Emails in Facebook Dispute Revealed

Paul Ceglia, of StreetFax, is claiming a 50% stake in Facebook (reduced from 84%). The claim is partly based on email interactions between Ceglia and Mark Zuckerberg, who was contracted to work on Ceglia's StreetFax site in 2003.

Zuckerberg's attorneys take issue with the emails themselves, which are produced in Microsoft Word, rather than within a native-format email program. The attorney's motion to dismiss the case called the emails "an obvious indicator of fraud," stating that "Ceglia simply typed text into a Word document and declared it was the text of emails with Zuckerberg."

An email dated February 4, 2004, refers to the launch of Facebook: "The site looks great." But the time stamp is 10:30 a.m., before Facebook went live that afternoon. According to the Facebook team's motion, "This exchange is a historical impossibility."

The Wall Street Journal provides more information about the situation and doubts Ceglia's credibility:

A ThomsonReuters article analyzes the situation and also agrees with Zuckerberg's defense. In the piece, the writer provides six rules for "What not to do if you're suing a Facebook billionaire," including Rule 1: "Don't leave a version of the contract between you and the billionaire on your parents' computer unless that version matches what you've presented to the court."

Discussion Starters:

• Read the ThomsonReuters analysis. With which of the writer's claims do you agree?
• What other examples of emails becoming public have been in the news in the past year?
• In this situation, Zuckerberg's emails may help him defend the case. But in other situations, public email is embarrassing and damaging. How can you avoid this happening to you?

Results from the "Etch A Sketch" Comment

It was a good week for Ohio Art, toymaker of the red tablet that writes and erases with ease. According to an adviser to Mitt Romney, he has a lot in common with an Etch A Sketch.

When Eric Fehrnstrom was asked how Romney will appeal to both moderates and conservatives, he made a fatal mistake: he told what sounds like the truth. CNN reports that Fehrnstrom said the campaign will press the "reset button":

"Everything changes. It's almost like an Etch A Sketch. You can kind of shake it up and we start all over again."

 Republican competitor Ron Paul grabbed onto the misstep and produced a new video, which asks "Tired of the games?" 

Candidate Rick Santorum also latched onto the phrase:  "If we are going to be a little different, we might as well stay with what we have instead of taking a risk in what may be the Etch A Sketch candidate." A member of his staff distributed small versions of the toy to reporters during a trip to Maryland. 

And candidate Newt Gingrich got into the act. Holding an Etch a Sketch, as Santorum also did, he said: 

"So here's Gov. Romney's staff, they don't even have the decency to wait until they get the nomination to explain to us how they'll sell us out, and I think having an Etch A Sketch as your campaign model, raises every doubt about where we're going."

Read a Time article for an analysis of how this comment may be a "disaster" for the Romney campaign. 

As for Etch A Sketch, the share price has more than doubled, reaching $12.50 at one point, which was the biggest one-day increase the stock has seen in more than 30 years. 

Update: Read about and watch an interview of Bill Southard, PR representative of Etch A Sketch.

Discussion Starters: 

• How could a comment like this have slipped from a candidate's representative? How could it have been avoided? 
• How do you assess the consequences? Will Romney be able to recover? 
• Evaluate Ron Paul's ad? What works well about his approach, and what you recommend changing?

Did an Email to Customers Save a Pizza Business?

When Nick's Pizza & Pub was losing business, CEO Nick Sarillo did something against conventional wisdom: he sent an email to customers describing the situation and asking them to return. Sarillo engaged his customers in saving the two restaurants, which is just the result he got. 

In his email, Sarillo makes several emotional appeals, such as this one: 

"I realize that sending an e-mail like this is risky and unorthodox, but I don't care because I don't have anything to fear or hide.  We run our business with totally open books, and the core team that shows up to our weekly fiscal huddles will not be surprised by what I'm writing. I truly care about our team and each guest who has blessed us by choosing to eat at Nick's instead of any of the many other places available to them."

His email ends with a clear, public appeal: 

"I do have one last hope for me and the 200 team members of Nick's. If within these next four weeks we could see a large increase in sales at either of our restaurants, we could still pull through. So my final request is for each of you to come dine at Nick's Pizza & Pub and tell all your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors to come now, too. We want to continue on as a part of your commuity [sic] and aren't ready to tell you goodbye yet. If you wish to contact me with investor ideas or any ideas or questions at all, you can email me at office@nickspizzapub.com, call me at 815.356.5557, or simply stop by and talk in person. Thank you for reading."

