The damning evidence against Sherrod surfaced on July 19, when conservative blogger and activist Andrew Breitbart posted a  2-minute video snippet of a speech Sherrod gave in 2009.  In the clip Sherrod, who is African American, recounts an incident in which Roger Spooner, a poor white farmer, approached her for help in saving his farm from foreclosure.  She says she handed him off to a white lawyer rather than devote the necessary time and resources to his case.   Of course we now know the clip was edited and posted out of context:  in the full version of the speech, Ms. Sherrod goes on to say she later helped save the Mr. Spooner’s farm after she saw the lawyer had been mishandling the farmer’s case.  Sherrod was using this episode to illustrate how it changed her views on race and poverty.

In today’s 24 hour newscycle, social media sourcing has become commonplace for reporters, bloggers and general consumers.  Social media has truly leveled the playing field, empowering the public to determine what is newsworthy.  However, just becuase it’s on the internet does not make it true.  More than ever, both the media and consumers need to check the facts to prevent the spread of misinformation.  Anyone can launch a blog or post a video that distorts information, trashes a competing company or spreads false rumors about a brand, product or individual.  Many companies have been burned by rumors started online, and the impact can be devasting to personal and corporate repulations alike. 

In this case, Breitbart’s post had further consequences than even he intended.  His real target was the NAACP, who just a week earlier had accused elements of the socially conservative tea party group of racism.  Sherrod was simply collateral damage, but the implications of his post extend far beyond one woman’s damaged reputation.  It’s a wake up call to ensure that all of us check our facts and do the research needed to make informed decisions. 

Robert Gibbs Apologizes to Former USDA employee Shirley Sherrod

Barack Obama - “Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states.”

Joe Biden – “This is a Big F-ing Deal.”

George W. Bush (oh, where to begin…) – “They misunderestimated me.”

Dan Quayle – “I’ve made a misstatement and I stand by all my misstatements.”

Ronald Reagan – “Facts are stupid things.”

Richard Daley – “The policeman isn’t there to create disorder, the policeman is there to preserve disorder.”

Stephen Colbert (okay, so he’s not a politician, but this one was too good not to include) – “Truthiness.”

Most people associate publicity stunts with incidents like Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction, Speidi‘s (Heidi + Spencer = ridiculous nickname) countless exploits or other celebrity-centric controversies, but hardly anyone thinks of the icon that started it all. Edward Bernays is reputed, and self-proclaimed, as the ”father of public relations,“ but he is also the first publicity stuntman as well. In 1929, the New York City Easter Parade included a group of young women marching to liberate all women with their cigarettes held high billed as ”torches of freedom.“ The event caused a stir, as it was taboo for women to smoke in public at the time. These marchers were symbols of women’s rights and equality as stories appeared in newspapers across the nation.

Little did the public know, it was a well-crafted publicity stunt. Bernays hired the women, mostly young models, to light up Lucky Strike cigarettes at his command in front of the awaiting press. Bernays capitalized on the lingering spark of women’s suffrage to ignite a movement. His client, the American Tobacco Company’s Lucky Strike, had a new crop of impassioned consumers.

To learn more about Bernays and public relations’ beginnings, I recommend watching the BBC’s documentary, ‘Century of the Self.’

Public relations, marketing and advertising have certainly changed since Bernays’ heyday and the changes seem to only accelerate with time and technology. Unconventional stunts or marketing aim to break through the estimated daily 600 – 625 promotional messages Americans experience. They have to be creative, interactive and unexpected to have us talking, thinking and wanting more.

Below are a few infamous stunts that I particularly enjoy and I think, in keeping with their purpose, you will too.

A Publicity Wiener –

In 1936, Oscar Mayer drove into the history books and America’s heart with the debut of its legendary Wienermobile, which still travels around the country and rides out its almost-guaranteed media coverage.

Famous but a Fugitive –

Sprung from one United Press article on the FBI’ most wanted and the positive publicity that resulted, the bureau established its Most Wanted List in 1950 in conjunction with the nation’s news media. It has aided the apprehensions of 152 fugitives as a result of citizen recognition.

You Have to Hand it to Them –

More than seven million people joined hands for 15 minutes for Hands Across America raising $20 million to fight hunger and homelessness on May 25, 1986.

