LB's Rambles

Learning from the Debacle

While I was away last week, I missed the debacle at Domino's, where a couple of moronic employees managed single-handedly (OK, double-handedly) to trash overnight the reputation of a brand that has been a respected and trusted name in the food business. Add that to some mishandling of sensitive criticism by Amazon, and you have a really bad week for social marketing.

B.L. Ochman has a very interesting commentary this week on her What'sNextblog as well as in BusinessWeek online which draws "Lessons from the Amazon, Domino's Debacle." It includes some ideas about things that other companies can be doing now to try to begin managing any crisis before it occurs. It's worth your reading time.

Kids, Veggies, and Communication

Now there's an odd trio. But, I think, an appropriate one.

It seems that some kids at a school in Las Vegas decided that the frozen green beans they were being served with school lunches were really awful. So they decided to do something about it.

Instead of organizing a boycott, they worked with their teacher to write what are described as very polite letters to the school lunch lady, asking if she would consider making a change.

And she did. In fact, she set up a series of taste tests, letting the children come in and try a variety of vegetables. The school district says that as a result of those tests, it will make some changes in the vegetables offered to the kids.

So, I would argue, there are a number of valuable lessons here.

First, the kids have good taste. Reheated frozen green beans are...well, let's keep this polite and just say virtually inedible.

Second, the kids were shown that being polite can pay off. I suspect that letters that talked about awful food and threatened boycotts and the like would probably not have been very effective.

And third (and, from this blog's point of view, most important), the kids have learned the value of communication - and how to make their point effectively. And maybe someday, when they are all public relations gurus, they'll remember that they pitched the story to the media - and it worked.

All in all, not a bad day for education!

Don't Leave Home Without It

"It," in this case, being an ID card. According to USA Today (scroll down 2/3 of the way through the article), as of today, Tennessee will require everyone who buys beer in a store to present valid ID, regardless of age.

What will the Tennessee-dwelling Instapundit say?

As for me, I might go down to Tennessee and buy some beer - it's been so long since I was carded, I think it would be a compliment. Come to think of it, I'm not even carded these days when I ask for a senior citizen discount. That really frosts me...