Peloton's New Ad Campaign

Peloton is trying for a comeback with a new ad campaign. After losing market share, market value, a CEO, a couple of fictional characters, and about 2,800 jobs, the company needs a boost, but the latest campaign feels, to me, defensive and, dare I say, desperate.

Ads quote negative views of the company and counter with positive quotes, presumably from people who have been converted. For persuasive communication, research supports acknowledging opposing sides, even hostile points of view, and then arguing against them. But the counter-quotes in these ads represent one person’s opinion and may not provide enough evidence to outweigh the introductory quote, which seems to represent many.

I also wonder whether Peloton—without providing more evidence—might inadvertently reinforce negative perceptions of the company and products. Introductory quotes refer to Peloton as a fad, a cult, elitist, a scam, an easy workout, and an overpriced coatrack. These are all good reasons for me to never buy a Peloton.

The ads seem to disregard real challenges. The quotes represent good feedback for company leaders who, in response, defend rather than try to change the brand.

Tesla Accuses SEC of Harassment

In a letter to a U.S. District judge, an attorney for Tesla describes how the SEC tries to “muzzle and harass Mr. Musk and Tesla.” Tesla claims that the SEC monitors Elon Musk’s Twitter, yet hasn’t distributed settlement funds to shareholders.

We see strong language throughout the letter, for example, “gone beyond the pale,” “formidable resources,” “endless, unfounded investigations,” “broken its promises,” and “police.” The last paragraph reads as follows:

“Enough is enough. Mr. Musk and Tesla write in the hope that the Court can bring the SEC’s harassment campaign to an end, while ensuring that the SEC finally delivers, at long last, on its commitment to Tesla’s shareholders and this Court.”

The letter is an example of persuasive communication, with the lead strategy emotional appeal. Although logical arguments are included, the language and medium emphasize what the company perceives as irrational. We get the sense that Musk is personally targeted. We’ll see whether the letter gets the desired results.

Best and Worst Super Bowl Ads

The Kellogg School of Management rated the 2022 Super Bowl Ads based on a framework called ADPLAN: attention, distinction, positioning, linkage, amplification and net equity.

Uber Eats received the highest rating for its commercial featuring several celebrities eating inedible objects delivered to their home. It’s funny and memorable, with a close connection to the company’s new service.

On the other hand, Salesforce got an “F” for its commercial staring Matthew McConaughey. The ad took jabs at other tech company leaders focusing on space travel and, instead, implored us to “engage,” “plant more trees,” “build more trust,” and “make more space—for all of us.” Kellogg justified the bad rating: “for fumbling on effectiveness and linkage back to the brand.” I see the point: after watching the ad, viewers still won’t know what Salesforce is selling.

The Kellogg School’s ranking is one measure. In a USA Today viewer poll, the Coinbase ad, showing a QR-code worth $15 traveling across the screen for a minute, ranked last. Kellogg gave it an A.

Zillow's Letter to Shareholders

Zillow ended its failed iBuying business, but is recovering well, as the latest letter to shareholders explains. A foray into the home-flipping business didn’t pan out for the company, resulting in losses and layoffs.

The company’s letter demonstrates accountability, humility, and vulnerability, yet express optimism, as the CEO and CFO write in the closing:

“We want to acknowledge the past few months have been challenging for us all — Zillow leadership, employees, and investors — but innovation is a bumpy road. Big swings are core to Zillow, and they are what make our company so unique. We are excited about the opportunity in front of us. Thank you for joining us on this journey.”

In addition to describing plans, the leaders want readers to take away that performance was “better than expected.” “Better” is used 13 times in the 20-page letter. The approach seemed to work. As a CNBC article summarizes, “Zillow soars on upbeat outlook and faster-than-expected selloff of homes in portfolio.” However, for perspective, the article reports that the stock increased 20% after the letter was published, yet “the stock has lost three-quarters of its value since reaching a record almost a year ago.” Zillow’s leaders have more work to do.

Spotify CEO's New Statement

Following new allegations against Joe Rogan, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek apologized to staff, yet reinforced his commitment to the podcast host. A video compilation of Rogan using a racial slur caused new criticism and calls for Spotify to take action. Rogan apologized, explaining that some recordings were from many years ago and were taken out of context.

