Kellogg's Apologizes for Withholding Food from Starving Children
It probably sounded like a good idea at the time: ask people to retweet messages as an incentive to donate food to hungry kids. But the gimmick sounded harsh.
The tweet was part of Kellogg's campaign, "Give a Child a Breakfast." The company also promised to donate when people watched a video on the website or shared the message on Facebook or YouTube.
But reactions were strong, and Kellogg's posted a brief apology.
Discussion Starters:
- Why did Kellogg's tweet get such a strong reaction, while no one seemed bothered by the request to watch a video in exchange for a kid's breakfast?
- Isn't Kellogg's campaign just an example of Cialdini's "Reciprocation," one way to persuade people? Or, how is this different?
WSJ Article on Narratives
A Wall Street Journal article reminds us to tell stories to engage our audiences. The article isn't new for business communication students, but the advice is sound:
"Move beyond facts and figures, which aren't as memorable as narratives, says Cliff Atkinson, a communications consultant from Kensington, Calif., and author of 'Beyond Bullet Points.'
"Many people in business think raw data is persuasive. But when you're dealing with people from other departments and in different fields who don't understand how you got that data, you can lose them pretty quickly.
"'You have to step back and put yourself into their shoes and take them through the process of understanding,' says Mr. Atkinson. 'That requires you to distill the most important facts and wrap them in an engaging story.'"
Discussion Starters:
- Think about a presentation you delivered recently. Where could you have included a story?
- In that same presentation, how could you have expressed data in a more meaningful way?
What Do the New Common App and Health Care Have in Common?
Technology problems abound. For weeks, the new health care system has been criticized for causing enrollment issues. Now, the new college Common Application system is causing universities, such as Georgia Tech, to extend the review process for prospective students.
Students have reported that they can't log into the system or upload documents, while universities can't download applications. Jason Locke, interim associate vice provost for enrollment at Cornell, blamed the problems on inadequate testing: "Many aspects of the system simply weren't thoroughly tested and should not have been launched."
Yes, we see a theme.
A Huffington Post article identified three major problems with the Common App system:
- Failure to modernize
- Failure to simplify the process
- Failure to acknowledge user experience
Discussion Starters:
- Read the Huffington Post article. Which of the three failures do you believe is most prevalent and why?
- What are the similarities and differences between the Common App and the health care situations?
Can Lululemon Do Anything Right?
Once again, Lululemon is facing an angry crowd. Earlier this week, the company poked fun at a not-for-profit organization. Now, after many, many complaints of declining quality of its high-end yoga clothes, the founder seems to be blaming customers. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Chip Wilson said, "Frankly, some women's bodies just don't actually work [for the yoga pants]," and "It's more really about the rubbing through the thighs, how much pressure is there over a period of time, how much they use it."
He didn't quite say that some women were too big for the pants, but he seemed to imply that women choose sizes that are too small. Comments on Lululemon's Facebook page called Wilson's comments "insensitive" and more:
Update: Founder Chip Wilson posted this apology video:
Discussion Starters:
- Wilson may have a legitimate point: what is it? On the other hand, how could he have expressed it differently?
- On behalf of Wilson, write an apology that he might post to the Lululemon Facebook page. How can he win back customers, some of whom are already turned off by the brand?
Guns & Ammo Editor Resigns Over Controversial Article
Guns & Ammo editor Jim Bequette is stepping down after publishing an editorial, "All Constitutional Rights Need Regulation, Even 2nd Amendment." As a firearms magazine, Guns & Ammo doesn't typically include articles about regulation.
Bequette's apology was posted to the website:
"As editor of Guns & Ammo, I owe each and every reader a personal apology.
"No excuses, no backtracking.
"Dick Metcalf's 'Backstop' column in the December issue has aroused unprecedented controversy. Readers are hopping mad about it, and some are questioning Guns & Ammo's commitment to the Second Amendment. I understand why."
Did Walmart Misrepresent Employee Wage Numbers?
Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon presented questionable data about employee wages. During the Goldman Sachs 2013 Annual Global Retailing Conference, Simon showed a slide, "It all starts with an opportunity." A bullet point says that 475,000 employees earn more than $25,000 per year (excluding benefits).
