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PRISM, Through the PR Looking Glass

June 11, 2013 by William Dentzer 3 Comments

THE PR VERDICT: “A” (PR Perfect) for Silicon Valley’s tech giants, for keeping it short but not mincing words in response to PRISM allegations.

PRISM, news outlets reported last week, is a clandestine program under which the US National Security Agency obtained “direct” access to the servers of Microsoft, Apple, Google, AOL, and Facebook, all of whom signed on to the program. The disclosure came on the heels of similar revelations about the government obtaining call logs of Verizon customers and spying on journalists. As described by the media, PRISM, an acronym for “Planning Tool for Resource Integration, Synchronization, and Management,” appears to be far more obtrusive and Orwellian than previously thought. One anonymous source said it enabled the NSA to “literally watch you as you type.”

Or does it? Faster than a trending tweet, the companies mentioned as being complicit in the citizen spying issued unambiguous denials. “Outrageous,” said Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. “Never heard of PRISM,” said Apple. Those denials, plus the government’s declassification and disclosure of some PRISM details, cast doubt on the story, which drew surprisingly muted public outrage anyway. Verizon’s response, in contrast, seemed contrived and concerned more with containing PR damage. The Washington Post, one of the outlets that broke the story, appeared later to walk back its initial reporting as other media outlets found experts to assert that the leaked PRISM documents had been misread.

THE PR VERDICT: “A” (PR Perfect) for Silicon Valley’s tech giants, for keeping it short.

THE PR TAKEAWAY: Keep it simple. When the story is misleading or just plain wrong, don’t waste a second in responding. Don’t get bogged down in ambiguous language that produces the infamous non-denial denial. Sometimes PR is not just about PR; it’s about setting the record straight, and doing so before a story long on accusations but short on facts spins wildly out of control. Journalists can make mistakes and some – gasp! – have agendas. When the press bites, reach out to your journalism friends (you have made some friends, haven’t you?) to set the story straight. And remember; bonus points for acting aggrieved, not angry.

Filed Under: Advertising and PR, Crisis Communictions, Media, Tech Sector Tagged With: anti-terrorism, Apple, Facebook, Google, media, Microsoft, NSA, PRISM, public relations, surveillance, Twitter, Verizon

Changing Hathaway’s Haters

March 6, 2013 by The PR Verdict 1 Comment

THE PR VERDICT: “D” (PR Problematic) for Anne Hathaway.

Without a doubt, this year’s Academy Awards gave the media lots to talk about. There’s the debate over Oscar presenter Seth McFarlane’s envelope-pushing monologues, and Jennifer Lawrence’s stumble. But of all the gossip-worthy notes, one point was made so often in the Twitterverse that it began a media storm: Apparently, people hate Anne Hathaway.

Not everyone, of course. After all, Hathaway won a Golden Globe and an Oscar for Les Miserables, and she has appeared on numerous magazine covers. But public opinion has been poisoned: the words “Hathaway,” “annoying” and “hate” garner multimillions of Google results. Even Anderson Cooper recently felt the need to defend Hathaway on his show.

The reasons are vague but came to a tipping point with Hathaway’s Academy Awards acceptance speech. The accusation? Rehearsed and not terribly genuine. Even before that, though, Tweeters were bashing her Awards dress for showing her nipples, a wardrobe malfunction that seemed less accidental after paparazzo photographed her going commando at the New York Les Mis premiere.

Who cares if a few (million) people hate her? Well, Hollywood, for one. Hathaway’s detractors are predominantly women. If Hathaway scores low on female popularity ratings, then certain roles won’t be made available. She needs some turnaround PR to make sure her place at the Vanity Fair Oscar party is secured.

THE PR VERDICT: “D” (PR Problematic) for Anne Hathaway. A legion of female haters may ultimately change her career in Hollywood.

THE PR TAKEAWAY: Want to be more liked? Find new friends and revisit old ones. When half the movie buying population doesn’t care for you, a PR rethink is needed. Hathaway’s problem is that she tests in market research as aloof and unapproachable. For the moment, cease photo shoots with Vogue and Bazaar, quietly put Valentino back on the rack, and instead publicly pal around with some old school buddies while booking slots on the chat shows hosted by other women: Ellen, Wendy Williams, Oprah, and Chelsea Handler. Being aloof and talented may be chic, but being in the company of other likeable women will turn this PR issue around. Just ask Hilary Clinton and Meryl Streep.

