Ping – Obama Hints Mubarak Should Step Down

During a recent speech, President Obama hints that Mubarak should step down from his position of Egyptian President. Obama suggested that Mubarak listen to what is being voiced by his people and focus on a positive way forward. “The key question he should be asking himself”, said Obama, “Is how do I leave a legacy behind in which Egypt can get through this transformative period?” Although Obama did not outwardly state that Mubarak should step down from his position, he hinted that it was time to move on.  Obama played a strategic move called a “ping,” where an individual or company hints towards something without being too obvious. It helps get the message across without causing conflict.  In this example, I think the use of the “ping” was successful. Audio for this example can be found here.

Trial Balloon – “Dr Pepper 10”

Over the past couple of months Dr. Pepper has been testing a new, ten-calorie version of their drink in six states called “Dr Pepper 10.” This new range is targeted towards young males who are “calorie conscious,” but like to drink soda beverages. This is an example of a trial balloon, based on the Playmaker’s System. Dr. Pepper is first testing their product in a small amount of places to see if the product gets a good reaction.

Other soft drink companies could counter this play by attaching a label to Dr. Pepper with the new product in a negative way. Attaching a label means, if the product fails, the company is forever linked with it. A bear hug could also be run, congratulating Dr. Pepper on their efforts to be calorie conscious; therefore, forcing them to release the product.

Dr. Pepper did the right thing by running a “trial balloon” and testing the waters before they fully commit to releasing the product nationwide.  However, if the product fails, they have wasted a lot of time and money. I am not sure how great a ten-calorie Dr. Pepper will taste; it sounds like a disaster to me. Companies such as Dr. Pepper, Coke, and Pepsi have been trying to modify their products to meet the needs of a more health conscious target market, but lets face it, sodas are never going to be good for us, even if they do only contain ten calories.

Deflect – George Bush Dodges Question

George Bush was caught off guard and dodged a question posed to him at John Hopkins University of International Studies back in 2007. A student posed a question to the former President about private military contractors and Bush had no clue how to answer, simply stating he would have to ask the Secretary of Defense.  “I don’t mean to be dodging the question”, said Bush, “Although it’s kind of convenient.”  Bush was honest about his lack of knowledge on the subject and dodged the seriousness of the question by providing some comic relief. Bush stated, “Help!” when the question was being asked and stated, “I’m not kidding”, when it was time for him to answer.  Bush deflected the situation to the Secretary of Defense stating he would ask him about the situation. For audio on this example click here.

Pause – Tiger Woods Remained Silent

In Dec. 2009, Tiger Woods chose to remain silent after he was in a car accident with his wife.  This is an example of a pause, based on the Playmaker’s Standard table, as Woods took time to step back and assess the situation before talking or carrying on as normal. I would collaborate with Woods in this situation, as he should not be forced to make his personal life public. A supporter of Woods could collaborate by running a recast, stating that what he is doing is the mature and dignified reaction. I also might create a label for Woods that creates a positive view for the public.  I think this was a great move made by Woods because he was not required by law to say anything, and if he had, he would have just drawn more attention to himself. Running a pause helped the situation blow over more quickly. The only fault with this pause is that the public may have felt Woods was dodging the situation and therefore think negatively towards him.

Pass- Chevron Is Exiting Coal Industry

At the end of January 2011, Chevron announced it intends to exit the coal mining industry by the end of the year. The company, which has plenty to fall back on, felt it was too unpredictable to wait for new technology that would excel the coal industry. It is estimated one of the main new coal technologies, coal-to-liquids, which converts coal to diesel or gasoline, will not be available for another 10 to 15 years. Chevron, after evaluating their current markets, decided their resources would be better used elsewhere. The move that Chevron is making to sell out of the coal business is known as a “pass” in the Playmaker’s Standard table. Chevron is exiting a market to further their company; this is a strategic move intended to reap great benefits. Exiting a market and refocusing one’s resources are both common characteristics of a “pass”. This strategic move reminds me of the power big businesses possess. Smaller coal companies such as Arch Coal cannot afford to be so bold in their decisions. Big businesses like Chevron have no problem cutting back to save their own interests, regardless of what this means for the industry as a whole. Smaller coal companies such as Arch Coal could counter this play by pausing to think about their next step and running a “recast”; informing the public of their expertise in the coal mining field, and by explaining their strengths and determination in the market.  I think exiting the coal market was a good decision for Chevron as a company, although, I hope that some of these new coal technologies take off soon, so the smaller companies can gain the benefits from their perseverance and loyalty to the coal industry.