Infinity Ward: you’re doing it all wrong
Publishers and developers would do well to heed the current woes Infinity Ward is enduring with the PC community and take away some learnings from it. Here’s some observations to that effect:
1. Rumour control
When you’re sitting on what many tip to be the biggest game of the year, there’s bound to be plenty of stakeholders with a view on an appropriate comms strategy for the product. But not too many would agree allowing negative rumours to fester and propogate is a good idea.
IW has been reasonably vigilant in this regard up until lately, assiduously “smashing” more prominent rumours before they got traction. Then suddenly they vanished off the earth when rumours specific to the PC version started flying about.
Item 1: A retail catalogue listed the PC version as coming out later than the “global” launch of the game (November 10th). IW’s community manager/creative strategist Robert Bowling gave the distinct impression his hands were tied, communicating via Twitter to tell followers he was waiting on official word. Official word…that the game was still coming out on time? The message only served to cause further speculation until Bowling was able to confirm – 10 days later – the PC version would not be delayed.
Item 2: Bowling issues a interview to a community podcast advising a major inclusion – the IWNET service will be included. He adds dedicated servers – a long time fixture for PC online FPS gamers – will be done away with. Once again the internet starts melting from irate gamers.
This occurred last weekend, and it’s easy to underestimate the effect with which this move affects the PC gaming population. Good crisis management hinges on being able to have a plan and being seen to have a plan. Instead up until a few hours ago there had been no official statement from Infinity Ward nor Activision, no confirmation from IW the comments were actually Bowling’s, and no clarification of their import. The first “close to official” response to the furore came from an alleged direct Twitter message from Bowling to a member of the community saying the petition was being taken seriously.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking about Modern Warfare 2 – as close to a “sure thing” as we have this year, or game which will struggle to pay the bills – allowing damaging speculation and rumour to persist without a prompt, professional response is damaging to your brand, to your product, and to your relationship with the people you profess to have s your customers.
Doubtless there would have been constraints surrounding the flow of information, but that’s what a sound pre-plan is for: to ensure an orderly dissemination of info in such a way that damaging speculation is kept to a minimum.
2. Twitter is good, but it’s not a substitute for *everything*
Infinity Ward’s not a fan of tradition PR, Bowling’s comments made at the time IW founder Grant Collier departed for a special project role at Activision:
“With our Community focused efforts expanding even further in the future, that PR-type position is no longer required at IW, as we’ll be spearheading more tangible, personal means of getting information out to our players…Essentially, this means we plan on doing much less of the traditional PR that ends up being a one way street”
This is well and good – the community manager role now is a critical part of the marketing mix for any game with aspirations of building a lasting online audience. However it needs to be seen working in sync with existing PR efforts – in this case those of Activision.
There’s no denying the efficacy of twitter as an ad-hoc engagement tool for a community manager, but when it starts becoming the official source of record for pivotal announcements or the “go to” channel for official information – that path is fraught with danger.
Which brings us to:
3. Present a unified front
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is manna from heaven for games press looking for a villain. He’s a terrific wartime general – uncompromising, results-oriented, and quotable. His executive persona in his current role suits the current economic climate, while in times of plenty would play havoc with his recruitment department.
However polarising a figure he may be, and as entertaining an idea as it may seem at the time, it’s probably not a great idea to mock the CEO of your corporate owner with a captive media audience, as Infinity Ward did in their MW2 multiplayer hands-on event in Los Angeles.
Along with subsequent (and widely published) quotes from IW founder and co-head Vince Zampella that Activision were very reluctant to embrace the “Modern Warfare” direction Infinity Ward wanted to head in, it paints a picture of discord and distracts focus away from the star of the show – the game.
While disagreements on direction are expected, these are discussions that should be kept internal when you have a monster title being launched in a month or two. Infinity Ward need Activision’s support just as Activision needs the quality product IW will deliver. If there’s a breakdown in trust between the two entities, it should be resolved behind closed doors.
