Anheuser-Busch to Paramount: Remove Budweiser Logo from "Flight"

In the new movie, "Flight," Denzel Washington's character, a pilot, is drinking a Budweiser beer while he lands a plane. Anheuser-Busch doesn't like the publicity and has asked Paramount to omit its logo from digital and future versions of the film.

 

In a statement to the Associated Press, Rod McCarthy, vice president of Budweiser said, "We would never condone the misuse of our products, and have a long history of promoting responsible drinking and preventing drunk driving. We have asked the studio to obscure the Budweiser trademark in current digital copies of the movie and on all subsequent adaptations of the film, including DVD, On Demand, streaming and additional prints not yet distributed to theaters."

A distributor of Stoli vodka, another alcohol represented in the movie, also is unhappy with the depiction of the brand. A representative of William Grant & Sons told the Associated Press, "Considering the subject matter of this film, it is not something in which we would have participated."

These companies may be out of luck. As the Associated Press explains, courts have ruled that movies can use representations of brands without permission:

"Trademark laws 'don't exist to give companies the right to control and censor movies and TV shows that might happen to include real-world items,' said Daniel Nazer, a resident fellow at Stanford Law School's Fair Use Project. 'It is the case that often filmmakers get paid by companies to include their products. I think that's sort of led to a culture where they expect they'll have control. That's not a right the trademark law gives them.'"

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of how alcohol is depicted in the movie? Do these companies have a right to try to protect their brand in this way?
• How do you think Paramount decided to use these brands? Did the movie producers not think about the impact on brands, did they consider the consequences and ignore them, or something else?
• How could this type of situation be prevented in the future? What are the responsibilities of filmmakers and brands?

Car Wash Company Tries to Balance Aid with Promotion

After American Apparel's failed attempt to capitalize on Hurricane Sandy, other companies are trying to do a better job. Splash Car Wash's email at least offers a service to people affected by the storm.

The subject line, however, sounds like an overstatement: "Public Service Announcement From Splash Car Wash." Is the company offering financial assistance? And, is a car wash necessary following a major hurricane? I would think that people affected are seeking shelter if they're displaced and food if they're hungry.

On the other hand, Business Insider describes streams of people wanting cellphone power and Wi-Fi access. Located in Stamford, CT, Splash could attract the 39% of Connecticut Light & Power customers without power in Connecticut.

Discussion Starters:

• What's our view of Splash Car Wash's email? Is this a successful advertisement for the company?
• What improvements could you make to the email? Consider the text and graphics.
• What emails have you received from companies about Hurricane Sandy? Which have been successful and why?

American Apparel Capitalizes on Hurricane Sandy

American Apparel has learned a hard lesson after using Hurricane Sandy to promote a sale. With this graphical subject line, the company sent an email to customers:

☁ ☂ ϟ Hurricane Sandy Sale! ϟ ☂ ☁ 20% Off Everything!

The email encourages customers to take advantage of the sale if they are "bored during the storm."

 

Backlash on Twitter was fast and fierce, with tweets promising to boycott the stores, telling the brand to "shut up about your #Sandy sale," and speculating that the company "will soon be hiring a new marketing director."

As of this writing, American Apparel has not responded to the complaints.

Gap made a similar but less serious faux pas. The company did respond to critics-sort-of:

UPDATE: In an interview with BloombergBusinessweek, American Apparel CEO defends the ad.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of American Apparel's ad campaign: a clever marketing approach, insensitive, or something else?
• Should American Apparel respond to the criticism, and if so, how?
• How effective is the Gap's second tweet in explaining the first?

Chase Emails Customers About Fees During Hurricane Sandy

Chase bank is communicating with customers about Hurricane Sandy. Before the storm hit land, the company emailed customers about plans to waive fees. It's an interesting email and shows the company's kinder side.

On its website, Chase repeats a version of the open paragraph and provides customers with information about open branches. The branch locator allows customers to search for branches and see the status of each.

As of this writing, neither Bank of America nor HSBC have similar messages on their websites.

Discussion Starter and Assignment Idea: 

• What is your reaction to Chase's email to customers?
• Go to the websites of other major banks. Do you find messages similar to that of Chase? How do they compare?

NYT Article: BlackBerry Is Like an "Embarrassing Relative"

A New York Times article delivers a harsh blow to Research in Motion (RIM), the maker of Blackberrys. Several quotes from users paint a sad picture of the BlackBerry as a public embarrassment:

• "I'm ashamed of it."
• "I want to take a bat to it."
• "You can't do anything with it. You're supposed to, but it's all a big lie."
• "I feel absolutely helpless."

