Five years ago, social media was new. Except it wasn’t. Because social media was really just a new technology providing visibility to a truth any company without it’s head buried deeper in the sand than a shy ostrich couldn’t help but know — your brand is what your customers say it is.
Five years later, social media isn’t new anymore. And the aforementioned truth is even less new. Which is why I’m amazed there are still organizations like the Kansas City Chiefs that show an undying, unaware love for that shy ostrich by continuing to bury their head alongside him. PETA would be proud, I guess. The Chiefs fans, and all those who are fans of common sense, are not.
How else do you explain the latest incident in a season full of incidents, and losses? For those who don’t follow the NFL or have a TV, the Chiefs are 1-9. They were supposed to contend for the division. They are painstakingly awful. And yet, ownership has stayed silent. Said nothing. GM Scott Pioli did a short media tour a few weeks back, before sneaking back to his cave of inaccessibility.
And now, according to several fans who attended the Chiefs game Sunday with “Fire Pioli” signs, the Chiefs have sunk to an all-time low — confiscating signs from fans who pay $27 parking fees and $10-a-beer bills, but obviously haven’t earned the right to speak their mind. The Chiefs explanation in Sam Mellinger’s column can be described as nothing but weak:
“A handful of fans are accusing the team of confiscating critical signs or kicking them out of the stadium. A team spokesman made a point to “vehemently” deny security guards had orders to remove critical fans, saying the only issues were mass distribution of flyers impeding pregame traffic.”
It’s one thing to have your head buried in the sand as an organization. It’s another to pull your head out just long enough to come up with an explanation no one who actually breathes air would believe. Several fans who attended the game noted there were fewer fans than usual and called out the lack of traffic jams at the stadium entrance.
The Chiefs are not alone in their head-burriedness. I am continually amazed at how many companies still think they can control the conversation by deleting social media comments or just ignoring issues that paint their brand in a negative light. This may sound like yesterday’s news — or five years ago’s news for that matter. But until I stop seeing companies ignore the obvious, I guess it bears repeating:
Your brand is what your customers say it is. And even if you take their signs away or delete their comments, your customers can still, you know, talk.
Hi Justin,
Welcome to the life of a (former) Redskins fan. After Dan Snyder sued fans who couldn't afford their tickets (after the 2008 economic meltdown), a lot of angry fans -- the ones who still had tickets -- had a lot to say. But not at the stadium, because he had his security people confiscate every sign. Unless it said something nice about him, of course. Or was making him ad dollars.
Cheer up: Synder's Act 2 was to sue a journalist. Hopefully your ownership team isn't this bad.
@AndreWillis I know. Can you believe that? Pretty ridiculous.