Santa Makes a Summer Appearance in Pepsi Commercial
Pepsi has launched a new commercial featuring Santa Clause at a summer party. In a direct hit to Coke, which Pepsi now trails in sales (including Diet Coke), the ad shows Santa rejecting bottles of Coca-Cola. Critics say that Pepsi had lost focus on its flagship product; does this commercial signal a new direction?
Discussion Starters:
- Had you associated Santa Clause with Coke? Does your knowledge or lack of knowledge change your perception of the commercial?
- How is Pepsi using logos, pathos, and ethos in this commercial to persuade viewers?
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Former Skype Employees Lose Stock Options
Following Microsoft's acquisition of Skype, former Skype employees are challenging the company's stance on stock options, including those they thought were "vested" or guaranteed. In a letter to one departing employee, the issue of stock options was explained:
"Not withstanding the exercisability of your Options, Section 12 of your Stock Option Grant Agreement (the 'Grant Agreement') provides that any shares issuable upon the exercise of your Options would be issued on your behalf to the Partnership."
Well that clears things up.
Assignment Idea:
- Read the letter about stock options. See how many nominalizations and prepositions you can identify.
- If you have enough finance knowledge, try to rewrite the letter in plain language.
Delta Criticized for Saudi Partnership: Can Jews Fly?
Delta Airlines has formed an alliance with Saudi Arabian Airlines that is causing people to question whether Delta discriminates against Jewish people. The Saudi government does not grant visas to Israelis. The Anti-Defamation League, an organization that fights anti-Semitism, has urged the airline not to "be a party" to discriminatory practices. Delta responded to the criticism in a statement: "Delta Air Lines does not discriminate nor do we condone discrimination against any of our customers in regards to age, race, nationality, religion, or gender." Read more of Delta's response on its blog.
Discussion Starters:
- Do you consider Delta's partnership discriminatory? Why or why not?
- How do you react to Delta's response on its blog? Which arguments do you find most and least convincing?
Nike "Get High" T-Shirts Anger Boston Mayor
Mayor of Boston Thomas Menino doesn't like Nike's new T-shirts. He believes that messages such as "Get High" and "Dope" promote drug use. In a letter to the general manager of Niketown Boston, Menino urges the company to remove the T-shirts.
Nike has responded to my tweet about the situation:
Discussion Starters:
- What is your opinion of Nike's new T-shirts: dangerous or just clever marketing?
- Analyze the mayor's letter. What principles of persuasion does he use? Do you consider this an effective letter? Why or why not?
- How do you think Nike should respond to the mayor's letter? What are the consequences of the company removing -- or keeping -- the T-shirts?
- How do you assess Nike's tweets to BizCom in the News?
Will Graphic Images Encourage People to Quit Smoking?
The U.S. government is using more visuals to help people get healthier. Shortly after revising the food pyramid, federal health officials have selected nine graphic images to appear on cigarette packs. If you're strong, you can see all of the new images here. As we might expect, the major tobacco companies are disputing the images, claiming, among other issues, infringement of their right to free speech. Read the government's news release.
Discussion Starters:
- Which, if any, of the images might convince someone to quit smoking? Do you find some images more effective than others? Why?
- Why do you think the government is using pathos (emotional appeals) in this campaign rather than logical arguments, for example, providing data about life expectancy?
- The Truth campaign has used graphic videos to encourage young people not to start or to quit smoking. How effective do you find this video, for example?
As "Sheriff" of Vancouver Riots, Social Media Nabs Several People
Disappointed fans rioted after the Vancouver Canucks' Stanley Cup loss, and now some are paying the price. A University of British Columbia student, caught up in the action and caught on video, took two pair of pants from a store. She has since apologized on her blog.
Cacnio wasn't the only one identified in riot videos (she can be seen at 1:30 - 1:33 below). According to a Globe and Mail story, "Social media has become the sheriff of this unlawful event, in essence rounding up a number of rioters by posting their pictures on the Internet and encouraging people to identify the people in them. That has led to online shaming of those named, some of whom have since turned themselves into police and are lining up to publicly apologize online."