A few stunts closer to home…

¡Yo quiero Taco Liberty Bell! –

As a prank on April Fool’s Day in 1996, a full-page ad appeared in six major American newspapers announcing that Taco Bell had purchased Philadelphia’s historical Liberty Bell to help reduce the country’s debt and it would be renamed the Taco Liberty Bell. By noon, the company owned up to the hoax.

Pin Down a Hit –

In 2008 a Guinness World Record-breaking piñata, which was six-stories tall, filled with 8,000 pounds of candy and located in South Philly, generated a lot of media stories and excitement.  The creator, Carnival Cruise Lines, held an event that was full of giveaways, music and food.

Killer Publicity but no Love –

Showtime’s ‘Dexter’ put on a show in 2007 when the fountain in Love Park was turned a deep red. Many Philadelphians saw red after spotting the gruesome promotion.

Here are some great sites where you can check out more celebrated stunts and marketing…

PR Week’s ’10 PR Stunts that Would Make PT Barnum Proud’

WebUrbanist.com’s ‘15 Dramatic Guerrilla Marketing Campaigns’

Taylor Herring’s ‘Top 50 Publicity Stunts‘

CreativeGuerrillaMarketing.com’s ‘The Best 80 Guerrilla Marketing Ideas I’ve Ever Seen’

My Favorite: Nikon's billboard in subway station

Please share your favorite publicity or marketing stunts below in the comments!

Rebecca "off camera"

In April, I was featured on a local NBC news segment regarding the Tiger Woods’ Nike Ad, featuring a voice over from Tiger’s deceased father.   There were a few things that went awry almost immediately.  First, I was late.  Big no-no.  Not only does that aggravate the producer, who has to deal with possibility a no-show segment, but it eliminates the opportunity for you to understand your surroundings, review message points, and relax.  As a result, I look tense and uncomfortable during the anchor’s introduction.  Actually, I look like I’m channeling Elin Woods right before she smashed the back of Tiger’s Escalade with one of his golf clubs.  On camera, everything communicates.  Body language, expressions, hand gestures, dress, etc. all convey a message about you and your company.  If my message was discomfort, then I think I hit a home run.

Given the humbling reminder on the importance of media prep, I thought I’d share (and review) some tips for succession media interview strategies below.

Define your Purpose: Before agreeing to do any interview, make sure you have a specific end game in mind.  How will the interview benefit you or your company?  If you can’t think of anything, then allow the opportunity to pass.  If you accept the interview, be sure to set specific goals for what you want to communicate.  Develop 3-5 key messages that you want to deliver throughout the interview.  These are the main ideas you’ll want to hammer home during the course of your interview.

Prepare, Practice, Repeat: Once you have your key messages in place, you’ll need to practice.  Have a colleague or member of your communications team run sample Q&A with you so you can get comfortable with the responses.  Make sure you have answers to the tough questions.  Even in friendly interview settings, it is important to have a response to questions you may not like answering.  Practice answering every question with a key message, and remember to keep your responses focused and concise.  In addition, it helps to do your homework before you walk into the interview.  What is the reporter’s interview style like? What have they covered in the past? What will the interview format be? Is the interview live or taped; in-person or via phone/satellite?  Doing a little legwork up front will ensure you are comfortable and prepared during your interview.

Watch your Body Language: For in person or on-camera interviews, everything communicates.  Even in positive interview situations, it is easy to look tense or stiff (ahem), which can impact credibility.   Arrive 15 minutes early to give yourself time to relax and review your message points.  If you have time before the interview, walk around take deep breaths to loosen up your body.  Avoid wild hand movements or big gestures when emphasizing your point.  If possible, maintain eye contact with the reporter as it helps to establish a connection with the reporters. If the interview is being conducted via satellite, look directly into the camera and keep your gaze steady.

Stay on Message: Listen carefully to the reporters questions, and take your time in responding to avoid rushing your response.  Remember your key points and try incorporate them in every single answer.  Keep your answers short and sweet, and avoid industry jargon to keep your explanations clear and easy to understand.  If a reporter asks you a question you cannot or will not answer, say so and offer an alternative if possible.  You can say something like “I can’t give out personal employee information, but what I can tell you is….”  or “We don’t have that  information at this time, but we are investigating the situation and will keep you apprised of any new developments.”

