Mars: Deep-Fried Bars Are Not "Healthy"

When a Scottish restaurant promoted deep-fried Mars bars, the chocolate maker took issue. The company sent a letter requesting that Carron Fish Bar post a disclaimer about the fried chocolate on its menu: "not authorised or endorsed by Mars Incorporated."

A Mars spokesperson explained the company's position:

"We are really flattered that customers of Carron Fish Bar like our product so much that it has now become a flagship product for the store.

"No application for a protected geographical indication has been filed to date.

"Should an application be filed, unfortunately, we wouldn't be able to support it as deep-frying one of our products would go against our commitment to promoting healthy, active lifestyles."

"Healthy, active lifestyles"? Indeed, in a list of "Marketing Commitments" posted on its website, the company boasts these principles:

• We believe in healthy eating and pride ourselves on the high quality of our products. Based on sound scientific knowledge, we know that they can form part of a healthy and enjoyable diet for consumers of all ages.
• Our communications will not undermine the pursuit of a healthy, balanced diet and active lifestyle.
• Our communications will not encourage or condone excessive consumption of any food or drink.
• Our communications will not promote compulsive snacking.
• We will not associate our products with people who are excessively underweight or overweight.
• We will not use a celebrity in a way that might mislead consumers about the benefits of our brands.
• We endorse initiatives to encourage active lifestyles including the sponsoring of sports events.
• We will direct our marketing communications in all media to adults who make household purchasing decisions (gatekeepers) and young people 12 and over, both in terms of ad content and media purchasing.
• We will continue to offer responsible and creative advertising featuring our products, trademarks, brands and spokescharacters suitable for our intended audiences.

One of the Carron managers responded: 

"We have been selling this deep-fried Mars product for 20 years and this is the first time we have heard from Mars.

"But we are quite happy to put a disclaimer on the main menu for the shop because I don't want any reason for them to come back and try some sort of court action against me."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Do you think that Mars's request is reasonable? Why or why not?
• What stronger argument could Mars have included argument in its letter?

Storm Preparedness Communications in Social Media

New Orleans is bracing itself for Hurricane Isaac, just upgraded from a "Tropical Storm" and sadly reminiscent of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005. Local authorities generally are doing a good job of keeping residents informed through social media.

The city has an updated website with easy-to-understand links on the left side. However, these might be improved with parallel phrasing and more consideration to the order. Is "Past Emergency News" the most important, implied by its top position? At this point-when the storm is quickly approaching-maybe "Leaving Town" is most important?*

On Twitter, the city's preparedness team and mayor use the same "NOLA Ready" logo, which connects the feeds nicely. Both are tweeting regularly with updated information and responses to questions and concerns. Here is a sampling of recent tweets from the mayor's feed:

Although the mayor's tweets are timely and seem relevant, some criticize the tone. One media trainer suggests a more personal tone to emphasize the city's focus on keeping people safe. Another communications expert calls the NOLA website "too politically correct," and says, "It seems more about the local politicians than an emergency service for residents."

Social media is sure to have a front-and-center role as Isaac moves closer.

* Update: After I tweeted about the ill-conceived order, NOLA changed its website links, now leading with "Emergency Updates," with instructions for signing up for notifications from the site. This wouldn't have been my choice, but it's better than referring to past emergencies.

Discussion Starters:

• Read recent tweets on the city's preparedness feed. Which tweets are most and least effective?
• What improvements could you make to the city's website? What information is most important to people expecting a hurricane?

Obama Emails: "Creepy," "Weird," and "Desperate"?

The Obama campaign is taking a hit because of emails that some consider strange and "increasingly weird" and "desperate."  Business Insider is criticizing the Democrats' fundraising emails for their strong language:

• "When you get knocked down, get up. There's no quit in America. There's nothing we can't do." (Joe Biden)
• "We've gotta close the gap and fight back before it's too late." (James Carville)
• "I don't have as much time to campaign this time as I did in 2008, so this whole thing is riding on you making it happen." (President Obama)

In an email that Business Insider calls "the creepiest yet," the campaign uses a very casual tone and invites donors to enter for a chance to meet the president and shoot some hoops. 

This isn't the first time Obama's emails have been criticized. Jon Stewart lambasted the campaign on The Daily Show, calling the tone in emails "fake familiarity." 

