Thursday, February 21, 2008

Tire Blowout Causes PR Blowup

I remember the first time I flew on a plane by myself. Although I was 13, a reeeaaal teenager, I was still terrified of A) the plane crashing and being without my mom to hold my hand on the way down, B) sitting next to a creepy stranger, and C) accidentally dosing off and drooling on that stranger.

Luckily neither A, B nor C were issues on this flight.

When I arrived in Phoenix my Aunt Sharon and Uncle Jim swooped me up and told me about all the adventures we were about to embark upon.

During my last weekend in Arizona we took a little road trip up to their cabin in Flagstaff. After the weekend trip we drove back to Phoenix. I slept in the back of the Explorer sprawled out across both seats. Suddenly I heard a loud THUMP and the car seemed lower on one side. Then there were more thumping noises, at which point I popped up in my seat to see what was going on.



Uncle Jim pulled the Ford over to the shoulder of the highway to investigate. We realized that the tread had completely come off the Firestone tire. I asked Aunt Sharon how this happened. She attributed it to the heat. That day as the hot Arizona sun beat down on the red clay earth, Uncle Jim changed the tire as a state trooper helped, or rather, watched.

It never occurred to me at the time, but after I’d returned to Dallas I realized there might be a connection between our incident and the high profile Ford/Firestone blowout scandal. Our story was, thankfully, not nearly as severe as others. But there was definitely commonality.

In August 2000 Ford and Firestone disputed claims that "tire treads were separating from the tire core-leading to grisly, spectacular crashes," according to a Forbes.com report.

According to one case study, the two companies made irreparable PR moves.

First of all the companies did not have a crisis management plan in place. So, apparently their idea of smoothing things over with the press was covering up safety defects. Bad idea? I think so. By being dishonest with the public and covering up information, hundreds of lives were lost because people were left in the dark.

The company also blamed customers for improper tire inflation. Like my mom always says, “The customer is always right!” Bad move Firestone, bad move. That’ll really put everyone who lost a family member to a blowout at ease. Not!

The unsuccessful communication strategies continue…

Ford and Firestone then began to publicly blame each other for the accidents. Real mature…

Lastly, neither party was quick to try and solve the problem. Finally Firestone recalled the tires, but was slow to alert the media. The public had no resource, no Web site, no hotline, nowhere to get information about the recall or how the company was going to address the issue.

After hearing all about this on TV I asked my Aunt Sharon if she ever reported our tire incident to Ford. She said, “No,” and that was the end of it. I’m glad our Ford/Firestone story didn’t have and alternate ending.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Coming Soon to a TV Near You...



I really do miss my weekly watch parties with my friends, where we all curl up in front of the TV with popcorn and live vicariously through the characters of Grey’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives. I miss pretending I have a hot boyfriend like McDreamy or a wardrobe like Gabrielle Solis.

But despite my yearning, I do understand (and agree with) the principle behind the writer’s strike. There seems to be a struggle between intellectual property, advances in technology (in terms of sharing) and due compensation. It seems unfair that a writer’s idea can be reproduced ten times over without being compensated. But by the same token, why would I pay $60 at Borders for a Grey’s Anatomy box DVD set, if I can get the same thing for free at ABC.com? There needs to be some happy medium. And I think the answer lies in a pay increase for the writers. (And apparently the two parties finishing up negotiations agree).

Wondering when your favorite TV show is going be back on air? Click here to find out.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Good vs. Evil Online


I was trying to think of all these new crazy technologies that are surfacing left and right. I did a little preliminary research (on Google of course) and found out about Web 2.0 and nano technology. I just learned the other day that new technologies like Avatars and Flickr even exist. Clearly, I am not too up to date.

When trying to think of a technology that has changed communication, a rather simple one came to mind. The (sort of) new Web site Craigslist. Yes, I admit, it’s not as ingenious as creations mentioned above, but it has turned out to be quite popular.

Although I’ve never used this site, I’ve overheard others talk about how much they like it. I mentioned it to a friend from high school on the phone last night, and she told me her parents found their house when they moved to Dallas through Craigslist.

The original Craigslist in San Fransisco boasts two million monthly visitors, accoring to the New York Times. It’s a place where people go to find out about not only real estate, but also, jobs, personal ads and random junk for sale. Sounds just like a community bulletin board at the YMCA or something.

After surfing around the site for myself, it seemed pretty useful and harmless. Right?

Well, along with the benefits of this new technology, there are always drawbacks.