To some-including Sarillo's publicist and banker-the approach is perhaps too open. The business owner admits failing and runs the risk of turning off customers for good. But Sarillo explains his rationale:

"I honestly woke up on Saturday morning, walked over to my computer and looked at reports as I typically do, and this time I didn't know what I was going to do anymore. . . . I surrendered to the fact that this could be it and I could lose my business. I decided that I had done my best and I needed to let go. . . .That is when I decided I needed to do what felt like the right thing to do, communicate openly, clearly and honestly. It felt very uncomfortable in the moment to be so vulnerable, and actually as I started to write, tears were also coming out. It was hard to let go of something I worked so hard for and built with my own two hands. Although I had surrendered (in the spiritual sense of the word) to what my life would be like without my business, by the time I got to the end of the email, I still had hope and was not totally giving up."

Public support was strong following the email. Someone set up a Facebook page, Save Nick's Pizza, and according to Sarillo, "We doubled our sales in each restaurant for the first week and stayed at a 75 percent increase for a couple of weeks." It took a while, but Nick's remains a viable business today. 

Sarillo and others credit the success to his transparency and authencity-two important qualities for a business leader. 

Discussion Starters: 

• What examples of emotional appeal, logical argument, and credibility do you see in Nick's email? Which approach do you think is most effective? 
• Under what circumstances do you think a similar email may NOT have the same results in saving a business? In other words, for what types of businesses or business owners would you recommend this strategy, and for what types would you recommend avoiding it? 

Duchess of Cambridge Gives Her First Speech

By some accounts, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William's wife), is not a natural speaker. But she was put to the test on Monday and did fairly well.

Speaking to the East Anglian Children's Hospices, one of Princess Diana's charitable causes, the Duchess was visibly nervous, according to sources on site. The audience could see her hands shaking and hear a subtle quaver in her voice. She seems to be compensating for her nervousness by reading slowly and deliberately. 

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Discussion Starters:

• If you were giving Duchess Kate feedback on her speech, what would you say? What are the strengths of the speech, and what areas would you suggest for her development? 
• Now watch a CNN's correspondent's assessment of the speech. Do you agree with his assessment? 

Study Compares Honesty on LinkedIn Profiles and Resumes

A new Cornell University study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking reveals that undergraduates are more accurate in describing work experience on their LinkedIn profile than on their resume. However, they are more deceptive in describing their hobbies.

The public nature of LinkedIn makes it easy to verify falsifications. Imagine connecting with your previous boss on the site, only for her to see a  job title that doesn't exist or responsibilities you didn't do. This is good news for employers wanting to check applicants' resumes and may be one reason that 48% of employers say they do so before making a hiring decision.

But according to Jamie Guillory, the study's lead author, students on LinkedIn "still found ways to make themselves look better" and took more liberties when describing hobbies, which are harder to verify. About 92% of students exaggerated or omitted information at least once on LinkedIn or their resumes, with students making these decisions an average of three times.

Discussion Starters and Assignment Ideas:

• Are you more truthful on your LinkedIn profile than on your resume? In what ways?
• Where you we cross the line between exaggerations and lies? What would you consider unethical? Give a few examples to explain your thinking.
• Identify any potential exaggerations or omissions on either your LinkedIn profile or on your resume. What are the potential consequences if this information is discovered to be false? In retrospect, is it worth the risk?
• Swap resumes with a partner. Choose a few items-work experience, activities, or interests-and interview each other. Ask specific, pointed questions to try to verify the information. Do you uncover any potential issues with how the information is described? What, if anything, will you change on your resume as a result of this process?

Three Dead Horses, One Cancelled Show

HBO's "Luck" has run out. After three horses died, the HBO Show, starring Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, has been cancelled. 

In a statement, HBO explained the decision:

"Safety is always of paramount concern. We maintained the highest safety standards throughout production, higher in fact than any protocols existing in horseracing anywhere with many fewer incidents than occur in racing or than befall horses normally in barns at night or pastures. While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen, and it is impossible to guarantee they won't in the future. Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision."

