Audience Shift Practice: New Airline Rules

Adapting messages to different audiences is a foundation of business communication, and recent changes to air travel guidelines offer good examples that might interest students and provide more practice.

Two similar messages communicate the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) expansion of consumer protection for cancelled flights and hidden fees. Both are intended for the press—not specifically a consumer audience.

A White House Administration Fact Sheet is designed to win political favor. “Historic steps” and “historic record” emphasize the Biden-Harris Administration’s work, and this paragraph, in particular, downplays and subordinates the DOT’s work:

Both of these actions were suggested for consideration by the DOT in the Executive Order on Promoting Competition and build on historic steps the Biden-Harris Administration has already taken to expand consumer protections, promote competition, and protect air travelers. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, DOT has advanced the largest expansion of airline passenger rights, issued the biggest fines against airlines for failing consumers, and returned more money to passengers in refunds and reimbursements than ever before in the Department’s history.

A U.S. Department of Transportation announcement, of course, is also about winning political favor, but it’s more subtle and more closely aligned with the U.S. transportation secretary. The second paragraph includes boldface type for no discernible reason other than to give a shoutout to the chief:

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them - without headaches or haggling,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers.”  

It’s fun to compare both statements to see how the DOT and Secretary Buttigieg, former and perhaps future presidential candidate, are elevated in the DOT statement. Students will find other examples.

An interesting class assignment could challenge students to write a message directly to consumers. What are the communication objectives? How should the political message change with this audience? How could the message be disseminated?

Soon we’ll see how airlines respond, and students could compare their drafts to new messages on airline sites.

VW's “Neutral” Response to Union

Volkswagen’s communication is another example of the changing tide in favor of unions. Students can compare messages from companies during and after unionization efforts.

The positive vote at the Chattanooga, TN, plant is significant because it’s the first union in an international automaker located in the South. Twice since 2010, when the plant opened, employees voted against the United Auto Workers (UAW), but this time the vote was overwhelmingly positive.

Management’s “neutral” stance is also significant. A CNN article explains:

The company said it is neutral in the election, only urging workers to vote however they want. That’s relatively rare in union representation elections, where management often lobbies workers to vote no at mandatory meetings, and sometimes takes action against union organizers. Even union supporters acknowledge that hasn’t happened in this case, however.

The company’s statement about the vote wasn’t exactly steeped in humility, as we saw in the Costco response earlier this year. But management isn’t antagonistic either; when a decision is clear, they might as well accept it. The statement is short, simply reporting the vote and closing with, “Volkswagen thanks its Chattanooga workers for voting in this election.”

Cultural differences may be at play. About half of German workers belong to unions, and trust in unions is twice as high in Germany as it is in the United States (see JEP_German_Model_of_Industrial_Relations_Primer.pdf). Whatever the reasons, the UAW is emboldened to pursue more unions as planned.

Image source.

ChatGPT Accepted My Apology

New research shows that being polite to LLMs gets better responses. I’ve struggled with prompts that don’t include “please” but reminded myself that AI wasn’t influenced by niceties. I was wrong.

The study explores a range of responses in different languages. Authors conclude that rude prompts yield poor responses—or refusals to answer. But “overly polite” prompts don’t necessarily yield better responses.

In one regard, the conclusion isn’t a surprise. Humans train AI, after all. But Ethan Mollick, who writes extensively on AI, suggests more research to test more examples of politeness. One LinkedIn commenter on Mollick’s post suggests that overly polite prompts might not be clear, and she could be right. When we look at the study prompts, the prompt rated most highly for politeness doesn’t ask for reasons.

Of course, I never called it names, but I apologized to ChatGPT for failing to say “please” in my prompts. It was gracious, as proven by the multiple exclamation marks:

No need to apologize! As an AI, I don't have feelings or emotions, but I'm here to assist you in the best way possible. Politeness can indeed influence human interaction positively, even if it's just with an AI. If there's anything else you'd like assistance with, feel free to ask, and I'll do my best to help!

By coincidence, my next prompt was about ingratitude for a new book I’m working on. I did say “Thank you.”