Avoid “No Comment”: If you can’t answer a question, emphasize what you can say and go back to your key message points.  Never go off the record to explain your point, even if the cameras are not rolling.  If you don’t want to comment to be shared, don’t make it.  Period.

I thought the most interesting seminar was presented on crisis PR from Jerri Williams, chief press officer at SEPTA. Yes, her title makes even me say, “yikes, that is one heck of a job.” I was interested not only because I am one of those thousands of people cursing SEPTA in the morning, and most evenings, but also because any Philadelphian knows SEPTA has had a tough year by even the toughest standards.  Ms. Williams was insightful, eloquent, honest and refreshingly witty about SEPTA’s past year and her process of dealing with crises. The best part was her delightful redundant questions testing our knowledge about what qualifies as a ‘crisis.’

“What is a crisis? How about when the Transport Workers Union goes on strike at 3am on a Tuesday morning leaving the 3.8 million people relying on SEPTA’s buses, trolleys subways and some rail lines stranded? Or what about if three days later a train on a popular regional rail line, which was not affected by the strike, catches fire and 400 people have to evacuate on the tracks? Or maybe it was the following day when a SEPTA employee was struck and killed by a train?…”

It certainly made her point, as well as put my daily to-do lists and the students’ term papers to shame. Ms. Williams made two other noteworthy points: 1) it is not always SEPTA’s responsibility, but it is always SEPTA’s problem and 2) no matter how much of her job is fending defending SEPTA’s reputation, it is always important to establish a positive reputation as well. It may not be SEPTA’s responsibility to police and respond to attacks within the underground passages, which are technically city property, but the news and public see it as so. It affects their commuters thus it is their duty to respond. As much as is Ms. Williams chief responsibility to mitigate crisis, another important role is to establish and encourage positive perceptions of SEPTA, like her initiative “Did You Find Love on SEPTA?” contest, which featured 14 couples who found love aboard SEPTA.

SEPTA’s crises have undoubtedly taken a toll on its public perception. However with Ms. Williams at the wheel, I trust its team is doing their best and with a touch of tasteful humor as well. I will try to remember that at the bus stop tomorrow morning.

But what about the more serious, and sometimes violent, effects of the immediate connectivity of social networking? 140 characters or a viral Facebook invitation allows for little information and organization, but  excitement translates very well.

Recently, a couple of blocks from the Maven offices, a ‘flash mob‘ (which isn’t as risque as it sounds) assembled in The Gallery, a small Center City mall. The group of 150 high school aged kids didn’t dance or pillow fight, which would have been adorable. They instead ended up ransacking Macy’s department store and running ammuck. Supposedly the mob was organized in the spirit of the massive snowball fight that also occurred. But in true Philly fashion, the friendly fire turned into a wildfire.

Like any new technology or fad, it can be used for good or evil, mostly depending on the intentions of its participants. With so many on social networks and its potential growth, I just hope no one take it too far and ruins it for the rest of us, especially when my commute and day could be unexpectedly brightened by a dancing flash mob! I am also eagerly awaiting day when a criminal’s defense is “twitter made me do it.”

Toyota prepares to recall the Prius

Since Toyota announced what has become its biggest ever safety and public relations disaster several weeks ago, the company has undertaken a herculean effort to restore the public’s confidence. It’s spokespeople have filled the airwaves, twitterverse and facebook with messages of reassurance, ads featuring an apology from the company have run nationwide, the website is continuously updated with information about the recall, consumer complaints are answered on a newly established hotline and U.S. President Jim Lentz has issued an apology via letter and on the Today Show. Why then, does Toyota’s reputation still hang in the balance?

Answering Three Questions: Effective crisis management requires a quick, no nonsense, full-responsibility response to three basic questions:

1) What did you know?

2) When did you know?

3) What are you going to do about it?

Part of Toyota’s mounting problems stem from their perceived failure to answer these questions quickly, openly and genuinely. After reports of sticking gas pedals surfaced in Europe in 2006, the company altered the pedals abroad, but made no effort to inform US consumers about the problem. After the magnitude of the issue was realized in the United States, Toyota issued two separate recalls and has dragged their feet in giving a straightforward response the mounting Prius issues. Rather than addressing the problem, its history and a proposed solution in one fell swoop, Toyota’s recall woes have continued to trickle out in a slow drip, ensuring the problem remains firmly in the public eye.

