Monsanto has healthy attitude in its blog start
My colleague Jeffrey Tomich wrote about Monsanto Co.’s entry last month into the blogosphere — and social media — with its launch of “Monsanto According to Monsanto.” I think Jeff did a great job of representing a variety of points of view as a major corporation adopts social tools to participate in the discussion about its issues.
For years, environmental and food activists have made good use of YouTube video and Facebook to skewer Monsanto in the blogosphere. Now, the biotech giant is turning the tables.
The company’s blog, Monsanto According to Monsanto, made its debut Feb. 10, and it is the company’s latest tool to engage critics on hot-button issues such as food labeling. The title spoofs a documentary by French journalist Marie-Monique Robin that has been viewed more than 47,000 times on YouTube.
I cringed slightly with one point expressed in Jeff’s story, that of Nora Ganim Barnes. The story says she “has studied corporate use of social media at the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, and urges companies to not let online criticism go unchallenged.”
No quarrel there. As one public affairs manager, John Combest, said: “There was this big conversation going on (on the Internet), and we weren’t a part of it.”
Nora Ganim Barnes
But later in the the story, Jeff quotes Ganim Barnes: ”Now they’re controlling the posts, they’re answering the questions, they’re directing them to different places within Monsanto and maybe another site. They’ve taken control of the situation.”
I just have a problem with the word “control.” If Monsanto is true to its posted commenting guidelines, the only control it has is the ability to respond. They won’t be controlling what’s said, or what’s heard — or, opinions to the contrary notwithstanding, where it’s said. The company (bravo!) is taking control in the sense that it’s listening. And responding. Directing the discussion, a possibility. Persuading is a different story.
I also found this passage of Jeff’s story interesting, in which he recounts a debate on a site that has been critical of Monsanto:
Just last week, Monsanto made a splash at OpEdNews.com. The company cross-posted three of its blog posts on the liberal website. Also last week, the site’s editor and publisher, Robb Kall, posted a poll for readers asking them if the company should be allowed to cross-post its blog entries.
“One could argue that getting them into a conversation is a good thing,” he wrote. “Or one can argue that they have billions to promote their message and OEN should not help them sell their propaganda.” As of Friday, 420 readers had responded; 236 of them voted against letting Monsanto post articles on the site.
At this hour, the poll is even more lopsided. Sounds like people who don’t want to hear something that might change their minds.
But, again, at least Monsanto is listening and responding. Jeff’s story was posted on Saturday; by 6:30 p.m., only one reader had posted a comment. Within 24 hours, a Monsanto staffer (apparently) had posted a response to the reader.
The biggest test will be whether Monsanto will be transparent and contrite on its blog when it makes a mistake. Based on its showing so far, it looks like they get it.
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View Comments on Monsanto has healthy attitude in its blog start
Hi Kurt,
Thanks for your post in which you repeated my quote re Monsanto adopting social media. Like you, I applaud their move into this arena and encourage other companies to follow suit. When I used the word “control” I meant it in relationship to having the opportunity to say what they wanted to say and respond the way they wanted to respond instead of passively watching or listening. There may be a better word, but consumers and companies alike need to talk and listen in a more direct way so that our knowledge isn’t based on rumor and innuendo. I too, hope they really do get it. It’s better for all of us….
Hi back, Nora. Thank you for taking the time to visit and elaborate on your quote. I’m grateful for the additional perspective and context.
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