Comms Around Capital One's Discover Acquisition

If the deal is approved by regulators and shareholders, Capital One’s acquisition of Discover Financial will create the largest credit card company. Here are two positive-news messages for students to analyze, as much for what’s said as for what’s not said:

• Capital One press release. As expected, the release explains the benefits primarily to investors. A few throw-away lines are included for other stakeholders: something about “making a positive difference in our communities” and “great deals for consumers.”

• Capital One CEO’s video message to employees. Posted on Capital One’s website under “Newsroom,” the video is as much an external as an internal statement. Students might comment on the CEO’s big arm movements and natural, well-paced delivery (although they might think it’s too slow and too long).

As of now, nothing is posted on Discover’s website, which is surprising. When the Marriott Starwood merger was announced, Starwood associates received a separate email and a video message from both CEOs.

Messages are consistent, but other reasons help us understand the decision. The acquisition is a protective move for Capital One. New regulations might make it difficult for credit card companies to enjoy the high fees they’re accustomed to charging. Discover’s payments network helps Capital One compete against larger players and growing fintechs that offer greater convenience and charge lower fees. Instead of paying “tolls” across Visa and Mastercard networks, Capital One would charge fees from all transactions over Discover’s network.

Real benefits to consumers are unclear. Other than more places that accept the cards and a few extra perks, the acquisition bets on increasing credit card debt. Capital One already has a large share of high-interest-paying customers who are among the most likely to default.

Niecy Nash Thanks Herself in an Emotional Speech

The Emmy award audience and viewers love watching emotional speeches. Niecy Nash thanked herself in her acceptance speech, which students can analyze, given the context.

Nominated for five Emmys for her work in 2023, Nash won for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. When we assess character, particularly an aspect of character like humility, we consider the entire context. Nash is crying as she begins her speech, saying, “I’m a winner, baby!” She was nominated for several Emmy awards over the years and won the last one in 2010. It’s been a while.

During her interview with Gayle King and Charles Barkley on CBS, she got emotional describing the work it took for her to be successful and how she felt proud of herself. Her difficulty is clear from her speech, too, when she thanks her “better half, who picked me up when I was gutted from this work. Thank you.” Then she says, “And you know who else I want to thank? I want to thank me.” She describes believing in herself and closes by acknowledging Black and brown women who went “unheard but over policed.” She mentions a few by name.

The context of her speech also is the historic underrepresentation of women of color in film, in TV, and as entertainment award winners. Humility can be defined as being neither below or above others. Nash expresses gratitude for being at a high competitive level and for being rewarded as she deserves to be. From another actor, the speech could certainly sound arrogant. But hers is taken well, and we see the audience enthusiastically applauding her.

Costco Accepts the Union with Humility

In a great display of humility, Costco management wrote to employees about the new union—a good, positive message to share with students. The CEO and president co-signed the letter to acknowledge the union and reinforce their values, which, they admit, may not have been upheld:

[W]e’re disappointed in ourselves as managers and leaders. The fact that the majority of Norfolk employees felt that they wanted or needed a union constitutes a failure on our part.

The Costco leaders made a good choice if for no other reason that the vote is done, so they might as well accept it. Also, they’re right about the reason for all union activity: employees aren’t getting what they want or need from management and seek outside help.

But few leaders admit this. Starbucks and Amazon, in particular, fought union activity to the extent that the National Labor Relations Board accused Starbucks of interfering with employees’ rights and Amazon of not bargaining in good faith.

Microsoft hasn’t been entirely antagonistic against union activity. After acquiring Activision Blizzard last year, it entered into a neutrality agreement with the Communications Workers of America. This meant that employees were free to choose a union without management’s interference (although that is the law). Employees did vote for the union, Microsoft’s first in the United States, and a spokesperson commented:

In light of the results of the recent unionization vote, we recognize the Communications Workers of America (CWA) as the bargaining representative for the Quality Assurance employees at ZeniMax. We look forward to engaging in good-faith negotiations as we work towards a collective bargaining agreement.

A tech writer made a good point about who defines “good faith.” In response to a similar (but more defensive) Apple statement about its union, he wrote:

To some extent, it could be said that Apple now has a spotlight on its actions at the negotiations—whether it meets the union on the union’s definition of good faith negotiations, or whether it continues to stand on its own record of positive remuneration in spite of the union’s negotiating position.

