Southwest and JetBlue Model Twitter Interaction

Two of the more engaged companies on Twitter have been engaging with each other. Unusual for competitors, Southwest and JetBlue teach us what social media is all about-human interaction.

After a friendly discussion about a radio station in Chicago and Guitar Hero, the two representatives got kudos from Twitter followers: 

One of Southwest's tweeters told PR Daily,

"People sometimes forget when you work in the same industry you share a similar passion for what you do with your competitors. We all get along and admire the great things each other does, and playing nice oftentimes makes the competition more fierce, and certainly more fun to play in."

JetBlue has been praised for its use of Twitter as a customer service platform, not as an advertising tool:

"JetBlue responds quickly to customer service questions on Twitter. They don't take any days off (just like their airlines) and are there to help at any time."

And Southwest has been a superstar since the early days of Twitter. See the "too-fat-to-fly" situation with movie director Kevin Smith.

Discussion Starters:

• What risks did the airlines take in participating in this interaction? What are the potential downsides?
• On the other hand, what can other competitive brands learn from the exchange?
• On what other social media sites can brands potentially engage each other?

Starbucks' Hashtag Backfires

Another company has had its Twitter hashtag hijacked. In a high-risk campaign, Starbucks asked people to use #spreadthecheer to have their holiday messages projected on a large video screen near the Natural History Museum in London at a public ice rink.

Unfortunately, the timing was off. Starbucks recently has been criticized for tax breaks in the UK. Tweets were less than generous.

• "I like buying coffee that tastes nice from a shop that pays tax. So I avoid @starbucks #spreadthecheer"

• "Tax paid: £8.6m. Additional tax paid to improve public image: £20m. Posting live tweets to a big screen: priceless. #spreadthecheer"

As The Consumerist wrote, "The people at Starbucks have apparently never used the Internet." It does seem that the company should have been more cautious, particularly given the tax issue.

So far, Starbucks has not commented on the failure. 

Discussion Starters:

• Read about other failed Twitter campaigns. What do these situations share in common?
• Should companies just stop using Twitter hashtags?

Penn State Investigates Sorority's Mexican-Themed Party

The women of Chi Omega Nu Gamma at Penn State may be regretting their Mexican-themed party. Sporting ponchos, sombreros and a few mustaches, women held signs that read "Will Mow Lawn for Weed + Beer" and "I Don't Cut Grass. I Smoke It."

The university is investigating the situation and, according to one source, is considering suspending the sorority. The Panhellenic Council executive board released a statement about the incident:

"The Penn State Panhellenic Council recognizes the offensive nature of the photo and is therefore taking the matter very seriously. We are addressing the situation immediately with the members of the chapter in conjunction with their national headquarters. The Penn State Panhellenic Council does not condone any form of derogatory behavior from any of our members. Our Council and all its members strive to hold ourselves to a high standard and are disappointed by any failure to meet these expectations."

Vice President of the Mexican American Student Association, Cesar Sanchez Lopez, also commented on the incident:

"The Mexican American Student Association is disappointed in the attire chosen by this sorority. It in no way represents our culture. Not only have they chosen to stereotype our culture with serapes and sombreros, but the insinuation about drug usage makes this image more offensive. Our country is plagued by a drug war that has led to the death of an estimated 50,000 people, which is nothing to be joked about."

Jessica Riccardi, president of the sorority chapter, issued this apology:

"Our chapter of Chi Omega sincerely apologizes for portraying inappropriate and untrue stereotypes. The picture in question does not support any of Chi Omega's values or reflect what the organization aspires to be."

The sorority has suffered some backlash. Posters criticizing the photo are circulated around campus. 

Discussion Starters:

• What's your reaction to the party? Is it offensive, just plain fun, or something else?
  
• What, if any, action do you think the university should take?

Bank of America Gets Slammed for Losing Death Certificate Three Times

In what sounds like an astounding lack of decent service, Bank of America has given the son of a deceased woman more than the usual run around. Matt, a college student, lost his mother on October 1. Since then, he has been fighting with the bank to deal with the mortgage on her property.

