer (boss) does. So why does the bad producer continue with these bad habits? Isn't it self-defeating? It sure is.


Long ago, I had a boss who was an excellent producer. His name was Kiyoshi Mizuno. He produced many films in Japan and has won famous awards. One day he was talking to me when I was a 25 some year old. He was talking to me about what a good producer was. He told me a story that I realized was a sort of parable. He pointed to an old dirty ashtray and he said to me, 


"Mike. Imagine you were a famous and wealthy producer and you wanted this ashtray from me. You came and asked me for it and I said I would give it to you if you got on your knees and kissed my feet. Would you do it?"


"Of course not!" I replied.


"Well, then, you will never become a good producer." He replied, "A good producer will be humble and lower his head and do whatever is necessary to get the job done. All you would need to do is to get on your knees and kiss my feet. That would take just ten seconds of your time. But for that ten seconds, you'd have this ashtray forever. That's the difference between a great producer and a bad one. The bad producer has too much pride."


He was right. The bad producer (boss) has too much pride. He is arrogant and talk down to people and belittles his staff in front of others. He doesn't make an atmosphere whereby everyone can do and become their best.


Only a fool is a bad producer. Don't be a fool.


Any intelligent person can become a great producer (boss)... 


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For more on becoming a great boss or producer, I recommend reading:


The Road Less Traveled by F. Scott Peck


Why Great Leaders Don't Take Yes for an Answer: Managing for Conflict and Consensus by Michael A. Roberto


Good to Great by Jim Collins