A recent Romney email also was criticized. Before he announced his VP running mate, Romney sent an email teasing supporters with the name of his VP pick. The subject line was "My Vice President," but the email didn't reveal Paul Ryan's name: 

Discussion Starters:

• How do you assess President Obama's emails: would you call them creepy, effective, or something else?
• How effective do you think Romney's email was in raising money? What reaction would you have to the message?

Restaurants Respond to Shutdown of Meat Plant

A slaughterhouse in Central California is being investigated after a video showed sick cows killed for meat, a violation of federal regulations. Although it's still unclear whether tainted meat made its way into the food system, McDonald's and In-N-Out Burger have "severed ties" with the plant, which has been temporarily shut down.

According to the Associated Press, the video seems "to show workers bungling the slaughter of cows struggling to walk and even stand."

In-N-Out Burger has issued this statement:

 
On the McDonald's home page, we see a different approach: photos of meat suppliers and this page title:

"Meet some of the hard-working people dedicated to providing high quality food every day. And get the story behind your McDonald's favorites."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• In-N-Out's statement could have been better organized and more clearly written. How could you improve the message?
  
• In the statement, what examples do you see of logical arguments, emotional appeal, and credibility?

Groceries Reassure Customers About Cantaloupe

A salmonella outbreak in cantaloupes has caused two deaths and 141 illnesses so far. In 20 states, people have eaten tainted cantaloupes that have been linked to a farm in Indiana. On its information page, the Center for Disease Control says that cantaloupes not shipped from southwestern Indiana are safe to eat.

Joe Bell, Kroger's manager of marketing and public affairs, confirmed that the grocery store's cantaloupes aren't from the affected region:

"The cantaloupes which are currently in our Kroger stores are not from the area of Indiana being investigated. Cantaloupes in the Kroger's Delta Division, our region, are coming out of California, and the investigation involves Indiana-grown cantaloupes.  At this time, the focus is not on any of the suppliers we have used this year. The last cantaloupe shipments that came out of Indiana, to any of our stores, was in late July."

Jonathan Alexander, a manager at Paul's Fruit Market, said, "We've fielded all kinds of phone calls and people coming in asking about it. If we had any, we'd pull them." Paul's Fruit Market is in Kentucky, the hardest-hit state with more than a third of the illnesses and both deaths.

Image source.

Discussion Starters: 

• Do the groceries' statements convince you to buy cantaloupe? Why or why not?
• What else can the stores do to reassure customers?

Progressive Fights Lawsuit and Responds to Backlash

Progressive Insurance lost a lawsuit and a social media battle. When Katie Fisher was killed in a car accident, Progressive fought to avoid paying a settlement to her family. The company was obligated to contribute because the other driver was underinsured. Katie's brother, Matt, wrote a blog post that captured attention: "My Sister Paid Progressive Insurance to Defend Her Killer In Court." 

When Progressive was criticized on Twitter and on other social media sites, the company produced repeated tweets, which only fueled the backlash: 

The app TwitLonger linked to Progressive's full message, which was longer than 140 characters:

"This is a tragic case, and our sympathies go out to Mr. Fisher and his family for the pain they've had to endure. We fully investigated this claim and relevant background, and feel we properly handled the claim within our contractual obligations."

The response wasn't received well either, and Progressive has since deleted the tweet and issued this longer statement:

Discussion Starters and Assignment Ideas

• What's your view of Progressive's role in the Fisher case: is the company a monster, just doing what it should to protect itself, or something else?
• Let's help Progressive write better messages. Rewrite the "robo-tweets," as CNN Money called them. What could have been a better initial response?
• We can understand Progressive's desire to explain its role in the lawsuit, but the official statement, above, could be improved. Also, according to CNN Money, "Court documents show that Progressive was added to the case last year as a defendant, alongside the at-fault driver, and that it actively participated in fighting against the Fishers' claims." So, technicalities aside, Matt Fisher was correct that Progressive fought the settlement to Fisher's family. Rewrite Progressive's statement to improve the company's image.

