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Messages from the Archives of Rutherford Hall, Critical Communications Strategist
By: Rutherford@Monkwellstrategy.com
To: AliceK@WhichWay360.com
Alice, how do I put this? Have you gone completely mad? Under no circumstances should your company sponsor a literary festival. Or an arts festival, a music festival, or any other gathering that relies on the presence of someone in the arts. Also higher education. Don’t give money to an Oxbridge college.
Don’t take advantage of this “once in a generation” offer to secure naming rights to a prestigious book award. I can assure you that this is not a once in a generation opportunity. If current trends are anything to go by, it’s probably more of a once in a month opportunity.
I know that in a previous life – perhaps earlier this year – I would have told you that this was an extremely valuable brand association, with all the benefits of tying your business to culture. But that was then. Targeting companies that support the arts by hardline protest groups has made this a risky exercise that opens you up to attack and brand damage. The attacks are often deceptive and highly misleading. But as they say at the BAFTAs, a lie is halfway around the world before the truth has managed to lace up its Zegna trainers.
Frankly, anything that makes your business dependent on the whims of Charlotte Church or a book festival that goes bankrupt under the threat of losing her is a communications no-no. Personally, I would pay a lot of money to go to a book festival that guaranteed Greta Thunberg wouldn’t show up, but you can’t beat her influence.
It’s a shame, but seriously. Stay away from it. Maybe you could sponsor a sailing race, something wetter and less vulnerable to boycotts.
Dear Rutherford.
Find me on Strava, KoM Sydenham Hill, PR Al Jubailah/Bawdah Loop — 42 min
From: Rutherford@Monkwellstrategy.com
To: AliceK@WhichWay360.com
Alice, I know of course that WhichWay 360 is not a fossil fuel company, but an investment house with the highest ethical standards and a great track record in sustainability. That’s why we’re so proud to work with you. You don’t export weapons to Israel or drones to Russia (although I’m not sure that’s such a big deal to these people). But you have all sorts of investments and some of them will indirectly link back to something that these people don’t like. It might be a rounding error on your balance sheet, but they don’t care. That actually makes you a better target for organisations like Fossil Free Books or Israel Free Jazz, because they think you’re more likely to cave in and get rid of something that’s not central to your profit and loss statement.
I know from our many conversations that you have a deep and abiding passion for literature and the arts. Some of the plays you have recommended have provided the longest nights of my life! But political protest groups do not recognize good intentions or a desire to spread culture. They simply accuse you of “artwashing”. They fail to understand that it has nothing to do with the brand and much more to do with buying the chance to spend the weekend with Zadie Smith in the green room.
The danger is that your offices will be targeted and your name will be trashed. Writers, musicians and whoever else will come under pressure to pull out – threatening the festival’s cash flow and ticket sales – unless you pull out of an index-tracker fund that has performed well for your clients. Organisers who were fawningly grateful for your money will suddenly distance themselves from you. Look at Baillie Gifford. You could hardly find a more benign organisation, more genuinely committed to the arts. Did it make a difference?
Dear Rutherford
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From: Rutherford@Monkwellstrategy.com
To: AliceK@WhichWay360.com
Alice, I admire your courage and your tirelessness. You are right that someone has to stand up to threats. But my strong advice is that someone really should be someone else.
Yes, art and culture will be the losers. The great artists will not suffer, but the next generation will find a smaller world for their work. It is a miserable state of affairs. But that is no reason to make their problems yours. They need to show some backbone and fight their own battles. Don’t take the bullet for them.
I know this feels wrong. It is wrong. But this couldn’t be easier. If you’re looking for other outlets, Formula 1 is very visible and none of the drivers are about to join a protest against fossil fuels. I’m happy to represent you in Monaco.
Dear R
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Posts restored by Robert Shrimsley