Clueless PR
Wouldn't it be nice if the clueless PR places that send out PR spam would at least take the time to read or at least look at the blogs they send this crap to? Here is a typical letter I get from "fans" who want to send me free stuff:
My reply? "If you actually read my blog and were an 'avid fan' you would know that I would never want such a calendar." As readers of my blog know, I just love "staunch" Democrats--yes, this blog just sings their praises all day. Right. Honestly, are PR people that damn lazy?
Dear Dr. Helen,
As a fan and avid reader, congratulations all around for the big victory this last election, definitely a team effort.
And to spread the holiday cheer this season, I'd like to send you, on behalf of our publisher (a staunch Dem), comp. copies of our official 2007 George Bush Out of Office Countdown Calendar.
It's our bestselling contribution to the cause, and it's flat hilarious; with a countdown to the glorious day when W gets the boot, and classic Bushisms on the dates he said them. Thought you might get a kick out of it. (www.sourcebooks.com)
Whether you use them as a stocking stuffers or dartboards, thank you (and all the bloggers) for what you do. Again, I'd like to send you comp. copies for a gift, email me a shipping address and I can get them to you.
Thanks,
Tony
Tony Viardo
Publicist
Sourcebooks, Inc.
"Can’t stand the prez and his posse? Then look out for two new items in your local bookstore: The 2007 George W. Bush Out of Office Countdown wall calendar: Two Years and Countingand George W. Bush Out of Office Countdown Handbook: Hang in There, It's Almost Over!,
both filled with Dubya’s bloopers. Creator Deb Werksman says, ‘The experience of reading it is one of horror and hilarity at the same time…’
—U.S.News & World Report, “Whispers,” August 14 issue
My reply? "If you actually read my blog and were an 'avid fan' you would know that I would never want such a calendar." As readers of my blog know, I just love "staunch" Democrats--yes, this blog just sings their praises all day. Right. Honestly, are PR people that damn lazy?
posted by Helen at 8:44 AM
34 Comments:
"Honestly, are PR people that damn lazy?"
That's been my experience. If they were not, they would be doing something productive.
I don't think they're clueless at all. They send out a zillion or so of these notices, and they don't care if some land at sites that don't want the message, so long as some (many) land at sites that do like the message.
Basic rule number one of Public Relations: I don't care what you say about me as long as you spell my name right.
You gave them publicity, and I'll bet that at least one person who visits here for the purpose of disagreeing is going to buy one of them there calenders.
Hell, take the calendar and re-gift it to a friend. You must have one colleague who suffers from BDS-I work with a few and that is what I would do- they would be so thrilled especially if I threw in a photo of Bill Clinton.
Go figure.
Triticale,
Yes, you are probably right.
aj lynch,
Not a bad idea, give a friend or colleague a thrill and save myself having to pick out a gift--why get annoyed when I can save money on gifts and donate it to the NRA instead, maybe in the name of the person with BDS that I gave the gift to in the first place.
In this case, I don't believe that the PR people are that lazy, they simply don't care. As triticale says it's all about publicity and they're getting it.
I might buy one for my most liberal sibling.
The trouble is, Helen, that it worked! You gave free publicity to them including the publisher's name and product info. Maybe they send it to right and left blogs because even criticism is good publicity. Lefties check in here too.
There is no such thing as bad publicity. It's all about reaching the people who DO want it. That's why the celebrities ALWAYS act so bad right before their new works come out. It's like a girl who flashes her boobs to attract men. It does define her in a way that has a long term impact - but it increases sales in the here and now.
What metric is there in the world of PR by which those who practice the trade may be measured? Yes, it is a necessary position, a productive career if practiced productively, but how is an employer to know?
Dr. Helen,
This was a postive spam on their part; you posted their ad for free.
They didn't do anything wrong. You disagreed yet you gave them publicity. What do you blog for? To get your view out. What do they send you such mails for? To get publicity out of your blog.
Ironically it's a win-win.
There you have it, Dr. Helen: now you will have to find a way to put the hurt on these guys or they´ll never stop! Make ´em pay!
triticale said...
Basic rule number one of Public Relations: I don't care what you say about me as long as you spell my name right.
And as those who hail from Knoxville, TN and are sufficiently long in the tooth would know, an early advocate of that was grocer Cas Walker. And his first corrolary was "say it in the paper."
There's no such thing as bad PR?? What?? I have two words for you: Michael Jackson.
This, to be clear, is what bad PR looks and smells like. Yes, many PR people are lazy as hell, the one who sent you this stuff being one of them.
Bad PR is bad for the agency as well as their client. You didn't give them a soapbox to spread their message -- you pointed out that they, like many of their ideological kind, just don't do their homework very well.
I wouldn't underestimate these wily Democrat publicists. Clearly this one knew you would be outraged and would be goaded into dedicating a post to reproducing his email in its entirety. Unfortunately, you fell right into his trap. Mission accomplished.
I guess the PR guys think it's better to count down days in office than count UP the deaths in Iraq that'll occur during that same period? Those punk Dems, they never get anything right. -blue
"Honestly, are PR people that damn lazy?"
