The Apprentice 3, Episode 12: Driven

First of all, big thanks to Jenn Brasler for stepping in and doing my recap for me last week. You can be the Michelle to my George any day!

Bren thinks Alex will be the one fired, while Kendra predicts it will be Angie. Tana wonders why Chris keeps escaping. She’d rather see him go and thinks he’s not right for the job. “He’s a virgin,” she says in an interview, then adds, “We’re all sluts.” I love Tana. The pure Chris and the trampy Alex return. Chris says that the boardroom was really tough, adding that Trump called them losers. In an interview, Chris tells us that after he’s lost so many times, Trump is disappointed in him. It’s time for him to lead a winning team and not only win, but kick the other team’s butts. Meanwhile, Kendra does the math and realizes that they are all the final six. Now is the time to be noticed and she intends to step up.

Now that Angie is gone, it’s time for Tana to answer the phone. Rhona directs her and the other candidates to meet Trump in front of the New York Stock Exchange. There, Trump engages in some of his patented faux business talk with some executives from Pontiac. It goes as it always does:

Trump: So, how’s business at your company name here?

Other exec: It’s going really well, Donald. We’re proud of new product name.

Trump: I’ve heard that new product name is going to be huge. Good work.

Anyway, Trump has Net Worth choose a new member. Chris and Alex immediately name Bren. This week’s task is to design a brochure for the new Pontiac Solstice. The guy from Pontiac describes it as “a sexy, gorgeous two-seat roadster.” Trump adds that the next Apprentice will get one of these cars, undoubtedly making season 1 winner Bill, who got the less sexy Crossfire, and Kelly, who just got the job, a tad jealous. The teams will have access to photographers, models, printers, and so forth for their brochures. The one judged the best by the Pontiac executives will win.

Kendra immediately tells Craig and Tana that she has put together product brochures before, so she’d love to be project manager. The team readily agrees to that. Kendra’s first idea is to add a pocket to the brochure for a CD. It’s a good idea, an inexpensive way to add another selling tool to the brochure. And hey, since the sky is apparently the limit, I would add as much stuff to this brochure as possible. Thick paper, gatefolds, die cuts, spot varnish… heck, I’d make it scratch ‘n’ sniff. Wow, I have been working with graphic designers for too long. Craig and Tana don’t see it the same way Kendra and I do. They think they should focus on just the brochure. Kendra is frustrated, and has the sinking feeling that she’ll be fighting her team for the entire task, and that they won’t respect her expertise.

Meanwhile, Chris is excited about his new team, and Bren is flattered that he and Alex picked him. Bren thinks they have a lock on this win. “It’s three guys and it’s a car,” he says confidently. And the other team? Why they’re nothing but two chicks and Craig. Girls, we all know, don’t like cars. Cars are icky and greasy, and we only like makeup and flowers.

Magna heads to Pontiac’s ad agency to check out the car. They all admire it’s sexy lines Kendra notes that it’s a cute two-seater car that retails for over $20,000, so it’s not exactly a practical purchase, but rather an emotional one. She wants their brochure to appeal to the customer’s emotions. I have to say, that’s a dead-on assessment. She says that they’ll use each page of the brochure to convey a different emotion. Craig isn’t sold on the idea and asks what the theme is. He sure hopes she has a plan, and adds, “She just doesn’t get it most of the time.” In this case, I’m pretty sure it’s Craig who doesn’t get it, since Kendra just said each page would convey a different emotion - that is the theme.

Ooh, it’s time for the Trump Lesson of the Week: “Pulling All-Nighters.” Trump says that sometimes, you have to stay up all night to get the job done. If you don’t have the stamina to do that, they you should be doing something else. Ironically, as Trump tells us that you should do something else, the live Trump tells a group of people to “never quit.” Hee! And now for the Betsy Lesson of the Week: “Don’t Stay Up All Night Unless You Have To.” Seriously, people, you are at your best – smarter, more creative, better mood, and so forth if you have had a good night’s sleep. And as the night goes on and you get more tired, you are a lot less useful than if you had taken a break to get some sleep. You have to take care of yourself or you will not be successful, and most of the time, if you’d planned ahead a little better, you wouldn’t have to stay up all night working. That said, occasionally it’s worth it to stay up late… like if you have an Apprentice recap that needs to be posted.

Magna heads to the studio, where Kendra puts Craig in charge of the indoor photo shoot. She tells the photographer that she wants to show the detail of the sexy curves. Craig is annoyed and thinks she’s micromanaging. If she wants him to be in charge, she should just let him be in charge. Kendra tells Craig to call her later with a progress report.

Net Worth drools over the car, which Bren says is “like a beautiful woman” who you can’t take your eyes off of. Bren notices a Solstice logo in the dashboard and tells Chris and Alex they definitely need a shot of that. Chris asks Bren to start doing research so he can write the copy. Alex will direct the indoor shoot, and he will handle the outdoor shoot.

Meanwhile, as passers by watch Magna’s outdoor photo shoot, Kendra and Tana ask them what emotions the car evokes in them. Kendra notes that most of them have to do with desire.

Chris is working with the photographers as well and asks for a “tweaked” shot. He reviews the photos they have so far and loves them. Inside, Alex finishes up a series of model shots. Apparently these boys think putting a hot blonde in a tube top on the hood of the car is creative and innovative. Chris asks Alex if he got a shot of the details of the tire, or of the logo that Bren liked. Alex didn’t get either and says there was just no time. Chris notes that Bren won’t be happy. He sure won’t, especially if he’s writing his copy with that logo in mind. Chris says that he’s disappointed with Alex’s work.

The guys of Net Worth review photos. Chris loves some fuzzy, out of focus shots. Alex says they need interior photos next, but only finds one good one. Bren is indeed distressed to hear that they didn’t get a shot of the logo because he thinks it would have been a great cover.