Whole Foods – Is Atlas Shrugging?

Posted by Jack Smith in Social Media | View Comments

So I just read this article at Mashable on the Whole Foods ‘Brand Perception’ and the surveys done by YouGov (tagline – What The World Thinks – <whatever>) in regards to remarks made by John Mackey in The Wall Street Journal.  And guess what, if you ask people the question “If you’ve heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, was it positive or negative?” a large number of people have heard negative things.  REALLY?

How could anyone have heard anything negative given the fact that our media is so concerned with only the positive stories and rarely reports the negative.  In story after story, rarely can you find a single mention of the people that support the opinions offered by Mackey – which there are just as many of, but for some reason they don’t get mentioned.  Amazing.

Whether you agree with his opinion or not, the fact that he has one and is not afraid to communicate it is something I admire.  If you don’t like his opinion, great – form your own and be ready to articulate it to others and enjoy the discussion that ensues.  However, there is no need to boycott the business, form a Facebook Group and create your own blog and Flickr page aimed at hurting his business or his employees through a boycott.  Have you forgot what this country is about?  What happened to freedom of speech?  Do I really need to start my own ‘Support Whole Foods’ movement or would it just be overlooked by the media?

I also like the statement the company released:

The consumer-driven boycott has already elicited a public response, albeit not an apology, from Whole Foods, that was shared last week via a Facebook note. It reads, “First off, whether you agree with John or not, our 50,000+ Team Members who live and work in your communities will continue to work hard every day to bring you the best natural and organic products available. We hope you will continue to give us the opportunity to serve you.”

As a business owner, I respect other business owners who have an opinion that is different than my own, especially when they offer me the chance to see the world in a different way.  I am also smart enough to distinguish between one man’s opinion and how he runs his business – yes, there is a difference.  And is it really any secret that Americans are pathetic in how they eat and treat their bodies?  We’re the worst in the world and Whole Foods is one of the few places that gives you better choices.

Will I boycott Whole Foods, you may have already guessed, but the answer is no.  I will go out of my way to shop there and support a business separate from the owner.  The media (social or otherwise) is happy to fuel this boycott with press coverage and yet wonders why jobs are hide to find – 50,000 Team Members!  If you are not careful my fellow Americans, your tax heavy policies, attacks on entrepreneurs/business owners and sense of entitlement may  lead you to a place where you find yourself asking, “Who is John Galt?”   You’ll miss us when we’re gone.

PS – This week’s #evfn is at WholeFoods in Chandler, you should go!

A cool follow-up article on what can be learned by businesses about Social Media from Whole Foods.

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As a side note -  I believe personal accountability is the first step towards solving so many of the complex issues addressing our country right now.  So no matter what side of the issue you are on, please take a moment to seriously consider what you could be doing personally to better maintain your own health.  If it can be avoided, do you really want to spend your time in a Doctor’s Office worrying about who is going to pay for it?