According to Matt, as told to The Consumerist, the bank has lost several copies of the woman's death certificate:

"The first call ended after the associate we were speaking to told us that the only person they could talk to was the person who was listed on the mortgage: my mother.

"Since she was deceased, that's obviously not possible, so we explained 'death' to the person we were speaking to. They said they had to talk to my mother, we decided it was hopeless, and gave up.

"We later got on the phone with someone else who said to send them a copy of the death certificate. They lost that one. Then they lost the next one. Then they lost the third, hand-delivered, death certificate. They finally managed to get the death certificate to a filing cabinet on the fourth try. They sent a letter acknowledging they had received the death certificate, but still they asked to speak with the person on the mortgage."

Curiously, Bank of America was criticized recently for requesting a death certificate of a customer who isn't dead. A filmmaker created a short video explaining that "Bank of America wants you to die before you modify" a mortgage loan.  

This could explain why, on the Customer Service Scoreboard, Bank of America is rated 25.91 out of 200 (compared to Zappos, rated 186). The site includes 1131 negative comments and 46 positive comments-not a great showing.

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• What gives the consumer credibility in his assessment? In other words, how do we know that Matt is likely telling the truth about what has happened?
• As of this writing, I don't see a response from Bank of America about the situation with Matt.  If you were the head of customer service for the bank, would you write a statement about the situation? If so, what would you include?

Viewer Regrets Comments About TV Anchor's Weight

A local news station viewer in Wisconsin says he "never meant to hurt" the TV anchor whom he accused of being a poor role model for young people because she's obese. Jennifer Livingston's husband posted the email on his Facebook page and wrote that it "infuriated" him.

In a four-minute, on-air response, Livingston called the comments "hurtful" and says that "attacks like this are not okay." She also took the opportunity to reinforce National Anti-Bullying Month.

Krause felt some remorse for his comments. He told ABC News, "It's possible I would revise a few things. I never meant to hurt Jennifer. If she is truly hurt, I do apologize for that." But Krause denied the label of "bully": "I'm in no position to bully her. She's a big media personality. I'm just a working stiff."

Discussion Starters:

• How effective was Livingston's response in explaining her position? Do you empathize with her more after watching the video?
• Krause argues that bullying has something to do with power or position. What is his argument, and do you agree with him?

McDonald's Slips on Communicating with the Hmong

Known for adapting its marketing campaigns to different cultures and countries, McDonald's has missed on at least one advertisement to the Hmong people in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Although the billboard translates roughly to "Coffee gets you up. Breakfast gets you going," locals say the grammar is incorrect, and "It sounds weird in Hmong because we don't really talk like that." A doctor at a St. Paul hospital said, "The text is also wrong, missing key breaks in the language" and "As it stands right now, it doesn't make sense at all."

The doctor also expressed concerns about McDonald's food:

"I think it's great that more mainstream businesses are realizing the buying (and) consumer power of the Hmong community. [But] chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and obesity are already a major health concern in the Hmong community. Most of this is attributed to the changing westernized eating behaviors that Hmong people have adapted to. McDonald's should instead focus more on healthy eating."

A representative from Arnold Advertising, which works with McDonald's restaurants in the area, said, "This is the first time that McDonald's anywhere in the country has advertised in Hmong." McDonald's targeted the Hmong people as one consumer group and "wanted to make sure we were communicating effectively with them." With tens of thousands of Hmong living in St. Paul, the area has more Hmong people than any other U.S. city.

In a statement by McDonald's regional marketing director, the company acknowledged that it fell short:

"We strive to reach our guests in relevant ways including the use of in-language messaging. While it was our intention to create a special message for our Hmong population in Minnesota, we now realize that an error was made in the translation of 'Coffee Gets You Up, Breakfast Gets You Going.' It was not our intention to offend anyone, and we apologize for the error. We are working with our local advertising agency to correct these billboards and will re-post next week."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• How could McDonald's have avoided this embarrassing situation?
• The company chose not to respond to the doctor's point about health concerns within the Hmong community. Should McDonald's have included a statement regarding this issue? Why or why not?

Where's the Line Between Constructive Criticism and Meanness?