The article tells stories of people hiding their BlackBerry underneath their iPad, not using their BlackBerry at cocktail parties, and getting "disgusted" looks when asking a hotel concierge for a charger.

These aren't great testimonials for the product that was called "CrackBerry" when first introduced because of its popularity and additive qualities. Now it seems people can't wait to trade it in for an iPhone 5.

The article quotes an investment analyst saying that RIM's recent video, a play on REO Speedwagon's "I'll Just Keep on Loving You," is "a sign of a desperate company."

RIM clearly is not happy with the article. Amy McDowell, senior director of corporate communications at RIM, said that the company wasn't asked for input on the story. In response, CEO Thorsten Heins wrote an opinion letter in The New York Times:

"BlackBerry as Black Sheep in Smartphones" (Business Day, Oct. 16) lacks the balance your readers expect.

With more than 80 million customers globally, BlackBerry is growing and remains one of the world's most popular smartphones. I've just come from visiting carriers and partners in all parts of the world, and they have told me that there are millions of BlackBerry fans out there who not only find great value in their device, but also pride in being a BlackBerry owner.

While any report of dissatisfaction among our users is a cause for concern that I take very seriously, the comments supporting BlackBerry both online and in calls we've received from our customers in response to your article are encouraging to me.

BlackBerry remains the leader in providing security for corporate customers, which is why more than 90 percent of the Fortune 500 rely on BlackBerry. It's true that some companies put restrictions on accessing certain applications for security reasons, but applications like Yelp and OpenTable are, in fact, among the approximately 100,000 apps available in BlackBerry AppWorld.

We've received excellent feedback from carriers, developers and partners for our upcoming BlackBerry 10 platform and are on track to deliver it in the first quarter of 2013. We appreciate the customers who have remained loyal to the BlackBerry platform and look forward to winning back many who have left.

THORSTEN HEINS
President and Chief Executive
Research In Motion
Waterloo, Ontario, Oct. 16, 2012

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Should The New York Times have contacted RIM for comment on the story before publication? Does it have an obligation to do so?
• What examples of logical argument, emotional appeal, and credibility do you find in Heins's opinion letter?

Wyclef Jean's Failed Haitian Charity

Haitian-American rapper Wyclef Jean's charity is now defunct, with questions of impropriety in its wake. A New York Times article, "In Haiti, Little Can Be Found of a Hip-Hop Artist's Charity," cites angry creditors wondering what happened to $16 million in donations and "trail of debts, unfinished projects, and broken promises."

According to the New York Times article, Jean was using funds for his personal benefit: 

"The forensic audit examined $3 million of the charity's 2005 to 2009 expenses and found $256,580 in illegitimate benefits to Mr. Jean and other Yéle board and staff members as well as improper or potentially improper transactions. These included $24,000 for Mr. Jean's chauffeur services and $30,763 for a private jet that transported Lindsay Lohan from New Jersey to a benefit in Chicago that raised only $66,000."

When accused of misdirecting funds, Jean said that he didn't need the money, offering as evidence, "I have a watch collection worth $500,000." This didn't quite endear people to his cause.

In his new book, "Purpose: An Immigrant's Story," Jean denies wrongdoing. Rather, he claims that he is the victim of "crucifixion."

A CEO letter that was posted on the charity's now-defunct website refers to "better accountability, more impact and greater financial transparency" and "a more disciplined Yéle Haiti." It's too late for that now. 

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

•  Read the CEO letter. Which parts are the most and least convincing?
•  Read the New York Times article. Which side of the story do you believe? 

Starbucks Requests Starbarks Name, Logo, and URL Change

Starbucks sent a cease and desist letter to Starbarks doggie daycare for having a name, logo, and web domain too similar to the coffee company's. A Starbucks representative defended the action: "...we have a legal obligation to protect our intellectual property . . . in order to retain our exclusive rights to it."

Andrea McCarthy-Grzybek, the owner of Starbarks,  said,  "I love the name. Everyone loves it. It's clever. It's not like we sell coffee or anything they do." With the URL, www.starbarksdog.com, the Algonquin, IL, small business offered to change the sign color to yellow and to use a graphic of paws instead of the stars, but Starbucks didn't bite (sorry).

Another company, with the domain starbarksaz.com, had a similar fate. Management explained the situation on its website: 

"Due to a conflict with a very famous coffee company our previous name (which we cannot mention) had to be changed to Canine Village only.  We are the same kennel and Canine Village was always a 'part' of our name.  This website will be shut down shortly  so please go to www.caninevillage.com and see all our wonderful reviews and many pages of information.  You can also email us with specific questions to caninevillage@cox.net.  Thank you for your understanding of this inconvenience."

