- Twitter to lose its reputation as a free speech platform?
- IIPM worried about Google Suggest, why is it so?
- Reputation Management Tip for 2012: Brands need to tap into social media search!
- Facebook Timeline and Reputation Management
- Apple Siri gender bias or glitch?
- Google+ vs Facebook – its not over yet!
- The Ethics of Self Promotion Through Charitable Causes (A Case Study)
- Google scraps sidewiki – will you miss it?
- Facebook, the trust factor
- BlackBerry Blackout- RIM’s Reputation Takes another Hit
Archive for May 2010
Justin Beiber Reputation, Brand building & Marketing via Social Media
May 31, 2010 | 
Author If there’s one person trending worldwide on Twitter daily like clock-work it’s Justin Beiber! Justin who? Well, its not long before you realize that he is a 16-year-old who has become quite the rage among school girls and social network savvy teendom. While the rest of us may feel a little pained to see someone like him ruling Twitter daily, a little research and you realize this is a great PR story!
A marketing campaign like no other built up the ‘brand Beiber’. It all began with a couple of video clips on YouTube by his mom. These were seen by a few teenage girls, picked up by talent spotters on the prowl on YouTube along with Twitter doing its bit to help.
And today if you type ‘Justin’ on Google and you’ll see ‘Beiber’ being suggested before ‘Justin Timberlake’, another child star who made it big.
Within a short time Beiber has been to the White House, been on Oprah and his music video is the third most viewed of all time on YouTube! Well, any PR person or ORM expert knows this is the ultimate to aspire to both online and offline.
Safe to say, Justin Beiber is a classic study in the power of social networking sites in brand building and sustenance. Have to admit I’m yet to listen to a Beiber number, so will refrain from commenting on that and of course escape the wrath of his screaming teen fans! 
Dubai World mending its reputation with $24bn debt deal
Dubai World, the state backed business conglomerate ,which is in neck deep debts has struck a deal with lenders to restructure its $23.5bn (£16bn) debt, in a bid to save the company’s reputation and to bring back the economy of the emirates on track. The proposed agreement with 60 per cent of Dubai world’s lenders will revitalize the economy, which was in a limbo.
Dubai World rocked global financial markets when it asked lenders for a six-month moratorium on $4bn of debt repayments due a month later. The confidence reposed by many investors and the reputation of Dubai World in the global financial markets dropped sharply with this . By then the tiny state ran up debts of around $80bn, according to Bank of International Settlements. The money was utilized to fund numerous projects including the Burj Khalifa, the 828m tall record-breaking skyscraper to the luxurious palm islands that housed many of the expats who were hired on tax-free salaries for completing Project Dubai. Many felt that this crisis would not have snowballed into a global issue had Dubai world pushed on with its fund sourcing well in time instead of buying time and hoping for a miracle.
Now the reputation of Dubai is at stake and they need to send out a clear cut message that they are taking remedial measures to rectify the financial imbroglio that they have landed into. Regaining the confidence of the international business community and winning back their trust would be the top most priority for Dubai.
Now the reputation of Dubai is at stake and they need to understand that attracting foreign contractors with low debt markets and liberal trade rules is not enough to float a paradise. Reputation Management For.com gets this feeling that it is good for the time being that Dubai World sit back chalks out a long term policy and let the momentum restart. Now that Dubai World is not in a position to deliver dreams, leave alone this promise tag to investors about dreams and salvage their credibility, which has already taken a beating.
Posted in Company Reputation, National Reputation, Reputation Management | 
Tags: company reputation, debt deal, Dubai World, national reputtaion | 
No Comments »
Internet Reputation Management to favor your business
Every business house is familiar with online reputation management. But, here we are not talking about something that happens when your PR is under fire or you have lot of negative content in the search engine. Well for Internet Reputation management, it has nothing to do with negative or bad contents, it’s just a away to keep your business on the top page of search engine unwary of negative comments. This is to minimize any affect from future negative content propaganda. More businesses houses are taking Internet reputation management seriously, and this comes as a powerful strategy that keeps your business on top undeterred by negative postings.
A successful Internet Reputation Management is about how to amend damages taking into account a 360 degree view. An aggressive SEO is then undertaken, which is followed by creating supportive content in the form of blogs, media releases, social media linking etc.,
So no matter negative content or not; Internet Reputation Management if taken care in the beginning will always allow business to remain on the first pages of search results. And when negative information try to connect with the search terms, your website and business will be already enjoying a strong position on the first page of search engines. Remember, only less than 4 percent users ever scroll down to the last result on the first page, and even less make it to the second page.
Reputation Management For.com-
Internet Reputation Management is more like a guard, that takes care of your online reputation while you concentrate on your business.
