Two events this summer embarrassed a pair of BloggingStocks readers' favorite subjects. AOL (TWX) released anonymous search data for academic study which then found its way to the blogosphere, and Starbucks (SBUX) created a virtual coupon for free drinks that the company then had to renege on. The Starbucks thing makes that company look foolish, unhip, and naive. Not great when one's image depends on providing a high quality, cosmopolitan product. True, Starbucks in not an internet company. Or is it? Is there anything such as a non-internet international company? Certainly Starbucks has had an online presence since, well, the beginning of internet commercialization, but this episode makes them look like your Grandmother whom you have to tell to ignore emails from that nice deposed prince overseas needing help with his frozen billion in assets.
Remember those emails sent around 1999? "Please forward this email and Bill Gates will give you $1,000," it said. Something about an experiment Microsoft was conducting.
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Why isn't Bank of America updating its shareholders on CEO situation?
