By Calvin Zito
NetApp is taking a piece of truth and misrepresenting it in a press release. On March 11th, NetApp isused a press release with the following headline. “NetApp Named 2009 CRN Channel Champion“. Yes that is true; they did receive a reward from CRN in the Network Storage Category. It’s the next piece that’s misleading. “Honored as the Top Vendor in the Network Storage Category” stretches the truth. The subtitle “the Top Vendor” makes it appear to the quick reader that NetApp owned this category exclusively after all it says “the top vendor” and not “a top vendor”. Even the content in the release misleads people into believing the same. We decided to check it out so went to the CRN ChannelWeb’s site 2009 CRN Channel Champions Awards. When we got to slide #39 we found that CRN said “NetApp nabbed the Financial Performance trophy for Network Storage”.
I’ll be honest with you, I really don’t know what this award is for but it didn’t sound like it was what NetApp wants to lead you to believe. So we went to the next slide #40 and found that CRN said “HP picked up the victory for the Network Storage category overall, along with awards for Support Satisfaction and Technical Satisfaction.” We also won the 2008 award for the overall category but note that we didn’t put out a press release either time.
So you be the judge; from your perspective was NetApp’s statement as “the Top Vendor” in the Network Storage Category” fair and accurate? Never in their press release do they mention that they won the financial performance trophy. It seems to me that NetApp stretched the truth just a bit here as it was HP who actually picked up the victory for the Network Storage category overall, along with awards for Support Satisfaction and Technical Satisfaction. I don’t know what the guidelines are from CRN in terms of what can be said in a press release but all I can say is shame on NetApp and their PR agency for misrepresenting themselves and their award.
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