The Hall of Shame Articles

Surviving the Corporate Fog

Deep dives into office politics, the psychology of jargon, and live translations of the world's most confusing press releases.

Latest Articles

Analysis2026-03-03

The Anatomy of a Non-Apology: What PR is Actually Saying

We're sorry you were offended. We aren't sorry we did it.

Culture Warning2026-03-02

Why 'We're a Family' is the Biggest Corporate Red Flag

Families can't fire you because revenues missed projections by 2%. Startups can.

Office Humor2026-03-02

How to handle passive-aggressive emails: A survival guide

When Susan says 'As per my last email,' she isn't being helpful. Learn how to decode and defuse hostile workplace communications.

Satire2026-03-01

A Comprehensive Guide to Pretending You Care in Meetings

Mastering the art of tactical nodding while thinking about your lunch.

Exhausted2026-02-28

The 5 Stages of Grief After Entering a 'Quick Sync'

It is never just five minutes. It is never just a sync.

Survivalist2026-02-27

How to Survive Performance Review Season Without Losing Your Soul

A tactical translation manual for deciphering HR speak during annual reviews.

Corporate B.S. Breakdowns

Hover to Un-gloss
May 2010Corporate ApologySOURCE: BP

"Deepwater Horizon Response"

"We have been dealing with a massive flow of hydrocarbons... I would like my life back."

Un-glossed Reality

"We destroyed the Gulf of Mexico, but frankly, I'm the real victim here because I have to work weekends."

March 2018Tech AnnouncementSOURCE: Meta (Facebook)

"Platform Privacy Update"

"We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can't then we don't deserve to serve you... We will learn from this experience to secure our platform further and make our community safer for everyone going forward."

Un-glossed Reality

"We sold your data to a political consulting firm. We're sorry we got caught."

April 2017Corporate ApologySOURCE: United Airlines

"Flight 3411 Incident"

"This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers."

Un-glossed Reality

"We physically dragged a paying customer off a plane because we overbooked it."

Early 2001FinanceSOURCE: Enron

"Annual Report Letter"

"Our performance and business capabilities have never been stronger... We have transformed ourselves from a pipeline company to an Internet-based communications and energy trading company."

Un-glossed Reality

"We are currently committing the largest accounting fraud in corporate history."

May 2021Corporate ApologySOURCE: Peloton

"Tread+ Recall"

"I want to be clear, Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s request that we recall the Tread+. We should have engaged more productively with them from the outset."

Un-glossed Reality

"Our treadmills injured children, but we fought the recall for a month to protect our stock price."