Filed Under: Celebrity, Lowest Graded, Media Tagged With: Academy Awards, Anne Hathaway, Golden Globes, haters, Jennifer Lawrence, media, Oscars, public relations, Seth McFarlane, Twitter

Passengers Launch Lawsuits Against Carnival Cruises

February 20, 2013 by Suzan Colon 1 Comment

The PR Verdict: “D” (PR Problematic) for Carnival Cruise Lines.

The ship of the damned, Carnival Cruise Lines Triumph, lurched into port last Friday after days of horrendous conditions at sea. The luxury cruise ship suffered a fire early into its voyage and lost all power, leaving nearly 4,000 passengers and crew in the dark, with limited food and water, no air conditioning in sweltering temperatures, and toilets that quickly overflowed into the hallways.

There was little surprise that after the ground was kissed by passengers, lawyers were called, and as early as Sunday, lawsuits were being filed against Carnival. The first claimed Carnival “failed to provide a seaworthy vessel and sanitary conditions” with the plaintiff seeking compensation for “physical and emotional harm, anxiety, nervousness and the loss of enjoyment of life.’”

Carnival’s fine print states that the cruise line “shall not be liable for emotional distress and mental suffering.” However, that doesn’t cover physical damage. A second suit now cites physical injuries, including severe dehydration. It’s likely these will spawn further suits; one passenger mentioned during a morning show interview that she’d broken her ankle in the dark. Lawyers are at the starting line.

THE PR VERDICT: “D” (PR Problematic) for Carnival Cruise Lines. The cruise from hell may be over for the passengers, but it’s ongoing for a company still reeling from the ship-aground disaster in Italy.

THE PR TAKEAWAY: Taking action speaks louder than simply saying “I’m sorry” . Carnival Chairman and CEO Micky Arison apologized via loudspeaker on the cruise liner when his defeated Triumph was towed into port, but passengers were in no mood. An indication of what could have been done came when passengers took time from detailing wretched conditions to praise the crew for taking good care of them, when they were suffering even more. The issue at sea went on for days with those aboard Tweeting about worsening conditions. What else might have been done? Why not airlift more food and water, no matter the cost? Or, make a bold and unprecedented move to show how much the CEO cared by airlifting him onto the ship and joining the passengers in hell. What a PR impression that would have made! He might have been as uncomfortable as his fellow passengers but that might have paled in comparison to the questions he now faces from Carnival’s board as it fends of a flotilla of lawsuits.

Filed Under: Companies & Markets, Featured News Stories, Marketing and PR, Media Tagged With: Carnival Cruise Lines, crisis, cruise, lawsuits, media, Micky Arison, public relations, Triumph, Twitter

Twitter: All the News Unfit to Print

January 8, 2013 by The PR Verdict 1 Comment

The PR Verdict: “A” (PR Perfect) for Tommaso De Benedetti (below; pictured, author J.K. Rowling).

British author J.K. Rowling apparently died earlier this week. Fellow writer John Le Carre broke the news on his Twitter feed, saying that her death was the result of an accident. Mysterious indeed, but all the more confusing as J.K. Rowling is still alive and well, and Le Carre doesn’t generally update his followers on matters regarding Ms. Rowling. But the news went viral anyway and was retweeted hundreds of times, even appearing on a Chilean television broadcast. What was going on?

Fake Tweeter Tommaso De Benedetti.

The not-so-elaborate hoax was the brainchild of Tommaso De Benedetti, who, when not faking Tweets, teaches literature in Rome. De Benedetti has previously killed off numerous celebrities, including Fidel Castro and the Pope, simply by saying it has happened. His fake Tweets have highlighted the ease with which a rumor can spread. Setting up bogus Tweets such as John Le Carre’s, he then spreads his “news.” His point? Retweets by the media become “fact,” despite never being independently verified.

De Benedetti describes his experiments as “games” that prove the media needs to carry out the necessary checks. He told the media that his “aim is to show that Twitter has become a news agency – the least reliable in the world.” But his efforts also demonstrate other basic learning points.