Knight Capital Group CEO Responds to Trading Glitch

Thomas Joyce, CEO of Knight Capital Group, has lost no time in addressing concerns about a trading software problem that almost doomed the company. The error caused price distortions in almost 150 stocks, and Knight lost $440 million in a half-hour. In total, Knight has lost 600 million shares.

Joyce has been vocal on business news programs, trying to rebuild confidence in Knight. Sources say he has been transparent about the error and about the company's decision to accept a cash infusion.

On CNBC, Joyce started on a positive note. He said that the industry has responded well to the crisis: "The wildly flattering thing was how our clients responded to us." Joyce then said that the company made clients the priority, admitting, "There was a problem. We took the consequences. None of our clients took the consequences. And, importantly, the industry didn't suffer."

Joyce also explained what happened: "Sadly, it was a very simple breakdown...an issue with trading technology... Right now, we're doing an internal investigation." Joyce was firm about coming up with solutions.

When Joyce was asked about an interaction with SEC chair Mary Shapiro, Joyce addressed the question directly. He admitted contacting her while on vacation to request that the SEC cancel some of the incorrect trades. She refused. 

"She did what she thought was right for the industry... I'm kind of biased, I wish she had made a different decision, but she did what she thought was right..."

Discussion Starters:

• Watch Joyce's interview on CNBC.What strategies does he use to rebuild confidence in the firm?
• What non-verbal communication skills does Joyce use during the interview? Which are effective, and which, if any, are not?

Burger King's Response to Posted Photo

Reminiscent of the Domino's Pizza incident back in 2009, a Burger King employee photographed himself standing in two bins of lettuce. The image, posted in 4Chan, made the news rounds, and the poster was tracked down. Finding the employee wasn't too hard-GPS data was attached to the image, which was traced to a northern Ohio suburb.

The Board of Health for the Mayfield Heights location confirmed that the restaurant "threw out all of the affected food on Saturday morning" and that the lettuce wasn't served to customers.

Burger King issued this statement in reponse: 

"Burger King Corp. is aware of a photo that shows a BURGER KING® restaurant employee violating the company's stringent food handling procedures. Food safety is a top priority at all BURGER KING® restaurants and the company maintains a zero-tolerance policy against any violations such as the one in question.

"The restaurant where this photo was taken is independently-owned and operated by a BURGER KING® franchisee. The franchisee has taken swift action to investigate this matter and has terminated the three employees involved in the incident."

Discussion Starters:

• Burger King's statement could use editing. What are the two punctuation errors?
• What else could Burger King say to reassure customers?

Theaters Respond to Colorado Shooting

After a terrible night at an Aurora, CO, movie house, theaters across the country are responding. Twelve people were killed and 59 were wounded during a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises," the latest Batman movie. The gunman dressed in black and described himself as the Joker to police.

In response, Warner Bros. has cancelled the movie's planned premiere in Paris. The company also said, "Out of respect for the victims and their families, Warner Bros. Pictures will not be reporting box office numbers for 'The Dark Knight Rises' throughout the weekend. Box office numbers will be released on Monday."

AMC Theaters is banning masks and fake weapons in theaters. The company issued this statement:

"AMC Theatres is deeply saddened by the Aurora tragedy. Movie going is part of our social fabric and this senseless act shakes us to our core. We're reinforcing our security procedures with our theatre teams, which we cannot discuss in detail for obvious, safety reasons. Local law enforcement agencies, our landlords and their and our local security teams are stepping up nationwide to ensure we provide the safest environment possible for our guests. We couldn't be more grateful for their collective support. At this time, our show schedules circuit-wide will not change. We will not allow any guests into our theatres in costumes that make other guests feel uncomfortable and we will not permit face-covering masks or fake weapons inside our buildings. If guests wish to exchange or refund any tickets, we will honor our existing policy and do as our guests wish. We are taking necessary precautions to ensure our guests who wish to enjoy a movie this weekend can do so with as much peace of mind as possible in these circumstances."

Regal Cinema also issued a statement about the incident:

"We are profoundly saddened by the tragedy that occurred at a Denver area theatre and are concerned for the victims and their families. The security and safety of our guests and staff is always our number one priority. As is our custom, we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our security needs as necessary. In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families."