The theme of unity extends to dialogue with media. IW should be vigilant in guarding against irresponsible media coverage which seeks to exploit their product to engage in traffic generating exercises. It doesn’t take much looking to find high profile games outlets trading on the oldest of chestnuts – platform wars – and in doing so causing a greater divide between PC and console camps. The catalyst for this activity currently is comments from Infinity Ward’s representatives, and is a poor move. Fragmenting this market doesn’t do IW or Activision any favours in the long run. Rival’s fortunes may wax and wane, and with PC gamers being notoriously partisan, all it accomplishes is resentment and a resolve to go to the ‘opposition’.
4. Take your customers seriously – know their values and who they are
You can’t embark on a (laudable) endeavour to focus your communications strategy around community and then expect to make unilateral decisions without serious repercussions. The IWNET move by Infinity Ward is the kind that will need community support.
I’m not saying IW is thinking PC owners threats to walk away from the game are hot air, but their rationale for introducing the product is being dissected and torn apart as I type this by countless PC gamers online. Even worse, comments made by Zampella and fellow IW head Jason West essentially palm off the concerns being expressed by the PC community.
The issue at stake is this: for a major new shift to be introduced you need to be able to demonstrate real benefits to the end user. Blizzard is still navigating these treacherous waters with its move to cut out LAN functionalist from StarCraft II – but at least their stated rationale makes sense, even if PC gamers choose to dig their heels in. But Blizzard explained their position, provided the reasoning, and provided effective boundaries for the discussion.
In contrast, Infinity Ward’s stated benefits of their proposed system leave them open to a lot more questioning. Claims have been made which paint the company in a bad light – especially admissions on the level of cheating within the game – but then users are expected to take a leap of faith.
Even more dubious – the charge by one of the founders that the criticism is commercially motivated by some operators. Even if this is true – it suggests IW aren’t taking the concerns of actual gamers seriously because they could be shills.
IW know their audience, yet appear to be ignoring the likely consequences of taking rash action in favour of a predetermined course. Game franchises who trade heavily on community engagement need to be seen to be collaborativeand accountable on major moves within their products. It might be utterly galling if you’re an insider, but if you wish to take the community route and enjoy its benefits, the driving force behind it is trust based on the notion of consultation.
5. Consistency
This is what it all adds up to. Infinity Ward’s dialogue with gamers and media over the past few weeks or so – a critical period – is best described as whimsical and capricious. It’s been stunning to observe it in action, akin to a slow-motion trainwreck.
IW’s free pass and goodwill – the perception that the heavy hand of Activision controlling the message – seems to have been dissolved amongst the cryptic twitter messages and delayed explanations. Perhaps this is the byproduct of trying to control the message too much. I can’t help feeling if IW have been given this much free rein they might as well institute regular, consistent channels of information for everyone – preferably in addition to twitter and blog posts.
Possibly the worst possible outcome of what has transpired to date is for the current damage being dealt to Infinity Ward’s brand from one section of their market to be forgotten when Modern Warfare 2 starts sending sales records tumbling. In that lies the seeds of complacency and a gradual demise.
Rather, IW should embrace the opportunity to learn more about their customer’s values – all of them – and take some PC-specific cues from the likes of Valve and Blizzard (to name two). They should ignore the more vitriolic extremes and instead focus on making sure the silent majority – the masses who read, play but do not comment online – feel their concerns aren’t being ridden over, roughshod. Community engagement does not have to equate to surrending control of your creative vision – but it does require a sound plan and the flexibility to listen to all your stakeholders.
Popularity: 33% [?]
B-ball: places change, players don’t
I’d had an on-again, off-again relationship with basketball over the years. From near-fanatic playing in my early 20s, to a long period where my exploits were restricted to NBA Jam. It didn’t help that I managed to break wrists and ankles (mine) with alarming frequency.
Since moving to Los Angeles however, I’m once again in the saddle. And while you’d think the skill level in a town that houses the NBA champion Lakers – home to such legendary hoops heaven as the Venice Beach courts – would eclipse Australia, you’d be surprised. It’s really not that higher a bar.
At least I thought that for the first few weeks of my “comeback”. Dragging my tired, sweaty, sunburnt butt up and down courts all over west LA taught me there’s a greater talent spread than you might find elsewhere. So while there’s plenty of mediocrity – the good players are stupidly good.
