Like 'Talking to the Borg': How Amazon's Social Media Ambassadors Eerily Swarmed a Critic

The company's reputation-boosting effort may use real employees, but that doesn't mean it feels organic

For years, Amazon has been taking heat for conditions in its fulfillment centers, where labor activists say employees are chronically overworked. These criticisms seemed to be reaching a tipping point around last month’s Prime Day, when Amazon faced intense pressure from union organizers, Democratic politicians and even some employees—including Minnesota warehouse workers who went on strike, wearing shirts that said, “We are human, not robots.”

Amazon has been attempting to address the negative perception of its fulfillment centers through a variety of methods, with most rooted in the opportunity to let just about anyone come visit one for a tour.

But

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