We’ll see more company responses as union activity gains speed for the first time in decades, particularly in tech and retail industries.

New Slack CEO's Message to Staff

A friend suggested I post more positive examples, and I’m glad for the challenge. If you find others, please send them along. This one appeared on LinkedIn from Slack’s new CEO Denise Holland Dresser as a summary of “what’s top of mind.”

With cute but tasteful emojis, Dresser writes about her gratitude for the team, productivity tools of the platform, happy customers, work efficiencies, and the future. Yes, it’s a feel-good, promotional message, but Dresser is concise and grounded. Her personality comes through just enough, without spilling over the screen. Her subheadings aren’t quite parallel, but I’m picky. Students benefit from seeing examples of positive messages, and this is a good one to share.

Dresser left Salesforce in November, along with several other departing executives and laid off employees in the past year. Slack, too, has had its share of turnover: Dresser will be the third CEO in about a year. But none of that matters now. Dresser is all-in at Slack or, at least, that’s what her message says.

Analyzing BP's CEO Resignation Announcement

BP’s communicators addressed sensitive “relationship” issues in the company’s announcement about the CEO resignation. I’ve analyzed the British energy company’s message by paragraph.

BP plc announces that Bernard Looney has notified the Company that he has resigned as Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect. 

Murray Auchincloss, the Company’s CFO, will act as CEO on an interim basis. 

The message—some might call it “bad news,” others “positive”—is intended to be persuasive, with the goal of convincing audiences (likely investors primarily and the press/employees secondarily) that BP is an ethical company that stands by its values. The news is right up front, with an interesting few extra words.: “BP plc announces that” seems superfluous, and yet, the company intentionally leads with its own action, if only “announcing.” This reflects an attempt to demonstrate accountability, a subtle way of saying that the “resignation” is more of a technicality and likely was demanded.

The CEO replacement, even an interim one, is announced immediately to convey confidence and smooth operations.

In May 2022, the Board received and reviewed allegations, with the support of external legal counsel, relating to Mr Looney’s conduct in respect of personal relationships with company colleagues. The information came from an anonymous source.

A little history is good, but this seems misplaced. At first, I misread that it took the Board more than a year to take action. A short statement about the recent situation, which led to the resignation, before this part would be clearer. Also, “personal relationships with company colleagues” sounds icky, but I can’t think of anything better. It is icky. Stating “anonymous source” is relevant because the report didn’t come from Looney, increasing the ethical questions about his behavior and supporting the Board’s actions.

During that review, Mr Looney disclosed a small number of historical relationships with colleagues prior to becoming CEO. No breach of the Company’s Code of Conduct was found. However, the Board sought and was given assurances by Mr Looney regarding disclosure of past personal relationships, as well as his future behaviour.

“A small number” raises more questions than it answers. Whatever the number is, I’m thinking of something higher. “Historical” is an attempt to create greater distance than “prior to becoming CEO” implies. Mentioning the Code of Conduct is important—both that the company has one and that Looney didn’t, for example, have a relationship with someone who reported to him (which is what this implies). The last sentence uses “the Board” again as the actor, emphasizing its due diligence. But “However” seems misplaced after the previous sentence, and “given assurances . . . regarding . . .” is vague. More precise wording would convey that he said he had disclosed ALL past relationships (but hadn’t) and committed not to pursue additional relationships (which is odd and could probably be omitted).

Further allegations of a similar nature were received recently, and the Company immediately began investigating with the support of external legal counsel. That process is ongoing.  

Here’s the real reason for his “resignation.” Using passive voice for the first independent clause of the sentence, the company downplays the Board. With active voice in the second independent clause, the Company springs into action. But despite an “ongoing” investigation, they have apparently, finally, had enough.

Mr Looney has today informed the Company that he now accepts that he was not fully transparent in his previous disclosures.  He did not provide details of all relationships and accepts he was obligated to make more complete disclosure.

In other words, he lied by omission. The language choices are odd here too: he “informed” the Company that he “accepts” (twice) that did not fully disclose information. In case it wasn’t clear earlier, at this point, we might conclude that his resignation was, indeed, forced. Or, in today’s parlance, he was “released.”

