Twitter Users Call for BlackBerry CMO’s Head

Shortly after BlackBerry this morning confirmed the dismal second-quarter 2014 fiscal results it announced last week, including a $934 million “inventory charge” related to the less-than-impressive BlackBerry Z10 launch, frustrated Twitter users took to the social network to call for the job of BlackBerry CMO Frank Boulben.

Along with snarky tweets, the Twitter users included the hastags #FireBoulben and #ReasonsToFireBoulben.

Here’s a smattering of related tweets:

BlackBerry is well on their way to fixing HW & SW. They need to do a damn sight better in marketing. #FireBoulben

— Ben (@BB10VW) September 27, 2013

#BlackBerry had the product, platform and the OS. They didn’t have the message. #MarketingFail #FireBoulben

— Alexandros (@AlexandrosZ10) September 27, 2013

It needs to be said and it needs to happen #FireBoulben #EnoughIsEnough

— Alexandros (@AlexandrosZ10) September 27, 2013

Ultimate fail is when people have no idea BlackBerry 10 is a brand new platform #FireBoulben

— BBA Brian (@BBABrian) September 27, 2013

.@aliciakeys #reasonstofireBoulben #FireBoulben

— JT Teran (@jt_teran) September 27, 2013

Super bowl commercial #reasonstofireboulben #FireBoulben

— BBA Brian (@BBABrian) September 27, 2013

Relying on a dying brand as a marketing tool #reasonstofireboulben #fireboulben

— AVPTI™ (@AVPTIx) September 27, 2013

Because the slogan “this isn’t your fathers BlackBerry” wasn’t used. #FireBoulben

— Seb H. Miller (@shebmiller) September 27, 2013

Not telling customers to #KeepMoving towards BlackBerry…not away from #reasonstofireboulben #fireboulben

— AVPTI™ (@AVPTIx) September 27, 2013

#FireBoulben didn’t do his part.

— Suresh M (@subamu) September 27, 2013

It’s interesting to note that many of the Twitter users posting these tweets have some form of reference to BlackBerry in their Twitter names or avatars, which suggests these are BlackBerry users or one-time BlackBerry users attacking Boulben and not fanbois of other rival mobile platforms.

But the bottom line is that BlackBerry’s current situation is not the fault of one man, and BlackBerry’s marketing efforts are actually better today than they ever were in the past. That’s not to say that Boulben and his team couldn’t have done a better job marketing the company’s latest products—that Super Bowl commercial was pretty weak—but he’s certainly not the only one to blame. Boulben does appear to be the scapegoat o’ the day, though.

AS