Carbonite CEO: Limbaugh Ad Pullout Hurt Company, But 'Things Would Have Been Worse Had We Not'

[onehandle]

Source: Huffington Post

One of the many companies that pulled advertising from Rush Limbaugh's radio show said on Wednesday that the decision had hit his business hard, but that he knew it was the right one to make.

David Friend, CEO of Carbonite, made the comments in a call with investors after the company released its second quarter financial results. Carbonite, a software company, was the sixth advertiser to drop its spots on Limbaugh's show in the wake of his infamous comments about law student Sandra Fluke.

At the time, Friend released a statement condemning Limbaugh for calling Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute" due to her advocacy of birth control.

"No one with daughters the age of Sandra Fluke, and I have two, could possibly abide the insult and abuse heaped upon this courageous and well-intentioned young lady," the statement read in part. "Mr. Limbaugh, with his highly personal attacks on Miss Fluke, overstepped any reasonable bounds of decency."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/03/carbonite-ceo-limbaugh-ad-regret_n_1738332.html

[Warpy]

1. I wish I had need of their services

but between a clone on an external drive and a bunch of stuff on thumb drives and DVDs, I don't.

It's a shame his company took a hit. Perhaps he needed to spend that advertising budget elsewhere. However, saying it was worth it to avoid supporting that pig proves he's a mensch.

[dballance]

4. Yep I do all my backups locally too

It's a great service for the regular non-IT type person. I happen to be a big IT nerd so I backup my systems to local external drives. That can be a hassle for most people which is why Carbonite is a decent option.

I'm very proud of him for taking a stand and standing by it. I think he'll be better off in the long-run. Clear Channel and Rush are, I think, on the downside of the hill now.

Besides, think of how great it is that all those right-wing idiots are going to stop backups on their systems. They may lose all the pics and videos of Rush, Bachman, Palin, Hitler, Goebbels and others. Not to mention their diagrams and plans for pipe bombs and overthrowing the evil Obama administration given their 2nd Amendment right to do so.

[Robb]

7. I backup locally, too, but I'm tempted by an offsite backup solution like this.

Flood, fire, theft, electrical discharge, crapped-out drives... there's something to be said for a non-local option, too.

Just might pull the trigger on this. I'll see what Mrs. Robb thinks.

[obxhead]

18. Why?

Seriously, they finally took a stance against Limbaugh, but it took them 7 years to do it?

They agreed with his programming and have been a primary advertiser there since they were founded in 2005. It took the outrage of the populace to "change" their opinion of Limbaugh and pull the advertising.

One good act does not a good company make.

[Broderick]

2. Maybe they should have known who they crawled in bed with

To begin with.

[louis-t]

3. I signed up right after they pulled their ads.

Carbonite is also now a Stephanie Miller sponsor.

[K8-EEE]

5. I got Carbonite after they dropped Rush, another great thing about them:

When I called Tech Support they had a message that they were moving the call center from India to Maine. This is a company I am happy to support and since I'm AWFUL about doing backups I really need it!

[cyberspirit]

6. Carbonite Rocks!

Great Service! Best backup service I've used. Applause to David Friend!

[matt819]

8. Based on these comments, I may switch from Mozy

That said, I find it hard to believe that Limbo listeners are the kind of people who use this service, unless it was being advertised based on fear rather than good business and common sense. If the former - fear-based - I can't help but question this company's approach to business.

[Robb]

9. "Fear-based"?

All insurance -- and that's all a backup plan is -- is "fear-based." Statistically, you aren't going to lose your data. You also aren't going to get sick or be in a car accident. Calling it anything but fear -- like "good business and common sense" -- is just polishing a turd.

[matt819]

14. Well, no, not really

Two years ago, my house was struck by lightning. The house, relatively new, was properly grounded, but it was a direct, or near enough. Blew out my modem, computer, and refrigerator compressor.

Sure, all insurance is "fear based," but, as I work from home, it just seemed like common sense to have online backup. Got a new computer, new fridge, and a single dvd from mozy to restore everything. It wasn't perfect, but my business didn't suffer (too much), apart from the inconvenience.

That's good business and common sense. No insurance agent sold anything to me. No one used "scared straight" tactics to use online backup. Just, well, common sense. You may call that a polished turd. Having had a giant proverbial turd land on me, I pretty much patted myself on the back for how smart I was.

Frankly, that's how I would advertise this service. But I can't help but wonder if Carbonite took the "scared straight," fear-based marketing approach for the Limbo crowd. YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS, DO YOU????? I mean, after all, we have a teapartier in Texas running based on the claim that the United Nations is going to prevent golf courses from being built in the US. That's fear-based. Irrational, but still fear-based.

You may not see a difference. I do.

[JoeyT]

15. Speaking as someone that worked in PC repair

for years, "YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOUR FAMILY PHOTOS, DO YOU????" shouldn't be an advertisement, it should be a public service announcement that runs every hour on the hour on every television and radio station. A mass mailer and billboards would be nice too.

At least two or three people a week would come in freaking out because they thought their family photos were lost forever. About a third to half of those were correct, for one reason or another.

I think the phrase you're looking for is basing advertising on irrational fears. To the Limbaugh crowd that would be "Minorities or feminists might steal your computer!"

[bookman]

10. I'm a Carbonite user

It's a great product. I've needed it many time for various reasons. I think it is reasonably priced. I'm thankful I didn't have to find another service.

[gulliver]

11. I love Carbonite

I never worry about backups any more. It just happens automatically. It's offsite too, so my data won't be lost in a fire. A bargain.

[Shankapotomus]

12. http://www.carbonite.com/en/

http://www.carbonite.com/en/

[Ilsa]

13. Carbonate also runs ads on Ed Schultz's radio show

And Big Eddie endorses their product. I think Thom Hartmann does too.

[elbloggoZY27]

16. Thanks Carbonite

What else is there to say. I am no fan or supporter of the Right and their hiding behind the First Amendment.

To bad Fox News is not shut down. Al they do is put out distorted and warped news.


Thanks Carbonite and I use your service.

[12ZTR]

17. Boycott..

all businesses that are Republican leaning. Tell them you won't be back until Limbaugh, Beck & FOX are off the air.