NY Philharmonic Stops When Cell Phone Won't Stop Ringing

The incessant "marimba" alarm clock so frustrated the New York Philharmonic orchestra conductor that he stopped the performance this week. Albert Gilbert and the rest of the audience heard the phone in the front row, which, according to one audience member continued for "5 minutes or so." This video is a mock-up of how the ringing may have interrupted Mahler's Symphony No. 9:

Gilbert stopped the orchestra and said, "We'll wait" and stared at the potential culprits in the front row. He then said, "Turn off the phone." But the phone didn't stop ringing, despite yells from the otherwise cultured audience: "Get out!" "Turn it off" "Throw them out!" Lincoln Center is investigating why its ushers didn't follow protocol and address the audience member.

So how did this happen, and why didn't the audience member turn off the phone?

"Patron X" didn't want to be identified but told the New York Times that his company just swapped his BlackBerry for an iPhone, and he didn't realize that an alarm was set. Although he thought he turned off his cell phone, the alarm went off anyway.

Gilbert accepted an apology, which Patron X explained to the New York Times:

"It was just awful to have any role in something like that, that is so disturbing and disrespectful not only to the conductor but to all the musicians and not least to the audience, which was so into this concert."

"I hope the people at that performance and members of the orchestra can certainly forgive me for this whole event. I apologize to the whole audience."

Discussion Starters:

• The Washington Post Style Blog offers these cell-phone etiquette suggestions for performances. Do you agree with these? What other steps would you recommend to audience members?
  
• Do you buy Patron X's explanation? Could this happen to any of us?
• What's your view of texting during a movie?

NYU Student's Emails

Upset with a class assignment to write an ethnography about the Occupy Wall Street protestors in Zuccotti Park, NYU senior Sara Ackerman wrote several emails to her professors and university administrators. The emails show frustration on both sides-a student wanting a different assignment and a college struggling with how to respond to complaints.Besides the drama and voyeuristic appeal of the situation, the story is rather sad. Ackerman follows through on her threat to publicize the controversy, but does she get what she needs? And university officials are embarrassed and can't satisfy the student.

Sara Ackerman Emails: "An Open Letter to John Sexton regarding Professor Caitlin Zaloom"

One of Ackerman's goals is to get her professor fired. She claims that she was offered an A in the course to be quiet about the situation, but university officials deny this. Instead, the VP of public affairs said, "We looked into the complaint and found the accusations were unwarranted."

A look at NYU's Student Email Policy is no help, of course, particularly with a 2003 "effective date," and the Guidelines for Student Email Use offers little guidance other than how to forward email and expectations for regular email-checking-another throw-back to 2003. The confidentiality statement is getting closer, but students needs more help to determine effective use of university email.

Then again, what would help in this situation?

Discussion Starters:

• What is the student trying to achieve with her emails? To what extent is she successful?
• What alternative communication channels and avenues might be helpful to a student in a similar situation?
• If you were the head of communications for NYU, what, if anything, would you say to the press?

Auschwitz to Sell Fitness?

The Circuit Factory, a gym in Dubai, used an Auschwitz photo to sell membership.

No surprise, the company heard a strong reaction to the campaign on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

The Circuit Factory responded by firing its "creative guy," pledging a donation to an undetermined charity, and apologizing:

The Anti-Defamation League issued this statement about the incident:

"We are increasingly troubled by both the ignorance and mindset of a generation that appears to be so distant from a basic understanding of the Holocaust that it seems acceptable to use this horrific tragedy as a gimmick to bring attention to promoting losing weight."

Despite the public reaction, the campaign may have worked, as Circuit Factory founder Phil Parkinson told Arabian Business News:

"A huge number people have researched or Googled… our YouTube channel has shot up, our [Facebook] group page has got an hundred extra members in minutes and we have had about five times as many enquiries as before," he said. "It has got to the point I am nervous that I can't cater for demand."

Discussion Starters:

• What's your reaction to the ad? Do you find it funny, offensive, or something else?
• What do you make of the increased interest in the gym? Did the campaign pay off, after all? 
• How can a company avoid this type of campaign, which may offend people?

Blackstone Buys blackstonesucks.com

In a preemptive social media move, private equity firm Blackstone has purchased several disparaging websites:

• blackstonesucks.com
• blackstonegroupsucks.com
• theblackstonegroupsucks.com
• schwarzmansucks.com
• stephenschwarzmansucks.com
• stevenschwarzmansucks.com
• steveschwarzmansucks.com

Blackstone follows the lead of Bank of America, which secured hundreds of domains last month, including BrianMoynihanBlows.com.

