Conflict in the Boardroom?

By Eric Seidel, CEO
The Media Trainers®

Conflict and controversy.

Two staples of the news media diet. Even when neither exists, you might find them fishing for one or both anyway.

And when they dangle their hooks, often they try baiting you with something someone else might have said, suggesting there’s more to the story than you’re willing to tell. This third person technique is a favorite since it often can be used ambiguously yet seems credible and legitimate, as well.

Business reporters can lean on analyst comments, for instance, just as CNBC’s Mark Haines did recently interviewing the new head of Anheuser-Busch Inbev, the Belgium-based beverage company that recently bought the St. Louis brewery.

Is there a culture clash inside the company, Haines asked, where the new owners are more of a "fly coach" mindset as opposed to the former first class style of Bud’s executives? Haines, of course, attributed the suggestion to a Wall Street analyst.

But CEO Carlos Brito didn’t bite. Instead, he very smoothly lined up his company with its customers and a clear message to those amorphous analysts: “We try to emulate what our consumers do. They fly commercial, I fly commercial…They’re our bosses.” (Click on video below to see and hear the question and answer.)

Brito’s answer was an excellent example of focus. He had a clear vision of who were his real, and intended, audiences in this interview and Mark Haines was not among them. Haines and his co-anchor served only as his conduit.

Sometimes a Sense of Humor is Required

Rick's Cabaret CEO Eric Langan


“Gentlemen’s Club” CEO Way Too Serious

By Eric Seidel, CEO
The Media Trainers®

You’ve got to understand the interview environment ahead of time and adjust accordingly.

CNBC’s Mark Haines (pictured at left) has a precocious personality and he enjoys using it. He often finds humor in things, perhaps where we might not first sense it. But this one was easy and you knew ahead of time Mark would have some fun with it.

Rick’s Cabaret is a chain of 18 clubs in 10 cities that are euphemistically called “Gentlemen’s Clubs.” Of course, we all know what that means.

Business is good at Rick’s, despite the recession. When CEO Eric Langan was recently interviewed by Mark, Haines predictably reached for some double entendres, noting that the clubs report 48% of their money comes from service revenues. “What would those be?” asked Haines, tongue squarely in cheek. Not even a smile from Langan, as he described the availability of “private VIP rooms.”

Moving on Haines said he was surprised only 12% of revenue was from food sales, and wondered if customers just are not hungry. Langan, ever the straight man in this exchange, replied that food is a loss leader. Haines said, “It’s tough to chew with your tongue hanging out!” To which Langan dead panned: “Yeah.”

Throughout, it was clear all of this was flying right over the strip club executive’s head. Langan probably lobbied for this interview and certainly had to know it could/would be handled in a lighter way. And once he knew Mark Haines was the interviewer, did anyone consider doing some due diligence on Haines’ MO? Langan didn’t need to compete with Haines, but certainly he should’ve heard the humor and made the interview more fun for himself and his target audiences, who undoubtedly would’ve enjoyed the humor, too.

Haines (and viewers, most likely) had their fun anyway, unfortunately mostly at Langan’s expense. (See for yourself; just click on the video below.)