As expected, public opinion is mixed, with some people blaming Starbucks for bullying and others saying the small business should have known better.

Image source 1.

Image source 2.

Discussion Starters and Assignment Idea:

• What's your view of the situation? Is Starbucks a bully, or should the small business owner have chosen another name? 
• Write a draft comment for the owner's Facebook page supporting one side of the argument.

In Email to Employees, CEO Threatens Layoffs if Obama Wins

CEO David Siegel of Westgate Resorts wrote an email to his employees warning of dire circumstances if President Obama is re-elected. Excerpts follow, and you can read the entire email here.

The email is reminiscent of a chain letter from 2008 from an alleged small business owner. Siegel confirmed with Gawker that his letter is real and was sent to his employees, but he acknowledged using the original as a "guideline" and said, "It speaks the truth, and it gives [employees] something to think about when they go to the polls."

Siegel and his wife were the subject of a documentary, "The Queen of Versailles," about their plans to build the largest home in America-a $100-million-dollar, 28-bedroom, 90,000-square-foot mansion.

Discussion Starters:

• What are the potential consequences of a CEO's sending such an email to employees?
• Do you agree with Siegel's arguments? Why or why not?
• Does knowing about Siegel's extravagant home change your opinion of him or his concerns about his business?

"Worldulike": EU's Spin on Climate Change

"A world you like. With a climate you like." This is the European Union's attempt to rebrand climate change, hoping people will choose a "Worldulike."

The website presents case studies of organizations that have taken saved energy expenses and, in some cases, redirected funds to better use, such as education.

In a press release, Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, explains the new approach:

"We have a choice: We can ACT on our knowledge about climate change. Or we can sit idly by and watch as things get worse. Both options come with a price tag. So why not create a world we like, with a climate we like, while we still have time? With this campaign we want to focus the debate on the solutions and find out what is holding us back from applying them."

The name is already getting some ribbing from, for example, Roger Harrabin of BBC:  "The campaign title ‘Worldulike' will doubtless raise eyebrows. The name is uncomfortably reminiscent of the British baked potato restaurant chain Spudulike."

Discussion Starters:

• Do you think the EU's campaign will be successful in getting people to make better decisions about energy use-and in meeting the EU's goal of reducing greenhouse gases by by 80 to 95 percent by 2050? Why or why not?
• Choose one of the case studies on the website. What makes the example effective, and how could it be improved?

American Airlines Responds to Loose Seats

After reports of seats coming loose during flights, American Airlines is investigating the situation and inspecting 47 planes. American admits that six planes each had a row of seats that weren't properly clamped down. Some became dislodged while in flight.

American spokeswoman Andrea Huguely issued a statement including these excerpts:

"Originally, American planned to evaluate the seats on eight Boeing 757 airplanes, but out of an abundance of caution, the decision was made to proactively evaluate a total of 47 Boeing 757 airplanes that have the same model Main Cabin seats with a common locking mechanism."
 
"American's internal investigation has focused on one of three types of Main Cabin seats on the 757s and how the rows of these three seats fit into the track that is used to secure the rows to the floor of the airplanes. Our maintenance and engineering teams have discovered that the root cause is a saddle clamp improperly installed on the foot of the row leg."

"Safety is -- and always will be -- American's top concern."

The seats are the latest in a series of issues plaguing the airline. Now under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, American has been grappling with labor relations issues that airline management blames for recent flight delays and cancellations.

According to a Washington Post article, the airline spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said that airline employees last touched the seats, but a labor union representative took issue with the accusation: "Our workers were the last to touch the seats only in the sense that after the seats came loose, we were dispatched [to fix them." Because seat installation is handled by a third-party, the labor union denies responsibility and blames management for the outsourcing decision. Indeed, Timco Aviation Services installed the seats. 

Regardless of where the responsibility lies, this is more bad publicity for American Airlines.

Discussion Starters:

• How can American Airlines manage this latest bout of bad news?
• How do you assess the airline's response?
• If you were the president of Timco Aviation Services, what would you do now?

Disgruntled Employee's Resignation Email Makes the Rounds

An employee at UK-based media agency MEC left the company with some harsh words. Kieran Allen, a senior account manager, wrote a bitter resignation email addressed to "All Staff" in the London office. Someone leaked the email, and it went viral. 

A spokesperson for MEC issued this poorly written response:

"We are sad that one of our employees has chosen to share their personal views in such a public way and has left the company with such bad feeling. 

"We are taking this issue seriously though given the highly personal nature of the email, we cannot comment further."