Here's the entire presentation.
The trouble is that Walmart employs 1.3 million employees in the U.S. (2.2 million worldwide). That leaves 825,000 earning less than $25,000 a year. A Walmart representative clarified that only store employees (about 1 million) were considered for this point. Still, that leaves roughly half of them earning below $25,000 a year.
Discussion Starters:
- The U.S. CEO seemed to walk into this controversy. How could it have been avoided?
- How, if at all, does Walmart's clarification affect your view of how the company pays its employees?
Lululemon Offends Again
After months of controversy over Lululemon's declining yoga-wear quality, the company is in the news for a new issue: mocking a shelter's fundraising strategy.
Reflecting what a Dallas website calls an "oddly aggressive stance against Dallas charity," Lululemon posted a sign on a local store window that reads, "We do partners yoga, not partners card." "Partners Card" refers to the work of The Family Place, a Dallas-based not-for-profit organization that provides housing, counseling, and other resources for people in abusive situations.
The Family Place website describes the Partners Card:
"Partners Card is the signature fundraiser for The Family Place, Dallas' largest domestic violence agency. 100% of your Partners Card purchase goes directly to supporting survivors of family violence."
People who buy a $70 Partners Card through the organization receive a 20% discount at hundreds of local stores-a list that doesn't include Lululemon.
Responding to the criticism, Lululemon posted this message on its Facebook page:
"The intention behind the window decal was to share our love for yoga, not to offend our community. Although we choose not to participate in Partner's Card, we choose to give back in a different way. We are working in collaboration with Family Place to offer the gift of yoga, and what we can create together."
In another post-this one from the corporate headquarters in Canada-the company seemed to be taking action:
In response to an inquiry from Dallas Culture Map, The Family Place expressed appreciation to its supporters:
"Every Partners Card we sell at the Family Place provides a night of safety and shelter for victims of family violence. We understand that not every retailer can give the 20% discount, but we are thankful for the hundreds who do and for the thousands of donors who buy a card. We look forward to working out a way Lululemon can join our important mission to end violence in the homes of Dallas County."
Discussion Starters:
- What were Lululemon marketers thinking when they put up this display? What do you think the store was expecting, and how was management misguided?
- How do you assess Lululemon's apology-both the store's post and the corporate headquarter's approach of working with Lululemon?
- In the headquarter's post, the company says it's creating a wellness program for staff. Is this an appropriate solution? Why or why not?
Mashable Email to Staff Announces New Exec
Pete Cashmore, founder of technology news website Mashable, announced a new executive. In his email to staff, Cashmore used the direct organization plan (as we would expect) and put the news up front:
Team Mashable,
Today we are announcing an important and exciting addition to our family – Jim Roberts. Jim joins our team as Executive Editor and Chief Content Officer.
Many of you may know Jim from Twitter as @nycjim, from his work as Executive Editor of Reuters Digital, and from his years at The New York Times where he was most recently Assistant Managing Editor, overseeing the digital newsroom including video, social media and breaking news.
To complement the internal annoucement, Jim Roberts, the new hire, wrote an article on LinkedIn about joining the company. Here are the first two paragraphs:
Today is an exciting day for me. I'm joining a new family, as executive editor and chief content officer at Mashable.
To some it might seem a bit of a departure. You might imagine a headline like: "Longtime New York Times and Reuters veteran forsakes legacy media for digital upstart."
(Side note: Although the story on LinkedIn refers to the communication as a "Memo to Staff," it is highly unlikely that Mashable is sending printed memos rather than email. [In his introduction, Cashman refers to it as a "message."] Using "memo" as a generic term was part of my presentation topic at ABC 2013 in New Orleans: "The Memo Is Dead.")
Discussion Starters:
- In what ways does this email follow principles described in Chapter 6 about positive and neutral messages? Where does it fall short?
- In addition to the direct style, what other organizational strategies does Cashman use in his email? In what ways are they effective or ineffective?
- If Cashman asked for your feedback on his email before he sent it, what would you advise?