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) disagrees with this assessment, claiming that the organization suggested ways to protect the horses even before filming began. PETA also criticizes the use of former race horses, who were out of practice and out of shape and should never have been raced twice in one day. 

In a letter to the Los Angeles district attorney, PETA encourages an investigation and outlines circumstances, as it sees them, around the first two deaths.

Discussion Starters:

• Did HBO make the right decision to cancel "Luck" because of the horses' deaths?
• How do you assess HBO's statement? Is this the best approach?
• In PETA's letter to the LA district attorney, which do you believe are the strongest and weakest arguments?

Resigning Employee Says Goldman Is "Just About Making Money"

In a stinging op-ed piece in The New York Times, a former Goldman Sachs manager calls the company's culture "toxic and destructive" and says the company has lost its focus on clients. Greg Smith, former head of Goldman's U.S. equity derivatives business in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, resigned from the firm as of today-and went out with a bang.

In some ways, the letter confirms the negative image of Goldman as too focused on profits:

"What are three quick ways to become a leader? a) Execute on the firm's 'axes,' which is Goldman-speak for persuading your clients to invest in the stocks or other products that we are trying to get rid of because they are not seen as having a lot of potential profit. b) 'Hunt Elephants.' In English: get your clients - some of whom are sophisticated, and some of whom aren't - to trade whatever will bring the biggest profit to Goldman. Call me old-fashioned, but I don't like selling my clients a product that is wrong for them. c) Find yourself sitting in a seat where your job is to trade any illiquid, opaque product with a three-letter acronym."

Smith also tallies recent image-damaging transgressions, with helpful links from The New York Times to related stories:

"It makes me ill how callously people talk about ripping their clients off. Over the last 12 months I have seen five different managing directors refer to their own clients as "muppets," sometimes over internal e-mail. Even after the S.E.C., Fabulous Fab, Abacus, God's work, Carl Levin, Vampire Squids? No humility? I mean, come on. Integrity? It is eroding. I don't know of any illegal behavior, but will people push the envelope and pitch lucrative and complicated products to clients even if they are not the simplest investments or the ones most directly aligned with the client's goals? Absolutely. Every day, in fact."

Goldman was quick to respond to the letter:

"We disagree with the views expressed, which we don't think reflect the way we run our business. In our view, we will only be successful if our clients are successful. This fundamental truth lies at the heart of how we conduct ourselves."

CEO Lloyd Blankfein and COO Gary Cohn also responded in an open letter to employees: 

"In a company of our size, it is not shocking that some people could feel disgruntled.  But that does not and should not represent our firm of more than 30,000 people. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion.  But, it is unfortunate that an individual opinion about Goldman Sachs is amplified in a newspaper and speaks louder than the regular, detailed and intensive feedback you have provided the firm and independent, public surveys of workplace environments.

"While I expect you find the words you read today foreign from your own day-to-day experiences, we wanted to remind you what we, as a firm – individually and collectively – think about Goldman Sachs and our client-driven culture."

For another perspective, Jim Cramer, of  MSNBC, says the letter is "devastating" and "shocking." (Forward to 1:10.)

Update: Goldman Sachs lost $2.15 billion in market value following Smith's letter; the stock dropped 3.4%, the third largest decline in the company's history, according to Bloomberg.

Discussion Starters:

• Read the entire op-ed letter by Greg Smith. What do you consider to be his strongest and weakest arguments?
  
• Read Goldman Sachs' response. Same question: What do you consider to be the company's strongest and weakest arguments?
• How, if at all, do you think the letter will affect Goldman's image?
• Do you think that Goldman Sachs will change its business practices as a result of this letter?

Controversy About "Homeless Hotspots" at SXSW

At South by Southwest (SXSW), a music, film, and technology conference, a marketing agency had an idea to help attendees get online. BBH Labs gave 13 people from a homeless shelter devices and T-shirts that give people Internet access, a hot commodity at the high-tech conference.

The program, "Homeless Hotspots," has been criticized by the New York Times and others. A writer for the New York Times SXSW blog asks, "When the infrastructure fails us… we turn human beings into infrastructure?" Tim Carmody of Wired.com said it "sounds like something out of a darkly satirical science-fiction dystopia." To many, the concept feels exploitative, a way of using homeless people to support the wealthy and connected.