In September, Etsy, the online market for handmade art, filed suit against the owners of EtsySucks.com, .net, .org, .biz, and .info. Etsy won the case. But what about Freedom of Speech? The difference seems to be in how the domains are used; if they're used to post about a company, then fine, but these Etsy domains were empty, parked websites, indicating that the sites weren't "registered in good faith," according to Domain Name Wire.

Maybe I should register bizcominthenewssucks.com, just in case.

Discussion Starters:

• You can't blame these companies for trying to stem the tide of negative online comments, but will these domain protections work?
• What avenues would you most likely use to complain about a company's product or service? 
• Research the "sucks" domain for a company that interests you. Is it taken and populated with negative comments? What, if anything, can the company do about it?

Campaign Against Child Obesity Called "Harsh"

How would you feel if your child or brother or sister were profiled in one of these anti-obesity ads? 

The Children's Healthcare of Atlanta has taken emotional appeal to a new level to tackle the problem of childhood obesity in Georgia. Focusing on illness and social isolation, five videos show children who are obese and in distress. With this approach, the organization is trying to encourage families to take the issue seriously.

Critics say the organization's Strong4Life campaign has gone too far by stigmatizing the profiled children. Also, the ads give little guidance to how parents can help their overweight children.

Others say the ads attract attention, as they should, and that they are part of a five-year campaign that has just started. An executive at Children's Healthcare defends the campaign: "The whole goal of this is to get the discussion going," she said. "I love that it sparks dialogue, and a great dialogue has two sides." The organization also posted several comments on Facebook:

Discussion Starters:

• What is your reaction to these ads? Do you find them offensive, effective, or something else?
• How could the next phase of the campaign address the critics' concerns? What tactics would you recommend to the writers of the ads?

Rupert Murdoch Joins Twitter and Inserts Foot in Mouth

After just four days on Twitter and 27 tweets, Rupert Murdoch, chairman and CEO of News Corporation, has amassed over 104,000 followers. Why the sudden interest? Some say Murdoch is considering an investment in Twitter, while others see the move as part of an image restoration campaign.

He did manage, within his first 20 tweets, to "slag off" the British. The reply tweet is from a fake account with Murdoch's wife's name, but he still complied by deleting the tweet.

Discussion Starters:

• Read a few of Murdoch's recent tweets. How would you summarize his goals in using Twitter so far?
• Looking at more of his tweets over time, how would you assess his participation in Twitter? Do you think it was a good move for him to join?

QR Code Use Stuck at 5%

They're fun and cute, but will people use them? Marketers have tried pushing QR codes but haven't had resounding success, according to Ad Age. 

Some of the failed attempts are humorous. The barcodes are designed to be scanned by a mobile app to open a web page, but marketers have chosen  a few odd uses. A MillersCoors QR code linked to a website where holiday partiers could easily get a cab, but as Ad Age reports, "The effort assumed that revelers still had enough dexterity to aim a phone and get a clear shot."

Other failed attempts include QR codes on places out of cellular reach: Red Bull's ad in a subway car and United Airline's ad in an in-flight magazine.

The most successful campaigns seem to provide more information, for example, Macy's codes on clothing led to video descriptions by designers, and Home Depot codes on plants led to more information about what items can be placed together.

This is a good lesson in how we can get carried away with technology that's new and inexpensive without having a strategy for how to best use the technology for communication. For now, marketers are still learning.

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Have you used a QR code? For what purpose? How do you think they're best used?
• Imagine that you run an office supply store. How could you use codes to provide product information or offer better service for customers?

Letter to Former HP CEO Revealed

In June 2010, Mark Hurd, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard,  received a letter claiming sexual harassment of a contract employee, Jodie Fisher. Hurd resigned from HP on August 6, 2010. As one article described the unveiling, "This Is The Letter That Got Mark Hurd Fired As CEO Of HP." 

An HP shareholder requested that the letter be made public as part of a lawsuit to, according to The New York Times, "investigate corporate wrongdoing and waste associated with the relationship and Mr. Hurd's resignation." Now the president of Oracle, Hurd lost his court appeal to keep the letter confidential.

All Things D received the letter, which describes in eight pages of uncomfortable detail some of Hurd and Fisher's interactions. An attorney working for HP also compiled a timeline of emails that describe more of their communications. The publicity and detail are more than a little embarrassing for all involved. Read the full letter. Download the letter.

