Client Management Lessons from Song Lyrics

Client Management Lessons from Song Lyrics

Client management lessons I learned from It’s the end of the world as we know it by REM

We all know the experience, having lived through it many times (and lost our hair or even worse, our sanity, each time): the client project that blows up. Maybe due to your fault or your team’s fault, but more often than not, for reasons that have nothing to do with you. (You’re perfect so how could it ever be your fault?).

Read more: Client management lessons I learned from It’s the end of the world as we know it by REM

Client Management Lessons from Song Lyrics

Client management lessons I learned from Never gonna give you up by Rick Astley

How inevitable was it that we would analyze the original Rickrolling video here, to try to extract client management or marketing lessons from it? A song that had 6 milliseconds of fame once upon a time but that the Interwebs makes live on forever.

Read more: Client management lessons I learned from Never gonna give you up by Rick Astley

Client Management Lessons from Song Lyrics

Client management lessons I learned from Everybody wants to rule the world by Tears for Fears

The famous name and chorus to Tears for Fears’ most classic song--Everybody Wants To Rule The World--feels like a lie to me: those who are ruling the world or close to ruling the world probably have the most miserable job on the planet.

Read more: Client management lessons I learned from Everybody wants to rule the world by Tears for Fears

Client Management Lessons from Song Lyrics

Client management lessons I learned from These Boots Are Made For Walking

It's hard for me to find a 70s song that is both intensely fun and danceable, while not being as cliche and overused as Saturday Night Fever or Staying Alive. What song is at that perfect intersection of that Venn diagram, while also having possibly the most '70s video of it ever? Nancy Sinatra's--yes, daughter of Frank--These Boots Are Made For Walking.

Read more: Client management lessons I learned from These Boots Are Made For Walking

Client Management Lessons from Song Lyrics

Client management lessons I learned from Handle with Care by the Traveling Wilburys

What do you get when a one-hit-wonder crosses with a group of the greatest apparent rock usicians together? You get only one song in that Venn diagram: Handle with Care by the Traveling Wilburys.

Read more: Client management lessons I learned from Handle with Care by the Traveling Wilburys

Client Management Lessons from Song Lyrics

Client management lessons I learned from Somewhere over the rainbow by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole (and I want it all by Queen)

Similar to Ground Control to Major Tom, sorry, I mean Space Oddity, "Somewhere over the rainbow" is another song that I can't call by its official title, "Over the rainbow": it just sounds too weird to my ears without the "Somewhere."

Read more: Client management lessons I learned from Somewhere over the rainbow by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole (and I want it all by Queen)

Client Management Lessons from Song Lyrics

Client management lessons I learned from Under Pressure by Queen & David Bowie

If there is a song that ought to be the anthem of any serious professional, especially in the marketing industry–although likely members of any profession would argue it ought to be their anthem–it would be Queen & David Bowie’s Under Pressure.

Read more: Client management lessons I learned from Under Pressure by Queen & David Bowie

Client Management Lessons from Song Lyrics, Marketing

Client management lessons I learned from Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

How Jon Bon Jovi predicted inclusive advertising, resource preservation, and process focus.

Read more: Client management lessons I learned from Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

Client Management Lessons from Song Lyrics, Marketing

Client management lessons I learned from Ground Control to Major Tom by David Bowie

Ground Control to Major Tom--a song I just can't call by its official name "Space Oddity" because the key line in the chorus is too melded into my brain--is an emotionally powerful articulation of a risk of working with any professional: they may get so absorbed into their work that they'll just vanish into space... and love it so much, never return.

Read more: Client management lessons I learned from Ground Control to Major Tom by David Bowie

Business, Client Management Lessons from Song Lyrics, Marketing

Client management lessons I learned from Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These by the Eurythmics

It's hard for me to think of a song that is intrinsically better at marketing than the Eurythmics' Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These. Who that's younger than my parents and older than teenagers doesn't know the entirety of the song's lyrics by heart?

Read more: Client management lessons I learned from Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These by the Eurythmics