I had a very interesting chat this morning. With Marc Michils, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Belgium and one of the Master Marketeers within the Belgian Marketing Foundation to be precise. We talked about working in advertising, the love of the job, future trends, the importance of higher education,... Nothing special? True, if it weren't for the fact that our little chat was recorded for television.
Why on earth would anybody ask a nobody like myself for a television appearance? To be honest: I was equally surprised when I got a phonecall some weeks ago to tell me "I had been selected." Selected? At last year's Marketing Congress I had participated in a contest for 'young wolves in marketing' who could win an opportunity to talk with one of the leading marketeers in Belgium (one of the activities for the foundation's 25th birthday). The talks were to be recorded and broadcast (one conversation per month between 13 May and 5 December, every time there is a full moon - the 'wolves', get it?) on the Belgian business channel Kanaal Z.
I never thought they would ask me (I am 35 - a young wolf?) but apparently they liked the topic I had suggested (about the relationship between higher education and the communications branch). Naturally, I did not hesitate to accept the invitation. A great experience, and like Andy Warhol said: "In the future, everybody will be famous for 15 minutes".
Mind you: Kanaal Z is only doing a 3 minutes' broadcast (albeit in a loop, so several times a day). But that's fine by me: that means I still have 12 minutes left!
Way to go Serge! And you know you've got much more than 12 minutes remaining! (Noticed that you and the other gentleman were dressed alike...)
Posted by: Andrea Weckerle | April 27, 2006 at 04:00 PM
Thanks for the encouragements. And about our clothes: that's the unofficial dresscode for Belgian marketing communication professionals :-).
Posted by: Serge Cornelus | April 27, 2006 at 04:28 PM
Serge the Cyclist, Serge the academic, Serge the family man and now Serge the TV star. Is there no end to your talents?
Any chance of getting a peek at the broadcast online?
Posted by: Sam Smith | April 27, 2006 at 05:34 PM
It's just a matter of doing just enough in different fields of intrest so that you get noticed, but never doing too much - that would be too much work. That's the only talent I have tried to develop so far... :-). I'll let you know when it's broadcast - it should normally also be available online once it's been on TV. Another excellent chance to polish your Dutch! BTW: don't get your (or mine for that matter) hopes up too high - it's mainly Marc doing most of the talking...
Posted by: Serge Cornelus | April 27, 2006 at 05:48 PM
Serge; very cool, when does it air, I will have my relatives watch?
Plus, I will have to see it online and see if I understand ANYTHING! Probably not, I will have to have my husband translate.
Tot ziens!
Posted by: Kami Huyse | April 27, 2006 at 09:52 PM
I'll keep you all posted as to when it will be on air (I don't know that yet myself) and when it will be available online. I am sure you'll understand some words. My vocabulary is, after all, limited and simple :-)
Posted by: Serge | April 28, 2006 at 09:52 AM
Well, I am at about the infant-learning-her-first words level:
Bent u ziek? Mijn zoon was ziek. And so on...(ha-ha).
I am sure the interview was brilliant, I look forward to watching it.
Posted by: Kami Huyse | April 28, 2006 at 04:12 PM
Kami: that already looks like a great start. At least people would understand when you should ever need a doctor around here... :-) (which I hope will never happen, of course)
Posted by: Serge Cornelus | April 29, 2006 at 10:20 AM
Now, I am not sure I could ask for a toilette, but hey, I could get a check up ;-)
And by the way, he really was sick last week, and maybe still is. :-( Not too bad though.
Posted by: Kami Huyse | April 30, 2006 at 03:50 AM
Hope he gets well real soon!
Posted by: Serge Cornelus | May 01, 2006 at 09:24 AM