Aug
15
FedEx Furniture Guy Garners National Attention
Jose, the FedEx Furniture guy, has been making the rounds on national media today. First up was CBN, then HDNet (Mark Cuban’s HDTV network), then CBS, tomorrow ABC and if Jose has time – NBC later this week. (update: CNN Headline News just covered Jose) The conversation is happening. What does FedEx have to say now?
"We want him to take down the site, even though we don’t have a legal right to make him."
Jose made this home movie of the CBS affliate’s interview this afternoon. Looking at the server logs over 150,000 people from across the globe have visited Jose’s FedEx Furniture site (more than 14,000 have visited our stories on Jose). According to the logs, visitors from FedEx, UPS and DHL have visited our stories so we know YOU are listening. Perhaps it is time to start talking. Get ‘in’ the story. Take a risk.
Update: Mixed response among PR mavens:
Steve Rubel says FedEx missed a great opportunity for citizen marketing.
B.L. Ochman dubs the affair a bad PR move.
Jeremy Pepper says we’re kinda nuts — FedEx is doing exactly the right thing.
Allan Jenkins says Jose is just the flavor of the month in an ongoing blogger v. BigCo dynamic. And that we’re kinda nuts.
Folks. Here’s our point: whatever FedEx’s position relative to the marketing value of Jose’s creative work, from a communications standpoint they have let the lawsuit do the talking. A simple post, explaining in a straightforward, human voice, why the existence of FedExFurniture.com was a problem for them would have done wonders to help tamp it down. At least balance out the story people had to tell. As is, it’s little hacker with no furniture v. BigCo and the DMCA. As you PR types know, no one ever roots for the Empire.
I am endlessly fascinated by this story, and proud that Stanford Law School is assisting him (I went there). What I don’t understand is why in the world Fedex would take this approach and try to stop him. It’s the trademark lawyers running corporate strategy and marketing, and not very Web 2.0. I think I’ll stop using Fedex for a month or two to show my unhappiness over their actions.
Comment by TechCrunch — August 16, 2005 @ 11:46 am
I am endlessly fascinated by this story, and proud that Stanford Law School is assisting him (I went there). What I don’t understand is why in the world Fedex would take this approach and try to stop him. It’s the trademark lawyers running corporate strategy and marketing, and not very Web 2.0. I think I’ll stop using Fedex for a month or two to show my unhappiness over their actions.
Comment by TechCrunch — August 16, 2005 @ 11:46 am
This reminds me of the Ellen Degeneres Show from earlier this summer/spring. Jacquzzi(R) started out with a letter to Ellen about her improper use of its name as a generic term for spas, etc. But, it wised up and received some great exposure by working with Ellen.
Too bad FedEx is blowing a golden opportunity.
Think UPS or DHL should jump in?
Mike
Comment by Mike Driehorst — August 16, 2005 @ 2:40 pm
This reminds me of the Ellen Degeneres Show from earlier this summer/spring. Jacquzzi(R) started out with a letter to Ellen about her improper use of its name as a generic term for spas, etc. But, it wised up and received some great exposure by working with Ellen.
Too bad FedEx is blowing a golden opportunity.
Think UPS or DHL should jump in?
Mike
Comment by Mike Driehorst — August 16, 2005 @ 2:40 pm
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Pingback by BALKWITZ.BLOG » Kostenlose Propaganda — August 18, 2005 @ 2:14 am
[...] n Mund-zu-Mund-Propaganda noch nicht wirklich verstanden zu haben. via ConnectedMarketing weitere infos Bis jetzt: noch keine Kommentare. Hinterlas [...]
Pingback by BALKWITZ.BLOG » Kostenlose Propaganda — August 18, 2005 @ 2:14 am
Möbel mal anders
Es gibt einige Möglichkeiten sein eigenes Heim zu verschönern.
Einige werden den bekannten, schwedischen Möbeldiscounter stürmen, andere geben viel Geld aus um sich im renomierten Möbelfachgeschäft einzudecken, andere widerrum verwenden Möbel …
Trackback by Blog 42 — August 18, 2005 @ 7:12 am
Möbel mal anders
Es gibt einige Möglichkeiten sein eigenes Heim zu verschönern.
Einige werden den bekannten, schwedischen Möbeldiscounter stürmen, andere geben viel Geld aus um sich im renomierten Möbelfachgeschäft einzudecken, andere widerrum verwenden Möbel …
Trackback by Blog 42 — August 18, 2005 @ 7:12 am
Think UPS or DHL should jump in?
Comment by depot — August 16, 2007 @ 11:24 pm
Think UPS or DHL should jump in?
Comment by depot — August 16, 2007 @ 11:24 pm