http://kellyroysblog.disqus.com/enSun, 14 Feb 2010 13:39:44 -0000http://kellylroy.com/?p=83#comment-34191635As someone currently without any HC at all...its something I worry about every day.BretSun, 14 Feb 2010 13:39:44 -0000http://kellylroy.com/?p=62#comment-25802110As always, thought provoking, mind blowing new view from the world of G-man! Thanks for a good laugh!kellyroyMon, 14 Dec 2009 18:00:01 -0000http://kellylroy.com/?p=62#comment-25795341So much territory to cover, so little blogging space. In addition to Kelly's excellent commentary, I'd like to add my own. Point by point. <br> <br>1. To answer Kelly's question, because we as a race or society cannot, repeat cannot, avert our eyes/fingers/thumbs from the catastrophic or media centric occurrences that demonstrate themselves as exploitation worthy. We crave the opportunity to look at the gruesome remains of human ignorance, failure and outright depravity. In most cases, those mired in mundanity pray that all three are delivered gratis, via our preferred media outlet, and more importantly that the details are either just vague enough to allow our deviant mentalities to run wild with premise, or that the savage reality is thrust into our faces so we can react with appropriate revulsion. Tiger Woods is the perfect example. His reclusive nature was the prime firmament to grow the media explosion that took place around a common domestic conflict. Who hasn't had their wife chase them down the driveway with a 9 iron? My count is only at 3 times, but I haven't been studious enough to become prime media fodder. BTW, just for context, I predict Jim Nantz declaring "From the depths of personal turmoil, to the height of Masters domination, ladies and gentlemen I give you your 2011 Masters champion, TIGER WOODS!!" While the crowd goes wild. The American public has about a 10 second memory span. <br> <br>2. It's not the companies deep pockets that cover this expense. It's the insurance company that underwrites those huge corporate risks, and it's a mighty premium they pay for that backup. That said, believe it or not, I have no doubt that most huge corporations look to disguise losses accrued through inefficiency and graft, directly through those litigious losses. Nothing makes the hedge fund managers happier than a good corporate scandal they can emerge richer from. <br> <br>3. In most cases, the random occurrence of catastrophic failure and serious legal ramifications, will trigger a publicly disclosed investigation into "how things got this bad". But, let's face it, in the corporate world of margins and shareholder reports, if you can get away with cutting a few corners, and still manage a moderately safe return... Tell me who's going to ignore the potential for increasing their bonus by even 3 or 4 percent? You've got kids. A mortgage. 2 Freakin' car payments. Insurance, utilities, orthodontia, private schooling costs, pool needs fixing, gotta have HBO, and NFL Sunday Ticket, or that trip to Snowbird. That shit adds up. So if Jimmy tells you that test number 997 actually ended up with a dead dog, you're not stopping a multimillion dollar product rollout based on a .01 percent failure. Hell no. You're shopping for a new 60 inch LCD for Christmas. Bottom line is very simple. Do we stand to lose more revenue, (that can't be recouped in capital loss in an earnings report) by taking this risk, than we have the opportunity to earn? If the answer is yes, then the program is shut down. If the answer is no, then a sincere apology is rendered publicly, and it's back to business as usual. <br> <br>4. Accountability. Social media disasters are out for one thing, and one thing only. Some poor bastard to blame. Period. Americans, and social media consumers in general are looking for that singular point of responsibility they can unload their revulsion and anger against. Doesn't even have to be revulsion or anger about the circumstance the scapegoat is responsible for. Exert your misplaced disgust here. In most cases, it's best to choose someone that has no public persona at all, so they can get their buyout money, and return to relative obscurity in due order. It's best to actually have a BBP in this situation. Unlike BCP, which is Business Continuity Plan, it's a Business Blaming Plan. In most cases the call list doesn't look significantly different. <br> <br>5. I couldn't disagree more. Any publicity is good publicity. Not only that, but American consumers love nothing more than passing puritanical judgment on an entity, solely because they then get to occupy the role as redeemer. "You were horribly bad, and should be punished. However, if you show contrition, and tell me all the juicy details, I'll forgive you. Eventually. In fact, I'll celebrate you as one who's overcome our fragile human nature." A social media "nightmare" is actually a marketing goldmine. It takes craft and savvy to be sure, but the riches that lie on the other side of public humiliation cannot be underestimated. Just ask Robert Downey Jr., or Mickey Rourke, or Michael Vick, or countless other "brands" that have travelled the road to public redemption. <br> <br>Finally, many of you will think I'm joking, and while I've taken creative license and bent things to my sense of humor, it doens't change the fact that a social media disaster is exactly that. It's not a real disaster. It's as abstract and tenous as the random posts of millions of web consumers choose to make it. Like I said before, the attention span of most web consumers is about 10 seconds. <br> <br>If you can't endure 10 seconds of bad publicity, you weren't much of a serious concern to begin with.Kong1965Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:15:31 -0000http://kellylroy.com/?p=56#comment-22564062Great, now I need a Starbucks. Hopefully I get an "I'm amazing" from a female barista, though.BretTue, 10 Nov 2009 11:58:48 -0000http://kellylroy.com/?p=46#comment-21399622So true! I had to wear the dreaded "onion bag" around my neck as a child -- yes, raw onions in a cloth bag to "clear up that cold". The only thing worse was the "mustard plaster"... I will spare you the details :) The fund idea is altogether much better, and less smelly.Maria FarnonFri, 30 Oct 2009 20:14:21 -0000http://kellylroy.com/?p=46#comment-21290811Love this!LisaThu, 29 Oct 2009 16:50:24 -0000