George Kotsolios is the joint managing director of GolinHarris in Dubai
“As the EPL football season is back, here’s my starting XI for ‘Team Marketing’.
PR – Goalkeeper: The most important position for any team with an ambition to keep a clean sheet. To win you must concede less than you score and as is the case ‘PR offers more for less’.
Digital – right back: He is fit, flexible and focused in going the extra mile, however, the coach of Team Marketing still doesn’t know how to extract optimal value out of him.
Promotion – left back: He has been around for a while but seems to have lost a bit of his lustre, looks tired and out of ideas. Needs to find his lost mojo and fitness otherwise his position in the starting line-up is at stake.
Research – centre back: He asks a lot of questions to anyone near him as he uses his inquisitive skills to analyse the strengths of the opponent. He is one of the most useful members of the team, and can play defensively if needed.
Media planning – sweeper: He is calm and full of confidence, he can see the whole game from a position of strength when his team is attacking and his perspective helps him set the tone and orchestrate his team mates’ movements on the pitch.
Branding – central midfielder: With a blank canvas to cover, he does a lot of planning which rarely manifests itself, but its laborious approach and hard work is an essential backbone ingredient.
Social – right wing: He is the Ronaldo of Team Marketing. He is young, fast-paced, sexy; he is also incredibly arrogant, believing that he is the best of the rest of his team mates and a tad immature, especially when the connection is slow.
Events – midfielder: He is glamorous and eccentric, a heart-throb and a favourite with the female fans but his performance is totally dependent on his pay cheque.
Media buying – centre forward: He is the team’s striker, its most prolific scorer; when he sees an opportunity he takes it and he never misses a chance for the team.
Creative – playmaker: He is the flashy, full of flair playmaker, enormously talented and great to watch for his gift to excite the crowds who applaud most of his moves. Irrespective of his performance, he commands respect and the manger is always convinced he deserves a place in the line-up.
Direct marketing – left wing: Working tirelessly through the line his advances are easily defended, which makes him the least effective of the manager’s attacking choices. Usually out of ideas from early on in any campaign, he tries hard to impress but the little value he brings to the team mostly tends to go unnoticed.”