This week, Lucire begins an above-the-line campaign with a very limited three-month flight in the mainstream media in its first print market of New Zealand. My choice was The New Zealand Herald, an Irish-owned newspaper based in Auckland.
   I should note that its rival did feature yours truly and a wee function in that city this Sunday, but there’s a little matter of certain (untrue) rumours that folks there have been spreading. Or one newspaper’s brief to a freelancer to do a hatchet job on me (they are that scared?).
   New Zealand is an awfully small country and companies need to realize that when their staff go to functions, and they have gone as a representative of that company, walls have ears. In such a case, whatever they might want to say after hours is still attributable in that nice little vicarious way back to the corporation—not necessarily legally, but certainly in the way we now find it hard to divorce the person from his or her place of business at work-related functions. A brand, after all, doesn’t stop at the office doors when one leaves on Friday 5 p.m.: it continues beyond.
   Therefore, it’s important for a brand to be inclusive of staff—and for staff to live that brand. The top–down model of ‘You will do what I say’ doesn’t seem to work when you haven’t been inclusive of the team’s feelings. It’s far more two-way now, and has been for some time.
   The consequence of these tiny indiscretions: not only have their actions meant my going after some of their Wellington advertisers (which I left alone prior to them saying something nasty to one of their staff), I am spending with their principal competitor. Unless they would like to make good on their misbehaviours over the last 12 months beyond a single article (though I am grateful for this first olive branch—if that is what it is). posted by Jack Yan, 11:12 PM  permalink