Blaze by Di Morrissey Page B

David Ogilvy, the consumer ain’t a moron, she’s your wife.’
    â€˜I’m gay,’ smiled Steve.
    â€˜So what. Partner then. Who decides who buys what at your house?’
    â€˜He does.’
    â€˜So he’ll buy Blaze. Look at Vanity Fair , they do a cover story on Armani, his lifestyle, his clothes, his house, then go to the Balkans with the UN ambassador and explore the conflicts there. Both subjects are tackled in depth. Moving on, here is the list of the top companies, and their products, we want to advertise with us. Exclusively in Blaze . In return, we’re going to offer them one helluva international deal.’
    Steve took a deep gulp of his wine. ‘This could create a storm. You’re essentially asking us as an agency to take the cream of advertising revenue available out of the other magazines, and TV too, and plonk it all in Blaze .’
    â€˜You got it.’ Manny was unperturbed. ‘We’ll be briefing you on the deal before we make the presentation to your clients next week, then we’ll go on to the other agencies. Let’s just say, for now, the benefits to your clients will be dynamite internationally.’
    â€˜Define intelligent women, smart men for me.’
    â€˜Hard to find,’ grinned Manny. ‘Nah, just joking.’
    â€˜I meant demographically . . . age?’
    â€˜You’ll find Ali Gruber, the editor, will go for the big-spending thirties.’
    â€˜Ah, the VAs, SAs and YOs,’ said Steve. Then seeing Manny’s blank expression explained, ‘Visible Achievers, Socially Aware and Young Optimists.’
    â€˜Yeah. Nina has been saying for a while that women over fifty are the big market, but Blaze ’s demographics are spread across the board, so we’re happy with thirties as the median target. Male, female, gay, whatever, so long as they have smarts and money.’
    â€˜They’re the advertisers’ top targets,’ said Steve.
    â€˜So tell your account execs to go get ’em.’ Manny leaned back eyeing the menu, then asked the waitress, ‘You got decaf coffee? Real beans, not berries from some Aborigine tree?’
    â€˜Certainly, sir. Would you like to try one of our fine ports or liqueurs?’
    â€˜Normally, yes. But I like this red, I’ll take another glass of that.’
    â€˜It’s Penfolds Grange, sir, our most famous wine.’
    Steve ordered another bottle of the expensive classic, knowing this lunch would be taken out of the huge account the agency had just landed. As well as the pleasing prospect of selling advertising space in the new Blaze to its top clients, Trends had only yesterday signed with Manny Golan to become the agency behind the multi-million dollar campaign to launch Blaze in Sydney. The offices of Blaze Australia were close to the city in a stylish development at east Darling Harbour. Overlooking the sparkling waters, they were near the Cockle Bay wharf development and a favoured waterfront pub in Sussex Street, as well as being close to Chinatown and its restaurants.
    Nina spent hours with Manny Golan poring over the budgets. She loved his approach to the numbers game.
    â€˜Money makes the world go round, Nina. Without money to spend, you ain’t got no magazine. Money is the power. You gotta spend big to make big.’
    Nina was used to his ‘big’ talk. She knew he could also quibble over where twenty dollars might have been wasted. ‘We have to deliver a perfect product, Manny.’
    â€˜Hell, Nina, you’ve done it often enough. You started out here and built an amazing magazine, which you moved to New York and bowled ’em over. Then you spread it round the world. You got the formula and the magic touch, honey.’
    Nina smiled inwardly at Manny treating a sixty-year-old woman, who was his boss, like a junior girl. ‘Times change, Manny. What worked yesterday mightn’t work in this new millennium.