The Gawker network members and car lovers over at Jalopnik.com have posted a childish attack titled, “Scott Monty: Ford Social Media “Expert” a Bit of a Twit.”
Let’s forgo the glaring immaturity of the post’s title and explore Jalopnik’s argument. First, let me disclose that I’m a fan of Jalopnik (perhaps until now). I read it numerous times a day, follow Jalonik on Twitter (and now editor-in-cheif, Ray Wert, more on that below) and recommend the site to fellow car fans. Jalonik is fun to read and has a refreshing edge and honestly that makes them the best site on the web for auto news and reviews.
However, while Jalopnik is inherently part of the social media landscape, it’s readily apparent that the site (or its editor-in-chief) doesn’t understand social media. Here’s why:
Posting time. Jalopnik posted this at 11pm on a Friday night. If the editors really wanted to go after Scott this would be Monday morning news. Now, it’s the weekend and many won’t hear about this until Monday when it will be hopefully resolved. Posting any kind of attack at 11pm on a Friday night is cowardly and representative of the unwarranted nature of the post.
Twitter. As a site, Jalopnik uses Twitter almost exclusively to promote new posts. While more interaction may be ideal, I get their strategy, it makes sense for their site and I even follow. So then let’s take a look at editor-in-chief, Ray Wert’s, Twitter stream. This is the same guy who uses the phrase “navel-gazing” in his attack and who calls social media a “masturbatory echo chamber.”
Navel-gazing indeed.
Ray’s criticism represent the common stereotype against Twitter, “who cares what I’m doing and why do I care what others are doing.” Yet, his stream is a prime example of the mundane, useless details that sculpt that stereotype. Clearly, there is a lack of understanding.
Wert banned Monty from Jalopnik’s comments section. I really do not understand this move. If Monty is everything Jalopnik claims him to be, why not just let him publicly seal his own fate in the comments section? If he’s bullying and unprofessional there, surely Ford and the social media community will hear and see for themselves and react accordingly. Instead, Wert removed Monty from the conversation entirely, then attacked him without Monty being able to defend himself on the site. I’m interested to see how Monty reacts via his blog.
I’m an avid reader of Jalopnik as well as an avid beliver in social media’s potential and power. Wert and Jalopnik could very well be right about Monty, but I just don’t see it. Over the last few months, I’ve watched Monty present social media, read interviews with him and followed his blog and tweets. Everything I’ve heard leads me to believe that Monty understand his role at Ford and in social media. As I express above, the same can’t be said for Jalopnik. And while normally Jalopnik can’t be held to same standard of understanding, when the site sets out to attack Monty, they must be.
As of this posting, Monty has not responded, only tweeted, “Woke up this morning to this: http://tinyurl.com/ctmroq What do *you* think?” I hope to update this post throughout the weekend as this continues to develop.
Hey Mark, thanks for writing this post. I’m not interested in getting into a back-and-forth with Jalopnik (because we all know how that will work out).
The only thing I’ll clarify is that Ray claims I made the Ranger Station thing all about me. It’s just not true. We had 1,000 emails coming in and Twitter (which he admittedly doesn’t follow closely) was heating up with mentions of Ford suing its fans. I was there to inform people about the process and to share Ford’s ultimate response.
In my efforts for social media for Ford, I’m careful not to make it all about me, but rather to focus on our products, our commitment to fuel economy and quality, and activities that we’re involved in. If that doesn’t translate to Ray, then I’m sorry. But if he had bothered to actually interview me about the situation, I could have shared our position with him.
Scott Monty
Global Digital Communications
Ford Motor Company
Hi Scott,
Thanks for responding here, I appreciate you taking a moment to read my little corner of the blogosphere.
I recognize your caution in making your efforts not all about you, but doesn’t Ford in some way benefit from hiring someone who already had a strong personal brand and understanding in social media? So as you improve your own brand as a social media strategist by speaking on the subject matter outside of the automotive industry, Ford in turn looks good for having the good sense to hire you.
I drive a Ford, but am not necessarily loyal to any car brand, foreign or domestic. But after Ford’s legal threatening of online sites and forums, I tweeted that Ford may be shooting itself in the foot (esp. considering the bailout pres). You responded within minutes and immediately improved my perception of the company.
It’s this unmeasurable or unquantifiable benefit of social media that Jalopnik and many of its’ readers (as reflected in the comments section) do not understand. To this end, I understand your hesitance to address them directly in back and forth communications, but I’d still love to hear what you have to say on your blog.
Thanks again for commenting Scott,
- Mark
I want to clarify two things:
1.) I don’t call twitter “navel-gazing,” I claim that about Scott and other social media “experts.”
2.) I don’t claim twitter is a “masturbatory echo chamber.” I claim social media “experts” are the echo chamber themselves by constantly re-tweeting the same thing around to a bunch of people, both literally on twitter and figuratively on places like FastCompany.com.
3.) My twitter feed is TOTALLY mundane. You’ll also notice I keep it separate from the Jalopnik account despite the fact I often end up maintaining both. That’s because I view my message on Jalopnik as being different than my message from raywert. It’s something Scott should try to do if he’s serious about this whole not-promoting-myself, and really-promoting-Ford.
Sorry, and by “two,” I meant more than two.
Did the personal dig re. Jalopnik made by Monty from the Chicago Auto show start this?
While that may not have been hugely damaging it does go to the point self-service and does seem out of character for a voice of a corporation.
More importantly, though would seem one of Jalopnik’s points is getting lost in the noise. There appears to be much more promotion of the Scot Monty brand than the Ford brand, which appears to benefit from being in the shadow Monty is attempting to cast.
That typed, I fail to see the difference between Monty posting links to sites “see what they wrote about me” and Jalopnik posting links to articles “see what we’re writing about”. Seems like promotion of the brand, be it Monty or Jalopnik.