I wouldn't put the blame on the vast majority of the programs' members who are not FT-level involved and sophisticated in the workings of the program. SPG has 21M members (last I checked) and those posting here represent about 0.01% of those.
MrsCP is more knowledgeable than most through osmosis, but I doubt the merge/link/combine machinations would be crystal clear to her without my involvement.
Communications could have been much clearer on what the steps of the process have been and will be, when the points transfer happened, etc.
At the same time, I've been in enough mergers with world-class communications efforts where some in the target audience are just thick as bricks. You can point to the 27 unread "IMPORTANT: ACTIVITY REQUIRED" emails in their Inbox, the three posted on the wall, and business superuser in the cubicle next to them and they'll complain you should have done a better job.