Ek’s statement is addressed to Spotify employees, but of course, the secondary audience is intended to be the public. The message includes Rogan’s decision, apparently in consultation with the Spotify team, to remove 113 episodes. Although Ek writes that the choice was Rogan’s, we don’t know how much pressure he received.

Ek’s note is a good example of a persuasive communication that tries to balance the needs of many stakeholders. He demonstrates compassion to employees, vulnerabiiity in how the situation affects the company, and integrity in his $100 million commitment to artists and in holding firm to what he sees as a core value of the platform. We could see more personal vulnerabiity and authenticity. Unfortunately, leader will never satisfy all parties in this type of situation.

Spotify Team,

There are no words I can say to adequately convey how deeply sorry I am for the way The Joe Rogan Experience controversy continues to impact each of you. Not only are some of Joe Rogan’s comments incredibly hurtful – I want to make clear that they do not represent the values of this company. I know this situation leaves many of you feeling drained, frustrated and unheard.

I think it’s important you’re aware that we’ve had conversations with Joe and his team about some of the content in his show, including his history of using some racially insensitive language. Following these discussions and his own reflections, he chose to remove a number of episodes from Spotify. He also issued his own apology over the weekend.

While I strongly condemn what Joe has said and I agree with his decision to remove past episodes from our platform, I realize some will want more. And I want to make one point very clear – I do not believe that silencing Joe is the answer. We should have clear lines around content and take action when they are crossed, but canceling voices is a slippery slope. Looking at the issue more broadly, it’s critical thinking and open debate that powers real and necessary progress.

Another criticism that I continue to hear from many of you is that it’s not just about The Joe Rogan Experience on Spotify; it comes down to our direct relationship with him. In last week’s Town Hall, I outlined to you that we are not the publisher of JRE. But perception due to our exclusive license implies otherwise. So I’ve been wrestling with how this perception squares with our values.

If we believe in having an open platform as a core value of the company, then we must also believe in elevating all types of creators, including those from underrepresented communities and a diversity of backgrounds. We’ve been doing a great deal of work in this area already but I think we can do even more. So I am committing to an incremental investment of $100 million for the licensing, development, and marketing of music (artists and songwriters) and audio content from historically marginalized groups. This will dramatically increase our efforts in these areas. While some might want us to pursue a different path, I believe that more speech on more issues can be highly effective in improving the status quo and enhancing the conversation altogether.

I deeply regret that you are carrying so much of this burden. I also want to be transparent in setting the expectation that in order to achieve our goal of becoming the global audio platform, these kinds of disputes will be inevitable. For me, I come back to centering on our mission of unlocking the potential of human creativity and enabling more than a billion people to enjoy the work of what we think will be more than 50 million creators. That mission makes these clashes worth the effort.

I’ve told you several times over the last week, but I think it’s critical we listen carefully to one another and consider how we can and should do better. I’ve spent this time having lots of conversations with people inside and outside of Spotify – some have been supportive while others have been incredibly hard, but all of them have made me think.

One of the things I am thinking about is what additional steps we can take to further balance creator expression with user safety. I’ve asked our teams to expand the number of outside experts we consult with on these efforts and look forward to sharing more details.

Your passion for this company and our mission has made a difference in the lives of so many listeners and creators around the world. I hope you won’t lose sight of that. It’s that ability to focus and improve Spotify even on some of our toughest days that has helped us build the platform we have. We have a clear opportunity to learn and grow together from this challenge and I am ready to meet it head on.

I know it is difficult to have these conversations play out so publicly, and I continue to encourage you to reach out to your leaders, your HR partners or me directly if you need support or resources for yourself or your team.

Daniel

BlackRock CEO Defends Focus

Investment firm BlackRock has pushed companies to pursue a social purpose in addition to profits. The chief executive’s annual letter to investors defends this approach, which has been criticized as anti-business.

Up front in the title, “The Power of Capitalism,” Larry Fink addresses criticism head on and further explains in the letter:

“Stakeholder capitalism is not about politics. It is not a social or ideological agenda. It is not ‘woke.’ It is capitalism, driven by mutually beneficial relationships between you and the employees, customers, suppliers, and communities your company relies on to prosper. This is the power of capitalism.”

Fink states his belief clearly in the last paragraph:

“…it is more important than ever that your company and its management be guided by its purpose. If you stay true to your company's purpose and focus on the long term, while adapting to this new world around us, you will deliver durable returns for shareholders and help realize the power of capitalism for all.”

