Crazy Legs Conti doesn’t have a cellphone, but he does have an answering machine. He also has four world records in competitive eating (buffet food, French cut green beans, pancakes & bacon and sweet corn) and screenwriting credits on a few well-known sitcoms — not to mention a stint on the Discovery Channel where he managed to visit the land of the midnight sun by stuffing himself with reindeer-sausages.
"Traveling is great, but it's always better if you can get someone else to pay for it,” he told the 42 Clark University students in Lawrence Norman’s “Marketing to You” class last week.
Norman, whom Crazy Legs refers to as “Professor Larry,” shares his guest speaker’s passion for travel — so much so that he has made the weekly trip from Manhattan to Worcester all semester long.
I would hasten to guess that Norman’s dedication to the commute probably outweighs whatever Clark is paying him, but he doesn’t seem to mind. It has been a longstanding goal of his to teach an undergraduate course at his alma mater. In fact, he pitched various versions of the “Marketing to You” class for four years in a row before they finally gave him a shot — a persistence which he likens to Andy Dufresne’s case for a prison library in the movie “Shawshank Redemption.”
One look at Norman’s resume and you’ll likely find Clark’s hesitance as odd as I do. With two decades of international marketing experience for Adidas and one of the most successful sports advertising campaigns in history to his name, I can only assume they thought his offer to teach was too good to be true.
If Norman is the most popular guy on the basketball team, Clark is the artsy wallflower bridled with doubt by his affections. But, this is not some sort of elaborate prank to propel the Shakespearean riff of a teen movie. Norman truly wants to find internships for Clarkies and in teaching “Marketing to You,” he has managed to do just that.
After years of promising to deliver a roster of A-list guest speakers, Clark finally agreed to give him a go. The class was an instant success. Over the course of the semester, Norman’s guests included the likes of Puma’s CMO Adam Petrick, Boston Celtics President Rich Gotham and former CEO of Reebok Uli Becker.
On the day of my visit, I counted 15 professionals from companies such as Asics, Wanderu and Hanover Insurance occupying a “VIP” section in the back to scout for promising interns. The guest speaker was pro-eater Crazy Legs Conti, a stark contrast to the traditional executives who have preceded him. He and Norman have known one another since high school.
Crazy Legs is sharp. His blue-dipped dreads and curled mustache distinguish him from the crowd. When he speaks on passion, humility and relentlessness, everyone sits at attention. Most of his advice is framed by punchlines. The only time Crazy Legs grows serious is when the conversation turns to hot dogs.
"Hot dog qualifying is the most fraught,” he told the group, "I took up yoga to eat more hot dogs; it helped me stoke the fire inside and find my mantra — my daily affirmations."
Crazy Legs is earnest, but believable. Equal parts performance artist and gastronomical athlete.
When one student asked if he has ever taken things too far, Crazy Legs sighs and tells him to Google his Coney Island Wonder Wheel stunt. He recounts a tale in which he almost lost his head while riding 150 feet in the air atop a moving car and downing a dozen dogs. It was Crazy Legs’ closest call, even gutsier than his stint in the Popcorn Sarcophagus.
“You need to learn to strike a balance between spectacle and personal growth,” he concluded.
During the mid-class break, I took out my phone to add Crazy Legs on Instagram before remembering that his penchant for landlines precludes him from the social media parade. I consider asking him for his home phone number, thinking maybe he too needs an intern — I can eat French string beans with the best of them — but, he has already disappeared into the night.
The second half of class, dubbed “Clark Tank,” is dedicated to student marketing pitches. Norman discusses how many followers qualify an account as a macro-influencer (15,000) and I am left wondering what it means to influence without having any followers at all.
Crazy Legs earns trust by conveying compelling stories. He practices patience. He shelves the day-to-day minutiae in favor of that which is grand. He leaves the room wanting more.
How can we begin to replicate that restraint in our own personal brands? If you figure it out, leave me a message after the beep.
2020-03-05 08:19:24Z
https://www.worcestermag.com/entertainmentlife/20200305/lifestyle-what-i-learned-about-marketing-from-world-champion-buffet-eater
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