The interviewee named in the email denies the accusation of having sexual relations with her future boss: "I didn't sleep with him. I kissed him. I had been to the pub with Greg for an informal interview for a job. It was a kiss in the foyer whilst waiting for taxis. We were both single at the time."

Here's the email with names redacted:

From: Kieran Allen
Sent: 25 September 2012 08:11
To: MEC London UK All Staff
Subject: Leaving

Hello MEC,

It feels quite strange to be writing my leaving speech after 2 1/2 yrs. of loyal service to the company. It's the longest I have spent at a company and I owe MEC a lot for my training and development. I leave in a position where I can go and further my career in digital if I so wish and for that I pay MEC great tribute.

However I leave with a horrible taste in my mouth after my working life for the past 8months has been ruined by <redacted>.

Background:
Joined MEC in May 2010. Soon after I started to receive continuous praise from Kevin Kirby Account Director and <redacted> for my outstanding performance across accounts (mainly Specsavers) Inc. a commendation from <redacted> to Jason Dormieux about my ability and contribution. I also received high praise from Amy Creasey and Louise Temperley (re general Specsavers performance and securing a PPC turnaround for Colgate inc a 100%+ YoY spend increase).

October 2011
I decide to hand in my notice and join another agency in order to further my development. <Redacted> while initially cold to my departure rapidly changed tone and started to court me in order to stay.

January 2012
I retract my notice after <redacted> promotes me to Senior AM and gives me a substantial pay-rise along with the promise of rapid development.

However while all seemed well on the surface things were far from ideal in the background.

Oct-Feb 2011/12
My client load had been nearly trebled from 6 to 16 clients due to the departures of Aoife Bergin and Jacob Knox-Hooke (Brand team).
I was initially asked to help out in order to help service the clients while staff were recruited but I ended up being made the de-facto brand team manager along with my original client list.
The stress and strain took its toll and during late January – early February 2012 my health started to deteriorate rapidly.
I ended up breaking down to <redacted> that I couldn't take it anymore and that I was losing my mind under the pressure. Nothing changed although he knew I was beyond stacked.

Feb 21st I had to go to the doctors due to an imminent breakdown where I was ordered to stay off work indefinitely. I was signed off with Work Related Stress. I ended up needing over 2weeks off in order to recover.

On my return things went from bad to worse. <Redacted> instead of welcoming me back and looking to make things right, instead attacked me and made me feel an outsider. I was made to feel that I had actually done wrong.

Soon after my return in early March <redacted>

- blocked my 2011 bonus due to
1)"poor performance in 2011″
2) "being given a pay rise and promotion in Jan 2012″
3) "things not working out as recently planned"
4) "being monitored after coming back from illness"

- Gave me an official company verbal warning for poor performance in 2011

- Put me on a performance review

All of this though after
- Praising me regularly throughout 2010/11
- Courting me to stay when i decided to leave
- Promoting me to Senior Account Manager
- Giving me a 15% payrise
- Describing my performance as "outstanding" as late as December 2011 when there was a lot of issues due to staff departures
and my ability to step in and manage the brand teams PPC activity…

The only thing that changed during Feb/March 2012 is that I had to take 2 weeks off work due to work related stress and that <redacted> was questioned as Head of Department as to why this had happened under his watch and instead of taking responsibility he instead decided to attack me and my reputation in order to discredit my time off and make himself look less liable for blame.

This type of approach would seem extreme from a decent man but this is <redacted>  who openly in front of other team members

- Made jokes about the "Spastic Olympics" (referring to Para-Olympics)
- Openly claimed to be proud "not to have a drop of Jewish blood in him"
- Regularly made sexist and other bigoted remarks
- Took a female colleague out for a drink on the day he interviewed her, then later took her back to the MEC offices that night and had
sexual relations with her in the meeting rooms on the 3rd floor

The above is all common knowledge throughout the team. This is <redacted>'s style of leadership and is gross misconduct on many levels. It is hard to fathom that such a man is responsible for the work wellbeing of over 30staff.

I am writing this message in order to expose these failings and protect others in future. I am far from perfect personally or professionally but I am a good human being who treats people with respect. In 2012 this behaviour is not acceptable and certainly not in a company which touts itself as being all about its people.
Not one thing on this email has been exaggerated or made up. This is my truth to you all.

No doubt I fully expect the above to be ripped apart but as long as the truth is out there then that's all I can do.

Good luck to MEC and all those good people who strive to make her great.
Kieran

Kieran Allen
MEC
Senior Account Manager
Interaction

Discussion Starters:

• What's your impression of Allen's letter? Do you sympathize with him, or could there be another side to this story? 
• Does a bad work experience ever justify an email sent to all employees of a company, with the potential to go viral?
• Rewrite MEC's response to be more substantive and grammatically correct.

