A standout has been when we’ve talked about and even poked fun at pitches trying to tie their story to current events – no matter how macabre it might seem.
So we’ll merely link to this news release so you can see how horribly tasteless, opportunistic and insensitive people can be in this world. And we’ll point you to other folks that have ably weighed in on the idiocy this bad pitch.
My hope is that, based on the contact info, this was conceived and implemented without any public relations counsel.
tags | public relations | PR | media relations | media | good pitch | bad pitch | bad pitch blog
As the owner of my own PR agency, I was appalled when I was made aware of this. It smacks of the lowest form of opportunism and immoral greed around.
ReplyDeleteNo tragedy should ever be used in this manner, and the fact that it's even been okay'd by people is the scary part. Don't they have any sense of humanity?
I just read a response from the Peters guy - sounds like he's just ever so slightly out of touch:
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/10/exploiting-the-hudson-family-tragedy.html
We can only hope he receives all the "attention" his news approach deserves.
I too, searched for the contact and noticed it was the company President. I certainly hope PR counsel was not involved! Regardless of who issued the release you would think ethics and common sense would come into play at some point! I just hope this wasn't purposely done as an attention getter.
ReplyDeleteHoly cow! I gotta think this was done without *any* professional PR advice (based on punctuation alone).
ReplyDelete*sigh*
ReplyDeleteAfter reading that release, which displayed the same command of the English language as a 7th grade book report, I have to agree with Steve and say that I really don't think professional counsel of any kind was involved.
The fun never ends in this line of work :)
Saw that pitch in my inbox. Just shook my head in wonder.
ReplyDelete"People need to be hit between the eyes." Nor was that a particularly wise choice of words. Ah - advancing the profession one step at a time...
ReplyDeleteJeesh, only in America.
ReplyDeleteThe freeze frame pics of the lady taking the shotgun out from under her bed wouldn't look out of place on the Onion.
Man. Regardless if you are experienced in PR or not, common sense and decency should tell you that a release like this is a terrible idea. Based on Peters' feedback, my guess is that his response to all this is "there's no such thing as bad publicity." Unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteI was completely shocked by this news release. I understand PR professionals often hitch onto current events to highlight their products, but this release was tasteless. I hope lesson is learned from this mistake.
ReplyDeleteTiffany
www.womenmakingmoves.org
Wow. Thank you for adding links to other ones in the past. The Bernie Mac - Isaac Hayes - Samuel Jackson one is just beyond my comprehension. Great series of posts!
ReplyDeleteare you serious? this isn't a joke? i thought we in the PR industry had more decency than ambulance-chasing lawyers. guess not...
ReplyDeletealthough, as Lindsey mentioned, it is getting visibility. something to be said for that.
I guess negative publicity does work - the guy just changed the content of the release to remove most of the Jennifer Hudson reference:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mmdnewswire.com/bedside-shotgun-rack-4093.html
Doesn't excuse the original tasteless approach, though...
I am extremely shocked at the reckless disregard for mourning and loss. Though I'm a greenhorn in the PR industry I would think more care would be given to the "ideas" a creative department, or lack there of, releases to the world.
ReplyDeleteunbelievable! John Peters from The Back-up needs to Back-Down into the hole where he crawled out of.
ReplyDeleteThe sad part is that the release will possibly work. I would not be surprised to find out that the people most likely to purchase a bed side shotgun rack are also likely look at the press release, and agree %100.
ReplyDeleteTasteless headline? We're talking about selling the idea of keeping a shotgun by your bedside...ready to fire.
I wish I could say I'm shocked... but I've met people who say all of us should be armed and the crime rate would be reduced - an entire country armed to the teeth. This fits in with that mentality. The worst part is that there is no sensibility here toward grief, suffering, or death itself. Perhaps we've seen too much on TV and in the movies to prevent us from becoming numb. Whatever it is, we are in a violent country and it's really not shocking to see people making money off the violence. It's just deeply disturbing and deeply sad.
ReplyDeleteephriam, i think you hit the nail on the head. i work at an advertising firm, and when i read the headline aloud, one of the ladies in our office that i perceive as being relatively liberal said, "i could totally see that getting picked up." i could too, and it's not because either of us is within that target market. it's just because we've been in the industry, and honestly for me, because i spent a time working for companies in the gun industry.
ReplyDeletethe reality is that there is a certain segment of the population that is going to read that news release and is going to say "yep, i do need a bedside gun rack."
sad, but true... i know quite a few people with 'em. i'm in nebraska.
cheers,
mg
Current events exploitation. I usually find it easy to spot.
ReplyDeleteOk this person needs to be reported to Keith Olbermann's Worst Persons in the World - www.prfix.blogspot.com.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kathy Hubbell & MG's posts: I wish I could say I'm shocked. But I am heartened by the outrage of my fellow flacks.
ReplyDeleteMust have been a former ambulance chaser turned publicist who came up with this one.
ReplyDeleteAnd as a mother, I can only say, this is the worst invention I've seen. Yes, it's there when you need it, but it always there, and on hand, for anyone to find, and use!
They would have done better to take a lighthearted poke at themselves and done a funny YouTube video. I bet they would have gotten more sales.