 Why does Aztech have the best PR people?, Because they have to. |
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 Apr 13 2007, 02:20 PM
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#1
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Target  Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 9-March 07 Member No.: 11,195  |
I thought of just calling this topic "Really?" but figured that was kinda vague. I was just perusing my copy of Corporate Download, and saw that Aztech has the highest PR rating of any of the Big Ten by far. Not just the highest rating in PR, but the highest absolute rating of any corp in any corporate attribute. They describe the PR rating as being a combination of the corp's public image and their skill at public relations. Now, I understand that the information available through the sourcebooks is slanted towards the shadow community, which is more in tune with a Mega's actual doings than publicly available information, but I have a problem imagining even the most out of touch man-in-the-street thinks Aztech is a big fluffy bunny. I accept that they have, by far, the best PR flacks, but for the same reason that fat girls give the best blowjobs: because there is so much to make up for.
Am I wrong on this? Does Aztech manage to come off as utterly harmless and friendly to your average person? Or does Corporate Download ignore the giant black cloud over the corp that their highly skilled Public Relations department does an excellent job of ameliorating? I'd have thought they would come across as average, with a lot of nasty rumors but an excellent official public face. |
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Apr 13 2007, 02:45 PM
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#2
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 192 Joined: 29-December 06 Member No.: 10,483 |
Well I think it comes down to the world of 2070 being completely and utterly screwed up. The big A exports blood sports and people *love* it. I mean you are talking about a world where corporations have live fire war games and sell it as a reality TV show. Also you have to look at what else is out there. Sure the Azzies love human sacrafice, but have they literally nuked a city (Ares), unleashed a demonic AI (Renraku), or poisoned every square inch of the North Sea (Saeder-Krupp).
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Apr 13 2007, 02:55 PM
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#3
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 6,748 Joined: 5-July 02 Member No.: 2,935 |
Dude, Aztech owns StufferShack. It's be like telling a stoner that 7-11, Taco Bell, and White Castle/Krystal sacrifice puppies to the Elder Gawds in exchange for an endless supply of indelible snack products (how else do you explain that twinkees have a longer life expectancy than you?)
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Apr 13 2007, 02:56 PM
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#4
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,078 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 67 |
Also, the average Joe probably doesn't even know he's dealing with Aztechnology. If he goes to a Stuffer Shack, he goes to a Stuffer Shack. It doesn't say "Stuffer Shack: owned by Aztechnology" on it. The food he buys in the Stuffer Shack has its own brand names and manufacturers which likely don't say Aztechnology anywhere on them. These subsidiaries could all have excellent images and reputations without the average person ever linking them to Aztechnology.
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Apr 13 2007, 03:03 PM
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#5
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 204 Joined: 27-October 05 From: Waterloo, ON Member No.: 7,900 |
Except for AztexMex.
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Apr 13 2007, 03:10 PM
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#6
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Target Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 9-March 07 Member No.: 11,195 |
Definitely true, your average sprawlite probably credits stuffer shack with his continued survival (and his monstrous mutant colon, but that's not the point), I kinda figured that the attribute rating in the back of the book was for the actual Mega itself, not an aggregate rating of it's various difficult to connect subsidiaries, though that would make a lot of sense. |
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Apr 13 2007, 03:31 PM
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#7
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Great, I'm a Dragon... Group: Retired Admins Posts: 6,699 Joined: 8-October 03 From: North Germany Member No.: 5,698 |
But it can't be that difficult to find out that Aztech owns SS, can it? Knowledge like that is unlikely to remain under the carpet, with blogs, forums and independent journalists and all that. |
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Apr 13 2007, 03:31 PM
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#8
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Great, I'm a Dragon... Group: Retired Admins Posts: 6,699 Joined: 8-October 03 From: North Germany Member No.: 5,698 |
:rotfl: |
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Apr 13 2007, 03:45 PM
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#9
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,078 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 67 |
The ratings typically reflect everything the megacorp owns, including subsidiaries, investments, etc. |
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Apr 13 2007, 03:54 PM
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#10
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,078 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 67 |
Remember that the media in the dystopian setting of Shadowrun is generally less independant than today's media. And even today's media leaves a lot to be desired there. Could someone find out? Maybe. If they cared enough (and let's face it, most average Joes will not care enough) they could probably find out some information. But also remember that Aztechnology is a private company and therefore doesn't need to publicly file its assets anywhere. In addition, some of these subsidiaries could be owned through multiple layers of front companies, so you'd have to dig very deep to ever know Aztechnology was behind them. Enron was a public company with public filings in a business setting which has more corporate oversight than Shadowrun's world. But how many people and media outlets knew about their phoney offshore investment companies which allowed them to cook their own books? No one but the Enron executives knew until it was too late. |
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Apr 13 2007, 04:10 PM
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#11
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Ain Soph Aur Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,477 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Montreal, Canada Member No.: 600 |
There's actually a section of some book - either corp download or the Aztlan book or something, that talks about the Azzie's image. One runner goes "But how can the people not hate Aztlan? Blood mages! Evil Plots!" and another answers that Joe Public has NEVER heard an inkling of this. He talks about some little cute drone commercial people loved. Basically, the public is totally and absolutely unaware that the Azzies are evil. All they know is that they make all the great shit that makes them happy and have cute commercials.