THE PR VERDICT: ”A” (PR Perfect) for Tommaso De Benedetti. Anything can be true at any given time, provided the brand is credible and no details are given.

THE PR TAKEAWAY: If you want something to be true, provide crumbs, not a banquet. Debenedetti makes the valuable but predictable pitch that quality journalism requires independent sourcing. What is more surprising is that breaking news works best when it is less than the 140 characters required by Twitter. Details are not needed; all that is necessary is a name with brand recognition that has authority, and a grabbing headline. A useful rule for PRs wanting to make an instant splash; anything is now possible.

To read more, click here.

Filed Under: Celebrity, Featured News Stories, Highest Graded, Media Tagged With: Fidel Castro, J.K. Rowling, media, The Pope, Tommasso Debenedetti, Tweets, Twitter

Kim Kardashian Shakes Up Bahrain

December 3, 2012 by The PR Verdict 1 Comment

The PR Verdict: “D” (PR Problematic) for Kim Kardashian.

Some people love Kim Kardashian. Others hate her. And new on the list of fully-fledged haters are Islamic militants based in the tiny Gulf kingdom of Bahrain. Recently, over 100 militants turned out in Bahrain to welcome the reality TV star to their shores. This wasn’t the traditional greeting of Arab charm and mint tea; teargas was fired on militant protestors as they chanted “Syria receives martyrs while Bahrain receives whores.”

Bahrain has seen violent clashes between security forces and opposition protesters on numerous occasions over the last 18 months, including government crackdowns that have drawn the ire of human rights groups. Earlier in the week, a group of conservative Bahraini parliamentarians tried to ban Kardashian from visiting the country, citing her “bad reputation.” The motion never got off the ground, and all the while Kardashian correctly said nothing – until she made a mistaken Tweet. Then, she then managed to upset more than the militants.

In town to promote the opening of a franchise of milkshake shops, Kardashian met with fans who paid $1200 a ticket to be near the reality TV celebrity. Local media swooned over Kim’s fashion choices (white bandage dress with body panels, hair modestly pulled back) while Kardashian Tweeted photos of herself posing in front of camels. She then mistakenly Tweeted, “Thanks Sheikh Khalifa for your amazing hospitality. I’m in love with The Kingdom of Bahrain.”

Immediately, human rights groups asked, “Why is Kim Kardashian promoting the Bahraini dictatorship?”, likening the event to “milkshakes with a hint of torture, flavored with teargas.” Ouch! For someone who was not trying to take sides she was suddenly the in the middle of the fray.

The PR Verdict: “D” (PR Problematic) For Kim Kardashian for her “no comment” policy.

The PR Takeaway: Even a thank you note can cause trouble. Saying nothing requires discipline. For a while there, Kim Kardashian was handling the fuss over her arrival with relentless cheerfulness. Then, the mistaken Tweet. Staying out of the fray is not as easy as it sounds. Kim has now learned that this can even apply to a thank you note.

To read more, click here.

Filed Under: Branding, Celebrity, Featured News Stories, Foreign Policy/ Affairs, International News, Lowest Graded, Media Tagged With: Bahrain, Human Rights, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Kim Kardashian, media, militant protest, milkshake shop, Tweet, Twitter

Murdoch, Think Before You Tweet!

November 20, 2012 by The PR Verdict 3 Comments

The PR Verdict: “D” (PR Problematic) for Rupert Murdoch.

When it comes to controversial tweets or scandalous emails, one of the more predictable cries from the media is to ask, what was this person thinking? Every smarty-pants commentator let’s us know: Nothing is private, all is public. Don’t write it if you don’t want it on the front page.

Apparently, media mogul Rupert Murdoch hasn’t been listening; he just learned his humiliating lesson in the world of social media the hard way. His Twitter followers were presumably puzzled by his Tweet this past Sunday that accused the “Jewish owned press” of favoring Gaza over Israel in news coverage concerning the latest military action. He asked his followers, which number over 360,000, “Why is Jewish owned press so consistently anti-Israel in every crisis?”

