Comments on: A few more thoughts about Edelman/Wal-Mart http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/10/18/a-few-more-thoughts-about-edelmanwal-mart/ ... at the intersection of media, technology, business and the web Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:09:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Friday Blog Roundup http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/10/18/a-few-more-thoughts-about-edelmanwal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-77130 Friday Blog Roundup Tue, 31 Oct 2006 16:22:31 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/10/18/a-few-more-thoughts-about-edelmanwal-mart/#comment-77130 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Matthew Ingram: A few more thoughts about Edelman/Wal-Mart My sense is that Edelman’s failure in this case — and at least one other case involving Wal-Mart, as John points out — has done a lot to make people even more pessimistic about the ability of PR companies to be transparent at all, at least in any meaningful way, and that is a shame. [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] Matthew Ingram: A few more thoughts about Edelman/Wal-Mart My sense is that Edelman’s failure in this case — and at least one other case involving Wal-Mart, as John points out — has done a lot to make people even more pessimistic about the ability of PR companies to be transparent at all, at least in any meaningful way, and that is a shame. [...]

]]> By: Paul http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/10/18/a-few-more-thoughts-about-edelmanwal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-67852 Paul Thu, 19 Oct 2006 09:18:18 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/10/18/a-few-more-thoughts-about-edelmanwal-mart/#comment-67852 With all due respect, this "fiasco" strikes me as being patently offensive on every level, with no reasonable justification possible. How does one "take ownership" of an abomination, and walk away with their job, let alone respect from others? I have been planning to travel the United States for a year, podcasting the results of my search for the reality of poverty, the wealth gap, and debtors imprisonment in America. Even after a year of planning, I must launch this with a $6,000 budget (about $34,000 shy of what I need)--and that includes buying an old, used, high-mileage car or van for the tour. Not an RV. And I receive no publicity at all for what I'm doing. I'm doing it because I actually CARE about my country, and the media is not telling people the reality of the situation in America today, particularly the reality of life among impoverished Americans, such as the greater number of Wal-Mart employees. Meanwhile, a couple who sells out to Wal-Mart, the employer of so many impoverished workers, gets to travel in style in a nice RV, with a safe place to sleep each night. I presume they enjoyed food as well, something that I am expecting to find only on faith. Yet these people are given full publicity for spreading misinformation about the joyful lives of Wal-Mart employees. I don't care whether Edelman or Wal-Mart is responsible for this. Like I said, I can't find any way to justify what was done, period, no matter who did it. It is offensive and repugnant, and it is the very reason that people like me must risk our lives in obscurity and poverty trying to expose the reality of that same poverty. Believe me, if there's wasn't a very real problem that needs addressing, I'd be more than content just playing drums in a rock & roll band. The "Jim and Laura" blog is just shameful. All the best, Paul thirdworldamerican.blogspot.com With all due respect, this “fiasco” strikes me as being patently offensive on every level, with no reasonable justification possible. How does one “take ownership” of an abomination, and walk away with their job, let alone respect from others?

I have been planning to travel the United States for a year, podcasting the results of my search for the reality of poverty, the wealth gap, and debtors imprisonment in America. Even after a year of planning, I must launch this with a $6,000 budget (about $34,000 shy of what I need)–and that includes buying an old, used, high-mileage car or van for the tour. Not an RV. And I receive no publicity at all for what I’m doing. I’m doing it because I actually CARE about my country, and the media is not telling people the reality of the situation in America today, particularly the reality of life among impoverished Americans, such as the greater number of Wal-Mart employees.

Meanwhile, a couple who sells out to Wal-Mart, the employer of so many impoverished workers, gets to travel in style in a nice RV, with a safe place to sleep each night. I presume they enjoyed food as well, something that I am expecting to find only on faith. Yet these people are given full publicity for spreading misinformation about the joyful lives of Wal-Mart employees.

I don’t care whether Edelman or Wal-Mart is responsible for this. Like I said, I can’t find any way to justify what was done, period, no matter who did it. It is offensive and repugnant, and it is the very reason that people like me must risk our lives in obscurity and poverty trying to expose the reality of that same poverty.

Believe me, if there’s wasn’t a very real problem that needs addressing, I’d be more than content just playing drums in a rock & roll band. The “Jim and Laura” blog is just shameful.

All the best,
Paul
thirdworldamerican.blogspot.com

]]> By: Mathew Ingram http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/10/18/a-few-more-thoughts-about-edelmanwal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-67540 Mathew Ingram Wed, 18 Oct 2006 23:11:23 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/10/18/a-few-more-thoughts-about-edelmanwal-mart/#comment-67540 I agree, Michael. I realize Edelman can't exactly say "Wal-Mart ignored our advice and so it's all their fault" or whatever, but it is kind of disturbing, especially given their past history with Wal-Mart and disclosure. I agree, Michael. I realize Edelman can’t exactly say “Wal-Mart ignored our advice and so it’s all their fault” or whatever, but it is kind of disturbing, especially given their past history with Wal-Mart and disclosure.

]]> By: Michael O'Connor Clarke http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/10/18/a-few-more-thoughts-about-edelmanwal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-67524 Michael O'Connor Clarke Wed, 18 Oct 2006 22:24:43 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/10/18/a-few-more-thoughts-about-edelmanwal-mart/#comment-67524 Good stuff - that's a pretty close summation of the way I've been thinking about this thing too. And yes - Jimmy's points at PaidContent are well put. His "apparently unbought voice" is a nice coinage. I also like the fact that he's one of the few bloggers to choose to focus on what is (to me) the root issue here. Leaving aside the sequence of events after they were rumbled, I'm much more interested in how the hell these guys (who I really do genuinely like and respect) managed to wind up screwing such an obvious pooch in the first place. It's startling that such a smart company was engaged in such a horribly ill-conceived campaign. There's no schadenfreude in it for me, though - it's more troubling than anything. Good stuff – that’s a pretty close summation of the way I’ve been thinking about this thing too.

And yes – Jimmy’s points at PaidContent are well put. His “apparently unbought voice” is a nice coinage.

I also like the fact that he’s one of the few bloggers to choose to focus on what is (to me) the root issue here. Leaving aside the sequence of events after they were rumbled, I’m much more interested in how the hell these guys (who I really do genuinely like and respect) managed to wind up screwing such an obvious pooch in the first place.

It’s startling that such a smart company was engaged in such a horribly ill-conceived campaign. There’s no schadenfreude in it for me, though – it’s more troubling than anything.

]]> By: Sparkplug 9 >> bizhack http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/10/18/a-few-more-thoughts-about-edelmanwal-mart/comment-page-1/#comment-68894 Sparkplug 9 >> bizhack Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/10/18/a-few-more-thoughts-about-edelmanwal-mart/#comment-68894 <!--%kramer-pre%--> Mathew Ingram: mathewingram.com/work The New Marketing Lucrando na Rede Catriona Oldershaw - London Client Service Insights (CSI) <!--%kramer-post%--> Mathew Ingram: mathewingram.com/work The New Marketing Lucrando na Rede Catriona Oldershaw – London Client Service Insights (CSI)

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