Abbott Public Relations Blog

Media Release: Launch of Abbott Resume Service

2008-05-06T12:30:00.002-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Info Sheet:
The Launch of Abbott Resume Service
Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Contact: Stephen Abbott, owner, also president of Abbott Media. 603-785-7796; abbottmedia@comcast.net

The Story? The recently launched Abbott Resume Service offers the "21st Century Resume", a bold, two-column resume format with introductory boxes that set off topics to gain added attention - but in a dignified and professional manner. Prices start at $60. That undercuts other resume preparation services, which can charge up to $500 for an ordinary resume. The service will also prepare the standard, 20th Century format resume.

Why is this Newsworthy?: As the economy softens, more and more people are out of work. Job search stories are relevant, timely and important. Stories about resumes and job searches in general are important to your readers. This resume service offers a unique, two-column resume that isn’t offered by any other resume service.

Quotes:
"The launch of an innovative resume service was timed just right for the job market. The economy is in a bad place right now and there is a great need for affordable, effective resumes to help job-seekers. A bold resume that’s also complete and factual will be more likely to get results for those seeking fast re-employment or a second job." - Stephen Abbott, owner, Abbott Resume Service

Online:
www.21res.com and www.21stcenturyresume.com
www.abbott-media.net

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APR/Abbott Media Launches Resume Service

2008-04-30T22:40:00.003-05:00

News Release
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Contact: Stephen Abbott 603.785.7796; abbottmedia@comcast.net

Abbott Media Launches Resume Service

Abbott Media, a Manchester, New Hampshire-based company dedicated to writing, reporting, and media, has launched the Abbott Resume Service.

The service offers innovative, 21st Century Resumes at affordable prices, according to owner Stephen Abbott.

The Abbott Resume Service’s 21st Century Resume differs from the 20th Century version, in part, by the use of a two column format and bold, shaded headers separating sections within the resume.

Abbott said the launch of an innovative resume service was timed just right for the job market.

"The economy is in a bad place right now and there is a great need for affordable, effective resumes to help job-seekers," he said. "A bold resume that’s also complete and factual will be more likely to get results for those seeking fast re-employment or a second job."

Prices start at just $60 for a 21st Century Resume. Many resume services charge many times that amount for an ordinary resume, said Abbott.

The Abbott Resume Service is located online at www.21stcenturyresume.com or www.21res.com.

###

Absolut PR Nightmare

2008-04-15T17:57:00.003-05:00

A recent controversy over a billboard campaign in Mexico is teaching numerous lessons about the Internet Age, instant communication and political correctness.

On April 4, an Internet firestorm erupted after a photo of an ad for Absolut Vodka appeared in the Los Angeles Times blog, La Plaza. The ad depicted the borders of Mexico reaching up to encompass the American Southwest, including California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, but also Nevada, Utah, Colorado and part of Wyoming.

The region roughly represents the lightly populated land mass controlled by Mexico before the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which officially ended the Mexican-American War. After the war, America paid Mexico $15 million for the land it had won on the battlefield. A few years later, with the Gadsden Purchase, it paid another $15 million for a small strip of land now in Arizona.

In the era before instant communication, the ad would never have reached American eyes, and of course, it wasn’t meant to.

It appeared in a Time/Warner-owned Spanish-language magazine in Mexico and on billboards throughout Mexico. The ad was slated to be pulled the week the controversy erupted.

The ad was produced by the ad agency TBWA Teran in Mexico City. It was a local version of an international "In an Absolut World" campaign that is meant to depict "an ideal world."

But ideal, for whom? That’s what many Americans soon began asking after the ad hit the LA Times blog on April 4. Within hours, a firestorm of protest had erupted, with hundreds of postings on that blog alone. The LA Times blog received 67,000 responses to a question asking if the ad was an "affront" to Americans. 62% said it was. The news would be reported that night and the following few days on major network news stations.

That afternoon, Paula Eriksson, VP of Corporate Communications for V&S Absolut Spirits was forced to put out a statement that hardly clarified matters. Here it is in its entirety:

"The In An Absolut World advertising campaign invites consumers to visualize a world that appeals to them -- one they feel may be more idealized or one that may be a bit "fantastic." As such, the campaign will elicit varying opinions and points of view. We have a variety of executions running in countries worldwide, and each is germane to that country and that population.

This particular ad, which ran in Mexico, was based upon historical perspectives and was created with a Mexican sensibility. In no way was this meant to offend or disparage, nor does it advocate an altering of borders, nor does it lend support to any anti-American sentiment, nor does it reflect immigration issues. Instead, it hearkens to a time which the population of Mexico may feel was more ideal.

As a global company, we recognize that people in different parts of the world may lend different perspectives or interpret our ads in a different way than was intended in that market. Obviously, this ad was run in Mexico, and not the US -- that ad might have been very different."

