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Stick to the Core or Go for More

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CASE STUDY

stick to the Coreor Go for
Advaark achieved phenomenal success selling one service very well But now customers are asking for more, creating a strategic dilemma that could tear the company apart

by Thomas J.Waite

"Cut!

spike Sanchez stomped toward the stage, his arms waving the music to a stop. Wearing black from head to toe, sporting dark glasses, and sweating under the heat of the lights, he was losing his patience. A highly respected music video director, Sanchez was starting to wonder if taking on this advertising gig was such a great idea. "How many times do I have to tell you to point the logo on the can toward the camera during that move?"

up!" He turned abruptly, strode off the stage, and dropped back into his director's chair. "Let's try it again from the top." Maygan pouted at him for a moment and then flipped her long hair, spun around, and went back to her starting position. Sitting next to Sanchez was Ian Rafferty, cofounder and head of creative services for Advaark, a New York-based advertising agency. "Pretty tough to work with, isn't she?" he whispered. On stage was Maygan M, a pop singer "This?" Sanchez waved his hand diswhose star had risen in the months since missively."This is nothing! Try working she'd agreed to do this ad. She was a with some rock 'n' roll dinosaur strung sweet-faced, 18-year-old beauty, dressed out on crank and wanting to make a in a sequined, midriff-baring halter top, comeback!" a skintight leopard microskirt, and platIn the back of the studio, Rafferty's form shoes that had already tripped her partner and fellow founder George up twice. She sheltered her eyes from Caldwell was deep in conversation with the lights and glared at Sanchez. "Like John McWilliams, the CEO of GlobalI can even see the stupid logo," she Bev. Both men were oblivious to the anwhined. "Maybe you could fix it on a tics

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