President Obama responded to the tragedy, cancelling a campaign stop in Orlando, FL:

"Michelle and I are shocked and saddened by the horrific and tragic shooting in Colorado. Federal and local law enforcement are still responding, and my Administration will do everything that we can to support the people of Aurora in this extraordinarily difficult time. We are committed to bringing whoever was responsible to justice, ensuring the safety of our people, and caring for those who have been wounded. As we do when confronted by moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American family. All of us must have the people of Aurora in our thoughts and prayers as they confront the loss of family, friends, and neighbors, and we must stand together with them in the challenging hours and days to come."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Read several additional statements following the shooting massacre. Which do you find most and least effective?
• Did President Obama do the right thing in canceling his campaign stop? Why or why not? 
• What, if anything, should movie theaters change in their security policies? Should all theaters ban costumes?

Toshiba Apologizes for "Test Monkey" Ads

A Toshiba ad for the Satellite Ultrabook computer pokes fun of people who participate in clinical trials. The ad claims that Toshiba, unlike other "tech companies," fully tests products and doesn't treat "paying customers like test monkeys." With a similar message, a print ad features a cosmetics tester.

The ads riled clinical researchers, who struggle to find participants in medical trials. In fact, Toshiba's own medical systems group is currently looking for young people to participate in a trial.

A sokesperson for the Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) explained the group's concern: "It's dangerous. We don't need any more reasons to discourage people from research. We need to encourage people and not portray them as some kind of freak."

According to PR Daily, "The ad does seem to contradict parts of Toshiba's corporate social responsibility guidelines. According to its standards of conduct for advertising, Toshiba group directors and employees should 'not use advertising to cast third parities in a negative light, in an attempt to make Toshiba Group appear more favorable, or for any other negative purpose.'"

In response to ACRO's criticism, Toshiba's director of marketing communications sent this response:

"Dear Mr. Peddicord,

"Thank you so much for raising your concerns over one of Toshiba's new television commercials showing people in medical testing situations.
 
"Our intent was not to minimize the value of clinical research or insult people participating in clinical trials.
 
"We will absolutely take your objections into consideration as we develop future advertising."

So far, the company has not pulled the ads, which ACRO had requested.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your interpretation of ACRO's complaint? Is the group right, overreacting, or something in between?
• Looking at Toshiba's standards of conduct for advertising, do you believe the company violated its own standards?
• If you led Toshiba's marketing communications group, would you pull the ads? Why or why not?

Barclays Issues Statements About Resignations

Barclays CEO Bob Diamond has resigned under pressure admist an interest rate rigging scandal. Barclays will pay $453 million to settle a U.K. and U.S. investigation that revealed traders manipulated the Libor to prop up the bank's position and traders' wallets. Diamond said his decision to leave "was the right thing for the bank."

Other departures have already taken place or are expected to soon. Marcus Argius, chairman of Barclays, and Jerry del Missier, chief operating officer, also resigned.

Barclays issued three separate statements so far about the resignations:

• "Board Changes," July 2 (about Argius)
• "Board Changes," July 2 (about Diamond)
• "Management Changes," July 3 (about del Missier)

The statement about Diamond's resignation included this long quote from the outgoing CEO:

"I joined Barclays 16 years ago because I saw an opportunity to build a world class investment banking business. Since then, I have had the privilege of working with some of the most talented, client-focused and diligent people that I have ever come across. We built world class businesses together and added our own distinctive chapter to the long and proud history of Barclays. My motivation has always been to do what I believed to be in the best interests of Barclays. No decision over that period was as hard as the one that I make now to stand down as chief executive. The external pressure placed on Barclays has reached a level that risks damaging the franchise – I cannot let that happen.

"I am deeply disappointed that the impression created by the events announced last week about what Barclays and its people stand for could not be further from the truth. I know that each and every one of the people at Barclays works hard every day to serve our customers and clients. That is how we support economic growth and the communities in which we live and work. I look forward to fulfilling my obligation to contribute to the Treasury committee's enquiries related to the settlements that Barclays announced last week without my leadership in question.

"I leave behind an extraordinarily talented management team that I know is well placed to help the business emerge from this difficult period as one of the leaders in the global banking industry."

Discussion Starters

• Read the Board Changes statement about Diamond. What's the rationale for including the former CEO's long quote? How is this effective or ineffective in conveying the bank's message?
• Assess the three statements. How do you explain the bank's strategy of issuing these separately? Why did the board do this, and was it the best approach?

