Comparing Company Messages About Masks in Stores

Several companies have implemented policies for customers to wear masks in their stores during the pandemic.

Here are a few of these messages to compare. For some, the requirement is hard to find; search for “face” or “facial.”

• Best Buy

• Costco

• Starbucks

• Apple

• Walmart

• BJ’s

• Home Depot

Image source.

Discussion:

• What are the communication objectives of these statements? Who are the primary and secondary audiences?

• In what ways are these messages similar and different? How do you explain the differences? Consider customer demographics, locations, products/services, etc.

• Which do you consider most and least effective and why?

• In addition to the Starbucks tweet here, find other social media company posts about customers wearing face coverings. Apply the same questions to these posts.

Analyzing the NFL's Apology

Years after NFL players “took a knee” to protest police brutality and other discrimination against Black people, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell apologized “for not listening to NFL players earlier.” On June 5, less than two weeks after a police officer murdered George Floyd, Goodell posted a video to express his regret in handling player protests.

The response came on the heels of a video of Black NFL players saying, “What if I was George Floyd?” and asking the league to listen to its players.

Goodell’s video was introduced on NFL’s Twitter account with this statement:

“We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter.”

Skeptics wonder what will change in the league. Jim Litke, an Associated Press sports writer notes the lack of diversity within the NFL: “Three-quarters of the players are people of color, but just four head coaches, two general managers, and one owner, Shad Khan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, are.” Litke also points to Goodell’s shaky record of handling other “big issues,” like player concussions and domestic violence.

To that last point, this isn’t the first time Goodell apologized publicly. With a different delivery style, in a 2014 video, he said, “I got it wrong” after four players were temporarily benched for domestic violence incidents.

Discussion:

• Analyze Goodell’s video message: primary and secondary audiences, communication objectives, content, organization, etc.

• Compare this video to Goodell’s 2014 video. What differences do you notice in the delivery style? How do you explain Goodell’s strategic choices?

• What’s your view of the latest apology: genuine, placating, or something else?

• On face value, what leadership character dimensions does Goodell demonstrate? Which dimensions could Goodell display more strongly or directly?

Facebook Responds to Employee Protests

Facebook is in a bind after Twitter’s decision to post qualifiers above President Trump’s recent tweets. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made his position clear—Facebook won’t censor the president’s or others’ posts—but his employees are protesting the decision.

On his Facebook page, Zuckerberg posted his response, including his difficult decision:

“I've been struggling with how to respond to the President's tweets and posts all day. Personally, I have a visceral negative reaction to this kind of divisive and inflammatory rhetoric. This moment calls for unity and calmness, and we need empathy for the people and communities who are hurting. We need to come together as a country to pursue justice and break this cycle.

“But I'm responsible for reacting not just in my personal capacity but as the leader of an institution committed to free expression. I know many people are upset that we've left the President's posts up, but our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies.”

Separately, Zuckerberg acknowledged employees’ right to disagree:

"We recognize the pain many of our people are feeling right now, especially our Black community. We encourage employees to speak openly when they disagree with leadership. As we face additional difficult decisions around content ahead, we'll continue seeking their honest feedback.”

Image source.

Discussion:

• What are the arguments for and against Zuckerberg changing his position because of employee protests?

• How well is Zuckerberg communicating during this time. Read posts about the pandemic, remote work, the killing of George Floyd, etc.

Colleges React to Racist Posts

George Floyd’s killing has sparked protests around the world as well as backlash. A Chronicle of Higher Education article describes a few colleges acting quickly—within one day—after seeing a current or an admitted student’s racist post.

In a statement, The University of Denver condemned racist posts and announced, “The University has rescinded the student’s admission offer and they will not be attending DU.”

Some pubic universities, such as Missouri State, have published statements but are not expelling students or rescinding admission offers. President Clif Smart explains the university’s stance in a blog post.

Image source.

Discussion:

• Should universities expel students or rescind offers after finding racist posts? If so, under what circumstances?

• Should students know better—both morally and practically—than to post racist comments, memes, videos, etc.?

