Comments on: FatWire’s sex site demo backfires at Boston Web 2.0 conference

By: Chikoo

Chikoo — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:48:48 +0000

This is to Frank who says:
“I hate to say it but most people from Asian countries still treat women as seconds class citizens.I think Yogesh Gupta still thinks that he is in Asia..”

He is an Indian, and lest you forget the US has yet to elect a Woman at the highest post. India already achieved this in 1966, a mere 18 years into independence.
Also Yogesh Gupta is a Hindu, and in Hinduism, a God is never alone. He is always accompnied by his source of power, the Goddess. Actually, the in mentioning them in prayers, the woman Goddess is mentioned first. see Sita-Rama, Radha-Krishna, Laxmi-Narayan. The western Christian or any other religion has yet to accord this status to a woman.

Yogesh Gupta did nothing wrong is using usable data. It is business after all. One cannot combine business with your personal value system.

By: KP

KP — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:30:12 +0000

I am actually offended by the fact another complete moron is getting rich as the CEO and President of a company. Sheesh, Sarah Palin could have figured out it would offend someone.

This is why executive pay is ridiculous. No value.

By: KenZen

KenZen — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:58:40 +0000

This is a prime example of why every single corporate presentation outside of a sales call should be vetted by the marketing department. Whether we like it or not, this is 2008, not 1978, and when you’re representing your company you have to be cognizant of what society deems appropriate and inappropriate in different settings. Pitching to petitemeat.xxx, by all means showcase your work with Playboy, although purveyors of height-challenged porn will probably think you’re lame. But not in front of a mixed group of people attending a public conference. Makes you wonder if his software secretly ads easter eggs on client websites that make farting sounds when you click them.

By: Bradley Martin

Bradley Martin — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:53:43 +0000

I’m shocked! Shocked that people are surprised FatWire would use the keynote to pitch their product. I’ve been to too many technology conferences to know, if you give a company a platform, it will turn into a sales pitch…

Secondly I’m shocked, that anyone would be surprised FatWire would use SEX to sell their product. Goodness-Gracious!! OH MY!! Oh no! But how many times have we walked the conference floor to see “booth-bunnies” handing out free pens/t-shirts/flashdrives; or even beer, as Hula Networks did one year with “booth-bunnies” wearing grass-skirts and bikini tops. and by the way, the line was long and, yes, filled mostly with men. And even though I did not participate, I remembered who they are and what they do…

The social commentaries I’ve read have merit; I do not discount them. However, the statements about shock and outrage… Come on; are you kidding me? Have you been to COMDEX/INTEROP, E3, VON, you name it… Sex sells… When the Victoria Secrets runway show was broadcast online, it took the transit and peering connections down at a number of a ISPs…

By: John

John — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:35:55 +0000

I was there and I found the whole thing ridiculous. What were FatWire thinking, honestly? Mr. Gupta had just finished reminding us of how 3M were one of their big accounts and that they ‘just closed the biggest deal in their history’ with a large bank. Both are in sober, conservative industries. Why on earth then showcase another one of their customers from such a vasty different side of the industry spectrum to an audience filled with sober, well dressed 30, 40, 50 and 60-somethings?? Bizarre. And to top it all off - the demo walked us through the life of a ‘typical user - Male 20-29′. I don’t know too many males in their 20’s who are on cybergirls.com looking for ’sanitized’ images of women. What a farce. Shame on FatWire’s marketing department for letting this out. I would have resigned in protest.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:04:24 +0000

I find the degradation of this discussion amusing. From comparing Playboy to child porn to complaining about a keynote giving a product demonstration.

Mr. Gupta should have never used something so controversial as part of his demo - - back to the point know your audience. Regardless of this lapse in judgement, professionals should be able to contain their personal objections to focus on the business aspects.

As far as the whole, “exploiting women” statements, these ladies bring in millions posing nude. I believe that men’s weaknesses are being exploited when in comes to pornography. Men pay big $$ for pornography…. so who’s being exploited… pulease.

In almost any situation you run the risk of offending someone these days, knowing that, we all should be sensitive to it not over sensitive. Unfortunately, the age of innocence has long been replaced by the age of litigation.

By: Wilhelm

Wilhelm — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:01:45 +0000

I’m not offended, but I think that is showed lack of cultural sensitivity, not to mention a failure to consider the demands of political correctness.

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:34:58 +0000

Opps there it is!
I hate to say it but most people from Asian countries still treat women as seconds class citizens. I think Yogesh Gupta still thinks that he is in Asia or even the US a few decades ago in which this sort of stuff was acceptable practice in meetings. Remember at that time there were very few women in management or even technical positions meetings like this were full of men so this type of showing how “manly” they are was common.
It is interesting that Yogesh Gupta would become a CEO of an US company now and only few decades ago in the US he wouldn’t be able to do that.
However it is now 2008 and this is the US so Yogesh Gupta, and all other people in the world, need to wake up stop discriminating all people.

By: Executive Female Perspective

Executive Female Perspective — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:14:24 +0000

This was an exceptionally poor choice under any circumstances. I’m not thin skinned or over-reactionary. Our business conversations need to evolve beyond thinking this was ok.

By: JJones

JJones — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:07:58 +0000

Men have no idea what kind of social climate a woman would experience sitting in a “largely male” dominated room and having the presentation turn from regular business to a presentation involving soft-porn. I think it’s obvious that the female demographic was not considered or if it was, not considered important enough to BE concerned with.

I would be irritated to go to a professional gathering and find myself in such a situation and won’t apologize for it.

I wasn’t there and don’t know what content was shown. I wouldn’t be offended by mere mention of “Playboy” or of analytical data presented from such a site. I would be offended by being suckered into a sales pitch wrapped up in half-naked packaging in hopes the attendees don’t notice.