Defenders of the program say it's a clever way to raise awareness about homelessness. Mitchell Gibbs, the director of development at Front Steps, from where the homeless people were recruited, supported the program. BBH says the program is modeled after Street News, a newspaper about homeless people sold by homeless people. BBH also clarified that participants at SXSW were given $20 each day and are keeping whatever money they get when people donate online.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of the program? Is it clever, exploitative, or something else?
• If you were at the SXSW conference, how you think you might feel about using one of the hotspots?

Rush Limbaugh Rejects Advertiser Wanting to Come Back

The Sleep Train wants to come back to The Rush Limbaugh Show, but the talk show host has rejected the company's request. The company pulled its advertising after Limbaugh had a run-in with Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown law student (and Cornell grad).

According to one report, over 140 companies have pulled their advertising, and apparently, The Sleep Train was the first. The Sleep Train had a 25-year advertising relationship with the show, but tweeted its initial decision:

Now, the Sleep Train wants to begin advertising once again. However, although his show now suffers with dead air during some commercial breaks, Limbaugh has cut off the relationship. In an email, the show explained the decision: 

"Thank you for your requests last week and this week to restart your voiced endorsement in local markets of The Rush Limbaugh Show. Rush received your requests personally.

"Unfortunately, your public comments were not well received by our audience, and did not accurately portray either Rush Limbaugh's character or the intent of his remarks. Thus, we regret to inform you that Rush will be unable to endorse Sleep Train in the future. 

"Rush appreciates your long friendship and your past support, and we wish you good luck in the future."

Limbaugh did apologize for his comments about the law student. On his website, he posted a statement that included this message:

"My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices."

Discussion Starters:

This is a highly charged, political situation, but let's focus on the relevant communication decisions and messages.

• How do you interpret Sleep Train's initial decision and its attempt to return?
  
• What's your view of Rush Limbaugh's decision to reject the advertiser? Does it reflect a smart business decision, sticking with one's principles, or something else?
• How well do you think Limbaugh's email conveyed the message to Sleep Train?
• How do you assess Limbaugh's apology? Do you find it sincere, insincere, or somewhere in between?

American Airlines Response About Flight Attendant

American Airlines passengers were alarmed when a flight attendant started screaming about 9/11 and a potential plane crash. The flight attendant was removed from the plane, and the Dallas-to-Chicago flight was delayed but eventually took off without any further trouble.

American Airlines issued this statement in response:

"This morning Flight 2332 had left the gate at DFW bound for Chicago, when an incident occurred involving some of the cabin crew. The aircraft returned to the gate, where it was met by Department of Public Safety officers. Two flight attendants were taken to local hospitals for treatment. We continue to investigate the details and circumstances and will have no further comment at this time. We will ensure that the affected flight attendants receive proper care, and we commend our other crew members for their assistance in quickly getting the aircraft back to the gate so that customers could be re-accommodated. Our customers were not in danger at any time. The cabin crew was replaced. The flight departed for Chicago at 9:46 a.m., and is scheduled to land around noon. We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers, and we appreciate their patience and understanding."

Discussion Starters:

• How do you assess American Airlines' response? What works well, and what could the company say differently?
• If you were American Airlines' head of customer relations, what, if anything, would you do for or communicate to the passengers of this flight?

MLA (Bizarre) Standard for Citing Tweets

The Modern Language Association has announced a new standard for citing tweets:

"Begin the entry in the works-cited list with the author's real name and, in parentheses, user name, if both are known and they differ. If only the user name is known, give it alone.

"Next provide the entire text of the tweet in quotation marks, without changing the capitalization. Conclude the entry with the date and time of the message and the medium of publication (Tweet).

The word "Tweet" is rather strange to me; we don't include the words "book" or "journal" in other citations. Rather, the source is Twitter. I might also include a date when the tweet was accessed for the same reason we do so for other web content: the tweet may be deleted.

The Verge compares MLA's approach to APA's, identified two years ago:

MLA:

APA:

As The Verge writer points out, the MLA version is more helpful because it includes the real name and Twitter handle, but the APA version helps readers find the actual tweet by including a link.

The Harvard Business School Citation Guide 2012, my preferred source for business writing, doesn't include tweets at all. I imagine the theory is that tweets are considered fair use and therefore, as long as the source is clear within the text, citation is unnecessary. Or, the HBS needs updating.