The release, posted on the corporate site, has received (as of Apr. 15) over 3260 comments, many expressing outrage over the ad and vowing to never drink Absolut Vodka again.

Among the comments: "When Hitler tried to change your borders, was that an issue with you?" Others wondered if it would pander to other ethnic groups "hearkening back to a time" which was "more ideal" to show the American South in Grey on a map, as it was during the Civil War.

Ouch.

Many others noted that the ad stoked anti-Americanism in Mexico, and promoted the "Requonquista" agenda of many radical Mexican groups like La Raza. The group and others claim the land was "stolen" and seek to re-conquer it through increased immigration and by political means.

The firestorm among those Americans concerned with our open borders was predictable, and continued unabated through that weekend, as the blogosphere (aided by Michelle Malkin and others) spread word of the disparaging ad. The ad sparked imitations, including ones featuring Sweden under foreign control and wondering if a new "Absolut Palestine" ad would feature all of Israel and neighboring Jordan labeled as such (not likely, since Muslims don’t drink.)

Another PR spokesman for the company, Jeffrey Moran, had his email and phone number plastered all over the blogosphere, inviting direct comment. He sputtered in one article that the ad was "based on a historical perspective on what Mexico was once. That's all." He reportedly also fielded several nasty phone calls from angry customers.

By Sunday evening, Eriksson, apparently convinced things were spiraling out of control, posted yet another apology on the corporate site:

"During the weekend we have received several comments on the ad published in Mexico. We acknowledge the reactions and debate and want to apologize for the concerns this ad caused. We are truly sorry and understand that the ad has offended several persons. This was not our intention. The ad has been withdrawn as of Friday April 4th and will not be used in the future. In no way was the ad meant to offend or disparage, or advocate an altering of borders, lend support to any anti-American sentiment, or to reflect immigration issues. To ensure that we avoid future similar mistakes, we are adjusting our internal advertising approval process for ads that are developed in local markets. This is a genuine and sincere apology."

We will see if this is enough. Clearly, the company is running scared and is terrified of this torrent of negative publicity. But this is a far better apology.

Absolut will lose (and likely has lost) tens if not hundreds of thousands of customers in the United States over this misstep.

The right move for this company is to lay low for a few months, and then try to find a way - either through advertising or public relations efforts like several full-page apologies in the NY Times (or better, the conservative Washington Times) - to overcome this and try to move on.
The lessons learned from this ad include the death of the idea that (ironically, in this context) anything said can remain within a single nation’s borders. Another good lesson would be to steer clear of divisive political issues in your advertising.

Meanwhile, American-made SKYY Vodka, in a slick and clever move, put out a news release praising the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and speaking out "against suggestions by Absolut Vodka to disregard that treaty, as well as the joining of Texas to the Union in 1845."

"Like SKYY Vodka, the residents of states like California, Texas and Arizona are exceptionally proud of the fact that they are from the United States of America," said Dave Karraker, SKYY Vodka. "To imply that they might be interested in changing their mailing addresses, as our competitor seems to be suggesting in their advertising, is a bit presumptuous."

Now THAT is clever public relations.

Using Advertising the Right Way in PR Campaigns

2008-04-09T11:08:00.002-05:00

"In ads, always use the words "sale" and "free." They are proven winners."

Sometimes, conventional wisdom is right on the money. Sometimes, as in the above statement, it isn’t always so.

True, the words "sale" and "free" *can* be attractive, in certain settings, and for certain products and services. But when car dealers who have been in business for 50 years have had sales EVERY SINGLE WEEK of those 50 years, the word loses its meaning, as does the word "Free" when it’s in almost every ad in every magazine.

It’s not only because of the injudicious and promiscuous use of these and other "come on" words are they no longer ineffective. Sometimes, using them simply doesn’t make any sense.

Sometimes, "Free" implies garbage, or something poorly made. It may not fit the brand. For a luxury item, it make not make sense to ever have a "sale" or to give the product away for free. It cheapens the brand - a brand usually built up over generations.

Can you ever imagine a "blue light special" at Macy’s? What about a "buy one get one half price" at a BMW dealership, or how about a law firm offering a half price sale on divorces? That’s the point.

That’s why, when writing ad copy, it’s best to not only consider "trigger" words such as these, but also consider the audience - the target market.

In public relations, paid advertising can play an important and complementary role to earned media in getting out a message, especially as part of a campaign to change perceptions.

But it’s crucial to understand when a traditional "ad pitch" is warranted, and when it’s simply going to do more damage than good.

Bad Customer Service Can Lead to an "Iceberg" That Can Sink Your Business

2008-03-28T10:30:00.003-05:00

It’s long been known that poor customer service creates enemies and destroys goodwill. Experts say those who have good customer experiences with a business gain that customer’s repeat business. But if the customer has a bad experience, they tell an average of 10 other people about it, who in turn relay that experience to five others.

