public relations

Amazon sees censorship decisions magnified through the social web magnifying glass

Posted on by Becky Green (was McMichael)

Now we all know the effect the Internet and indeed, the social web have on magnifying seemingly small issues or business decisions in record time….don’t we? Well Amazon apparently does not.

Twittering merrily about choccie eggs has been usurped today by the issue of #amazonfail, currently ranking pretty highly on Twitter and attracting interest across the blogosphere.

What is #amazonfail?

The letter here sums it up perfectly:

Somehow, the brain trust of your company has decided to protect the “entire” Amazon customer base by restricting access to content that someone (who?) decided was offensive. In your zeal to protect me from myself, of course, you managed to leave content that I find singularly repulsive online (really, exploring the human condition is bad, but Mein Kampf is just fine?).

This loss of ranking, listing, search functionality seems to be largely, but not wholly!, limited to fiction and non-fiction with themes relating to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues. Authors affected range from E.M. Forster to James Baldwin to John Barrowman, our beloved Captain Jack on Dr. Who and Torchwood and others, including a host of female authors who write erotic fiction.

Gee, I can buy a book on training fighting dogs (something so offensive my stomach hurts just looking at the cover image), but specific types of human relationships are suddenly taboo?

Whist watching this PR disaster in the making, what is interesting to me is how the story ends up being reported tomorrow and Tuesday as fellow PR, Eb Adeyeri points out:

Fascinating to see the twitter-verse rise up on an issue such as #amazonfail I wonder if their PR gets to it before it makes the nationals

As far as I am aware, Amazon does not have a “rep” on twitter, or not one that is very well known anyway either in house or agency-side.  If they did, this could probably have been nipped in the bud earlier or at least properly explained.  Instead, the twittering-classes have pretty much made up their own minds and the issue (and possible damage to reputation) will no doubt have been done by the time a more damaged piece appears in the press.

Ironic that one of the world’s largest online brands seems to be at the centre of a potentially large online PR disaster and its blog hasn’t been updated for over 24 hours.

What lesson can all brands learn from this about the online world? Even if you don’t contribute very often to the online conversation…at least listen and respond.

{update} great piece by Clay SHirky on the topic here.  I still think that regardless of the issue, organisations are dealing with percepotions and the FAIL Amazon made was not speaking up early enough.

New to PR? Here are 5 social tools all PRs should use

Posted on by Becky Green (was McMichael)

5. Linked In – the best way I have found of staying in touch with former clients, finding new staff and seeking professional recommendations

4. Twitter – if you don’t know why, see Charles Arthur‘s blog.  Add to that a mobile Twitter app like Dabr or Twitterberry for keeping up on the move.  Ditto an app such as Tweetdeck for managing your Twitter feed(s)

3. An RSS reader.  Although I spend a lot of time hiding from mine…but in my defence, most of my feeds are now delivered through Twitter

2. Wikipedia – because let’s face it, when new to PR (especially tech PR) you won’t know your operating systems from your middleware and wikis or glossary services like this will be your best friend.

1. Delicious – reading is the lifeblood of our industry but if you, like me, find almost every subject you come across interesting and have a healthy dose of ADD thrown in for good measure, this is your best friend.  It is like having a clippings book and personal researcher with you at all times. Essential.

These are just the basic essentials.  For the next stage, see Ged‘s meme that I responded to here about the new skills required but I would be put off hiring anyone not proficient in working with the sites, tools and apps listed above.

tough times?

Posted on by Becky Green (was McMichael)

The market has changed. Your partners are your competiton. The market is beyond crowded. Hundreds of people could do what you do. It isn’t going to change back but the fear of not getting it right every time can’t stifle having a go and doing things differently.

That is why I love this cartoon from the talented Hugh McLeod.

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Oh yeah, and whatever you do…do it amazingly well. Independent thought, creativity and well over and above the average. Not a lot to ask hey?

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how to handle technology journalists (via Jon Silk)

Posted on by Becky Green (was McMichael)

Read a hilarious post today via Jon Silk | pr geek: Handle with care #2: Technology journalists.

“People are giving up on journalists as a ‘dying breed’. As the Press Gazette closes in a puff of poorly-written PR, journalists are allegedly scratching around, starving and confused, for morsels of work from the remaining publications who are apparently only accepting free vendor content anyway. Don’t worry, none of this is true.

In reality, journalism is alive and well and adapting to the new communication channels of 2009. The websites of the big publishing houses are better than they’ve ever been and, while there have been some closures, there have also been launches.

So, fear not dear technology PR or marketing person. There are still people out there that might want to listen. The only challenge left facing you is knowing how to handle them. Hang on a minute… I know! How about a handy guide?”

His 7 points sum it up exactly:

1. Be confident.
2. Don’t ask them how much they know about your client.
3. Respect their deadlines.
4. Avoid being patronising.
5. Don’t say ‘thanks’.
6. Give.
7. Give a sh*t about their readers.

And quote of the piece goes to:

“Despite the fact that you’ve been sick three times and are now cowering under your desk merely at the thought of having to call one, technology journalists don’t actually know that much more about technology than you do.”