Witness the two guys who single-handedly demolished our 5s game in Santa Monica. Both of them looked all of 18 max – yet they were lightning fast. A quick step or two, an almost effortless jumper, and bank it. They drove with the kind of fearless abandon that had me wincing when I remembered how long it had been since I would hurl myself into a pile of bodies secure in my immortality.
Only a couple of days ago on the usually more sedate outdoor park courts near UCLA in Westwood I copped another beatdown, this time in 2s. There’s something faintly demoralising about being the *worst* player on court. The opposition: a short, Ben Stiller lookalike with a chiselled physique. His teammate was a chap about my size, but light years ahead in agility. My teammate – a dead ringer for David Beckham – only with a better sixpack. The LA heat can be withering in summer, but there was no way I was going to flaunt my midriff amidst such perfection.
Of course, all three players were exceptional. Stiller-lookalike was super fast and I swear shot around 80% from the three point line. The chap who was my size blew past me like I was glued to the court (to them i probably was) and put on a clinic: running layups, reverses, and infeasibly successful bank shots. Meanwhile Beckham-alike valiantly tried to stem the tide, but ended up forcing the pace in his efforts to carry the deadweight (c’est moi).
One thing that strikes me about LA ball is the spirit it’s played in (well, usually). Fouls are usually called, winners are magnanimous, and losers gracious. Note: how I said usually. There’s always an exception, and embarrassingly enough – it’s my demographic: middle aged, skills that have seen better years – who are it.
Take the guy who I matched up with today in 2s. I should have known from seeing the nike mouthguard he was wearing we were in for trouble. Tubby, tall (my height), unshaven, Suicidal Tendencies tank top – he looked odd. But he was here to ball man. He and a limber dude who looked 15 years younger than him (i.e 20) ended up matched with yours truly and a gent of latino origin – probably all of 5’6 in his shoes.
Even before we started our intense friend was entering a zone I know all to well: the mouth zone. I love to talk it up on court but reality and an awareness of how sad it is when the oldies talk shit keeps my repertoire light. This guy: no such restrictions. First the rest of us endured a rapid fire interrogation/confirmation of the rules – akin to us agreeing to ceasefire terms on the Gaza Strip. To get the full impression, imagine this being said a-la the drill instructor from Full Metal Jacket:
“To 15?”
“Yep”
“2s from outside?”
“Sure”
“Take it outside on change of possession?”
“Yep”
“-even for steals?”
“Yes”
“- and defensive rebounds?”
“Yes”
“Call our own fouls?”
“YES”
Of course, this was a mere taste of things to come.
I made the mistake of observing before we started how my game plan was to expend minimal effort. That lead to a lecture which could be summed up as “no pain, no gain”. Coming from a bloated middle-aged fool this was especially amusing.
We started up, and it probably won’t surprise anyone to discover this guy was awful. Elbows everywhere, lots of fancy “streetball” tricks which he couldn”t pull off, and a ball hog to boot.
Naturally his poor teammate got the blame. We quickly went out to a 7 to 2 lead (if I recall) – on the back of my teammate hitting some nice shots with me generally screening and passing.
I decide to take a shot – I post up captain chubster and bank one in. Walking back to the three point line he can’t help himself:
“So … what’s the score – 8 to 2?” he asks?
“Yep – whatever,” I respond, as I usually don’t bother keeping count.
“And that’s your first points?” lardarse queries?
“Yep,” I reply.
To my incredulity, the guy smirks and shoots his teammate a “even chumps get lucky huh?” look. Now I’m generally my harshest critic and all too aware of my shortcomings as a player, but this was hilarious to me.
Still, ego took over – and it was a mark of how poor this guy was that I felt so cocky – and so I decided to drop the rest of the points remaining on him. After four buckets in quick succession on him – all by taking him inside – he ordered his teammate to switch onto me instead. Again done with an air of “you’re not doing it right” to his long suffering teammate.
Said teammate was too short to really prevent me down low, so we ran away with the game. No dap fro the big guy, naturally.
Did he want to run it back? You betcha. Did he want to shake the teams up? Hell no!
Revenge was in the air apparently. So was sweat: it’s been a scorching day, and so our bold driving degenerated into fadeaways and long bombs. Which in turn meant the opposing team jumped out to a whopping 5-4 lead. Piggy was still woofing away, and had regained enough verve to want to match on someone his own size. My teammate and I – seeing how the guy was a black hole on offence – opted to double team him. The turnovers and tears came in quick succession.
