Chapter 65

"Jeff's coming with me."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? This is supposed to be between you and your mother. In addition to working out the wedding it's supposed to bring you closer to her."

"Jeff's coming with me." My tone was different from the first time I said it. She understood.

"Jeff has a plan?" she said.

"Judo."

Sunny hesitated briefly and then broke into almost uncontrolled laughter.

"This should be fun," she said.

"I don't know why I had to be here for this discussion. Joanne is in charge of all the arrangements for the wedding."

"Don't be so modest, Mr. Fine," said Jeff. "I'm staggered by the brilliance of your concept."

You wouldn't think someone could look nauseous from being flattered so completely, but my father was starting to look sick.

"All Ashley and I did was finish fleshing out your concept to generate the maximum impact."

Dad looked like he was having a flashback to the first time Jeff took him apart. He simultaneously had to fake enthusiasm in front of this crowd or he would be revealed as our evil nemesis.

"I have copies of the press release for everybody to look at in case Ashley and I missed something."

Fine Bank has implemented the initial test of its new strategy to promote awareness of its services and benefits by sponsoring weddings for (fill in the type of wedding you plan to target).

The rollout of the strategy will be at the wedding of the daughter of CEO Ebenezer J. Fine this June. While this may not turn out to be the optimal size and style of wedding chosen for the strategy, it is expected to provide meaningful metrics on the efficacy of the strategy due to the extensive guest list with over fifteen hundred invitees.

Marketing analysts for the Bank anticipate that almost any potential problems which could arise during the life of the program will be revealed by a wedding of this magnitude as even fairly large weddings are rarely more than a fifth this size.

The strategy marries to the marketing effort the opportunity to bring brides the wedding of their dreams at a greatly reduced cost to their families.

Under the program, each guest receives free checking for any account opened with $250. They also receive a free session of investment consulting and three free trades if they subsequently open an investment account. These offers are expected to allow most guests to more than recoup the cost of their wedding gifts to the couple.

More than 2.25 million weddings take place each year in the United States alone, with an average of 180 guests. Fine Bank expects to reach over 80% of the adult population with the program. If the program proves to be as successful as anticipated it could be replicated worldwide through Fine Bank International.

In addition to the financial gifts each guest will receive a portfolio with the Fine Bank logo in which to keep their important papers. The logo will also appear on the centerpieces.

While other banks and business are expected to jump on the gravy train when the program proves to be successful, the Bank expects those efforts to inure to its benefit as well since the only requirement of participating in the program is that invitations and signage conclude with the words: A Fine Bank Wedding®.