News and Commentary - Strumpette

Ogilvy, Benedict Arnold and Spinning Toxic Cohibas

Posted by Amanda Chapel
Monday, September 10, 2007

Ever smoke a Cohiba? Very nice. Smooth. Cuban cigars are truly one of life's simple pleasures. They're illegal as hell here but I am told they're available on every street corner in heaven.

Well, that's all part of today's hot topic around the water cooler. Did you happen to catch the article in yesterday's Sunday Telegraph about Ogilvy PR helping China with their product recall crisis?

Hmmm... It's a little troubling frankly. There have been over 13 product recalls since March. And now Ogilvy is going to "make nice."

Here are just a few of the recent recalls of products made in China (for a complete list, visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission):

- April 11: 78,500 Sounds on the Farm puzzles and Sounds on the Go puzzles distributed by Small World Toys. Sold at toy stores and retailers. Knobs on puzzle pieces can come off, posing a choking hazard.
- May 3: 8,800 IQ Preschool Take-Apart Townhouses distributed by Small World Toys. Sold at toy stores and retailers. Small magnets can fall out and, if ingested, can cause intestinal blockages.
- May 15: 58,000 children's necklaces imported by Claire's Boutiques Inc. Sold at Claire's retail stores. Contain high levels of lead.
- May 15: 200,000 children's necklaces, bracelets and rings imported by Spandrel Sales and Marketing Inc. Contain high levels of lead.
- May 17: 1,500 Currey & Company table lamps distributed by Currey & Company. Sold at specialty stores and lighting showrooms and through interior designers. Defective light sockets pose shock and fire hazards.
- May 23: 2,000 ball rattles, wrist rattles and wind-up toys imported by Tri-Star International Inc. Sold at dollar stores in California. Small parts present a choking hazard.
- May 30: 4,500 Eli's small drums and Liberty's large drums imported by The Boyds Collection Ltd. Red paint contains high levels of lead.
- May 31: 2,700 Vivre Royale pine cone candles imported by Royal Products Inc. Sold at specialty stores. Coating and beads can ignite, posing a fire hazard.
- May 31: 1,000 NRS Sea kayak paddle floats. Sold through NRS stores and catalog. The plastic tubes used to inflate the paddle float could break and deflate, posing a drowning hazard.
- May 31: 103,000 children's metal jewelry items distributed by Tween Brands Inc. Sold at Limited Too and Justice stores. Contain high levels of lead.
- June 6: 40,000 Nursery-in-a-Box cribs made by Simplicity Inc. Sold at department and children's products stores. Crib's drop side can separate from the crib, posing the risk of choking or a fall.
- June 7: 500 floating eyeballs made by Gemmy Industries Corp. Sold at toy and novelty stores. Contain kerosene.
- June 13: 1.5 million Thomas & Friends wooden railway toys imported by RC2 Corp. Sold at toy stores and retailers. Surface paints contain lead.

Yikes! Spin that!

DEAR MARCIA

We have a few questions in front of our esteemed colleague Marcia Silverman, CEO of Ogilvy PR.

1. As an international firm, what issues do you see in representing the interests of individual nations?

2. As our business deals with perception and not necessarily fact, what are the hard-fast moral boundaries in these types of situations? Does Ogilvy have a company policy?

3. What checks-and-balances are in place to protect against abuses? Who's watching you? Especially, in this new world where messages can and are sent directly to target audiences, who protects us?

SHADES OF BENEDICT ARNOLD?

Benedict Arnold, today his name is synonymous with betrayal and treason.

By way of background, Benedict Arnold was one of our most esteemed generals during the revolutionary war. Regrettably, passed over for promotion by the Continental Congress, Arnold was frustrated, bitter, as especially disaffected by the assaults on his honor. He was also strongly opposed to the American alliance with France and subsequently got caught up in a scheme to surrender West Point to the British. Arnold fled to England.

WHO'S SIDE ARE YOU ON?

That's really the rub. The Cohiba hits the nail on the head. It's not about whether the cigar itself is good or bad. It's not about managing the perception of the cigar makers. It's a cultural clash, one of traditions, laws, precedent, etc.

Bottom line: In PR, we represent individual interest and optimizing your interest is more than likely not in my interest. Who's side is Ogilvy on?

ADDENDUM

Life after switching sides: The British never really trusted Arnold, although he saw some action in the American theater. Later, under orders from Clinton, Arnold led a force of British 1,600 troops into Virginia and captured Richmond. It is said that Arnold asked an officer he had taken captive about what the Americans would do if they captured Arnold, and the captain is said to have replied "Cut off your right leg, bury it with full military honors, and then hang the rest of you on a gibbet."

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