Reputation Notebook

A good sign: Oracle's CEO Riled Up

Having spent much of my career doing technology public relations and marketing, I've always enjoyed the candor of Oracle's CEO Larry Ellison. It doesn't matter if you agree with him; you have to appreciate that he speaks his mind. I typically find him to be a good barometer for change. If Ellison's agitated, change is coming. It's less scientific than the VIX volatility index, but if you looked back at his quotes over a decade, they'd probably synch up well. And who wouldn't like a little straight talk these days?

Catch him in the morning's Wall Street Journal talking about the lack of clarity around 'cloud computing':

"I have no idea what anyone is talking about," said Oracle Corp. CEO Larry Ellison, when talking about cloud computing at a financial analyst conference in September. "It's really just complete gibberish. What is it?". He added: "When is this idiocy going to stop?"

Worth noting that Ellison's quote appears immediately adjacent to a front-page ad...for Oracle!

Business media as a force for good -- or not?

I presented our company's Trust Barometer study results to a group of client marketing executives today. As usual, the data set the stage for good dialogue and brainstorming. During the question period, one executive asserted that the media is contributing the current business crisis, refusing to let any positive stories through their filter and perpetuating an environment of distrust. Not the first time I've heard this comment. We had a good discussion about the shrinking hole for good corporate news stories. Consider today's New York Times Business section: Of the 20 business articles in the section, only six focused on news of specific companies. Four of those articles told negative developments (layoffs, etc.), while the remaing two were a partnership (Blockbuster-Tivo) and a merger (Metro-24/7). The other pieces looked at Washington policy. This is a problem. I hardly expect the media to write many pro-business stories amid an economic crisis, but I do think the lack of reporting on the innovative steps some companies are taking to deal with their challenges falls short of reality. The executives I speak to each day know the problem; most of them are facing the new reality in truly novel ways -- reflecting the very spirit that will lead us out of this mess. These are the stories that need to be told.