The letter illustrates persuasive communication, focusing not on emotional appeal but logical arguments. For his audience, which he defines at the beginning as CEOs, he encourages a commitment to purpose—for leaders to let stakeholders “know where we stand on the societal issues intrinsic to our companies’ long-term success.” He writes “long-term” 18 times in the letter, using repetition to drive the point home. Fink illustrates a few leadership character dimensions, for example, authenticity, integrity, and courage.

Strong Tone in Activist Investor Letters

Two recent letters illustrate strong language in persuasive messages to boards of directors:

• Blackwells, which owns less than 5% of Peloton, is calling for the board to remove CEO John Foley and to sell the company. A Fortune article provides background, but the letter, as are most activist investor letters, is quite explicit. Jason Aintabi, chief investment officer for Blackwells, cites “multiple leadership failures,” blaming Foley for the company’s decline. With strong language throughout, Aintabi ends the letter with a pun intended, “The ride for Mr. Foley is over. This Board must now independently chart a new path for Peloton.”

• Engine Capital wants the Kohl’s board of directors to evaluate the ecommerce business separately and to consider selling the company. The letter comes after a Starboard Value bid to buy the company. The tone of this letter is just as strong as the Blackwells letter about Peloton, but it’s less personal about the CEO. Still, Engine implores the board, “As we will show, there is no excuse for the Board to cling to the status quo.”

Both letters are good examples of tone in context. Of course, investors are not required to be so blatant, but the language is typical—and likely expected—for such demands to be considered credible and to be taken seriously.

Apology for Meatloaf Recipe

The folks at Weber Grill didn’t realize that singer Meat Loaf died on the day they published a meatloaf recipe. Had the company used the rock star’s death as a way to promote its products, that would have been in poor taste, but the email with a BBQ recipe was an unfortunate coincidence.

After some predicable backlash, the company quickly apologized for the mistake. Fortunately, just as the initial email made the rounds, so did the company’s apology.

The apology is simple and works well. The company didn’t need to apologize for insensitivity because the mistake was unintentional. In these situations, customers typically are more forgiving, and in this case, demonstrating compassion and humility was enough.

Peloton CEO Addresses Difficult Times

Peloton was hot during the pandemic, barely keeping up with demand for bikes and treads. But sales have tumbled as consumers became more price sensitive and competition increased. The Sex in the City HBO reboot, And Just Like That, and Billions Season 6 episode didn’t help when they killed off lead characters during or after a vigorous workout on a Peloton bike. Company shares tumbled 76% in 2021.

CNBC reported that Peloton is pausing production, but Co-Founder and CEO John Foley denies the claim. In a statement (posted on the website as a “note” sent internally), Foley criticizes an internal leak and subsequent “speculative articles.” His tone is firm when he writes about legal action against the “leaker,” a warning to other employees. Trying to get ahead of more bad news, Foley admits that layoffs are possible, while complimenting the team. He chooses positive data to present: the number of users, workouts, and churn rate. He doesn’t include negative data about revenue or stock price.

The note is part defense and part cheerleader, as Foley props up employees—and the company—against a turbulent time in the company’s history. He demonstrates some integrity, humility, and vulnerability, but his leadership will continue to be taxed in the weeks ahead.

Foley’s full message follows (with the giant logo as it appears on the website):

We have always done our best to share news with you all first, before sharing with the public. This week, we’ve experienced leaks containing confidential information that have led to a flurry of speculative articles in the press. The information the media has obtained is incomplete, out of context, and not reflective of Peloton’s strategy. It has saddened me to know you read these things without the clarity and context that you deserve. Before I go on, I want all of you to know that we have identified a leaker, and we are moving forward with the appropriate legal action. But moving forward, I want to take a moment to talk about some of the changes with you directly.

As a public company that is in a pre-earnings “Quiet Period”, we are limited in what information we can share. However, we issued a pre-earnings press release earlier this evening about our preliminary Q2 results, in order to offer an initial and more accurate picture of our business performance.

As you have heard me and other leaders say over the past few months, we are continuing to invest in our growth, but we also need to review our cost structure to ensure we set ourselves up for continued success, while never losing sight of the important role we play in helping our 6.2+ million Members lead healthier, happier lives.

