The Publicity Hound’s Blog  

Here’s another example of how the line between news and advertising is more blurred than ever.

The next time you’re watching the news on your local FOX station, or on a station owned by the Meredith Corporation, look on the desk in front of the anchors. You might spot a cup of iced coffee from McDonald’s, like the photo here that shows anchors—and a McDonald’s iced coffee—at Fox station KVVU-TV in Las Vegas.

The six-month product placement is meant to boost advertising revenue.

“There was a healthy dose of skepticism, and I’m pleased there was — it means they’re being journalists,” said Adam P. Bradshaw, news director of KVVU, in a story in the New York Times.

Product placement typically has been left to movies and TV shows. (See “How to Get Your Consumer Product on the Sets of Movies and TV Shows.”) But this is perhaps the first time a brand name product has appeared on the set of a TV news show. The anchors, however, are never seen actually drinking the coffee because the cups contain a fake fluid and fake ice to prevent the cubes melting.

What happens if there’s an outbreak of food illness at McDonald’s, or a nother bad news story?

Brent Williams, an account supervisor with Karsh/Hagan, says “I would expect the station would absolutely give us the opportunity to pull our proudct off the set.”

I’d say that’s a good prediction.

Posted In: General
posted On: 7/31/2008: 8:28 am: By Joan
Comments: 2 Comments

Twenty years ago, when I worked in the newspaper business, if a local company had delivered to my newsroom a free gourmet burger that I could enjoy at lunch, I probably would have turned red from embarrassment, then eaten it, with my fellow newsroom buddies watching.

Gourmet burgers, after all, didn’t fall into the “anything of value” category that the newspaper’s ethics policy prohibited. Gifts we couldn’t accept included things like concert tickets or anything worth more than about $20. But still, we always felt a little sleazy if we accepted anything from sources, particularly from companies that hadn’t met us, but wanted publicity.

Today, however, I’m guessing that things may have changed. Now that publishers are cutting newsroom staffs to the absolute minimum, journalists are busier than ever. And inbetween writing and editing stories, they’re spiffing up their resumes, hoping to jump ship before it sinks. That gourmet burger might not make a reporter feel as guilty as he might feel if he had job security.

These days, there’s also the world of social media and using it to keep up with what journalists are doing. The July 14 issue of PR Week discusses the “pitch potential” of social media sites and points out the do’s and don’ts of pitching journalists at sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Todd Defren of Shift Communications, creator of the social media press release, read a tweet from a digital editor who was complaining that he was missing lunch because of deadlines. Defren sent the editor a gourmet burger on behalf of his client.

“That wouldn’t have been possible without something like Twitter,” he said.

Are you using Twitter to keep tabs on journalists you’re targeting? If not, you should. In my “Special Report #52: How to Use Twitter for Business to Network, Promote, Sell, Recruit & Profit,” I discuss the Twittering Journalists wiki created by Harry Hoover. It’s must reading for anybody who needs to start forming strong relationships with journalists. See if your favorite reporter is on the list.

***Important note: The PR Week article cautions that PR pros should determine how journalists are using social networking sites and be wary of inviting reporters to join their networks if they have never met. You can still follow your favorite journalists on Twitter, however, and be privy to personal and business information about them–juicy little tidbits that some of your competitors will never know because they’re too busy to bother with social networking.

Posted In: PR Consultants/Publicists, Pitching the Media, Press Releases/News Releases, Social networking, Twitter
posted On: 7/29/2008: 12:32 pm: By Joan
Comments: 1 Comment

Of all the possible mistakes you can make when interviewing with the media, the worst one in my book is lying.

Bend the truth, even just a little, and that little white lie can suddenly become the story and have far more traction than the original story you were being interviewed for. Remember Watergate? And Monica Lewinsky’s blue dress?

Being caught in a lie is far more likely today than it was 20 years ago, thanks to the ability to research quickly on the Internet. PR guy Jerry Brown reminds us about the Eight Common Interview Mistakes:

1. Being unprepared

2. Overselling the story

3. Saying too much

4. Saying too little (I wrote about this Friday here.)

5. Speaking hypothetically

6. No line in the sand (flip-flopping)

7. Being combative

8. Being dishonest

If you’re prepared for the types of questions reporters might ask, you’ll be in a better position to answer their questions honestly. See “Special Report #2: Questions You Can Expect Reporters to Ask During an Interview.”

Publicists, what lengths do you go to to make sure your clients are honest with the media? Do you incorporate mock interviews with clients into your publicity projects?

Media trainers, what tips do you have to offer?

Posted In: General
posted On: : 9:29 am: By Joan
Comments: 1 Comment

Dalia Wallach of New York, New York writes:

“My company has a line of specialty hair care products. Our Get Glow products nourish your hair with formulas that include vitamins, minerals and plant extracts.

“As your hair gets healthier, it starts to look better and you don’t have to wash it as often which is better for your hair’s health. Our products have wonderful scents and really make caring for your hair a more pleasurable experience.

“We’ve gotten a fair amount of coverage in national magazines which you can see at http://getglow.com/press.html but we need more people to find out about us and experiment with our products. Do your Hounds have ideas for spreading the word?”

Posted In: Business Promotion, Magazine Publicity
posted On: : 7:45 am: By Joan
Comments: 9 Comments

Leigh Ann Hubbard, managing editor of MyFamilyDoctorMag.com, writes:

Periodically, in response to a request, I’ll get a quote from a doctor (via a publicist) that mentions a specific product. Inevitably, I Google the doctor and he or she has been or is on the payroll for the folks who make the product.

There’s no mention of conflict of interest in these emails, so it makes me mad, and I assume the publicists are trying to pull the wool over my eyes.

Recently, that happened again. In email correspondence about it, in which I expressed my anger, the publicist actually defended the practice: “Dr. [____] consults from time to time with the company as do many medical professionals for the pharma and OTC markets. … As you know, Leigh Ann, many reputable practicing physicians consult with manufacturers from time to time to help them develop better products so people can be well.”

I responded, “Yes, I know that. And as you may know, it is then inappropriate for them to promote the companies they ‘consult.’”

Much to my amazement, she responded, “I was not aware of that, to be honest with you, and not sure whose policy you are referring to–or perhaps some code of ethics I am not aware of. However, you see it all the time in the medical journals where researchers are in the pockets of pharmaceutical companies (disclosed of course) and surprise! The research makes the pharma drugs look good.”

Have I really been getting these conflict-of-interest pitches simply because publicists don’t know any better?

Anyway, whatever the reason, this practice makes me never want to use the publicist–or any of his or her clients–again because I can’t trust the person.

It would be wonderful if you could address this. I know you have a large audience, and maybe there are publicists who truly don’t know that this is absolutely unacceptable and insulting.

What do you say, publicists?

Do these doctors need to hire new PR people? Or is what Leigh Ann wrote common practice in the medical community? Do journalists actually fall for this?

Posted In: PR Consultants/Publicists, Pitching the Media
posted On: 7/25/2008: 3:21 am: By Joan
Comments: 12 Comments