I was debating the issue with Dane Madsen on The Internet Oldtimers List . regarding the Gallup Poll on who people trust. Needless to say, Marketers did not fare too well… These are his words…

In any industry there are bad actors.  I spent 20 years in financial services (see “stock brokers” on the Gallup list) and have had nearly 1500 work with and for me during that time.  I know that 99% are highly thoughtful, highly ethical, and so many that have actually made a significant difference in their clients lives.  They are invited to the birthdays, weddings, wakes, and funerals.  However, I spent 12 of those years in an activist role with the NASD and NYSE regulatory committees using what power I could harness to exclude those that rose to the level of unethical and, to the extent of that power, banish them from the business forever.  I was often vetoed by counsel in the selection process because of my reputation for activism.  I did not want these people fined, I wanted them capped in the parking lot and their body left as a warning for others.  This was a position I took for the unethical as well as the simply stupid.  Unfortunately, stupidity is still not a capital offense.

We do not have that same power here, but we maintain a digital wall of silence much as policemen that never out a bad actor, and come to find out from a very close friend who is a teacher, teachers as well – call it the chalk board wall of silence. In short, we protect our own not because we do not want them gone, but from the fear of reprisal.  I again recall a member of our list that was forced to post a painful retraction for statements made about brands that embraced Gator or another adware group about 8 or 9 years ago.  He was right and the Brands knew that, but outing them was a trail of tears that will silence that sort of opinion forever.    There is no honor in whistle blowing, unfortunately, only pain and derision.  It is also why anything posted on this list must never flow to the outside.

“If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas” should be square in our mind – and as a group be unwilling to continue with those that reflect badly on us specifically and the industry as a whole.  This should extend to those clients that want to participate in such bad acts. If you warn them, and they want to continue, do you have the personal integrity to fire them as a client?  A pyrrhic victory for certain, but looking in the mirror is easier.   In this litigious society, we cannot take the risk of outing a bad actor, but at the very least we owe it to ourselves to not participate.

This is just my opinion.  I could be wrong.

Dane Madsen