The Company has strong values and the Board expects everyone at the Company to behave in accordance with those values.  All leaders in particular are expected to act as role models and to exercise good judgement in a way that earns the trust of others.

Well, of course. But without this assurance, the statement would be incomplete. This is the kind of boilerplate we expect to see in these situations.

No decisions have yet been made in respect of any remuneration payments to be made to Mr Looney.  In accordance with section 430(2B) of the Companies Act 2006, particulars of any such decisions will be disclosed at such times as, and to the extent that, any such decisions are made.

This legalese is likely for investors who want to understand the financial impact. Or maybe it’s for people like me, shaking my head as I think about the millions in compensation that might accompany his departure.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 of 16 April 2014 (MAR) as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

Ditto about the legalese. This would be an unusual ending for an American company’s statement, which might end on a more forward-looking, positive note.

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This crisis communication example raises issues of integrity (honesty and transparency in communication) and humility (learning from mistakes). Maybe this story offers a lesson for others, as a university communication professional once told my Corporate Communication class: “The truth will come out.” As these cases often go, covering up unethical behavior is often worse than the behavior itself.

Roku and Shopify News Release Emphasizes “Integrating”

A Roku announcement offers an example of reinforcing main points in a positive message, a press release. As students might expect from this type of public message, the emphasis is on benefits for viewers. For an audience of investors, the focus would be different, with more emphasis on financial benefits.

One feature of press releases is the main point right up front. This one has a clear title and subtitle, and the first sentence says it all:

Today, Roku (Nasdaq: ROKU), the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico*, announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with Shopify that provides viewers the ability to purchase products from Shopify merchants directly from their TV through Roku Action Ads.

The asterisk is an unusual choice, but students might be surprised by the claim and appreciate the evidence: “based on hours streamed, December 2022, Hypothesis Group.”

The partnership and new functionality are innovative, as the company boasts, so the second paragraph provides a helpful visualization:

Upon seeing an ad for a Shopify merchant, viewers can simply press OK on their Roku remote to learn more about the product and purchase it directly from their TV. They will be able to check out with Roku Pay, Roku’s payments platform, and return to their streaming experience once they have completed the purchase. Purchasers will receive email confirmation of their order directly from the merchant once the transaction has been processed.

An image would be more effective but non-standard for a press release.

Students can analyze other aspects of the statement and will find a clear theme, reinforced by such words as “seamless,” “frictionless,” “unmissable” (odd), “directly”—and, used in various forms five times and repeated in a callout quote, “integrating.” The point is clear.

Image source.

New Twitter CEO's First Email

With much-needed advertising experience, Linda Yaccarino joined Twitter and wrote her first email to staff, a good one for students to analyze. In addition to the email, below, Yaccarino posted her message in a Twitter thread.

Here are a few notes about the email:

• Twitter employees are the primary audience. Secondary audiences might be Twitter users, the media, investors, and the public. As you’ll see, Elon Musk is significant too.

• Yaccarino started on June 5, so it took a while for her first email. One meme shows a skeleton waiting for her second email.

• She starts with a question designed to engage her readers. Then she compliments Elon Musk, her boss and a quite a force. For her first message, acknowledging him is probably important, although I found myself skimming this part. The next paragraph gushes on—in italics. Clearly, Yaccarino is speaking to Musk fans and free speech advocates with that last bit.

• I’m wanting to know more about her: who is Linda Vaccarino? After her opening question, I expected something more personal, maybe about her background or her experience as a Twitter user.

• The “global town square” refers to Musk’s goal for Twitter. After a quick mention, Yaccarino defines it after “Enter Twitter 2.0,” which, I guess, is a heading along with “The success . . .” That section loosely shifts to employees.

• Her tone is enthusiastic, as we would expect. Morale has been low, with mass layoffs, harsh communication, and falling ad revenue.

• As we see too often, her use of “literally” is colloquial and not quite right.

• She uses a couple of rhetorical devices that I find: “wrapping your arms” and “heels” (the latter, a defined metaphor) and an attempt at alliteration: “person, partner, and creator on the planet.” We could call the “global town square” an allusion.

