No, it's not because Bill Gates and Marc Andreessen are frequently mistaken for Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper. Rather, it's because both organizations feature a confusing set of officials who make the rules, and because there often seems to be more champions than challengers. It is the job of standards bodies to make these protocols happen.
Members meet and debate the issues.
Major competitors weigh in, especially if the standard deals with some important and contentious area, such as Java or push technology. Generally, successful standards are already de facto standards. Otherwise, the standard could become irrelevant as impatient vendors push forward. This process results in a recommended standard no one is bound to follow. Yet, if a vendor chooses to ignore a standard, it risks alienating vendors and partners, not to mention potential incompatibility with other products.