Politics

Timing Is Everything

By Bob Burton

A UK PR industry professional has cautioned PR professionals not to try and release bad news in wake of the death of Michael Jackson. "No-one can ever trump Labour aide Jo Moore's debacle during the September 11 attacks, but there'll be cynics out there watching very carefully for companies releasing stuff under cover of global mourning, said Dougal Paver, Managing Director of Paver Smith. (Moore, a media adviser to the Transport, Local Government and Regions Secretary, infamously wrote on September 11 that "It's now a very good day to get out anything we want to bury.") The Australian government for one, couldn't resist the opportunity. Hours after news of Jacksons death, late on a Friday afternoon, the Australian Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, Craig Emerson, announced that he was axing the establishment of a website comparing grocery prices between retail chains. Most major supermarkets objected to the proposed website, which would have been run by the consumer group, Choice.

Full post as published by PR Watch on July 01, 2009 (boomark / email).