Facebook Finally Admits Decline in Young Teens
After denying reports of young teens forgoing Facebook, company officials have finally admitted the decline. On a third-quarter earnings call, CFO David Ebersman told analysts,
"Our best analysis on youth engagement in the US reveals that usage of Facebook among US teens overall was stable from Q2 to Q3, but we did see a decrease in daily users, specifically among younger teens."
This drop seemed to shake investors' confidence. The stock dropped 2% on the news.
According to the CNET article, Ebersman also admitted that it's difficult to determine teen activity becauses this group often fabricates dates of birth.
Earlier reports claimed that Facebook isn't cool now that mom and dad (and grandma) have accounts. Some statistics show that young teens are flocking to sites such as Twitter and Tumblr instead.
Discussion Starters:
- How do you think Facebook made the decision to stop denying reports? What do you think were the deciding points?
- What's your view of Facebook's claim about fabricated birth dates? What are the responsibilities of users, the company, parents, and perhaps other groups?
Hallmark's "Gay Apparel" Is Now "Fun Apparel"
Accused of taking the "gay" out of Christmas, Hallmark has changed traditional song lyrics on a sweater ornament. The "Holiday Sweater" reads, "Don we now our fun apparel."
Comments, like this one, have been harsh on the company's Facebook page: "Your ugly sweater ornament is offensive and just another reason why I will look for another company to use for greeting cards!"
The company posted a statement and an update in response to the controversy:
Holiday Sweater Ornament Update
UPDATE 10/31/2013:
We've been surprised at the wide range of reactions expressed about the change of lyrics on this ornament, and we're sorry to have caused so much concern. We never intend to offend or make political statements with our products and in hindsight, we realize we shouldn't have changed the lyrics on the ornament.
Statement originally posted 10/30/2013
Hallmark created this year's Holiday Sweater ornament in the spirit of fun. When the lyrics to "Deck the Halls" were translated from Gaelic and published in English back in the 1800s, the word "gay" meant festive or merry. Today it has multiple meanings, which we thought could leave our intent open to misinterpretation.
The trend of wearing festively decorated Christmas sweaters to parties is all about fun, and this ornament is intended to play into that, so the planning team decided to say what we meant: "fun." That's the spirit we intended and the spirit in which we hope ornament buyers will take it.
Discussion Starters:
- To what extent do you agree with the strong reactions? Do you think the anger is justificated, or did people overreact?
- Assess Hallmark's first statement and the update. What works well, and what would you suggest changing?
Ryanair CEO "Ruffles Feathers" (Again)
No stranger to controversy, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary angered people during a recent Twitter chat. You may recall that O'Leary called a customer "stupid" and other insults when she complained about being charged €300 for not printing boarding passes ahead of time. Ryanair is a discount airline and charges fees for extra services.
Now, a PR Daily article says O'Leary invited criticism as part of a "PR stunt." Although some tweets were deleted, Skift captured a few choice examples:
Discussion Starters:
- What do you think of Michael O'Leary's approach on Twitter?
- Take a look at the Google Image search of Michael O'Leary. What's your reaction? Does he overdo the stunts, is he being who he wants to be, or something else?
- Do you find his tweets and other communications offensive or not?
Spy Convo Live Tweeted from Train
Spies: Don't talk on the phone while on a public train. A passenger on an Acela train near Philadelphia overheard former CIA and NSA director Michael Hayden criticizing the Obama Administration during an interview.
At a certain point, Twitter monitors caught onto the situation, and passenger Tom Matzzie tweeted this: a photo of himself with Matzzie. Apparently, they became BFFs because they both like the Steelers.
Discussion Starters:
- What are the ethical considerations in this situation? Consider the position of the CIA/NSA, the American public, journalists, and other constituencies.
- Where did Hayden go wrong? How well did he recover?
- Matzzie seems to change his tune, so to speak, in later tweets. Why do you think this happened?
Health Care Website Trouble
A PBS news story assesses problems with the new healthcare website, which, according to a CNN report, includes log-in errors, delays, incorrect information, and the requirement for users to register before browsing plan options.
