Filed under: Comment
Given most of my mates are at work [or at least that’s their excuse] I thought I’d turn to the newspaper … and even though it contravenes the trades description act of what a newspaper should be … I did come across a rather interesting letter that someone decided to write in …
I know it is probably quite hard to read, but the basic jist is that this bloke, Steve Armstrong, is slagging off British Airways because [1] they have unhelpful call centres in India [2] the luggage gets lost and [3] they charge a fortune.
Now even though they are a totally shit airline, does anyone else think this whole thing smells abit funny?
OK, so Singaporean’s LOOOOOOOOVE to moan and complain but Steve Armstrong doesn’t sound a very Asian does it?
And his complaint sounds kinda weird – especially the fact that he sends his kids using an airline he say’s he vowed many years ago never to use again.
Alright … alright … he doesn’t say “I’m only going to fly Singapore Airlines in the future because they’re the best and the most competitively priced” so I appreciate I’m making abit of a conspiracy theory here, but this wouldn’t be the first time companies have used dirty tactics to try and obtain more business.
One of my favourites – apart from when SONY Pictures invented journalistic quotes for their movies [actually they invented the journalists as well but that’s by-the-by] – is back in 2002 when I was in Oz.
I was scanning through the pages of the terrible Daily Telegraph newspaper when I came across this supposed ‘readers letter’ …
OK, so Aussie blokes love their cars – and there is this Ford vs Holden battle amongst the truly sad [ha!] – but who the fuck writes in about bloody television commercials?
Of course my cynic-radar told me that this was another example of the depths PR companies will stoop to to get their client some positive publicity so imagine my surprise when I turned the page and saw the promotion that the Daily Telegraph was running …
Yep, that’s right, WIN A FORD XR6 … what a surprise!
Of course I can’t prove that The Daily Telegraph and Ford were in cahoots to pull the wool over the Aussie publics eyes … but I’m sure you’ll agree it’s quite a coincidence.
So for all those companies who want to try and get some additional – and positive publicity – I have an idea for you.
Rather than utilise the most transparent strategy since George Bush announced WMD’s in Iraq, why don’t you actually do stuff that people actually want/need rather than try and take the lazy route by attempting to make big news out of nothing or at the very least, the most miniscule evolution known to man.
I know you’re probably all jealous how Apple can get on news programs all around the World by banging out the same product with a bit more colour and memory, but they’re an exception [and even though they have a history of genuine, user-friendly innovation, that sort of behaviour won’t go unpunished if they try and do it too often] so stop your PR machines from fabricating illusion and do something that they can really get their teeth into … something good, interesting and exciting … because for all the money you spend on spin, I bet you could come out with something worthwhile if you re-directed some of those funds into finding out what your customers really want/need rather than interpret whatever they say to suit your own personal agendas.
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yeah, wake up you other car manufacturers.
Comment by belinda richards July 31, 2008 @ 8:11 amExcellent work future Ford team, now if you could start selling the machines rather than just giving them away we might not be so in the red at the bank.
Comment by Henry T Ford July 31, 2008 @ 8:44 amPR is the real WMD.
Great post and that “readers letter/promotion” sounds straight out of Viz magazine, so bad it’s nearly good 🙂
Comment by Pete July 31, 2008 @ 8:49 amThe other similarity is the Australian Telegraph ‘newspaper’ is full of bad comedy as well.
Comment by Rob July 31, 2008 @ 1:02 pmrolling over in my grave…,damn rookies
Comment by edward bernays July 31, 2008 @ 2:44 pmIs Sellotape illegal there?
Comment by John July 31, 2008 @ 4:33 pm