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PR Bloggers Respond To Wal-Mart / Edelman Controversy

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.

Posted by Laura Jack on Friday, October 13, 2006

Click Here for a Printer-Friendly Version

COMMENTS

Democrats pimping for Edelman on the Wal-Mart account, what do you expect from scurilous switch hitters? Strike 3 and send the bums back to the farm leagues without a bonus.

John Nunes in san ramon, ca
Friday, October 13 at 10:24 PM

Edelman is just the latest casualty of the gang that couldn’t shoot straight. I think Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott said it best:

“Our size causes us, when we do something inappropriate, which is usually done out of stupidity, to come across as being done out of arrogance.”

So in the board rooms of corporate America stupidity is considered superior to arrogance?

The Beast of Bentonville has the Midas touch in reverse. Everything they touch turns to s%*t!

Ken V in Texas
Saturday, October 14 at 12:52 PM

“Our size causes us, when we do something inappropriate, which is usually done out of stupidity, to come across as being done out of arrogance.”

I believe their stupidity is from their arrogance.

Todd in New York
Saturday, October 14 at 06:20 PM

LOOKS LIKE “BOB in” IS ENJOYING HIS NEW HOME!

Busy weekend Bob? 4 posts on Saturday and 4 posts on Sunday. You just can’t get over your blog addiction can you? Did you tell everyone here how you managed to get banned from the other blogging site: WakeupWalmart.com?

Yes folks...this is the message I received from the web administrators at WakeupWalmart.com: “The IP address that “Bob” uses has been banned from our web site. Should he find another IP address, he will be banned again.”

How come you don’t post anymore on this site as Robert Springer in Springdale? Oh… I forgot, this site had you banned at one time also! How far away is Springdale, Arkansas from Bentonville, Arkansas? (Home of Wal-Mart)

I see back on September 27th, you made this incredible revelation as to why you left the farming business: “It was getting harder (with a small family farm) to compete, given the price when the big corporate farms that milked cows 24/7 and kept the surplus high.” COMMENT: How’s it feel? But I guess you obviously feel it’s OK for Wal-Mart to roll over one small family business after another.

On September 25th you made this assinine comment: “By the way, I was a laborer all my life and my family are laborers, why would I be anti-labor now?” COMMENT: I’d have to agree with another blogger on this site who described one of your other posts as “…a statement that is so clearly a, semi-truck load of B.S.” Let’s look at some of your “pro labor” posts, Bob:

“The teachers union is always complaining that teachers are underpaid and look what is happening with the students test scores.” COMMENT: This about the most naïve statement I’ve ever seen. You have absolutely no insight into the problems the schools in this nation face!

“So, don’t say it isn’t the unions fault, because they set the wages that control the cost of living, that make it hard for poorer people to live on, they have distorted what a living wage is.” COMMENT:Yup! Sure sounds like you are pro labor to me.

Then there is this gem of a comment you made Bob: “Specifically, what labor laws has Wal-Mart been found guilty of violating?” COMMENT: Maybe you should take a drive to Pennsylvania and ask this question. Then you can drive to Colorado and California and ask the question there. Simply stated, you’re a MORON, Bob!

ScrewedbyWal-Mart in Anytown, USA
Monday, October 16 at 07:17 AM

“Yes folks...this is the message I received from the web administrators at WakeupWalmart.com: “The IP address that “Bob” uses has been banned from our web site. Should he find another IP address, he will be banned again.”

Yes folks....now you know that Screwedby, is a union insider, who gets informed as to who is being banned from the sites.

Besides, if you are being banned, you know that you are hitting a nerve and they are afraid you are getting noticed, so they want to silence you. If they thought you weren’t a threat, they would let you speak.

Bob, in
Monday, October 16 at 10:53 AM

Quit Your Desperate Spinning, Bob!

Are you capable of speaking anything that even resembles the truth, Bob?

You’re pathetic! Does the word megalomaniac meaning anything to you? Yeah...that’s right---you were winning so many converts to your skewed views and defense of Wal-Mart, they simply had to silence you! You KNOW you weren’t banned because anyone “feared” you or perceived you as a “threat"---intellectually or otherwise! You’ll have to trust us on this one. You’re NO threat.

You were banned because you crossed the line of common decency and good blogging sense. END OF STORY!

ScrewedbyWal-Mart in Anytown, USA
Monday, October 16 at 04:24 PM

Tom-

Don’t you have better things to do than attack Bob? Shouldn’t you be helping Greenwald create another pathetic film?

Someone in USA
Monday, October 16 at 05:48 PM

do not attach bob! Infideals! bob is probly an ok man like we all ok man, not so many smoke pot again.
bob dos the best he can, given what he goes to work with.
give boob a brek!

maggotpuke in
Monday, October 16 at 06:22 PM

Tom (Screwedby),

“You were banned because you crossed the line of common decency and good blogging sense. END OF STORY!”

You tell me what lines of common decency and good blogging sense I crossed. I never used cuss words, nor did I call people the names that I have seen in many blogs. But, I did criticize you a bit for burning your Garth Brooks CD’s.

Bob in
Monday, October 16 at 10:50 PM

Everybody,

Screwedby says I don’t tell the truth, right? Then, how does he know I was banned from the WUWM site? He even says they informed him of it!! And, how does he know why I was once banned from this site, could it be, that he has inside information?

And, everyone knows about his Anti Wal-Mart movie thing, so where are my lies?

Bob in
Monday, October 16 at 11:03 PM

The way I am viewing this (and I am interested to know if anyone else shares this view) - if they noted EVEN in the small, fine, fine, fine italicized print that the trip was sponsored by Wal-Mart, this would not be an issue.

Travel writers accept sponsored trips from companies, associations, boards and clients all the time. The main thing to note is that the print outlet always discloses that information.

That’s where Edelman went wrong. Aah - it’s ALL in the fine print.

Bhargavi in Toronto, ON
Tuesday, October 17 at 08:17 PM

You’re probably right, Bhargavi, but that just points up the larger issue of this latest meltdown. There were several watershed moments when this whole mess could have been averted but no one smart enough, or competent enough, to see it.

Of course Edelman is willing to fall on it’s own sword but I’m reminded of the words of Randy Sharp, special projects director for the American Family Association in an editorial entitled “Wal-Mart No Longer Worthy of Family Trust”?:

“The business is now run by “educated elite” gurus of business who live in big houses and host dinner parties. These socialites now make decisions without taking time to “greet the folks” and learn what makes the working family want to come to their stores. They trust public relations companies to tell them what to do.”

There’s very little about Mr. Sharp or his association that I agree with but he may be onto something here.

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/3/9a2006gst.asp

Ken V in Texas
Wednesday, October 18 at 08:19 AM

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