This week a student of mine stumbled upon a discussion of this publicity brilliance in a Yahoo discussion board of so-called “Internet marketers” ...

Would you be amazed to learn that most of the 47 comments were negative? People were bashing the idea and the people who could afford such a thing. That just blows me away... the dream of most average people, I thought, was to become independently wealthy... yet they talk in negative terms about people who have achieved that. Words like "spoiled brat" populated the comments. Then, there were the more crass and rude suggestions.

This is something I have noticed many times myself. Instead of being fascinated with great marketing, people who claim to be focused on making money trash people who are making money! Is this envy? Is it a closed mind that can't see or appreciate sound marketing?

Personally, my reaction is to study clever marketing ideas, so that I can learn from them and hopefully become a more effective marketer.

The last I heard, the Algonquin hasn't sold any of their $10,000 martinis. Do you think they care? Their goal was to get publicity for their famous luxury hotel and in that they succeeded admirably. Good for them!