That was recently borne out when a friend of mine recently traveled on US Airways to attend a relative’s funeral. Her flight on US Airways was so traumatic that she has become a vocal opponent of the airline.

First, her flight was delayed for hours as she sat in her plane on the tarmac. This was likely to make it impossible for her or any of her fellow passengers to make connecting flights, and when she landed, sure enough, she missed her flight. But instead of promptly correcting the problem with apologies, she was told there was "nothing they could do" and because of the time of day, no other flights were available.

Nearly hysterical with anger, she was forced to stay in an expensive hotel overnight rather than sleep in a big city airport terminal. The following day, she came home, having missed the funeral.
Had this been the end of it, it would be bad enough, but after initially promising to refund the $600 ticket price, airline officials later informed her - by email - that she would not receive a refund, because delays were partly due to "weather problems."

Infuriated, she has literally told everyone she knows (including me) about this incident, and has urged everyone she knows to not fly US Airways in the future. In fact, she has even told strangers about the situation, going over every excruciating detail with them. And she’s found much sympathy. Imagine how bad this is for US Airways if everyone on the flight has done this.
In fact, they may well be doing just that.

Research firm TARP recently conducted a study showing that for every 26 unhappy customers, only one will lodge a formal complaint with a company’s management.

Remembering that dissatisfied customers tell, on average, 10 people, and they in turn tell five others, the magnitude of poor service begins to seem almost catastrophic.

In what TARP calls the "Customer Complaint Iceberg," an average of 1,560 people will hear about at least one of these unhappy customers' experiences.

Now, when you think about the 25 unhappy customers who DIDN’T complain, but still might spread negativity about you poor service, it becomes a near-nightmare scenario for a company.
Reputations are built on goodwill, and goodwill is built with good customer service.

Business owners need to be pro-active about customer satisfaction. They need to actively survey their customers to quickly identify any flaws in their delivery of goods or services, and to quickly correct those problems.

Abbott Public Relations can conduct a Customer Service Audit that will survey your customers and help identify possible problems - before they start complaining to their friends, family and strangers.

Don’t wait for disaster to strike, in the form of an army of angry former customers.

Day One for Abbott-Media.net

2008-03-16T23:56:00.002-05:00

This is Day One.

This is the first official day of Abbott Media, a company designed to bring news and information to its intended audiences in creative, innovative ways that fully engage the consumer.

Abbott Media is about innovation, information, and inspiration.

Like other microbusinesses, Abbott Media seeks to embrace new ways of doing business, so we can survive and thrive in the new information marketplace of ideas.

Abbott Media seeks to bring news and information to its intended audiences in creative, innovative ways that fully engage the consumer.

Abbott Media seeks to inspire other micropreneurs - It is about empowering microbusinesses and the micropreneurs who run them to embrace innovation in both the new and old media.
We will grow our business by helping other microbusinesses - we seek to inspire and engage our customers, so they, and we, will be able to more quickly grow their businesses from their home office to a downtown office.

Micropreneurs need and deserve support. Abbott Media brings that support, and will bring together other micropreneurs to share their travails and successes.

As we look back boldly on this journey we're embarking on today and say, "we've been there," we will be willing to show others the way there, too.

Let’s go there together.

This is Day One.

Stephen Abbott http://www.abbott-media.net
March 17, 2008

"PR" can't be a mask for fake change

2008-03-03T13:24:00.003-05:00

On Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008, every Starbucks restaurant in the world closed down for three hours.

The dramatic move was made by Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz, who recently came back to the company after a few years’ absence.

The reason for the shutdown? To get back to the company’s roots: re-educating 135,000 employees in its 7,100 locations in the "art of espresso."

Service at the well-known retailer has, many customers said, been lacking. Not helping was the clerks’ new task of making breakfast sandwiches, which some observers say took them away from their core business.

The sandwiches have been cut, and Schultz no doubt drove home the point that service must be Goal Number One at the company during the three-hour shutdown. But from a PR point of view, this will be seen as a great move only if it actually results in better service.

Otherwise, it will be seen as a stunt, and no one will be fooled.

Perceptions will be changed only if the shutdown and retraining result in positive changes that people notice.

It’s not "PR" to hold a retraining session and make it public. It’s whitewashing, and no one will be fooled.

But if this was a sincere effort to change poor service and a fuzzy mission that actually results in change and a clearer mission for the company, then it indeed will be.

I always advice clients never to lie about change, or about the need for them to change.
Customers will see right through it, and any value they may have accrued from acknowledging that need to change - and taking those positive steps - will be lost if it’s seen as mere whitewash.

Real change means taking real steps, and PR cannot be used to simply say changes were made when they were not.

Your customers and clients are too smart for that.

"Our company's not harming the Earth. Shhhh! Don't tell anyone!"

2007-12-26T21:14:00.000-05:00

A business that makes nothing but money is a poor kind of business. — Henry Ford (1863-1947)

Is your company doing something differently this month to be more environment-friendly?

