mixed messages
Today I got a rare communique in my inbox from the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America), the big trade group that promotes specialty coffee, sets standards, and holds our industry’s annual trade show. Currently a delegation from the SCAA is in Addis Ababa meeting with representatives of the controversial new government run Ethiopia Coffee Exchange which has disrupted and created an uncertain future for much of the quality focused, direct trade coffee partnerships that have cropped up in recent years. Everyone who has come to love Ethiopia’s coffees has an interest in how this plays out.
But that’s not what this morning’s press release was about:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Former SCAA Executive Sentenced to Prison for Embezzlement from Association
Long Beach, CA. U.S.A. (October 21, 2009) – The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) announced today that former Chief Operating Officer, Scott Welker, has been sentenced to federal prison for embezzling in excess of $465,000.00 from the association.
…
I get at most maybe 2 or 3 pieces of email per year from the SCAA, so it surprises me that this is appropriate subject matter for one of them. I can only assume that they’d like me to write about this “news” and share it with all 14 of my blog readers. But since I don’t feel qualified to explain their embezzlement scandal, how it happened, who was minding the store, or what measures have or have not been taken to assure it could never happen again, I’ll take a pass.
Why no press release about the important talks underway in Addis Ababa? Who is in the delegation? What are their stated objectives? What is the SCAA’s position on the ECX? The SCAA is involved in something important and (presumably) positive. Would it not benefit them to go in armed with a publicly stated position or goal, maybe with the eyes of the press and awareness from its own membership? Even sensitive closed-door diplomacy would seem to benefit from at least an open window or two.
I don’t want this to come off as inflammatory, it just strikes me that as an industry we don’t always make the best PR judgments. I’d much rather see press releases in my inbox from the SCAA about the serious work they’re apparently doing on behalf of quality coffee partnerships, not irrelevant news about old scandals they’ve yet to live down.
Tags: coffee, ECX, Ethiopia, PR Fail, SCAA
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Im sure more than 17 people read your blog
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:11 pm
maybe as many as 20… far more than I deserve given how rarely I update.
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Make that 18…
I definitely understand your position, but from my meager experience in the P.R. world, I also understand that the marketing department is not always provided with timely information about current or future activities. It’s a great recommendation for SCAA though, and one that I hope you will forward to them personally.
More typically, press releases are distributed after the event, ala “guess what just happened? You need to tell everybody!” Those infrequent messages have increased in volume substantially lately, I suspect as the result of new people on staff dedicated to the task. They’ll probably get a strategy in place for 2010 that includes the proactive announcement of upcoming positive events like this one in Ethiopia.
I also agree that it is not productive to keep looking back at the failures within the management structure at SCAA, but I for one was certainly interested to find out what happened to the guy. With the episode long behind the association, they seem to be now focusing on the future.
October 22nd, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Andrew -
for the record - I think the SCAA ship is being steered by some really fine folks these days and I can understand the enthusiasm for closing an ugly chapter. but there isn’t much context in that press release and I suspect that much of the current membership didn’t follow the scandal that closely when it unfolded or follow all the handwringing and storms afterwards.
in the context of a hundred press releases it makes sense… as one of only a handful that are ever issued it seems harder to justify, particularly without some positive accompanying statement about the current health of the organization.
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Gotta be said: it’s also strange that you chose this to come out of your own radio-silence (at least on this blog… not like you’re not posting to twitter or flickr). I’d say in a way it’s equally strange.
Some times press releases are sent out as some PR muscle. Some times, you send out a press release because you sort of need to. I hear you on your thought on wanting to see a “positive accompanying statement.” Understand that to some, that would have looked like spin control.
It happened, he was convicted, and after literally years of delays, he’s been sentenced. The “fine folks” you mention aren’t the type to wanna be spinning everything every change they get. C’mon dood… you know Rhino!
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Nick -
I was goaded into breaking radio silence by one of our colleagues acting as provocateur (I’ll let him chime in if he wants). I have drafts of so many half baked posts I never pull the trigger on, including a couple indulgent posts about _why_ I don’t post more. you know the drill. sigh.
I do feel like I’ve taken a bit of a poorly-timed potshot at the SCAA’s expense, but we all take those lumps now and again. I’ve spoken to someone at SCAA this afternoon and understand there is a lot crunching the calendar currently… a bit of gracelessness in PR is probably excusable. still, I’ll expect some ribbing from the Rhino next time I see him.