In the interview, a software expert tells Hari Sreenivasan that the fixes are in "the right direction," but "it's going to take quite a long time to fix the entire system." Another systems expert explained the complications: the site is a "massive integration project" across several states and agencies. Just one transaction (for example, signing someone up for health care), requires a "tremendous" amount of coordination. The government's lack of experience in managing such complexity is blamed for the problems, including running out of time for proper testing.
The PBS News Hour guests paint a grim picture of the site going forward, claiming that users have encountered problems so far with mostly the site interface. Problems with data integration and coordination are yet to be discovered, but surely will. A troubleshooter admits that the fixes will take a month.
The Obama Administration is now under pressure to delay the enrollment deadline. Some are calling for Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius's resignation.
Discussion Starters:
- How do you think the website problems will affect Obama's legacy? Will people remember this, or will it blow over once the site (we hope) is up and running?
- In the PBS interview, Hari Sreenivasan asks whether it was realistic for software development to follow a political timeline. What does he mean by this, and what's your view?
McDonald's Employee Help Line Is Recorded
You many remember Nancy Salgado, who recently confronted McDonald's USA President about her wages. She claims to be working at the restaurant chain for 10 years and is making $8.25 an hour.
The organization "Low Pay Is Not OK" posted a recording of her call to McDonald's employee help line. I received an email about the incident:
Video captions of the phone interaction focus on public assistance for McDonald's workers:
Discussion Starters:
- How do you assess the organization's argument that the public is supplementing workers' wages? In what ways do you find this argument convincing, and how does it fall short?
- Imagine that you're the person who received Salgado's call on the help line. How would you react to the posted video? Should she have done anything differently on the call?
- The recording is clearly edited. What do you think may have happened during the deleted portions? Does that affect your reaction?
CEO Criticizes Stilettos
The CEO of health care company Kanteron Systems tweeted about women wearing high heels at business meetings.
With the hashtag #brainsnotrequired, Jorge Cortell seemed to imply that stilettos pictured in his tweet aren't appropriate for work. In return, he was criticized for sexism. In a Wall Street Journal blog post, "Are Stilettos Too Sexy for Business Meetings," the author described the result:
"The two-day tweet-convo slid from sublime to ridiculous when Mr. Cortell argued that he wasn't referring to sex at all. Heel wearers are dumb because heels are unhealthy for their feet and backs, he tweeted, repeatedly, until Twitter briefly suspended his account."
In his posts, Cortell denied sexism and focused on health issues of high heels:
The WSJ author accused Cortell of "wimping" out, both in his subsequent tweets and in an email response to her:
"If he had stood his ground, I would have stood with him. Five-inch-high platform stilettos call to mind the fetishistic footwear of a cabaret performer. If not quite hooker heels, they are nonetheless best paired with fishnet nylons, a sultry voice, and champagne for two.
"In a business setting, platform stilettos are the female equivalent of a man wearing his shirt unbuttoned to his clavicle underneath his suit jacket.
"Yes, we see them at venture capital conferences and in offices and even board meetings. But let's not pretend they're conservative business footwear. Twitter seems to agree. The social media service on Wednesday labeled Mr. Cortell's heels photo 'sensitive content' – requiring many users to click a permissions button to view it."
Discussion Starters:
- What's your view of wearing stilettos at work? When would they be appropriate and, perhaps, when would they not be appropriate?
- Do you consider Cortell's initial post sexist? Why or why?
- How well do you think he recovered from the criticism?
Former Hostess of Heart Attack Grill Tells All
I guess we should expect unorthodox practices at a restaurant called Heart Attack Grill, but still, an ex-hostess's comments on Reddit are surprising. In an opening post, the former employee welcomes questions:
"I am an ex-Hostess of the controversial Heart Attack Grill. If you aren't familiar it's the restaurant located in Downtown Vegas who is known for their 9000 calorie Quadruple Bypass Burger, Butterfat Milkshakes, and the infamous "if you weigh 350 pounds you eat for free" gimmick. It is a hospital themed restaurant where all customers have to wear hospital gowns, and if you don't finish your food we spanked you with a paddle. Ask me anything!"