• Analyze and compare the two university statements. Who are the primary and secondary audiences? How well does each convey the main points, balancing various audience needs?

Facebook's Position on Twitter's Labeling

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg weighed in on Twitter’s decision to fact-check and label some of President Trump’s tweets. In response to protests after the death of George Floyd, one tweet promised “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Twitter hid the tweet with a note that it “violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence.”

Another tweet claimed that “mail-in voting will lead to massive fraud and abuse,” and Twitter posted a warning to “get the facts.” Until now, Twitter had not enforced its policies for the president’s tweets.

Facebook is taking a different tack. CEO Mark Zuckerberg described the company’s position:

"I believe strongly that Facebook shouldn't be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online. I think in general, private companies shouldn't be, especially these platform companies, shouldn't be in the position of doing that."

The Wall Street Journal editorial board defended Zuckerberg’s decision: “We wish Facebook would take a lighter touch when it comes to political speech overall.”

Image source.

Discussion:

• What’s your view of Twitter’s actions? Why do you think the company began labeling President Trump’s tweets now?

• Should Facebook follow suit? How might each company’s mission play a role in its actions?

COVID-19 Crisis Communication for Reopening the U.S.

What comes after we “flatten the curve” of COVID cases? New York Times opinion writer Charlie Warzel warns that, without a clear communication strategy for what’s next, people will distrust leaders.

Warzel cites six communication guidelines from the report of a working group at The University of Minnesota, The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRP).:

• Don’t Over Reassure.

• Proclaim Uncertainty

• Validate Emotions—Your Audience’s and Your Own

• Give People Things to Do

• Admit and Apologize for Errors

• Share Dilemma

Discussion:

• How should U.S. officials communicate now? What do they need to accomplish, and how well are our current leaders meeting the challenge? In other words, do you agree with Warzel that our leaders are falling short?

• Read the entire report. What other principles does the group recommend?

• Analyze the report: the audiences, objectives, writing style, organization, and so on. What are the strengths, and how could it be improved?

Airbnb Layoff Message

Airbnb Co-Founder and CEO Brian Chesky wrote to employees to announce layoffs. Ask we see more and more, the company posted the message publicly on its blog, knowing it would likely go viral anyway.

In his message, Chesky announces the decision to lay off about 25% of the workforce as part of their more targeted business strategy. Airbnb is reducing investments in some services to focus on its core business.

Although he sends a mass email, Chesky tailors the last part to different groups:

To those of you staying, 

One of the most important ways we can honor those who are leaving is for them to know that their contributions mattered, and that they will always be part of Airbnb’s story. I am confident their work will live on, just like this mission will live on.

To those leaving Airbnb, 

I am truly sorry. Please know this is not your fault. The world will never stop seeking the qualities and talents that you brought to Airbnb…that helped make Airbnb. I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for sharing them with us.

Brian

Image source.

Discussion:

• What’s your view of the message? Consider the audiences and objective.

• It’s quite long. Is it too long or just right?

• I wish that people who were staying in their current role could get a message too. It’s unclear whether that’s planned—only that they “will not receive a calendar invite.” Your thoughts?

United Airlines Message

The COVID-19 messages keep coming from airlines and other companies. Here’s one from United Airlines, encouraging us to fly by offering flexibility and promising cleanliness.

Dear Amy,

As we all adjust to this new normal, my thoughts are with you and your families and I hope you're staying safe and healthy. The last several weeks have been emotional and trying for all of us, but I continue to be inspired by the goodness in people and the genuine acts of kindness, large and small, that I see every day. These gestures of warmth, strength and caring give me the confidence that in time, we will emerge more United Together than ever before.

It's in that spirit that I wanted to share with you some good news about what the 100,000 family members of United Airlines have been doing for you as we tackle the biggest and most disruptive crisis we've faced in our 94‑year history.

