Right now a blog just wouldn’t be a blog without someone putting their 2 cents in about a certain King of Pop. Michael Jackson and corporate responsibility may not be an obvious pairing but bear with me! Over the last week it hasn’t just been the fans that have had to deal with his death. In fact I suspect that the companies involved in his upcoming O2 concerts might be amongst the saddest at this time, albeit for different reasons. After the initial shock AEG and other companies involved had to not only confront the business implications but do so in the world’s spotlight where, to my knowledge, no precedent has been set on an artist kicking the bucket before a major tour. This is a tricky one to navigate. On the one hand the companies face loosing the huge amount of money already spent on the concerts and on the other they have thousands of grieving fans. What is the ticket company’s responsibility here?
I by no means claim to be an expert on AEG and their recent manoeuvres. Instead I speak as a ticket holder faced with a decision – get a refund or pay the full price (£75 FYI) for a “souvenir” ticket. I’m torn. Part of me thinks it’s ridiculous to pay full price for a ticket to a concert I’ll never see. But a fellow ticket holder feels differently wanting to own this golden ticket (well hologram actually) as a testament to her fan status and as a chance to own part of “history” – and she isn’t nearly as distraught about MJ’s passing as some fans out there. I can’t help but ask if AEG is cashing in on the emotions of fans. One could even argue that it is hugely irresponsible and ethically questionable. Perhaps a lower price would be more appropriate as a large part of the good purchased is missing – Michael Jackson. But some fans seem to be forgetting this in the whirlwind of the drama and heightened emotions. Then again the companies involved have invested a lot of money and resources so if consumers want to buy the ticket then why stop them? It’s a clear-cut transaction, right? Even an “investment”?
I haven’t decided what to do with my ticket yet. This situation appears to be a unique corporate conundrum with business trying to navigate a plethora of emotions on a global scale and still come out on top. Whatever’s going on here it certainly isn’t “black or white” – sorry I couldn’t resist!