Tying Your Story to a High-profile Topic — Even "Slumdog Millionaire" — Can Go Too Far

Leveraging a high-profile topic can open the door to your own story.

We’ve used this technique in our own communications.

When Sequoia Capital rolled out its “R.I.P Good Times” pitch that caused considerable hoopla in the world of venture capital, we countered with a guest blog on VentureBeat called “R.I.P. The Controlled Message.”

But there are times when this approach can go too far.

Consider an Israeli defense firm called Rafael as Exhibit A.

Jumping on the “Slumdog Millionaire” bandwagen, the company has produced a Bollywood video to tell its story.

I’m all for embracing social media in all forms, but not with lyrics like:

I need to feel safe and sheltered

Security and protection

Commitment and perfection

Defense and dedication

It’s safe to say this little ditty wasn’t written in Nashville (makes Nirvana lyrics look clever).

I hope this is nothing more than tasteless parody.

But I suspect it shows how storytelling and social media can go horribly wrong with the wrong person at the controls.