Discussion Starters:
- If a prospective employer Googled you, what would he or she find? (Try searching for yourself to make sure.)
- How do you assess Cacnio's apology? She has quite an extensive list of people to whom she apologizes. Do you think this is appropriate given the situation, or did she do more than was necessary?
Customer Captures Anti-Gay Comments at Starbucks
At a Long Island Starbucks, a customer apparently overheard a manager speaking with an employee (Jeffrey) and then making disrespectful comments about him to other employees. The customer's blog post about the incident got Starbucks' attention.
Starbucks' response, "Our Dedication to Embrace Diversity," states, "We are disheartened by the allegations reported in an East Coast Starbucks store and are taking immediate measures to investigate and take any steps necessary to make this right. The actions reported do not correspond with our values, who we are as a company or the beliefs we try to instill in our partners."
Discussion Starters:
- How, if at all, does the customer's alleged experience and Starbucks' response affect your perspective of Starbucks as an employer or as a company?
- If you owned the Long Island Starbucks store, what, if anything, would you do in response to the customer's blog post?
Assignment Idea:
- The customer's blog post doesn't follow principles of business communication. Rewrite Missy's blog post to improve focus and organization.
Videos for Chapter 10: Writing the Report
Behind-the-scenes look at testing at Consumer Reports, highlighed in the chapter introduction in 8e. Could be used as background to discuss translating data into a report.
"Facebook Fatigue" or a Poor Source of Data?
One report indicates that Facebook lost millions of users in May: 6 million Americans, 1.5 million Canadians, and 100,000 Britons. Of course, Facebook still enjoys great success with almost 700 million users worldwide, but the company's goal is to reach 1 billion, and this is a step in the wrong direction.
While critics say that people are tiring of the social networking service and have increasing concerns about privacy, Facebook has responded with optimism. The company has questioned the data (apparently pulled from the reach of Facebook ads) and maintains that it is "very pleased" with its overall growth, claiming that "50 percent of active users log on to Facebook on any given day."
Discussion Starters:
- Do you buy Facebook's argument about the data source? Why or why not?
- What is your personal view of Facebook? Have you ever felt "Facebook fatigue" or known others to quit?
Video Examples for Chapter 6: Neutral and Positive Messages
Mark Zuckerberg at the 2017 Developer Conference.
Andrea Jung, CEO of Avon, accepts an award from the Clinton Global Initiative.
Ursula Burns, President of Xerox, introduces new color printers.
Kraft "likes its fans in a fun music video.
Amusing snow-day message from a school principal.
Video Examples for Chapter 3: Interpersonal Communication Skills
5 Ways to Listen Better, Julian Treasure.
The Power of Listening, William Ury.
Radical Candor, an approach for giving feedback, Kim Scott.
Tom Peters' discussion of the importance of listening. An expert in leadership, Tom Peters uses an example from healthcare to illustrate this skill.
Introduction of Dell's "Social Media Listening Command Center." Illustrates the business link between listening and social media.
Company Examples for Chapter 12: Employment Communication
Professor Posts "CV of Failures" (May 2016) 
What a great lesson for students: We all fail sometimes. This CV example could start an interesting discussion about how we present ourselves during the job search process.
Canva Offers Resume Design Suggestions
For our creative students, design site Canva shows how to set a resume apart.
Resume Heat Map Demonstrates Recruiters' Time (December 2015) 
See how recruiters spend their six seconds on resumes with this heat map created with eye tracking technology. This video may help students determine resume design and organization.
Older Examples
See a collection of online resumes at VisualCV.com
About.com has a good collection of cover letters and resumes, if you're looking for more than your school's career center has to offer.
Creative Amazon-like resume by Philippe Dubost.
Student's bold cover letter gets surprising results.
Boastful cover letter by an NYU student. Background information.
Company Examples for Chapter 11: Oral Presentation
Wells Fargo CEO Gets Grilled (September 2016)
Must see TV: Senator Elizabeth Warren questioning John Stumpf about the Wells Fargo scandal during the Banking Committee Hearing.
Prime Minister Cameron Resigns After Brexit (June 2016)
Having campaigned for the UK to stay part of the European Union, Prime Minister David Cameron had little choice but to resign when the vote was for "Brexit." (See full text.)
