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Perspectives
The Elephant In The BoardroomThe current state of the branding profession reminds us of the age-old Indian story of the blind men and the elephant, which had been told and retold from Japan to Africa before being brought to Europe by the British.The American poet John Godfrey Saxe (1816 - 1887) turned the parable into popular verse in the 1878 edition of Poetry of America: The Blind Men And The ElephantIt was six men of IndostanTo learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant (Though all of them were blind), That each by observation Might satisfy his mind. The First approach'd the Elephant, And happening to fall Against his broad and sturdy side, At once began to bawl: "God bless me! but the Elephant Is very like a wall!" The Second, feeling of the tusk, Cried, "Ho! what have we here So very round and smooth and sharp? To me 'tis mighty clear This wonder of an Elephant Is very like a spear!" The Third approached the animal, And happening to take The squirming trunk within his hands, Thus boldly up and spake: "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant Is very like a snake!" The Fourth reached out his eager hand, And felt about the knee. "What most this wondrous beast is like Is mighty plain," quoth he, "'Tis clear enough the Elephant Is very like a tree!" The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said, "E'en the blindest man Can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an Elephant Is very like a fan!" The Sixth no sooner had begun About the beast to grope, Then, seizing on the swinging tail That fell within his scope, "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant Is very like a rope!" And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right, And all were in the wrong! So oft in theologic wars, The disputants, I ween, Rail on in utter ignorance Of what each other mean, And prate about an Elephant Not one of them has seen! In The Limelight09/26/11 Repeat Client: Asiana Airlines09/25/11 New Client: Beverage Start-up 09/18/11 New Client: Food Start-up 09/18/11 Repeat Client: William Morris Endeavor 08/24/11 New Client: Diamond 08/15/11 Repeat Client: Exemplis 08/11/11 New Work: Nuance Salma Hayek launches at CVS/Pharmacy nationwide 08/06/11 New Client: City Interactive 08/05/11 New Client: See's Candies 08/01/11 New Client: Polaroid 07/29/11 New Client: The Hallmark Channel 07/16/11 New Work: Vodvil opens in Los Angeles 06/26/11 New Work: Land Alive Kettle Corn launches in Nebraska 06/25/11 New Work: Picturing Science opens at The American Museum of Natural History 05/27/11 Repeat Client: The Phillips Collection 05/05/11 Repeat Client: 20th Century Fox 04/06/11 Repeat Client: Autodesk 03/11/11 New Client: Kumho Tires 01/20/11 Repeat Client: The Kreeger Museum 01/03/11 New Client: One Tree Hill Scarcliff SalvadorNaming and Brand ConsultancyCopyright© 2011 Scarcliff Salvador Inc. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |