PR Bloggers Respond To Wal-Mart / Edelman Controversy
Posted on October 13, 2006 by webteam
From PR Squared:
First, let me say that I am a big fan of Steve Rubel, Phil Gomes, and many other Edelman folk. But, for a PR team that claims such impressive stars in its line-up, it’s been striking out big-time with the Wal-Mart account.
From Strategic Public Relations:
Will Edelman Walk the Talk?
In the meantime I’m giving Edelman the Goofus and the Gallant on furthering the use of social media in the public relations industry. This tactic could have worked using full disclosure, just interview the customers and get their stories. It might not have resulted in effusive praise for the giant smiley face, but it would have been interesting nonetheless. Hard to believe Edelman’s leviathan efforts in hiring the right team and investing the time and money to take a leadership role in social media could be thwarted so easily. But it very well could.
From Shel Holtz:
Edelman and the one-sided conversation
Those smart PR folks working for Edelman are among the members of the PR community who advocate participation in the conversation. Some of them have been brutal when, to their way of thinking, somebody else fails to understand what it means to be engage in the conversation. So where is Edelman in this particular conversation? Missing in action. As dismaying as this latest misstep is, it’s even more dismaying to see Edelman’s high-powered social media experts failing to walk the talk. Nothing from Richard in his vaunted 6 a.m. blog. Nothing from Steve, who blogs at the pinnacle of PR’s A-list. Nothing from anybody (based on a Technorati search and a survey of the Edelman blogs).
From Wagner Communications:
Washing away in a tide of ‘how could they?’
The “Wal-Marting Across America” blog—outed this week as allegedly nothing more than a PR creation featuring two free-lance journalists pretending to be just your regular, every-day RV’in family—has created a backlash that seems to have legs.
From Tough Sledding:
‘Fake blog’ accusations focus on Edelman. Say it ain’t so, Richard!
Top Edelman blogger Steve Rubel has been silent since 10:45 this morning. That would be about the time things hit the fan in New York. The world’s waiting to hear from you guys. And of all people, you know the blogosphere doesn’t sleep.
From Blog Relations:
Wal-Mart Edelman Blog Blunder
Pity it reads just like typical PR rubbish. Hold on a minute, it is PR rubbish! It turns out that this idea was cooked up by the Edelman agency – the same Edelman whose boss writes a blog, and that hired a slew of PR bloggers.
From CT Biz Blogs:
Wal-Mart’s blogging fiasco
Here’s the story of what not to do when you blog. What a mess! This has resulted in dragging quite a few people and companies through the mud — Wal-Mart (ok, lots of mud there already), the blogger and photographer involved, Edelman, and even the Washington Post.
From Jaffe Juice:
Strike 2 for Edelman?
This post is not about Wal-Mart. They’ll figure out social media sooner or later. This post is about Edelman. I’m kind of surprised and a bit amazed quite frankly…as this is the SECOND time they’ve been outed for lack of transparency with the SAME client. I’m pretty sure there are enough people who work for Edelman monitoring this blog, so come on guys…please explain why, as a so-called leader in this field, this is the second time you’ve (how shall I put this) acted like an advertising agency?
From Media Buyer Planner:
The Walmarting of the Blogosphere
Wal-Mart, unchastened by disclosures earlier this year that it had been paying bloggers to sing its praises on their blogs, has apparently taken its public relations campaign in the blogosphere to its logical – albeit sordid and ultimately self-defeating – conclusion: Essentially publishing a fake blog, and paying a couple to write posts while pretending to be unaffiliated bloggers.
From BizHack:
Learn the lesson of Scoble, who humanized Microsoft while being honest about the fact that Microsoft paid his mortgage. Learn the lesson of all the other successful corporate bloggers.
1. You want to start a corporate blog? Great. Be upfront about it.
2. You want to start a marketing blog and get paid for it? Great. Be honest about who you are.
3. You want to start a PR blog for your client? Great. Tell us who you are and who your client is.
From DavidBinkowski.com:
Wal-Mart Flogging Its Way Around the Blogosphere
My theory is that companies like Wal-Mart shouldn’t bother blogging unless they’re planning on changing their policies or just coming forward with what they’re all about – cheap prices regardless of the cost. I think if they were more honest about it they’re gain some respect – because it’ll be a cold day in hell before they change their business model to appease the socially aware bloggers!
From DCist:
WaPo Photog Leases Soul to Wal-Mart for RV Trip
It’s come to our attention that local group Wal-Mart Watch employed their mad Google skills to be the first to uncover the fact that Jim was an employee of the Post. We certianly didn’t mean to slight their sleuthiness, and are happy to credit them for starting this fire.