What this means for our team right now

In the past, we’ve said layoffs would be the absolute last lever we would ever hope to pull. However, we now need to evaluate our organization structure and size of our team, with the utmost care and compassion. And we are still in the process of considering all options as part of our efforts to make our business more flexible.

This team is made up of some of the smartest, most passionate, hard-working and KIND people I have ever met. You have each painted your masterpiece at Peloton in your own way, and your contributions matter. They always have, and they always will.

I am SO proud of everything we have accomplished together, and it pains me we are faced with these tough decisions. I know this is difficult, and I want to thank you for your patience as we work through these times together.

Rumors that we are halting all production of bikes and Treads are false

Notably, we’ve found ourselves in the middle of a once-in-a-hundred year event with the COVID-19 pandemic, and what we anticipated would happen over the course of three years happened in months during 2020, and into 2021.

We worked quickly and diligently to meet the demand head-on at a time when the world really needed us, in large part thanks to how hard you worked every day. We feel good about right-sizing our production, and, as we evolve to more seasonal demand curves, we are resetting our production levels for sustainable growth.

Connected Fitness is here to stay

This past quarter, our churn rate was 0.79%. This means that our Members are sticking with us, again thanks to your brilliance and continued innovation. Connected fitness provides the convenience people need to stay active and centered and will continue to be a key part of the future of fitness. In fact, just a few days ago, we recorded our highest ever number of daily workouts -- over 2.9M workouts.

I want to acknowledge that this does not answer all of the questions I am sure many of you have right now. But, I did want to share what we could at this time.

I know there is a lot of noise and anxiety in our environment right now, which is why I wanted to take this moment to provide some additional context for you all as we navigate the next few weeks together.

John

Activision Acquisition Announcements Omit Information

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision significantly boosts the company’s prospects in the gaming space. In a statement, Microsoft said, “This acquisition will accelerate the growth in Microsoft’s gaming business across mobile, PC, console and cloud and will provide building blocks for the metaverse.” Games under assets now include millions of players of “Warcraft,” “Candy Crush,” “Call of Duty,” and others.

As expected, Microsoft’s announcement doesn’t include bad news about Activision—reported just the day before the acquisition. Rampant sexual harassment allegations resulted in more than three dozen terminated and another 40 disciplined employees. The day after the acquisition, the Wall Street Journal reported, “Activision Blizzard’s Workplace Problems Spurred $75 Billion Microsoft Deal.” Similarly, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick’s email to employees fails to mention that the company may have been in trouble before the agreement.

As usual, what is not said is often as important as what is said. Both messages announce good news and omit the bad news. This story illustrates that positive business messages are also persuasive messages.

British PM Responds to Criticism

During the height of 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns in England, Prime Minister Boris Johnson hosted a party. An email (below) from his private secretary invited more than 100 staff members to "bring your own booze!" to the lawn party held at Johnson’s residence. Between 30 and 40 people gathered, despite restrictions until a week and a half later, when only six people were allowed to gather. This wasn’t the only party: another was held in December during lockdowns.

A video of the House of Commons shows political leaders criticizing Johnson; some are calling for his resignation. Johnson says he considered the party a work event. The culture of this setting is so different from U.S. government meetings, where it would be inappropriate to respond to speeches.

Here is Johnson’s response to the criticism. He uses several persuasive tactics: apologizing (with a British “s”), empathizing, and taking responsibility. He tries to demonstrate several character dimensions: compassion, humility, and accountability, particularly. We’ll see what happens next.

I want to apologise. I know that millions of people across this country have made extraordinary sacrifices over the last 18 months.

I know the anguish they have been through—unable to mourn their relatives, unable to live their lives as they want or to do the things they love.

I know the rage they feel with me and with the government I lead when they think in Downing Street itself the rules are not being properly followed by the people who make the rules.

And though I cannot anticipate the conclusions of the current inquiry, I have learned enough to know there were things we simply did not get right and I must take responsibility.

No 10 is a big department with a garden as an extension of the office which has been in constant use because of the role of fresh air in stopping the virus.

When I went into that garden just after six on 20 May 2020, to thank groups of staff before going back into my office 25 minutes later to continue working, I believed implicitly that this was a work event.

With hindsight I should have sent everyone back inside. I should have found some other way to thank them.

