If you haven’t yet fathomed how intensely global the Internet has made us – and what that means for business – it’s worth taking a look at the recent drama over Formula 1 racing. This brought together the unlikely players of Red Bull energy drink, fast cars, the Kingdom of Bahrain and an Internet phenomenon called Avaaz.org, a global web movement focused on “people-powered politics.” It’s a lesson in globalization – and a reminder that business – whether you operate on multiple continents or in just one city – is changing fast.
It started with an email from Avaaz on June 2. Subject line, “Red Bull: Choose a Side.” Avaaz was harnessing the power of its more than nine million members to call on Red Bull to refuse to send its F1 team to race in Bahrain, where anti-government protests have been met with brutality, torture and a media blackout.
Questions about the wisdom of holding an international sporting event in Bahrain had been aired for months; the FIA (the governing body for F1 racing) had already delayed the race once.
To send a firm message that the world will not do business as usual in the midst of state-sanctioned violence, Avaaz was calling on the F1 folks to cancel Bahrain completely. To do so, it targeted high-profile Red Bull: “Red Bull has built a reputation as a sporty, fun drink – but by this Friday, it and other leading F1 teams may become better known for endorsing government torture and murder.”
Imagine the same scenario a mere 15 years ago. Information from within Bahrain would be limited. Do-gooders and pro-democracy fighters would circulate petitions slowly, on paper. And the brands with second-hand associations to international bodies such as the FIA would be able to slip a little out of sight behind that primary decision-maker.
So much has changed.
Avaaz (which means “voice” in several languages) organizes credible web-based petitions. It researches its topics, focuses on tipping-point moments and tracks who has signed. On June 2, when I went to add my name to the Red Bull petition, about 35,000 folks had signed, and Avaaz was hoping to collect 300,000. That was at 6:01 a.m. By 6:09, there were more than 38,000. By 10 a.m., more than 101,000.
Even if you’ve become blasé about the wonders of information technology, it’s something else to watch it so intensely express its power. On the Avaaz website, you see the petitioners sign on, scrolling up your screen: Anastasia from Greece. Steffen from Germany. Jesmond from Malta. Leydi from Guatemala. Guiot from Belgium. David from U.S.A. Daniela from Argentina. Sile from Ireland. Robin from Australia. Raiza from Singapore.
With membership in 193 countries, you witness an outpouring of global concern, in real time right before your eyes. I was proud of how many Canadians showed up. And felt my breath catch as I saw Bahrainians sign on – an act that must have taken considerably more courage than it does from my safe desk.
Avaaz has had stunning successes with this type of action. And it is turning the spotlight not only on governments; when business is a player, Avaaz takes it to task.
Earlier this year, Avaaz gave the CEO of Hilton Hotels four days to sign a code of conduct on the rape trade or face hard-hitting ads in his hometown. 317,000 people joined the petition. He signed; 180,000 hotel employees will now be trained to spot victims of sex slavery.
Avaaz has successfully tackled corruption in Spain, a mega-dam in Brazil, bee-killing pesticides in the E.U. and, with 1.2 million signatures, shut down a proposal to re-open international whaling.
Other web resources have also hugely shifted the landscape. Go to YouTube and you can watch footage from inside Bahrain’s hospitals after the police crackdown. Go to Red Bull’s website, where it supports – as leading companies with high-profile brands increasingly do – a place for fans to post comments.
It’s pretty clear where its customers and fans stand on Bahrain, publicly displayed. A quick Google search finds a former F1 champion and a former FIA president speaking out. And on Facebook, hundreds of people have “liked” Red Bull Racing to gain the privilege of posting comments about Bahrain on its page. For a global brand, this is the web – not of technology, but of morals, perceptions and values – that is the global marketplace. If you thought human rights is not your business, think again.
By the morning of June 8, there were more than 450,000 signatories to Avaaz’s F1 petition.
Red Bull’s site says “We will go through the correct channels and discuss this with other F1 teams.”
In the new world of social and online media, you can’t hide. This breathes hope for sustainability in its deeper, more significant realm – that of human rights and resource disparity, global balance and peace.
Oh, I know. Those words all belong to someone else’s crusade; they’re not really material for the business pages. But business operates at the whim of its customers, and the World Wide Web means everything is local, everywhere is visible and, increasingly, people care what you do. And they’ll let you know – faster than a race car buzzing on energy drinks.
Editor’s note: One week after Avaaz launched its petition, the FIA cancelled the F1 race in Bahrain. Organizers noted issues related to team safety and extending the season calendar. Avaaz’ website claims the cancellation was due to the “intense pressure” created by its mass petition, Facebook messages and media campaign.