Ted McConnell is the general manager of interactive marketing and innovation at P&G. He was quoted by AdAge as saying,

“Media is something you can buy and sell. Media contains inventory. Media contains blank spaces. Consumers weren’t trying to generate media. They were trying to talk to somebody. So it just seems a bit arrogant. We hijack their own conversations, their own thoughts and feelings, and try to monetize it.”

Ted made that comment in 2008. There was nothing interactive or innovative about it. His statement was based on the definition of media pre-2000.

P&G’s 2010 strategy for “Embracing Facebook” doesn’t count as interactive either; that adoption is utilized merely as an additional presence. Facebook was innovative when it was invented, but now even Facebook is even getting off Facebook by opening up their API.

Nothing personal against Ted, but a business can only be as successful as its leaders. The change we are experiencing in communication isn’t explicitly about innovation, but rather about responding to our market. Following them wherever they go without changing the conversation doesn’t count.

Facebook can be beneficial, but won’t be the answer for P&G to reach their goal of 5 billion consumers.

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