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?

Olympics Committee Responds to Knitters

The U.S. Olympics Committee managed to anger an unlikely group-knitters. To protect the "Olympics" trademark, the group sends hundreds of cease-and-desist letters when it believes the name has been misused. In this case, a group of knitters promoted a "Ravelympics" competition: While watching the Olympics, knitters participate in events such as "afghan marathon" and "scarf hockey."

Knitters were offended by the language in the cease-and-desist letter, which included the following:

"We believe using the name 'Ravelympics' for a competition that involves an afghan marathon, scarf hockey and sweater triathlon, among others, tends to denigrate the true nature of the Olympic Games. In a sense, it is disrespectful to our country's finest athletes and fails to recognize or appreciate their hard work."

The outcry from the knitting community was extraordinary, as one blogger wrote: "2 Million Knitters with Pointy Sticks are Angry at the US Olympic Committee."

USOC apologized, but botched the message. Here's an excerpt: 

"We apologize for any insult and appreciate your support. We embrace hand-crafted American goods as we currently have the Annin Flagmakers of New Jersey stitching a custom-made American flag to accompany our team to the Olympic Games in London. To show our support of the Ravelry community, we would welcome any handmade items that you would like to create to travel with, and motivate, our team at the 2012 Games."

One person responded: "Thanks for the half-hearted attempt at a maybe apology that keeps you clear of any blame. Now, you want us to give you free stuff?"

In an interview with PR Daily, Patrick Sandusky, spokesperson for the USOC, admitted, "The letter itself that was sent to this group was definitely too strident in its tone." He also said, "We do believe they're in violation of the law Congress passed and how we'll protect our trademark, but we could have gone about it in a slightly more sensitive way."

To address the criticism, Sandusky used his personal Twitter account. He explains this decision:

"I'm a firm believer that people don't believe organizations as much as they believe individuals. And if somebody's going to put their name on it and be a voice of reason specifically as a person who works at an organization and not just hide behind a blanket generic Twitter account-which has its uses without a doubt. And we have far more people that follow that than follow me. But it was something to supplement the main Twitter feed and show that this wasn't just a generic corporate account speaking corporate speak but it was an actual person willing to answer questions. And I answered more than, I think, 500 people online who contacted me directly with their questions. All those answers aren't going to be sufficient for some people but at least they're getting a response and not just being pointed to a generic statement. We believe here that we're the people that are responsible for the organization and I don't have any problem putting my name on organizational decisions and responding directly."

Image source

Discussion Starters and Assignment Ideas:

• Read the cease-and-desist letter. Rewrite it to improve the style and tone.
• How do you assess the USOC's apology? Could the group have done a better job? Rewrite the statement to improve the message. 

Shell Regrets Social Media Campaign

In a creative, but failed attempt to encourage public contribution to its marketing efforts, Shell asked people to submit their own memes. Shell was perhaps naive in thinking that people would support its positive thinking about the company's contribution to the environment.

The campaign around the "Let's Go" slogan brought a mockery of images with captions such as "Because there are still places we haven't f'ked. Let's Drill" and "Proudly plundering and destroying environments for almost 200 years."

At least Shell hasn't hidden from the reaction. On its site, the company has posted the memes and made this statement:

"We at Shell are committed to providing consumers with clean and abundant Arctic energy. We're also committed to the open exchange of ideas and the wonder of human creativity which makes our job possible.

"It is in this spirit that we approached the exciting untapped resource of socialized media with our Let's Go! Arctic user-generated advertising technology. While we do realize that a very small portion of the user-generated content below does not accurately represent Shell's commitment to providing consumers with clean and abundant Arctic energy, this pioneering experiment in user-generated content does reflect our commitment to freedom.

"Shell remains proud of our commitment to freedom. The freedom to develop newly available and abundant Arctic energy reserves. And the freedom our consumers have to discount the work of a very small number of extremist individuals who remain determined to stand in the way of our quest to bring first class heritage technology to bear on the top of the world. We thank you for sharing in our commitment to freedom.

"And thank you for contributing to our Let's Go! Arctic campaign."