One jarring admission on the website (if it's true) is that the employee's manager had her video record a person who passed out in the restaurant:
"At one point, the man passed out. I heard him knock onto the hard ground. We had to call an ambulance. A manager made me take out my cell phone to record a video of the whole thing, so they could send it to the media. It was on a Friday afternoon, and he hoped it would make the news so they could have a busy weekend. The food may or may not have been responsible for what happened to that man."
With a name like Heart Attack Grill, you don't shy away from controversy. Rather, the restaurant founder and owner Jon Basso promotes the food, admitting in a Bloomberg interview, "I am probably the only restaurateur in the entire world who is unapologetically telling you that my food is bad for you, that it will kill you, and that you should stay away from it."
The Heart Attack Grill website describes the business: selling high-calorie food (including an 8,000-calorie Quadruple Bypass Burger), having customers dress in hospital gowns, spanking customers who don't finish their meal, and offering free meals to customers weighing over 350 pounds.
Discussion Starters:
- What's your view of the restaurant's "unapologetic" strategy?
- How do you assess the ex-hostess's Reddit posts? After reading several of them, do you think she helped or hurt the brand?
A Peak Into GM's Social Media Team
General Motors gets its share of negative social media comments, and staff are ready to respond if they need to. An article in Automotive News describes GM's extensive social media strategy.
To promote GM products, the customer service team Tweets, posts to Facebook, blogs, and runs contests. But GM also has an active defensive strategy. Here are a few examples of how they work:
- Eighteen employees monitor social media sites, including 90 car-enthusiast sites.
- Employees post online between 200 and 300 times a day (between 5,000 and 7,000 a month).
- 47% of staff interactions are in response to Twitter posts, and 47 percent are posts on GM customer sites.
- Employees clear up misinformation, give repair advice, and so on, to keep customers happy.
Discussion Starters:
- How do you think GM's strategy might differ from other companies' approach to social media? Consider the industry, brand, and customers.
- Search for GM responses on two or three social media sites. What works well about the responses, and what, if anything, could be improved?
Users Aren't Happy About Yahoo Mail Changes
Trying to be more Gmail-like, Yahoo has changed how its mail system works, and people don't like it. Users are organizing online by signing a petition, participating in a Facebook group, and posting to a Yahoo Mail forum with comments such as this:
The petition asks Marissa Mayer to revert back to the old mail:
People are complaining most about the lack of tabs and ability to multitask:
"We are asking Yahoo to restore the old version - with tabs, with the ability to edit an email and switch to a folder - to multi-task like we used to be able to do. If they are unable to do so, we want them to restore these BUSINESS-CRITICAL functions to Yahoo Mail.
"Most of us picked Yahoo because of its interface. We don't like gmail! Please let us go back!"
On the Yahoo Mail forum, the company explains the new features this way:
"We have refreshed your inbox with more room for messages and added exciting new features you will love. These include 1TB of free mail storage, Conversations, Stunning new Themes, Attachments preview and much more. Please note that while there is no way to revert to the previous version of Yahoo Mail, you can learn more about the new features.
"We want to hear what you think about Yahoo Mail. Help us make it better for you. The more specific your feedback, the more useful for us. While we can't respond to every suggestion, we do take your suggestions seriously and review them regularly."
Discussion Starters:
- What features do you most appreciate in your current email program? Compare those to Yahoo Mail's functionality.
- How could Yahoo have communicated the changes differently?
- How should Yahoo address these complaints now?
Is BlackBerry's Open Letter Too Desperate?
Called "pretty hilarious" by BuzzFeed, BlackBerry's open letter to customers may sound a bit too desperate.
To our valued customers, partners and fans,
You've no doubt seen the headlines about BlackBerry®. You're probably wondering what they mean for you as one of the tens of millions of users who count on BlackBerry every single day.
We have one important message for you:
You can continue to count on BlackBerry.
How do we know? We have substantial cash on hand and a balance sheet that is debt free. We are restructuring with a goal to cut our expenses by 50 percent in order to run a very efficient, customer-oriented organization.
These are no doubt challenging times for us and we don't underestimate the situation or ignore the challenges. We are making the difficult changes necessary to strengthen BlackBerry.
