TRANSLINK’S FREEMAN FIASCO
Allegations end voice-over plans
Call it walking into a propellerblade, says one marketing expert describing TransLink’s slam with Hollywood news of harassment and inappropriate-behaviour allegations against Morgan Freeman.
Less than 24 hours after announcing that Freeman’s big-star voice would be cajoling TransLink passengers with “fun facts, etiquette reminders,” and new ways to pay fares, the transport authority scrambled early Thursday to halt the hype.
Down came an online poll asking the public to watch a YouTube video and vote for the best of around a dozen audio messages Freeman had taped for riders in Metro Vancouver.
Out came a short statement saying TransLink was pausing Freeman’s voice announcements as part of a Visa ad campaign on the transit system “in light of information we’ve learned through news stories ... of serious allegations.”
Some online chatter was still harrumphing the choice of Freeman over a homespun Canadian celebrity when it all unfolded.
Funnyman Seth Rogen is seemingly on board with being the next voice of Vancouver transit.
The Vancouver-born actor and filmmaker is suggesting he could be the right person to replace Freeman.
Rogen tweeted he might be interested in the job after Postmedia reporter Stephanie Ip posted that the Superbad and Sausage Party star — with his distinctive voice and chuckle — was her preferred choice to be the new voice of SkyTrain. TransLink also seemed interested in Ip’s idea. They tweeted: “Thanks for the offer Seth. Let’s DM and talk.”
Says Lindsay Meredith, professor of marketing at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business: “They walked into the
From a public perception point of view, they are doing what they can. They can only control their own actions.
propeller-blade on this one (Freeman). It was a blind shot and they took a hit. The short line is that things can get risky with celebrity endorsements. Your service with the brand goes along with the celebrity and everything is ducky if the celebrity keeps things going,” says Meredith. “Visa offered TransLink a freebie and it looked like the best deal in town. (Freeman) had very high-brand veracity, high believability. He was the voice of God, a gold-plated name.”
“The problem here is complicated with the Me Too (movement against sexual harassment and assault). People are rightly saying this is just an allegation, but when you have these accusations of sexual interference, it’s a situation that you are guilty until proven innocent.”
When it comes to allegations “of sexual assault or child abuse, at that point, it becomes moot. The brand has to distance at the speed of light,” says Meredith.
CNN reported early Thursday that eight women alleged Freeman “of what some have called harassment and others called inappropriate behaviour.”
“They ’ve done the right thing by pausing the announcements, considering the seriousness of the allegations,” says Vancouver-based PR veteran Laura Ballance. “They needed to have acted quickly and decisively, which they have done.
“I’m sure behind the scenes they are exploring legal options and there is some discussion. From a public perception point of view, they are doing what they can. They can only control their own actions and wait to see what Visa does.”
The Freeman announcements were part of an ad campaign paid for by Visa Canada, and TransLink had said a day earlier it didn’t pay anything for the collaboration, nor pay or hire Freeman for the voiceovers.
On Thursday morning, TransLink spokeswoman Jill Drews reiterated that the authority was in discussions with Visa, saying “it’s Visa’s ad campaign, so ultimately (Freeman’s) participation will be a question for them to answer.”
“To be clear, Visa bought space on our system to advertise their participation in the new openpayment program.
“The content they choose to provide us will be up to Visa ... We are still working with Visa on this tap-to-pay campaign and that’s not changing.”
In light of the Me Too movement, which has felled a number of celebrities, any association for TransLink with the Freeman story will carry heightened sensitivity, says Ballance.
“I would say that in this year and in this part of the world, the standards are quite high and TransLink will be expected to make a decision. “There are things beyond your control, but you can control your reaction. They have made a correct first step.”