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FLYING HIGH WITH
THE FINAL FIVE
After eleven grueling weeks of the interview process, the final five
candidates eagerly anticipated one more task.
Bethenny volunteered to be Primarius'
project manager in a bid to garner at least one victory before the final
showdown.
Marcela, despite her winless record, passed
the opportunity to lead Matchstick to
Ryan in an effort to focus her energy on
performing her best. Could she save herself by excelling in the relative
security of a subordinate role?
The final task was to create a 30-second video promoting Song Airlines, with
the winner to be determined by actual Song frequent fliers. One eager
corporation may have jumped into the task with too much haste, as they
settled on a concept for their video before even speaking with the client.
Then, during the critical closing hours, a project manager made key
decisions while under the influence of perhaps one too many adult beverages.
After Song's customers made their voices heard, Primarius was crowned
victorious, and Matchstick was saddled with the indignity of a third
straight loss. Martha was at a loss as well, baffled by such miserable
performances in the crucial final stages. Her conference room remedy was as
severe as it was unexpected - and it drastically altered the remainder of
the interview process.
PREPARING FOR TAKE
OFF
Away on business,
Martha Stewart delivered the eleventh task
to the candidates via video conference. She challenged the candidates to
create a 30-second in-flight video for Song, an innovative "high class, low
fare" airline. The goal: promote their $99 Los Angeles to New York air
route. Each corporation would have access to actors, camera crews, and a
full production staff. In addition, Song executives Tim Mapes and Joanne
Smith would be available via phone to provide insight into the company's
marketing identity.
The candidates' efforts would be evaluated by a unique group of judges: a
plane full of Song frequent fliers. After watching both videos, the
passengers would rate each video's effectiveness in promoting the
cross-country route. The corporation with the highest rating would be
declared the winner, while the other would be doomed to the conference room,
where someone would be sent home.
COFFEE, TEA, OR BEER?
Bethenny knew this was her last shot to repair her poor record as project
manager. She whipped Primarius into a decisive whirlwind, as the corporation
conferred with the Song Airlines executives, formulated a concept, and
sailed through the casting process in no time. For his part,
Jim disrupted Primarius with irrelevant
comments and distracting behavior. In private, Bethenny and
Dawna agreed to ignore Jim and placate him
instead of wasting time with confrontation.
Meanwhile, Ryan immediately came up with an idea that centered on a pro
baseball player. However, in a conference call with the Song executives,
Marcela learned the airline's target audience was women 40 years of age or
older. Despite the discrepancy between the target audience and the concept,
Ryan stuck to his guns, simultaneously producing, directing and acting in
the video. Later that night in the editing suite, Ryan began indulging in
the post production office's supply of free beer. After partaking in several
brews, Ryan was full of "genius" ideas - or so he thought. To give the spot
some edge, he decided to "subliminally" insert the Song logo. Then, he based
the promo's tagline on a nonsensical pun: "Need We Play More?" Despite
Marcela's weak objections, Ryan was in love with his inspirations and
proceeded full steam ahead.
The next day, a jet full of eager Song patrons screened the two videos.
Primarius' production was a stylish montage that emphasized the ease and
elegance of flying with Song. The soothing and polished clip garnered a
round of applause from the audience. Matchstick's promo was the story of a
ballplayer that had to rely on Song to get him to a game on time after
missing his team's plane. The goofy, amateurish production elicited giggles
from some, and confusion from others.
HORSING AROUND WITH MARTHA
With all the ballots tallied, the candidates met Martha Stewart and her
trusted associates in the conference room. The Song frequent fliers rated
each video on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being most negative and 5 being most
positive. Primarius' video had an impressive average score of 4.2, while
Matchstick received a meager rating of 2.8. In addition, Primarius' video
was impressive enough to inspire the Song executives to use it on all their
flights.
Primarius' reward was a trip to Martha's idyllic Bedford estate for some
quality time with the doyenne of domesticity herself. The candidates were
invited to join Martha in one of her favorite pastimes: horseback riding.
During their jaunt through a lush forest, Jim pushed his horse to the front
of the pack to nab some face time with the boss. Back at the house, Martha
challenged the three candidates to a round of Scrabble, her favorite board
game. Dawna was a rookie to the popular word game and floundered to keep up
with her opponents. Jim and Bethenny, however, wasted no time in getting to
know Martha outside the stifling confines of the conference room.
MATCHSTICK'S SWAN SONG
Facing the two remaining candidates of Matchstick, Martha Stewart noted the
corporation's dismal track record: three defeats in a row. After Ryan
accepted accountability for the misguided baseball concept, Martha and her
executives watched the video again.
Charles was perplexed by the use of a
"subliminal" logo, while Martha criticized the tagline: "Need We Play More?"
The sports theme was so far off the mark from Song's customer base,
Alexis openly wondered if Matchstick had
bothered to consult with the company's executives at all.
Charles denounced Ryan for taking on too many roles, and deemed the effort
"destined for failure." He further scolded Ryan for his excessive beer
consumption in the editing suite. News of Ryan's intoxication shocked
Martha, and the candidate defended himself by saying the editing process was
a "celebration" of the corporation's hard work. Marcela contended that
Ryan's conduct on the task was more relaxed that usual because he knew that
she was more likely to be sent home if they lost. Ryan denied the allegation
and said his relaxed demeanor supported his goal to have fun and be
creative. Charles countered by saying fun is welcome in the workplace, but
at the end of the day you need to be able to deliver.
Three losses in a row were not a good omen for the pair. Ryan's performance
started strong but ended weak. Furthermore, Marcela's record was too dismal
to ignore. "Neither of you really fit in," Martha declared. With conclusive
handshakes and thank yous, both Ryan and Marcela were sent home, and
Matchstick was officially closed for business.
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