Surprise surprise, his teammate copped the brunt of the blame. He was trying to break the “constant double team” but man, you need to get in position for “the dish”.
My teammate by this time was pooped and settling for jumpers at range, and then (who else) starts popping off about my “moving screen”. Which – to be fair – is something I am occasionally prone to doing, but I was on my best behaviour here. I had to laugh – the complaints were coming without me even making contact with the guy.
At any stretch before long midlife crisis guy was demanding his teammate switch to me, and the same result ended up occurring. Post up, back in, score over the shorter guy. We ended up winning around 15- 8, enough to send the big mouth’s teammate packing – he’d had enough.
But not our hero. Now he wanted to play 21, a way of redeeming his superior 1-on-2 skills. I was beat, but agreed, knowing that throwing this guy a bone might save some poor long suffering girlfriend or cat some abuse. The dude starts playing while me and the latino guy are still chatting – announcing his score as 5 before we even realised it was on. Then to his credit, he drops in another 8 or so before we start taking it seriously.
Latino guy is in the hunt – around 6 points off the pace but I’m playing like a dog. A lazy one. Before long our friend has hit 21. Game over? Not quite. He lines up behind the three point line, where he has nailed a few. “This one or I go back to 15″ he trumpets, still insanely cocksure. Sure enough – he misses. I muffle my laughter, consider my score (2) and vow to ensure this guy loses.
Latino guy is on the move: before long they’re neck and neck on 17 or so. So I start messing with the big boy. Stealing, blocking, posting him up, scoring…and counting only one for every bucket.
Before long he gets wind something is not quite right with my score – I’ve just dropped 4 jumpers in a row and I’m claiming my score is 8.
“You do know it’s 2 points a bucket, right?” he asks.
“Yeah I know it – I’m just only taking one point per bucket,” I reply before knocking another down on him.
“That’s 9,” I chime in merrily.
“Just play properly,” he snarls, decorum rapidly fading.
“Nah… it’s not like we’re playing seriously anyway,” I chirp, sounding a lot more chipper than I’m feeling.
My tubby friend has gone a deeper shade of purple, apparently affronted that I may actually be the same score as him but claiming…less…and somehow robbing him of his just victory.
Latino guy has stealthily moved to 19 points. I “accidentally” tip a rebound to him. Bang – he drains a 2 pointer. He’s now at 21.
“Oh man!” I exclaim. “I just BET he nails the three and wins!”
He nailed it. Good times.
Popularity: 42% [?]
Microsoft E3 conference play-by-play
Dropped in from www.gamearena.com.au
Microsoft has a chance to seize the initiative at E3 by going first. With a bunch of new game announcements and a stunning hardware reveal – we think they have set the bar very high.
Here’s our play-by-play from Microsoft’s E3 briefing. It was meant to be live…but WIFI access was…awful. Anyway:
10.27: We open with footage of The Beatles: Rock Band. It’s been a Hard Day’s Night trying to get wifi working. Not a good beginning when half the people here can’t get net access, Microsoft. Epic fail.
10.29: Harmonix’ Rigopoulous and Van Toffler (MTV) comes out to talk Beatles: Rock Band. Apparently we just saw world first footage from the game.
10.31: Rigo is on drums as “the harmonix House Band” takes us through “Day Tripper”.
10.35: We’re seeing more footage from the game. It’s clear now why MS has flooded the venue with community fans – its so they get a rapturous round of applause every time someone says *anything*.
It’s an odd conflict. On one one hand you have unprecedented levels of community engagement; on the other there’s definitely moves to eliminate the same by controlling the flow of information to a chosen few. C’est la vie.
10.36: At this early stage I’m thinking BlizzCon 08′s opening intro > MS E3 conference. Crazy shout outs to Nick and Chris at Blizz AU!
10.37: Danny Harrison comes out. A key champion of Harmonix to Apple. A chip off the old block. Beautiful hair.
10.38: Uh oh here comes Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison. More applause. Once again gone in 10 seconds.