Discussion Starters:

• Do you prefer the APA or MLA citation standard? Why?
• What's your view of not citing tweets for business writing?

Huggies Revises Dad Ad

In what Advertising Age called a "poop-storm," Huggies ran a campaign called a "Dad Test." Described in the promotional video, Huggies promises "to prove Huggies diapers and wipes can withstand anything...put them to the toughest test imaginable: dads, alone with their babies in one house for five days, while we gave their moms some well-deserved time off."

Reactions to the campaign were mixed, with many feeling that the ad insults dads, 32% of whom are primary caregivers.

Huggies maker Kimberly-Clark responded to the controversy:

"We have heard the feedback from dads concerning our current 'real life' dad commercials. We recognize that we need to do a better job communicating the campaign's overall message. The singular goal with this campaign was to demonstrate the performance of our products in real-life situations because we know real life is what matters most to moms and dads. A fact of life is that dads care for their kids just as much as moms do and in some cases are the only caregivers.

"We intended to break out of stereotypes by showing that dads have an opinion on product performance just as much as moms do. That said, the Huggies brand is learning and listening, and, because of the responses we have received, are making changes to ensure that the true spirit of the campaign comes through in the strongest way possible.

"We have already replaced our initial TV ad with a new one that more clearly communicates our true intent and are in the process of revising the wording of the Huggies brand online communications."

Huggies has changed its approach and now encourages people to nominate great dads for a chance to win Huggies products.

Discussion Starters:

• Do you find the original Huggies ad offensive, funny, or something else? Do you understand the backlash, or do you think dads are over-reacting? 
• How do you assess Kimberly-Clark's response? What are the most and least convincing arguments?
• How successful is the revised approach? Will this satisfy those who were offended by the original ad?

Accounting Study: Be Careful with Video for Bad News

A new study found a discrepancy in how managers perceived a CEO who announced financial restatements via video compared to text. After viewing messages in each medium, managers were asked to rate the trustworthiness of a CEO who announced changes. Published in the March/April issue of The Accounting Review,  the study suggests that companies needing to issue restatements should do so via video only if they take responsibility for the bad news. The authors explain:

"Announcing a restatement online via video is likely to benefit firms only when top management apologizes for the restatement and accepts responsibility by making an internal attribution for the error. When management apologizes but denies responsibility by making an external attribution, announcing a restatement online via video is likely to have unintended negative effects on investors."

The messages varied by only one sentence in the middle of the statement:

• "We are fully responsible for this error because we relied on the advice of our internal lease accounting expert when preparing our financial statements." OR
• "We are not responsible for this error because we relied on the advice of external lease accounting experts when preparing our financial statements."

According to the study, using video is risky, but there is an upside. Managers who watched the video gave the CEO a trustworthiness rating of 6.15 out of 7 for the first statement and a mere 4.0 for the second. Managers who read text of the statements gave similar ratings for both: 4.75 and 4.55, respectively.

This study had a professional actor play the role of the CEO. For real situations, corporate communicators likely will consider many other factors before choosing video or text, including how well the CEO will come across to an audience of investors.

For more detail, see the study, "Using Online Video to Announce a Restatement: Influences on Investment Decisions and the Mediating Role of Trust."

Discussion Starters: 

• What do you think accounts for the discrepancy between a video and text?
• What would you advise a CEO to do when he or she has to issue a restatement because of an internal error? Should he or she risk creating a video? What would factor into your decision?
• If a company has to issue a restatement because of an external error, should the CEO take responsibility as if it were an internal error in hopes of garnering more investor support? (Careful!)

A Peak into Facebook's Corporate Culture

A feature in the next Fortune issue reveals a split corporate culture at Facebook: the "hacker" culture on which the company was built and the more corporate culture that is preparing the company to go public. The "hacker way" includes continuous improvement of products from anyone who can code; education isn't particularly valued as part of this culture. As one example of the hacker way, the Facebook "Like" button went through "dozens" of iterations.

The other culture is more corporate, led by COO Sheryl Sandberg. The Fortune article describes her influence:

"There's a term spoken quietly around Facebook to describe a cadre of elites who have assumed powerful positions under the leadership of Zuckerberg's chief operating officer: They're FOSS, or friends of Sheryl Sandberg. Many have followed her there after studying with her at the Harvard Business School or working with her at the U.S. Treasury Department or Google (GOOG). Several middle and senior executives who have left the company say that Sandberg has put friends in powerful positions, sometimes even when they were less qualified than other Facebook employees, and once there they enjoy special status. 'You can't really cross a FOSS,' says one former senior manager."

