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November 16, 2005
Biting the Hand
CEOs come in all shapes and sizes, all colors and flavors, but one thing is common among them: communicating using new channels (read: technology) scares the pinstripes off their suits.
So it’s no surprise that survey after survey casts CEOs as a cautious lot when it comes to using blogs to communicate. But what’s concerning about the C-level view on blogs is the notion that, despite trepidation, blogs might be a good way to quickly communicate new ideas (read: self promotion).
Some C-folk have tried it and are generally accepted as early adopters of blogs for corporate gain. General Motors’ Vice Chairman Bob Lutz is a regular contributor to FastLane, GM’s executive-to-consumer blog. I’m not fond of product blogs, including FastLane (though as a former Opel owner, I went misty when I saw the new Opels).
I’m troubled by the fact that it’s called a blog. It looks like a blog, maybe even smells like a blog. It allows for comments. But let’s not be mistaken. It is not a blog. It is opinion pieces and news releases with one big corporation telling us how great it is. And there’s nothing wrong with that – as long as it is crystal clear.
Surveys like the one just conducted by PR Week/Burson-Marsteller and Milward Brown miss the point. Of course CEOs are going to say it’s great to talk about the company’s new ideas by using a blog. Hey, great, one more way to blow our horn. Unless the blog is clearly identified as a marketing tool and not a traditional blog that encourages two-way conversation, it’s not really a blog.
Marketing guru Seth Godin says blogs work when they are based on:
• Candor
• Urgency
• Timeliness
• Pithiness
• Controversy
Then he says “Does this sound like a CEO to you?” and “Save the fluff for the annual report.” Through this lens, FastLane isn’t a blog.
I wonder if the PRWeek/Burson-Marsteller survey asked this question: As a CEO/executive, are you willing to receive honest and harsh criticism in an open, public forum, and are you ready to answer critics?
Though FastLane isn’t really a blog, it does answer that question. Its redeeming quality is self-proclaimed, and it’s the perfect CEO blog role:
“The FastLane blog is all about the cars and trucks. GM leaders discuss all aspects of our vehicles. We look forward to hearing your ideas.”
No fog there.
Posted by Rich Sharp at November 16, 2005 8:59 AM