Articles published in November, 2009

1. Do the hoki-toki

   Published on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

   We’ve all heard plenty about the potential threat to the reputations of business and brands posed by new online tools.

   These networks, coupled with the ability of Google to draw a crowd on any topic, can spread bad news far and wide. It’s simple: pick an issue, mix in some influential commentary, and then watch the trending and traffic stream based around the keyword take off. Instant crisis.

   We were interested to note a new development which could help balance the communication ledger somewhat, and help turn a possible crisis into an opportunity to communicate.

   The fascinating new tactic has been termed ‘media accountability’ by its leading proponent, New York PR man Jim McCarthy.

   We’d been keen to hear your views on this. So follow the link:

   http://www.niemanlab.org/2009/11/new-public-relations-beating-back-bad-press-with-google-adwords/

   

   Posted in Brand, Crisis Communications, PR Matters, Social Media

2. Fair Game – what’s thought in the real world can now be posted online

   Published on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

   Google’s Sidewiki, an application that appears as a browser sidebar where you can read and write entries along the side of a webpage, could become the ultimate platform for those who like to share their views and opinions. Brands and business had better sit up and take notice of this development.

   Sidewiki is a new way of allowing anyone to contribute information, comments, observations and criticisms right there on a webpage. Think about this for a second, with Sidewiki, any web based article can be transformed into a public space of unedited thoughts ranging from super insightful, through helpful and witty, to downright malicious.

   Many of us who are comfortable with the free-for-all of social networking spheres may not see this as a big deal because currently blogs, micro and otherwise, are the open forums in which people discuss all manner of things, including the performance of brands. 

   But Sidewiki will make these conversations mainstream. 

   It will now be impossible for brands to broadcast a message or to communicate in a one-way traffic style and not potentially be called to account.

   This new tool makes two- way communication the only communication option for brands as people now have the ultimate soapbox to express their views, right out there for all to see.

   For corporations, the Sidewiki forum drives home the importance of being able to stand up to scrutiny and being prepared to engage in robust discussion, with the added bonus of being able to defend your position too. Bring it on!

   

   Posted in Brand, Media landscape, PR Matters, Social Media, Technology

3. Will New Zealander’s need to rethink their stance on GE foods and Nuclear Power so we can keep up with the rest of the world?

   Published on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

   First off, I need to state that I am a complete fence sitter when it comes to GMOs and Nuclear power. The way I see it is that in an ideal world, we would enjoy the potential benefits while we fully manage the risks. But reality is always less simple.

   It has occurred to me of late that in the not too distant future, New Zealanders are going to have to think quite seriously about the potential of GMOs, nuclear power and other technologies that will enable us to meet our carbon emission targets, growing power demands and attempts to stay in the game, let alone keeping ahead of it.

   British scientist Dr Robert Winston has said that we need to be more open to new technologies so we can keep pace globally. He’s not wrong. Last week at the annual Food and Grocery Council conference, two of the keynote speakers highlighted changes that may need to take place if we are to feed the world and ensure human intelligence keeps pace with computers. 

   If GMOs are the only means of preventing billions of people starving to death, it will be pretty hard to keep it in the box. Then on the flip side, movies like Food Inc paint the food industry as giant manipulators of the world in order to reap the profits. Are we equipped to reconcile these positions and at the same time solve these very real problems?

   Honest and transparent communication will become even more critical, but often the truth is too boring. We truly need a media who report, not sensationalise the realities of these positions. With shrinking newsrooms under increasing commercial pressures and the more experienced journalists often being let go, this is sadly less likely to happen. Perhaps the emerging social media sphere will evolve into a forum based on true expertise?

   New technologies always raise new questions. Would a science that enabled a paraplegic to walk be halted because it breached our moral ethics? Currently there is already a scientist in Europe who uses himself as a human guinea pig – or should I say android, to test mind driven robotic implants. 

   The reality of new technologies being able to solve some very serious and imminent problems is upon us. And as clean, green nuclear free New Zealand, how well are we informed to be able to manage these dilemmas?

   As the Hon Maurice Williamson pointed out, had we invented Viagra we would be sitting very pretty economically. But we didn’t! So what’s next? Which companies will have the intestinal fortitude to take on people power for causes that they believe are for the good of the people? This is an interesting dilemma but who is debating it?

   

   Posted in Economy, Health, Media landscape, PR Matters, Technology

4. Transparency of TMI

   Published on Friday, November 6th, 2009

   There is a fascinating story in today’s National Business Review about some alleged liquidation hi-jinks. Basically it is about the suitability of a parade of possible liquidators, but our interest is not in the substance of story but the issue of over-disclosure.

   The story notes that one of apparent liquidators, in a series of them, was one Melissa Watson. It went on to state that not only was Ms Watson unqualified for the role, she could not be impartial. The grounds for the lack of partiality being she was one of three friends of the person whose building was being put into liquidation, Brent Clode.

   The alleged source of this friendship?  Mr Clode’s page on the social networking website Facebook!

   This raises a number of questions, like:  what is the status of your relationship if you are not featured on the Facebook page of someone you know well; if you are not on Facebook, do you have any friends, or does anyone care about your friends; and, is Facebook a form of over-disclosure, or plain honest transparency?

   This story does illustrate the TMI-factor of social networks.

   

   Posted in Media landscape, PR Matters, Social Media

5. Is Rodney Hide the consummate PR man or just someone looking for attention?

   Published on Monday, November 2nd, 2009

   When a child does something they know is a bit naughty and are likely to get found out, we call this attention seeking behaviour.  So could it be that the Hon Rodney Hide was seeking more than a suntan when he took his partner on the now contentious trip overseas?

   Was the ministerial trip yet another clever PR strategy to remain in the public eye, or perhaps Rodney Hide was boldly stating that he does whatever he wants and the consequences be damned? Apparently he has been forewarned of the potential public scrutiny now also being suffered by his partner and family.

   Whatever the motivation this time, Mr Hide does do headline-catching with aplomb; I mean who could forget the yellow jacket he sported continually during the election period? The man was a walking rosette for the Act Party and prior to this I would’ve been hard pressed to name their party colour, but now it is burnished in my mind – permanently!

   His stint on Dancing with the Stars was impressive and revealing in more ways than one. Rodney is not averse to getting some of his kit off. That said, the pre-transformation body of Mr Hide made the front page when his attempt at the Auckland Harbour crossing came unstuck a few years ago.

   So perhaps one can appreciate his motivation for wanting to show the world his physical improvements. The Act website shows a lovely picture of Mr Hide at the opening of the Diocesan School for Girls Aquatic Centre in March this year.  It offers the perfect combination of children, community spirit in his electorate and an opportunity to see the real man.

   So I do take my hat off to Mr Hide for his efforts in keeping his name in the media, but as the equally press-friendly populist Winston Peters learnt at his peril, not all media coverage is good coverage.

   

   Posted in Media landscape, PR Matters, Politics