Immediately, the commentators were wondering who could Rupert have been referring to. In previous Tweets, Murdoch complained of “CNN and AP bias to point of embarrassment.” But as neither are “Jewish owned,” the comments seemed genuinely confusing. The wider consensus is that The New York Times, his US foe in the newspaper world, was the target. But the mystery now looks like it will never be solved. Murdoch apologized unreservedly, describing his Tweet as “awkward and inappropriate,” adding he should not have brought in “irrelevant and incorrect ethnic matters.” Case closed.

The PR Verdict: “D” (PR Problematic) for one of the world’s leading media tycoons. However, it’s touching to realize that even a media mogul can get social media wrong.

The PR Takeaway: Press “pause” before “send.” The Murdoch incident is a flash in the PR pan, but it does show that even the most experienced media practitioners can get it very wrong. What’s obvious with the benefit of hindsight is sometimes not obvious at the time. Murdoch might want someone in his entourage to check Tweets before sending them; this is not a one-on-one conversation, after all. Take note, Wendi.

To read more, click here.

Filed Under: Companies & Markets, Featured News Stories, Lowest Graded, Marketing and PR, Media, Politics, Society/ trends, Thought Leadership Tagged With: AP, attacks, CNN, gaza, Israel, jewish, Murdoch, New York TImes, press, Social media, Tweet, Twitter, wendi

Guest Column: Lady Gaga’s Fur Flap

August 23, 2012 by Joe Dolce Leave a Comment

The PR Verdict: D (PR Problematic) for Lady Gaga.

Last week, Dan Mathews, Vice President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) blasted Lady Gaga for prancing around in a fur coat. Gaga had previously been on the record professing, ”I hate fur, and I don’t wear fur,” but recent photos of her in fox and rabbit, and with a wolf carcass, made it appear that she has either changed her mind or lost her memory. Matthews told Gaga via a public letter that by wearing fur, she’s making herself “a target, just like the mindless Kim Kardashian.” The non-leather gloves are off!

Gaga responded with a Tweet instructing those wondering whether her fur was real or faux to “credit the designer HERMES. Thank You!” She then issued a lengthier explanation on her LittleMonsters.com website and simultaneously took a dig at PETA, saying that she doesn’t support “violent, abusive, and childish campaigns.”

“I am choosing not to comment on whether or not the furs I purchase are faux fur-pile or real because I would think it hypercritical [sic] not to acknowledge the python, ostrich, cow hide, leather, lamb, alligator, ‘kermit’ and not to mention meat, that I have already worn,” she said, referencing her infamous meat dress of 2010.

Gaga continued “…I have truly always stayed away from skinned fur, especially [since] I have never been able to afford a nice one, but this does not mean my morals are rigid and that I won’t bend at the sight of an absolute art piece of a coat… But I am truly sorry to fans who are upset by this, its [sic] a fair and applaudable [sic again] feeling about the health and safety of animals. I respect your views, please respect mine. And Kim Kardashian is fabulous,” the megastar added.

The PR Verdict: D (PR Problematic) for Lady Gaga. While a chastising public letter from PETA could be construed as “violent, abusive or childish,” it might also have been possible to turn the other cheek and let the whole issue blow over. The more important lesson for Gaga is to choose allies, such as the intractable PETA, carefully.

The PR Takeaway: Stand by your message or abandon it, but don’t remix it by saying one thing, then sort of retracting it. If you’re against fur, be against fur. If not, fine, but being against some fur and not all is a tad wishy-washy, and former allies like PETA will understandably make a meal of it. On the plus side, communicating via an impassioned blog keeps the connection with fans strong. But one tip: typos and mistakes don’t prove authenticity of authorship. A copy editor won’t dilute the message, however confusing the substance might be.

Filed Under: Celebrity, Featured News Stories, Media Tagged With: animal rights, anti-fur, art, Dan Mathews, fashion, fur, Hermes, Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga, Little Monsters, media, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PeTA, public relations, Tweet, Twitter, veganism, vegetarianism, Vogue

Stella McCartney’s Icy Olympic Tweet

July 30, 2012 by Mark Arena Leave a Comment

The PR Verdict: ”D” (PR Problematic) for Stella McCartney and her PR.

What was the PR advice given to designer Stella McCartney, creator of Team Great Britain’s podium outfits, as the opening of the Olympics got underway? As the Olympians went down the fashion runway, everyone watching had a point of view about each country’s sartorial expression. The Brits wore white and gold uniforms provided by clothing retailer Next, and not everyone was a fan.

