resemble these guys. They don't even seem to measure up to Steve Jobs, who had, in the words of one seasoned PR exec, "all the intensity of center court at Wimbledon" for both his employees and those on the outside. Although all-company "huddles," in which employees are given a chance to "see Todd and Steph's personality" are on the monthly agenda, such huddles have yet to materialize with any regularity.
When asked, Paternot couldn't locate the link to "cool user homepages" off the front page of Theglobe.com. And when CTO Vance Hartley, who helped start the company back in Ithaca, is asked whether he is still "close to Todd and Steph," he pauses reflectively. "Todd and Steph don't necessarily deal with things day to day, but they certainly have a huge attachment to the product," he says. "I think everybody crosses paths with them from time to time."
Theglobe.com's competitors view the coverage with chagrin. "While these guys have been in Jane, they haven't been in Forbes or Fortune," notes Tripod CEO Bo Peabody. "They've gone after this image that lacks authenticity, and I think it's rather unfortunate for them and the industry." "It's a legitimate desire to want to reach a mainstream audience," counters Lisa Simpson, president of Sony Online Entertainment, whose site Media Metrix puts in the same general category of "news, info and entertainment" as the community sites. "And the way you do that is through the mainstream press."
Krizelman and paternot appear to be, as the marketers would say, right "on trend." They have been featured in the pages of Gen-X magazines Black Book and Bikini, as well as more mainstream magazines like Jane and Interview. In the British Harper's and Queen, Krizelman and Paternot were included in a column called "Hot Properties" that profiles eligible bachelors. Smith says the two CEOs were good-natured about being labeled "hot properties," although Paternot has a "serious girlfriend." Neither did the two mind posing for Interview in matching black Armani T-shirts. Smith hopes to sell Teen People on a "role models" story featuring them both.
"We like to play it up," jokes Paternot. However, his shyness is evident beneath his aloof exterior. He describes "doing press" as a "slow, painful process" much less preferable to simply making commercials. "The press likes movie stars. They like great personality. So Todd and I have had to play up the young, hip CEOs."
Theglobe.com gets press, but the audience numbers haven't reflected the hype. Krizelman and Paternot keep their chins up.
"You hear about a movie star, and they seem to come out of nowhere," says Krizelman. "But then you realize they've been in 30 movies before." But Krizelman and Paternot probably won't have to play their public roles forever, or even for another year. Theglobe.com's current plummeting valuation will soon put it in somebody's price range, and, like its competitors, it will be acquired for its 2.1 million unique visitors. Maybe the new owner can help its audience figure out what they came for. When that happens, the young CEOs can be relieved of the burden of the crown, escape the ire of the digital community and enjoy their status as "hot properties" full-time.