There is a Japanese proverb that says “If it stinks, put a lid on it.” Toyota’s initial decision to delay and deny seems to be taking this advice a little too close to heart.

Brand Matters:  Another issue Toyota faces is that the recall eats at the heart of the company’s core values: safety, reliability and quality. Toyota built their reputation by always putting the customer first, and has taken an obsessive approach to building the safest, most reliable cars on the market. The recall not only calls into question Toyota’s core safety values, its response rattles consumer trust in the company. A company’s values are the essence of who they are, so any crisis that questions these values is particularly difficult to overcome.

The question is, can Toyota salvage its reputation and repair consumer confidence? I would argue that the answer is yes, but a lot more legwork will need to be done. The American public has shown again and again our willingness to extend second chances to those that issue a public apology and take swift action. Companies like Mattel, which issued a massive toy recall in 2007 amid safety concerns, and Tylenol, whose swift and unilateral decision to pull Tylenol from the shelves has become the gold standard for crisis response, have emerged on the other side of similar situations with their reputations intact.

To do the same, Toyota must make a complete explanation of their response to the pedal issues and answer tough questions from outside experts. Toyota management has to be transparent and forthright in their response and proposed solutions. Then, and only then, can they begin the long process of rebuilding public confidence.

Apparently the Tiger Woods saga did not sink in at McDonald’s.  Today, is there any celebrity that a brand can truly bank on their consumers wanting to completely emulate?  For every Tiger Woods there’s, well, a Tiger Woods. According to Peter Sterling, vice president of marketing for McDonald’s USA, “all we can do is look at the past behavior and hope that will be a future indicator of what that person is going to be like.” 

If brands are going to continue to partner with big name celebrities – and it appears that they will, may I offer a suggestion?  Every time a partnership is signed, it should be accompanied by a crisis plan.

In the happy, champagne popping moment when the pen glides across the paper and another athlete/celebrity becomes a few million bucks richer, no one really want to think about the possibility of everything going up in flames.  But let’s face it, transgressions, drugs, abuse and general bad behavior happens.  A lot.

The good news is that there are people that you can hire (and should hire) to think these bad thoughts for you.  And to come up with a “just in case” plan that, God forbid, the sh*t hits the fan, can be implemented immediately.  Planning for a crisis is not on the top of anyone’s list, but let me be the first to tell you, you WILL sleep better at night knowing that there’s one out there.  Some crises are just unpredictable.  But for every unpredictable event, there are 10 that everyone saw coming from a mile away. And why not be prepared for them? 

Although celebrities are easy targets; corporations, foundations, nonprofits and C-suite  executives are just as much in need of crisis plans.  Even if they live in the deep, dark recesses of a locked safe; as long as they’re accessible by those who would need to get to them, they may one day become invaluable documents.  

So McDonald’s, listen up.  LeBron James might be squeaky clean right now, but you‘re best served to be prepared.  Because you never know…

I personally love these ‘year in review’ lists, especially when you think that there is an editor out there wondering which unflattering photo of the Gosselins to include or whether you can honestly compare the impact of Susan Boyle to that of Sonia Sotomayor.

It has been a tough year, but everything is relative. In light of some of this year’s most memorable headlines we should consider ourselves lucky. Here are just a few, in no specific order:

• Governor Sanford’s “hike through the Appalachians” causes a mountain of trouble
• Balloon Boy’s parents filled with hot air (Check out these 10 Craziest Media Hoaxes of all time from the Daily Beast)
• Letterman’s sextortion scandal (Check out Jessica’s commentary)
• Madoff making off with your money
• Tiger’s drive into the fast lane not so grrreat (Check out Rebecca’s take)
• Michael Phelp’s bong bombs
• Carrie Prejean proves beauty contestants should stick to “world peace”
• Jon and Kate separ8
• Serena’s foul mouth (Check out Rebecca’s recap and the video)
• White House Party Crashers

PR can keep stories out of the headlines or save a bit of dignity and grace when all else is lost. It can also make a headline infamous, like Queensland, Australia’s ‘The Best Job in the World‘ candidate search did earlier this year. The stunt recently joined Taylor Herring’s prestigious ‘Publicity Stunt Hall of Fame‘ which showcases the best PR stunts of all time.

