Tech CEO Alienates Gaming Bloggers - Smart

Sony CEO Jack Tretton recently threw down a gauntlet that was immediately accepted, mostly by tech bloggers.

In a overwhelming fit of corporate pride, Tretton said he would pay $1,200 for any PlayStation 3 (PS3) still on the store shelves. The bounty was testament to Tretton’s belief that the PS3 was such a hot seller you simply couldn’t find it in stores.

Okay, so he is enthusiastic about his product. That’s probably something all CEOs can learn from. But here’s where Mr. Tretton’s judgment took a nose-dive (in this observer’s humble opinion). When some popular gaming bloggers creatively took up his challenge, Tretton belittled them by saying: “We have a new phenomenon as well in recent years, something we didn’t have during the PlayStation or PlayStation 2. And that is everybody is a journalist - if you have a PC, then you’re a journalist.”

In light of these amusing events, I have a few words of business advice for Mr. Tretton:

Never alienate your customer base. In the future, you should realize that the popular tech and gaming bloggers (A) are more connected with your customer base than you are, (B) influence the purchasing decisions of your customer base, and (C) often ARE your customer base.

What would have been a better way to handle these bloggers who accepted his challenge?

Maybe a good-spirited “Nice work fellas. You sure rose to the challenge.” Followed, of course, by a highly visible check-presentation ceremony where the CEO lives up to his words. Anything would be better than belittling somebody for accepting a challenge that you yourself threw down.

Corporate executives should never underestimate the power of influential bloggers, especially when those bloggers are closely connected with their core customer base. If you are wise, you will not dismiss such folks as being quasi-media. You will realize that they are, in fact, the new media. As far as your customers are concerned.
~Brandon