Dino Baskovic Can’t Lose

Over the years, I've mingled online in one form or another with the web greats.  Rubel, Garrett, Zeldman -- even a guy by the name of Berners-Lee.  But nothing compares to this, by far my proudest ping.

Note to Chase: do whatever Kevin Smith says, no matter how absurd.  And I'm really sorry about the slam, but it was great to see you again with with Mrs.

As I browse through some of my favorite all-time Super Bowl ads (and am still torn between "Wassup" and "Gerbils" but that's just me) I can't help but think of all the hubbub surrounding Pepsi's call to sit out this year's ad blitz in place of a philanthropic web campaign called the Pepsi Refresh Project.  The news first broke back in early January (February for some slowpokes) and had me first thinking, "Good for them, why not try?"  Who needs to spend millions of dollars year after year on silly little spots when you can save the world through social media?  From a marketer's perspective, what better brand refresh is there than that?

Fast forward to tonight's game, and I can't help but wonder if Pepsi is wishing they hadn't bucked the trend.  SI writer Richard Deitsch reports that CBS expects record ratings for Super Bowl XLIV.  As Deitsch highlights, it's the first time in ages that both top seeds from the AFC and NFC made the game.  President Obama is part of the pregame show.  The Saints' take their first ever shot at the Lombardi trophy, pre- or post-Katrina, while the Colts aim to secure a dynasty.  And while it's never been achieved, over 100 million viewers may tune in for epic football, The Who and Lady Gaga at halftime and -- o, yeah -- the ads.

Honestly, though, it Pepsi's bet on the big game going to fizzle or go flat?  I can't say for sure.  Nobody can except consumers.  I'm rooting for the socially responsible side of Pepsi but, after recent reconsideration, am befuddled by their brand strategy.  Think about it:

1. It's all about the eyeballs.  Maybe Pepsi figures this won't impact bottom line one way or another.  I call that bluff.  Business is business, nothing personal.  This is one of the biggest TV events each year in the United States.  Tonight's game may be one for the record books.  By all means, seed some good deeds, but explain to me again why you don't want to be party of broadcast history?

2. Videos go viral.  By the way, this is nothing new.  Perhaps Super Bowl ads are horribly overpriced, but so what?  They go on YouTube, are blogged, shared, tweeted, rated, you name it.  They live online forever, their brand messages forever etched into our collective psyches and bemused by Monday morning quarterbacks after many a Super Bowl Sunday to come.

3. Beat Coke.  That's Pepsi's job.  Stave off the imitators, separate fashion from fad (diet, flavored, energy) and out-muscle their biggest competitor.  Oh, and appease shareholders.  That too.  Maybe Coke's current Facebook campaign is their way of playing catchup, but you don't see Coca-Cola backing down on ad spend.  Heck, they even give a 20-second sneak peek of their two spots just for partaking in the promotion.  They can do both, so why can't Pepsi?

Media circles were abuzz over Pepsi's move, and PR nodded its head at the kind of coverage money can't buy.  That was four weeks ago.  Not yesterday's but last month's news. The Refresh Project will live for some time and make the world a better place, I truly hope.  But that's not why I buy soft drinks.

We're just moments away from prime time and the pundits are feverishly postdating their analyses.  Will the experiment work?  We shall see.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I should reveal that I prefer Coke over Pepsi, which has subjected me to near fist fights over the years.  And this is a good time to put down my blog, pick up the remote and join the rest of the world to watch the Saints beat the Colts, 31-24.

This blog is the sole property of Dino Baskovic. Any re-transmission of this post for commercial or personal use without the express written consent of Dino Baskovic is strictly prohibited.  Oh, who am I kidding?

I've had mixed emotions about this whole Toyota mess. Part of me jeered along with the rest of the blue-collar, red-blooded compatriots I grew up with in the Rust Belt that watched the reputation of our beloved American cars turn a not-so-lovely shade of patina from decades of poor decision-making. It's a part of me I'm not necessarily proud of and my world view is far more matured these days. Admittedly, I found myself momentarily pointing and laughing. "Ha ha, Toyota, feel that media heat. Hear that consumer rage. Taste that big government boot. Kiss that five-star favorability good-bye..."

Of course, part of me was compassionate. I feel for the affected families. From a business standpoint, you can't excuse such errors in judgment. There is no justification for silencing, stalling, covering up. But whether we like it or not, these things happen. Cracks form, things slip through them. Companies are people, too. Humans. Prone to human error. A $2 billion error notwithstanding litigation. Maybe Toyota sat on this far too long, maybe they didn't. It really doesn't matter. The good people behind a great company that build and market some of the world's best cars will pay the price for years to come.

It is times of corporate crisis like these that I hope that competent PR people are behind the scenes. Not just parading presidents around the morning network news, mea culpa mea culpa mea maxima culpa. But credible, dedicated professionals that will go to mattresses to restore faith in their organization's name and reputation. PR pros that, when duty calls, leave their personal lives behind to become the unsung backroom heroes that won't rest until they can call mission accomplished.

I wasn't kidding when I said "years." Faulty brakes isn't a "sticky situation" that can be brushed aside after a few nights of bad late night comedy. No, this will take winning back the trust of owners and buyers, regulators, even dealers. Knowing at least one person pulling long hours for Toyota PR these last few weeks, I truly believe the automaker is on the road to recovery.

"Moving forward." It's been Toyota's slogan for some time. There is new meaning to that now. Like my own past perceptions, Americans have evolved -- and given the global economy, evolution means survival. Toyota will survive this and be a stronger company. The company is crash-coursing lessons their "American" competitors long learned the hard way. This will become fodder for PR textbooks for generations to come. Toyota will grow smarter and move forward. So too will the industry, and so will America.

"The language in here might be a bit spicy, but it's masked in a pleasing accent, so your colleagues might not notice the NSFW nature of it."

- Philipp Goedicke, "Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!" blog, NPR, Jan. 28, 2010

Why we Tumbl - Newsweek, Nov. 24, 2009