Post-Thanksgivings are always difficult, It's nearly unfathomable to me how two days of eating turkey and unlimited carbs can set you back. So there I was struggling on the elliptical machine at the club when this video pops up of a tattooed man waltzing through an office with nothing on but an electronically super imposed black box and nothing else.
I mean who would make such a video in this sexually harassment-fueled climate? All we read and hear about are inappropriate men doing rotten things to women around the context of work. Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, Bill O'Reilly, Kevin Spacey, Al Franken, John Lasseter...this list is endless...
...and then there it was...the culprit was the Anaheim Ducks!
Full disclosure: As a life-long Los Angeles Kings supporter (44 years and counting), nothing pleases me more than Anaheim ducking is all up.
So there I am jaw dropped as I watch the news report of perhaps the worst example yet of tone deaf companies—and the individuals who work for them—perpetuating something that should never exist in the media in 2017...take a peek:
Okay, so where am I?
I'm waiting by the phone hoping Michael Schulman, the CEO of the Anaheim Ducks, dials my ten digits so we can discuss their brain burp. I mean, I feel for Schulman because how many people at the Ducks are going to get fired? I say this is because I can't remember the last time a major sports team making this kind of advertising mistake. This should have been an easy empty net of a happy birthday message to their parent league (more on that later). But, no, they had to be clever.
As a reformed misogynist, every time I see something like this I say, "stop and take a look around at everything that's happening in all of these industries in the world." If you don't think this is serious, look at the punishments people are receiving for their actions. Currently, the penalty is ejection from your workplace. They might not get everyone immediately, but, take someone like Louis C.K. and what they got him on. The people who make decisions on his projects are thinking out loud themselves...
There’s a lot of dreadful advertising out there, especially for sports team, but most of it fades into the superficial tapestry of suburban life. You disregard it and move on with your day. But this is a downright affront to the intelligence of anyone with an operational brainstem.
Somebody somewhere had to sit in the Orange County office and say “How are we going to make a real statement for the National Hockey League?”
And someone else had to say, “Wait a minute - what if we ignore all of the headlines out there and make a video skit that screams sexual harassment?”
And then the first someone probably built on this thought with something like, “How about we pick the guy on out known for pranking people so we will have an ‘out’ should some of the overly sensitive demographic object?”
At which point high fives were exchanged and comps were briefed into a designer with an online extension learning degree, access to an Better Call Saul-like video crew, and a deep appreciation of how women were treated at the office in the 1960s.”
But here’s the most distressing part. The Ducks brass had to buy into this. Someone in charge of an actual marketing department had to say to themselves “You know what? I think this is going to work. We slap this baby all over social media and everyone without access to basic news is going to be hunched over laughing and re-watching it until it goes viral. We’re going to turn our Internet feed into the embodiment of how Don Draper and Roger Sterling treated their staffs in Mad Men.”
So did Anaheim wind up calling? Nope, they decided to issued a non-apology and evil wins again:
Here's how the smart NHL teams wished the NHL a happy birthday:
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I mean who would make such a video in this sexually harassment-fueled climate? All we read and hear about are inappropriate men doing rotten things to women around the context of work. Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, Bill O'Reilly, Kevin Spacey, Al Franken, John Lasseter...this list is endless...
...and then there it was...the culprit was the Anaheim Ducks!
Full disclosure: As a life-long Los Angeles Kings supporter (44 years and counting), nothing pleases me more than Anaheim ducking is all up.
So there I am jaw dropped as I watch the news report of perhaps the worst example yet of tone deaf companies—and the individuals who work for them—perpetuating something that should never exist in the media in 2017...take a peek:
Okay, so where am I?
I'm waiting by the phone hoping Michael Schulman, the CEO of the Anaheim Ducks, dials my ten digits so we can discuss their brain burp. I mean, I feel for Schulman because how many people at the Ducks are going to get fired? I say this is because I can't remember the last time a major sports team making this kind of advertising mistake. This should have been an easy empty net of a happy birthday message to their parent league (more on that later). But, no, they had to be clever.
As a reformed misogynist, every time I see something like this I say, "stop and take a look around at everything that's happening in all of these industries in the world." If you don't think this is serious, look at the punishments people are receiving for their actions. Currently, the penalty is ejection from your workplace. They might not get everyone immediately, but, take someone like Louis C.K. and what they got him on. The people who make decisions on his projects are thinking out loud themselves...
"Uhm, Louis, this movie you were going to be in? Yeah, no, we aren't worried about that making this real any longer."
"Hey, you have some movies on Netflix? Not anymore!"Kevin Spacey was supposed to star in J. Paul Getty, Part 2 and Sony said "nah, no need, Kev, we will just re-shoot every scene you were in and still get the movie out on time." This is what ejection from the workplace looks like.
There’s a lot of dreadful advertising out there, especially for sports team, but most of it fades into the superficial tapestry of suburban life. You disregard it and move on with your day. But this is a downright affront to the intelligence of anyone with an operational brainstem.
Somebody somewhere had to sit in the Orange County office and say “How are we going to make a real statement for the National Hockey League?”
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| "I've got a great idea..." |
And then the first someone probably built on this thought with something like, “How about we pick the guy on out known for pranking people so we will have an ‘out’ should some of the overly sensitive demographic object?”
At which point high fives were exchanged and comps were briefed into a designer with an online extension learning degree, access to an Better Call Saul-like video crew, and a deep appreciation of how women were treated at the office in the 1960s.”
But here’s the most distressing part. The Ducks brass had to buy into this. Someone in charge of an actual marketing department had to say to themselves “You know what? I think this is going to work. We slap this baby all over social media and everyone without access to basic news is going to be hunched over laughing and re-watching it until it goes viral. We’re going to turn our Internet feed into the embodiment of how Don Draper and Roger Sterling treated their staffs in Mad Men.”
On today's 100th anniversary of the league we love, we'd like to send special Happy Birthday wishes to the @NHL. Thank you for including us in your centennial! #NHL100 pic.twitter.com/OjaoRoADlk— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) November 26, 2017
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NHL! 🎂 #NHL100 pic.twitter.com/gpEYZnaqGy— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 27, 2017
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 26, 2017
Happy birthday, @NHL! The last 20 years have truly been your best. #NHL100 pic.twitter.com/Bi8aZMi1Cr— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) November 26, 2017
On this day 100 years ago, the @NHL was born. Happy birthday to the greatest league in the world. #5thLine #CBJ pic.twitter.com/U2NMeBmb7x— The CBJ Artillery (@TheCBJArtillery) November 27, 2017
From Los Angeles, California to Jesenice, Slovenia, the LA Kings are wishing the @NHL a happy 100th birthday!! #NHL100 pic.twitter.com/mDm9bffgS1— LA Kings (@LAKings) November 26, 2017
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