Mark Twain Autobiography- 100 years of Reputation Management & PR
Mark Twain sealed his autobiography for a 100 years after his death and we’re the lucky ones to see all his secrets being released. Well, this is, if you look at it closely Reputation Management at its best and not to mention PR.
Dead celebrities and their estates continue to amass wealth and media space. Maryln Monroe, Elvis and Jim Morrison are all great examples of this. However, Mark Twain does it all in a well-planned, calculated manner. A century later we’re all thinking of what he might have said that he thought his reputation may have been affected?
Well for his foresight and PR skills this post is a salutation. He sure knew how to get back into the news.
Whatever Mark Twain felt may have ruined his reputation may not seem much today, but, with reference to his times we can expect to gossip about him and he probably would have enjoyed it. The Independent article had historians saying this about Twain…
“He had doubts about God, and in the autobiography, he questions the imperial mission of the US in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. He’s also critical of [Theodore] Roosevelt, and takes the view that patriotism was the last refuge of the scoundrel. Twain also disliked sending Christian missionaries to Africa. He said they had enough business to be getting on with at home: with lynching going on in the South, he thought they should try to convert the heathens down there.”
So clearly lots of interest building up, plus the 400-page section on his liaison with Isabel Van Kleek Lyon who later became his secretary is sure to be intriguing.
Shock-value may not be there, but, oh, won’t the tongues wag again about the man who was known to have loved his celebrity status.
yahoo **** off
Carol Bartz, I sort of admire you for being intemperate and rude and I bet Michael Arrington does as well. (Michael Arrington is the editor of cool tech blog TechCrunch) Telling him to F Off has a certain panache. There is a problem though, which is that your company and your strategy is not bold enough to merit such a response to a question. Now if you were Steve Jobs who is a certified genius, you can get away with it. If what you are announcing is the tech equivalent of two drunks propping each other up with a lacklustre Noka tie up strategy, then being courteous is a good idea because you need their help to sell your strategy to stakeholders. Having a reputation for being difficult is only appropriate when you have the talent to wear it.
Duchess of York Scandal- will her reputation bounce back?
The Duchess of York is still in the US while the media is discussing her video making a deal to ‘sell’ access to her former husband Prince Andrew. The sum agreed on was £500,000 with £40,000 cash down for access to the Prince!
Celebrities, royalty and in this case “former” royalty are all always tabloid fodder. The irony is that a celebrity meltdown or scandal sells the most. While the reason behind the sting operation is debatable, it did make the biggest blow to Sara Ferguson’s reputation. Her credibility, loyalty and character are all at stake. Can’t imagine how one can explain away what happened, to family and friends.
Sting operations also raise the question- Is it ethical to go about planning such a thing on a person who clearly has had issues most of her life? The Duchess of York is clearly an example of such beleaguered celebrity. Who can forget Britney Spears‘ shaved head pics and her meltdown even as the world clamors behind the antics of a troubled Lindsay Lohan.
So, what are sting operations? Sting operations are purposely planned and executed to let the world know something they OUGHT to know. The Duchess of York clearly has tough days ahead and is already being called the ‘shamed’ duchess.
Reputation Management and PR in this case can be tricky…For now Fergie’s apologies and horror at what had transpired and reports of her “serious lapse of judgement” are all over the papers and this is damage limitation in ORM terms.
In the Duchess’s favour is the fact that she has not done anything illegal and has apologized for her conduct.
It remains to be seen how this story unfolds further and how this will affect her friendship with Prince Andrew even as reports come in about a couple of celebrities who have come out with statements in her favour.
Online Reputation Management and Social Networking
Have you given a thought on what social networking can offer your company or brand? Well, almost all big or small businesses and brands seem to have adapted to social networking. Many embraced it as a new fad in the communication scene, whilst some took it as a tool to market.
But do you know that social networking sites can boost up your online reputation and brand value as well? There are a huge number of social networking sites today like, Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Ning which have transformed the style of communication and networking to a great level. Apart from millions of individuals and organizations; more than half of the Fortune 100 companies possess a Twitter account. These sites give the platform and space to share information and expand the network easily.
A recent study has even revealed that social networking has been a great help to build and maintain employee engagement and brand reputation. Twitter and Facebook are those management tools which have come up to pave a way for a forum or open dialogue, bringing your reputation in a more positive light.
It even tells what people have to say about your product or brand and what you are missing out. It may sometimes be a threat for your reputation, but by responding to allegations you can limit your damages quickly and can rectify things better. It is essential to understand what all is being said on social networking sites, a wrong statement can be a threat to your reputation. What all you say, remains influential to your brand. The positive use of these sites can reinforce your brand and online reputation is what we can take away from all this.
