Marketer Lynton Pipkorn makes an early exit from The Apprentice
Former Interbrand staffer Lynton Pipkorn was eliminated from Nine’s The Apprentice last night, ironically on an advertising task.
In a challenge set in Ogilvy & Mather’s Sydney offices and judged by managing partner Mike Daniels and ECD Bruce Matchett , the teams were asked to create the branding for a new cereal.
Based on his industry experience, Melbourne-based Pipkorn volunteered to be task leader for the men’s team, who came up with a pink elephant as the face fo the cereal. But the women’s team – who opted for a Zebra – narrowly won. The challenge also featured the North Sydney studios of audio house Song Zu.
Pikorn was also ticked off by Apprentice boss Mark Bouris for forgetting the judges’ names. And after a boardroom confrontation, Bouris chose to fire him, labelling him Machiavellian for his choice of who he brought back into the room for the eviction.
Pipkorn told Mumbrella: “It was a bit tough to take. To be called Machiavellian was a little bit harsh, and a bit puzzling.”
He said that he was also disappointed that the broadcast had concentrated on him forgetting the names rather than the presentation. He said: “They focused on the fact that we did not dance around with silly hats like the girls did.”
However, despite his firing, Pipkorn will feature again towards the end of the series when some of the ousted contestants return.
He said: ‘I’ve got no regrets about doing it although I had thought the series would be more like the UK version where they were interested in one’s abilities. I’ve got a career and I did not want to cause conflict and shout people down which is not my style. Bouris seems to like the battlers and kept them in.”
Pipkorn labelled contestant Carmen – saved from eviction in the first week – as “rubbish”.
Pikorn is currently working with website My Property Partner and consulting with Urban Media.
Unfortunately for Lynton he took on so much responsibility for the challenge that there was noone else to flick.
Yes John did bugger all, but a smart reality TV strategy is to fly under the radar until it is your turn to shine. I thought it was a bit unlucky I thought the guys package was stronger particularly the jingle.
The Apprentice deserves higher ratings then it has been getting.
User ID not verified.
I think Lynton is hot. I won’t be watching now that he has departed although will tune back in at the end when I will get to see him again. Lynton looks great in pink!
User ID not verified.
couldnt stand the pouting
User ID not verified.
I think the biggest mistake was calling the cereal “treats”… you want the kids to eat it every day, its not a treat!
That said, the boys are a much better team, and Sabrina makes me skwirm every time she opens her mouth with that affected voice. The other team member who did the presentation was excellent and I have high hopes for her over the rest of the series.
User ID not verified.
Look, I appreciate it’s made for TV, but if the values the show espouses – sycophancy, acquiescence and squealing on your mates – are the indicators of business success, then I’m sure Mr Pipkorn is best out of the whole malarkey, really.
User ID not verified.
With you Elissa… pouting far too much and came across as a bit of a arrogant tool to be honest, but then… sure that’s the editing…but bringing little Sam in the boardroom was just plain cruel!!! .
User ID not verified.
I thought the boys were better overall. Smelt like a square up to me. Their box design was good from a packaging point of view. And the jingle was also impressive. The zebra sucked, it looked cross eyed and scary. Albert was much more of a character the kids would have gone for. And a blue box and the name crunch weren’t exactly original in the cereal category. I agree that dancing about in a pitch is a big no no and talking back and arguing with the client is these thing you can do
User ID not verified.
Agree with Sophiec and Elissa, the pouting was ridiculous and so incredibly over the top. However, I have to confess I like what he writes and am not entirely sure why he would volunteer for the show, particularly when they say they already have a career and are not an underdog. The underdog is the usual type of twit who goes on these shows and usually wins the Australian ones.
I find it puzzling that people would seek all that humiliation for just a 200k a year job? Not that much of a great gig, really.
User ID not verified.
Lynton should not have been fired!
User ID not verified.
Without a doubt the boys put together the best presentation. Seems to me the script had been written before the cameras turned on.
