Despite his best intentions to criticize an environmental campaign of German automobile manufacturer Audi set to launch on Super Bowl Sunday, Danny Brown was ultimately criticized instead. After perusing the background below, I ask you to consider whether it is preferable to write a blog post based on assumptions or a blog post with research.
To set the stage, have a look at this satirical public service announcement which was linked on Danny’s blog with the assumption that Audi promoted Nazi hate crimes:
The problem is, there’s already been a Green Police enforcement organization, but not one that you’d want to be associated with. This Green Police was part of the Nazi persecution and execution of millions of Jews in the Holocaust of the Second World War.
The implications of Audi’s choice of name for their campaign could be huge, especially since Audi is a German company. The first question is obvious – didn’t anyone at Audi’s PR or advertising arm/agency do any research?
There are two faults there, commented at length by me and George.
Me:
…When you consider the nation of Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection calls its enforcement officers the Green Police, it’s fair to presume Israel won’t be offended at this naming, so why are other people?
George:
…I think the premise of this report is a total reach. First, the police unit in question (according to Wikipedia and the much-referenced Google) was named the Ordnungspolizei and not the “Green Police”… If you’re going to go after Audi (of America BTW, not Audi Germany) for using a general term also loosely associated with the Nazis then why not go after any German entity using any loose association?
Despite my and George’s contentions that Danny’s argument was lopsided, nearly every other commenter — a who’s who of PR enthusiasts — joined his bandwagon that Audi was sick, twisted, demented, and failed to Google the term, “Green Police” (which George points out is a transliteration and not an exact translation).
After 162 back-and-forth comments, 337 retweets, 11 delicious bookmarks, and assorted reblogs, Audi responded on an automobile industry blog.
Audi of America’s spokesman, Jeffrey Kuhlman, elaborates why Danny’s assertion is untrue:
One thing that I think is also needed in order to put this into perspective is the issue of green police vs. Ordnungspolizei. Ordnungspolizei is directly translated to mean Order Police. It’s more than just the difference between capital letters and small letters, it’s official versus nicknames. And in our research not one person drew any other distinction other than “environmental”.
We researched the term. We tested the ad concept with focus groups. We sought input and reaction from key organizations, including the Jewish community, and we sent out a press release that went to thousands of media, and not one reaction. I then worked again with key Jewish leaders after the blogger raised the issue, just to make sure that we hadn’t missed something, and again, we were reassured that the term is not one that has historical significance, and that reactions to the term are completely in line with our intent … environmental enforcement.
You can read the comments since, including Danny’s that from a PR and digital branding angle, it wasn’t just me that wondered about the connection.
I guess George and I are the lone gunmen who didn’t wonder about the connection but could immediately tell Danny was criticizing based on assumption and not fact.
I recall a similar criticism I wrote 15 months ago about a marketing agency that was misaligned with its walking and talking. People weighed in with comments, and then the agency offered a comment and pointed out the error of my assumption.
Sometimes it takes a blogger a case study to learn the lesson the hard way.
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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Some further reading, Ari:
* http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/audis-super-bowl-ad-blunder-green-police-have-nazi-history/19337683/
* http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/battalion101.html
* http://motoring.iafrica.com/newsbriefs/2201302.htm
As for being criticized, that’s the beauty of free speech and opinion. It would be pretty boring otherwise, if everyone agreed with a single take.
And your quote that “there was an assumption that Audi promoted Nazi hate crimes” – I’d love to see where that was ever mentioned. I wrote that implications could be huge, and questioned the research – a very big difference from your statement in that sentence.
Bandwagon? I think you do a disservice to the people that commented there. I also feel Audi’s response (or that of their agency) raises more questions than offers answers (something I replied to on my blog in response to George from Fourtitude:
http://dannybrown.me/2010/01/27/audi-socialmedia-greenpolice-shitstorm/#comment-19208
Not too sure about your point of “learning the hard way”, either – I stand by my post and the actual questions raised in it (and not the version of them you paint here).
But like I said earlier, that’s the beauty of opinions and viewpoints…
New from Danny Brown: 7 Days to Turn Your Blog Into a Social Media Hub – Day 2: Decluttering
In response:
1. From your first sentence (in which I bleep out an obscenity), German car manufacturer Audi may be about to enter a PR **** storm you immediately state an assumption — which you ought to now agree has come back to be proven false. What PR storm?