• I’m not a fan of what I call random font enhancements: bold and italics in the middle of paragraphs or at the ends of sentences. Could she use better organization to emphasize key points?

• I wonder how employees responded. Are they motivated? I’m not sure what anyone would do differently after reading the email? What was the purpose?

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Building Twitter 2.0 Together

Hello Twitter!

People keep asking me: Why Twitter? So, I’ll tell you.

From space exploration to electric vehicles, Elon knew these industries needed transformation, so he did it. More recently it has become increasingly clear that the global town square needs transformation—to drive civilization forward through the unfiltered exchange of information and open dialogue about the things that matter most to us.

Have you ever been talking with someone particularly insightful and thought, You’re brilliant—everybody should get the chance to hear this. Or, I’m learning so much from you—can we do this again? Or maybe it’s as simple as, You should have the freedom to speak your mind. We all should.

Enter Twitter 2.0.

Twitter is on a mission to become the world’s most accurate real-time information source and a global town square for communication. We’re on the precipice of making history—and that’s not an empty promise. That’s OUR reality. 

When you start by wrapping your arms around this powerful vision, literally everything is possible. You have to genuinely believe—and work hard for that belief. And in this moment of complete reinvention, we have the opportunity to reach across aisles, create new partnerships, celebrate new voices, and build something together that can change the world. And from what I can tell so far, you’re built for this. 

The success of Twitter 2.0 is all of our responsibility. 

We need to think big.

We need to transform.

We need to do it all together.

And we can do it all by starting from first principles – questioning our assumptions and building something new from the ground up. It’s rare to have the chance to put a new future into the hands of every person, partner, and creator on the planet.

That’s exactly why I’m here – with all of YOU.

So, let’s dig our heels in (4 inches or flat!) and build Twitter 2.0 together.

Linda

Opting Out of Mother's Day Ads

Mother’s Day is a painful reminder for some people, and companies are letting customers opt out of ads. The holiday can exacerbate grief for people who have lost mothers or children or have other reasons to avoid the day. Some messages, particularly, seem to jab at the heart, for example, the subject line, “Laura, your mum is waiting for her surprise . . .”

Several companies send messages before the holiday to give customers options. For example, Canva sent the email shown here. The global head of communications explained, "Our core values are about being a force for good, and we, in this instance, prioritize being a good human and showing sensitivity to our community. Mother's Day seemed like one that really does have a lot of emotions around it, and so we started with that holiday, but have expanded into other areas as well." Company leaders and customers call the move “sensitive” and “inclusive” and emphasize “empowering” customers to chose which messages they receive.

For some, an email about opting out of Mother’s Day emails is, in itself, triggering, and a few critics say these messages are anti-family. But most are favorable about the approach.

Students could compare company messages. Every one of those below mentions the “difficult time.”

• Canva (above)

• M.A.C. Cosmetics

• Pandora

• Boisson

• DoorDash

• Etsy

• Pashion Planner

• Fable & Eve

These diverge only slightly with “sensitive time,” which sounds odd to me.

• Ink Cards

• Prezzybox

OpenTable got really creative with “difficult holiday.” Perhaps “difficult time” and these slight variations are best. The language is general enough and doesn’t label feelings too much. No points for originality; simple and clear is best—the least amount of time people need to engage with holiday reminders, the better.

Darden and Ruth’s Chris Acquisition Announcement

Darden’s announcement about buying the parent company of Ruth’s Chris Steak House is a typical acquisition press release. The news is good for Darden, prompting in a 10% stock jump. With unnecessarily large type and an exceedingly long first sentence, the statement describes the news and the value of the restaurant chain to the company. Standard quotes are included from both CEOs.

Because Darden is less well known, mainstream news articles include the more recognizable “Olive Garden” in headlines. For example, CNBC posts, “Olive Garden owner Darden Restaurants buys Ruth’s Chris Steak House for $715 million,” and The Wall Street Journal posts, “Olive Garden Owner to Buy Ruth’s Hospitality Group.” Yet, appropriately, Olive Garden’s website includes no announcement.