A negative New York Times book review has caused a fiery reaction on Twitter. William Giraldi's review of Inside and Signs and Wonders, two fiction stories by Alix Ohlin, includes these criticisms:

• "Alix Ohlin's sophomore effort yawningly announces itself as 'Inside,' a forgettable moniker that suggests everything and so means nothing."
• "Meet the four principal, cliché-­strangled Canadians whom Ohlin flies around like kites in a waning zephyr..."
• "Ohlin's language betrays an appalling lack of register - language that limps onto the page proudly indifferent to pitch or vigor."
• "William Gass once called this breed of abysmal writing 'the uselessly precise fact' - it's what you doodle when you need to fill a page but have nothing important to say. What then passes for wisdom in this novel? Nonsense clichés..."

Giraldi sums up his review: "Every mind lives or dies by its ideas; every book lives or dies by its language."

Although Giraldi got some support on Twitter, several tweeters found the review too harsh. 

 

Discussion Starters:

• Read the entire book review. What's your opinion of the author's approach and tone?
• Have you ever received feedback that you considered too harsh? What were the circumstances?

Man Fired for "Berating" Chick-fil-A Employee

Public opinion rages on after Chick-fil-A's CEO said he supported "the biblical definition of the family unit." First, we heard outrage from supporters of gay marriage and saw the company's softened stance on the issue.

The saga continues as one man wanted to tell a Chick-fil-A employee-at a drive-through window-how he felt. Adam Smith, the (former) CFO of Vante, a medical supplies manufacturer, posted a video of the interaction on YouTube. Smith ordered a free water, referred to Chick-fila-A as "a horrible corporation with horrible values," and told the employee, "I don't know how you live with yourself and work here."

Vante didn't appreciate Smith's behavior or the publicity and fired the CFO. In response, Smith posted another video in which he apologizes to the employee; refers to her "beauty," "kindness," and "patience" in dealing with him; and explains that he "lost it." He said, "You should be very proud of how you handled the stressful situation. Great job. Wow."

Vante issued this statement to explain the decision to terminate Smith:

"Vante regrets the unfortunate events that transpired yesterday in Tucson between our former CFO/Treasurer Adam Smith and an employee at Chick-fil-A. Effective immediately, Mr. Smith is no longer an employee of our company.

"The actions of Mr. Smith do not reflect our corporate values in any manner. Vante is an equal opportunity company with a diverse workforce, which holds diverse opinions. We respect the right of our employees and all Americans to hold and express their personal opinions; however, we also expect our company officers to behave in a manner commensurate with their position and in a respectful fashion that conveys these values of civility with others.

"We hope that the general population does not hold Mr. Smith's actions against Vante and its employees."

An article in Bloomberg Businessweek gives us a legal perspective on this situation and others: "Where Free Speech Goes to Die: The Workplace." The author explains:

"In America you can say pretty much whatever you want, wherever you want to say it. Unless, that is, you're at work. Simply put, there is no First Amendment right to 'free speech' in the workplace-potentially perilous for many employees in a polarized political year with a tight presidential race."

Mark Trapp, an employment lawyer further clarifies the limitation of "free speech":

"The First Amendment applies only to employees of the government in certain situations, and all citizens when they're confronted by the government."

Discussion Starters:

• Did Smith's boss do the right thing? What are the arguments for firing him and for keeping him employed?
• How do you assess the Chick-fil-A employee's reaction to Smith? Did she handle the situation well?

Chick-fil-A Changes Its Tune on Gay Marriage

A social media storm has erupted in response to Chick-fil-A's anti-gay-marriage stance. When asked by the Baptist Press about the company's position, president Dan Cathy said, "Well, guilty as charged."

Cathy further explained the company's views:

"We are very much supportive of the family-the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.

"We operate as a family business ... our restaurants are typically led by families; some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that.

"We intend to stay the course. We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles."

Although Chick-fil-A did find some support on Twitter and Facebook, many comments, such as this one, opposed the company's view:

Chef Hilah posted a video of how to make your own "Chick-fil-Gay" sandwich. As she says, "I love fried chicken sandwiches at Chick-fil-A. The problem is, I have a lot of gay friends, and I love them too." A CNN poll in May found that 54% of respondents support gay marriage, while 42% are opposed.