Are you recycling in a new and innovative way, or recycling something others are NOT? Are you cutting steps in a process that was once wasteful of resources, but now is saving resources (and probably money)? Are you using a recycled material? Are you saving electricity? Water? Other fuels?

If you are, then why don’t I know about it? And more importantly, why don’t your customers… and future customers?

2008 will likely be the year we all become a lot more environmentally friendly, and if you are actually doing something good for the environment, don’t you think someone should know about it?

While it’s not always polite to brag. But when you’re doing something in the business world that’s new, exciting and innovative (and, incidentally, good for the environment, and for your business) it’s simply foolish to not tell others about it.

That’s where Abbott Public Relations comes in.

APR can not only effectively craft a written message telling others about the good things you’re doing on behalf of Nature, we can make sure the right people hear about it. Your customers, but also your potential future customers, need to hear about good news - and the right media channel needs to be chosen, be it news media, internal communications or direct communications with customers or other publics.

Whatever your business, APR can help your Green message get out.

Some Recent PR Disasters in the News

2007-11-20T16:14:00.000-05:00

"Craigslist Nanny Found Dead in Trunk"
"They say Katherine Olson was last seen by friends when she went to meet someone about a nanny job posted on Craigslist.org, the Internet bulletin board.

A day later, her body was found in her car at a Minnesota nature preserve. Police declined to say how the 24-year-old was killed.

Authorities say a 19-year-old man who they believe placed the ad is being held pending charges. Authorities did not release his name but said charges could be filed as soon as today"

Lesson: Sometimes your customers can create a PR nightmare using your services.
Remedy: Be ready to deal with it by changing policies, procedures and making sure abuses happen less often, or not at all.

"GAP tops made by child slave labor"
"Tops sewn by children at a factory in India will not be sold in Gap stores, the clothing retailer has said. After a story in the British newspaper the Observer reported a Gap supplier was using children as young as 10 to make shirts, the San Francisco-based retailer, which has 200 of its 2,000 suppliers in India, issued a recall of the shirts and launched an investigation. The article stated the children were working 16 hours a day for no pay and that the workplace was a "derelict industrial unit" with an overflowing toilet."

Lesson: If you think you’re going to get away with something, think again.
Remedy: Come clean, express honest and profound regret, and CHANGE your way of doing business.

PR Defined and a Website renovation!

2007-09-17T19:48:00.000-05:00

People often ask, "What IS Public Relations, anyway?" For those people, I've come up with a brief definition that helps address many of the important issues that PR consultants deal with on behalf of their clients. Here it is:

pub·lic re·la·tions (noun)

the communications management function that seeks to:

build, maintain and protect reputations
develop and maintain positive images and perceptions
change negative perceptions into neutral ones, and eventually, into positive ones
create positive, clear and satisfying communications with customers and others being served
manage outside communication to ensure accuracy and positive perceptions

Please also take a look at the new look of www.abbottpr.com.

Customer service - and why it matters

2007-09-14T00:24:00.000-05:00

Abbott Public Relations can help you deliver Excellent Service.

Whether it’s a book, a hamburger, a house or a service, delivering it to your clients with Excellent Service helps your business maintain a good reputation.

Why Excellent Service is important:

1. This is a service-based economy (80% are in service-related jobs) so service is the core of what America does. Doing it well means you’re doing business well.
2. The bad news is that service - human interaction with customers - is bad just about everywhere, so your Excellent Service will stand out.
3. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.
4. Why will you and your employees deliver Excellent Service? Because you’re the boss, and you say so.

How APR can help
Abbott Public Relations can walk you through your business, help you discover service weaknesses and offer solutions to help you address them and create a realistic Customer Service Plan.

The Plan will help you convey these improvements to your customers, potential customers, and other publics.

New Ways of "Doing" Public Relations

2007-05-25T15:41:00.000-05:00

I recently gave a talk to the Granite State Referral Network in Manchester, NH (of which I am the current secretary) titled "New Ways to Think About “Doing” P.R." Here are a few of those "new" ways - which are more common sense than "new," but so many businesspeople have forgotten them, they just seem new:

Be Preemptive: Don’t wait for you or your business to be “in trouble” to build a reputation, or improve it, act NOW to make good things happen.

Be Unexpected: Doing something new, clever, interesting or (best of all) better than anyone else is the way to get noticed.

Be Explanatory: Let people know what you’re doing - the good things, the new things, the different ways of doing things - in a clear, concise and easy-to-understand manner.

Be Adaptable to Change: Be prepared in your business to think in a fresh way. Be ready for rapid, disorienting change. Be ready to scrap your business plan. And be ready to talk about all this, openly, with your publics - those whom you serve and with which you do business (or hope to do business in the future.)

Who's using (and needs) P.R. now?