10.39: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr out on stage. Knew it. They both look in better shape than 3/4 the audience. Ringo takes the piss out of his motion in the game. Exit to more applause.
10.41: John Schappert hits the stage. “All You Need is Love” a Xbox exclusive? Sounds like it.
10.42: “Today is all about showing and telling”. 10 games that have never before been seen. La Noire maybe?
10.43: I’m going to kill the next person who screams out some fanboy crap. I’m beginning to miss the days when Microsoft hired people to cheer at these things.
10.44: Tony Hawk comes out with the Tony Hawk: Ride skateboard controller. Tony intros a trailer. Legend Rodney Mullen is featured.
10.46: I predict many sprained ankles from Ride.
10.47: Trailer ends. Applause.
10.48: Modern Warfare 2 trailer looks crazy on a massive screen. This event just got hotter.
10.49: Jason West and Vince Zampella from Infinity Ward take the stage and get right into the gameplay. Good stuff.
10.50: Holy crap this game looks amazing. We’re on “Cliffhanger” – an ice borne mission in the tundra. No sign of Sly Stallone sadly; not even a hint of Chris O’Donnell-in-Vertical Limit.
10.51: I like MacTavish as much as any red blooded heterosexual male but staring at his backside while scaling a cliff face seems a little scary.
10.52: Skip forward. We’re using a brutally effective SMG with personnel detector.
10.54: I’m predicting the fanboy applause at the end of this demo will surpass the raucous reception Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr got. On screen: more baddies getting killed.
10.55: I’m looking at the crowd – everyone I can see is glued to the screen. With the exception of the lucky few who got net access working. Bastards.
10.56: Driving a snowmobile with one hand and firing a pistol seems a little dangerous. Game demo ends.
10.57: Infinity Ward will release two map packs FIRST on Xbox Live.
10.58: Arigato gozaimasu! The Final Fantasy team from Square Enix has hit the stage to talk FFXIII… as soon as we get a FF history lesson.
10.59: Xbox 360′s first footage of FFXIII. Expect cut scenes and floppy hair.
11.00: Wow. Actual gameplay. The new interface looks good. The hair looks floppy.
11.01: Shades of Pokemon as we summon “Odin” to massacre a monster for us.
11.02: “Spring 2010″ meaning Autumn 2010 in AU.
11.02: Schnappert: From now on every game shown will be exclusive to Xbox.
11.03: Power chords can mean only one thing: Cliff Blezinski is coming on stage…as well as Donald Mustard.
11.03: Shadow Complex is announced for Xbox Live Arcade as the microphones screw up. Think Metal Slug meets Contra meets Metal Gear Solid.
11.04: Why is Cliffy B demoing this game again? A: Because it’s an Epic game. The demo ends with the game bugging out with your in-game protagnoist walking on air.
11.06: Here comes another XBLA title: Joyride. Free to download and free to play. You can buy cars and upgrades and share racetracks you have bought with friends – who get it off you for free. Better than the old model where you get the whole game off the internet – and share it with your friends…both for free.
11.07: Waiting for something big lalalalala.
11.08: Is this Crackdown 2?
11.08: Yes, this is Crackdown 2.
11.09: Zombies. Beheadings. Arms blown off. Guess w’re not talking about XBLA anymore. Chainsaws too. Is this Dead Rising 2?
11.09: BZZT WRONG: IT IS LEFT 4 DEAD 2.
11.09: YES.
11.10: Hi Sam Fisher. No more hiding. Splinter Cell Conviction. Now being demoed.
11.14: Sam’s gone all Manhunt on us. Exclusive to Xbox 360.
11.15: Stealth is possible still, but killing people seems more fun. And noisy.
11.17: Not bad, but L4D2 is a hard act to follow.
11.18: Xbox is out to win the racing game. Forza Motorsport 3: “the definitive racing game for this generation”
11.19: Dan from Turn 10 comes out. “The definitive racing game of this generation” (DRGOTG) has been now mentioned three times. No prizes for guessing who this is being aimed at.
11.20: 60fps. 400 cars from 50 manufacturers. Gameplay rewind. DRGOTG mention #4.
11.21: Artists, tuners and directors talk of their love for Forza.