Within three days of the Baptist Press article, the company has taken a different approach:

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view on whether a company should take a position on an issue such as gay marriage?
• Does the president's view influence your decision to eat at the restaurant?
• How do you assess the company's response?

"Illegal Immigrant" Missing from Supreme Court Ruling

As the U.S. immigration debate rolls on, a CNN commentator notes the absence of the term "illegal immigrant" in the recent Supreme Court ruling. Charles Garcia further explains why the term-and perhaps worse, "illegals"- is dehumanizing and racist.

According to Garcia, calling someone an "illegal immigrant" or "illegal alien" labels that person as being illegal, rather than identifying his or her behavior as illegal. He points out that no one else in this country is considered illegal just because he or she breaks a law. When we get a speeding ticket, our action was illegal, but we are not.

Garcia also argues that the term has racist underpinnings:

"The term 'illegal immigrant' was first used in 1939 as a slur by the British toward Jews who were fleeing the Nazis and entering Palestine without authorization. Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel aptly said that 'no human being is illegal.' "

Despite Garcia's argument, the term persists. The Associate Press, for example, still recommends the term in its Stylebook, which Deputy Standards Editor explains:

"Together, the terms describe a person who resides in a country unlawfully by residency or citizenship requirements … Alternatives like undocumented worker, illegal alien or illegals lack precision or may have negative connotations. Illegal immigrant, on the other hand, is accurate and neutral for news stories."

Colorlines, a racial justice organization, agrees with Garcia's assessment and offers different guidelines for journalists. The organization suggests these terms to describe a person's situation more accurately: undocumented immigrant, unauthorized immigrant, and immigrant without papers.

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of the term "illegal immigrant"? Do you agree with Garcia?
  
• How do the recommended terms (undocumented immigrant, unauthorized immigrant, and immigrant without papers) fit with our discussion of "people-first" language?

Science: It's a Girl Thing -- Demeaning or Clever?

To attract more female scientists, the European Commission created a video and other promotional videos. With an abundance of pink and a focus on cosmetics, the video has been criticized as demeaning to girls. Some even questioned whether the video was a joke, to which a spokesperson said that the European Commission, "doesn't really do irony."

As of today, the video on YouTube was viewed more than 626,000 times and received 974 likes and 6,432 dislikes. 

In fairness, the EC has several videos as part of this campaign that don't focus on girls' high-heeled bodies or show girls blowing kisses. The Irish Times reported the EC's reaction from an interview with spokesperson Michael Jennings:

"'It is intended to catch the attention of the target audience – 13- to 17-year- old girls.'

"Mr. Jennings said that focus groups informed the commission that the video had to 'speak their language to get their attention' and that it was intended to be 'fun, catchy' and strike a chord with young people. 'I would encourage everyone to have a look at the wider campaign and the many videos already online of female researchers talking about their jobs and lives,' he said."

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of the video? Do you find it demeaning, clever, or something else?
• The EC took down the video after the criticism. Was this the right decision?

Adidas Responds to Controversy over "Shackled" Shoes

Adidas has apologized for an advertisement that some consider racist. The chains around the shoes are said to be reminiscent of slavery-and prisons, particularly because of the orange color. With the tag line, "a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles," the shoes cost $350. A Washington Post article sums up the "dangerous message" Adidas and other companies are sending: "We want your money, but we aren't concerned with being sensitive to your history, culture and socio-economic plight."

 

Outrage was rampant on Facebook, with comments such as this one, posted by Antonio Leche: "Slavery isn't a fashion example. Everyone involved in this show should be fired ASAP! This is the new reason I won't buy any Adidas anymore!"

In a statement, Reverend Jesse Jackson voiced his criticism:

"For Adidas to promote the athleticism and contributions of a variety of African-American sports legends -- especially Olympic heroes Wilma Rudolph and Jesse Owens and boxing great Muhammad Ali -- and then allow such a degrading symbol of African-American history to pass through its corporate channels and move toward actual production and advertisement, is insensitive and corporately irresponsible.

