Many a slip between the cup and the lip…

Between expectation and reality; between plan and the result; between the spoken word and the intended one. The slip, believe me, doesn’t always have to end in a debacle. Consider this: the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria set out in search of India where gold, pearls and spices awaited. But instead landed in America. Columbus is remembered today not for his slip but celebrated for his trip that took him to America. The history of science, technology, discovery and exploration is full of glorified recounts of such slips cleverly masquerading as serendipity. But this post is not about the gap between what is and what could have been – it is about those slips of tongue which are at times outrageously funny and at others simply embarrassing.

This post is also for a very dear friend; for all the laughs we have had over other people’s slips; for all the good times we have had creating what we thought was wonderful work; for small budgets but big plans; for insignificant beginnings but remarkable results; for small steps but giant leaps. So go on, get some laughs from other’s gaffes.

As a marketing communications professional my work involved interaction with product managers, vendors, advertising agencies, printers, media and several others. Excitement was always at hand, creativity at beck and call, entertainment just round the corner. On a particularly busy morning a product manager came to me looking exceptionally smug. His product had won an award. We exchanged the customary ‘you-scratch-my back-I scratch-yours’ comments -- what a great job he had done and how ably my team had supported theirs in developing marketing material. This done, he revealed the reason for his visit. He wanted the award to be framed and displayed at a prominent place in the office – the frame in his words, was to be large and attractive, have non-reflective glass if possible, and must have a ‘backside hanging hook’. Say what?

Like most projects and materials there was a brochure that was needed yesterday. There was a trade show at which the brochures were to be distributed. And to make matters worse we had to follow a corporate directive to distribute work amongst agencies to lessen the pressure of deadlines on a single agency. After several rounds of elimination we chose to work with a new vendor for the job. Brief given, images handed over, copy and layout approved the brochure was sent for printing. On the day of delivery the vendor sends me an email saying that the printer was having difficulty with one of the images and therefore could not deliver as promised. Could I please please bare with him? Well, talk of indecent propositions.

One of the company’s divisions shifted office and moved to a bigger place. The division head called for a meeting at the new office and gave me directions. Guess where the office was located: next to Bombay Brassier (the name of the restaurant is Bombay Brasserie). Now that is a real slip between cup and the lip.

Our good old agency was working on a flash presentation which projected company’s comprehensive suite of products, its technically qualified employees, its wide geographical reach – a cohesive whole. The presentation was showed to us for approval. Slickly edited, fast paced images, nicely blended colors, text, graphics – just when I was warming up to it on the screen I see a nicely forming circle and then zoom to text that said ‘A Cohesive Hole’.

And so goes on the war of words.