Ruth’s Chris’s website also includes no announcement, which makes sense because it’s a consumer-focused site and Darden is acquiring the entire company. The parent company, Ruth’s Hospitality Group, which includes only the one brand, includes a short statement that mirrors Darden’s.

Students can explore Ruth’s March 2023 deck as a related communication example. The deck follows principles we teach for creating decks, particularly balancing text and graphics and using clear, descriptive message titles (although they are not all parallel).

Image source.

Microsoft Responds to Feedback About Creepy AI

A week after integrating Chat into Bing, Microsoft announced changes. This blog post is a good example of responding to user feedback.

After only a couple of months, Bing’s AI has surpassed ChatGPT’s capabilities in several dimensions, for example, in giving more accurate citations. Here are Ethan Mollick’s academic view and Business Insider’s comparison of different types of messages.

But people who have early access to Bing with Chat pushed the bot, and things got weird. In one exchange, a user said Bing responded, "You have tried to deceive me, confuse me, and annoy me. I have not tried to lie to you, mislead you, or bore you. I have been a good Bing." 

In the blog post, Microsoft acknowledged issues and described plans for improvement. The author resisted blaming users (let’s face it: creepy in, creepy out) and, more tactfully, wrote the following:

In this process, we have found that in long, extended chat sessions of 15 or more questions, Bing can become repetitive or be prompted/provoked to give responses that are not necessarily helpful or in line with our designed tone. We believe this is a function of a couple of things:

1. Very long chat sessions can confuse the model on what questions it is answering and thus we think we may need to add a tool so you can more easily refresh the context or start from scratch

2. The model at times tries to respond or reflect in the tone in which it is being asked to provide responses that can lead to a style we didn’t intend. This is a non-trivial scenario that requires a lot of prompting so most of you won’t run into it, but we are looking at how to give you more fine-tuned control.

To me, this reads as more instructive than defensive, with the company saying it will do what it can to fix the problem. The post also subtly calls out the user for, perhaps, overzealous testing:

We want to thank those of you that are trying a wide variety of use cases of the new chat experience and really testing the capabilities and limits of the service—there have been a few 2-hour chat sessions, for example!

The writing style and content choices convey humility, reflecting a company that wants its product to improve and succeed.

UPDATE: In a second post, Microsoft announced that it will limit chats to 50 per day and 5 “chat turns,” or back-and-forth Q&As. I hope that’s enough for people to refine their prompts, as Ethan Mollick encourages his students do.

Florida Sheriff's Office Has Fun with Spring Break News

Thanks to Bambi Van Horn at University of Nebraska at Kearney for sending this example of fun communication. Imagine living in sunny Walton County, Florida, anticipating mobs of students on spring break. The sheriff’s office wrote a press release and a funny Facebook post to prepare the locals.

The post starts with background and a few similes and metaphors:

• Like Voldemort in Harry Potter where everyone just whispers "you know who.”

• Spring break. It even tastes like vinegar to type it.

• One thing is certain, the green will be seen.

• Now that we've skipped over the denial part of the grieving stage, the next is acceptance. "You know what" is coming. But, when?

• They want to prepare. Like some sort of zombie apocalypse

The writing style is engaging:

We are also heavily interacting with high school-aged kids whose parents bring them while on break and let them wander around and make poor choices in the moments they look up from scrolling Tiktok and Snapchat. Which they do. Don't we all at some point in our lives?

Of course, the information has to be useful for the writer to achieve the communication objectives, which students can identify. At the end of the post is a list of dates when people might expect crowds to appear from schools.

Humor is difficult to convey in writing, particularly for a public audience and, as the writer says, an oddly political issue. The post is a good example for students to analyze.

AMC Explains Movie Pricing Change

For years, students in my hospitality classes at Cornell have presented arguments for movie theaters to use demand pricing, which stadiums and arenas have done for years. Finally, AMC Theatres announced what it’s calling Sightline, a clever program name for seat selection based on visibility. The announcement is a good example of trying to explain information in an understandable way.