Good news as you're making travel plans

Life is unpredictable in lots of ways right now. We know many of you started the year planning to fly with us to visit family, go to a game or concert, attend a trade show or just get away. And you might be feeling anxious about what to do about your upcoming travel plans. That's why we've waived the fees to change or cancel any trip with us through the end of 2020, including travel that was already planned as well as trips that you're hoping to take in the future. Every customer now has until May 31 to make changes to current reservations or book new flights that can be changed or canceled without a fee, and you'll be able to reschedule your trip for anytime in the next 12 months. So take the next few weeks and do what's best for you, your family and your work.

Good news for when you choose to fly

Safety has always been our top priority, and because of that, the social distancing and cleaning procedures that have become a way of life for all of us are now staples of the way we run our airline. When you're ready to fly, you'll see that a lot has changed at the airport and on board our aircraft. We're boarding fewer customers at a time and starting from the back of the plane to avoid crowding in the gate area, on the jet bridge and in the aisle. We're automatically blocking middle seats to give you enough space on board, requiring all our employees on board, including our flight attendants, to wear masks and, in early May, making masks available to our customers. Of course, these measures are in addition to our state‑of‑the‑art sanitization procedures like cleaning our aircraft with electrostatic sprayers, and extra precautions like taking our employees' temperatures before they start work to protect the well‑being of our customers and colleagues. Find a complete overview of what's changed at United to adapt to this new normal.

Good news for our communities

While we wait to welcome you back, we've been using our time and resources to do our part and support those on the frontlines of this crisis as well as the millions of families who have been affected by the most dramatic disruption of the labor market since the Great Depression. Leveraging the full power of our airline to do the right thing, we've flown more than 1,000 medical volunteers for free; donated 170,000 pounds of food; and used our fleet to get close to 20,000 stranded people home and medical supplies to the places that need them most. Here are just a few examples of how we're contributing in the fight against COVID‑19: 

I'll end where I started: I hope you and your family continue to be well. This crisis has revealed a great deal about who we are as people and I'm moved by your continued resilience and resolve. We look forward to welcoming you the next time you take to the friendly skies.

Stay safe and be well,

Toby Enqvist
Chief Customer Officer
United Airlines

Discussion:

• What principles of business communication does the United message follow? What could be improved?

• How does this message compare to others you received recently?

• After reading the Morning Consult report about messaging during COVID-19, what recommendations would you make to United?

Lysol Disputes Claims of Cure

During his press conference, President Trump questioned whether disinfectants could be used internally to fight the new coronavirus:

“I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside, or almost a cleaning? Because you see it gets inside the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that.”

The president later said, “I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen.” But Lysol executives are concerned that people may take the idea seriously and try to treat themselves. Reckitt Benckiser, which makes Lysol products, issued a statement, “Improper Use of Disinfectants.”

Lysol image source.

Discussion:

• Watch the president’s comment during the press conference. What’s your view of his speculation?

• Analyze the Lysol maker’s response. What works well, and what could be improved? What is appropriate or inappropriate for a brand’s parent to dispute the president’s claim in this way?

Employees Seek Better Benefits from Applebee's and IHOP

Employees of Applebee’s and IHOP are asking for better benefits from the restaurants’ parent company, Dine Brands.

The group’s website, Applebeesisrotten, paints a dire picture of the impact of the pandemic on restaurant workers and asks people to sign their petition for “comprehensive paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, and income relief to all works.”

A tweet posted on April 22 indicates that company executives haven’t responded to the group’s demands.

Discussion:

• Analyze the group’s use of persuasive strategies on the website. How well do they balance logic, emotion, and credibility? What suggestions for improvement would you offer?

• The petition shows less than 7,000 signatures as of today. What, if any, effect might this have on the executives’ response.

• Should the executives respond? If so, how?

Message from Zoom CEO

People who never heard of Zoom are now relying on the company to provide flawless service, but of course we experience problems. In a blog post, CEO Eric Yuan describes how Zoom use has “ballooned overnight” and what the company has done to meet demand and improve the service.

