By now, you’ve probably seen, or at least heard about the FedEx delivery driver who was caught on tape demonstrating some incredibly effective package delivery techniques. If not, familiarize yourself:

Needless to say, Mister Throw Packages became a viral hit after his actions were uploaded — on December 19, 2011; it now has over 4.5 million views — which, in turn, caused his employers to take respond in a swift manner. And so, FedEx did what most companies who have a sense of tech savvy on their side do: Use the Internet to convey their message. What normally might have been done with a paid-for commercial block can now be done through the power of YouTube. Not only does this take on a grassroots feel of its own, there’s no doubt it cuts down on productions costs.

What do you think costs more? A public service announcement on YouTube, or unique (and often funny) ad content to be consumed by the masses, complete with actors who want to be paid for their time? The answer is pretty obvious, especially once you see FedEx’s thoughtful response, one that undoubtedly was cheaper to make. There’s nothing wrong with a pragmatic approach, especially if the message is getting through:

Swift, decisive action, complete with a straight-forward, capitulation-filled approach.

It should be noted the FedEx apology has not received near the amount of views as the package-tossing video did, which isn’t surprising. Controversy sells, especially when the mainstream media picks up on it, and the offending video was seen on local news channels across the nation. It’s actually unfortunate these same outlets won’t give the apology the same kind of airplay, but then again, being nice doesn’t sell quite as well.

It should also be noted the fate of the delivery driver is unknown. In the apology, Matthew Thornton III, FedEx Express Senior VP, indicates the driver is no longer working with customers, but the implication is being made that he’s still employed with FedEx. Maybe they have him locked in the company pillory as punishment.