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Apr 13 2007, 04:12 PM
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#12
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Target Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 9-March 07 Member No.: 11,195 |
This isn't the best example, since Enron was not that well known outside the energy/investment community prior to it's crash. Aztech is one of the 10 best known corporations in the world. To paraphrase John Lennon, it's bigger than Jesus. The only companies these days that's even close to having their name recognition would be Coke, Pepsi, and Disney. IMO there is a lot more interest in Aztech's doings, and a lot more digging getting done into their affairs than there was into pre-crash Enron's. |
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Apr 13 2007, 04:21 PM
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#13
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Incertum est quo loco te mors expectet; Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 6,546 Joined: 24-October 03 From: DeeCee, U.S. Member No.: 5,760 |
I don't know what you guys are talking about. All I know is I've been drinking aztec cola since I was like five, my little sister survived to term only because my mom was taking cheap medication provided by Aztechnology pharmaceuticals. I do my banking through the first bank of Atzlan, which sounds weird, but they have great rates and they give me free financial advice! Even when I missed a few bills, they swept it under the rug and have always taken good care of me. Last year, I managed to get a super cheap vacation through Atzlan airlines to the west coast of Atzlan, and I gotta say, that country was beautiful. I loved it!! And I didn't see a single 'human sacrifice' or anything crazy like that (although I did catch a bull fight, which I have to admit, was kinda cool).
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Apr 13 2007, 04:42 PM
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#14
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 546 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Manchester, England Member No.: 1,062 |
Just to expand on that - take a look in the cleaning section of your local supermarket, all the detergent and washing up liquid brands - of which there are many - are all made by the same four companies; Proctor & Gamble, Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser and SC Johnson. You'd probably go in StufferShack and although overwhelmed with different brands, they're probably all Aztechnology. |
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Apr 13 2007, 04:42 PM
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#15
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,078 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 67 |
Yeah, and how many people know everything Disney is invested in? And everything their corporate officers are invested in? Even if you dug around for that information, how do you know you have it all? You don't, really. If Disney's CEO is invested in a foreign company through an offshore investment firm located in Bermuda, chances are you won't find out about it. In Shadowrun's corporate setting, forget about it. Aztechnology doesn't have to file with the SEC like Disney does. The only entity they really need to share any information with is the Corporate Court. And guess who controls the Corporate Court, the megacorps do! And since Aztechnology is privately-owned, they have to share less with the CC than even Ares does. And you can bet that Ares has more than a few assets it hides from the CC. |
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Apr 13 2007, 05:04 PM
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#16
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
The fact that the information exists isn't important. The question isn't "can't people find out", but rather "Do they care?" Even in Real Life™ this is the more important question. Sure, people can find out that Random Fact X that the media/gov/etc shoves down their throat is bullshit, but it's much easier to just nod along and drink your CheapAmericanPissLager (that you buy because your favorite SportsProfessional told you to in a commercial). |
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Apr 13 2007, 05:26 PM
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#17
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Great, I'm a Dragon... Group: Retired Admins Posts: 6,699 Joined: 8-October 03 From: North Germany Member No.: 5,698 |
That's a damn good point. Adding what DE wrote and you convinced me. People may find out that Aztech owns SS, but most people don't care and the few who did are pressed when they try to make the information known to the public. |
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Apr 13 2007, 05:48 PM
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#18
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Indeed. Aztechnology puts out great products at a great price and actually gives the public what they want. I'm pretty sure all the bitching is just Ares shills being paid to spread lies and filth. ~J |
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Apr 13 2007, 07:49 PM
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#19
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Target Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 9-March 07 Member No.: 11,195 |
See, I think that assuming your average (not affilated with Aztechnology) person assumes that any mega is other than a profit driven entity that would gleefully rape kittens to death to increase the bottom line is bringing Shadowrun dangerously close to becoming a Second Order Idiot Plot (A plot involving an entire invented SF society which functions only because every single person in it is necessarily an idiot.) Even in a first world country like America, which has experienced about the best that corporations have to offer, most people are leery of corporate power, and I see nothing in Shadowrun's history to assume people will become any more gullible or stupid.