2007-05-25T15:36:00.000-05:00

Who needs P.R.?

Britney Spears, surely. But she needs “away time” to deal with her “issues,” not more “publicity.” (And besides, she probably needs a new publicist at this point, too.)

Don Imus? True. Though his plan to contest his firing will keep his name in lights - and that’s not a good thing, either. There are other, more productive ways to rehabilitate his image, such as focusing on his charity work.

But Tommy Hilfiger got the best boost in recent weeks by using P.R. to counter a myth.

He appeared on Oprah Winfrey's show for the first time, ever. Contrary to a long-time Urban Legend, he didn’t get thrown off the show many years ago because he said his clothes were "only for rich white people.”

In fact, the May 2, 2007 appearance was his first. So ignore the email spam saying otherwise when you get it (as I have on many occasions) saying he's some kind of bigot.

Also, I’ve recently heard that a P.R. firm was hired to rehabilitate Katie Couric by having her go on TV and radio to preempt her firing from CBS news. She apparently is balking at having to “campaign” to save her job, and refused several appearances. Not a good move, given her ratings.

All of these people need a degree of Public Relations help. Some need to work out some issues in their lives beforehand. P.R. people can't make things right unless the client is making them right, first. An apology is a good start when you mess up, but it's not credible unless you're actually apologizing from the heart and making changes in your life, too.

Gibson's meltdown - from a PR perspective

2006-08-01T14:34:00.000-05:00

The damage to Mel Gibson's career cannot even be fully imagined just four days after his drunken, racist tirade during his arrest by Malibu police.

Fairly or unfairly, Gibson has always come across as rather unbalanced, and perhaps that's because of some of his film roles. But his personal life has, like it or not, become fodder for public consumption long before this lastest incident.

His blockbuster Passion of the Christ film sparked rumors that he was an anti-semite, and it's easy to get fired up over the "hidden" messages there. He argued convincingly at the time of its release that he was not a hater of Jews, and that the film simply told a story as it had been told for centuries. Most accepted this.

From a PR perspective, Gibson's apology (and then his OTHER apology) were the expected responses, as was the journey into rehab - ala Patrick Kennedy - and it seemed just about as contrived. And apologizing over and over again sounds like the Clintonian string of apologies for the Monica mess, which became at once more and more painfully detailed and dripping with contrition.

The problem is that many in Hollywood already hated him because of his success outside the system - remember he self-financed the blockbuster "Passion" - and because he wore his religion on his sleve. The fact that this religion wasn't Liberal Secularism was a cardinal sin in their eyes. Strike one against Mel.

However, he has now alienated many conservative Christians who will find his drinking, swearing and carousing unacceptable, and many Jewish people who were inclined to disbelieve that he really harbored hatred. (Whether he really does is open to debate. One commentator called liquor "truth serum" that opened what was in one's heart. That's debaable.)

The real problem is Mel Gibon's "base" is the conservative Christian. Alienate that base, and you're in more trouble than even George Bush, who must be secretly thrilled that someone now has lower approval ratings than he does.

Personally, of course, it's sad to see him self destruct this way, but no less sad than seeing the numerous other actors who have destroyed themselves with drugs, sex, alcohol or eating disorders. I can't imagine living in Hollywood among all of this disfunction.

If Gibson wants to claw his way back to win the hearts and minds of his fans, he needs to do far more than apologize several times.

I suspect a great role for his "comeback" would be a fictional or historical figure who hits rock bottom and finds his way back to the light, so to speak.

If I was his agent, I might say "Pick your favorite saint. In a year, after you're sober, you'll be doing that movie, and you will be in the starring role."

How to win elections

2006-07-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

President Bush isn't always the most articulate person in the political world, but once in a while, he comes up with a good line.

Today's news conference in Chicago was one of those times.

He was asked about his low poll numbers, and then whether he was hurting candidates he was trying to help by simply showing up. Obviously a biased question, meant to embarrass him. He didn't really take the bait, and within his answer, said something close to this (I'm paraphrasing, pending release of a text):

“The way you win elections is to actually believe in something.”

Bravo! He's exactly right, and coming from a man who has won two elections for governor and two elections for president on that philosophy. It's amazing to me the number of people who think they can run for office without having a set of core issues on which to run.

Before announcing for office, it is a good idea to set down your core beliefs on paper, and then formulate them into a few key reasons WHY you are running.

Ronald Reagan probably didn't need to perform that exercise when he set out to run for president, because his entire career has been formed around a few simple principles:

- Less government regulation
- Cut taxes
- A strong national defense
- Stand up for traditional American values

Agree or disagree (and I happened to agree!) everyone knew what he stood for, and nearly everyone admired that about him.

Someone without a firm belief system, or someone who fails to make it the
cornerstone of their campaign, is simply asking to lose.

Good for Wal-Mart? Good for America?