Maria Sharapova Delivers News Conference (March 2016)
Russian Tennis star Maria Sharapova admitted failing a drug test and took "full responsibility" for it during this news conference.
Older Examples
Ted Talks are great examples of engaging delivery styles and more. This spreadsheet ranks "engagement data" for Ted Talks and includes links to videos.
Presentation by Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Useful to demonstrate a conversational style with minimal visuals.
Queen Latifah on 30 Rock. Funny illustration of delivery skills without content from the TV show 30 Rock.
Borat's failed attempt at humor ("not joke") from the movie Borat.
Celebrity news clips are useful to demonstrate exaggerated voice inflection: Access Hollywood and Showbiz Tonight.
Jim Cramer has his own brand of delivery. Useful for demonstrating emphasis, pauses, and variation in tone and speed.
Oprah Winfrey's beautiful tribute to Rosa Parks. Useful to discuss a natural delivery style when reading from a script. Also useful to demonstrate pace, pauses, humor, rhetorical devices, and more.
Dutchess Kate Middleton's first speech, 2012.
Apple CEO at the Worldwide Developers Conference, 2012.
Jamie Dimon, CEO, JPMorgan Chase, testifies about trading losses, 2012.
New York Mayor Bloomberg's news conference after Hurricane Sandy, 2012.
Miss Utah struggles with a question at the Miss USA Pageant, 2013.
Twitter CEO at University of Michigan commencement, 2013.
President Obama at White House Correspondents' Dinner, 2013.
Jodie Foster's emotional speech at the Golden Globes Awards, 2013.
Senator Marco Rubio's odd reach for water during the State of the Union Address response, 2013.
More than 300 commencement speeches.
GM CEO Mary Barra addresses employees and answers tough questions about the company's failure to recall defective cars.
CVS CEO announces that stores will stop selling cigarette products.
Employee advocacy group criticizes McDonald's low pay, and an employee questions the USA president at a dinner event.
NFL Commissioner's discussion of the Ray Rice situation, 2014.
NBA's Adam Smith's news conference about Don Sterling LA Clippers controversy, 2014.
NY Governor Cuomo addresses prison break in a news conference, 2015.
President Obama's news conference about the Charleston, SC, shootings, 2015.
Popular commencement speeches, 2015.
President Obama at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, 2015.
Following Clinton's announcement, Marco Rubio announces his run for president, 2015.
In a non-traditional commercial, Hillary Clinton announces her run for president, 2015.
Ranked Oscar speeches, 2015.
Company Examples for Chapters 9 and 10: Data,Visuals, and Reports
United Airlines Reports on Incident When Man Is Dragged Out the Plane (April 2017) 
Most air travelers have seen the video of Dr. Dao being removed from his seat and dragged down the aisle of a United flight. In response, the airline published a report, changed its policies, and disseminated messages by email, video, Twitter, and its website. The report has many headings and bullets, so it's a good example for organization, although it's far from perfect. Additional links are in this post, and students may find it interesting to compare the email, web statement, videos, and reports. United did a good job distinguishing each of these.
Melania Trump's Plagiarizes Michelle Obama's Speech (July 2016)
I can't resist this one from the Republican National Convention to illustrate plagiarism. This post includes a transcript comparison, and here's the video comparison.
This is an example from Trump Institute, but these may be too much to discuss in one class.
Penn State Analyzes Airbnb Data (May 2016)
A Penn State University report shows the "other side" of Airbnb. The report uses simple graphics and makes a simple argument. You may want to contrast the Penn State report with a government report like this one: The World Economic Forum's report on Global Competitiveness.
FDA Changes the Nutrition Label (May 2016)
For the first time since the early 1990s, the Food and Drug Administration updated the nutrition label that appears on packaged foods. The agency is proud of the change, calling it a "major step." Michelle Obama was part of the process and is quoted in the FDA's press release: "This is going to make a real difference in providing families across the country the information they need to make healthy choices." I'm skeptical.