I should have recognised that even if it could be said technically to fall within the guidance, there are millions and millions of people who simply would not see it that way, people who have suffered terribly, people who were forbidden from meeting loved ones at all inside or outside, and to them and to this house I offer my heartfelt apologies.

All I ask is that Sue Gray be allowed to complete her inquiry into that day and several others so that the full facts can be established.

Quotes from the Elizabeth Holmes Trial

A jury found Elizabeth Holmes guilty of four of 11 charges related to her start-up, Theranos. The jury was convinced that she defrauded several investors who bought into her blood-testing company, but they were not convinced that she defrauded patients.

A Wall Street Journal article, “The Elizabeth Holmes Trial: The 10 Most Quotable Moments,” reveals persuasive language used throughout the trial. Despite valiant arguments on both sides, jurors had a difficult time deciding this trial. They couldn’t agree on three of the 11 counts, causing the trial judge to instruct the group to try harder to reach agreement, but in the end, they did not.

A few of the quotes demonstrate Holmes’ persuasive communication skills. Jim Mattis, former U.S. defense secretary, Theranos board member, and four-star general, said, “There just came a point when I didn’t know what to believe about Theranos anymore.” The CEO of Safeway noted, “When she presented to our board, when she was talking, she owned the room.”

Holmes, however, didn’t own the courtroom. Two of her quotes are included in the list: “I wanted to convey the impact the company could make for people and for healthcare” and “He impacted everything about who I was, and I don’t fully understand that.” She tried to explain her passion for the company and the abuse she suffered from her former deputy and partner. She will get another chance to convince jurors when she likely appeals the decision.

A Good Apology

Sorry Watch assessors gave rave reviews to an apology from DisCon III, a science fiction convention. Sorry Watch identifies the following criteria for a good apology:

1. Use the word “sorry” or “apologize.”

2. Name the offense. (Not “what happened.”)

3. Take responsibility.

4. Show you understand the impact.

5. How will you ensure this doesn’t recur?

6. Make amends.

These suggestions align with academic research on apologies described in Chapter 7 of Business Communication and Character. (For example, see Roy J. Lewicki, Beth Polin, and Robert B. Lount Jr., "An Exploration of the Structure of Effective Apologies," Negotiation and Conflict Management Research 9 (2016): pp. 177–196).

DisCon accepted sponsorship from Raytheon, a defense contractor, and not everyone agreed with the choice. In addition to conference organizers, award recipients, who were unaware of the sponsorship, suffered harsh criticism.

The conference chair stepped up, describing what happened, acknowledging the impact, taking responsibility, and identifying future actions. Other than apologizing, amends or reparations are difficult to imagine in this situation. Mary Robinette Kowal did what she could and demonstrated several character dimensions, for example, accountability, humility, vulnerability, compassion, and courage.

---

I am Mary Robinette Kowal, and I was the chair for DisCon III. I take full responsibility for accepting Raytheon Intelligence and Space as a sponsor, and I apologize for doing so.

The decision tree that led us to this point is filled with branches that sound like excuses for my own culpability. At the root of it is simply that in accepting funding from Raytheon Intelligence and Space and partnering with them for the members’ red carpet event, I was wrong.

That choice has caused harm and damage to people: the finalists, who were unaware; the people in our communities; the members and staff of Worldcon, who trusted me to make good choices.

I am sorry that I let you all down.

DisCon III is making an anonymous contribution to an organization dedicated to peace, equal to the amount we received from Raytheon. I am also personally contributing to the same organization.

The delay in responding added to the distress that we caused. For this, I ask your forgiveness. We needed to have conversations that were slowed by post-convention travel.

For the past several days, we have read your comments in email and on social media. Thank you for sharing them with us and trusting that you would be heard and taken seriously. Your honesty and sincerity are what make our community a better place.

Future conrunners can avoid our mistakes by:

• Developing a sponsorship policy for your organization that reflects the values and concerns of our community.

• Creating a robust plan for doing due diligence on potential sponsors.

• Creating a mission and value statement against which to measure actions.

We did none of those. Our Code of Conduct says that DisCon III aims to build an inclusive community for all fans. This sponsorship did not achieve that goal.

I cannot erase the harm that my actions caused. This happened on my watch. It is my fault, and I am deeply sorry for the pain I caused.

