How to turn bad viral press into good viral press.

OK. Naked has demonstrated how NOT to handle 'a viral campaign/PR stunt/journalists in general'. The final bullet in the foot was when they released an ad 'exposing' the journalists they had fooled! This is not a joke. I wish it was.

http://mumbrella.com.au/2009/02/06/naked-publishes-names-of-the-journalists-it-hoaxed/#more-2142


But for an example of how to get it so right I attach another link. It shows how the world's greatest PR men, Sir Richard Branson, handles bad viral press. Using humour he turns it into good press.

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/laughing-my-head-off-branson-on-that-complaint-letter-20090211-84eg.html

I was going to write that Branson is a genius. He's not really. He just presents himself and his brand as being normal, considerate, and having a sense of humour and proportion. We can all learn a lot from him.

Jacket fiasco update

STOP PRESS

Just today Naked released research findings on the effects of their campaign
(All comments about 'protesting too much' to be sent to Mr Shakespeare).

I'll let you read the full SMH story. http://www.businessday.com.au/business/fake-heidi-a-real-success-agency-20090128-7ryb.html

But one figure caught my eye. Naked and Witchery maintain that the campaign has been a roaring success with the consumer, with "only a quarter saying they had lost respect for the brand".

Pardon?

25% of consumers losing respect for your brand is a good thing? If Witchery gave me the account I bet I could lose the respect of only 10% of consumers. Spare me!!!