On October 20, 2007, 24-year-old Katherine Ann Olson was shot and found dead in the trunk of her vehicle, according police reports.

Why am I mentioning this? Because Olson went onto Craigslist.org to find a babysitting job, according to an ABC News report. However, police believe that the ad Olson responded to was intentionally misleading. A 19-year-old male is suspected of falsely advertising on Craigslist and murdering Olson when she reported what she thought was her new job.

Craigslist has come under much scrutiny not only as a result of Olson’s death.

The Web site has also been used as a medium to advertise prostitution and to set up robberies, according to a Minneapolis Star Tribute report.

This story makes the hair on my arms stand straight up. It makes me sick to know that good useful technology can be manipulated and used malevolently. It makes me absolutely sick to think that the smiling face of Katherine Anne Olson above, no longer exists in part because of someone’s misuse of technology.

It just goes to show that what may seem like new and improved on the Internet, isn’t always just that. Olson’s death is a reminder that the World Wide Wed is not always a safe playground, regardless of one’s technological savvy.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

The Bait


Editor at large of CNET News.com, a site dedicated to showing the “exciting possibilities" of new technology, Michael Kanellos overviews in his article “How to get your name in the paper,” 10 strategies.

Kanellos says, “every day is a new day.” He says that because journalists are so busy, PR professionals should, “pitch like a rubber mouse. Dangle it out there early (between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., before the news meeting) and try to fill someone’s calendar.” If that fails, try another bait the next day.

The editor's second piece of advice involves “criticize[ing] your enemies.” Because there's a bad-news bias in journalism, this will make for “good copy.”

Thirdly, “figure out who writes what.” Basically it’s a waste of your time and the journalist’s time if you pitch a story to the wrong person.

Number four: “use both your first and last name on the phone.” I can’t get away with just saying, “Hi this is Whitney.” Whitney who?

Rule number five: “don’t take it personally.” Kanellos says if your story isn’t captivating, it probably won’t be printed. It could be the boring topic, not you, the writer.

Next: “rarely claim to be first.” This initially contradicts what I have been taught at SMU. I’ve been told that if you can make the claim, make it. He says, “a lot of companies claim to be first in something, but most readers don’t believe it anyway.”

Suggestion seven: “don't promise an exclusive a day later.” I wasn’t aware of this practice in the PR world. Kanellos explains, “sometimes, a company will give an ‘exclusive’ to a large media outlet such as The New York Times and then hit up other sites the next day offering a special interview with the CEO or some other exec.”

Numero ocho: “let the execs speak.” Basically Kanellos says that PR professionals are always afraid their CEO-type clients are going to be too open with reporters. However, this candidness will at least make the reporter trust the CEO’s word.

Number nine: “don't make up words.” Here is Kanellos’ reason why: “back in 1997, the head of a large investment bank called some of us reporters together at a conference to talk about the company's new Internet strategy. 'We call it the Webolution,' he said. Silence ensued.” Wow, that would be an awkward situation. Note to self: no imaginary words.

Lastly: “leak like crazy.” Kanellos says, to keep your client’s name in the paper, over time confirm little bits of information which will keep the media interested and up to date.

I found Kanellos’ tips to be helpful and revealing. But he wasn’t the only source I searched. Tons of other online sites and blogs mentioned ways PR professionals get hits. Below are just a few.

Blog Business World by Canadian Wayne Hurlbert says there are several ways to get media coverage.

1. “Press releases are a powerful tool for any online or offline business.” Apparently old-school PR practices haven't died.

2. “Your blog, Web site, or any online business promotional efforts, can be multiplied many times over by being the topic of a news story.” Yay! A blog! This makes me feel like my online journal is worth it.

3. “People tend to put more confidence in a business that is covered in a news article than they do in any paid advertisement. It should be part of your business promotional strategy to get your message into the various news media.” This was a low blow to me, since I'm an advertising major. But I guess that’s why I am complimenting a minor in CCPA.

4. Hurlbert also says, “media site links will enhance your blog or Web site's search engine rankings and incoming link totals. They will also go far towards establishing your own website, as an authority site, for your most important keywords.” My professor is right, the blog does have a huge impact on the PR world.

Sharon Dotson, owner of Houston-based Bayou City Public Relations, has a few tips of her own in the article, “Getting PR in Your Town: Realities to Remember." Dotson says, “learn to read your newspaper with the eyes of a media pro.” The more you know about the writing style of reporters and their interests, the easier it'll be to pitch. Just like in advertising, you've got to know your target audience to achieve success.