Apple Apologizes for Maps App

To address a barrage of criticism about the maps application installed with the new iPhone 5, Apple CEO Tim Cook has written a letter of apology.

The Financial Times reported that the weak maps app soured the iPhone 5 launch. Complaints were about misnamed areas, missing information, and poor search capabilities. Jokes and parodies plagued the company for a week. In one video, the narrator says, "Many people say that our new maps are inaccurate, and that's not true. It's just that with Apple's new Q6 Quantum Processor, they may occasionally show features from other, parallel universes."

Last week, Apple responded to the criticism:

"We launched this new map service knowing that it is a major initiative and we are just getting started with it," Apple's Trudy Muller said in a statement. "We are continuously improving it, and as Maps is a cloud-based solution, the more people use it, the better it will get."

Today, Apple CEO Tim Cook issued a formal letter to customers. 

Although Cook takes responsibility in the letter ("...we fell short"), he seems to place responsibility on users for improving the app. Also, inviting customers to visit other maps programs seems a sad admission for the company to make.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your reaction to Cook's letter? What are the most and least effective parts?
• Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that Apple should have used Google Maps for the new operating system. If you represented Apple, how would you respond?

Romney Criticized for "47%" Comment

Mitt Romney was caught off guard when Mother Jones leaked a video of him responding to a question about his strategy to win the election:

"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That, that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what…These are people who pay no income tax."

To explain his comments, Romney positioned them in terms of his campaign strategy:

"This is a campaign, fundamentally, about how to help the middle-class in America, and how to help people in poverty get into the middle class."

VP candidate Paul Ryan also tried to position the comment into the larger perspective of the Republican campaign:

"Oh I think he would have said it differently, that's for sure," Ryan said. "But the point still stands, we have too many people becoming too dependent on government because of the poor economic policies of the Obama administration."

But Ryan didn't mince words when criticizing Romney's phrasing: 

"He was obviously inarticulate in making this point. And the point we're trying to make here is, under the Obama economy government dependency is up and economic stagnation is up. And what we're trying to achieve is getting people off of government dependency and back to a job that pays well and gets them on the path to prosperity."

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of Romney's initial comments? How could he have phrased his perspective instead?
• In the second video here, is Romney effective in repositioning his 47% comment?

Talk but No Deal in Chicago Teachers' Strike

After a week of no school for 350,000 students in Chicago public schools, the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago School Board could not agree on a contract. Talks continue today with hopes of children returning to school on Monday.

In the past week, both sides have been honing their messages to garner support. Rahm Emanuel called the strike "unnecessary" and "a strike by choice." In his press statement, he says that two issues remain: teacher evaluation and principal accountability. He also emphasizes the importance of getting "...kids back in the classroom. Our kids, the kids of Chicago, belong in the classroom."

On the other side of the table, Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, leads the conversation. Lewis, described by The New York Times as a "fiery former high school chemistry teacher," spoke to a reported 18,000 supporters on Labor Day. She riled the crowd: "We know there's a finite amount of resources, but we also know we didn't create that problem. Our children are not a campaign promise. Our children are not numbers on a spreadsheet. When you come after our children, you come after us."

The Chicago Teachers Union has an active Facebook page, with almost 35,000 "likes." Although the page is often updated and shows strike-related activity, more content about the Union's position is available on its website. Here, we see a flyer targeted to parents that outlines the following demands: 

• Reduce class size
• Provide social services children need
• Invest in all schools
• Support teachers as professionals
• Stop charter expansions

However, in the lastest "Bargaining Update" posted, from August 22, the Union highlights these "three priorities":

1.  A "Better" Day-with Art, Music, World Language, Physical Education and other services like counseling anchored by contract language that assures prep and break time, limits on teaching load, and limits on duties.
2.  Job Security-in the form of guarantees that the Board will conduct future hiring from a pool of displaced members before making new hires, as well as an appeal process and other protections against unfair evaluation.
3.  Fair Compensation-we deserve a fair raise for work that will be more stressful and challenging. In addition, we seek to protect our salary schedule (steps) and keep out merit pay, insurance premium hikes, and changes to our accumulation of sick days that undercut our benefits.

Discussion Starters:

• Read more about the contract negotiations online. Which side do you favor? What issues do you consider most important for each side?
• Watch Rahm Emanuel's and Karen Lewis's videos. What do you consider to be the most and leaving convincing arguments in each?
• In the Bargaining Update document, is this use of "assures" correct: "contract language that assures prep and break time"? What should be in its place?
  

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.