The other part that's always tricky is the creative control because it's not in a brand's nature to relinquish control--they're used to making commercials, which are very controlled and highly manipulated 30-second spots that paint a pretty picture of their brand.
First, Loveman seems to run his business in a highly empirical fashion, using small, controlled experiments whenever he can to guide decision-making and boost revenue.
The concept of heating underground coal to a combustion point may lead one to recall Centralia, PA, an abandoned town in Pennsylvania sitting on a coal seam which has been burning for 50 years, but the UCG controlled process makes that outcome highly unlikely.
This story reveals a rare glimpse into the reality behind the closed doors of a highly secretive and PR-obsessed corporation, where information is tightly controlled.