The Good, the Bad & the Unconscionable at SxSW 2010

Top Photo: Cast and Crew of documentary Barbershop Punk busy before the Sneak Preview. Documentary about internet neutrality was possibly the best thing at SxSW 2010

Starting with the unconscionable: It is no secret that large corporations are trying to improve their image by using social media. Right now Southwest Airlines is busy trying to combat the Kevin Smith fiasco using Twitter.

Citibank has a new (since 2009) Sr. VP of Digital Channel Strategy and Social Media with the unbelievable name of Jamie Punishill...as in puny shill...who seemed to assume his entire audience was sympathetic during an hour plus presentation at SxSW. Indeed, during Q & A, no one challenged him by asking anything such as "and how does this serve the customer?"

Some actual quotes: "Financial institutions are not at the top of the high trust meter" and
"We don't have customers who are willing to stick up for us."

Is that any wonder after Citibank, along with the other big banks Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JP Morgan/Chase led the country (and the world) into financial crisis then took bail-out money? Punishill's job with a small staff is to listen to chatter about Citibank and then tweet in such a way as to counteract any "vicious rumors" out there.
Ever the master of euphemism, he said: "We need to reshape the level of trust." Reshape? Sounds oddly like "manipulate".

On the GOOD side of SxSW was the sneak preview of Barbershop Punk a documentary about Robb Topolski, a hero for our era. Robb uncovered Comcast's unethical practice of blocking internet traffic. The FCC investigated, and two important hearings were held outside of DC so experts on internet freedom and the public could testify. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, at the first hearing, Comcast paid seat-warmers (seen in the film, unbelievable but true) to keep the public from testifiying. In Palo Alto, California the public had a second chance and testify they did...every single one of them on behalf of internet neutrality and against Comcast. The FCC in a landmark decision ruled that Comcast had violated principles of net neutrality and lied to investigators, and the film follows the twists and turns of our hero's life as the story plays out...and the struggle continues.

There are some wonderful things about SxSW, not least of which is the location in Austin, and the great food there. But SxSW volunteers could not answer scheduling questions or even give directions in this great city. Please, don't put this "internship" on your resume!