Posts Tagged ‘crisis management’
Kerry Katona: When a PR relationship is tested to the Max
October 24th, 2008
Showbiz-holics out there will have been following the PR backlash around the chaotic live interview that Kerry Katona gave to This Morning on Wednesday.
For those who missed it, the 28-year-old mum slurred her way through an interview with hosts Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton. Her strange behaviour caused a series of viewers to phone in, raising concerns over her welfare. A repeat of the interview can be viewed here on the MailOnline website.
The PR sadist in me has been keenly watching the aftermath, to see how Kerry and her publicist Max Clifford would respond.
First off, Kerry spoke out the next day claiming she had been “stitched up” by This Morning. In an interview with Heatworld, she said: “I’ll never go on that programme again, I’m extremely annoyed at how they made me look. They’re meant to be nice people and I’ve been interviewed by them many times before.”
From someone who I suspect has received plenty of media training, I’m sure Kerry was not advised to fight back in this way. Not only were her PR advisors absent prior to her stepping onto the This Morning set in an unfit condition for interview, but similarly where were they in advising her how to limit the damage done?
Today on Sky Showbiz, top story is an exclusive interview given by Kerry’s rep Max Clifford, and what’s interesting is that he doesn’t defend his client. Instead he takes the side of Phillip and Fern, denying Kerry’s claims that they made her look bad.
He says: “Kerry turned up late to the interview, she didn’t have time to be briefed, and then she was slurring. It’s understandable (Fern and Phil questioned her) - any good journalist would do.”
Max Clifford has a reputation of his own to protect, and unlike most PRs, enjoys a similar public profile to that of his celebrity clients. Rarely is a PR forced to protect their own profile over their client’s, but in my view Max’s response is questionable from a professional standpoint.
Kerry’s interview was car-crash TV, and embarrassment to any PR, but it begs the question at what point can a PR be justified in abandoning their client, particularly in a time of crisis? Arguably that’s what Max Clifford has done here. It will be interesting to see whether Kerry keeps him as her publicist.
Crisis management storm brewing for O2
April 17th, 2008
O2 is not faring well in the press or public eye at the moment with its blunders over 3G speeds, and PR gaffe where it called readers of The Register “techie nerds”… and I’m about to make matters worse for them!
I’m unfortunate enough to be an O2 customer. My Blackberry is my lifeline. So when my data connection went dead yesterday morning, I phoned O2 up to see what was going on.
The customer service person I spoke to knew “exactly what was going on” before I’d described the problem, which was enough to get the alarm bells ringing.
I was then informed that O2 had moved to a new billing system over the past couple of days, and that all my tariff details had been lost. There was no record of the fact that I was a Blackberry user, had a data tariff, or the number of minutes or texts I received each month. Hence the reason for my Blackberry saying “data connection refused” for the past couple of days.
I was asked to describe my tariff so that the problem could be manually corrected! I’ve been promised that my data bolt-on will be reconnected tomorrow.
In true O2 style there was no apology, no offer of compensation for the impact this might have had on my business, and no explanation.
So in true social media style, I’m breaking the story here!
The new billing system has been implemented across O2’s entire customer base, so I’m guessing if you haven’t picked up on a problem yet, you will when your next bill arrives! I’d love to hear how O2 iPhone customers have been affected.
The final irony in the tale is that when the post arrived later today, I had a letter from O2 about the new billing system, entitled “a change for the better”!
Heat in hot water for celebrity child slur
November 28th, 2007
For those who haven’t yet picked up on this shocking media story…Heat magazine is this week giving away free stickers - one of which includes a photo of Katie Price’s (aka Jordan) disabled five-year old son Harvey with the slogan:
“Harvey wants to eat me”.
The fattist humour is completely lost on me - does anyone get it?!
The magazine’s editor, Mark Frith, has apologised saying: “No offence was intended, but if any was caused we would like to apologise.”
I deeply hope this isn’t going to be his only effort to manage the crisis situation his magazine has caused.
I am completely lost for words, and a quick Google search reveals I’m not the only one! According to reports, Jordan is lodging a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission.
Technorati tags: heat+magazine, jordan, katie+price, harvey, crisis+management, disabled+rights, emap