TechCrunch sums up the culture clash as a "tug of war between innovation and monetization." Facebook employees are concerned about how the IPO may affect the hacker culture; however, Andrew Bosworth, FB Director of Engineering doesn't agree with the article's portrayal of Facebook in some respects:

Discussion Starters:

• How would you describe the corporate culture at places where you worked?
• Have you experienced a healthy-or perhaps an unhealthy-conflict between different corporate cultures? To what do you attribute the conflict?
• What is the best way for Facebook to resolve this conflict? TechCrunch has some ideas from a business perspective; what are your ideas using an interpersonal approach?

Will This Student's Video Get Her into Yale?

Jackie Milestone really wants to go to Yale, but she was deferred admission. To try to influence the admissions committee, she created a video, "White and Blue for You."

It's a catchy tune, but Jackie might take some lessons in persuasive communication.

Discussion Starters:

• How does Jackie balance emotional appeal, logical arguments, and credibility in her video? 
• What suggestions do you have for Jackie to improve her video and possibly sway the admissions committee?
• If you were deciding Jackie's fate, would the video influence you? Why or why not?

Claire's Response to Jewelry Plagiarism Charges

Tatty Devine's website shows several suspiciously close comparisons between its jewelry designs and those of Claire's, a 3000-store retailer of jewelry and accessories. Tatty Devine's jewelry is high-end; the "dinosaur" necklace shown on the left side is handmade from bones and costs £132, while Claire's version is rubber and costs £4.

While the lawsuit is under way, social media activity rages on, and Claire's isn't handling it too well. The company has been criticized for deleted and ignoring Facebook comments, such as those below:

Claire's also took two days before responding to the plagiarism charge, which had already received support on Tatty Devine's blog. Finally, Claire's posted this statement on its Facebook page:

"Claire's Stores, Inc. is a responsible company that employs designers, product developers and buyers, and works with many suppliers to provide innovative collections that bring customers all the latest fashion trends. As such, we take any allegations of wrong doing seriously. We are looking into the matters raised."

One blogger described the statement this way: "The response is a stiff corporate apology that appears to dismiss the concerns expressed by their consumers."

PR expert Scott Douglas suggests this as a better approach:

"The pictures show remarkable similarities, and clearly that's upset a lot of people. We understand those reactions. That's why we are determined to get to the bottom of what happened and launched an immediate investigation. We promise to keep you updated."

I wonder how Claire's lawyers would like that response.

Discussion Starters:

• Compare Claire's response and proposed response. What are the benefits-and the risks-of each?
• What principles should Claire's follow when addressing social media comments?

Ben & Jerry's Lin-Sanity Gaffe

Ben & Jerry's is the latest company to join Lin-Sanity and face criticism. The company created a new frozen yogurt flavor to celebrate basketball star Jeremy Lin, "Taste The Lin-Sanity," featuring lychee honey and fortune cookie pieces. The ice cream is being sold in Harvard Square, but Ben & Jerry's has since removed the cookies from the mix.

Ryan Midden, the general manager of Ben & Jerry's in the Boston area, told Boston.com,

"There seemed to be a bit of an initial backlash about it, but we obviously weren't looking to offend anybody, and the majority of the feedback about it has been positive."

Midden also said that the fortune cookies were removed primarily because they got soggy.

Ben & Jerry's offered this official apology:

"We are proud and honored to have Jeremy Lin hail from one of our fine, local universities, and we are huge sports fans. We were swept up in the nationwide Linsanity momentum. Our intention was to create a flavor to honor Jeremy Lin's accomplishments and his meteoric rise in the NBA, and recognize that he was a local Harvard graduate. We try to demonstrate our commitment as a Boston-based, valued-led business and  if we failed in this instance, we offer our sincere apologies."

As in its recent complaint against ESPN, The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) offered advice. This time, the AAJA sent a "Media Advisory on Jeremy Lin News Coverage." The advisory warns against "factual inaccuracies about Lin's background as well as an alarming number of references that rely on stereotypes about Asians or Asian Americans" and cautions news organizations to "Stop to think: Would a similar statement be made about an athlete who is Caucasian, African American, Latino or Native American?" The statement also provides useful information about stereotypes to avoid.

