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Posts Tagged ‘Campaign’
Gordon Brown – ‘Bigoted woman’ gaffe & Reputation management
April 28, 2010 | 
Author Gordon Brown had to answer to 65-year-old Labour loyalist, Gillian Duffy, during his election campaign, and boy, did she have a thing or two to say about lost Labour glories!!
Wired still with the Sky News microphone, Brown unwittingly made a couple of comments that were promptly caught on tape and re-run all across the media ad nauseam. And this is what he said…
“That was a disaster – they should never have put me with that woman. Whose idea was that? Ridiculous.”Asked what she had said, he replied: “Everything, she was just a sort of bigoted woman.”
On a day when the Labour electioneers were hoping to talk policy, this incident took over. More so, when Ms Duffy was heard saying that Gordon Brown is a very nice man and that she has and will continue to vote for Labour.
So, what did Gordon Brown do for damage control?
- Dash off to Duffy’s house for a personal apology…speak to the media about it so…
“I am mortified by what has happened,” Brown added. “I have given her my sincere apologies. I misunderstood what she said. She has accepted that there was a misunderstanding, and she has accepted my apology. If you like, I am a penitent sinner.”
- Continue appearing in the media to show that he is not afraid to meet people after the incident and
- Have his wife give an interview showing her support to him
From a reputation management view – this was the only thing he could have done to save face. Though grinning from ear to ear may not have been the right expression to show while exiting Duffy’s house.
The words were chosen right and damage control was quick, but, Gordon Brown would look to see this die down quickly, and hope like hell more Labour loyalists don’t get disillusioned with this gaffe.
As for his PR team this is a lesson in the unthinkable happening! They have to remember that there are microphones, cameras and other gadgets out there to pick the most unimaginable things and throw it under the spotlight.
For politicians in particular a reputation crisis is always just around the corner, like the proverbial sword it’s just a matter of ‘when’!
So will Gillian Duffy bring down Gordon Brown? What’s your take?
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Pears Soap retains its originality thanks to Facebook campaign
Social networking sites are wielding more power than ever now, people are having a say in nothing less than corporate decision making. A Facebook campaign has forced the makers of Pears transparent soap to scrap plans to change the 221-year-old formula. Never have people had so much power over businesses, brands and even celebrities.
In an attempt to re-invent the brand, the manufacturers decided to add a host of new ingredients which got the public up-in-arms on Facebook. Campaign ensued with people saying that they hated the new smell after finding that only the new soaps were available in the stores. Once the old soap vanished people missed the old herbal smell of Pears and gave a big thumbs down for the new.
This is a classic example of quick review or feedback and a change in corporate decision. People are conditioned to certain smells and flavours and sometimes a change is just not appreciated. The soap-makers should have introduced new soaps along with the classic ones that consumers have always appreciated. Anyway Pears have bowed to the wishes of the masses and gone into quick brand protection mode – reputation management overdrive even!
Are you still on the fence about social networking sites? Time to join and make the best of its power is what we say here at Reputation Management For.com.