Yuan also expresses gratitude to Zoom users at the end of the post, demonstrating business communication principles and leadership character:

Transparency has always been a core part of our culture. I am committed to being open and honest with you about areas where we are strengthening our platform and areas where users can take steps of their own to best use and protect themselves on the platform. 

We welcome your continued questions and encourage you to provide us with feedback – our chief concern, now and always, is making users happy and ensuring that the safety, privacy, and security of our platform is worthy of the trust you all have put in us.

Together, let’s build something that can truly make the world a better place!

Yuan image source.

Discussion:

• Analyze the blog post: audiences, communication objectives, organizational structure, writing style, etc.

• What business communication principles does the blog post illustrate? What improvements would you suggest?

• What leadership character dimensions are illustrated in this example?

Luckin COO Fabricated Sales Data

Luckin’ Coffee, China’s largest coffee chain, is suffering the consequences of publishing false sales numbers. Ernst & Young discovered the misconduct, which took place in 2019, during an audit, concluding that “management personnel engaged in fabricated transactions which led to the inflation of the Company’s income, costs and expenses.” An investigation blames the chief operating officer and others.

A report details “the fraud and the fundamentally broken business,” including “smoking gun” evidence and “red flags.” The anonymous authors compare video recordings of store foot traffic to reported sales.

In response to the news, Luckin’s stock declined between 75 and 80%. Starting in February, when the anonymous report was made public, the company has been posting notices about the situation on its website.

Discussion:

• Analyze the anonymous report, including the audiences, objectives, organization, writing style, etc. What works well, and how would suggest that the writer improve the report?

• How well did the company address concerns? Begin with the first response in February.

• What leadership character dimensions does this situation illustrate?

WHO Official Bungles Interview

World Health Organization (WHO) senior adviser Bruce Alyward wanted to avoid a reporter’s question about Taiwan becoming a member of the organization. A video of the interview shows an awkward exchange, with Alyward remaining silent (but we still see him moving and hear sounds), saying “Sorry, I couldn’t hear your question,” asking the reporter to move onto another question, and then, finally, ending the call. During a follow-up call, Alyward refers to China and then abruptly ends the call.

Taiwan has had good success in controlling COVID-19, and the government claims to have warned the WHO back in December 2019 about the contagion.

As of today, Alyward’s name is removed from WHO’s website listing advisers to the organization.

Discussion:

• What is a better way for Alyward to have handled the reporter’s question?

• Why do you think the WHO ignored warnings from the Taiwanese government?

Marriott CEO Demonstrates Authenticity

A Forbes article calls him an “authentic leader” and applauds his video about the business. Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson begins by talking about his appearance: he is undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Sorenson gives the bad news directly: the company hit from COVID-19 is worse than the impact from 9/11 and the 2009 financial recession combined. He compares the worst quarter in the company’s history—about a 25% revenue decline—to the almost immediate 90% decline today.

Towards the end of the video, Sorenson is visibly emotional as he talks about employees losing their jobs.

Discussion:

• What principles of delivering bad news does Sorensen use in the video?

• How well does Sorenson balance emotional appeal, logic, and credibility in this message?

• In addition to authenticity, what other leadership character dimensions does Sorenson demonstrate?

Starbucks Communication

The Starbucks website has been updated regularly with news about the company’s response to COVID-19. Near the top of the page is a link to “At-a-glance: What customers need to know about Starbucks response to COVID-19.”

The big news is that stores will offer only drive-thru service for the next two weeks. In a letter to Starbucks partners (employees), the company promised 30 days of pay whether they work or not.

Discussion:

• Analyze both the public website and the letter to partners. Describe the audiences and communication objectives of each.

• What organizational structure is used for these bad-news messages?

• What does Starbucks do well in its communications? How can communications be improved?

• How well does the company balance emotional appeal and logical arguments?

• In this post, you see “Starbucks response” on the company’s website and “Starbucks partners” in my text. Neither has an apostrophe. Is that correct?

Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong

Two students sent me Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s news conference as a positive example. I can see why: he gives a model speech, balancing emotional appeal and straight talk. He is proud of Singapore’s response, and yet he is honest about the challenges ahead. The PM also gives examples from other countries and the lessons learned.