 

 Discussion Starters:

• Imagine that you own HP stock. How might you feel about this letter becoming public?
• If you were on Oracle's Board of Directors, how would you respond to this news? What, if anything, would you say to Mark Hurd?
• This is a good time to remember that email is always discoverable. What can you do to protect yourself against your emails becoming public?

Sears Communicates Store Closings

Perhaps a New York Times article says it best: "Sears has been limping along for years." But after a disappointing holiday sales season, the company has decided to close 120 Kmart and Sears stores.

In its press release, titled " Sears Holdings Provides Update," the company provides its quarter-to-date performance and the rationale for the store closings and other actions:

"Given our performance and the difficult economic environment, especially for big-ticket items, we intend to implement a series of actions to reduce on-going expenses, adjust our asset base, and accelerate the transformation of our business model. These actions will better enable us to focus our investments on serving our customers and members through integrated retail -- at the store, online and in the home."

The press release uses the indirect organizational plan but does use bullets to highlight important changes. The full release also was hard to find. I expected to see this with the list of store closings at www.searsmedia.com, which was referred to in several articles. As of this writing, the release was posted only on www.searsholdings.com, and which stores are closing remains a mystery. This change will bring many layoffs, so we'll continue to see the communications unfold.

Discussion Starter and Assignment Idea:

• Analyze the company's press release. Outline the release to show the sequence of main points. What works well about the organization, and what is lacking?
• Imagine that you're the VP, communication, for Sears. Write an email to employees explaining the news. What, if anything, would you say about layoffs at this point?

Interns: Big Job Opportunities with Facebook and other Companies

Failing to hire and retain enough full-time employees, several technology companies are hiring more interns. Dropbox, for example, will hire three times as many interns this summer as last, and interns will make up one-third of the company's engineering team. Google will hire more than a thousand interns this summer, while Facebook plans to hire 625.

According to a Wall Street Journal article, with the "try before you buy" philosophy, many companies are stepping up their intern programs and offering $10,000 for the summer-not a bad cushion for the upcoming fall semester. As a new strategy, venture capitalist firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is now recruiting Engineering Fellows for its clients.

The encouraging news about increased intern hiring, as most students know, is the increased probability of a full-time offer. As a representative of Google says, most of its interns receive full-time offers.

(Image source: WSJ, "Tom Greany, 23, a full-time software engineer at Bump Technologies, was originally a summer intern at the company.")

Discussion Starters:

• How are you approaching your intern search? What has worked successfully for you, and where do you need help improving your prospects?
• What are the possible disadvantages of accepting a full-time offer with a company where you interned after junior year?

FedEx Responds to Viral Video of Tossed PC Monitor

How embarrassing for FedEx! One of its delivery people was caught on a surveillance camera throwing a computer monitor over a fence. The monitor broke, and the homeowner posted the video for all to see.

The company responded quickly by posting a video and blog entry called "Absolutely, Positively Unacceptable."

In the video, Matthew Thornton, an SVP, apologizes:

"On behalf of all of us at FedEx, please accept my apology. I am upset and embarrassed for our customer's poor experience. This goes directly against all FedEx values. It's just not who we are."

As of this writing, FedEx apparently hasn't decided on any disciplinary action for the employee. In the video, Thornton says, "The employee is no longer working with customers." Does that mean he's in central packaging now?

Discussion Starters:

• What is your reaction to the video apology? What messages are most and least effective? What works well and not so well about Thornton's delivery style?
• Read the company's blog post. What's different between the post and the video? Which works better and why?
• Overall, how well do you believe FedEx handled the situation?

The 1% Speak Out: "I am a fat cat. I'm not ashamed"

A recent Bloomberg article describes how wealthy Americans are speaking out in response to attacks from the Occupy Wall Street movement. Top U.S. earners have been criticized for not paying enough taxes and contributing to the increasing income inequality, which, in 2007, was greater than that of China and Iran.

Arguments from the richest 1% include their right to earn and keep their income (particularly given high government spending) and how few low-income Americans pay taxes. One recent persuasive letter to President Obama is from Leon G. Cooperman,  a hedge-fund manager. In this video, Peter Schiff, investor, author, and commentator, defends the wealthy in discussion with Occupy Wall Street protestors.

Contrast this perspective with that of billionaire investor Warren Buffett. In August, Buffett wrote an opinion letter in the New York Times called Stop Coddling the Super-Rich.

Most millionaires agree with Warren Buffett and support a tax increase, as reported on wsj.com:

A new survey from Spectrem Group found that 68% of millionaires (those with investments of $1 million or more)  support raising taxes on those with $1 million or more in income. Fully 61% of those with net worths of $5 million or more support the tax on million-plus earners.  