"These slave shoes are odious and we as a people should be called to resent and resist them. If put into production and placed on the market, protests and pickets signs will follow. Adidas cannot make a profit at the expense of commercialized human degradation."

Adidas did respond to the criticism, first with this statement:

"The JS Roundhouse Mid is part of the Fall/Winter 2012 design collaboration between Adidas Originals and Jeremy Scott. The design of the JS Roundhouse Mid is nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott's outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery.

"Jeremy Scott is renowned as a designer whose style is quirky and lighthearted and his previous shoe designs for Adidas Originals have, for example, included panda heads and Mickey Mouse. Any suggestion that this is linked to slavery is untruthful."

Of course, this didn't resolve the controversy, so Adidas tried again-and cancelled the shoe release:

"Since the shoe debuted on our Facebook page ahead of its market release in August, Adidas has received both favorable and critical feedback. We apologize if people are offended by the design and we are withdrawing our plans to make them available in the marketplace."

Discussion Starters:

• What is your view of the Adidas ad? Do you see it as racist, harmless, or something else?
• How do you assess the company's response? What might have been a better response to the criticism?

Is This Newcastle Brown Ale Ad Sexist?

Newcastle Brown Ale is taking some heat for a new commercial that some believe is sexist. Created by ad agency Droga5, the "No Bollocks" spot ends with the punchline: "Why do we focus so much on our brewmaster's hands? Because she is not an attractive woman."

Charles Van Es, brand director for Droga5, explained the rationale for the ad:

"With this campaign we are going to be very honest with our consumers. Our guys know it when they are marketed to, so we believe it's time for a beer brand to give it to them straight, just like their best mates would do. The people of Newcastle, England—Geordies—don't take themselves too seriously, love a good joke, and most importantly, they tell it like it is. Our ads celebrate these traits by using a no-nonsense approach, where we are not over promising anything."

Here are the top YouTube comments about the ad:

Discussion Starters:

• Why would some people consider the ad to be sexist? Do you agree with this view? Why or why not?
• The brand manager for ad agency Droga5 described the brand strategy. To what extent does this explain the commercial?

Google Drive for Team Projects

Google has introduced an evolution of Google Docs: Drive, a service that stores photos and videos in addition to documents. The new service will likely compete with both Dropbox for cloud storage and Microsoft's similar product, SkyDrive.

The advantages of Drive over Dropbox are clear: in Dropbox, users can only store files; they can't edit documents as they can in Google Docs and Drive. The tougher choice is between Google Drive and Microsoft SkyDrive. PCWorld compared the services in these articles:

• Four Reasons Google Wins Out
• Five Reasons Microsoft SkyDrive is Better Than Google Drive

For students, the decision may come down to ease of access (Drive doesn't require another login if they're already on Gmail) versus software (SkyDrive uses Microsoft files, which are more standard and feature rich than Google Docs). A minor issue for students is privacy. People have expressed concern over Drive's "terms of service," but the risks may be exaggerated, and I'm not too worried about my students' revealing trade secrets during their team projects.

Discussion Starters:

• What are the advantages of Google Drive over Google Docs?
• Which service would you prefer: Google Drive or Microsoft SkyDrive? Why?

Communications in the Wal-Mart Bribe Inquiry

With a New York Times headline that reads, "Vast Mexico Bribery Case Hushed Up by Wal-Mart After Top-Level Struggle," news can only be bad for the world's largest corporate employer. Of course, the evidence is that revealer of so many corporate secrets: email.

The New York Times article reports the severity of the situation:

"Wal-Mart dispatched investigators to Mexico City, and within days they unearthed evidence of widespread bribery. They found a paper trail of hundreds of suspect payments totaling more than $24 million. They also found documents showing that Wal-Mart de Mexico's top executives not only knew about the payments, but had taken steps to conceal them from Wal-Mart's headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. In a confidential report to his superiors, Wal-Mart's lead investigator, a former F.B.I. special agent, summed up their initial findings this way: 'There is reasonable suspicion to believe that Mexican and USA laws have been violated.'"