Discussion:

• What are the strengths of the Prime Minister’s speech?

• Assess his delivery skills.

• How have leaders in other countries followed this example—or how have they fell short?

• Which leadership character dimensions does the PM demonstrate in his speech?

Comparing Airlines Messages About COVID-19

Transportation companies would like to see more people travel, yet people are wary of COVID-19. Compare these emails to travelers:

United Airlines

Allegiant

Delta

American Airlines

Discussion:

• Analyze the messages: audience, communication objectives, organization, writing style, etc.

• In what ways are the messages similar and different? How might the travel mode—airline or bus—affect the communication choices?

• Which messages are most and least effective and why?

• What’s your view of the American Airlines video? How does the media choice affect the message?

CDC Guidelines to Airlines About COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control issued recommendations to airlines and their crews to try to address COVID-19. The web page begins with the purpose:

“This document provides interim recommendations for the commercial airline industry about the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)  first identified in Wuhan, China. CDC reminds air carriers of the requirement under Title 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) section 71.21 to report to CDC ill travelers  who have certain signs and symptoms during flight, and all deaths onboard,  before arrival in the United States. This document also contains recommendations for managing ill travelers onboard if COVID-19 infection is suspected.”

Next is a “Situation summary,” followed by guidelines for handling ill passengers aboard a flight and for cleaning a plane after a flight.

Other sections on the CDC website address “Reporting Death or Illness” and “Managing Ill Passengers/Crew.”

Discussion:

• Who are the primary and secondary audiences for CDC’s website? What are the organization’s communication objectives during the COVID-19 outbreak?

• Review the CDC website from the home page. How easy is it to find information? How clear is the information you do find? In summary, how well does the organization meet its communication objectives? What could be improved?

Disney Names New CEO

After 14 years as CEO, Bob Iger will be replaced by Bob Chapek, who has led the company’s parks and resorts division. The Wall Street Journal reports that insiders didn’t see the change coming.

A press release states that Iger will stay on as executive chairman through 2021. The release includes the typical quotes from the exiting and incoming leaders, and both men are complimentary toward each other and the company. But this release also includes a rather lengthy quote from Susan Arnold, the lead director of the Disney Board. She begins by describing the board’s process:

“The Board has been actively engaged in succession planning for the past several years, and after consideration of internal and external candidates, we unanimously elected Bob Chapek as the next CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “

Image source.

Discussion:

• Analyze the press release: audiences, communication objectives, organization, content, and writing style.

• What are the main points you take away from reading the release?

• Assess the quotes, particularly the ones from Arnold. Why do you think the company is emphasizing certain points?

MLB Players Dispute Response to Cheating Scandal

Several players have criticized how Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred handled the recent cheating scandal. Calling the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing “the biggest scandal in the sport since the steroid era,” an ESPN writer concludes that “fallout continues.”

In an interview, Manfred explained the decision to recall the Astros’ 2017 World Series title and how the first apology didn’t go over very well. Manfred referred to the World Series trophy as a “piece of metal.” Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels spoke against Manfred’s reference:

“For him to devalue it the way he did [Sunday] just tells me how out of touch he is with the players in this game. At this point, the only thing devaluing that trophy is that it says ‘commissioner’ on it.”

Manfred has since apologized:

“In an effort to make a rhetorical point, I referred to the World Series trophy in a disrespectful way, and I want to apologize for that. There’s no excuse for it. I made a mistake. I was trying to make a point, but I should have made it in a more effective way.”

NBA star LeBron James weighed in on Twitter, encouraging the MLB to “listen to your players speaking today about how disgusted, mad, hurt, broken, etc etc about this.” As expected, some appreciated his perspective, while others didn’t.

Manfred image source .

Discussion:

• What’s your view of the controversy? Are you also critical of Manfred’s handling of the situation?

• How well did Manfred handle the criticism of his “piece of metal” comment?

• Should LeBron James have entered the debate, or should he have avoided it, as some suggest? Why or why not?