Microsoft Demonstrates that it Doesn’t Pay to be John Kerry in the Blogosphere

Flip: Hey, bloggers! here’s an expensive laptop pre-loaded with the new Vista. You can keep it if you want. Play with it and have fun.

Flop: Umm….wait. Actually, we’re gonna need those laptops back. We got…er…criticized by the blogosphere for just giving those to you…Something about being unethical.

Flip: Well, actually…you can do whatever you want with those laptops…keep ‘em, sell ‘em, give ‘em away or give ‘em back to us. Really, it’s cool, Do what you want!

There may be a lot of debate about the best practices for giving review products to bloggers, particularly when those products are worth a whole lot of money. But there’s no debate about best practices when it comes to consistency. The only thing you’re going to get if you keep changing the rules mid-engagement is a bunch of irritated bloggers.

Lesson for other companies: Think these issues through before you start giving out pricey toys. Then come up with a defensible position and stick with it. Haven’t you people learned anything from our President?

Note: the political references here are made with tongue firmly in cheek. They do not necessarily reflect any particular political stance. My political opinions do not reflect those of my boss…company…etc…