"The lead investigator recommended that Wal-Mart expand the investigation.

"Instead, an examination by The New York Times found, Wal-Mart's leaders shut it down."

The article also points to several internal communications about the situation:

• Rather than hire outside, independent investigators, Wal-Mart leadership decided that its own legal counsel would oversee a "preliminary inquiry." 
• In what is referred to in the article as a "terse report," the director of corporate investigations for Wal‑Mart in 2005, says that the situation is "not looking good."

Apparently, more than $16 million dollars was paid in "donations" or "contributions" to the Mexican government since 2003 to secure permits and build several stores in Mexico.

The first comment selected by the NY Times staff reflects public cynicism about the company:

Discussion Staters:

• Does the news about Wal-Mart in Mexico surprise you? Why or why not?
• Once again, how can people protect their communications from becoming public?
• How, if at all, should Wal-Mart respond to this situation?
• A follow-up NY Times article says that "...Bribery Is Taken in Stride" in Mexico. How, if at all, does that affect your perspective of this Wal-Mart situation?

Councilman Pays $28,800 for Tweets

A Philadelphia councilman needs help with that transparent, authentic social media voice on Twitter, so he hired a firm to tweet for him. Jim Kenney hired ChatterBlast to help with his social media strategy, including monitoring his Facebook and Twitter accounts and writing posts.

Kenney explains why he needs this help: 

"I, at 53 years old, do not have that facility. So I need consultant advice to communicate with a group of folks who are not necessarily in my age group."

In addition to hiring ChatterBlast, Kenney has hired an outside communications consultant, Martin O'Rourke. In an embarrassing admission, O'Rourke described his own limitations:

"I have no clue how to tweet; I still don't understand the mechanics of it. It's a thing of the future."

ChatterBlast promotes its services to government officials in this way: 

"Interactive online communities represent a whole new arena of vocal constituents. ChatterBlast uses social media networks, targeted advertising and digital marketing to deliver real-time, personalized and high-impact messages while building a community of supporters.  We can listen to what is being said about you or your organization in real-time, faster and more accurately then pollsters. More importantly, we can engage and address the naysayers while promoting and rewarding positive feedback. 

"If you are an agency or elected official, social media can be used to keep in touch with your constituents and address issues before they become a crisis. If you are running for office, social media provides a new untapped fundraising channel.  Maintaining an active and identifiable base can be managed before, during, and after your campaign.  We can even help secure your votes before campaign time begins."

Discussion Starters:

• What are the ethical considerations in this situation? 
• Where do you see the line between how an outside firm helps a person or a company develop and implement a social media strategy and how that firm implements the strategy?
• Under what, if any, circumstances should an individual hire an outside firm to tweet on his or her behalf?

Belvedere Vodka Apologizes for Ad

Belvedere Vodka apologized for an ad that many believe mocks sexual assault, but the apology also drew criticism.

As one of many who reacted negatively to the ad, @KateHarding tweeted about her feelings:

"The @belvederevodka rape joke ad disappeared just as I was about to share it on FB. Hope someone got a screenshot. Appalling."

Belvedere initially tweeted this short apology:

After more criticism, the company released a more formal statement:

"My name is Charles Gibb and I am the President of Belvedere Vodka. I would like to personally apologize for the offensive post that recently appeared on our Facebook page.

"It should never have happened. I am currently investigating the matter to determine how this happened and to be sure it never does so again. The content is contrary to our values and we deeply regret this lapse.

"As an expression of our regret over this matter we have made a donation to RAINN (America's largest anti-sexual violence organization. www.rainn.org)"

RAINN posted a note on its Facebook page:

"We got a call from Belvedere Vodka's president, who was profusely apologetic about an offensive Facebook post yesterday. He stressed how much it was contrary to his values and what Belvedere stands for, and that he feels awful about it. He offered to make a generous donation to RAINN to support our work to help victims of sexual violence and educate the public. Nice to see a company that not only undoes its mistake but looks for a way to do good afterwards."

