BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Jeffrey Hayzlett had a commanding presence here on stage at the Mobile Marketing Forum, living up to his so-called “CMO celebrity” status with a mix of humor and forcefulness.
Looking back on his time as the chief marketing officer at Eastman Kodak Co. (EK), Hayzlett highlighted the need for companies to understand what their company does at its very core and be willing to shift focus.
Calling Kodak a film company, for example, would fall way off the mark, considering film will only comprise $200 million in sales for the company this year.
“For us it was very much like a do or die — adapt or die,” he said.
The 118 pitch
If there’s one lingering thought that Hayzlett left the audience with it would have to be his theory about “the 118 pitch,” something he calls the new elevator pitch.
“Eight seconds is the average attention span of an adult… 110 seconds is the average elevator ride in New York City,” he said.
“You got eight seconds to hook me. You got 110 seconds to close,” he added. “If Moses can do it on two tablets with five bullet points on each, you can do it.”
Later on, the largest applause was reserved for Hayzlett’s thoughts about marketing campaigns that go bust. “If you’re going to make a mistake, make it big,” he said.
@ Mobile Marketing Forum: Jeffrey Hayzlett’s 118 pitch
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