Deadspin further explained:

"Also, 'Taste The Lin-Sanity' features lychee, which is a fruit native to Southeast Asia, which is not the part of Asia that Jeremy Lin comes from. (The part of Asia that Jeremy Lin comes from is Northern California.)"

Discussion Starters:

• How do you assess Ben & Jerry's initial attempt at "Lin-Sanity" and the apology? What's your view of the situation?
• How does this situation compare to the recent ESPN comments related to Jeremy Lin?
• Read the AAJA's advice to the media. Which suggestions do you find useful, and which, if any, should be obvious? 
  

Microsoft Attacks Google Docs

Microsoft has created a campaign attacking Google Docs. In a video that has reached over 800,000 viewers, Microsoft mocks the "Googlighting Stranger"-set to the theme of the old TV show, "Moonlighting." The premise is, "What happens when the world's largest advertising business tries to sell productivity software on the side?"

Previously the brunt of jokes, such as Apple's highly successful "I'm a Mac; I'm a PC" campaign, Microsoft is now on the offensive. The video criticizes Google Docs for having fewer features and shifting capabilities, implying that programs can change and leave businesses in the lurch.

In a blog post, Microsoft's Tom Rizzo elaborates on the company's qualifications compared to Google's:

• Expertise
• Trust
• Flexibility
• Privacy
• Enabling Quality Work

Discussion Starters:

• How do you assess the video? Would it convince business people to stick with Microsoft products rather than switch to Google Docs?
• In Microsoft's blog post, what do you consider to be most and least convincing arguments?

Foxconn (and Apple) on the Defensive

In response to criticism about pay and working conditions, Apple product manufacturer Foxconn announced plans to raise wages. However, the numbers and the amount of overtime worked have been questioned.

ABC News visited the Shenzhen, China, factory and showed a grim side of the work: teenagers working long hours doing repetitive tasks and living in cramped dormitories. Foxconn workers make iPhones, iPads and other prized products.

Apple has a few dedicated pages on its website to demonstrate its commitment to "Supplier Responsibility." Instructors and students of business communication might find the company's reports interesting in light of the Foxconn criticism.

Foxconn recently hired PR firm Burson-Marstellar to help control the bad press.

Assignment Ideas:

• Create a PowerPoint presentation to explain the discrepancy in wages, as discussed in the New York Times blog. The calculations are a bit confusing, so try to clarify them with good visuals and talking headings.
• Read Apple's Supplier Responsibility 2012 Progress Report. Analyze how the report is organized. What are the strengths of the report? What is missing?

Sugarland Flubs Response to Victims

Country music group Sugarland is facing lawsuits following a stage collapse at a concert last summer. At the Indiana State Fair, seven people were killed and 45 were injured. 

In the lawsuits, victims and their families criticize the band and the fair for not postponing the show because of bad weather conditions and not evacuating more quickly. Attorneys for Sugarland responded harshly to the allegations: "Some or all of the plaintiffs' claimed injuries resulted from their own fault." Critics call the legal approach "cowardly." Read the entire legal statement. 

The statement is a dramatic contrast to what Jennifer Nettles, lead singer, said two days after the incident:

"...moved by the grief of those families who lost loved ones. Moved by the pain of those who were injured and the fear of their families. Moved by the great heroism as I watched so many brave Indianapolis fans actually run toward the stage to try and help lift and rescue those injured. Moved by the quickness and organization of the emergency workers who set up the triage and tended to the injured."

In response to criticism of the legal statement, Gail Gellman, Sugarland's manager, posted this on the group's website:

"Sadly when a tragedy occurs, people want to point fingers and try to sensationalize the disaster. The single most important thing to Sugarland, are their fans. Their support and love over the past 9 years has been unmatched. For anyone to think otherwise is completely devastating to them."

Also on the website are comments from many supportive fans, who compliment Sugarland and their music.

Although Sugarland had been tweeting almost daily, their last tweet was on February 15-now a week ago. Fans might like to hear directly from the duo.

Discussion Starters:

• What is the attorney's perspective in this situation? Do you agree with this position?
• What should the Sugarland duo do at this point? What, if anything, should they tweet or write on their website? What are the potential consequences, and is it worth it?