2. You later write, …there’s already been a Green Police enforcement organization, but not one that you’d want to be associated with directed to the readers of your blog, later asking them, What’s your take…? when in reality, Danny, there was no Green Police organization, but the Ordnungspolizei which Jeffrey Kuhlman and numerous online sources state is directly translated to mean Order Police.
The bandwagon of commenters, responding to your asking them for their take, is thus false as 99% of respondents are de facto agreeing with your claim that Audi’s PSA is about some Green Police Nazi group that did not exist.
3. Further, your link to the Virtual Jewish Library is moot, for your initial post made a blatant assumption about the Nazi Green Police, not the Ordnungspolizei (which George pointed out in a comment on your blog). Nowhere in that link is reference to “Green Police” or “Audi,” so, again, why the link relevance?
4. You have yet to edit your post to reference Audi of America, which is responsible for the PSA, not Audi AG. That’s like blaming The New York Times for an editorial error, when in fact the error occurred in subsidiary The Boston Globe.
5. Of course you stand by your post. I did not imply otherwise. But it was a lesson for you, no?
The Order Police are known as the Green Police by the locals due to the uniform colour, which is what the link pointed to.
RE the “PR storm”, using the phrase “may” answers your question. However, go to Google and type in audi green police and I’m pretty sure that’s not the type of results Audi/Audi US would want. Add in further posts and discussions on authoritive sites and there;’s definitely a PR question arising.
You disagree and as I mention, that’s the beauty of opinions.
Lesson? Viewpoints and discussions are what makes this medium what it is and why it’s such an effective platform for thoughts and processes.
Final take? Curious why a car manufacturer approached the Jewish community before running the campaign if no red flags popped up during their initial research, as they say.
New from Danny Brown: 7 Days to Turn Your Blog Into a Social Media Hub – Day 2: Decluttering
Fair enough.
One question more, if you don’t mind, since you failed to respond to numerous comments about this issue on your blog: If the term, “Green Police,” is such a PR nightmare, then why would Israel’s environmental police be called such? Take another look at the official government page. I’m very curious how you’d respond in light of the assumptions and accusations you point at Audi…which, again, is Audi of America.
As mentioned in original post, it was a question of “could”. Launched on/around 65th anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation; tied (in whatever stretch you wish to say) to an organization (local named or otherwise) that had such an historical significance; heritage of company involved.
Yes, there are other organizations using the name, including the Israeli one mentioned by yourself. But here’s a flip side to that – the third link I provided in my original response to your post (the iAfrica one) suggested perhaps it’s a geographical thing. Europe may be more sensitive than North America, and more aware of the link. Since it’s been pointed out as an obscure connection by a few others along with you, is there a chance the Israeli organization missed it too? I’m not saying this is the case at all; merely mentioning the possibility due to localised awareness.
New from Danny Brown: 7 Days to Turn Your Blog Into a Social Media Hub – Day 2: Decluttering
If Audi cars were not driven in Israel, sure. But they are, so what’s the geographical connection again?
This article again teach me something I forget, always write against brand if you know what you are talking about and you have the proof in your bag.
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Indeed. If you don’t know the answers, at least say such. Danny assumed he was right… which was later proven wrong.
Audi of America offering their take is proving a view wrong? The Green Police in Nazi Germany existed, Ari – if they didn’t then I’d be proven wrong. If we’re speaking assumptions, you may wish to check much of your post and your assumptions over the original.
New from Danny Brown: A Slight Intermission on Blog Comments Respect
That’s the funny thing about blogs and the potential issues that could arise from an article from a popular blogger like Danny. Opinions can get out there and I think the rant and article were great. He brings up valid points as well as you Ari, both sides are right and wrong, which is the fun part about different opinions and banter. I don’t think this will end up having a big PR sting as you predict Danny but it definitely probably put some things in perspective at least for Audi. I’m curious to hear some commentary after the commercial appears on Sunday.
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Agreed, Craig, and it’s the beauty of the platforms – it can open up discussions around topics and help us all learn; understand; see other points of view, etc.
