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Budweiser 9/11 Ad – Well-meaning or Opportunistic?

The ad below aired over 10 years ago, and we’re probably a more cynical and divided nation now than we were then. Just look at the comments on the YouTube video in question.

Here’s the commercial for your viewing pleasure:

Like Neo said in the Matrix, this is a problem of choice. Maybe people don’t choose how to view the world, but rather their experiences shape them. For me, I don’t look at Budweiser’s effort here and see anything untoward. I think it is sometimes possible to choose how to view the world, and I choose glass is half full. Your opinions may vary (so let’s hear ’em below).

My Appearance on “The Moffett Message” with Sean Moffett

Two things about this video:

1. Thank you Sean for having me on your show. It was my honor, and I think we had a great conversation.
2. I really apologize for my audio quality. I always just use the internal mic in my Macbook Pro, and wow it sounds really crappy in this video. You really have to turn it up to hear me, and sometimes my voice cuts out. It sorta makes it unwatchable at times, and that’s completely my fault. It was actually a great conversation, so I’m kind of bummed about this. I need to look into getting a good external microphone. Anyway, Sean I am sorry about this.

In case things go haywire with the embedded video above, here’s a direct link.

My Apperance on St Louis Presents

I recently appeared on “St. Louis Presents” on STL-TV with hosts Rob Desir and Aprille Trupiano to discuss Twitter. These two were a delight to be with, and both were very interested in using Twitter in a more enhanced way.

Thank you Ellen Soule for bringing this opportunity to me!

My appearance begins at the 40:40 mark – click here to be taken directly to that point. I’m done by around 47:45.

Advertising as Seen Through The Eyes of an 8 Year Old

Well, she’s only 8 and she already thinks the advertisers are lying.

The Wave – My Debate with Mark Reardon of KMOX Radio

 

The tweet you see above yielded this exchange between Mark Reardon of KMOX Radio and I.
 

The Wave

Enjoy this podcast of our debate – click below to listen to my destruction of him.

LISTEN HERE

p.s. Love you Mark.

Can a Tweet in a Time of Peril Get Any Better?

Campbell House Museum

Photo courtesy of Shelley Niemeier

The beloved Campbell House museum in downtown St. Louis, MO was burglarized last evening. Per STLToday.com, thieves threw a concrete block through a 130-year-old glass pane door and stole cash.

Now, please dial back in your memories and consider the various corporate crises you can recall. Think of the fatuously clumsy, corporatey, all-thumbs responses you’ve seen to controversies. Recall the inability to be self-deprecating, the unwillingness to be open and honest about turmoil, the spin doctoring and the damage control. I usually picture a sweaty room filled with panicky executives worrying about their livelihood.

Does this burglary rise to the level of a corporate crisis that demands PR damage control? It does not. But I have to think that Shelley Niemeier and crew were none too happy this morning. How, then, did they manage to have this much fun with this dreadful situation?

I hope that Campbell House expeditiously recovers from this incident, as I have a wedding to perform there in mid-September.

p.s. It is always time for Schlafly.

Honest Mistake? Or Capitalizing on Tragedy and Twitter Trending Topics?

Aurora

Was this just an honest mistake? A plucky young intern that just didn’t know what they were doing? Or was this an attempt to make news, to capitalize on tragedy and the resultant Twitter Trending Topic? You be the judge. I don’t even know what to think anymore.

It’s exceedingly hard to imagine anyone would purposely tweet this on a day like today. (For posterity’s sake, there was a horrible mass shooting in Aurora CO at the premiere of the newest Batman movie).

The tweet embedded, until they delete it:

In an admittedly pointless attempt to keep this sort of thing from ever happening again, spread it around like mad on Twitter, Reddit, Facebook and LinkedIn, and make this company feel shame. And I’d like to hear what you think in the comments below? What was the true intent of the Tweeter here?
 
 
UPDATE – apologetic tweets from Celeb Boutique

Aurora

 

My final take: it appears to have been one big colossal mistake. Their PR is not based in the United States. While this tragedy is likely a worldwide story at this point, it’s entirely possible their social media people had not heard about what happened.

For readily apparent reasons, I advise you to not ride the coattails of a Twitter Trending Topic without understanding why the term or phrase is trending. Things trend for both good and bad reasons. Once click on the trending topic “Aurora” would have shed some light on why it was trending. Sometimes it’s hard not to go 500 miles an hour when using social media. My best advice is to be extremely careful with your brand, even if it takes an extra 60 seconds to do some rudimentary research.

Faith in humanity: at least partially restored. Thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Aurora, CO.

 

Did Miracle Whip Respond Appropriately?

Miracle Whip tweet

For a brand like Miracle Whip, and a company like Kraft Foods, just what IS the proper response to such foul, hateful tweets?

A.) Say nothing at all. This seems to be the choice most corporations would make in this case. Very few people saw the guy’s tweet. There is no point in responding.
B.) Invite the hater to contact a toll-free number to resolve the problem. Funny, I see companies doing that too, and in this case that would be a completely wasted, out-of-touch tweet. This tweeter does not have a solvable problem with Miracle Whip or Kraft.
C.) Say something back that’s sort of snarky, which in this case is what Miracle Whip or the agency tweeting for them did.

I’m kind of liking “C” here. I have no problem with their response, and actually think it positively inures to their brand’s bottom line. What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments below.

Link to the original tweet here

Apparently Norman really likes me

Followers1

But following me from four accounts just isn't enough, sir.

That’s a damn good headline, Drudge

Photo