Law Schools Inflate Placement Data (March 2016)
The spin on law school data is a bit depressing but is relevant to students who plan to apply. I have very few students who go on to law school, but I could see using the data in a scenario where students choose a school and develop a slide or two for recruiting purposes. Where do they draw the ethical lines?
Gapminder Uses Creative Visuals
Gapminder is my favorite site for showing the beauty of data. The interactive bubble charts and "Dollar Street" images give students ideas for visualizing information in new ways. Also explore Hans Rosling's TedTalks on YouTube.
Older Examples
Financial snapshot and downloaded data for Sara Lee. Useful to discuss converting data into an annual report.
The Fair Trade Almanac is packed with interesting data and charts. (Select "Fair Trade Almanac.)
Terrible example of an infographice: Does Texting Hurt Your Grammar?
Good example of an infographic, by PETA: PETA Saves.
Taco Bell's visual describing their beef.
Google's data-filled response to anti-trust charges, 2015.
Columbia University's report about Rolling Stone's article about campus rape, the article author's apology, and the University of Virginia's statement. 2014.
Gates Foundation Next Generation request for proposal. Read more about the program here.
Comcast request for proposal for research/design. Simple PowerPoint format.
British Columbia Lottery Corporation request for proposal to change gambling incentives. Traditional report format.
Expedia's innovative report format sent within an email.
Collection of sustainability reports.
Two versions of Walmart's 2011 annual report: PDF format and website. Also, here's Walmart's "Global Responsibility Report." Useful to compare the three for different formats and audiences.
Sara Lee's annual report.
Report about engaged brands using social media (referenced in Chapter 3).
Sharp announces job cuts and plans in two reports: First-quarter 2012 release and presentation.
Apple's 2012 supplier responsibility report.
PR/Communications best practices report.
Government 2014 climate change report.
Facebook's creative annual report.
Leaked New York Times report about the company's innovation.
Investor PPT report about Darden Restaurants, 2014.
The Pope encyclical on the environment, 2015.
Educause research on students' use of technology.
Fabulous Ted Talk by David McCandless on different ways of visualizing data.
Comparing cup sizes in the movie Super Size Me (download). Useful for discussing data analysis and creating charts (Scene 7, 19:48 – 21:12).
Video demonstration of Gapminder World by Hans Rosling. Useful to show interactive displays of data. Here is Rosling's Ted Talk.
Sloppy charts that students can analyze and perhaps redraw.
Terrible infographic that students can analyze and perhaps redraw.
Another cute infographic with no clear audience or point.
Company Examples for Chapter 6: Neutral and Positive Messages
Marriott Communicates Starwood Acquisition (November 2015 - September 2016) 
Students can learn about positive messaging from Marriott's announcements about the Starwood acquisition:
- Timing of messages to Starwood associates and the public to illustrate communication planning: PPT slide
- Acquisition announcement press release
- Shareholder update on a new Starwood landing page
- "4 Things to Know" article by Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson
- Email to Starwood associates from Arne Sorenson
- Email to Starwood associates from Starwood CEO Tom Mangas
- Email to Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) members
- Email to Marriott Rewards members
HomeAway Email Introduces New Leader (September 2016)
Vacation rental site HomeAway sent email to users about a new CEO. The current CEO's approach is rather personal and gives us a good example for a positive or neutral message.
Email to LinkedIn Staff about Microsoft (June 2016)
This example is also about an acquisition, but it's an internal email to LinkedIn staff. In the BizCom story, you'll also find an interview with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella about the deal.
Older Examples
Video Examples:
- Nokia and Microsoft CEOs discuss the companies' partnership.
- Andrea Jung, CEO of Avon, accepts an award from the Clinton Global Initiative.
- Ursula Burns, President of Xerox, introduces new color printers.
- Kraft "likes its fans in a fun music video.
- Amusing snow-day message from a school principal.
Starbucks' Howard Schultz announces the company's new logo in a blog post. Read more here.
Examples of a customer's request and responses from five hotel companies.
Yahoo's press release announcing (another) new CEO.
Doctor's handwritten note to a former patient's family. Lovely example of a "goodwill" message.
Satya Nadella's long message to employees as Microsoft's new CEO, 2014.
Fascination with Warren Buffet's annual letter, 2015.
