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ADVERTISING AND FREE SPEECH
It seems I've been doing a lot of writing about free speech recently. Mostly it's been about Facebook and its bogus claim that its irresponsibility in controlling its website is a reflection of a commitment to free speech. But there's more...
Speech issues raised their ugly heads again this week in the ad industry. Tom Goodwin, Head of Futures and Insight (oy) at Publicis Group and, ironically, author of the book Digital Darwinism , was fired for tweeting some controversial -- and in my opinion, stupid -- opinions about COVID-19. If stupid opinions were grounds for dismissal, the ad industry would have a tough time fielding a softball team.
Goodwin's point of view, expressed in tweets, included this gem, “I find the total obsession with Covid deaths over all other deaths entirely gruesome." Apparently your modern-day fortune teller has a difficult time grasping the concept of "news."
Goodwin wound up in a tweetsquabble with some highly sensitive ad aristocrats who seemed only too eager to shut him down. As if anyone in the real world gives 25% of a flying shit what some ad guy thinks about COVID.
But fire him? Isn't Goodwin entitled to express opinions on a topical issue on his personal Twitter account without fear of being fired?
Of course, like all corporate hell holes, Publicis says it has a policy of diversity and inclusiveness. And like all these "policies" it's mostly PR and hot air. Apparently "inclusiveness" doesn't include expressing unorthodox opinions.
There was a time when creative enterprises welcomed -- even encouraged -- crackpot thinking and outrageous speaking. It was a badge of honor in the creative arts that we were tolerant and respectful of nutty ideas and immoderate speech. In fact, it was believed that creativity required a dose of such behavior.
Sadly, you have to be pretty dopey to think of our current crop of demoralizing holding companies as creative enterprises. They are dutifully pious Wall Street constructs who are afraid of their own shadows. Publicis has an annual "Client Bravery Award." They extol "bravery," but practice cowardice. It takes no balls whatsoever to fire someone with unpopular ideas.
Publicis should have issued the following statement...
"The leadership of Publicis, and the vast majority of our employees, do not agree with opinions expressed about COVID-19 by Tom Goodwin. But Publicis is a creative enterprise that respects diversity, including diversity of opinion, among all our employees. We do not agree with Mr. Goodwin's personal opinions, but in keeping with our respect for democratic principles, we support Mr. Goodwin's prerogative to express them."
Did Publicis have the right to fire Goodwin? I'm pretty sure they can fire anyone they damn well please (in Bob World, just having the title "Head of Futures and Insight" would get you fired.) But that doesn't make it smart or correct. Have we come to the point in this industry at which we can no longer tolerate dumbass opinions?
This is not the first time Goodwin has expressed unpopular or intemperate viewpoints. I'm sure there are people who consider him an annoying loudmouth. I happen to be very fond of annoying loudmouths.
COVID has been a horrible thing, and I'm sure there are many who would find Goodwin's ideas offensive -- especially those who've lost family and friends to the disease. But if free speech doesn't protect provocative yammering, what's the point? If I read our constitution correctly, Goodwin's right to express offensive opinions supersedes my yearning to lead an un-offended life.
Because I'm a Peacemaker...
Goodwin and Publicis should get their lawyers together, generate some vanilla sounding PR twaddle, and kiss and make up.
Tom should issue the following statement: "I'm afraid there were people who thought my comments regarding COVID were reflective of my employer, Publicis', opinions. They were not and I apologize if I gave anyone that impression."
Publicis should issue this statement: "Tom Goodwin has assured us that in the future his personal opinions will be clearly labeled as such and not reflect negatively on Publicis. In turn, we have asked Tom to re-join the company."
Chances of this happening: Square root of zero.
Attention Dimwits
I know I'm going to get emails from people who will say my position on Goodwin (let him rant) is inconsistent with my position on Facebook (shut down the lies and hate.) It is not. As I have written before: Everyone has the right to speak their mind. No one has the obligation to publish it.
Good People
One of the benefits of being a "global" pain in the ass is that I have been able to do a lot of traveling and meet some exceptional people.
Two of my favorites have been in the news lately. Tess Alps has been with Thinkbox in the UK for 14 years. Thinkbox is the marketing arm of the commercial TV industry in the UK and is, in my opinion, the best trade association of its kind anywhere. Tess was the founding chief of Thinkbox and has done an amazing job. She is retiring.
Dr. Johnny Ryan is a tireless champion of consumer privacy rights and an articulate enemy of the abusive and dangerous data practices of the online ad industry. Dr. Johnny has left the privacy-respecting search engine Brave, and has joined the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) as a Senior Fellow, and the Open Markets Institute also as a Senior Fellow. My best wishes and highest regards to them both.
While I Was Gone...
A lot has happened since I began my self-imposed exile last month.
- Most fun of all was the Congressional puppet show in which some of the world's most wealthy bullshit artists tested their bullshitting skills against some the world's most pompous bullshit artists. Everyone lost.
- Facebook beat the ad industry in the July "ad boycott" war by a score of 100 to 0. This means we'll get token changes at the social network and another disreputable election.
- From Wired this week: "If you really want to follow the money behind online hate and disinformation, you have to understand programmatic display advertising." Bingo!
- The ad industry has felt pretty comfortable ignoring the feckless GDPR and CCPA. But now that Apple and Google are taking steps to do something about the scourge of third party tracking, the industry is getting nervous. At the instigation of the ANA, they have created an association that includes major advertisers and trade association (excluding Apple and Google.) It is pompously called the “Partnership for Responsible Addressable Media.” It should be called the "Conspiracy for Sanitized Surveillance."
What I Discovered on My Summer Vacation: Golf is like advertising. Nobody learns anything.
