Media Relations
Brill: Publishing Guru Or PR Genius?
The launch of Brill's Content is getting attention from all kinds of media outlets by nature and by design. Dow Jones Interactive, First Day, Newsweek, The New York Post have published stories about Steve Brill's media watchdog magazine, which launched June 15, with hopes of telling people how the news media does its job and whether it's fair, accurate and ethical.
But Brill is running into some ethical problems of his own, as several Content reporters were recently caught submitting letters to the editors of America Online [AOL] hyping the magazine, but concealing their identity. The writers later admitted they sent the fake letters, but said it was to generate interest.
Granted, debuts can make you resort to some outlandish stuff, but we see this former stunt as a PR nightmare hurting Content's credibility. Nonetheless, all the media attention, good or bad, seems to be working for Brill as he is earning more than a dab of ink and broadcast coverage.
Overall, the hype (not to mention the $1million dollars Brill spent on publicity). Surrounding the magazine is an indication of how anticipation can create a wave of PR. Still, the question remains as to whether Brill will be able to sustain further interest in his magazine. (Cindy Rosenthal, Content 212/824-1986.)
Porter/Novelli: Some of the Best PR Comes in Gifts
Porter/Novelli, Washington, D.C., has managed to befriend the press, an elusive goal for many in the industry. The firm has given out more than 100 client gifts to scores of reporters and cameramen camped outside their offices to get shots and sound bites and photos of Monica Lewinsky and her new lawyers, who share Porter/Novelli's office building.
Among the products that have been doled out are McDonald's [MCD] Extra Value meals, Purrell instant hand sanitizers; Duracell [DUR] batteries; Coppertone suncare products and MainControl, Inc. T-shirts, according to Marie Kendra, senior account executive. (Porter-Novelli, 202/973-5800)
Schubert Flubs Again
Apparently Schubert Communications, Inc., Downington, Pa., is full of some eager beavers or they just don't care if they irk the media by recanting information on press releases. For the second time in a year, we received an apologetic notice last week from SC saying that a press release wasn't okay to publish.
The release, "Four Chemical Industry Companies Join Schubert Communications' Account Roster," wasn't accurate because of "recent developments," according to the firm. Last year we received another desperate notice from Schubert, alerting us that a release it had issued for client Hurst about its "Jaws of Life" wasn't accurate because it hadn't been approved. Last week an account executive told us that these were "isolated incidents" and happened because of new staffers. Maybe Schubert should allocate some of the time it spends pitching and winning accounts to train juniors. (Schubert, 610/269-2100)
Bohle Snags Silicon Accounts
The Bohle Company, Los Angeles, recently vied against powerhouse KVO, Portland, Ore., and won two Silicon Graphics PR accounts: its Consumer Products Division and its Visual Systems Group. Both of those divisions previously handled PR internally. Bohle now is in the process of competing for another Silicon Graphics win. It's in the running for the Advanced Graphics Group account and is up against Horizon Communications, Atascadero, Calif. (Bohle, 310/785-1113)