The New York Times pronounced the uniforms “over the top.” Other commenters described the outfits as “somewhere between celestial beings and extras in a Jay-Z and Kanye West video.” Despite the unqualified success of the outstanding opening ceremony, some of the fashion press could’t resist a swipe. Presumably Stella McCartney didn’t want her clothing to be confused with those from Next; she designed the uniforms for the podium, not the opening. What to do?

Team McCartney dove into the world of social media and Tweeted, as the Brits’ uniform was unveiled, that Stella “designed the Team Great Britain performance kit, podium suit & village wear, not the Olympic ceremony suits.” Got that? Nothing to do with us, effectively read the message on Twitter. Her Tweet got more attention than it ever intended.

The PR Verdict: ”D” (PR Problematic) for Stella McCartney and her PR. Why not err on the side of generosity by congratulating Next and setting the record straight at the same time? Clarifying an issue with the word “not” is always open to misinterpretation.

The PR Takeaway: Be nice! Gushy good manners can make the same point as clarifications that may come off as harsh. From a PR point of view, it’s understandable that Stella McCartney wants to set the record straight about what was and wasn’t hers. Congratulating Next, instead of sending them out in the cold, would have been nicer and could have made the same point. How about this PR Appropriate Tweet: “A big fat congratulations to Next. My turn follows with our podium suits when we win our medals. Happy Games!” Exactly the same point, but nothing defensive, and it includes praise for your Olympic partner. Sometimes good PR really is just about good manners.

To read more bitchy commentary about the Olympic uniforms, click here.

What’s your opinion of Stella McCartney’s clarification? Give us your PR Verdict!

Filed Under: Advertising and PR, Branding, Companies & Markets, Featured News Stories, International News, Marketing and PR, Media Tagged With: fashion, Great Britain, Jay-Z, Kanye West, London Olympics 2012, media, Next, press, Social media, Stella McCartney, The New York Times, Tweets, Twitter, uniforms

What is Sex Like with Hugh Hefner?

June 6, 2012 by Mark Arena 6 Comments

The PR Verdict: "D" for the future, former, future-again Mrs. Hefner.

If only we could take back what was said in haste. That must be what former Playboy Bunny Crystal Harris is wishing. Twelve months after the 26-year-old ditched her fiancé, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner 86 , the pair have confirmed that their engagement is back on. Crystal is wondering why the media isn’t taking the happy news too seriously.

The lack of media excitement may have something to do with their previously “amicable breakup” before their big wedding last year. Engaged in December 2010 after two years together, Hef and Harris were ready to tie the knot at the Playboy Mansion in June 2011. Five days before the wedding, the relationship deteriorated into an unseemly spat.

When the breakup went public (via Twitter, of course), Harris hit the airwaves and didn’t hold back. She gave her reasons on nationally syndicated radio shows: Sex with Hefner apparently lasted “like, two seconds.” In case that wasn’t clear enough, she added, “Then I was just over it…I just like, walked away. I’m not turned on by Hef–sorry.”

The PR Verdict : “D” for Crystal and her desire for the media to take her engagement seriously. Next time, let your fiancé’s publicist do the talking.

PR Takeaway: Whatever is true at the moment may not be true later on–or, if it is, maybe it’s better left unsaid. Avoid being held hostage to fortune. Claiming Hefner was a dud in bed while Tweeting that the separation was amicable was always going to strain credulity. The archive is stronger than the Tweet. Next time, pretend the split is amicable, and let the PR team do its job. And there probably will be a next time, because as we know, Hef and Harris have a funny way of changing their minds.

To read more, click here.

Filed Under: Celebrity, Media Tagged With: announcements, Crystal Harris, engagement, engagements, explicit, Hugh Hefner, Playboy, Playboy Mansion, PR team, publicists, radio shows, Sex, Twitter, Viagra, wedding

PRISM, Through the PR Looking Glass

Changing Hathaway’s Haters

Passengers Launch Lawsuits Against Carnival Cruises

Twitter: All the News Unfit to Print

Kim Kardashian Shakes Up Bahrain

Guest Column: Lady Gaga’s Fur Flap

What is Sex Like with Hugh Hefner?

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