AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT EDELMAN

New York City, New York-based Edelman, a full-service public relations and marketing consultancy firm notorious for spinning-up fake "AstroTurf" campaigns on behalf of its clients, has announced a 4% reduction in force.

Approximately 240 employees, mostly senior-level staff, are impacted as the firm responds to slowing economic conditions.

According to CEO Richard Edelman. "This is a hard day for the firm, but I want all of you to know that I am confident in our future. I truly believe we will become THE communications advisory firm because trust drives growth, and action earns trust.”

Saying goodbye to members of the Edelman community is an extremely difficult decision. We will support our impacted colleagues with outplacement support to help with career transitions and an additional six months of support through ComPsych, our Employee Assistance Program, in addition to separation pay.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

ARE YOU TRASHING YOUR BRAND WITH POLITICAL CORRECTNESS?

There is little or no doubt that any employee or executive risks damaging their reputation and alienating a significant portion of its customers by supporting controversial political causes. Mostly on behalf of virtue-signaling and self-serving senior management. The resultant damage to the brand can be transient or long-lived depending on the degree of emotion invoked by the company's actions.

Levi Strauss, the iconic clothing manufacturer, has embarked upon a course of action that appears irresponsible...

Levi Strauss CEO Chip Bergh has written a column on Fortune.com...   

"As president and CEO of a values-driven company that’s known the world over as a pioneer of the American West and one of the great symbols of American freedom, I take the responsibility of speaking up on the important issues of our day very seriously. We can’t take on every issue. But as business leaders with power in the public and political arenas, we simply cannot stand by silently when it comes to the issues that threaten the very fabric of the communities where we live and work. While taking a stand can be unpopular with some, doing nothing is no longer an option."

"That’s why Levi Strauss & Co. is stepping up our support for gun violence prevention. You may wonder why a company that doesn’t manufacture or sell guns is wading into this issue, but for us, it’s simple. Americans shouldn’t have to live in fear of gun violence. It’s an issue that affects all of us—all generations and all walks of life."

"Our country has faced seemingly intractable issues like this before, but together we’ve overcome them. We can do it again. Together we can put an end to the gun violence epidemic in America."

Why it is problematical...

(1) Criminals, crazies, and terrorists do not respect nor obey the law. Therefore, more stringent gun control legislation does not reduce crime but creates a larger victim pool as law-abiding citizens are deprived of the means to defend themselves against people who want to harm them. 

(2) Areas with some of the most stringent gun control laws in the nation, also have outrageous rates of gun-related violence. Mostly in the inner cities where minority gangs appear to be in a constant state of war against each other.

(3)  The vast majority of gun owners engage in some form of recreational activities involving the purchase and use of the company's clothing. Thus, the company may alienate a significant portion of its customer base. 

(4)   The shareholders have no say in the actions the can significantly reduce revenues and in some cases damage the brand with a significant portion of the buying population. 

Likewise, Nike, the iconic shoe and apparel manufacturer has chosen a controversial representative...

Nike has engaged a controversial football player, Colin Kaepernick to represent its iconic brand. Kaepernick is the NFL player who "took a knee" during the playing of the National Anthem as a sign of protest against racial inequality. A display that is seen by many Americans as a sign of unpatriotic disrespect for the country that has provided Kaepernick with an income and lifestyle of the so-called one-percent.

"Nike just lost about $3.75 billion in market cap after announcing free agent NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick as the new face of its “Just Do It” ad campaign. It’s the 30th anniversary of the iconic TV and print spots."

For a company that is all about sports performance, it appears curious that it will support a marginal player who remains politically controversial. 

Best practices...

Personally and professionally it seems prudent to support local causes wherever and whenever possible. If one must support a national cause, it is helpful to support a non-controversial veterans, health, or disaster relief group.  

Are you wondering Am I Next?

NO LOVE FOR ROSEANNE BARR AT DISNEY ABC TELEVISION

 

What have we learned from Disney’s cancellation of comic Roseanne Barr’s show, the reboot of the iconic "Roseanne,” after Barr’s allegedly “racist tweet?”

It appears that Barr's tweet, targeted at one of the most powerful women in former President Barack Obama's Administration, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, was supposed to be an example of snarky right-wing humor -- possibly to advance the media coverage of the star and bring new attention and viewers to the show. Since Jarrett is African-American, outrage and condemnation were swift. 

From Robert Iger, Chairman, and CEO of Disney ...  

1.   Your job, be it CEO, star entertainer, or the lowliest production crew member, can suddenly evaporate over an intemperate remark that inflames the public or the media.   

2.   No matter how many people claim that it is a free speech issue involving the Constitution’s First Amendment, the matter does not involve the government’s suppression of speech, so it is clearly not a First Amendment issue. Disney, the parent company of ABC where the Roseanne program is aired is a private corporation and its employees can be contractually terminated for offensive acts which bring disrepute to the corporation or disadvantage it significantly. 

3.   That corporate executives fear for their jobs and are willing to sacrifice personnel, profits, and the shareholder’s interests in the process.  

4.    Lower-level performers, even those with a significant financial interest in the show are unwilling to stake their careers on a rogue performer, especially when a significant portion of their media/public relations interaction with the public consists of virtue signaling and assuming the posture of an activist for some cause.

5.   That timing is critical if an intemperate statement can be used to capture media attention by activists, agitators, and serve someone's personal, professional, or political agenda.

African-American comic/activist Wanda Sykes, whose role as "consulting producer, commented ...

Roseanne co-star, Sara Gilbert likewise expressed her feelings ...

The apology that would never be sufficient ...

The inevitable failure of Barr's apology was pre-ordained because a significant portion of the progressive and Democrat Party that already was greatly upset with President Donald Trump was not in a forgiving mood as long as this incident could be exploited just prior to the 2018 primary election cycle that determines the fate of both Democrats and Republicans.

Bottom line ...

Humor is a tricky thing -- even in the hands of trained and experienced comics. No matter how famous a star, how large the audience, and how profitable a show, executives are willing to throw anyone under the bus to preserve their own jobs in the face of public opinion.