Public Relations

Voluntary Soda Jerks as PR

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

"The first salvo in a broader public-relations counterattack by beverage companies to help the industry reverse its tarnished image" is voluntary restrictions on drink sales in schools. The guidelines, which will be touted "in full-page ads in several national newspapers," suggest that new school contracts remove carbonated soft drinks from elementary schools and remove sugary drinks from middle schools during school hours. All beverages will continue to be sold in high schools.

No
Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal (sub. req'd.), August 17, 2005
Topics: 
Children
Corporations
Health
Public Relations

Ethical Bump or Just a Pothole?

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

"It was intended as a picturesque public relations triumph," writes Carla Marinucci: "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger backed by a blaring soundtrack of 'Takin' It to the Streets,' striding alongside an army of neon-clad street workers to tackle a 'critical' transportation problem—a San Jose pothole. But the photo op took more than a little doing, government documents show—a flurry of anxious e-mails from city officials, dozens of hours of planning on city time and considerable angst over details like location, location, location. ...

No
Main Source: 
San Francisco Chronicle, August 7, 2005
Topics: 
Politics
Public Relations

Making Ads to Promote Drug Companies that Make Ads

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

Following the release of the industry group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America's (PhRMA's) suggested drug advertising guidelines, Pfizer pledged not to "directly promote any new product" for six months and "to target only adult audiences" with Viagra TV ads.

No
Main Source: 
Associated Press, August 12, 2005
Topics: 
Corporations
Health
Public Relations

SourceWatch Updates

Volunteer contributors continue to be the mainstay of SourceWatch, our open-source encylopedia of the people, organizations and issues shaping the public agenda. SourceWatch (formerly the "Disinfopedia") is a "wiki," which means that anyone (including you) can edit existing articles or create new ones about the topics of your choice. Since its launch in 2003, it has become the 14th-largest wiki on the Internet, and usage continues to grow. It now includes more than 7,400 articles. In July approximately 1.86 million pages from SourceWatch were served to web users.

The Enemy is Everywhere

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

The Legal PR Bulletin has posted an article by Richard S. Levick of Levick Strategic Communications on how companies can defend themselves against online critics, titled "A Virtual Omnipresent Enemy." Levick warns: "It is only a matter of time before blogs become commonplace weapons allowing well-organized adversaries to both disseminate and preserve shrewder anti-corporate messages.

No
Main Source: 
Legal PR Bulletin
Topics: 
Public Relations

If You Pay Them, They Will Blog

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

Corporations have begun hiring bloggers to put out their messages and to promote products, writes Mary Jacobs. Examples: "Stonyfield Farm Inc., a dairy products maker in Londonderry, N.H., hired a corporate blogger to write company-hosted blogs on nutrition and health as well as organic farming. Microsoft Corp. plans to hire bloggers to generate excitement about an upcoming product release. Electronic Data Systems Corp.

No
Main Source: 
Dallas Morning News, August 4, 2005
Topics: 
Public Relations

Changing Of The Guard At ExxonMobil

Submitted by Bob Burton on

The chairman of ExxonMobil, Lee R. Raymond, has announced that he will retire at the end of the year. Kert Davies, research director at Greenpeace U.S.A. told the New York Times that "there is a spectrum of corporate behavior on global warming and Exxon is the epitome of denial and deception.

No
Main Source: 
New York Times, August 4, 2005
Topics: 
Corporations
Environment
International
Public Relations

Pages

Subscribe to Public Relations