Barnum & Bailey news release announcing that the company will stop using Asian elephants in traveling circus performances, 2015.
Company Examples for Chapter 7: Persuasive Messages
Google Memo Argues Against Their Diversity Programs (August 2017)
Also a good example for Chapter 2 and others, the memo written by a Google software engineer illustrates controversy about diversity programs. The author argues that more women aren't in technology positions partly because of biological differences. He was fired, which conservatives say exemplifies Google's "cult-like" culture on the issue.
Marriott CEO Writes an Open Letter to President-Elect Donald Trump (November 2016)
Arne Sorenson's letter to President-elect Trump illustrates principles of persuasion (Chapter 7) and can be used to discuss medium choice (Chapter 1). How does the letter reflect Marriott's business interests? Why did Sorenson choose LinkedIn?
Verizon and Union Battle Over Worker Pay and Taxes (April 2016) 
I used these two examples in class for students to compare. I asked students to work in two separate groups and analyze either Verizon's or the union's messages to identify persuasive strategies. These are great examples to discuss which strategies work best and why. They also present an interesting window into union negotiations.
Starboard Value Tries to Replace Yahoo Board (March 2016)
The activist investment firm Starboard Value tried to overthrow the Yahoo board of directors as it has ousted Darden's board in 2014-with aggressive language and a persuasive presentation. Students can analyze persuasive strategies in the letter to shareholders.
SeaWorld Tries to Restore Its Image (March 2016 and earlier)
In addition to the SeaWorld messages in Chapter 7 of the tenth edition, students can analyze the company's communications to end its orca breeding program.
You are also welcome to use this case study. I have found students to be highly engaged by the situation, and I have used this assignment as a complement to the case study.
Older Examples and Videos
Written Messages
Several customer response letters from Turning Stone Casino.
Internal company update message from John Chambers to all Cisco employees.
AIG resignation letter from an EVP at American International Group (AIG) following the financial crisis. Useful to discuss persuasive strategies and to compare arguments. Published in the New York Times.
American Airlines message to flight attendants. Useful to discuss audience analysis, communication objectives, structure, tone, and medium choice.
Email from Howard Schultz, Starbucks CEO, to his management team about the "commoditization" of the brand.
Many examples of fraud emails. Useful to discuss principles of persuasion and ethics.
Activity for students to analyze three customer service letters (written by students). I use this early in the semester partly to discuss my grading criteria.
Verizon CEO's letter to employees explaining his perspective of the union strike, August 2011.
Barnes and Noble's pitch to former Borders customers.
Consumer group's complaint letter about carcinogens in J&J's Baby Shampoo and J&J's response statement.
Cruise lines reassure customers after the Costa Concordia disaster:
Victoria's Secret responds to child labor allegations.
In-N-Out Burger's response to the shutdown of its meat supplier.
Beef Products Inc.'s response to the "pink slime" controversy.
Two cease-and-desist letters to compare: the Olympics Committee's (formal, legal) and Jack Daniel's (nicer, conversational).
Hedge fund CEO's letter requests that the Yahoo Board terminate the CEO for having misleading information on his resume.
Nordstrom email to employees supporting same-sex marriage.
Fresh Direct letter updates customers after Hurricane Sandy.
Asiana Airlines' press releases after the 2013 crash.
PETA article PETA's article criticizing "no-kill" policies after controversy at their own shelter. Read more about the situation here.
Carnival's email to past guests after several ship problems. Read more here.
H&R Block defends itself after criticism from TurboTax. Read the email to employees and open letter to clients.
Target's statement announcing the CEO's departure.
Heartbleed emails to compare (companies informing customers of the computer security issue).
Mozilla board chair's announcement that the CEO resigned over the same-sex marriage controversy.
Head of job bank's harsh email and apology.
HP's email asking remote employees to work at the office.
Starbucks' open letter to customers about not bringing firearms into stores.
NRA's statement to gun owners: "Good Citizens and Good Neighbors: The Gun Owners' Role."
Target's email to customers about security breach.
Strong letter from Starboard to Yahoo about performance and the future of the company, 2014.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon's statement about a racist chant at the University of Oklahoma and the university president's expulsion letter, 2015.