One thing we will never change is our commitment to those of you who helped build BlackBerry into the most trusted tool for the world's business professional.
And speaking of those dramatic headlines, it's important that we set the record straight on a few things.
Best in class productivity tool.
We have completely revamped our device portfolio this year with the launch of BlackBerry® 10. We have four BlackBerry 10 devices – two all touch and two hybrid (touch and QWERTY) – and all are running the third update of our new platform. If what you care about most is getting things done – taking care of your business -- we have the best range of devices for you. And we continue to offer the best mobile typing experience – no ifs, ands or buts about it.
Best in class security.
Governments all over the world, global corporations and businesses that simply cannot compromise on security choose and trust BlackBerry. Security is our heritage, and the industry recognizes that BlackBerry is the most secure when it comes to the device, server and, of course, our global data network. Have no doubt that you can continue to trust us to keep your communication safe and private.
Best in class enterprise mobility management.
We changed with the market, embracing BYOD because we understand that as iOS and Android™ devices become common in the workplace, businesses still need to manage all of these different platforms seamlessly and securely.
This is not a trivial task. While there are a number of startup companies that make bold claims, BlackBerry has more software engineers and the most resources dedicated to developing the most innovative solutions to address this complex challenge.
And our customers know it. Over the past quarter, our BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10 server base grew from 19,000 to more than 25,000. Corporate clients are committed to deploying and testing the latest enterprise technology from BlackBerry. We are committed to evolving with our customers. That will never change.
Best in class mobile social network.
We are bringing the most engaging mobile messaging platform to all, with our BBM™ launch for Android™ and iPhone. There are already around six million customers pre-registered to be notified of our roll out. This number is growing every day, and speaks to the tremendous opportunity we have to expand BBM beyond BlackBerry® smartphones to make it the world's largest mobile social network.
Yes, there is a lot of competition out there and we know that BlackBerry is not for everyone. That's OK. You have always known that BlackBerry is different, that BlackBerry can set you apart. Countless world-changing decisions have been finalized, deals closed and critical communications made via BlackBerry. And for many of you that created a bond, a connection that goes back more than a decade.
We believe in BlackBerry – our people, our technology and our ability to adapt. More importantly, we believe in you. We focus every day on what it takes to make sure that you can take care of business.
You trust your BlackBerry to deliver your most important messages, so trust us when we deliver one of our own: You can continue to count on us.
Sincerely,
The BlackBerry Team
Comparing the letter to a "Friends" episode and the movie "Say Anything," BuzzFeed paints a sad picture of RIM's attempt to keep customers-and find a buyer.
This isn't the first time the company has been criticized for desperate attempts to hold onto market share. A New York Times article compared the device to an "embarrassing relative," and BuzzFeed poked fun at a BlackBerry song set to the music of "Keep on Loving You" by REO Speedwagon. (I know, "Who's REO Speedwagon?")
Discussion Starters:
- BlackBerry executives are fighting. Should they just give up? What other approaches might work?
- What ideas do you have for the company to use social media to improve its image?
- What in the open letter could sound desperate? How could the letter be rewritten? Or is it just hopeless to try to communicate in this way?
Study Shows Importance of Employees' Role in Social Media
A recent study in the Journal of Marketing Management has an important message for companies: manage employees for them to represent you well on social media. Education News summarizes the study results:
"...companies need to focus more on managing employees as active reputation builders and brand ambassadors in social media instead of conceiving them only as possible reputation risks."
According to lead author Joonas Rokka, "employees have a crucial role as active meaning makers and reputation builders in various social-media networks that include customers, colleagues, and friends." Rokka also emphasized companies' role in employees' well-being:
"When companies trust and treat employees fairly, and employ good day-to-day management practices, employees will do good for the company in return. For instance, by sharing their experiences of the company and its products in social media."
The article is titled "Balancing Acts: Managing Employees and Reputation in Social Media" in recognition of the paradoxes and contradictions in managing employees as well as a company's reputation. In other words, companies won't find easy approaches or perfect solutions.
Discussion Starters:
- How, if at all, has your own experience working at companies affected your online posts about them?
- What would inspire you to talk positively about your employer on social media sites?