Shack attack

I add my own two cents to this now overdiscussed subject to emphasize one point: “to thine own self be true.”

Here’s what Radio Shack CMO Lee Applbaum said about the launch of The Shack campaign:

“Trust is a critical attribute of any successful retailer, and the reality is that most people trust friends, not corporations. When a brand becomes a friend, it often gets a nickname – take FedEx or Coke, for example. Our customers, associates and even the investor community have long referred to RadioShack as ‘THE SHACK,’ so we decided to embrace that fact and share it with the world.”

“Trust is a critical attribute…” fine. How can Applbaum then claim with a straight face that “our customers, associates and even the investor community have long referred to RadioShack as ‘THE SHACK'”?

Sorry, the Radio Shack brand has been a part of my life since I was a kid. I’ve been there many times, heard it talked about many times, and have never once heard anyone refer to it as “The Shack.” No one. Never.

I guess I’m left wondering why you would spin the story in such an implausible direction, unless you were just desperate. Worse, my entire feeling about the brand—which wasn’t negative to begin with—just went into the toilet. Actually, I must have had more of an emotional investment than I thought because I find the deception really depressing.

Out.