Assignment Ideas:

• Research different perspectives of this story further: look at the Occupy Wall Street website, read the Bloomberg article, and find letters and videos of executives and others to get a complete picture of both sides of the argument.
• Write an assessment of all persuasive arguments. How does each side use logical arguments, emotional appeal, and credibility to explain their perspective?
• In small groups, choose one line of reasoning and defend your position. How can you support your view with research about the issue?

Victoria's Secret Responds to Child Labor Allegations

A Bloomberg report paints a grim picture of a West African 13-year-old girl who sleeps on a thin, plastic mat; works in 100-degree heat; is beaten; and is fed once a day some days, but not at all on others. Clarissa works for a farm certified as organic and fair trade-and supplies cotton to Victoria's Secret. Video on Bloomberg.

Although only a small amount of cotton for Victoria's Secret comes from this region, the company has issued a response, vowing to investigate the situation. In its statement, the company explains the original goals of the program in the region:

In 2007, we established a pilot program to purchase Fairtrade-certified organic cotton from primarily women farmers in Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in West Africa that struggles with endemic poverty. We were committed to this initiative because of its potential to generate life-changing opportunities for some of the world's poorest women.

In the statement, Victoria's Secret maintains its "goal of improving the lives of women and children in a country where a large portion of the population lives on less than a dollar a day. "

Discussion Starters:

• If you're a Victoria's secret customer, does the news affect your buying decisions? Does the company's response affect your buying decisions?
• Read Victoria's Secret entire response. What do you consider the strongest and weakest arguments presented? How do you assess the company's focus on their goals of helping women and children?

Wall Street Firms Get "Chilly Reception" at Top Schools

Are the Occupy Wall Street protests having an effect on college recruiting? According to a Bloomberg Businessweek article, Goldman Sachs has cancelled some campus visits, including one to Harvard last week. Protesters, such as this group in downtown New York, have been targeting Goldman, asking the investment bank to pay more taxes (among other demands). The Occupy Harvard group was active in November, as shown in this video:

The Bloomberg article paints a picture of "strained friendships" about the issue, with some students protesting recruiting sessions, while others come to learn about job opportunities.

Goldman Sachs has been quiet about the Occupy movement, while Morgan Stanley denies any serious ramifications from the Occupy protestors. A spokesperson for the firm said, "We have not changed our recruitment activities, and we have not seen any impact on attendance." But a Harvard Crimson survey tells a different story:

About 22 percent of Harvard 2011 graduates who planned to enter the workforce were headed into finance and consulting, down from a high of 47 percent in 2007, according to a Harvard Crimson survey published in May. Half the students entering those fields said they would have chosen to work in other professions if salary weren't a concern.

Discussion Starters:

• In what ways could the Occupy movement affect your search for a job in business?  
• What do you think of Goldman Sachs' no-response strategy to the Occupy movement? How do you assess Morgan Stanley's response?

"Emergency" Text Message Scares NJ Residents

Imagine receiving this text message that produces a strange sound on your phone and locks your Android. The message was just a test, but this was unclear to thousands in New Jersey who called 911 centers throughout the state. In an apology statement, Verizon spokesman David Samberg explained:

This test message was not clearly identified as a test. We apologize for any inconvenience or concern this message may have caused.

New Jersey's Homeland Security Office issued a tweet and a Facebook message to clarify the  situation. Is it just me, or is the tweet just as scary as the emergency text?

Discussion Starters:

• How could this happen? Read more about the situation and determine what could be improved in the message creation and distribution process to avoid a similar situation in the future.
• Revise the NJ Homeland Security Office's tweet and Facebook message. How can you improve these?

"Reply All" Failure Costs Recruiter His Job

Tired of email spam from people looking for jobs, Gary Chaplin, an executive recruiter shot back a hasty reply:

I think I speak for all 4,000 people you have emailed when I say, 'Thanks for your CV' - it's nice to know you are taking this seriously.

If you are not bright enough to learn how to 'bcc'...you are too stupid to get a job, even in banking.

Unfortunately, Chaplin's email went to the 4,000 people who received the original message-a classic "reply all" mistake. Although some programs make it more difficult, hitting "reply all" is a common mistake.

Chaplin's other failure is insulting someone looking for a job. No matter how ineffective the original email request, the guy needs work, not unlike a lot of people in today's economy.

Chaplin lost his £200,000 job and is now, like the original emailer, looking for work before the holidays. He did respond to the incident: "I am mortified by what I did. I meant no offence to this man looking for a job." Really?