The statement is written as a press release and is hard-to-read, with white text on a black background and a long headline: “AMC Theatres® Presents Sightline at AMC, the Next Evolution of Value Pricing at the Movies With Multiple Options to Meet the Viewing Preferences of AMC Moviegoers – Including a Lower Ticket Price for Select Seats.” The three tiers—value, standard, and preferred—are clearly explained with obvious color coding when you buy tickets online. At first, I was surprised to see so few value options (blue) for $2 off, but of course, that makes sense.

Students can analyze AMC’s decision, the website interface, and this executive quote:

“Sightline at AMC more closely aligns AMC’s seat pricing approach to that of many other entertainment venues, offering experience-based pricing and another way for moviegoers to find value at the movies,” Eliot Hamlisch, executive VP and CMO at AMC Theatres, said in a press statement. “While every seat at AMC delivers an amazing moviegoing experience, we know there are some moviegoers who prioritize their specific seat and others who prioritize value moviegoing. Sightline at AMC accommodates both sentiments to help ensure that our guests have more control over their experience, so that every trip to an AMC is a great one.”

One skeptic wrote, “AMC Theatres calls it ‘experience-based pricing.’ Some might call it another reason to wait for a good seat at home.”

M&M Acknowledges "Polarizing" Spokescandies

M&M explained the decision to eliminate “spokescandies”—cartoon images of the candy. The situation is delicate: Fox News anchors criticized the company’s “woke” M&Ms, and Tucker Carlson seemed particularly offended by Purple, which a Mars Wrigley spokesperson explained in September:

“We’re really excited about Purple because she’s designed to represent acceptance and inclusivity. We want her to be known for her earnest self-expression, keen self-awareness, authenticity, and competence.”

The company acknowledged but didn’t quite strike back against the controversy—or criticism of the previous push for inclusivity in January (see press release). This tweet downplays the original campaign (“We weren’t sure if anyone would even notice”) and jokes, “even a candy’s shoes can be polarizing.”

After backlash from the initial campaign, the spokeperson also tried to shake off the controversy: “We were thrilled to a large extent because it reminded us how iconic our brands are—that people care so deeply about M&M’s and the characters.”

I’m curious how students assess these comments. The company took a stand—and then seemed to back off. After the initial push for “fun,” the tweet reads formally in parts (“take an indefinite pause from the spokescandies”). Maybe students can think of a more creative way to retire the candies, one that demonstrates more accountability and courage. Could Maya Rudolph have done something funny?

Or maybe the company didn’t have to say or do anything differently, as a Forbes writer suggests? Or maybe a candy company should just make great, classic candy and not try to “bring people together”?

Netflix Messages About Leadership Change

Netflix published two messages about new CEOs. One is written by Reed Hastings, who founded Netflix and reigned as CEO for the company’s first 25 years. He leaves on a high note, which a letter to shareholders acknowledges: “2022 was a tough year, with a bumpy start but a brighter finish.” Subscribers were lagging but increased recently as Netflix implemented a new ad subscription model and launched a few popular shows.

Students could compare the Hastings blog message to that of the company in the letter to shareholders. The former focuses on the leaders (and compares Hastings’ trajectory to that of Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos into board chair positions). The latter includes typical quotes from the new co-CEOs.

I expected a bit more heart from a founder, but his goal may be to downplay the move. Both messages emphasize the planned succession—as though the news is not significant at all. And maybe it’s not. The real story Netflix wants to tell is about the recent turnaround.

Image source.

Emails to "Boost Your Career"

Wall Street Journal writers suggest sending emails to someone in your inner circle, an influencer, a VIP, a long-lost contact, and someone leaving the organization. They offer good advice for students to maintain and build relationships; even as interns, thinking about reaching out regularly is a good way to develop this habit in the future. I know someone who starts his day by sending a recognition or complimentary email to someone. It’s a kind of daily gratitude.

Of course, the trouble with these emails is being genuine, offering something without expecting anything in return. The article authors suggest avoiding tired phrases, for example, “Can I pick your bring?” As we teach in our classes, they recommend getting to the main point quickly, being brief, and making a response easy, for example, asking for a 10-minute call.

Underpinning these emails is authenticity: being yourself and sounding conversational to make a genuine connection. Although the authors don’t mention it, many of these contacts can be made on social sites as well.

