MoveOn.org Misses the Mark, Again

I have studied the new and controversial ad by MoveOn.org in yesterday’s New York Times from a professional viewpoint of someone who helps organizations to manage favorable brands and reputations. And, my opinion is that MoveOn.org is painting itself into a fringe corner of extremism that is difficult for people of rationale mind to embrace.

It was an ad hominem attack on General David Petraeus before he even had the opportunity to testify before Congress.

MoveOn.org’s full-page ad was vicious in tone and lacking of constructive or meaningful solutions. And, I was reminded of an observation by my college-age daughter of MoveOn.org when she was an intern for BBC News a couple of years ago.

At the time, MoveOn.org had run another full-page ad in the New York Times to reach college students with some message. She said that MoveOn.org was so clueless about both its audience (college students) and how to reach them (via the NYTimes). You don’t reach college students with ads in the New York Times, she said.  She was correct.

I don’t believe MoveOn.org has won any friends with the attack on General Petraeus. I think it positions the political action group more in the wacko category than as a group that could, on the other hand, be respected for meaningful thought leadership.