11.23: Some pretty sweet video sequences are shown used via the Forza video editor. Very fast and the Furious.
11.24: DRG mentioned once again. Bye bye Dan.
11.25: Fanboys just creamed themselves: Joe Staten from Bungie hit the stage and intro a video for Halo 3 ODST.
11.26: Gameplay begins. The visor – low light vision mode – looks sweet. The rest looks decent.
11.28: You flash back to different ODSTs throughout the game. (ODST sounds too close to STD for my liking).
11.30: Halo 3: ODST out September 22.
11.31: New Bungie game. Guess it won’t be a Halo MMO! Halo Reach. Just a trailer. 2010.
11.32: Remedy pops out to talk Alan Wake. Trailer begins. Damn this looks good. Then again, so did Duke Nukem Forever.
11.33: “Previously on Alan Wake”/”Tonight on Alan Wake” text doesn’t do anything to deter serialisation/episodic format rumours.
11.39: After a lengthy chunk of gameplay, “spring 2010″ (Autumn) is announced as the release date.
11.40: Onto Xbox Live Last FM coming for free. Hurrah.
11.40: Netflix. Yawn, US centric. Sky TV doing live TV and movies to the UK and Ireland. “Live TV through a gaming console with no additional hardware needed”.
11.42: Video on demand. 1080P is the new HD standard. Doubling the countries we’re in – WE ARE INCLUDED. “Instant on 1080P [video]. Worldwide this fall – meaning this Spring. Let’s see if it makes it to AU then.
11.43: Simultaneous movies with Live Party. Hesitant applause. Fanboys hands getting sore.
11.44: Facebook partnership. Whoa. Nerds go wild: Felicia Day of The Guild comes on stage.
11.47: Facebook connect. Post screenshot and text to your profile from games.
11.47: Twitter integration on Xbox Live.
11.48: My camera battery is about out of juice and still no real EA love beyond the Beatles. I feel like my battery is about to die as something huge is announced.
11.49: Out comes Xboss Don “Hair” Mattrick. ZOMG Metal Gear coming to Xbox 360.
11.50: Out comes Hideo Kojima. Metal Gear Solid Rising coming on Xbox 360. Mattrick just about dry humps Kojima. No Solid Snake – Rising looks to be Raiden’s gig.
11.52: New hardware announcement incoming? “Dream the next dream,” urges mattrick. “Lose that fringe,” urges my inner stylist.
11.53: Motion controller? The controller is a barrier separating gamers from everyone else. That and hygiene. Full motion control is go.
11.54: This will be interesting to see how devs pull it off. We see a kid scan in his skateboard deck and import in game. Sick!
11.57: You can cross dress on Xbox as well. Girls swap e-clothing and try it on-screen.
11.57: Facial recognition. Voice recognition. Looks sweet.
11.58: Project Natal is the name. Controller free gaming is the name.
12.00: Steven Spielberg comes out just as my camera dies. Awesome timing in a fml way. He’s here to talk Project Natalâ. Actually he’s here just to say its awesome and leave. Bye SS.
12.02: Project Director of Project Natal: Kudo Tsunoda. He wears women’s sunglasses on stage. I’d normally say cough *wanker* but I want to interview this guy sometime this millennia. So I’ll modify that to “lovable wanker in a Kanye West sort of way”.
12.03: Facial and body recognition: logs him in auto and reflects movement in a on screen model. Wave hands to work through menus. This is some Eye Toy meets Minority Report style shit.
12.05: Developers who get hold of this tech and master it will have a ball. We’re seeing Ricochet, a tech demo where you kick balls at things. It picks up body motion – head, torso, arms, legs exceptionally well.
12.06: Cheers as Tsunoda disses “sitting on the sofa playing waggle games.” An easy score – shooting fish in a barrel to this crowd.
12.07: Now we’re seeing Splat. A guy “buckets” paint with both arms and its reflected on screen. He speaks a colour and the paint colour changes.
The paint overlays as he throws it on and has nice stencil effects too. Note: the silhouette style avatar is reflecting his entire body’s range of motion on screen.
12.10: Now he and an assistant are making a stencil by doing a elephant silhouette. I’ seriously laughing at this demo, it’s great.