2006-06-20T10:23:00.000-05:00

An article in the July, 2006 issue of Business 2.0 says Wal-Mart has begun issuing $1.5 million in grants to local businesses near Wal-Mart stores. The money, says the article, include "financial grants, ads, and training seminars for small firms near 10 of the 50 stores set to open in blighted urban areas over the next two years." Chambers of commerce in each city will get $50,000 donations and the $316 billion company will share internal reports on business trends.

Newspaper ads and internal radio spots will trumpet the donations and local aid, notes the article.

Is this good for Wal-Mart? For years, the company has been the focus of criticism from small business advocacy groups who claim Wal-Mart puts small "mom and pop" businesses OUT of business. But supporters say the company actually helps communities by increasing the tax base and attracting satellite stores who like the traffic the mega-stores generate.

This seems like a smart move to generate some positive PR, at least in those "blighted urban areas." The company already does a lot of good in small, and large, communities and donates thousands of dollars to local non-profits (something few people know about) and this kind of outreach can't hurt. But if the title of the Business 2.0 article is any indication - "Can Wal-Mart Buy Off the Neighbors?" - they have a long way to go to mend fences with critics.

Catholic group Opus Dei uses PR effectively to counter bad image

2006-05-17T00:42:00.000-05:00

Recently, high ranking members of the Catholic organization Opus Dei men convened in Rome in order to draft a campaign they call “Operation Lemonade.” The group has been targeted as the villain in the book The Da Vinci Code - and the new film based upon it opening today.

“Operation Lemonade” was said to have produced three goals: 1. Turn publicity into an opportunity to proselytize; 2. Ally itself with other Catholics; and 3. Maintain a non-aggressive tone.

In recent weeks, critics of the group says Opus Dei has tried to equate criticism of its organization with criticism of the Catholic Church. An example given is: “According to Brian Finnerty, U.S. Media Relations Director for the Catholic group Opus Dei, the novel [The Da Vinci Code] is a completely inaccurate portrayal of the Catholic Church.”

ABC’s "Good Morning America" got an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Opus Dei's New York headquarters, and it’s Website includes bullet-pointed facts about the group.

A History Channel documentary on the group aired Tuesday night, and it was fairly balanced between official spokesmen an “anti-cult” group that is supporting former members, and a few former members themselves, along with some very contented current members. Overall, it was extremely positive towards the organization.

Opus Dei has vast resources and great influence in the Catholic Church. They have utilized the film release perfectly and have illustrated how to turn a negative image into at least a “neutral” one.

It's the excellent GOP economy, stupid!

2006-04-21T07:38:00.000-05:00

The April 21, 2006 Christian Science Monitor notes:

In many ways, they say, these are the best of times: Unemployment is at 4.7 percent, lower than the averages of the 1970s, '80s, and '90s. The economy is showing strong, consistent growth, without significant inflation. And the stock market is roaring along.

And yet, the GOP is getting hammered in the polls. Many are predicting a disaster in November for the party, largely due to other concerns: Iraq, immigration, homeland security and job security (or the lack thereof.)

The national Republicans' failure to address several areas of concern shouldn't drown out a good message, but the White House has failed to get that good message out to the public.

President Clinton, whatever his other faults, was an excellent communicator. When the GOP Congress forced him into fiscal responsibility after they retook the House in 1994, he took credit for the resulting boom in the economy. Not surprising that he would take advantage of the good times, since he was elected during a recession and with the slogan "It's the economy, stupid."

The fact that he and other Democrats now take credit for this boom is a testament to good (though warped) communication, as well as a testament to divided government, in which they can take credit for the GOP Congress' actions.

But this time, there is no divided government. The GOP runs both houses of Congress and the presidency, so they must take full credit for failures or successes.

The national economy, which was spiraling out of control after the dot-com boom and bust in the Clinton years, and which severely tested by 9/11, is now a success story.

Bush's new chief of staff and the entire GOP in Congress need to take the cue of the Clinton White House, which took every opportunity to crow about a good economy - even if Congress had more to do with creating it.

Denmark to launch PR campaign after cartoon controversy

2006-04-02T10:21:00.000-05:00

From the AP:

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Denmark will launch a "massive" campaign to improve its global image, which was tattered after a Danish newspaper published caricatures of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, the prime minister said Friday.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the campaign was not initiated because of the cartoon crisis but that the uproar had given it additional impetus.

"We would have done so anyway. But the cartoon crisis has, of course, underlined the necessity of a reinforced marketing campaign," he said.

The Danish government said it wants to attract more foreign investors, students and tourists to the country. It would market Denmark as a "creative and open nation, as a nation of education," Fogh Rasmussen said, without giving details.

He noted a report published Wednesday by the Economist Intelligence Unit forecasting that the Danish business climate will remain the best in the world for the next five years.

The Danish government has been criticized by Muslim countries for not apologizing for the cartoons published in the Jyllands-Posten newspaper on Sept. 30. The government says it cannot be held responsible for the actions of Denmark's independent media.

