Deep Jive Interests

Thanks to BL Ochman on this one.

WOMMA, the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, has finally taken some action on Edelman’s PR disaster/ fiasco / fiesta almost a MONTH after it happened.

Although you have publicly re-committed to WOMMA’s Ethics Code and have outlined a series of action steps going forward, the WOMMA Board of Directors believes it is necessary to put your membership under a 90-day review.

We ask that you take the following corrective actions, some of which already appear to be in progress:

1. Provide assurances that all inappropriate programs have been stopped.
2. Provide a briefing to the WOMMA Executive Committee to fully explain the details of the incident.
3. Implement a training program to educate all employees on ethical practices and disclosure requirements.
4. Institute systems to prevent violations from happening in the future, and to correct them if they do.
5. Formally participate in upcoming WOMMA ethics programs and comply with all new ethics requirements for members.
6. Please provide detailed documentation of your compliance with the above requests.

Although Richard Edelman made some internal promises that stuff was happening behind the scenes to make sure none of this happens again — as I mentioned somewhere else in the blog-ether, internal accountability is one thing — but without any external accountability there are no assurances that anything is really happening to any effect.

And as this occurs right on the heels of a Mr. Edelman going on record that it was inexperienced executives that were to blame — although he was magnanimously going to take responsibility for the whole affair — I’ve got to agree with BL Ochman on this one.

Why did it take so long for you to arrive at this judgement?

Within days (hours?) Dave Taylor already called WOMMA on this flagrant violation of its own code of ethics, by, ironically one of its founding members.

WOMMA was founded in the digital age; Edelman trumpets the value of the blogosphere.

It baffles the mind that they still both do not seem to be working — or appreciate — “Internet Time” … where, unfortunately things happen, and are expected to happen not within weeks but days (or hours).

Just like Mr. Edelman’s refusal to put up a cardholder saying “we understand there’s a conversation going on — hold on we’re figuring something out” — the best WOMMA did was put up a forum asking everyone else what they should do.

Where’s the leadership in that?

Sure, its hard to come down on people you view as colleagues or friends — but when someone (or their company) makes a mockery of your values and raison d’etre, shouldn’t that illicit a swift and urgent response?

PS Where is Steve Rubel in all of this? Posting on Second Life
PPS Where is Richard Edelman in all of this? STILL (Oct 30) has a post up on smog in Hong Kong
PPPS If anyone is present at that presentation to the WOMMA executive, I’d love to hear Richard Edelman explain in his own words, how all of this happened (point #2 of 6)