Don't talk about "exciting plans" in one sentence, and "a series of restructuring initiatives, including a significant reduction in our workforce" in the next. Especially when you just worked your employees to the bone revamping your platform.
Also, when you are announcing your company was sold for scrap, it is tone-deaf to gush about how it has been "the most engaging and challenging time of my professional career."
This isn't just a question of emotional insensitivity. Machiavelli's "The Prince" specifically warns against trying to mix bad news with good. Send the bad news out and put as much bad news as possible in one message. Then dole out the good news in dribbles.
So you start by saying almost everyone will be fired and the pension plan is bankrupt. Let that sink in. Then an email goes out saying that the executive team has discovered some funds and saved the pension plan. A day letter, good news, the TPS report Writing Team are keeping their jobs. And so forth.
There's only so much bad news people can take and then they just put it down as a bad news email whether there's goo dnews in there or not. Good news in that email is entirely wasted.
Even if the original message did not have all this nonsense, it was likely edited by PR flacks for a "positive" spin. That's one industry (PR) ready for some refreshing new approaches...
Alright, I can't take this anymore. I started a Tumblr blog to capture all these corporate mumbo jumbo. Have a few examples there already http://corporatebs.tumblr.com/
Just FYI, we are hiring ex-Myspace developers at Leads360. We've hired four ex-Myspacers in the past six months. Our technology stack is similar, so the learning curve is only slight. And we have lots of interesting and challenging projects to do. Located in El Segundo; full-time local only.
If you got laid off or are ready to jump ship, then email Bill at [email protected].
I'm scared that Myspace is simply a total data buy. Take the existing users data and build some models off of it. Notice these quotes. Doesn't sound too promising.
'“... enhancing digital media experiences by fueling connections with relevance and interest.”' - Connection between relevance and interest? Isn't that like saying the connection between apples and .. apples?
'Specific Media is an innovative global interactive media company that enables advertisers to connect with consumers in meaningful [unwanted], impactful [in your face] and relevant [creepy] ways.' [added]
The really bad news, if they decide to be evil, is that the purchase of MySpace provides a means to circumvent anti-spam and anti-telemarketing laws - if you have a MySpace account, you can be construed to have an existing business relationship, which legitimizes sending you unsolicited email or, for those unlucky folks who used the mobile features of MySpace, telemarketing to you on your cell phone.
>News Corporation bought MySpace for $580m (£373m) in 2008. The asset was briefly valued at $12bn when News Corp attempted to merge it with Yahoo in 2007.
Knowing someone who was a contractor a few months ago at MySpace, I can tell you that the people that were there before the last major layoffs genuinely thought they were doing something awesome. When the first round of layoffs happened, during which the person I know was laid off, everyone knew it was only a matter of time before the rest of the axe fell. So this should hardly be a surprise to the people at MySpace, who are still there only for the money, I suppose. This is hardly surprising, shocking, or scandalous, as MySpace was on a death march since News Corp acquired it.
Mike Jones sounds like he is probably going to lose his job too. What would anyone else say in his shoes? Probably the same thing.
That $200MM figure came from MocoSpace, a "potential" buyer, not from MySpace. But I don't think MocoSpace's offer was more than an attempt to grab attention for itself, which means it was to their benefit to quote a large number.
If I put out a press release saying I'd like to buy Facebook for a trillion dollars -- you know, to impress a girl -- it wouldn't be fair to turn that into a claim that Facebook now thinks it's worth a trillion dollars.
As one of the employees brought on in the iLike acquisition, the price makes me laugh. And think, "Called it!" I could not get out of there fast enough.
I wonder what this means for other Fox Interactive products? Photobucket was tied at the hip to myspace for instance. Anyone have any idea what's going on there?
One of my pet peeves is when people say that they have a MySpace instead of saying they have a MySpace account.
I wonder how many of those people will hear that somebody sold MySpace for $35 million and get excited thinking they're about to become rich by selling their MySpace too! :-)
[+] [-] jpadvo|14 years ago|reply
Don't talk about "exciting plans" in one sentence, and "a series of restructuring initiatives, including a significant reduction in our workforce" in the next. Especially when you just worked your employees to the bone revamping your platform.
Also, when you are announcing your company was sold for scrap, it is tone-deaf to gush about how it has been "the most engaging and challenging time of my professional career."
Yeesh.
[+] [-] raganwald|14 years ago|reply
So you start by saying almost everyone will be fired and the pension plan is bankrupt. Let that sink in. Then an email goes out saying that the executive team has discovered some funds and saved the pension plan. A day letter, good news, the TPS report Writing Team are keeping their jobs. And so forth.
There's only so much bad news people can take and then they just put it down as a bad news email whether there's goo dnews in there or not. Good news in that email is entirely wasted.
[+] [-] TY|14 years ago|reply
Even if the original message did not have all this nonsense, it was likely edited by PR flacks for a "positive" spin. That's one industry (PR) ready for some refreshing new approaches...
[+] [-] sriramk|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] billpaetzke|14 years ago|reply
If you got laid off or are ready to jump ship, then email Bill at [email protected].
[+] [-] oceanician|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] suking|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jeffchuber|14 years ago|reply
'“... enhancing digital media experiences by fueling connections with relevance and interest.”' - Connection between relevance and interest? Isn't that like saying the connection between apples and .. apples?
'Specific Media is an innovative global interactive media company that enables advertisers to connect with consumers in meaningful [unwanted], impactful [in your face] and relevant [creepy] ways.' [added]
[+] [-] blahblahblah|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] kloncks|14 years ago|reply
Bebo - from $850m to $10m. MySpace- from $580m to $35m. Who's next?
[+] [-] hydrazine|14 years ago|reply
I kid, I kid.. But seriously.
[+] [-] thirsteh|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rokhayakebe|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] endtime|14 years ago|reply
>News Corporation bought MySpace for $580m (£373m) in 2008. The asset was briefly valued at $12bn when News Corp attempted to merge it with Yahoo in 2007.
From: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/myspace/8404510/MySpac...
[+] [-] kloncks|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] vailripper|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mirkules|14 years ago|reply
Mike Jones sounds like he is probably going to lose his job too. What would anyone else say in his shoes? Probably the same thing.
[+] [-] trotsky|14 years ago|reply
I don't know their numbers, but doesn't it seem likely that 35 is less than 1x revenue?
[1] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-04/news-corp-may-get-2...
[+] [-] pittsburgh|14 years ago|reply
From https://allthingsd.com/20110210/myspace-is-certainly-for-sal... , "... the look-at-me attempt to suck up some attention from the media was riveting and appalling at the same time."
If I put out a press release saying I'd like to buy Facebook for a trillion dollars -- you know, to impress a girl -- it wouldn't be fair to turn that into a claim that Facebook now thinks it's worth a trillion dollars.
[+] [-] joshuahays|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bproper|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bugsy|14 years ago|reply
It actually takes some balls to come out and say that in the first email.
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[+] [-] Apocryphon|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] william42|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pittsburgh|14 years ago|reply
I wonder how many of those people will hear that somebody sold MySpace for $35 million and get excited thinking they're about to become rich by selling their MySpace too! :-)