Okay, it’s official, transparency is now the universal PR euphemism for honesty.
[Richard Edelman: A Commitment]
Updates from April, 2009
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A Failure To Be Honest…
mike manuel
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Anti-Astroturfing Campaign Kicks Off
mike manuel
This is long overdue: Trevor Cook and Paul Young are kicking off an anti-astroturfing campaign, they’ve created a page on the New PR Wiki that aggregates discussions on the subject, they’re also encouraging communicators who oppose the practice to publicly pledge their support.
Now here’s the thing: While it’s smart to get behind something like this, the root issue with astroturfing is online disclosure — and disclosure is a complicated issue that communicators need to clearly define as they determine their own best practices for behavior and conduct online. Astroturfing is just one classic example of where disclosure issues surface, but I’ll give you another one, something new: pitching kid bloggers.
This one hasn’t blown up yet, not like astroturfing, but it will, especially as more companies use social media and conversational marketing tactics. My advice: start drawing some lines in the sand now.
This campaign is a great step in the fight against astroturfing, no question, but I think a greater responsibility sits with the companies and services firms to each determine their own best practices, their own policies, for what is — and is not — acceptable online behavior. And to not wait for a crisis to dictate otherwise.
Technorati Tags: astroturfing, ethics, PR
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Blogger Disclosure Practices Tested
mike manuel
If nothing else, this piece in the WSJ underscores the argument that bloggers are not journalists, or as Brian Oberkirch rightly puts it, “personal blogs are not media.” Unlike the MSM, disclosure standards and practices in the blogosphere are uniquely defined by each and every blogger, so trust is the only capital that can be built or dissolved, based on how we each *choose* to share or conceal our conflicts of interests when they surface.
Technorati Tags: Blog, Ethics, Media, Transparency
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Nvidia Accused of Deceptive Forum Tactics
mike manuel
The Consumerist along with several other sources are accusing Nvidia and its entertainment PR firm AEG of secretly seeding various gaming forums and communities with hired shills:
“Graphics chip manufacturer Nvidia, in cooperation with the Arbuthnot Entertainment Group (AEG), had seeded various gaming and PC hardware enthusiast sites with pro-Nvidia shills. That is to say, that AEG would hire employees to create ‘personas’ in various gaming communities, slowly building up the trust of other members by frequent posting unrelated to Nvidia, to later cash in that trust with message board postings talking up the positive qualities of Nvidia’s products.”
There’s still no proof that Nvidia has actually done this, but where there’s smoke, there’s typically fire and just the hint that this sort of crap is taking place under the guise of “PR” just pisses me off to no end. Especially, when I look at AEG’s website, where they tout a mix of PR and marketing rhetoric, underscoring the importance of community and online engagement and in the same breath touting services that at least on face value, seem to undermine communities and counter corporate participation (e.g., “strategic seeding of viral assets to ensure they are spread far and wide;” “strategic counsel and implementation: fires, misinformation, rumors, leaks”).
There’s nothing wrong with companies wanting to participate in forums and groups, I think it’s a smart strategy, but come on, not this way, do so openly and transparently and forgo whatever perceived short-term spikes you’ll get in popularity and buzz and focus instead on building real longer-term trust and credibility in your brand.
Update: Thomas Hawk has posted a lengthy email exchange between him and Nvidia’s PR director over this issue.
Technorati Tags: Ethics, Marketing, PR, Transparency
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Influence Peddling in the Blogosphere
mike manuel
JD Lasica asks: As blogging comes of age, what ethical standards should bloggers follow
when offered payments or freebies — a.k.a "schwag" — for buzz? A very interesting story. -
Is PR Necessary?
mike manuel
I was one of several PR
bloggers recently approached by Steven Phenix to rally and actively participate
in a grassroots blogging campaign to help raise the perception of our
industry. The game plan was for folks to
demonstrate their solidarity for this cause by posting their thoughts on “why
PR is necessary” on their blogs last Friday. The turnout was impressive, but a quick glance at my recent posts and you’ll
notice I missed the boat.Why?
Because I think the PR industry is practically
the poster child for tragedy of the commons and I don’t personally believe blog
posts are going to change perceptions or fix the problems, but I do believe,
however, that my actions can make a difference. The standards and values that guide the way I work with my clients, my
co-workers and the media can kick this issue straight in the ass – far better
than any blog post I might write. So while
I don’t expect things to change over night, I’ll take comfort in knowing I’m
doing something to address this problem on a daily basis. -
Blogger Code of Ethics
mike manuel
Charlene Li has a great post on blogging policies pulled from Forrester’s new research report Blogging: Bubble Or Big Deal: When And How Businesses Should Use Blogs. One thing I found particularly interesting was the Blogger Code of Ethics:
Sample Blogger Code Of Ethics- I will tell the truth.
- I will write deliberately and with accuracy.
- I will acknowledge and correct mistakes promptly.
- I will preserve the original post, using notations to show where I
have made changes so as to maintain the integrity of my publishing. - I will never delete a post.
- I will not delete comments unless they are spam or off-topic.
- I will reply to emails and comments when appropriate, and do so promptly.
- I will strive for high quality with every post – including basic spellchecking.
- I will stay on topic.
- I will disagree with other opinions respectfully.
- I will link to online references and original source materials directly.
- I will disclose conflicts of interest.
- I will keep private issues and topics private, since discussing
private issues would jeopardize my personal and work relationships.
Update:Frank Barnako interviews Charlene Li and asks "why is blogging good business?"