Discussion Starters:

• Read the full email exchange, reported by The Sun. What other failings in the original email and in Chaplin's reply do you notice?
• How easy is it for you to hit "reply all" in your email program? What can you do to avoid this?

Rick Perry's Ad Called "Anti-Gay"

Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry is taking heat for his new ad that states "...there's something wrong with this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas and pray in school."

Let the controversy begin! The video received (as of this writing) 10, 104 "likes" and 420, 719 "dislikes," and comments are flowing in on Rick Perry's Facebook page.

 

In response to the outrage over the ad, Rick Perry's campaign told the Boston Herald,

This ad accurately reflects Governor Perry's faith and opposition to the Obama Administration's attacks on faith-based organizations. Such attacks include penalizing religious health care providers, attacking the right of churches and religious organizations to make certain hiring decisions, and refusing to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in federal court.

It is a good strong ad that accurately reflects the Governor's faith and policy positions. We believe it is a message that will resonate with a majority of Republican voters, especially Iowans.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your reaction to Rick Perry's ad? Do you find it offensive, spot-on, or something else?
• What effect, if any, do you think the ad will have on Rick Perry's campaign?
• How effective do you consider the Perry campaign's response?

EPA Report Links Water Contamination to Hydrofracking

The Environmental Protection Agency has published a "bombshell" report identifying hydraulic fracturing as the likely cause of water pollution in central Wyoming. The report adds fuel to the growing controversy about "hydrofracking"-the process of gas drilling that involves injecting large amounts of water, sand, and hundreds of chemicals into shale rock.

The EPA's findings come shortly after a November report that fracking caused two minor earthquakes.

Discussion Starters:

• Review the EPA report. What principles of report writing does the draft follow?
• How is the report organized? Do you find this organization effective? Why or why not?
• How could the report be improved for easier reading?
• Research the fracking issue further. Based on your findings, what is the significance of this report?

Apple's Anti-Leak Social Media Policy Gets Leaked

Although many social media policies are available online, until yesterday, Apple's was not. Last month, an Apple employee was fired ("sacked" to the British) for Facebook posts that the company claimed violated its social media policy. Now, that internal policy has mysteriously been leaked. 

One analysis of Apple's policy compliments the conclusion, which is sound advice for anyone:

In sum, use your best judgment. Remember there may be consequences to what you post or publish online including discipline if you engage in conduct that Apple deems inappropriate or violates any Apple policies. If you're about to post something and you are concerned whether you are following these guidelines or any Apple policy, please discuss it with your Leader or HR before posting.

But the attorney takes issue with what the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) may call the right to concerted activity:

Respect the privacy of your coworkers. Blogs, wikis, social networks and other tools should not be used for internal communications among fellow employees. It is fine for Apple employees to disagree, but please don't use your external blog or other online social media to air your differences.

Recent cases brought by the NLRB have criticized employers for terminating employees who may be engaging in protected concerted activity (or the right to organize). Read about an NLRB case. Image source. 

Discussion Starters:

• Compare Apple's policy to another available online. What differences do you notice, and how do you account for them?
• What was the policy where you worked recently? Did you find that people generally followed the policy or worked around it in some way? 

FedEx's New Sustainability Ad

FedEx's new commercial conveys its "Sustainable Solutions" in an animated story of "how a shipping giant can befriend a forest." The spot was Advertising Age's Creativity Pick of the Day.

On its website, FedEx touts its sustainability initiatives in three areas: the environment, our people, and our community. In another funny commercial, FedEx executives suggest printing on the back of used paper, but this doesn't turn out to be such a good idea.

Clearly, FedEx is trying to improve its sustainability image. A 2006 report by Roberts Environmental Center gave the company a C- rating:

On its website, Federal Express provided only minimal environmental and social
data. While their efforts to improve fuel and delivery efficiency are
commendable, their environmental website lacked any performance indicators
that would increase transparency. The corporation's partnership with
Environmental Defense is notable, and the results of this collaboration are
promising. Despite Federal Express' positive reputation for corporate
responsibility, they did not provide the information necessary to score well in
this report. It seems as though Federal Express has the appropriate data, it
need only make it readily available to the public.

Discussion Starters:

• What are the key messages in the new ad? In what ways is the ad successful in conveying FedEx's sustainability initiatives? In what ways could the messages be clearer?
• Review FedEx's "Environment" web page today. In what ways has the company addressed criticism of the Robert's Environmental Center report? In what ways could the company still improve?