This Just In: David Always More Sympathetic Than Goliath (and Other PR Blog Jots)

A&P's Dumb Move
A Shel of my Former Self
Shel Holtz excoriates grocery chain A&P for bringing an unquestionably ridiculous (at least from a PR standpoint) lawsuit against a pair of brothers who used an A&P store as a location for their somewhat risque YouTube video. Shel points out that the video was a parody, and that taking such large-scale action based on one complaint from a customer only makes the company look antiquated and bullying; perhaps the store should have taken advantage of the publicity instead. “Rather than firing and suing (and getting a lot of press), A&P would have been far better off at least considering ways to take advantage of the brothers’ efforts. It would have been easy to make the point that the video doesn’t reflect the way A&P produce workers go about their work while spotlighting the talent of its employees. Playing up the video could have attracted college-age customers to their stores.”

DIY SMR
Copyblogger
In a very useful post to anyone muddling through their first attempt at a social media release, Muhammad Saleem lays out the fundamentals of the SMR, including all the reasons that a traditional press release doesn’t fly in an online environment. Citing an earlier Copyblogger post, written like a release, that attracted thousands of views, Diggs, and links, Muhammad explains that the best SMRs will tell a story rather than promote specific agendas. “The reason it worked is because it wasn’t directly trying to promote him or his client. Rather this “alternative” press release announces a service and an accomplishment but (this is important) then goes on to create value by explaining what techniques were used to create that success, why these techniques work, and how the audience can replicate the results.”

With Apologies To...
Fast Company
Many thanks to Jay Moonah for his Twitter post linking to Fast Company’s take on the Michael Vick apology, which is one of the more interesting examinations of the PR ramifications surrounding the scandal that I’ve seen. The blogger, while not defending the actions that landed Vick in hot water in the first place, praises his apology skills. He notes that Vick seemed sincerely regretful, did not appear to be reading from any canned prepared statement, and took total responsibility—the key to a good apology. “Apology is among the most powerful communication tools in the arsenal. It is an unparalleled defuser of highly charged situations. It persuades the most stubborn to take another look. Don’t you wish that people in business and politics would do it (and mean it) more often? I do. In fact, I crave it. I think the rest of the public does, too.”

Personal Problems vs. Branding
Movie Marketing Madness
Acknowledging that it may be slightly crass to comment on how the personal problems of the human behind a brand (in this case Owen Wilson and his upcoming films) may affect that brand’s image, Chris Thilk does have an interesting take on the subject. He notes that Wilson’s very public entwinement with the movies of Wes Anderson makes it impossible not to discuss the troubled actor in relation to Anderson’s soon to be released film starring Wilson, as well as how that may affect the movie’s brand. “The larger point is that Wilson is very much tied with director Wes Anderson in terms of press coverage and fan perception. The two - along with brother Luke Wilson - have become known as such a team that what happens to one of them has ripple effects on the others. That’s what I mean when I say the removal of Wilson from the publicity mix can impact the “brand identity” of the movie. He and Anderson make up the movie’s brand image and play integral parts in its perpetuation.”