Posted in Company Reputation, Damage Limitation, Negative Forums, Online PR, PR / Public Relations, Reputation Management, Reputation News, Reputation Online, Social Network Sites | Tags: Blog hosting services, facebook, Facebook Inc, Myspace, Online Reputation, Online Reputation Management, Online social networking, ORM, reputation, Reputation Management, Social information processing, social media, Social network aggregation, Social network service, social networking, Social networking sites, Technology/Internet, twitter, Twitter Inc, Web 2.0, World Wide Web | 6 Comments »
Procter & Gamble washing its hands off the Dry Max issue
Procter and Gamble is in a messy diaper scandal! This fortune 500 consumer product company is facing a class action suit slapped against it on the ground that Dry Max products could cause rashes. In a bid to save its face, the company not just termed the customers liars, but also denied all responsibility that the Dry Max product could cause rashes. The customers on the other hand feel that something was really amiss with the scent of the diapers, when wet and think that a chemical in the diaper could be the reason for the rash.
Pampers should have remembered that it will only gain mileage by admitting that the customer is never wrong and taking steps to rectify this blemish. On the other hand, by hiding behind a badly crafted PR campaign, P & G opted to be on to its defensive mode by turning its face away from the distressed parents instead of expressing their genuine concern to them.
P & G stuck to its guns that the reviews by pediatricians and pediatric dermatologists have confirmed that Pampers Dry Max is safe and does not cause severe skin conditions. A self-serving press release of the company turned down any responsibility and opined that that the parent who sued could be lying.
Diaper rash affects more than 2.5 million babies at any given moment, and 250,000 cases are typically severe. In other words, one out of every four babies at any given time will be experiencing diaper rash. To attribute these conditions to the Dry Max disposable diaper is incorrect and misguided. Pampers writes in the above cited press release.
Reputation Management For.com feels that Pampers could have publicly acknowledged that some babies might be allergic to the chemicals used in the diapers instead of alleging that the parents are wrong; at least this would have given a more humane face to this company . Now the world will be watching how P & G will bring back the trust of millions of anxious parents all over the world, who have reposed their faith in pampers for many generations now!
Posted in Company Reputation, Online PR | Tags: chemicals, consumer product company, diaper rashes, Dry max issue, procter and gamble | No Comments »
The Queen, the BBC and the “unreserved” apology
What is BBC quick to offer other than news? an hopeless apology. This time again Danny Kelly the 39-year host of the afternoon live show on BBC WM, while playing the National Anthem announced to his audience that Queen Elizabeth II had died. The producer of the show was heard to have jumped in to do the damage control and said, “You can’t say that!
Kelly on his part clarified that he was referring to a “friend” on the show Facebook page who had the same name and the person is missing now.
A BBC spokesman later said
The BBC apologizes unreservedly for it,” adding that the two-hour show broadcast from Birmingham would be taken over by another presenter until next Tuesday
No matter what, but his joke has not gone down well with the BBC, as well with Media watchdogs. Secondly this episode has raised severe question about the honesty of the BBC. How many times do they repeat this, a trusted house that BBC is fast losing the sheen across the world. This blatant joke again has tarnished the BBC ever descending reputation.
Online reputation of BBC is also going down the drain. Type BBC on Google and ‘Queen death joke’ news appears on the first page, and rest the search engine will ensure to push it up the list when more people will start searching for this story post reading this blog.
Reputation Management For.com wonders if The BBC know that it just takes a matter of time to lose that special place in the tabloid world. This is one reason why the BBC should start thinking to put their house in order, before they are asked to fund themselves.
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Thailand Reputation- Bangkok businesses suffer losses
Thailand’s democracy is being tested yet again after the coup lead by the Yellow Shirts that put the present PM Abhisit Vejjajiva in office. Surprisingly he was then backed by Thaksin Shinawatra who is now behind the Red Shirt protesters.
If the present Bangkok protests worsen it will lend a huge blow to the economy of the country. About 40 people have been killed and more than 250 people injured till date.
Tourism brings in 6% of the country’s economy and provides employment to 15% of the working populace.
With the business districts being targeted businesses are likely to move out if protests and coups become regular fare. BBC reports the following:
Thai Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij has forecast economic growth of between 4.5% and 5% this year, but the civil unrest is threatening to reduce that figure.After meeting with business associations, Mr Chatikavanij has said the protests could cut 0.3% off his forecast.
The much revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej is unwell and is not likely to intervene; while ousted Thaksin is not likely to back down either. This could go on for a long time and at regular intervals and we can only speculate the implications on the economy.
For now tourists are continuing their plans to visit the islands and are staying away from the northern districts.
There is no question that all these political issues will have a far-reaching impact on Thailand’s national reputation and is taking away from the very essence of being Thai – land or ‘Freedom’ land as the word is said to mean.
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