Discussion Starters:

• Should Shell have avoided the campaign entirely, knowing that this could be the result-or was this an unintended, unpredictable result?
• How do you assess Shell's reaction-its statement on the website? What else, if anything, should Shell say about the memes received?

Coca-Cola President Argues Against Soda Limit

Last week, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed limiting sugary drinks to 16 ounces. This change would apply to sodas and other beverages sold in NY restaurants, at movies, and by street vendors.

USA Today interviewed Katie Bayne, Coca-Cola's president of sparkling beverages in North America. Bayne's response to the proposal focused on what people "need"-an interesting argument-and the lack of evidence to support the Mayor's proposal.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

Q: But critics call soft drinks "empty" calories.

A: A calorie is a calorie. What our drinks offer is hydration. That's essential to the human body. We offer great taste and benefits whether it's an uplift or carbohydrates or energy. We don't believe in empty calories. We believe in hydration.

The Mayo Clinic agrees that soda hydrates; however, nutritionists recommend water over soda.

Q: What do you say to those who believe that sugar - particularly in soft drinks - works on the brain like an addictive substance?

A: There is no scientific evidence.

Discussion Starters:

• Do your own research about whether sugar in soft drinks has addictive qualities. What do you find? Does it support or contradict Katie Bayne's response that there's no scientific evidence linking the two?
• Read the entire interview. Overall, how do assess Bayne's responses?
• Part of the Mayor Bloomberg's argument, in the video above, is that the size of drinks has increased. How do you assess this argument? Is this a convincing data point for his decision to cap the size of soft-drinks? 

"I Love New York" Makeover

To increase tourism, Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo is spending $5 million to reinvent the classic logo, "I (Heart) New York." David Lubars, chairman of BBDO, the advertising firm working on the campaign, says that the logo needed to be revitalized because it's been "co-opted" by other countries:

"If you go to Russia, if you go to Spain, you see ‘I heart something,' and it's lost its New York cachet. My team's assignment was to bring new cachet back to that logo and make it mean something important."

As part of their summer campaign, The New York State Tourism website, http://www.iloveny.com/, encourages people to draw their own "heart." Drawings are varied and creative but perhaps a little boring.

In a press release, the Govenor's office explained the rationale for this approach: 

"This is the first time in nearly 40 years, since the logo's inception, that New York State has officially asked the public for their interpretations of the 'I Love NY' and for the reasons they love New York."

New TV commercials will air for seven weeks during the summer. You see the logo prominently used during the commercials, which target tourists within 5 or 6 hours of driving distance to major NY cities. 

 Discussion Starters: 

• At the end of the press release, the Governor's office cites several statistics about NY tourism and spending. What in this section are most and least convincing reasons to invest $5 million in this campaign? 
• Offering the failed "New Coke" campaign as an example, Brian Sheehan, advertising professor at Syracuse University, warned, "You should mess with an icon at your own risk." What is your interpretation of Sheehan's view, and do you agree with him? What are the risks to NY in this campaign?  

U.S. Presidential Candidates Go Social

President Obama and Republican contender Mitt Romney are using social networking to boast their campaigns. Today, the Obama campaign is releasing a new platform called "Dashboard." Katie Hogan, spokesperson for the campaign, described the purpose of Dashboard:

"Dashboard is our online field office - a hub for campaign volunteers and supporters to communicate with each other and become members of neighborhood teams. . . .

"Supporters can use the tool to set goals, communicate those goals, and see what other supporters are doing. Supporters who want to be engaged can go to Dashboard, message other supporters in their area, and have a conversation about how to get started. It provides a good volunteer experience online that is directly tied to our field operation goals."

Built into the system is a keen focus on setting goals and friendly competition among neighborhoods. With a Facebook-like interface, volunteers are expected to use the site easily.

Since the fall, Mitt Romney's campaign has used a different home-grown system, "MyMitt."

Images via Raw Story and Signal News.

Discussion Starters:

• If you supported one of the candidates, would you use his social network? Why or why not?
• Why would both campaigns create their own platform rather than use Facebook as their main tool for volunteers?
• Consider signing up for both sites. What differences do you notice? Which is more effective for what purposes?

Facebook's IPO Video Focuses on Emotional Appeals

This is not your grandmother's IPO video. Facebook has taken a unique approach in luring investors to buy a stake in the company's initial public offering. 