Discussion Starters:

• Compare the two apologies. What are the main differences?
• What are components of a effective apology? Do you find the second apology effective? Why or why not?

ESPN Apologizes for "Chink in the Armor" Caption and Comment

For 35 minutes, ESPN's mobile website showed the caption "Chink in the Armor" under a photo of basketball superstar Jeremy Lin. An ESPN commentator also used the phrase related to Jeremy Lin, shown in the video below the website.  

 

The Asian Americans Journalist Association (AAJA) wrote a letter including the following excerpt: 

"We at the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) find it hard to fathom how such an offensive headline appeared on your publishing platforms. The phrase was even spoken on-air.

"We are glad ESPN has recognized its mistake, and we appreciate the quick apology for the transgression. 

"Many people, not just in Asian American communities, are shocked that a news company with a long tradition of excellence would use a racial epithet. It's particularly galling because of the weeks of discussion about Lin, his heritage and even the wave of outright racism surrounding his stardom.

"We are particularly concerned that an organization as large as yours did not have the proper checks in place to prevent the mistake. It is hard to fathom how editors on so many of your platforms failed to uphold your normally high standards.

"Of course, it disappoints us to see one of our most valued and committed partners in diversity stumble. As you well know, this incident does not live up to the Leadership in Diversity Award that AAJA bestowed on ESPN in 2010. But we trust that you will transform this incident into a teachable moment."

In a statement, ESPN said, 

"We are conducting a complete review of our cross-platform editorial procedures and are determining appropriate disciplinary action to ensure this does not happen again. We regret and apologize for this mistake."

In a tweet, Rob King, ESPN's senior vice president for editorial, print and digital media, posted,

"There's no defense for the indefensible. All we can offer are our apologies, sincere though incalculably inadequate."

Let's hope we get more of an explanation from ESPN. How does this ethnic slur get through an editorial process?

UPDATE: The ESPN editor who wrote the headline was fired. Here's his explanation. Do you believe him?

Discussion Starters:

• How do you think the phrase was intended? Was it an innocent mistake, planned as a joke, or something else?
• How do you think this happened? ESPN has writers and people who read the written comments. How could this slip by?
• What is your assessment of ESPN's apology so far?
• Read the Asian Americans Journalist Association's entire letter. What are the strongest and weakest arguments?

Oprah Apologizes for Nielsen Tweet

When Oprah tweeted this message to her 9 million followers, she didn't expect such strong criticism; she just wanted to promote her network.

However, as it turns out, the ratings agency considered the tweet a "potentially serious violation of its policy." Nielsen strives for objectivity in measuring what shows people watch. Trying to coerce viewers is not acceptable.

Reactions on Twitter varied: some were supportive, while others called Oprah's tweet "unethical" and "desperate." Because Nielsen was misspelled in her tweet, people questioned whether she was the writer, but her executive producer confirmed that she was.

In another tweet, Oprah apologized: 

She also told The New York Times, "I removed the tweet at the request of Nielsen. I intended no harm and apologize for the reference."

Discussion Starters:

• Do you consider Oprah's tweet to be an innocent mistake, a savvy marketing move, unethical, or something else?
• The OWN network has shown disappointing viewership, but what are better ways for Oprah to promote her network via social media?
  

KLM's "Meet and Seat": Choosing a Flight Mate Just Got Social

KLM just announced Meet & Seat, a new program that allows passengers to link their Facebook or LinkedIn profile to their flight to see who else is flying. Passengers can see whether they know anyone on board or select someone who seems interesting.

The airline promotes the program primarily for business networking:

"Meet & Seat facilitates contact with fellow travellers who have the same background or interests, making air travel even more stimulating for KLM passengers. They can find out whether someone they know will be travelling on the same flight, or discover who else will be attending the same conference in the USA, for example. Through Meet & Seat they might arrange to have a coffee before their flight, select adjoining seats or decide to share a taxi afterwards."

But this animated video focused on more social reasons for Meet & Seat:

Discussion Starters:

• Do you think KLM's Meet & Seat is a good idea? How could it benefit the airline?
• What are the potential risks of the program for the airline?
• Would you use the program if you were planning to take an KLM flight?