No, I didn’t get the memo

Last week I made mention how stressful it would be to be standing in Leslie Berland’s stilettos (I sometimes project my love of shoes on to others). As Chief Marketing Officer at Twitter, with all going on real-time with Elon Musk and his now-approved purchase of the Company, what is a chief communications officer to do? Crisis communications, investor relations, social engagement … aren’t those supposed to be core communications deliverables?

In Leslie’s case, silence.

What does the Twitter communications team actually do?! I remain perplexed.

Screenshot today:

I give Jack Dorsey (yes, I know he’s not “in charge” of the day-to-day now that he’s not in the CEO’s chair), all the way down the Company’s Leadership ladder, an F. 📝

(This is where I could go off on a tangent about how the Twitter CEO’s office should have a Twitter handle of it’s own, to perhaps point out the change in leadership, for one, as should all complete publically-traded company communications’ platforms … but I won’t)

Where is the end-to-end company communications plan in action? What value is marketing providing in the organization? While Mr. Musk’s purchase has added value to shareholders on record, I am glad I was never an investor. Marketing communications should support company initiatives, including brand messaging, crisis communications, and social listening/engagement.

Six months ago Forbes launched it’s inaugural “World’s Most Influential CMOs” award designation.

Perhaps a follow-up post should be a Monday Morning Marketing QB segment interviewing the recipients on how their communications strategies would’ve differed than those on Twitter CEO’s management team during, and leading up to, this time for the company’s leadership team. I am less-than-impressed with the work of Mr. Agrawal and those at the highest ranks of his org chart. Have I mentioned that?!

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To wrap up on a positive note, check out the award winners, the Forbes 2021 Most Influential CMOs