Jun
20
Red crosses and red faces at Johnson & Johnson
Filed Under Business, Corporates, Marketing Public Relations, PR Disasters | Leave a Comment
Over at O’Dwyers’ PR blog, reports confirm that J&J has climbed down over its ‘hiding to nuthin” attempts to sue the Red Cross over its use of the (coughs) Red Cross logo. While J&J maintained the legal battle was justified because it hadda protect the sanctity of its trademarks, their climbdown comes after a New York judge tossed J&J’s trademark claim (over the Red Cross emblem) last month
http://www.odwyerpr.com/blog/index.php?/archives/262-Johnson-Johnson-Eats-Crow;-Settles-Lawsuit-with-American-Red-Cross.html
Jun
12
Blog leagues; a ‘magic bullet’ for online popularity
Filed Under Blogs, Internet Public Relations, Online, Public Relations, Technology | 6 Comments
While commending Julian Cole for his new Top 50 Aussie Mktng blogger list (and glad of the number 11 ranking; if it were soccer, I’d be playing left wing), I cynically wonder whether the compilation of any weeing competition (blog ranking table) tellingly reveals two or three things about comms bloggers.
Compiling a blog table is a surefire way to shoot the blogger into the search engine and online PRfirmament. (Look at what the PR Friendly list did for Brendan whasisname Cooper.) Watch Julian’s rankings in Oz and globally after edition 3 or 4 of his blog table.
Bloggers are mos’ly vain. Any chance to measure their widgets and they’re luvvin it.
Most blog tables seem to treasure quantity (links, mentions, frequency etc) over quality; Julian’s ‘pioneer’ criteria is a step in the right direction, but subject to howldown by someone who knows all the tricks of the tools.
Why are we in love with these blog league tables?
Jun
12
Using Social Media to defend PR’s reputation
Filed Under Business, Internet Public Relations, Online, Public Relations practice, Services, Technology | 1 Comment
Sunderland fan (hands off McGeady) Philip Young links to YouTube cast where the PRSA defends its members against some journalistic anti-PR broadbrushing. Well done Jeffrey Julin!!
Jun
11
The journalist, the media adviser and the blog PR disaster
Filed Under Blogs, Botched PR jobs, Internet Public Relations, Online, PR Disasters | Leave a Comment
The blogvines at Digital Journal, Lulz Starts Here and Nicholas Black are ringing with the sorry tale of two media profess players, who failed to adhere to some of the fundamental tenets and courtesies of the blogosphere. Jamie Duncan a journo with Australian Associated Press and his moll Caroline Hamilton a media adviser (how media savvy though?) at Parks Victoria have been outed as vicious mudslingers and reputation assassins. Like all cowards, they hid their reputation daggers beneath a cloak of anonymity. Fools! Yet after they were identified, they tried to smackdown those who criticised them. Hypocrites!
Still gobsmacking to me that so-called media professionals could expose themselves so carelessly; and if it can happen to those in the know, how does that augur for those who are (I say this kindly) clueless? As a reminder to all, I’m harking back to Paull Young’s 6 Rules for Online Reputation Management, which I contributed to a few months back.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Be honest, transparent, ethical; don’t think you know it all; be open to new things, new points of view; disagree in a civil, constructive way.
Personality: Be original — don’t copy someone else; get your own authentic personal brand; represent your complex self online (this includes personal and professional);
Conversations Friendships — Conversation and discussion have made the blogosphere the vibrant space that is. Conversation is great, don’t get me wrong. But it can’t replace friendship. Yes, do all of these other things, but (perhaps most importantly) don’t forget to be a friend and make friends.
Learning — Go into the space with an open mind and an eagerness to learn from your peers; take advantage of the collaborative nature of the blogosphere; be active, not ani-social; make valuable contributions to the community; make mistakes and LEARN from them.
Awareness — Pause to think, listen and understand; sometimes your first reaction to something isn’t the best one; edit yourself — you can share too much; consider how others will perceive you based on what’s online !
Consciousness — Think about how you are presenting yourself online; don’t turn off your “brain-to-finger/mouth filter;” don’t be rash; realize that what you publish could be a part of your reputation forever.
Jamie Duncan and Caroline Hamilton; part of your reputation forever.
Jun
9
Server move
Filed Under Site News | 2 Comments
If you can read this it means that you’re viewing prdisasters.com on its brand spankin’ new server, and should mean you’ve also noticed the minor tweak made to the layout as the harbinger of more great changes to come.
Jun
8
Consumer generated campaigns; PR’s must be in charge
Filed Under Marketing Public Relations, Online | Leave a Comment
Over at Marketing magazine, I’ve stirred up a mini-hornets nest over my assertion that PR is best placed to lead the way in campaigns that use Consumer Generated Content; not everyone agrees…do you?
Jun
6
PR disaster over Jagermeister’s dwarf drinks dispenser
Filed Under Botched PR jobs, Business, Campaigns, Marketing Public Relations | Leave a Comment
A stripped, buffed and top-hatted person of seriously challenged height, strutted along a bar top freely dispensing shots of Jagermeister alcohol directly down patrons throats, in a Melbourne bayside bar. At a time when the whole of Australia is alarmed over problem and binge drinking, do you think this might’ve been a bad judgement call by the brand and its promo agency (who remain un-named in media reports).
Jagermeister Brand Manager John Howells is named, says no-one at Jager had knowledge of the promo, promises to investigate after this particular shetland pony has bolted, and agrees that while not illegal, this could be seen as irresponsible. He don’t say??
If this was such a great promo idea…maybe the agency would like to identify itself??
Jun
6
[From Neil Perkin via Trevor Cook]