It’s easy to sit behind a keyboard and call out both individuals and brands. There’s an argument for it and an argument against. So, is it worth doing?
Let’s preface my personal point of view with two thoughts:
- If you do call out both individuals and brands, you have every right to do so. It is your own Blog, Facebook page or Twitter feed. The opinions of others are simply that (and they are not rules).
- Calling out individuals and brands is an important (maybe even integral) part of our society. If we didn’t do this, how could we ever right the wrongs for the betterment of society and civilization? The trick is in doing it in a fair and balanced way. Meaning, unbiased while describing the facts (or evidence) to back up a claim, and not just a personal attack.
Here are my thoughts on calling out brands and individuals in my online spaces:
- I don’t ever call anyone out – not individuals and not brands in a negative way. I used to (many years ago), but I stopped.
- Naming anyone usually doesn’t add that much more value to the story/conversation. Meaning, the Blog post or Podcast segment usually works just as well in terms of gathering thoughts and insights without calling anyone out.
- I know by not calling anyone out, it probably makes this Blog just a little bit more boring than the rest. I’m willing to sacrifice the digital rubber-necking to elevate the conversation to the level of "the issue at hand" over the names of those involved. Besides, anyone smart enough/willing to dig a little bit can figure out who it is about.
- Some people call individuals or brands out for personal retribution (to have their issue resolved). I believe those people are using our attention (their communities) for personal gain and that’s not why I follow anyone.
- I don’t do it because you never know in life who you might wind up working with/for. I’ve heard many people say, "I wouldn’t want to work with/for that company anyway!" Fair enough, but people switch jobs, etc… Imagine dissing one company and an individual from that company then moves to head up a company that is your biggest client. You never know if your contract might come up for review when that person realizes who you are.
- You never know when you’ll need a favour/help and who that person/brand is connected to. Remember, not everyone feels the way you do about life. Even if you’re not trying to be confrontational or disparaging, the person/brand you are calling out might take it that way. In a world where we’re all connected, it’s hard to know how far/deep your criticism might run.
But, here’s the biggest reason for not calling out individuals and brands…
I believe it keeps people and businesses who are on the fence about this digital space from not engaging. More often than not, they see this kind of action as very "high school". If we want these digital channels to be powerful and have merit, it is my belief that we have to rise the level of content above the bickering, name calling, troll-inducing content and finger-pointing.
Overall, I don’t name names anymore. Your mileage may vary. It’s your call. It’s your reputation.
How do you feel about brands/individuals being called out online?
Mitch JoelMitch Joel lives at the intersection of technology, business transformation and consumer culture. He is the Executive Director of Next Era Institute, a strategic intelligence platform helping leaders understand the forces reshaping business, technology, culture and society. The Institute identifies which shifts matter, explores their wider significance and translates them into strategic direction and momentum. Mitch is also a globally recognized keynote speaker. He has delivered thousands of presentations across both B2B and B2C industries to organizations including Google, Walmart, LEGO, Shopify, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Strategy Magazine has called him “one of North America’s leading visionaries.” Mitch built his career by working directly inside the waves of change that reshaped modern business. He founded and built a digital marketing agency that worked with some of the world’s largest brands and was later acquired by WPP, where he served as President of a firm operating in 25 countries with almost 3,000 employees. Mitch is the bestselling author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete, and the host of Thinking With Mitch Joel, one of the longest-running business podcasts in the world. His writing and commentary appear in outlets including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Inc. Magazine. He is a member of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches and was named to the Thinkers50 Radar. Mitch also hosts Groove – The No Treble Podcast, documenting the oral history of electric bass players. Mitch is also Co-Founder of ThinkersOne, a platform that enables companies to bring personalized thought leadership from world-class experts into meetings, events and off-sites in focused 15-minute bursts.