Thanks to executive blogs and internet video, the dark ages are back, according to an article in The Independent yesterday.
In a rant that displays an embarrassing lack of awareness and understanding of the changes in how relationships with customers and others are emerging, Stefano Hatfield uses GM vice chairman Bob Lutz and the GM FastLane Blog as one example of these so-called dark ages and how Lutz is “digging GM’s own grave” with the blog, this “new-fangled phenomenon” as Hatfield calls it:
[…] They would never let him off the leash like this in an ad. Never mind the concerns of brand managers about citizen-bloggers and so on, the true real and present danger to marketers is from band-wagon-jumping executives.
I’d say the danger to marketers is being hoodwinked by this type of writing into thinking that it’s still the mid 1990s and the command-and-control approach to marketing is what still works.
Hatfield promises “Much more on this subject soon.”
Can’t wait.
In any event, how can you take anyone seriously when he has an AOL email address?
(Hat tip: James Cherkoff.)