SWAN 2: the "Guerrilla Marketing" MBA

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by John Bear, Dec 8, 2002.

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  1. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    In 1990, something new was in the cards. I couldn't give details, but I wanted to start stirring up interest, so I put it in my book as "S.W.A.N." -- School Without A Name. I described what it would be like, and invited people to sign up for information when available. That SWAN was the Heriot-Watt University MBA, and 87 people signed up the first day it was available -- the vanguard of what was to become the largest MBA in the US.

    Well, for 2003, there is a plan afoot to do something comparable, and so I've put it into the other book my daughter and I do, "College Degrees by Mail and Internet" which goes to press in 2 weeks, and I mention it here.

    My old friend Jay Conrad Levinson is author of the most successful series of business books ever. His 28 Guerrilla Marketing books have sold more than 14 million copies in 39 languages. Jay has decided that the time is right for an on-line MBA based on his philosophy of business.

    The intent is to 'graft' his philosophy and approach onto a standard marketing-oriented MBA, through new texts, plus syllabi or supplements to existing texts, which he and his staff would create.

    The plan is that it would be offered by a regionally accredited university, as their degree.

    Which university? Not yet known, which is why it is another SWAN. That will be one of my roles over the next few months: talking to possible school partners. (If any of them are reading this -- hey, let's talk.) We'd love to have it up and running by the end of 2003.

    I find this a fascinating process, and hope I'm not abusing privilege by reporting it in this way. There will be nothing more to say until an articulation agreement is signed, and then I'll make a short announcement here, presumably with an accompanying URL referral.

    John Bear
    [email protected]
     
  2. Roscoe

    Roscoe Guest

    Great news

    This should be a good program, given Levinson's track record. His reputation in marketing is incredible, to say the least. He is to small business marketing what Bill Gates is to the computer world.

    Lately, he seems to be doing like the authors of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series: He's applying his methods to other fields, including those outside the traditional business community.

    I've been reading him for years and would be excited to learn more about the MBA.

    Thanks for the heads-up, John.

    Roscoe
     
  3. MarkIsrael@aol.com

    [email protected] New Member

    Speaking of Chicken Soup for the Soul, I just hit an ad for a joint venture by Mark Victor Hansen (co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, but the ad gives the impression he's the sole author) and Robert G. Allen (the "real estate guru" who declared bankruptcy in May 1996, and the president of whose Atlanta Robert Allen Nothing Down Club went to federal prison for illegal nothing-down deals). Allen and Hansen wrote a best-selling book last year, The One Minute Millionaire.

    The ad says "we all know that Mark and Bob are very reputable and have proven their strategies over the last 20 years". It offers a package of videos and pamphlets with "keys to the vault of making risk-free offers". It says "You must respond to this invitation within the next 60 minutes", but the clock reset when I selected "Refresh" in my browser. :rolleyes:

    Chicken soup has never left such a bad taste in my mouth. I'm a bit worried about Hansen's soul, too.

    It offers double your money back, so theoretically we could start a consortium to bankrupt Allen a second time.
     
  4. Roscoe

    Roscoe Guest

    Thanks, Mark.

    The new program by Hansen and Allen is also being marketed via TV infomercials. I saw them recently.

    Thanks for the tidbit on Allen filing for bankruptsy. Didn't know that.

    Seems that quite a few of the gurus have either lost money or they ended up in prison. Hope this never happens to the Guerilla Marketer.

    Roscoe
     
  5. Jeff Hampton

    Jeff Hampton New Member

    Re: Great news

    Which begs the question: what is "SWAN 3": a philosophy degree based on "Chicken Soup For The Soul?" If not, how does a degree based on pop culture psychology differ from one based on pop culture marketing? Has Levinson published any peer-reviewed papers? Has he conducted legitimate scientific studies?

    Also, apparently "SWAN 1" was offered by a GAAP school. Will "SWAN 2" be RA, or is GAAP also acceptable?

    And if GAAP is acceptable, what is you defintion of GAAP? vis a vis St. Kitts and Liberian accreditation.

    (Gotta ask the same questions I would of anyone offering such a proposal...)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 26, 2003
  6. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    After months of meetings, we have recently received a firm written offer ("Letter of Intent") from a regionally accredited university.

    And we are meeting with the representatives of another next week.

    The two universities each know that we're talking to the other.

    In either case, the business school of the university would be 100% responsible for developing, teaching, and grading the courses.

    Neither Jay nor I have ever written a peer-reviewed paper.
     
  7. Re: Re: Great news

    Were these two books adopted for college (Harvard/Yale) classrooms:

    * Lee Iococa's Autobiography

    * 7 Habits of Highly Effective People


    Roscoe
     
  8. MarkIsrael@aol.com

    [email protected] New Member

    Q. Where did Batman store information about Lee Iacocca?

    A. In his AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
     

  9. LOL!

    Roscoe
     
  10. MichaelR

    MichaelR Member

    GROAN :rolleyes: :)
     
  11. Charles

    Charles New Member

    John,

    Are there any new developments regarding SWAN 2?
     
  12. Charles

    Charles New Member

    Seeing the thread on 'SWAN" therapist got PhD from Diploma Mill" has me curious again.

    John,

    Is SWAN 2 still in the works?
     
  13. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    Well it's not dead yet.

    After long discussions, one good RA school in the US offered to incorporate four optional guerrilla marketing courses in their MBA (and offer a separate certificate to people who completed those four). We hoped we could do better.

    A British Royal Chartered university offered to add four guerrilla courses to their existing MBA curriculum, non-mandatory, and designate it as their MBA specialism (specialism?) in guerrilla marketing. That's still a possibility, but we're continuing to explore.

    The best comment in the process came in discussions with the British school. They pointed out that their MBA courses cost £800. "Of course," Jay said, "The £800 guerrilla."
     

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