How does this affect Aztech? Well it wouldn't necessarily mean that your average joe thinks that Aztechnology is, say, run by a bunch of blood mad shamans in league with dark powers, but it would probably lead said joe to be somewhat leery of them, especially since there is so little real information about their activities. Also, if your average person is a gullible couch-potato, wouldn't all the corps have roughly the same rating in terms of PR? Okay, Ares takes a hit for nuking Chicago, but other than that. Besides, Aztech has a couple PR gaffes of their own, such as the dirty little war they have going in Amazonia and their forced annexation of San Diego (well, okay, all the cool kids were carving off bits of the UCAS back then) to name the examples that I can think of off the top of my head. Now, I'm not saying your average person is a savy investigator or paranoid conspiracy theorist. What I am saying is that people who simply buy whatever bullshit the corporate media throws at them are not particularly common. Naturally your average corporately affilliated person believes wholeheartedly that the sun rises and sets on his employer, otherwise they won't pass their next mind probe. |
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Apr 13 2007, 07:58 PM
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#20
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Ain Soph Aur Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,477 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Montreal, Canada Member No.: 600 |
It's not about being an idiot and 'buying it'.
It's about a complete disconnect with caring. SR society has had it. Deep down, they know the corps abuse them, the world is a polluted mess, epidemics threathen entire populations, wars are everywhere or on the verge of exploding everywhere. Poverty and inequality are rampant, and, to top it all off, Awakened oddities lay in wait in the darkness to eat your soul. It's too much. People stopped looking, and started jacking into simsense. All they care about is working another day to buy another gadget to help them forget. They don't care about other people. They look out for themselves, and, sometimes, for their families. Bad shit happens to other people all the time. Don't get attached, and don't start thinking that it might happen to you. Cause that's too scary to contemplate. Jack in. Forget. |
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Apr 13 2007, 08:20 PM
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#21
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
Exactly. And on that note, how is this altogether different than right now? Eh. I'm cynical. |
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Apr 13 2007, 08:49 PM
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#22
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
:proof: Show me some meaningful evidence that significant numbers of people are leery of corporations in anything but the extreme abstract. ~J |
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Apr 13 2007, 09:13 PM
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#23
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 470 Joined: 2-January 05 From: Quebec Member No.: 6,924 |
Woo! We've given up all hope in humanity!
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Apr 13 2007, 09:45 PM
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#24
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Incertum est quo loco te mors expectet; Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 6,546 Joined: 24-October 03 From: DeeCee, U.S. Member No.: 5,760 |
People don't have trust in corporations the same way they don't trust banks. If you had to make a judgment between a corp and a person in court (discounting lawyers), you'd likely side with the person. But you still put your money in the bank, buy corp goods and so on. People know Disney owns porn studios, but still watch Disney films. People know Nestle did things to basically starve babies for profit, but still buy Nestle products. Where the rubber hits the road, people look at what they want and what they can afford, and if Aztechnology provides that, they buy Aztechnology. Even if you have someone aware enough to say buy organic, he doesn't care if Organico is truly subsidized by local farmers or big corp, as long as he knows the produce is from local places and meets certain standards.
People who truly don't trust corporations live in little huts a few hundred miles from civilization and grow their own food (not that I"m condemning that lifestyle, I'm actually a little jealous). Everyone else realizes if they want to survive and maximize their money, muchless afford things like a house, a car, etc., they have no choice but to trust corporations, so they might as well look for the one that best meets their needs. It just so happens that more often than not, Aztechnology is that corp. They make the best for the cheapest, like modern day Toyota or something. |
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Apr 13 2007, 10:00 PM
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#25
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Shadow Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 3,737 Joined: 2-June 06 From: Secret Tunnels under the UK (South West) Member No.: 8,636 |
This anecdote is absolutely true. Here in Bristol (UK), I was in a corner shop and two girls (approx. thirteen, I'd guess) were ahead of me in the queue. They were pawing through the sweets at the counter and one says "What about kit-kats?" And the other replied "Nah, it's Nestle, innit?" You wouldn't believe how uplifting it was to hear that! I don't know why you think nobody has an interest in the corporations and the bad things that have been done in the name of profit. I know that many of the people I associate care about these things to the extent that it affects choices such as what they buy. Not only this, but you might be guilty of a very Western point of view. If you travel through some of the Middle East countries or India, you will find large numbers of people have a very clear idea of what sort of behaviour US companies have indulged in, in their countries. But even in the US that you are implicitly talking about, consider the WTO protests in Seattle or activists at the G8 summits. For every person that shows up, there are a score of people who agree with them but didn't. Consumer pressure in the UK is influencing the behaviour of high street stores. Example off the top of my head is the way our main supermarkets are changing their packaging habits to be more environmentally friendly and the fact that farmer's markets (selling local produce) have increased by about 500% over the last eight or so years - something tied directly to the increasing awareness of the damage supermarkets can do. At work today, a fifty-something year old woman was complaining about the practice of loss-leading in Asda (they're owned by Wal-mart). People are aware and becoming more aware and it's increasingly affecting their behaviour. Those thirteen year olds will be fifteen or sixteen by now and becoming adults. It can take time for big change to happen. But happen it does. Have a little Faith. :) -K. |
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