I have always been under the impression that the best PR people work in politics. That is because PR is in politics as vital as breathing – and far, far more important than in private enterprises.

I know many spin-doctors and political PR-people I’ve always looked up to, admiring how they manage the public relations both reactively and proactively. They’re usually very, very smart people whose capability to come up with ideas from the top of their heads is sometimes incredibly ingenious.

But then there are idiots. People who know nothing about PR or how it works, and for some utterly peculiar reason they find themselves hired as political advisers, spin-doctors or PR-specialists.

Fellow blogger at Tory-Politico.com yesterday tried to get a press release on the letter Tory leader David Cameron sent to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, asking for a clarification of Labour’s position on TV debates. The blogger called the Conservative press office, and this is what happened:

Tory Politico: “Hi there. I wonder if you can help me. I run the Conservative supporting blog Tory Politico at tory-politico.com, and was wondering if you could send me a copy of the press release that’s just been issued about the letter send from David Cameron to the Prime Minister, seeking clarification on his position regarding TV debates.”
Press Officer: “Who do you work for?”
TP: “tory-politico.com.”
PO: “So you’re not a member of the media.”
TP: “No, I am a Conservative party member and a blogger.”
PO: “Sorry, I can’t help you.”
TP: “Why not?”
PO: “Bloggers don’t count as media so I can’t send it to you.”
TP: “Right, so you don’t see blogs as important then, is that right?
PO: “Yes.”
TP: “So what about the likes of Iain Dale and ConservativeHome, are they media? Are they seen as important?”
PO: “Yes, we feel that they are representatives of the media, and yes, we do see them as an important conduit.”
TP: “But you just said blogs don’t count as media.”
PO: “We see them as important Conservative commentators, not bloggers, we feel that independent bloggers do not provide an efficient means of communicating the Conservative message.”
TP: “Not efficient means of communicating the Conservative message – I’m a Conservative blogger, all I blog about is politics and the Conservative party, I think that’s evident from my blogs title.”
PO: “I’m sorry, but I have already told you that I cannot send you a copy of the press release you asked for.”
TP: “OK, can you add my details to the press release distribution list so that future releases and notices are sent to me?”
PO: “No.”
TP: “Because blogs are not important.”
PO: “Yes.”

When I read this, I was shocked and saddened. Shocked, because I could not believe my eyes seeing such a bloody imbecile working for the Conservative Party. Saddened, because I like Conservatives and I know that if an idiot is responsible for PR, then it hurts the Party incredibly. It’s the worst PR ever – to let idiots do the PR.

We’re talking about a press release that was already sent to the media, not some kind of party secret that Tory Politico wanted to get. All the PR person needed to do was sit behind his computer and send one e-mail. Instead, the PR person, apparently resorted to downplaying blogs, perhaps even insulting them, and, the bottom line, being too lazy to move his arse, or rather his fingers to send the e-mail.

I have worked in both journalism and PR (although for a private enterprise, but I do claim to know PR). If I had, when working as the Communications Manager, done anything like this, I would have been fired immediately, faster than I could even thought about what I did. And I would have been fired rightfully, because, my job as a PR-person is to get the message out to so many mediums as possible. Newspapers, portals, blogs, customers, whoever – the wider audience the message gets, the better.

“Bloggers don’t count as media so I can’t send it to you,” the Tory PR-person told the blogger. What? WHAT? How has this got to do with anything? Is there a law somewhere that press releases can only be sent to what someone regards as media, and it’s forbidden to send them to anyone else? Bear in mind, bloggers do read newspapers and can get the message of the press release from there, but wouldn’t it be better if the actual press release also reached an interested blogger – if not for anything else than as a token of appreciation?

I am not even going to get into the matter whether blogs are as important as media or whether they can be regarded as media – anyone who doesn’t see the mighty and growing influence of blogs, especially in politics, is an idiot.

But if your message would reach even one person more due to the fact that you send it to a blogger – it’s a job well done. Because, believe it or not, it is the job of a PR man to get the message to as many people as possible. And saying things like “I can’t send it to you” would be justified only if the person who is saying it doesn’t have arms to use a computer.

PR is a lot like sales, as you’ve got to sell the message, sell the image of the entity you’re doing PR for. And the first rule of sales is, a good customer is ANYONE who enters the shop.

I’m sorry, but the idiot who Tory Politico talked to yesterday, did a huge disservice to the Conservative Party.

Similar Posts:

• Israel gives press passes to top bloggers
• Boris is one of the most influential people in the world
• Additions to blogroll
• VAT to go back to 17.5% on 31st December
• Cameron’s “philosopher king”: old capitalism has had its day

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...