TIME's 'Person of the Year' Ben Barnanke

Tough economic times, political unrest and fears of swine flu swept the country, but balloon boy is really what kept us talking. TIME made a commendable choice of Ben Bernanke for their  ‘Person of the Year‘ honor, but you can’t help but wonder how many Americans said, “who?” We are a tabloid, celebrity-obsessed culture with a selective memory and short attention span, which is best seen when we try to rank the most influential happenings of a whole year.

The lists and recaps need to be broken down. In my opinion the best compilation is TIME’s Best/Worst Lists (don’t miss their Top 10 Lists or their ‘Year in Photos‘). Yahoo’s ‘Year in Review‘ also puts together a good collection, although slightly skewed towards tabloid stories. If you are looking for that kind of ‘news’, look no further than the People with their ‘Best of ‘09‘ (and read this recent Newsweek, ‘The Greatest Show on Earth‘, article defending our celebrity fixation). Better yet, go all out and indulge in the Huffington Post’s ‘Hot Messes of the 2000s‘. It seems like some have forgotten it is the end of the decade, so it’s a good thing Newsweek has it covered with their 20/10 Project.

The Gosselins dominated the 'news' in 2009.

After getting lost in a myriad of yearly recaps and reviews, I was interested to see what the UK’s Telegraph’s ‘US Review of 2009‘ considered noteworthy. When browsing through this year’s recaps consider the source and the audience before judging their lists. After writing this post, I know taking stock of a year gone by not as easy as it seems! I wonder when someone will come out with a list of the best and worst ‘best/worst lists of 2009′?

Cheers to the holidays and ringing in 2010 with all its anticipated wonders and blunders.

Spirit Airlines New "Eye of the Tiger" Ad

We’ve all caught Tiger Mania, but this time, the world’s highest paid and notoriously private athlete is at the center of a PR firestorm.  Yesterday, Tiger finally posted a second statement on his website following the release of a voicemail to US Weekly by a reality TV contestant /cocktail waitress who claims to have had an affair with the married superstar.  In it, Tiger admits to recent “transgressions” and asks for privacy:

“Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means…Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn’t have to mean public confessions.”

Sadly, the world (and yours truly), disagrees.  Since his bizarre car crash on November 27, Tiger’s silence and cancelled public appearances have fueled media coverage and wild fan speculation about what really happened. (Click here for a full timeline of events, courtesy of the LA Times)  Consider this:

• - Since posting his statement yesterday, Tigerwoods.com has logged over 13,600 comments from fans as of 1:20 p.m. today.
• - Tiger Woods is of the most popular searches on Twitter today, with new posts going up a at a rate of over 67 posts per minute (that’s over 3000 posts/hr!) as of this morning
• - Type in “Tiger Woods Scandal” into Google and you get 18,700,000 results.
• - Companies have already started to cash in on the Tiger media firestorm. Spirit Airlines has posted an “Eye of the Tiger Sale,” which promises fares starting at $9 each way to  – you got it –   Florida.  (See the video via the Orlando Sentinel website here).

If his goal is to control his previously carefully crafted image, manage rumors, or save his wife from further embarrassment in the press, then he needs to come out  – in public – and address the situation.  By failing to respond to the accident or the allegations of infidelity in a timely and transparant manner, he is simply fueling the fire.  Sadly, infidelity is no longer the social crime it once was.  Reputations and endorsements can be salvaged quickly by addressing the situation quickly, earnestly and directly.  (If you have any doubts, just ask David Letterman, whose quick witted confession on his late night television show mitigated what could have been a career ending story.)

Like it or not, Tiger Woods is a global brand.  As the spokesperson for mega-brands like Nike Golf and Gillete, Tiger earned more than $100 million last year between earnings, endorsements and appearances.  His carefully crafted and squeeky-clean image drives record sales for brands he endorses and has made him the first athlete to earn $1 billion dollars.  For better or for worse, the public cares about his story.  If he doesn’t start telling his side of it soon (as in, yesterday), then the media  – or or another nightclub hostess -  will do it for him. If he hides out until the next tournament, every stroke on the golf course will be footnoted by this scandal.

Until he comes out of hiding, I’ll be surfing TMZ and the Huffington Post for updates.  Stay tuned.*

*Tiger was spared one close call today:  Hamptons party girl Rachel Uchitel canceled her scheduled tell all press conference for today.