Best quote of the month
‘We were kind of ants dancing with elephants. There was debate around Virage that this deal was a dog and we should just walk away.’
– Bradley Horowitz, chief technology officer, Virage, News York Times, December 15
Horowitz is providing background on Virage’s first big deal to provide video software to a major client, CNN. His message is that there were doubts about the wisdom of taking on the client four years ago. Now, however, the gamble has paid off. Though Virage is not yet profitable, its impressive client base continues to grow while its competitors continue to disappear.
Bradley Horowitz gets good marks for his quote because it is candid and interesting – and it provides a positive context for judging the company.
He is quotable first because ‘ants dancing with elephants’ is bold, visual and action oriented. The phrase is also an analogy dramatizing the smallness of his company and the bigness of CNN (not to mention the implied attack of calling oneself an ant). Third, ‘dog’ is another analogy and an attack, which are always tempting morsels for reporters looking for sound bites. Next, ‘debate’ is action oriented and, finally, ‘walk away’ is also action oriented.
Worst quote of the month
‘AOL pretty much owns the mass consumer who doesn’t like change and is too dumb and lazy to change his e-mail address. But $15 a month is too high and they will ultimately be forced to introduce lower-priced plans.’
– Michael Gallant, CIBC World Markets analyst, New York Times, December 5
A couple of years ago, Michael Gallant might have won the ‘best quote of the month’ for this gem. His analysis is interesting and, no doubt, correct.
But, in a year when the average investor would like to lynch all analysts, and politicians are looking to Wall Streeters as one notch below Saddam Hussein in terms of public enemyship, why did Gallant have to go out of his way to paint tens of millions of Americans as gullible rubes?
Calling someone ‘dumb and lazy’ is always an easy way to get quoted by a reporter, but it is, well, a dumb and lazy way of getting quoted. Why not try a quote that is less contemptuous of the general public (if for no other reason, to keep them from storming you with pitchforks)?
Michael Gallant is quotable, one, because ‘owns’ is an absolute. Two, ‘doesn’t like change’ is an attack. Three, ‘dumb and lazy’ is a forceful attack and a cliché. Four, ‘too high’ is an attack and an absolute. And five, ‘forced to introduce’ is action oriented and another attack.
TJ Walker, a New York city-based media/speech trainer, coaches senior executives for media and speaking appearances. See www.mediatrainingworldwide.com.
