General advice on a PR disaster almost hits 1million

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Gerry

As social media continues to prove problematic for organisations with suspect elements within their ranks, Australia’s Chief of Army has secured nigh universal salutes for his authoritative and impassioned new media message on YouTube. Watch it; it’s a triumph of scriptwriting craft, audience awareness, key message insertion and a no-BS delivery (tad wooden if I’m being uber-curmudgeonly). Corporate PRs and executives need to pay attention to how to weave these elements together – and how to harness social media to get the viral share effect – next time they have to front up to handle a social media or PR disaster.

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Swimming CEO Nettlefold walks after “ass-inine” comments

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Gerry

With quips, quotes and quick posts frequently becoming the source of modern PR disasters – the latest seemingly involving Swimming Australia’s now departed CEO allegedly asking to be referred to as “donkey” and making jokes about sex toys and condoms – I’m struck by the low levels of emotional and social maturity displayed. While businessmen, celebs and politicians must have hectic lives, not many of them make time (or have the inclination) to work on their self-development. If 45+ yr-old men make ill-advised comments about race, gender, sex etc, I’d venture that their EI (emotional intelligence) quotient may not have not evolved much since possibly school or Uni days. Sure, corporates can invest in media and presentation skills training, yet if not backed by an investment in emotional, social and gender awareness then the professional lives of their Execs can be easily undone – and brand reputation tarnished – by under-developed attitudes and juvenile outbursts.

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Collingwood kingpin McGuire in the King Kong of all PR disasters

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Gerry

Following a weekend of racial controversy in Australia when a teenage Collingwood fan racially abused Swans AFL aboriginal star Adam Goodes (calling him an ape), the club’s President has inexplicably exacerbated the issue by jokingly suggesting on his morning radio show that the same player (Goodes) be used as part of a promotional PR push for the theatre show King Kong (which for those not in the know, stars a very large ape).
While the sometimes media savvy Mr Maguire has attempted to excuse his behaviour by suggesting that he was “zoned out”…”thinking somewhere else” and the hoary old “slip of the tongue”, the PR disaster backlash continues. Despite protesting that he is not a racist, McGuire’s incidental PR rehabilitation might be better served not just by protesting innocence, but by acknowledging that his comments may point to some unsavoury, sub-conscious attitudes that he’s prepared to work at addressing and eradicating. I’d venture that casual racism is not less hurtful to the recipient than the intended variety.

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When marketing messages aren’t exactly helping…

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Gerry

Rolf Harris theatre poster

While Mr H is innocent until proven otherwise, surely his current show poster strapline is unfortunate at best and, should allegations prove substantial, in horrid bad taste at worst?

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Hubris and “social media fail” on menu at Amy’s Baking Company

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Gerry

Scratching my head on this one at HuffPost: It’s either THE best “controversy marketing” stunt designed to get the eyes of the world media on a TV show featuring an Arizonan restaurant, or it’s the biggest PR clusterfunk I’ve seen on social for some time. (Anything related to cocky chef Gordon Ramsay is usually tinged with an element of high-profile raising, innit?)
The precis? The restaurant owner calling social commentators ‘pussies’, challenging them to fistfights, threatening hollow legal action – all backed by ‘God’s’ might – and now claiming their Facebook was hacked (possible I guess) and you have a recipe for a tasty PR disaster.

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IRS official’s ‘no good at math’ interview blunder.

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Gerry

You couldn’t make it up. Honestly.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/05/10/im-not-good-at-math-the-irss-public-relations-disaster/

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Tom Waterhouse and mum Gai to face their Waterloo?

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Gerry

That it could shock anyone that there could be skullduggery at the stables where the “sport” of horse-racing is built on the proceeds of gambling, still quite baffles me. As the public spat between horse owner Singo, horse trainer Gai and horsetrader Tom turns into a public relations disaster for the family and racing industry, today’s stewards enquiry is unlikely to address the core issue driving the furore. Good article from Tim Elliot explains the background. Hat tip to Foxsports for the montage image.

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#BoycottMyer PR disaster has Bernie on the backfoot

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Gerry

Shooting-from-the-lip Myer CEO Bernie Brookes has caused a sorta social media stink by saying that Julia Gillard’s NDIS levy will impact retail spending (sic, at his stores). While mainstream media reports mostly on the social media ‘outrage’ (see Addictomatic coverage), Social Mention calculates that the coverage is three times more likely to be negative towards Myer and Brookes; others report a dip (surely temporary) in the Myer share price.

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