I agree. The brand was 100+ years not the distributor of the brand. As I said - they took some liberties. However, they have always been bombastic with their brand/announcements. As a growing brand trying to create brand awareness - you always want to appear larger and more successful. Was that the right approach...? Certainly debatable and a legitimate argument. That being said, they did adjust their style as shareholders pushed back as well as the market. They are more measured in their announcements. Even so - they are still very enthusiastic about them when they do as well as the brand moving forward in general.

Not that it excuses certain errors but these guys started the company as a marketer and an attorney. They had no experience in running a public company and got used and beat up by partners, lenders, 3rd party contractors etc. They also made errors along the way. But I will always go back to certain things with respect to the typcial OTC/Pink sheet stock:

They didnt blow up the AS to dig out.
They didnt take the convenient R/s way out
They key people in the organization are paid very little with most of their time going towards future stock appreciation as the payoff.
They loaned money to the company mostly interest free or very low interest (when required). They didnt loan money to the company at loan shark rates or have it convertible and then dump it ontonthe SHs as "just making their money back"
Etc. Etc.

Despite the lawsuits from the lenders who are working with the MMs to short them out of business and the 3rd party contractor that botched their order - they have managed to stay in business, grow, expand, and not eviscerate the long term SHs in the process. I can forgive them for growing pain errors and faux paus' along the way.