Staff members tell the Facebook story through a 30-minute video that the CFO says is consistent with their "focus on authentic, engaging communications." Mashable agrees that the video is a different approach to IPO communications:

"It's an interesting take on the normal business investment pitch video-instead of a heavy emphasis on dry finance numbers, Facebook plays to the heartstrings.

"Soft lighting, multiple interview angles and background music fit for sunrise in a nature show combine to make a clear emotional pitch to potential investors."

A theme throughout the video, as you might expect, is connecting people and "changing within a generation, the fabric" of how people communicate. In simple language, Facebook executives explain their platform and how their product functionality makes the web social. They compare Facebook to a game.

Section 3, Advertising, begins to cover financial information. The section profiles Ben & Jerry's, who claim that every dollar spent on Facebook returns $3 in incremental sales. Sheryl Sanberg, Facebook's COO, claims that online advertising will increase, in part because of Facebook's value proposition of "reach, relevance, engagement, and social context."

Section 4, Finance, starts 23 minutes into the 30-minute video. In this section, CFO David Ebersman reviews the number of users (including global penetration rates) revenue (advertising and payments), capital expenditures, operating margins, and future investment plans.

The video ends with Mark Zuckerberg claiming that almost every app will be connected to Facebook in some way.

Discussion Starters:

• Watch the entire video. Does it convince you to invest? Which are the most and least convincing arguments?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of Facebook's approach compared to more traditional IPO communications?

Another Restaurant Serves Alcohol to a Child

Within the past year, at least three restaurants have mistakenly served alcohol to children. This time, an Olive Garden in Indianapolis gave a 10-year-old boy a rum drink.

The boy drank half of what he thought was a non-alcoholic Wildberry Frullato drink before his family became concerned. After seeing his "increasingly strange behavior," he was taken to the hospital.

In a statement, Olive Garden said that the server had been fired:

"We find this situation completely unacceptable and we are extremely upset that this occurred. We have a zero-tolerance policy for any violation of our responsible alcohol service policy, and the employee who served the wrong drink has been terminated. We are thankful that the child is OK, and we will continue to work with the family to resolve this issue."

About a year ago, an Olive Garden in Orlando served sangria in a sippy cup to a two-year-old. This incident was just days after an Applebee's in Detroit accidentally spiked a 15-month-old boy's apple juice.

Discussion Starters:  

• How do you assess Olive Garden's statement, particularly the part about their "zero-tolerance policy"?
• In your opinion, was the restaurant's termination of the server appropriate? Why or why not?

Heineken Responds to Dog Fighting Accusation

Bad timing for Heineken: banners were left up after a company event at a Mongolian nightclub. Unfortunately, next on the schedule was dog fighting. Outrage quickly ensued on Heineken's Facebook page and elsewhere.

Heineken responded quickly with this statement:

"Heineken is aware of a shocking photo of what appears to be a dogfighting match in a foreign country with Heineken branding visible in the background. We'd like to thank the community for bringing this issue to our attention.

"We are as appalled by this image as you are and have asked the Heineken Global Office to immediately investigate the circumstances of this event and whether Heineken was involved in any way.

"If you have any further information regarding this picture, such as the source, or the venue where it was taken, please let us know in this thread."

In a follow-up statement, Heineken denied association with the event and explained the situation:

"Images continue to circulate in social media channels showing a dog fight, with Heineken banners clearly visible in the background. This is very distressing and totally unacceptable. As a company and a brand owner, we do not and would never knowingly support any event, outlet or individual involved in this type of activity. It is against our company and brand rules and - more important - against our company values. . . ."

The statement goes on to explain that the banners were left from a previous event and that the company has "ceased" its relationship with the club.

The situation follows a July 2011 Heineken commercial that compares the beer to a snakeskin jacket: "It's not right for every occasion. Unless, of course, you find yourself attending a secret, offsite, charity snake-fighting event." Weird.

Discussion Starters:

• How do you assess the social media response? Were people right to question Heineken's involvement, or did they overreact?
• How do you assess Heineken's response to the criticism?
• What do you make of the snake commercial? Is it just me, or is it weird even if the dog-fighting controversy didn't happen?