Well, *bad* PR people are, yes. There are those of us in public relations who really do read blogs, develop relationships with bloggers and reporters, and honestly make an effort only to send *relevant* information tailored for a specific blogger we are familiar with.
Unfortunately, one bad apple...
Cas Walker was a true icon of Knoxville politics and the regional grocery business. He would intentionally spill coffee grounds on the floor to make his stores smell good. As a kid, I would ask my mother to go to Cas Walker's so I could smell the coffee grounds.
He also had one of the best slogans ever: "Cas Walker's Meat Can't Be Beat!" No kidding. We laughed about this all through high school.
Back in the mid-90's, as we approached Election 1996, I received a letter from the Democrats' national election committee, by whatever name, appealing to educators. It told how they needed my money to defeat the Republicans and other conservatives.
I wrote across the top of it, "Yes, I am an educator. I am also a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican. Take me off your list."
Such pigeon-holing they do!
Of course, if this were a lefty site and the publicist had been hawking a pro-Bush package, Sourcebooks would still be under a Denial of Service attack....
Vicki,
As a psychologist, I often get those and other letters telling me about the horrible things that will befall my field if the Republicans take over. "Good" I think to myself, "this field needs a shakedown." Then I usually go vote for the Libertarian, Republican or Independent who I think will do a better job.
Doc:
They're not all that bad. Check out this chick's posting here:
http://typingpool.blogspot.com/2006/11/prize-publicist.html
by the way, my word verification for this comment is "bliipie" AWESOME!
Dr. HELEN: !
Nice new pics, probably a result of That lucky guy your husband's preoccupation with Photography.
But I digress.
Belongs on the previous two threads but thought you might see it here.
Just had a little phone in Chat with Kay Heimowitz on talk radio on her new book, Marriage & Caste in America"
very surprising (yet not so surprising) stuff.
Since you and the Professor Mr. Pundit J.D. are so invested in Academia, I think she would make an for an excellent PODCAST in the future.
She's articulate, funny, very honest, has some surprising data on College Women and intact families and future success of women, and the health and success of the KIDS.
She discusses a term, maybe it's her term maybe not, "Committed to the Mission"
I think you two would hit it off kinda.
-------------------------------------
Item three -- more digression
Great gun & bull moose Story
http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/archives/4039-Bull-Moose-and-Bear-A-True-Story.html
Item four -- Great "Husband Store" story http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/archives/4036-The-Husband-Store.html
But as I began -- alas I digress
Sincerely, As alwalys
Econ-Scott
@ Helen:
"My reply? 'If you actually read my blog and were an 'avid fan' you would know that I would never want such a calendar.'"
Oh come along, Helen, of course you want one. In fact...
Many of you may not realise it, but in addition to her many other activities, our esteemed host spends much of her time on the road traveling, mentoring staff at member companies of the US's largest paper recycling conglomerate. As she spends so much time on site and therefore difficult to reach, to make sure she sees any promotional material, it is perhaps best to mail it to each and every plant. Naturally the staff in each region would all like copies too. They also travel between the plants.
Material should be sent to Helen's coordinator's office at each recyling plant
The Respect And Self Help Manager (Eastern)
...sometimes known by its acronym!
Econ-Scott,
Yes, off topic but I have the "Marriage and Caste in America" book, and have thought of doing a podcast on it. It looks interesting.
You are incredibly attractive, Dr. Helen.
Nice new pics!
Dude, what's the prob?
They're using precisely the same strategy that -- if you'll forgive a somewhat repulsive analogy -- we've been using to reproduce for millions of years. Many of the seeds, so to speak, fall on what you might call hard and stony ground -- but overall, it works.
Actually, Jesus had a less disgusting analogy, but I like this one better.
Doesn't surprise me. I had a link to Pro-Life Blogs right on my blogroll, and some Planned Parenthood person still decided it was a good idea to ask me to link to a pro-choice online petition. Go figure.
Tell'em you want several cases. It'll cost'em money. Then a week later say you need a few more free cases.
Others have already covered the essential points, but it's still worth repeating: The PR folks are making a perfectly rational calculation that it is less expensive to send the solicitation to the wrong person than to do the research necessary to determine who the right person is.
The only thing you can do about it is to raise the cost of soliciting you by mistake. You tried to do so by heaping scorn on them in a posting. Again, as others have already pointed out, this was a mistake: It has likely increased the return to the solicitor.
You can increase the cost to the solicitor, without increasing the return, by stringing him along as long as possible. However, I have a basic honesty issue with this.
Best is probably just to hang up, or the email equivalent. Who is your mail host? AOL treats any complaint about spam as valid until proven otherwise; my wife has had her account blocked twice for sending PTO mailings to folks she could swear had told her they wanted the mailing.
The lazy PR people are the ones we don't get spam from.
One time I got an e-mail from an enviromental blog asking me to check it out and see if I wanted to join their group. My blog is not about politics or the environment. I checked out the site and they were definitely liberal bloggers. If you check out the sites I have links to, you can guess that I'm not a liberal.
If someone posts a comment on my blog that has nothing to do with the post, but is just spam for their blog, I delete it.
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