Alex Rodriguez hand-written letter apologizing-again, 2015.
TurboTax apologizes for system changes and issues, 2015.
Videos
Giovanni Ribisi (Seth) in the movie Boiler Room sells stock to an unsuspecting buyer. Useful to show examples of logos, pathos, and ethos. Download the handout and possible answers.
Taco Bell CEO responds to criticism of the company's taco meat. Useful to discuss persuasion to restore image. Read more here. Here are two ads that accompanied the campaign:
- http://www.tacobell.com/images/press_releases/RealBeef_Ad.png (Click on the image to enlarge.)
- http://www.tacobell.com/pdf/Say_Sorry.pdf
Bob Eckert of Mattel discusses toy recalls as people rate "believability." Useful to discuss how people are persuaded with logos, pathos, and ethos.
Domino's president responds to the YouTube video posted by two employees. Useful to discuss persuasion to restore image. Watch an overview of the story and employee video.
AOL doesn't allow a customer to cancel his account. Here is AOL's apology/response. What is interesting about the story is that it isn't the first time AOL was cited for failing to cancel accounts on request.
British Petrolum's commercial after the oil spill, rated by the public. Useful to show the public's reaction to the ad. Read more here.
Netflix CEO apologizes for lack of communication and introduces Quickster.
FedEx senior VP apologizes for the viral video of a PC monitor tossed over a fence.
Royal Caribbean reassures customers after the Costa Concordia accident.
Apple CEO Tim Cook responds to tax criticsm.
Carnival Cruise CEO holds a news conference to explain the Triumph ship situation.
The NRA's press conference after the Newtown, CT, school shooting, 2013. Read more here.
GM CEO Mary Barra answers tough questions about product safety, 2014.
GM CEO Mary Barra's video message to employees, 2014.
McDonald's "Our Food, Your Questions" campaign, 2014.
Procter & Gamble's "Like a Girl" video, 2014.
Bill Cosby's discussion with AP about sexual assault allegations, 2014.
Dr. Oz's video response to criticism about his TV show and product promotion.
UK Cancer Research shows clever commercial about failing to detect cancer lumps, 2015.
Ober's false-cause fallacy, 2015.
Conan O'Brien pokes fun at Taco Bell (paid commercial), 2015.
JetBlue's video about plane etiquette, 2015.
42% of Sarah Palin's Emails Are "Uninteresting"
The buzz seems to be fading. According to the Guardian, 42% of over 6,000 pages of Sarah Palin's emails scanned as of June 14 are "uninteresting." Over 24,000 pages of the former governor of Alaska's emails have been released for public perusal.
Here are a few mildly interesting ones for business communication students:
- December 6, 2008: Apparently, Palin didn't have access to the email account "Governor Sarah Palin."
- March 10, 2008: Palin seems to care about following up with constituents.
- February 17, 2008: Palin compliments her former director of boards and commissions.
- January, 13, 2007: Many emails are redacted, causing a few questions.
Discussion Starters:
- Why do you think Sarah Palin's email is of such interest to the press? Do you find her communications interesting? Why or why not?
- Consider your own email communication. Have you written anything in the past year that you would regret if you saw it on Facebook?
Videos for Chapter 5: Improving Your Writing Style
Just for fun:
- "Real Marketing Genius" to illustrate overuse of jargon/buzz words
- Scene from The Office to illustrate overuse of jargon
Common Craft creates videos using graphics and simple, concrete language to explain complex topics.
Company Examples for Chapter 8: Bad-News Messages
Medium CEO Announces Layoffs and a New Company Direction (March 2017) 
If you're looking for emotional appeal in a layoff announcement, Ev Williams' post on Medium about Medium is a good example. He uses plenty of emotional language and balances the bad news with optimism for the company going forward. He's also forthcoming about past failures.
Ralph Lauren CEO Leaves the Company (February 2017)
In a clear, honest press release, Ralph Lauren announces the departure of a CEO. Stefan Larsson was hired from Old Navy, but he and the company company founder couldn't agree on a way to boost revenue and stave off declining sales. The statement is a refreshing change from other announcements that give no reason or invent reasons for a CEO departure, for example, "to pursue other interests."