Sabrina and Sam might be good for the ratings, but if either of them land the job then the Yellow Brick Road won’t be leading to Oz.
User ID not verified.
It seems Lynton was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t – as well as being portrayed only how the producers wanted so his ‘firing’ seemed justified.
Obviously as a marketer, he had to take the lead on this project – unfortunately for him the girls had just come off an embarrassing loss and in my opinion the producers wanted to even the score.
Clearly when it got to the boardroom, both the producers and Bouris seemed at wits end to find any reason the viewing public would accept as reason to fire him.
So, the result – the fact that he didn’t dance around the stage like an idiot, and had the full support of his team – meant that all they really had to go on was the fact he brought in the youngest and oldest team members??? Really guys – surely anyone whose worked in TV/media realises its puppeteering from the Ch 9 producers desperate to keep viewers watching?
User ID not verified.
I agree the boys put together the strongest proposition however it was let down by the presentation execution. It was very wooden and lifeless, I agree that dancing at a pitch is not a good thing, however, after enduring many a boring presentation, it doesn’t matter how good an idea or propsotiion is ,if the delviery is wrong it struggles to get past the first post. The boys preso needed to be more engaging and fresh through involving the other members of the team.
User ID not verified.
To be fair we actually didn’t see the five minute presentation. We saw the introduction and then the jingle (boys was actually better), but not the actual idea or strategy behind it and linking it together. You should be judged on complete outcomes (the better product and overal proposition) and not just a ‘jingle’ performance. Dancing around and singing wouldn’t cover over the obvious cracks. But then again it is TV and they cut it the way they want it.
User ID not verified.
Lynton, you’re going to go far. Why?
Because you’ve got a long way to go:-)
User ID not verified.
No doubt about it Lynton’s presentation was very stiff and had about zero personality in it… Maybe he was just nervous because of the camera’s but I clearly recall him and Morello talking about how many “CEO’s and top Execs” that he had pitched to…
I expected better.
But nonetheless congratulations Lynton for making it onto the Apprentice and I hope you go far (And improve your presentation skills too)
User ID not verified.
Who knows how they cut and twisted this. Sure Lynton was nervous but not only did he have a pitch to contend with, he had a whole crew and camera’s in his face with the knowledge that this would be beamed to a national audience in time to come.
A lot of weight on one’s shoulders and with all the above to contend with, he did a good job.
User ID not verified.
Thanks for this posting. I have taken this as a presentation skills at Melbourne and I gained a lot of confidence and was able to prepare effective slides to aid presentation at Ripe Stuff. Worth checking!
User ID not verified.
Thanks for that spammy link, Mark.
I’m about to remove the html links so you don’t beenfit from them, but in the meantime, I’ve taken the liberty of going onto your site and looking at your client list, in case they don’t know they work with spammers.
According to the Ripe Stuff web site, clients include:
Qantas, Sydney
Clayton Utz
Audi Australia
Toyota Australia
Mission Australia
Primavera
CRC Mining
Voyages Hotels and Resorts
New Balance
Australian Institute of Management, Sydney
Commonwealth Bank, Sydney
Cromwell Finance, Brisbane
ID Tours, Sydney
Le Meridien, Vanuatu
New Caledonia Tourism, Noumea
Noni B Ladies Fashion, Australia-wide
Wishlist.com.au, Melbourne
Alice Springs Convention Centre, Alice Springs
Shangri La Hotel, Sydney
Townsville Enterprise, Townsville
Tourism Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast
Tahiti Nui
Millenium Hotels
Australian Technology Park
Just Blinds and Shutters
Videoplus
Outrigger Hotels and Resorts
Waipuna Conference Centre
Cheers,
Tim Burrowes – Mumbrella
I thought Lynton was a weasel – (maybe I have fallen victim to the show’s production team) but I’m glad he’s gone!
User ID not verified.
Wish Lynton was a gerbill
User ID not verified.