E.F. Hutton Coloring Book
Back in 1987, the financial firm E.F. Hutton had just suffered some bad years that included scandals and major losses. So the senior executives came up with what they thought was a great idea. They'd boost the morale of all their 18,500 employees by sending everyone a coloring book (with crayons) that laid out the problems faced by the company in grade-school language. The book included "cute drawings of houses, racing cars and children" while warning employees that they all had to work harder because "we're no longer the nicest house on the block." The gesture was received by the Hutton employees about as well as you might think it would be. [google news archive]
Those coloring books are now collector's item. The going price on eBay is $125.
Those coloring books are now collector's item. The going price on eBay is $125.
Comments
You want to know what is truely scary? That it is a very common practice. I have been at company meetings where the biggest hit with all the top brass was the coloring pages that were handed out, with crayons. At least it kept them busy while the rest of us lost an entire day of productivity listening to presentations nobody needed to hear and the brass paid no attention to because they were too busy getting the grass just the right shade of green.
Posted by Jim on 01/15/13 at 08:04 AM
I can imagine a whole series of "coloring book" jokes.
The Congress coloring book - all the pages look like money.
The GOP coloring book - there are no blue crayons.
The NRA coloring book - pictures of politicians in all the bull's eyes.
The Burj Dubai coloring book - 44" x 2".
(did that last one lose you?)
The Congress coloring book - all the pages look like money.
The GOP coloring book - there are no blue crayons.
The NRA coloring book - pictures of politicians in all the bull's eyes.
The Burj Dubai coloring book - 44" x 2".
(did that last one lose you?)
Posted by tadchem on 01/15/13 at 11:41 AM
Undoubtedly designed by some morale committee.
Committee - The only form of life known with a hundred bellies and no brains.
Committee - The only form of life known with a hundred bellies and no brains.
Posted by KDP on 01/15/13 at 12:21 PM
@Tad: I got the Burj Dubai but the 44"x2" lost me.
@KDP: This is the stupid @#$@#$ you get when the suits' only claim to the position is a diploma but is totally devoid of any real life experience.
@KDP: This is the stupid @#$@#$ you get when the suits' only claim to the position is a diploma but is totally devoid of any real life experience.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 01/15/13 at 12:41 PM
In a similar vein, a former employer decided one year that in lieu of Christmas bonuses they were going to give everyone in the company a hardcover book on the history of the company, it was a something like 500 pages.
You can imagine what happened next...
They were handed out on one side of the security check gate and were promptly thrown in the trash on the other side of said gate, all of the trash cans near where the books were handed out were heaped full of books.
You can imagine what happened next...
They were handed out on one side of the security check gate and were promptly thrown in the trash on the other side of said gate, all of the trash cans near where the books were handed out were heaped full of books.
Posted by Doug Pirahna on 01/15/13 at 08:30 PM
What did they think, that they hired all their employees from the workshop? Ridiculous.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 01/15/13 at 09:13 PM
@expat: 44 inches tall by 2 inches wide - it's a tall skinny building.
Posted by tadchem on 01/16/13 at 05:44 AM
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Category: Books | 1980s