I often comment on the stupidity of PRs, but idiocy in media land is not only demonstrated by publicists, but also journalists. I was told two corking tales by a very well placed journalist friend of mine involving two astounding hack faux pas. The first was about none other than Britney Spears; a story was…
2008 is a bad PR year for Tom Cruise. “Being a scientologist, when you drive past an accident, it’s not like anyone else when you drive past. You know you have to do something about it because you know you’re the only one that can really help”. http://gawker.com/5002269/the-cruise-indoctrination-video-scientology-tried-to-suppress.
Whoops what a celebrity slip up this morning. The unguarded comments made by Martin Amis appear in the Independent . The flak who policed the interview needs to be shot. The following extract might just cause the author a few problems. “And he has always loved this multiracialism, he says.” At that time, I had a Pakistani girlfriend,…
Oh dear, another tale of stupid PR folk. There is a bit of a kerfuffle in the U.S. between Judith Siers-Poisson from the Centre for Media and Democracy and a hapless PR outfit fronted by Jennifer Windrum of the Swanson Russell Associates PR firm. PR watch has never been shy about being critical about the…
To those outside the profession, PR has always seemed a cut throat business, and the associated businesses around it are certainly adding to that reputation of ruthlessness. Take for example the recruitment agencies; about 20% of them are decent, the other 80% would shaft their own grandmother, thus adding to the already poor reputation that PR…
Students of PR, take note. To understand what gets the media’s knickers in a twist, look no further than Jeremy Paxman and the M&S gusset debate. Any good alchemist of spin will sniff the aroma. The well known inquisitor and self effacing presenter of serious political debate, focuses his precious attention on something as banal…
Stupid PR companies don’t you just love them. Great entertainment on a wet afternoon. For the third week running – despite my sarcastic prompts I have been sent a breathless Friday email. – “Hello Idiot PR is expanding! Idiot PR are looking for new fresh talent across various departments. If you are passionate about brands,…
It is nice that the Telegraph has reminded the great unwashed about our Easter stunt for Thornton’s last year and the effect that it has had on the recent sales figures. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/ Thornton’s pockets sweet sales While high street consumers have been reluctant to delve into their pockets of late, Thornton’s has proved they still indulge…
I saw a Neval motorbike on the street earlier today, and I had only one thought. My great friend and first freelance client was the crazy Marcel Steiner who ran his Theatre off the side of one twenty years ago. Marcel is a forgotten genius. I found the obituary I penned for the Guardian. He…
Times are tough in the communications business and it’s going to be a grim 2008 if we believe the statistics. The IPA noted that in the last three months of 2007 there was a large cut back on marketing spend by the major brands. In fact, it was the biggest fall in spending for the…