The cartoons were reprinted in newspapers worldwide in January and February, sparking a wave of protests primarily in Islamic countries. Muslims consider any physical representation of Islam's prophet to be blasphemous.

Block memo shows it has good PR sense after all

2006-03-19T15:08:00.000-05:00

As a follow up to the recent post about the woes of H&R Block, it's interesting to note that maybe they do know how to handle public relations after all.

In a recent post, I noted that the company's public perception was taking some hits for not paying its full share of taxes, all the while failing to make legitimate hay from the fact that it was doing great work behind the scenes on behalf of Katrina survivors in the Gulf Coast.

Well, recently, a secret internal memo showed that in the realm of crisis management, at least, perhaps it knows a thing or two about P.R.

The March 15 memo, from Tax Services Division head Timothy Gokey, outlines some talking points for company officials after the company faced a lawsuit from the Attorney General of New York over the company's "Express IRA."

The memo notes that the IRA has been "broadly hailed by consumer advocates as a way to help moderate income people to save." It attacks AG Eliot Spitzer, noting that he is running for governor of New York, and outlined the allegations and stated why they are false.

The internal email listed, in bullet-point fashion, some "key truths" about the Express IRA product, and ended, bitingly, with, "While the Attorney General will get his press coverage, we are confident that we will prevail when the facts can be impartially presented, in Court."

So far, so good. But, you may ask, how do I know about this so-called secret, internal email? Why, it was on the Drudge Report, that's how.

The fact that Internet news-hound Matt Drudge posted this on the same day it was released tells me that the Block people shrewdly released it to them for public consumption. The site gets MILLIONS of hits per day, and this article (titled: "Block Internal Email Defends Against Charges") was featured prominently on the page.

The only argument against the intentional release of the memo are the political attacks on Spitzer, who isn't mentioned by name. The company's official news release is a bit less incendiary, although just as combative.

Are things turning around for the company? Well, on the same day the internal email was released, the company was given approval to open their own bank, but they have also been sued by the AG's Office of California over their Instant Tax Refund program, which its claims was a disguised "high cost loan." Mixed bag.

But if they can learn to handle problems effectively (and, perhaps learn to tout their achievements better) they will be fine.

SAC is now APR

2006-03-18T12:46:00.000-05:00

SAC Becomes APR in Re-launch

Stephen Abbott, owner of Stephen Abbott Communications has announced a “re-launching” of SAC as Abbott Public Relations, effective Monday, March 6, 2006.

Abbott, who has advised numerous political campaigns over the past six years, and managed the final month of 2004 gubernatorial candidate Charles Tarbell’s campaign, said he hopes to focus on both business, as well as political, clients.

"The new name reflects a new emphasis on business and on the public relations management function," said Abbott. "I hope to work with small businesses, home businesses and individuals who want to build and maintain their reputations with their customers."

APR will also continue to assist politicians and would-be politicians connect with voters.

Abbott offers a wide variety of affordable writing services, including news releases, personal biographies, mission/goal statements, company backgrounders and fact sheets, and speechwriting. Abbott will also offer business or political p.r. strategy reports, customer interviews, event planning, and basic Website creation services.

Please contact Stephen Abbott for further details.

Abbott Public Relations is located in Manchester, New Hampshire. They can be found online at www.abbottpr.com or by telephone at 603-785-7796.

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"Publicity" vs. Public Relations: A case study

2006-03-04T17:19:00.000-05:00

For those confused about the difference between mere "publicity" and public relations, here’s a great example of both.

In early December, H&R Block, the tax preparation company, got it’s name in the news from an unlikely source - a game show.

Jeopardy contestant Ken Jennings ended a 74-game winning streak by blowing this question: "Most of this firm's 70,000 seasonal white-collar employees work only four months a year." The answer was H&R Block. The answer he gave was, "What is FedEx?"

Both companies’ ad agencies sprang into action to gain "ink" for its clients. H&R Block offered free tax preparation for life for Jennings, who won $1.3 million on the show. FedEx's ad agency ran a full-page ad in USA Today proclaiming, "There's only one time FedEx has ever been the wrong answer. Congratulations, Ken Jennings, on your amazing ‘Jeopardy’ winning streak. And thanks for mentioning our name. Even if it was the one time you shouldn't have."

The Kansas City Star newspaper (Block’s hometown paper) said the firm "won the publicity game," and said, "That’s the kind of positive exposure money can’t buy." It was called, "a stroke of genius" and "public relations at its finest" by the CEO of Hallmark Cards, also of Kansas City.

Well, that’s great. But I want to ask you one thing: Do you remember any of this? If you’re a huge Jeopardy fan, maybe. Otherwise, probably not.

And even if you do, does it make you want to use H&R Block more, or less, or does it make no difference in how you feel about the company? For most of us, the answer is: "What is: ‘Who cares?’"

