What The Social Media Group-Livingston Split Doesn’t Mean

I was disappointed to hear that management styles and cultural differences led to the split of what was the first social media agency consolidation today when Maggie Fox of the Social Media Group announced the acquisition of Geoff Livingston’s Livingston Communications wouldn’t take place. The partnership had the potential to provide the world with a unique, international social media practice that put a test to all sorts of collaboration theories. From the video below and Maggie’s post, you can see the realization that the partnership wasn’t going to work out as ideally as once thought seems to sit well with everyone.

When I originally wrote about the partnership, Geoff told me it all came together quickly. Perhaps too quickly. Such is life.

What I hope doesn’t happen from this divorce, nay annulment, is that nay-sayers about social media immediately start screaming, “See! We told you it doesn’t work. Social media isn’t sustainable. Back to the one-way approach to marketing!”

The split only means Geoff’s way of doing things and Maggie’s way of doing things didn’t mesh ideally and they didn’t want to walk any further down the road only to be miserable together. Better to correct a minor miscalculation now that to have an ugly, complicated mess later. It has no greater implications on the world of social media. Noting more needs to be read into it. Both firms will be fine and are still excellent places to consider for social media counsel.

I’ve also heard Geoff will be returned to U.S. Citizenship for a player to be named later.