Signed,

Mary Robinette Kowal

Persuading People to Get Vaccinated

Physicians at Harvard Medical College weigh in on what does not—and what might—encourage people to get a coronavirus vaccine. In a New York Times opinion letter, they write, “providing more, frightening information intended to change their beliefs is ineffective for many or may even cause further entrenchment against vaccination.” In other words, data, or a logical argument, doesn’t work.

They consider a recent study about the Human Papillomavirus Vaccination (HPV). Surprisingly, women who had cervical cancer were no more likely to get their children vaccinated, and women who had a cancer “scare” were only slightly more likely than those who didn’t have cancer to get their children vaccinated.

From this study, the authors conclude that knowing someone who had COVID-19 or hearing stories about people who had the disease won’t convince people to get vaccinated. Although the doctors refer to this as “more information,” I would consider this an emotional appeal, depending on how “stories” are described.

Regardless, the authors suggest relying on methods that seem to work: negative incentives. Offering lottery tickets and other types of payments hasn’t influenced large numbers of people. Only threats—for example, if you don’t get vaccinated, you can’t come to work (a type of incentive) may be the best approach for now.

In his book Think Again, Adam Grant has other ideas, but they require more time and personal relationships—asking questions and giving people a choice.

Ask for Help in Rich Media Channels for Better Results

New research confirms what you might already think: you are most likely to get the results you want when you ask someone in person.

Experiments indicate that people are more compliant when communication takes place over richer media channels. Requests made face-to-face are most likely to be fulfilled. Second best is Zoom and then phone calls. Email and text requests are least effective. Survey participants thought richer channels would be more effective, but they underestimated the differences.

Cornell University researcher Vanessa Bohns sums up the results:

“We tend to think people will weigh the costs and benefits and make a measured decision about whether to agree to something, saying ‘yes’ only if they really want to. But in fact, people agree to all sorts of things, even things they’d rather not do, because they feel bad saying ‘no’ in the moment.”

Of course, this raises issues of integrity. Taking advantage of people who feel uncomfortable refusing a request will damage trust and credibility over time.

Peloton Addresses Death (Spoiler Alert)

Sex in the City spoiler alert: Mr. Big dies after a vigorous workout on a Peloton bike. The first episode of the HBO reunion show, “And Just Like That,” has Carrie Bradshaw’s husband sweating with “Allegra,” played by real-life Peloton instructor Jess King.

Company leaders were as surprised as viewers. A spokesperson said they approved King’s role and supplied a bike but had no idea how the scene ended. In a statement, an on-staff cardiologist blamed Mr. Big—a convenient, now deceased fictional character:

"I'm sure SATC fans, like me, are saddened by the news that Mr. Big dies of a heart attack. Mr. Big lived what many would call an extravagant lifestyle—including cocktails, cigars, and big steaks—and was at serious risk as he had a previous cardiac event in Season 6. These lifestyle choices and perhaps even his family history, which often is a significant factor, were the likely cause of his death. Riding his Peloton Bike may have even helped delay his cardiac event."

HBO declined to comment on the situation, and Peloton will be more careful about product placements in the future. Vulture called the episode “the worst Peloton ad ever.” After the episode aired, shares fell 11%, further challenging a company struggling with declining sales and product recalls.

Update: Although Peloton may have grounds for a lawsuit, so far, the company is taking a different approach. In a parody ad produced within just a few days, Peloton hired Mr. Big actor Chris Noth to play the character, alive and flirting with the instructor. A voiceover reminds viewers of the benefits of cycling.

CVS Statement on Jury Decision

A jury found that Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS contributed to the opioid crisis and will have to pay damages to Ohio counties. Plaintiffs argued that, as a New York Times article explains, pharmacists are “gatekeepers who have a duty to question suspicious prescriptions.”

The drug stores will likely appeal, and CVS published a statement disputing the decision:

We strongly disagree with the decision. Pharmacists fill legal prescriptions written by DEA-licensed doctors who prescribe legal, FDA-approved substances to treat actual patients in need. 

We’re proud of the substantial work we’ve done to support our pharmacists in detecting illegitimate prescribing. But the simple facts are that opioid prescriptions are written by doctors, not pharmacists; opioid medications are made and marketed by manufacturers, not pharmacists; and our health care system depends on pharmacists to fill legitimate prescriptions that doctors deem necessary for their patients. We look forward to the appeals court review of this case, including the misapplication of public nuisance law.