The key takeaway from the original post was always “potential” – were Audi of America aware and if so, were they prepared for any backlash. If they weren’t aware (which is their viewpoint), what would be the potential of such a missed connection (if it proved to be a big issue).
While I may be just another blogger, Peter Shankman, David Meerman Scott and Ragan all picked up on the topic, as did many other “more respected” publications. Which seems to suggest maybe it was more than just lazy assumptions from a lone blogger…
New from Danny Brown: 7 Days to Turn Your Blog Into a Social Media Hub – Day 2: Decluttering
Ari, I was going to shoot you a direct and let you know I think you’re spot on. But I’ll tell you here in the comments instead.
As officers in ROTC in high school we were trained to “praise in public, punish in private.” I remember that anytime it occurs to me to take a person or company to task in the public domain.
Would I want to have it happen to me? If the answer is no, I send an email or talk to someone directly instead.
Heh. In other words, if your mother would wash your mouth out with soap for saying something, don’t say it.
Here’s a question, Gwen – if all that happens in the public domain is praise, doesn’t that skew opinions?
New from Danny Brown: A Slight Intermission on Blog Comments Respect
Will answer that with another question – posed below, as well: What was the intention of the criticism? In what spirit was it offered? Of course we need to look at the world with a critical eye – we’re not empty-minded optimists. I appreciate good, solid, well-researched criticism as much as the next person (again, as mentioned in my follow up comment, @elephantjournal excels at such criticism). I also think the spirit in which the criticism is shared matters as much as the content of the criticism.
Sometimes an email to someone in the PR department who can make the change will do the trick. If you still decide to go forward with the piece, you can clarify or add to your criticism with solid points – from multiple perspectives. It may take more time and energy to write a piece of that nature – I know Elephant Journal’s editor Waylon may spend six months before calling out a company.
But when he does, the criticism is clearly laid out, suggestions for how to improve given. And it is all done beautifully, in the spirit of growth.
It’s Ari that said it was criticism; the post itself is a question. As I mentioned, the press release on PR Newswire didn’t have a contact point on there, so contact was made through Audi of America’s standard online form. They didn’t reply. I always reach out before posting.
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One more thought. I do have some friends (including Waylon at @elephantjournal) who are extraordinarily good at calling out a company that isn’t living up to the principles it has laid out for itself. In this case, criticism is followed (typically) by ways in which a company can improve. Oftentimes, it’s an assimilation of opinions from around the web/community and the culmination of months, if not years, of research.
Elevating criticism to an art form to raise awareness within the community, for the greater good? I do think there’s a place for that. And we know that kind of criticism when when we see it.
From a strictly marketing perspective, I have to say that this post from Danny was quite brilliant. Whether or not it was intentional Danny created a very effective link bait for himself and managed to get his blog an enormous amount of links, tweets, publicity and god knows how many new readers and for the purposes of Internet marketing, that is always a win win.
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Of course he wrote it thinking of linkbait. How could he not?
I agree, those who have the guts to go to great extremes with controversial posts like these usually see a big payoff, though sometimes you risk harming your own reputation and appearing ignorant.
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I’d agree completely, JR, if not for the fact that the term existed, and other publications looked into it just as deeply and came up with the same view that the choice of name may not have been ideal.
RE ignorance, I never post something without having enough research behind it to stand by it; you could say ignorance is making blanket statements that are incorrect. Something that happens all too often in relative blog posts.
As for linkbait, speak to Ari about that – he’s the master of it.
Cheers for stopping over at Ari’s and sharing your views, always great to see the conversation extended
New from Danny Brown: A Slight Intermission on Blog Comments Respect
@ Danny
I did not mean to imply that you were appearing ignorant at all, it was a statement in regard to link bait in general.
I honestly do not know nearly enough about this controversy or you to form such an opinion about you or your writings about this topic.
Being a marketer, I tend to focus on that more than anything else these days, for better or for worse
New from JR @ Internet Marketing: Last Chance to Buy The Best Spinner Tool for Half Price
Hey there bud,
Sorry, no offence taken and my apologies if that’s how it seemed.
New from Danny Brown: Introducing DANgerous Liaisons
Great post this one,
I think as long as you are true to yourself and back up your facts and write what you would like to read, go out and be controversial.
It can backfire in a huge way, often does, but if you get it right you can create a huge loyalty for yourself