This is bad, really bad. The man’s name in question is “Harman Bajwa” — Remember his name is literally Harman.
He was happy with his facebook URL, http://facebook.com/harman … until one day Ad Agency Carat sends this e-mail to him:
From: Tyler Bahl
To: Harman Bajwa
Sent: Fri, January 22, 2010 11:25:21 AM
Subject: HarmanHi Harman,
Thanks for accepting my friend request on Facebook.
I’m the emerging media strategist at Carat in Boston and I work on the Harman International account. We’re launching our first initiative in partnership with the GRAMMYS on Monday. Harman International is looking to obtain the vanity url facebook.com/harman for their Facebook fan page.
We are currently working with Facebook to reclaim (http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=896#/help.php?page=899) the username, but I wanted to explore opportunities to work with you to acquire the name. In the past, we have offered product in exchange for social domain names. One case in mind was for the new movie Avatar , we were able to give promotional items to the owner of twitter.com/avtr for Coke Zero.
Do you have time to connect today to discuss this opportunity in more detail?
Best,
-tb
Of course Harman said no. That’s his name, he’s not giving it up. He’s not giving up his name for a Diet Coke … It’s his freaking name! Then Ad Agency Carat contacts Facebook, next thing you know, Harman get’s this e-mail from Facebook.
Please Read This!
WarningThe username you selected was removed for violating Facebook’s policies. A Facebook username should have a clear connection to one’s identity. In addition, impersonating anyone or anything is prohibited. If you see other people with usernames that do not accurately represent their real names, it is only because they have not yet been removed for misuse.
To select a new username, please visit the following link:
www.facebook.com/username
Thanks for your understanding,
The Facebook Team
Huh? So Harman is violating Facebooks terms for using Harman as his Facebook ID? That’s hot. We completely hope that Carat’s Harman campaign fails. This is just wrong on so many levels. Great Advertising Campaign Carat … you guys are freaking amazing… the lack of social media skills coming from your agency never ceases to amaze us.
And Harman International spent money with your ad agency for social media? Carat should be paying them in damages to their name.
Complete Garbage.. I don’t know how you guys are in business…. seriously you completely lack in social media understanding… stealing someone’s name right off the bat isn’t the right way to go for it.. and bribing him with a Diet Coke isn’t the right way to go about it. In fact so far your entire social media campaign isn’t right.
You guys should just do print or something… disconnect the internet to your location.. clearly you don’t know how to use it. Thank you TechCrunch for finding this.