Flash ahead to Feb. 23, when we learned that, "The company that is preparing millions of tax returns right now admits to messing up on its own. H&R Block says it underestimated its own state income tax rate in previous quarters, meaning it owes another 32-million dollars in back taxes."

A Google search shows these wire stories appeared in papers and online for four days.

The effect of this news was devastating and immediate. H&R Block stock plummeted, and the timing - during tax prep season - couldn't have been worse. Late-night comics like David Letterman also had great fun with the news.

All of this was "bad publicity" for H&R Block, but it was far worse than that. It strikes at the heart of the company’s credibility. Its reputation is now at stake.

But consider an opportunity for "good" public relations for the firm.

H&R Block is providing a volunteer force of up to 500 of its tax professionals to help hurricane victims reconstruct their financial lives, offering free tax preparation, among other things.

This has received little notice in the media. I’ve seen no television ads touting this effort.

That’s a failure to use public relations, all the while thinking that the occasional minor publicity mention ("getting your name out there") is enough, not realizing it's neither long-lasting or effective.

Public relations, in short, is doing good and telling others about it in order to gain good will and build a good reputation. Given recent bad news, H&R Block can use something to rebuild its tattered image. And it can do it only with a long-term, well thought-out public relations plan designed to build good will and build back its reputation.

Can you or your business use more good will from your current and potential customers?

Aftermath of Cheney shooting incident highlights need to communicate in crisis

2006-02-17T22:56:00.000-05:00

“What we've got here is failure to communicate.” So said a vicious captain guarding prisoners in the 1967 film “Cool Hand Luke.”

And it seems relevant to the failure of Vice President Dick Cheney to communicate with the nation after he accidentally shot his friend Harry Whittington in the face during a hunting trip Feb. 11.

It was the first time a sitting vice president shot someone since Aaron Burr fatally shot Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in July, 1804. It’s newsworthy, and certainly deserves coverage, but shouldn’t be the end of Cheney’s career, since he didn’t exactly shoot Secretary of the Treasury John Snow.

It’s not career-ending, that is, unless the aftermath continues to be handled badly. Then, it could very well be.

Read the rest of this article at the SAC Website: http://www.sacomm.com/cheney.htm

Lessons about crises from the Sago Mine

2006-01-19T16:56:00.000-05:00

The incident at the Sago Mine in West Virginia holds many lessons, but one that stood out to me is the lessons business owners can learn about crisis management.

The mine owners' experience is a lesson in how NOT to manage the scene. The most crucial lesson here is, of course, "Manage the message."

Whenever something 'bad' happens, whether its in a mine or in a corporate conglomerate, it's crucial to manage how the message is given out to the general public, and to the company's "publics" (the ones who deal with the company on a regular basis - basically, their customers, clients and suppliers.)

The message in this horrifying case, was of course the death of most of the miners. But as we all know, word leaked out that they were being pulled out of the mine, and that was quickly mistranslated into: "they have all been saved."

Assigning a clearer spokesman for the company, and ensuring that ALL comments, statements and updates came from that one person at the incident scene, would have likely minimized (if not eliminated) confusion about the miners' status throughout the ordeal.

It was clear watching footage of the disaster that TV crews went to the families for news, not company officials. Those families had received information not from official sources, but from rumors and a misinterpretation of radio chatter on the walkie-talkies and cell phones of rescue workers.

Had a single spokesman been clearly deliniated from the start, the media would have known to question that person and that person alone about the truth of the statements. The families also would have been known to be more skeptical of rumors.

Now, angry families are threatening lawsuits against the company. And while shattering someone's (false) hopes may not be a crime in West Virginia, the mere suggestion of criminal neglect will tarnish the company's image for years.

The lessons of the burst bubble of the Sago mine's "miracles" that night shouldn't be lost on any business, no matter how small. All businesses can write a simple plan that will guide them in a time of crisis, and help them avoid serious and potentially fatal mistakes.

Contact Stephen Abbott for more information on crisis management.

"Domestic Spying?"

2005-12-27T15:11:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I have to speak out on this "domestic spying" issue.

How stupid are Democrats?

If an al-Quaeda operative phones or emails an operative in the US, they don't want anyone to be able to intercept it.

Then, if that operative in the U.S. emails or calls someone else WITHIN the U.S., they say it's an invasion of privacy to tap the line or read the email.

And they wonder why they can't get elected. First, they want us to lose in Iraq, now this.

They are doomed to lose unless, of course, they manage to get their willing accomplices in the national media to keep using terms like "domestic spying" and rile up the civil libertarians (in both parties, I'm afraid) so that the Democrats appear to be "bi-partisan" in their foolish, increasingly hysterical attacks.

If they can fool enough people, they may win back Congress. Republicans should come out swinging on this one, just like Bush is doing (for a change.)