Lisa turned me on to William Gibson’s Pattern Recognition which, in addition to being a fun summer read, has some of the best insights on What’s Wrong With Marketing As It Is Today. An excerpt:
"What do you do?"
"Look sotted, go to clubs and wine bars and chat people up. While I’m at it, I mention a client’s product, of course favorably. I try to attract attention while I’m doing it, but attention of a favorable sort. I haven’t been doing it long, and I don’t think I like it."
Magda does indeed speak good English, and Cayce wonders at the difference in their fluencies. But says nothing.
Magda laughs. "I really am his sister," she says, "but our mother brought me here when I was five, thank God." Putting away the last hat, she closes the carton and hands it to Voytek.
"You’re paid to go to clubs and mention products?"
"Firm’s called Trans. Doing very well, apparently. I’m a design student, need something to make ends meet, but it’s getting to be a bit much." She’s lowering a sheet of tattered transparent plastic to indicate that her makeshift stall is now closed. "But I’ve just sold twenty hats! Time for a drink!"