Gene Simmons, advertising conventioneer
You don’t expect to run into a rock star in the hotel lobby at every ad-industry conference—not in dull-as-dishwater Orlando, Fla., and not a rock star who specializes in blood-spitting, fire-breathing and tongue-wagging. It’s weirder still when the rock star is actually attending said conference. But it happened last week at the Association of National Advertisers, when Gene Simmons of KISS fame sauntered into the Ritz-Carlton, small entourage in tow, to drum up business for his 1-year-old marketing company, Simmons Abramson Marketing. Yep, there he was at cocktail parties and official event dinners, mingling with P&G, Campbell Soup and Hewlett-Packard execs, seeking sponsors for Indy Racing, which his company now reps. Simmons created the “I am Indy” work and personally penned the campaign's song. I learned this over a 20-minute interview with him and his business partner, Rich Abramson. Check out the whole interview here. I had to do it. It was too strange an opportunity to pass up. And it was a pretty surreal meeting, but not because he was weird and crazy (which I guess is what I expected) but because he was very measured and articulate, as well as pretty funny and fairly charming. (I’ve been around agency CEOs who are far more arrogant and piggish). The only tongue-wagging Simmons does is talking about his various and sundry business ventures. But the conversation does veer into territories such as KISS as a brand (the video above), money, marriage and his immigrant’s work ethic, America’s reliance on foreign oil, and the A&E show Gene Simmons Family Jewels. By the end, no blood was spilled—literal or otherwise. |
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October 12, 2006 | Permalink |
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Today’s blog post on Adfreak entitled, “Gene Simmons, Advertising Conventioneer” just rocked me. It seems that, of all things, Gene Simmons is in the ad business, with his own marketing company named Simmons Abramson Marketing. He’s promoting the Indy ... [Read More]
Tracked on Oct 13, 2006 3:13:21 PM
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Gene is a modern day P.T. Barnum. Just look at the range of tie-ins he created for the KISS brand.
If Gene thinks a KISS fan will plunk down the $$ for it, he'll slap the KISS logo on anything. KISS Koffins so you can Rock And Roll All Afterlife. KISS toilet paper? Yep. You get to choose which makeup member of the band you want to wipe your nether regions with.
There's a sucker born every minute, and that sucker just might turn out to be a KISS fan.
I'm waiting for a KISS Kruise ship, myself. It could be a KISS Konvention at sea!
Posted by: KISS Me | Oct 12, 2006 11:40:45 AM
Say what you will, but that guy's a smart businessman. Haven't seen Paul Stanley in much these days.
TIm, did you ask him about Tiny Kiss?
http://www.sploid.com/news/2006/04/minikiss_vs_tin.php
Posted by: makethelogobigger | Oct 12, 2006 1:05:45 PM
Here's your first clue Gene Simmons is a total piece of shit. He formed a band that sucked so bad, the only way they could gain a following was to put on makeup and attract little children. Average KISS fan's age at the height of their poularity: between 8 and 9.
Fuck KISS - Fuck Geme Simmons - and FUCK Gene Simmons'Agency.
Posted by: Gene Simmons is a Fucking Idiot | Oct 12, 2006 2:40:49 PM
I've seen his reality TV show a couple of times. He and his family come across as quite normal. And he does appear to be a pretty smart guy.
Posted by: Bob | Oct 13, 2006 9:09:12 AM
Oh, poor "Gene Simmons is a Fucking Idiot!" The sharp tang of your bitterness wafts even across the interweb.
How about this: the moment you have a wall full of platinum albums, thousands of notches on your bedpost, your own (admittedly bizarre) lucrative personal brand/franchise/cult following, dedicated reality show, and wealth beyond the dreams of avarice, we'll be sure to listen to all of YOUR fascinating opinions.
HAhahahahahaha...Go GENE! Ya big tacky knucklehead!
:-)
Posted by: Gene Simmons is Undeniably Smarter Than You | Oct 13, 2006 11:05:48 AM
I am reminded of the wars of words that used to occur in 7th grade homeroom between those who favored KISS and those who preferred Aerosmith. Then the magazines weighed in, Creem and the like, with cover stories like "KISS or Aerosmith? READERS POLL!"
My observations were that KISS fans were drooling Neanderthals and Aerosmith fans were drooling potheads.
But hey - "dull as dishwater Orlando?" Come on. We're America's backyard! You'll be down here when the snow in your streets has turned to hardened black piles and you forgot what the sun on your face feels like.
Posted by: Junior High Debate | Oct 13, 2006 1:04:32 PM
You take back every filthy word you said about KISS or his ROYAL ROCKNESS' marketing agency. You're not even half the marketing genius King Simmons is and he's twice the rocker than you are a genius marketer.
Posted by: KISS ARMY 4 LIFE | Oct 13, 2006 1:38:58 PM
I am sorry to have offended all the KISS jihadists out there. Please don't cut my head off.
I will do penance and go see the Paul Stanley concert.
