Iconic Rock Stars Remind Workday and the Corporate World Who the Real Rock Stars Are
Workday, Inc. (NASDAQ: WDAY) faces backlash from Rock & Roll icons, including Billy Idol and Ozzy Osbourne, for its use of the term 'rock star' in corporate contexts. These musicians argue the moniker should be reserved for those who earned it through significant contributions to music. The protest was sparked by Workday's new campaign, which celebrates its customers as 'rock stars' in the workplace. The campaign also features a Super Bowl advertisement airing on February 12, 2023. Workday's CMO acknowledged the distress caused by this terminology and pledged to use the phrase more thoughtfully in the future.
- Workday's campaign celebrates its significant impact in helping businesses, including over 50% of Fortune 500 companies.
- The Super Bowl ad provides high visibility and potential brand recognition.
- Criticism from rock icons could damage Workday's brand image and reputation among certain audiences.
- The backlash may distract from Workday's business objectives and core messaging.
Insights
Analyzing...
Rockers Unite to Fight Back Against Corporate Use of the Term "Rock Star"
Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9138851-workday-real-rock-stars/
The campaign, titled "Rock Star," highlights a singularly bold offender: Workday, the technology company defining the future of work through the products it provides. Workday is famous for creating "rock stars" in the workplace, including more than half of the Fortune 500 companies, and a customer community of more than 60 million workers around the world. Workday has brazenly celebrated its finance and HR rock star customers via national press advertisements, social media campaigns, and digital out-of-home advertisements. Following this outrageous display, Rock & Roll icons felt their melodic voices could no longer remain silent.
Punk rock icon
"We're frustrated that a corporation like Workday is committed to turning normal people into rock stars," Idol said. "We understand that its enterprise cloud applications help customers deliver value fast, but Workday clearly doesn't grasp the knock-on effects of its success on the Rock & Roll community. Just because anyone can be called a rock star, doesn't mean they deserve the moniker. At the end of the day, Workday's customers shouldn't receive a larger standing ovation than we ever did."
To help raise awareness, Idol, along with
The "Rock Star" commercial reminds viewers what true rock star antics look like, with
"Back in the day, we were wreaking havoc in every town, not managing processes through 'real time reporting and analytics,'" said rock icon Osbourne. "In fact, I don't even know what that means. Real rock stars don't 'circle back,' or 'take it offline,' and we sure don't send 'friendly reminders.' Really mate, I'm happy Workday makes your job easier, and I bet your boss even likes you more. I've got to say, the thought of making a boss happy really annoys me…"
For guitarist and songwriter
While these rock icons acknowledge that Workday does make people very, very good at their jobs, they implore businesspeople to cease using "rock star" in a corporate context.
"I'd like to acknowledge the distress that the use of the term 'rock star' in the workplace has caused these Rock & Roll icons," said
For more information and to view Workday's "Rock Star" commercial, please visit:
Additionally, join the conversation via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Workday
Workday is a leading provider of enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources, helping customers adapt and thrive in a changing world. Workday applications for financial management, human resources, planning, spend management, and analytics have been adopted by thousands of organizations around the world and across industries – from medium-sized businesses to more than
© 2023
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iconic-rock-stars-remind-workday-and-the-corporate-world-who-the-real-rock-stars-are-301738810.html
SOURCE
FAQ
Why are rock stars criticizing Workday?
What is the 'Rock Star' campaign by Workday?
When will Workday's Super Bowl ad air?
What does Workday plan to do following the backlash?