Ten Thousand Villages Announces Store Closings (January 2017)
Non-profit fair trade organization Ten Thousand Villages sent an email to announce store closings and downsizing at the corporate office. The message covers the basics, but the main point is in the second paragraph, and I wonder how enthusiastic people will feel about the organization's future.
Nestlé Recalls Drumsticks (October 2016)
This is a typical recall notice-one of many each year.
The Secretary of Education Tells Students About ITT Closing (September 2016)
Sadly, students can relate to this situation. When ITT decided to close its campuses, the secretary of education sent this message to affected students.
Data Breach Affects Hotel Properties (August 2016)
Here's a typical data breach notification-also one of many each year. This one affected hotels owned and operated by HEI.
I have distributed several security breach emails and asked students to compare them. They notice subtle differences based on the situation and company culture.
Carrier Announces Layoffs (February 2016)
A painful, but important video showing Carrier executives telling employees their jobs are moving to Mexico. The situation became politicized when President Trump negotiated with the company to save some of the jobs, although the number is in question.
Older Examples
Written Messages
Layoff memo and email examples:
- Intel, 2006
- MySpace, 2009
- Starbucks, 2009, with annotations (indirect organizational plan)
- Time Inc., 2007 (shows cascading communication)
- Yahoo, 2008 (also see PPT slides sent to managers, download)
- Yahoo, 2010 (this time with capital letters!)
- Yahoo, 2012 (yet another)
- AOL, 2011
- LA Times, 2011
- Yahoo, 2012
- RealNetworks, 2012 (posted to Facebook)
- Microsoft, 2014
- Microsoft, 2015
Emails to customers about email security breach. Download 14 versions of this communication. Useful to show different companies' approaches to the same message (e.g., formatting, differences in tone, to what extent each is customized to the audience, level of detail, whether "Epsilon" is mentioned and how the company is described, etc.). I have asked students to work in small groups to compare three examples that I assign.
Sprint termination letter. Read more here: "Sprint breaks up with high-maintenance customers."
Fresh Direct explains service delivery failures following a snow storm.
Charles Trywhitt (British retailer) apologizes for a late order.
Agatha Christie refuses a request to speak. Background information here.
Three responses to an employee suggestion (written by students). Useful to discuss tone.
Messages from former UBS CEO: about the $2.3B loss and his subsequent resignation.
American Airlines communicates bankruptcy in a press release, memo to employees, and email to AAdvantage club members.
Lacoste responds to false coupon code issue.
World's longest rejection letter. Background information here.
Best Buy press release announcing CEO resignation.
Asiana Press Releases about the July 2013 crash.
Daily Voice email scheduling a conference call where layoffs would be announced. Great example of a style that is too indirect. Read more here.
Groupon CEO's farewell email to employees.
Yahoo's controversial email calling remote employees to the office.
Malaysia Airlines' statement about missing flight.
Emails about Heartbleed virus, 2014
Sears explains store closings, 2014.
More company responses to data breaches, 2015.
Blue Bell Creameries' news release about product recalls and news release about layoff decisions, 2015. (See also the CEO's video message.)
Video Examples
Opening scene from the movie Up in the Air (download). Useful to demonstrate the challenges of communicating bad news (layoffs). Beware of obscene language.
Another scene from Up in the Air: Ryan Bingham discusses his philosophy of communicating layoffs (download).
Geico commercial demonstrating a deceptive buffer.
Videos from the "United Breaks Guitars" incident, United Airlines' refusal to pay for a broken guitar and the disgruntled passenger's response:
- Overview of an HBS case
- Dave Carroll's first song
- Dave Carroll's second song
- Dave Carroll's statement
- Dave Carroll's website
News conference about Ebola in NYC, 2014.
Virgin Galactic news conference about the SpaceShip Two crash, 2014.
New McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbook admits performance issues, and the stock loses ground, 2015.
A French investigator discusses the Germanwings flight crash in a news conference, 2015.
AirAsia CEO apologizes to families of lost flight, 2015.
Blue Bell Creameries CEO announces layoff decision after recall, 2015.