Posted by: I Take It Back | Oct 13, 2006 1:41:26 PM
Pfft. Just shows to go you how hypnotized we all are by the images we're presented as kids of celebrities and rock stars. I have personally had to sat through unedited footage of "Gene Simmons's Family Jewels," and believe me, you'd wanna wring the man's neck if you had to be forced to wade through it.
Truth be told, he's an aging, balding has-been who wears more make-up than his wife and trades on his legend for any sort of money he makes nowadays. Moreover, his ego far outweighs any actual talent (hah!) or yes, INTELLIGENCE he might actually possess. To me, that just makes him pretty pathetic.
Really. Give him 20 more years. You'll see.
Posted by: rock should die | Oct 13, 2006 3:45:14 PM
You ad people will never understand the brilliance that is Detroit Rock City. The face paining is a metaphor for our society, and the hideous men underneath it represent the reality that is KISS. Brainwash? Fah, don’t make scoff. Face it, the Crispen Porter’s, Goodby Silverstein’s, and Wieden Kennedy’s of the world can’t hold a flickering candle to the savant-like wisdom of Gene Simmons and KISS. I want to advertise all night and advertise more during the day.
Posted by: KISS ARMY 4 LIFE 4 EVER | Oct 13, 2006 7:46:40 PM
"Face it, the Crispen Porter’s, Goodby Silverstein’s, and Wieden Kennedy’s of the world can’t hold a flickering candle to the savant-like wisdom of Gene Simmons and KISS."
If that statement is true, we are fucked.
Posted by: Slash | Oct 13, 2006 10:29:42 PM
As a fellow balding 70s rocker, I have to applaud Mr. Simmons for his staying power.
But his website is pure shite. So is his hair coloring. And I wouldnt trust him to market my daughter's lemonade stand, to say nothing of a big brand.
Stick to what you do best, Gene: whoring the memory of your silly little band.
Posted by: Frampton | Oct 14, 2006 8:53:20 AM
Hey Gene, when can I get a KISS wig like yours?
Posted by: freddy mendelson | Oct 15, 2006 6:05:25 PM
you guys are just a bunch of fuckheads I love Gene he has a bigger brain and wit then all of you put together. You are just a bunch of losers, who wish you could be half the man that Gene is. I come to your house a chop your head off myself.
Posted by: tex velis | Jan 19, 2007 9:08:08 PM
Gene $immon$ is a marketing giant, period.
As far as Orlando being "dull as dishwater," um, you need to venture away from the tourist areas to have the real fun.
Posted by: Zack Skyler | Mar 26, 2007 11:40:40 AM
you people are full of hypocrisy kind of like al gore and his click im positive there are bands and things that you have all spent your money on that you think were well worth it in 1976 KISS was my favorite rock band i was 14 years old i liked there music but my 6 year old brother liked there costumes later around 1978 kiss was approached by toy and comic book company's becase of there fantastic look
Posted by: LORD KRAZH | Mar 29, 2007 4:27:58 PM
Kiss loosa
You like Kiss..lossa
Move on Loosa
You brainewashed oloosa
Gene is a Alien
He eat your brains
Posted by: | May 24, 2007 7:36:00 PM
yA
kIZZ IS BAD
ISS ARE FAGS
ALL WHO LIKE ARE DOGS OF GENE
PLAYON GENE YA DOG
Posted by: ZION | May 24, 2007 9:34:30 PM
go Zion, yeah he is a drop kick looser and all of u who like him must lick his scrotum...and I will use an axe when i meet u all........come on all you Gene sperms bring it
Posted by: FiSH | May 24, 2007 9:37:16 PM
Good 2 see alot of people are anti those loosers, check our website which is a great site anti KISS,,,,,,,we get about 30,000 hits a day so it proves to all those kiss dropkicks that you all are scrotums
Posted by: toptoptoe | May 24, 2007 9:48:37 PM
I'm not quite sure that anyone buys anything from Gene Simmons unless they are a vendor doing business with them (that's to say they purchase items they are not distributing as a favor), a Kiss fan or a record label. I don't think he's all that mainstream.
It is fair to say he a a marketing genius when marketing Kiss items to Kiss fans. I don't think many people would put him in charge of a major consumer brand (though I suppose it would be fair to say he has a number of lucrative business contacts).
Posted by: | Jul 9, 2007 1:51:20 AM
Gene Simmons is indeed a unique individual. I had this preconception that he was an Ozzy with a bit more control. How wrong I was. The man s both articulate and intelligent. A bit is-guided perhaps in some of his proposed business ventures, but definitely on track. Gene Rocks!
Posted by: micheal | Oct 18, 2007 4:01:11 PM
Good Take on Gene!
From a Marketing Standpoint, he is a standout as shown by what he put together on the Apprentice. Even though it got him fired. He showed that he does indeed get it. Not very many people do. Take a look what we say from and Investment standpoint.
http://www.iamaninvestor.com/Blog/wordpress/?p=8
Posted by: I Am An Investor | Jan 25, 2008 2:57:37 PM
