A local business known for its sugary sweets tasted the bitter flavor of social media this week.
On Friday, customers lined up to get inside Eileen’s Colossal Cookies in Grand Island. But a series of controversial Facebook posts mean some won’t be coming in – including members of the Grand Island police union.
“Exercise our right to take our business somewhere else,” said Mike Nelson, speaking for the Fraternal Order of Police.
He said it started when a customer wanted a police themed cookie.
Company owner Tony Harman, the officer whose wife made the request, and Grand Island police now agree to the following point.
“It was a big misunderstanding,” said Nelson, the GI cop, who called it a whole lot of nothing.
But it became something, when the company followed up with a Facebook post, showing a flag with a thin blue line.
The company then took that down, as the Harmans put up a message saying the company supports equality, and did not intend to convey a racist message.
"I don't understand where supporting first responders who live in same community you do is racist,” said Nelson, an officer in Grand Island.
Tony Harman, Eileen’s son and one of the owners tells us they received comments that led them to believe some of their stores could be targeted for their pro-police position, and they tried to show sensitivity to the ongoing discussions about police brutality.
Local marketing executives watched it unfold.
“And how it blew up in such a massive way,” said Sherma Jones of Idea Bank Marketing.
Jones has worked with Eileen’s in the past, and said it’s a solid business, and generally no one would question their values.
She said the lesson is that every organization needs a social media plan, and sometimes the best idea is not to say anything.
Jones said, “Once you enter the fray of polarizing topic it's hard to get out of that arena so choosing to stay neutral.”
Julie Wright, creative director at Tally Creative agreed it’s important to have a social media plan.
“Anything you post you stand behind. We recommend organizations and individuals need to be mindful of what they post and only post thing if it adds value to your company. If it doesn't add value, you should take a step back,” she said.
Wright said business owners can’t put their heads in the sand and pretend social media doesn’t matter.
Wright also runs Big Red Treats ,a frozen yogurt shop that employs many young people.
She has seen what comments do to employees, and asks Facebook users to have some compassion.
“There are real people with real feelings on the other side of that computer screen that are going to carry this at home with them at night and cry about it in the breakroom,” she said.
The Grand Island manager for Eileens’s said her husband is a Marine and she has police officers in her family who would take a bullet for anyone.
Tony Harman said the Eileen’s staff is taking this hard. He said they in no way meant to question police, and in their attempts to be sensitive to national conversations about race and policing, they did not express themselves well.
The sheriff’s deputy who wanted the cookie in the first place said he is understanding as well and happy to do business with Eileen’s.
The Harmans said they hope they can earn everyone’s business back, and said they’re going to stick to posts about cookies on Facebook.