Wells Fargo unveils online magazine

Wells Fargo said Tuesday it has launched an online magazine to tout success stories that feature its employees.

What kinds of stories? For one, a feature story on Tuesday centered on a mortgage consultant in Iowa who says he pushed an elderly couple's car off some railroad tracks just in time to avoid catastrophe with an oncoming train.

The bank's move comes at a time when consumers are frequently taking to blogs or social media to unleash criticism about companies they've done business with or simply don't like.

But companies are no longer sitting idle for this digital bashing. Hostile comments on social media now receive responses from some companies, such as Bank of America. Throughout the day, the Charlotte-based bank replies to Tweets from disgruntled customers, asking if it can assist the customers with whatever issue they are worked up over.

Wells Fargo's new website also highlights the trend of companies using digital platforms to share with the public what they describe as their internal culture.

“Wells Fargo Stories opens a new window into the company’s vision and values,” Oscar Suris, the San Francisco lender's head of corporate communications, said in a press release. “Our team members live and breathe our culture every day to help our customers and communities. This journal features those experiences in a way that goes deeper than a tweet or ‘like’ can convey.”

Wells Fargo's new website caught the attention of Dealbreaker.com, known for its commentary on financial headlines. Its take:

… It might have considered waiting until volume 10 or 13 before rolling out a story that involves speeding trains, an elderly couple, and A WELLS FARGO EMPLOYEE WHO POSSESSES SUPER-HUMAN STRENGTH, which will be difficult to top.