Welcome UC Career Fair Participants

Welcome to all the job-seekers we met today at the University of Charleston Career Fair. Thanks for your interest in Maple Creative... and a career in the marketing profession.

We could tell you tons of boring stuff about how great we are. That's really not our style. So, instead, we've chosen to share with you this story about potholes.

This time of year, in the midst of the worst winter weather in many, many years, if you're driving at all, you have encountered some new potholes. Ever wonder how a pothole is formed? It's a bit of a mystery, really. No one has ever seen a pothole form. And they grow and expand so rapidly, defying observation. One day, no hole. The next day there's a grand new pothole large enough to engulf your entire right front tire. Perplexing.

There are two theories about how potholes form. You're about to learn both.

The first theory is embraced largely by left-brain types ... scientists, physicists, engineers and accountants. This theory attributes the formation of potholes to thermal factors. Extreme temperatures cause pavement surfaces to expand and contract. In some instances a crack occurs in the top layer of asphalt. This uneven surface is struck repeatedly by the wheels of cars and trucks as they pass by. The crack turns into a chip. More car tires strike the chip and increasingly larger chunks of asphalt are displaced. Eventually that crack is transformed into a hole. The material within the hole is easily displaced--and so the hole becomes wider and deeper. Voila--a pothole!

The second theory is more popular with creative types. This theory holds that there are brigades of tiny pothole monkeys, encamped along roadways everywhere. These monkeys reside in subterranean villages, just beneath the shoulder of the road. Natural born miscreants, these pothole monkeys have impeccable timing, which enables them to judge perfect opportunities for pothole-making. Working under the cover of darkness, when traffic is absent, they dispatch onto the road surface. Imagine a small army of tiny pothole monkeys, toting their jackhammers, picks, drills, shovels and buggies. They are incredibly well organized and efficient. In the span of about three minutes, a typical pothole monkey crew (PMC) can excavate a pothole of 74 cubic inches or more.

Which theory do you embrace?

And here's hoping that you encounter no potholes in the course of your job search and career path!

What's the relevance of potholes to marketing? one might ask. All marketing is a story, well told.