Truth in Messaging—Or Else: 5 Lessons from Brian Williams, Walmart, and GNC
By David M. Mastovich
Can you picture Brian Williams in one of those Southwest Airlines “Want to Get Away?” commercials?
The NBC Nightly News Anchor was suspended for six months after misrepresenting events that occurred while he was covering the Iraq War in 2003. Bloggers, comedians, and traditional news media outlets continue to feast on the story as the number of “misrepresentations” Williams has made over the years grows.
A Geico commercial showed that Pinocchio wouldn’t be a great motivational speaker. Four major retailers are proving the cartoon character also wouldn’t be a good pitchman for nutritional supplements.
The New York State Attorney General accused GNC, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart of selling fraudulent and potentially dangerous herbal supplements and demanded that they remove the products from their shelves.
See where I’m going? What applies to NBC and Geico applies in healthcare, too.