So what’s the joke?

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Tom Murphy has just blogged about a video that his wife had sent him. I can’t see the joke, but my wife Karen found it amusing….

 

Don’t spam journalists

I know that writing this post could very easily get me into trouble, but here goes.

Chris Anderson at Wired has published a long list of PR people’s email addresses that he has blacklisted for spamming him.

Lots of comment on the PR blogosphere about this, but I particularly liked Peter Shankman’s take on it:

JESUS, PEOPLE?! WHEN ARE WE GOING TO FREAKING GET IT? DO YOUR HOMEWORK FIRST! DON’T PITCH BLIND! THIS ISN’T F’ING ROCKET SCIENCE, FOR CHRISSAKES!

Damn, this crap pisses me off - But I’m NOT pissed off at Chris! I’m pissed off at EVERYONE ON THIS LIST. MediaMap is NOT THE SALIENT BEING THAT’S GOING TO SAVE YOU. Take five minutes. Read what your reporters are writing. How many of you even have subscriptions to the magazines you’re pitching?! WTF, people? I mean, seriously.

Do. Your. Freaking. Homework.Before. You. Pitch.

Couldn’t have put it better myself. In fact I did say something similar in my post about Stupid, lazy PR people, bloggers and media databases.

Of course the problem with saying this is if I or someone in the Wolfstar pack p****s off a journalist by sending a ’spam’ news release. All I can say in our defence is that we try very hard to do our home work and check out each individual and publication before we send anything. But we’re human and will occasionally get it wrong for which we are sorry.

Google’s Head of Corporate Comms on PR and the internet

Last night I was at the first guest PR lecture at Leeds Metropolitan University. The speaker was DJ Collins, now head of Corporate Communications for Google in the UK/Benelux/Ireland, although I remember him from his AEEU days.

Rather than blog about what he said I can simply point you to Philip Young who has the advantage of short hand so has produced a good summary.

WAX 2.0

After six months of heavy hints from the Wolfstar pack, several beers, and serious company growth, one of my favourite UK nights, Wax On has finally got its web 2.0 act together by matching its online offer to the artistic design work it has long been known for.

The team have worked so hard to develop the business and are in my opinion, leagues ahead of most of their competitors. So far the new site contains videos and excellent podcasts (although the RSS feeds appear to go down when being updated) from the likes of the Riotous Rockers and Nightmoves, but my favourite by far comes from Simon Lister, one third of People Get Real, who, along with Oli Pattern and TC Monkton make up Wax On’s resident line up.

Whilst I still believe there is a massive need to keep the underground pioneers away from commercialisation, Wax On has in my eyes, simply always been about the craic and good tunes. And for this type of brand, social media is exactly what’s needed. By brands and promoters restricting themselves to only the night itself, they could be losing tens, hundreds and in some cases thousands of potential supporters. Once online, they have the potential to build on their relationship with current fans, but also develop a global profile and increase their awareness throughout the market.

Dan - see you on the 27th!

Global PR Blog Week 3.0

Constantin Basturea has just announced Global PR Blog Week 3.0. He says:

It’s an event that will present the best articles, interviews, debates, case studies, and essays on how social media continues to change the Public Relations and Communications theory and practice, its relationships with other disciplines, and our roles as practitioners, students, and teachers.

It will run –like the other two previous editions– for one week.

It will happen online, at globalprblogweek.com.

It’s going to be a free event.

If previous events are anything to go by then Global PR Blog Week 3.0 should produce some some essential and interesting reading for anyone involved in buying, specifying or managing public relations, advertising and marketing.

I’ll certainly be encouraging everyone in the Wolfstar pack to take a look and to participate.

XP: A PR Guy’s Musings

Online advertising accelerating

The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) has done some research that reveals - drum roll - internet advertising has grown yet again.  It remains the fastest growing advertising media, propping up an industry that is declining in every other quarter.  Indeed online advertising is now bigger as a sector than direct mail, no doubt reflecting the fundamental difference - and therefore success - in how each medium targets its customers.  Direct mail picks out its targets who have no choice in whether they receive it whereas the recipient has already chosen where they are online so the ad should at least (if it’s done properly) be of some relevance. 

It’s also interesting to note that social networking websites, while not supporting much advertising in themselves, are cited as a key driver for this growth, as their growing popularity is generating demand for fast broadband, increasing time spent online and boosting confidence in the online experience that includes advertising.

I know I’d rather click to close a window than have to put yet more paper in the recycling bin.

Technorati Tags: Advertising , social networking , online advertising , direct mail