OVERVIEW: Fascinating developments at Siemens in terms of brand, reputation and timing. The conglomerate was set to begin a national print advertising campaign highlighting its contributions to American life. With its CEO resigning and the bribe scandal still percolating in Europe, does it make sense to begin a broad, U.S.-centered brand and reputation campaign?
RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
1. Will target groups make distinctions relative to a brand/reputation campaign in one corner of the world (U.S.) while another is under fire (EU/Germany)?
2. The power of stakeholders: Siemens is attributing much of its troubles to German unions, specifically the resignation of its CEO. How can one group wield so much power?
P.S. Jack Bergen (my old boss at GCI in NY when I was a mere cub) is Siemens SVP of external comm and marketing. Interesting that he is attributing much of Siemens trouble to German unions and separating U.S. operations from the bribe issue. I left GCI to take a speechwriting job with Grumman. Jack was Cap Weinberger’s speechwriter.
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