Bad Blogger Relations Etiquette Misses the Target
January 29, 2008 – 11:56 am
Yesterday a story ran in the New York Times about popular retailer Target actively ignoring bloggers as part of their PR strategy.
The saga began when a blogger from ShapingYouth.org contacted Target about a questionably-designed ad showing a woman splayed across a large Target ‘bull’s eye’ pattern. Target’s PR team responded by saying, “Target does not participate with nontraditional media outlets.”
The PR person really should have shown the blogger the same courtesy any Target “guest” would have received if they had contacted the company about an ad they found offensive. Instead Target put up a barricade, got considerable blogger backlash, and is now featured in the New York Times for their new media faux pas.
The lesson is twofold. First, treat bloggers the same way you’d treat customers or journalists. Second, it’s common for news from the blogosphere to bubble up into the mainstream press, good or bad.
Thanks to ATIS547 for the photo.
Tags: blogger backlash, mainstream media, new york times, pr, Target
One Response to “Bad Blogger Relations Etiquette Misses the Target”
I’m reminded of Target’s inability to think outside of the bag as it were, then they sent Timbuk2 Cease and Desist Letters for including the recycled Target plastic shoppings in one of the designs of the Lamitron.
http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/cms/lamitron/lamitron.htm
By Lloyd Budd on Feb 1, 2008