As plaintiffs’ own experts testified, many factors have contributed to the opioid abuse issue, and solving this problem will require involvement from all stakeholders in our health care system and all members of our community.

CVS uses a classic crisis-communication strategy to deflect blame: zoom out and look at the entire system. True, the opioid crisis is complex, but this jury found that pharmacists are part of the problem and should be held accountable.

Jack in the Box Statement: More Well Wishes

Restaurant workers across the country are demanding higher wages and better working conditions, and Jack in the Box is one targeted group. In California, unions are lobbying for The Fast Recovery Act, which would hold corporate offices accountable if franchisees don’t comply with regulations. Today, that responsibility lies with individual stores, making it more difficult for employees to get mandatory Covid 19 protections and sick pay.

A local Jack in the Box didn’t response to a PBS NewsHour request for comment, but the corporate office sent a statement. I see the message only on the video (at 4:33), so here’s a blurry image. Note the much-maligned “hope you are well”—two variations. The first, in slightly larger font, looks like part of a template that wasn’t deleted. In this case, both are superfluous and insincere—like announcing the author’s name, which is at the bottom of the note, and the rest of the statement, in my opinion.

Nothing in the message acknowledges problems or provides plans to improve the situation. It’s defensive and does not inspire confidence in the brand. I see a lack of accountability and willingness to be vulnerable and learn from failure.

Skewed Chart Example

Dopesick on Hulu includes a great example of a compressed chart scale. The show is about the opioid crisis and features the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma’s role in convincing doctors that OxyContin is not addictive. To prove the point, Purdue shared this graph, showing that the “time release” capsules don’t cause mood spikes (“fewer peaks and valleys”). The trouble, as business communication students can observe, is the Y axis.

In Episode 6 (around 21 minutes), we hear the explanation: “But see what Purdue did? They dramatically compressed the scale.” On the chart, we see that 30 looks to be the midpoint. They used a logarithmic instead of a linear scale to homogenize or “smooth out” the data. (Here’s a good explanation of logarithmic scales.)

In the show, an FDA official says they instructed Purdue Pharma not to use the chart, but the company did anyway. Of course, I’m not sure what happened, exactly, and I didn’t get the court filings to verify the chart.

The show offers many other examples of the company’s persuasive communications and the tragic effect on people’s lives. For more research about Purdue’s misleading communications, see this LA Times article. Also read a fascinating trove of Purdue emails here.

Facebook Becomes “Meta”

In the midst of controversy after internal documents were made public, Facebook is trying to reinvent itself with a new name: Meta. The company promises that “the metaverse will be social. 3D spaces in the metaverse will let you socialize, learn, collaborate and play in ways that go beyond what we can imagine.” After staying behind the scenes for the past few weeks, as the press cited internal strife as evidence of the company’s wrongdoing, Facebook’s CEO and Founder Mark Zuckerberg is out in front.

In a 1 hour and 17 minute video, Zuckerberg focuses on the “immersive experience” we’ll enjoy in the future. He emphasizes connection, which has been the company vision since around 2017.

Perhaps in a nod to the ongoing criticism of apps’ negative influence and relentless draw through algorithms, Zuckerberg says, “This isn’t about spending more time on screens. It’s about making that time we already spend better.” Of course, some of us still want to spend less time and want the same for our children. Zuckerberg also acknowledged, “The last few years have been humbling for me and my company in a lot of ways.”

Reactions to the name change are mixed but seem mostly skeptical. A Washington Post article points to a tweet: “Don’t forget that when Phillip Morris changed it’s name to Altria it was still selling cigarettes that caused cancer.”

Zuckerberg’s video is a good example of a scripted presentation with a (somewhat) conversational style. As he moves about, we see, as the Post describes, “a dizzying array of scenes that showcased the company’s vision for the metaverse. It included Zuckerberg doing his favorite water sport, hydrofoiling, with friends in a virtual environment, and then jumping into work meetings from a virtual home office, boxing with virtual avatars and working out on a virtual lily pad.” All this certainly would make me spend more time online and give me more reasons to never leave my house.

Business communication students can also analyze Zuckerberg’s “letter,” referring to a formal public message—not, of course, something mailed. I would say the same for the “keynote,” which is unlike any I’ve ever seen.