Sometimes our job is done for us. And in the case of grapeVine PR, where the g is small, the V is big, and the pitch highlighted is shameless crap, we hardly have to say anything (but we will), save for alerting you to the pitch. But I got to say we were pretty unhappy at BPB to see how publicity-minded “Stephen” went for broke in telling everyone about how photographer Nico Illiev (who dat) survived the “near tragic, but highly devastating” airline crash of last week.
I first thought the letter was a hoax since, besides all the bad grammar, I’d never seen these words in a press garble before: "the sole photographer for transsexual muse and mogul Amanda Lepore.” There are so many divergent ideas in that sentence that we don’t see in a) a release about an air crash and b) a release about muses [or for that matter, c) a release about moguls].
Let’s read his attempt, a note that got zinged by the New York Observer [Fashion Photographer Senses Opportunity in US Airways Crash—ow] with a dash of you’re kidding added for honor.
Dear All,
A grapeVine client for over a year, Nico Iliev was a survivor of yesterday's near tragic, but highly devastating US Airways crash-landing in the Hudson River.
Nico is highly traumatized by the incident, but is available to speak through his life and business partner, Don Rodrigues, for any interviews.
Please let me know if you would like to get a statement from Nico through Don. I take great sensitivity with this incident, and would as delicately as possible offer yet another perspective, through Nico's story, on this matter.
Nico Iliev is well-known for his fashion photography, having done work with fashion houses and individuals globally. He is also the sole photographer for transsexual muse and mogul Amanda Lepore.
Respectfully yours,
Stephen
Could they (as our wide-awake friend Rich Young put it) have given us some pithy quotes from the fotog at the very least? What’s with all of a sudden being “respectfully” at the end. There was none of that before? While I’m bitching, what’s with Don? Was he on the plane SPIRITUALLY?
Another sample of PR at its worst. Its outed here for obvious resons. Stephen had to know doing this was going to make people wonder WTH? But he did it anyway. Oh.
The phrase "having done work" is used when referring to plastic surgery, dude. It goes like this: Think. Then press send.
Final Question. What did Lepore think of being in the orange paper in such a way? I mean, that’s got to be one pissed-off muse. (See photograph above for an idea.)
Looks like Stephen himself (and his friend!) decided to comment at the New York Observer story. Let's hope we get that lucky here. I can't wait for Richard to tangle with him via passive-aggressive (or just aggressive) comment war. FUN!
ReplyDeleteI am confident the client pressed their agency to do this, seeing a chance to piggyback on the incident to get his name out there. Bottom line, bad judgement regardless (and poor writing). Glad to see this on BPB. Love they are a British firm - there's an irony there. Deserves to be front and center. It's people like this that infuriate me for helping to support an image that PR folks are clueless flacks that practice strategery.
ReplyDeletei love how he signs the letter "respectfully yours."
ReplyDeleterespectfully? really? i see little respect being paid in that note.
I feel like super tranny/fashion types are generally making a style statement with everything they do. If they sent this out, they sent it out KNOWING that it was over the top. Prob can't get away with that while repping most people, but if you're in with Lepore, you're probably not worried about hitting the mainstream.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but there's over the top and then there's just tacky. And when I say tacky, I'm referring to both the pitch and that photo taken of Lepore.
ReplyDeleteAs a result of that article I too am thinking of becoming a transexual muse and mogul. I would have loved to hear Nico;s inspirational tale of survival, through Don of course. This is more Public Service than Public Relations. Thank you Stephen.
ReplyDeleteI'm particularly liking the positive jobs news opportunistic approach at the moment, like Subway in Northern Ireland today. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7857882.stm.
ReplyDeleteGiven the UK Government's PR around compensation payments yesterday and the fisticuffs that nearly caused, I doubt some mayo or gherkin positions are really going to give locals the proverbial shot in the arm. Nice try though - as least there are always going to be news openings on the jobs story front at the moment.
Holy cow... that's truly pathetic. PR pros should thank grapeVine (small g, big V) for making just about any other pitch look good by comparison.
ReplyDeleteApparently, this pitch was sent to just the New York Observer, and explicitly stated it wasn't for release. The fact that the New York Observer published a private e-mail that wasn't intended as a press release shows the shame and embarrassment lie elsewhere.
ReplyDelete