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Personally, I’m glad you posted this. We’re operate in niche that is often misunderstood and under-appreciated. The ECX issue is important and extremely relative to the times we live in. I think the SCAA not promoting the positive changes they’re involved with over there, while simultaneously using their underutilized communication channels to issue press releases about Welker, is unfortunate. If they communicated more regularly, perhaps it wouldn’t be an issue.
Welker’s sentencing is relevant, and important, but more communication about the great things they’re doing would be valuable.
Nick, you mentioned on twitter that it’s not the SCAA’s place to announce what’s currently happening in Ethiopia. I disagree. If reps from the SCAA are there, they can bring us with them through their blog or twitter, and they could do so without scooping the ECX.
And yes, I’m the goader.
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Mike, it’s not the SCAA’s place if it isn’t their place. Conjecture is just that, conjecture. I know enough about this topic to know that these ongoing talks have been very delicate, with many complex issues that don’t need Twittering or blogging to put any part of things at risk.
This topic (SCAA, Welker, and the ECX), the way it’s been presented, is very interesting. Having been on the SCAA Board for a couple years (not anymore, *phew*), I was privy to ongoing certain reports re:Welker that were not for public consumption for legal reasons. Meanwhile, some of the “old guard” types in our (diverse) industry were beating down our doors, demanding updates.
Now, the “old guard” gets some closure, and now the (if you don’t mind me sayin) “new guard” is grumbling saying that they don’t really care about Welker, but want updates on the ECX talks. Not much from the “old guard” being asked about the ECX. It’s an interesting juxtaposition.
I do hope that it helps you appreciate the challenges that the SCAA leadership face every day. Not just lip service: I’m super-proud of what the SCAA leadership has been able to accomplish over the past couple of years, and you should/would be too. We all know that neither Tonx nor Mike White nor most others reading this blog are actually paying very close attention to the SCAA’s activities on an ongoing basis.
There’s always room for improvement, but having been fairly engaged for a few years now (not just when I was on the Board), I’m frankly sick of people criticizing the association in a way that seems almost trendy. Living in Washington DC, it’s bad enough with national politics… ya know? :-P
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Thanks Nick,
I don’t object to the old guard finding closure, and I do of course appreciate the challenges the SCAA faces every day. But honestly? I feel that Tonx and Mike White, and most other readers of this blog WOULD pay more attention to the SCAA’s activities if the SCAA were more engaging of their membership. Perhaps it’s a sign of the times we live in, where attention spans are very short, but more frequent updates would be beneficial, and updates such as Walker’s wouldn’t seem so dramatic. It’s not necessarily “trendy” to disparage the SCAA, and ultimately I don’t think that’s what this post was about, but with so many mediums for engagement available, this is something they can, and should, improve on. I think the SCAA is great. If they documented their greatness more often, this post wouldn’t exist.
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Nick -
I am (as of yesterday) more aware of the sensitive nature of the ECX talks. it wasn’t my intention to stir that specific kettle per se, just that the juxtaposition further highlighted the oddness of this anomalous missive that said nothing positive about the SCAA. I think I’m mostly doing them a favor by pointing out the way in which this might be perceived to those of us who aren’t steeped in SCAA goings on.
as an aside - please don’t grant me any status as a spokesperson for “the new guard”. one of the reasons I don’t blog much is that, no matter what I post, some people always seem cast my silly opinions as evidence of some larger, invisible, straw man consensus. I’m certainly not aiming to be “trendy” by having grumpy-old-man rants on my dumb blog about topics that are interesting to so very few.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
What a great thread to read and reflect on.
I agree with almost every single comment made here: we needed to release this information, we need to communicate more strategically, we need to continue to engage more with our membership/community, we need to continue looking forward, we need to communicate our engagement in the industry outside of the SCAA (particularly with items relevant to the times, good or bad).
Our communication activity has increased significantly the past two months (SCAA Blog, Facebook, Twitter, direct/regionalized e-mail, member newsletters, telephone). We need to make a better effort of making these communication points a destination for our membership and the community…similar to tonx. That popularity can only be gained when our message continues to interest and engage the broad spectrum of our base. The staff is energized and your feedback is going to help us continue to shape our message and strategy.
The one item I don’t agree with on this post: Tonx final claim to 20 blog readers. I check the blog almost every day Tony, and I know many others do. I remain quiet, but reflect often and appreciate your message constantly.