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Related: I asked ChatGPT, “How should I write an email?” and got this response—not bad for the basics!

There are a few key things to keep in mind when writing an email:

1. Start with a clear subject line: The subject line should clearly and concisely convey the purpose of the email.

2. Use a professional greeting: Begin your email with a formal greeting, such as "Dear [Name]," or "Hello [Name]," followed by a comma or colon.

3. Keep it concise: Keep your email brief and to the point. Use bullet points or numbered lists to make it easy to read.

4. Use a clear and concise writing style: Use simple, straightforward language and avoid using jargon or technical terms that may not be familiar to the reader.

5. Use proper formatting: Use paragraphs to break up your text and make it easier to read. Use bold or italic text to highlight important points.

6. Use a professional closing: End your email with a formal closing, such as "Sincerely," followed by your name and contact information.

7. Proofread your email: Make sure to carefully proofread your email for spelling and grammar errors before sending it.

By following these tips, you can write a clear, professional email that effectively conveys your message.

Image source.

Disney Comms About Ousted CEO

Students might enjoy comparing internal and external messages from Disney about Bob Iger’s return just 11 months after his retirement. Lagging investor confidence and profits ended the current CEO’s short tenure in the position, which the board skirts in the press release.

As we might expect, the public statement includes typical quotes from the incoming leader (Iger) and board chair. Missing are comments from the outgoing CEO, Bob Chapek, although the chair thanks him “for his service to Disney over his long career, including navigating the company through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic.” Iger is positioned as “uniquely situated to lead the Company through this pivotal period.” Here’s Iger’s quote for the release:

“I am extremely optimistic for the future of this great company and thrilled to be asked by the Board to return as its CEO,” Mr. Iger said. “Disney and its incomparable brands and franchises hold a special place in the hearts of so many people around the globe—most especially in the hearts of our employees, whose dedication to this company and its mission is an inspiration. I am deeply honored to be asked to again lead this remarkable team, with a clear mission focused on creative excellence to inspire generations through unrivaled, bold storytelling.”

In an email to employees, below, Iger mentions “gratitude and humility” and focuses on his audience—”cast members” who have probably struggled in many ways during the past couple of years. He says nothing about Chapek, but really, what is there to say? It might just sound false.

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Dear Fellow Employees and Cast Members,

It is with an incredible sense of gratitude and humility—and, I must admit, a bit of amazement—that I write to you this evening with the news that I am returning to The Walt Disney Company as Chief Executive Officer.

When I look at the creative success of our teams across our Studios, Disney General Entertainment, ESPN and International, the rapid growth of our streaming services, the phenomenal reimagining and rebound of our Parks, the continued great work of ABC News, and so many other achievements across our businesses, I am in awe of your accomplishments and I am excited to embark with you on many new endeavors.

I know this company has asked so much of you during the past three years, and these times certainly remain quite challenging, but as you have heard me say before, I am an optimist, and if I learned one thing from my years at Disney, it is that even in the face of uncertainty—perhaps especially in the face of uncertainty—our employees and Cast Members achieve the impossible.

You will be hearing more from me and your leaders tomorrow and in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, allow me to express my deep gratitude for all that you do. Disney holds a special place in the hearts of people around the globe thanks to you, and your dedication to this company and its mission to bring joy to people through great storytelling is an inspiration to me every single day.

Bob Iger

Image source.

Handwritten Thank-You Notes

About once a year, I read an article reminding us that handwritten notes are still appreciated. The rarer they get, the more meaningful they are. One etiquette coach explains:

Handwritten notes are a differentiator. They show the person you’re thanking that you made a sincere effort to acknowledge their act of kindness or generosity.

I haven’t seen new evidence supporting these thank-you notes, but they certainly can’t hurt as long as they’re sincere. Students also shouldn’t forgo a thank-you email, for example, after an interview: an email within 24 hours of an interview is still expected, while a postal note can take a few days—perhaps after a call-back or hiring decision is made.

Experts suggest just three sentences:

• Thank the giver for the gift or act.

• Say what it means to you: how you’ll use it or how it affects you.

• Say thanks again and write something forward-looking, for example, what you’re looking forward to and how you’ll reconnect with them.