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Internal strife,
gloomy morale, and a two-week losing streak: with so much weighing them
down, Matchstick needed a win in the worst way. So when Martha Stewart
challenged the corporations to create and sell an original wedding cake,
Shawn brazenly guaranteed a victory for the beleaguered underdogs. Could
Matchstick walk down the aisle to their first victory?
Both corporations struggled to prevent a fateful breakdown. Miscommunication
ran rampant on one side, as advice from an expert led their competitors
astray. One project manager entered into an explosive kitchen quarrel with a
fellow candidate. And amid the scramble for the ultimate marital dessert,
one candidate would make a vow that would trigger the most unconventional
conference room yet.
Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, Matchstick racked up another
loss. In the ensuing panic, the ill-fated candidates pointed fingers at
those who baked. Martha had ideas of her own. In an unforgettable dismissal,
the astute executive keenly clipped the thorny rose in Matchstick's bouquet.
LET THEM EAT CAKE
Martha Stewart welcomed the candidates to a photo shoot for one of MSLO's
most popular magazines, Martha Stewart Weddings. Their next task would be to
dive into the centerpiece of the flourishing bridal industry: the wedding
cake. Working with a professional baker, each corporation would design,
create, and decorate an original nuptial confection.
Then, after transporting their cake to the upscale Michael C. Fina bridal
expo, they would attempt to sell their product to a crowd of marriage-minded
New Yorkers. The corporation with the most sales would be declared
victorious, while their competitors would be summoned to the conference
room, where someone would be sent home. David, a young internet
entrepreneur, was picked as Matchstick's project manager, while Primarus
called on fashion company founder Howie to take the lead.
FOR BETTER OR FOR
WORSE
David immediately split Matchstick into two squads. Dawn was sent with
professional chefs Marcela and Bethenny to create the cake, while Jim and
Shawn teamed with their project manager to handle marketing. For research,
Shawn contacted legendary wedding cake artist Sylvia Weinstock for advice.
Following her direction, the baking team created an exquisite high-end cake,
with asymmetrically stacked oval-shaped tiers wrapped in pink ribbons.
Confidence amongst the underdogs was running high, and Shawn promised
Charles that if the corporation lost for a third time, Martha could send her
home.
Meanwhile, Howie directed Primarius to come up with a cake that could appeal
to a wide variety of brides and grooms. Their aim: sell low to a large
number of customers. However, poor communication resulted in Sarah,
Jennifer, and Ryan mistakenly visiting a Chinese culture bridal center - a
focus too narrow for their mass-appeal strategy. When they returned to
Primarius' kitchen, the tension and frustration boiled over into a
full-blown tiff between Howie and Sarah. Although they soon reconciled, many
of the candidates began to doubt Howie's ability to lead the corporation.
The next morning, each corporation endured a nail-biting journey as they
transported their delicate cakes through Manhattan's perilous causeways. At
the expo, the candidates reconfigured themselves into sales teams to hawk
their sugary ware. Ryan made a strong connection with a beaming couple, and
sold them Primarius' elegant white cake for $700. On the other side of the
floor, Matchstick trolled the crowds for one big payoff that would carry
them into victory.
NEWLYWEDS
Back at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia headquarters, the candidates entered
the conference room to hear the results of the wedding cake task. Martha
declared both cakes delicious, but cold hard cash would decide the winner.
Primarius, with their mass-market, low-cost strategy, sold five cakes for a
total of $3,658. On the other hand, Matchstick bet on a specialized high end
creation. The result? Zero cakes sold, for a total take of zero dollars. The
sheer magnitude of their defeat only compounded the shame of losing for the
third time in a row.
Primarius' reward was an elegant dessert at Jean Georges, one of Manhattan's
premiere restaurants. Joining them would be New York's most fêted newlyweds,
Donald Trump and his beautiful bride Melania Trump. As the candidates got to
know the real estate mogul, Martha rang his cell phone. The two business
titans joked about making sure the candidates got enough to eat, and as the
desserts were consumed, Donald quipped, "Would anyone want to work for me?"
In the loft, Matchstick nervously anticipated their trip to the conference
room. Project manager David tried to untangle the big question behind their
failure: who was responsible, the bakers, or the sellers? He told Marcela,
Bethenny, and Dawn not to be surprised if he chose them to return to the
conference room. However, Bethenny felt Shawn deserved a big slice of the
blame. Not only was Shawn the source of misguided advice, but she was not
pleased with Matchstick's final product - and let it show in her poor sales
pitch at the expo.
SPEAK NOW, OR
FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE
In the conference room, Martha immediately decried Matchstick's "niche" cake
creation. She felt that the unconventional shape, design, and color locked
them into a market too narrow for success. Sylvia Weinstock, Martha said, is
a consummate professional and the creator of some of the most exquisite
cakes ever made. However, her target is high-end consumer, not the wide mass
market required for victory in this task. Matchstick's sales pitch also came
under fire from Martha and her trusted associates. Finally, Charles called
out Shawn for offering to be sent home if Matchstick lost the task.
Embarrassed, Shawn claimed her vow was made out of bravado and humor. She
respectfully retracted the commitment. To Martha's visible displeasure, the
TV anchor claimed that in the television business you must "fake it 'til you
make it".
As project manager, David chose Dawn and Marcela to accompany him in the
conference room. Bethenny, Jim, and Shawn were excused to the loft. However,
as soon as they were alone in the conference room, Martha, Charles and
Alexis confessed a feeling of unease. All three agreed that the
corporation's defeat was caused by a sales problem, not a baking problem.
Therefore, Marcela and Dawn should not be held responsible. Uncomfortable
with David's choices, Martha made the unusual decision to summon all of
Matchstick back to the conference room.
Speaking to the entire corporation once again, Martha stated that she
believed the corporation's main failure was not marketing to a mass
audience. She blamed David's youth and inexperience for not diagnosing the
breakdown correctly. However, Martha was primarily troubled by Shawn. Not
only was she discouraged at Shawn's cavalier promise and subsequent
backtracking, but she also disliked the TV anchor's "fake it 'til you make
it" attitude. A philosophy of fakery, Martha believed, was fundamentally
incompatible with her company's core values of meticulous authenticity. With
no other choice, Martha wished Shawn luck, and sent her home.
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