12.11: Partners are getting Project Natal kits today. Natal will work with all Xbox 360s. The ones that work in the first place, that is.
12.12: Peter Molyneux comes out to mess with Natal. This will be good. Moly intros a film of the team using it. As usual, it’s a measured dissertation free of any hyperbole.
12.13: Milo is a fable 2-esque virtual boy on TV with Claire, a Lionhead staffer (or model) talking to the TV / Project Natal. Milo’s facial and body language is eerie. Things that happen: Milo’s head tracks Claire. Claire runs her hand through a pond and her reflection and ripples are visible. Claire draws a picture on a piece of paper, holds it up to the Natal bar, Milo picks it up on screen.
It’s freaky, like watching a virtual friendship. There’s too many easy jokes to make but they’re all way too gratuitous – so we will say it looks amazing.
12.17: Waiting for Mattrick to wrap things up. Is there another surprise? (no)
12.18: Conference ends.
Popularity: 100% [?]
Hyperbole hurts: just ask the BSA
There’s a fine art to being a body charged with being the punitive and educational face of an industry. Tread too softly and you risk derision from the bodies you’re meant to represent, not to mention being regarded as a toothless tiger by the people inclined to engage in behaviours you seek to discourage.
Put on the jackboots and go too far the other way, and it’s arguably worse. There’s nothing wrong with rationally explaining the consequences of misbehaviour and providing proof of your pursuit of wrongdoers – however it is paramount to be seen to do this in a professional, rational manner. People recall and relate a bad story more readily than a good one for a reason. It’s juicy.
Hyperbole is the enemy of informed dissemination of information. It tunes people out and undermines the author’s credibility. It opens the author to ridicule and often requires clarification, further muddying them.
Take the Business Software Alliance’s “Faces of Piracy” campaign (http://global.bsa.org/faces/index.html). The campaign is designed to deter people from stealing software. The BSA’s PR agency (http://www.fd.com/) reached out to the media this week to let them know about it. How did they do this? By comparing software thieves to Somali pirates of course:
“We’ve all been following the events of the past week of the pirates off the Horn of Africa. Piracy takes many forms, some more violent than others. I wanted to let you know that the Business Software Alliance is launching a new campaign today “Faces of Internet Piracy” that shows the real-life impact of software piracy – from hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines to jail time.”
PR’s role in this case was simple: to get editorial eyes on the new anti-software theft campaign. Mission accomplished. But while the BSA may disagree, the manner in which it’s been accomplished arguably does more harm than good. A few points why the overall outcome is likely to be negative as a result of this tactic:
- A high level of media coverage will use the piracy comparison as the context for their coverage, as opposed to the BSA-prepared case studies featured on the campaign site.
- In this context, the African element derails the conversation. The message isn’t “software thieves and Somali pirates are alike”, it’s supposed to be “there’s stiff penalties for stealing software”.
- Punishment relativity. Somali pirates get shot by snipers. That’s a far more scary penalty than anything the BSA can threaten wrongdoers with.
- Magnitude of transgression. Somali pirates reportedly kill, kidnap, rape and assault people. Software thieves steal software and sell/distribute it to other people. It invites people to regard the BSA as not having a firm grasp of priorities.
- The comparison invites public exploration of the campaign itself to be with a jaundiced eye. And the media’s tonal inclination towards the campaign becomes that much more likely to mock as opposed to report.
- The hyperbolic message taints the BSA by association. By overstating their position in this way it reduces the gravitas of the BSA and their message. See also: the boy who cried wolf.
Perhaps the BSA is fine with the story being “BSA compares software thieves to Somali pirates”, with the attendant nitpicking critique of the pros and cons (and there are ample of both) in the campaign material proper (and on that note, hasn’t the travails of the RIAA taught people to tread lightly around the subject of picking on grandma? Apparently not).
Ideally, one would expect the BSA would desire the focus to be less on the delivery and more on the message. And the fact the message doesn’t say “software thieves and Somali pirates are the same” is immaterial. It’s not enough for the agency to not say it – the message has and will be interpreted differently.
Sound PR practice should focus on protecting the client from media (and public) blowback as much as possible while telling the story. Despite the significant amount of attention the call-out managed, it fails dismally in this respect
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