Some industries go hand in hand with social media, with intrinsic networking opportunities through which to interact with its consumer base. Banking giant JP Morgan learned, or demonstrated, rather, that finance is not currently one of those realms of commerce.
Tomorrow at 1pm ET $JPM Vice Chairman Jimmy Lee takes over @JPMorgan to answer your questions for 1 hour. Tweet your Q early using #AskJPM
— J.P. Morgan (@jpmorgan) November 13, 2013
Someone at JP Morgan actually thought this was a good idea? Really, JP Morgan? Maybe it seemed harmless enough for JP Morgan’s executive, Jimmy Lee, but the JP Morgan media department must be headed up by MAD Magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman.
“What, me worry?”
The response awaiting JP Morgan’s team on Twitter was more in tune with the immortal words of Shrek : “Oh, you were expecting Prince Charming?”
Maybe the folks at JP Morgan don’t get the newspaper—you would imagine they would, being in the financial sector—and didn’t know that America is sitting at a 7.3 unemployment rate while interest rates and the cost of living are ever-climbing. Maybe JP Morgan was hedging their bets with this Twitter question-and-answer idea, but they should have expected something near the response the response they received.
A sampling of some of the more pointed questions the #AskJPM hash tag has unleashed (they’re fun to read aloud preceded by “Dear JP Morgan”):
- “Dear JP Morgan, Why is it when the poor commit crimes we need more cops and mandatory sentences and when the rich commit crimes we need deregulation?”
- “Dear JP Morgan, How many people at your firm went to prison for helping to operate Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi sceme for years?” [sic]
- “Dear JP Morgan, Every time another person loses their home to illegal foreclosure, does a bell ring?”
Then, of course, there are the more inane offerings the Twitterverse had for JP Morgan:
- “Dear JP Morgan, What’s the best way to get blood stains out of a clown suit?”
- “Dear JP Morgan, Would you rather negotiate with 1 horse-sized Eric Holder, or 100 duck-sized Eric Holders?”
- “Dear JP Morgan, What is the maximum amount of material wealth that a person can accumulate and still be allowed into Heaven?”
It’s safe to say the folks at JP Morgan learned their lesson. The JP Morgan Twitter feed, @JPMorgan, waved the white flag at 4:30 Wednesday afternoon, cancelling the Q&A. Not that it stopped anyone from keeping the party going.
Tomorrow’s Q&A is cancelled. Bad Idea. Back to the drawing board.
— J.P. Morgan (@jpmorgan) November 14, 2013