The ad guru: Paul Field's fascination with the way Americans spend their free time has turned him into one of the country's leading marketing consultants - People

Pool & Spa News, August 8, 2003 by Bob Dumas

"I am fascinated by the American culture and how it operates," Paul Field said. "Hedonism, relaxation, all that. And that's endlessly useful in advertising."

Field is certainly living proof of that. He's parlayed those interests into a career that's turned him into one of the country's leading advertising and marketing gurus.

The former senior vice president, partner and account leader at Carton Donofrio Partners, a $122 million marketing communications agency in Baltimore, recently set out on his own as a marketing strategy and management consultant in the Mid-Atlantic region.

"I have over 20 years' experience in all phases of advertising, public relations and marketing research," Field said. "That's including 12 years in the spa industry. If there's a spa dealer who needs some consultation on advertising and marketing, I can help."

Field, who graduated from Yale with a degree in American Studies (another useful tool in understanding the nation's leisure habits), first dipped his toe in the hot tub market when he took over the Lucite account while at Carton Donofrio. He handled that account for a dozen years, helping boost the company's annual sales by an average of 12 percent.

"The basic issue that I helped with was how to differentiate their product from their competitors," he said. "What we did was help their dealers sell. Their competitors didn't do that. "We developed programs for Lucite for their ultimate customer: their dealers.

"We helped them to develop leads, with point-of-sale materials, direct response and with Web sites."

His work with Lucite helped link him with another spa industry business. "The guy who founded BioQuest heard me speak at an industry function and he asked me to help them introduce their product," Field recalled. "I was intrigued by it. So we put together a plan for the first year that included research, public relations and an array of sales aids."

Now on his own, Field continues to speak on marketing and advertising issues at seminars and conferences around the country. While he works with a variety of industries, the spa business still remains one of his favorites.

"I enjoy going to conferences and speaking about it," Field said. "I like to raise awareness in America about the fun of owning a hot tub."

Who: Paul Field

What: "10 Tips to Drive Customers to Your Spa Dealership"

Where: 2003 International Pool & Spa Expo, New Orleans.

When: Thursday, Nov. 6, 4-6 p.m.

Attendees will learn how to develop a targeted marketing action plan, cost-effective advertising and public relations. Topics include industry marketing research highlights; cable TV commercials; nonmedia strategies such as mall parking lot events, and more.