Comments on: The rise of fake PR and how to manage it

By: Steve Farnsworth (@Steveology)

Steve Farnsworth (@Steveology) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:41:37 +0000

Another great post! While all your points are absolutely on target, the challenge I have always had, and never found a successful solution to, is inducing the client to grasp the same cool-headed analysis you present.

Instead of extricating themselves gracefully from the situation so it dies down and goes away, they often run screaming at it with flailing arms. Drawing attention to the situation and their overreaction. Truly a communications party fail.

I only hope your post might encourage more executives to earnestly listen to their communications adviser, and consequently inoculate them from catching a does of foot-in-mouth disease.

By: Social Media Update « MemeMe

Social Media Update « MemeMe — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:42:11 +0000

[...] started with @BPglobalPR could be blossoming into a new satirical trend. Thanks to Newsvetter for bringing @HeishmanFlill to my attention: the account spoofs traditional PR’s efforts to [...]

By: David Meerman Scott

David Meerman Scott — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 16:35:45 +0000

And then there is fake Steve Jobs.

I think the right thing is to ignore it or even play along. But to get upset makes companies look weak in my opinion.

David

By: Five for Friday 7.2 | Jeff Esposito's Blog

Five for Friday 7.2 | Jeff Esposito's Blog — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:42:36 +0000

[...] The rise of fake PR and how to manage it – With BPGlobalPR grabbing all the headlines as the top spoof account on a social site, fake PR is bad. Not just for companies but for all of us who work in the PR industry. Gumshoe offers some good tips (and cartoon) about ways to combat fake PR. [...]

By: Jason Kintzler

Jason Kintzler — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:35:28 +0000

I thought journalists were supposed to fact check? If you’re just publishing newswire feeds you’re lame.

Plus, isn’t it about relationships, at some level? If you know your contact, it makes it easier to trust what they’re sending you,, doesn’t it? Damn automation, damn it!!

Jason Kintzler
PitchEngine

By: Scott Hepburn

Scott Hepburn — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:15:06 +0000

I think it’s funny that first we asked companies to have a sense of humor — to lighten up a bit and show their human side — and now we’re worried about how to respond to spoofs.

I suppose it doesn’t hurt to have a response plan in place, although if we put as much effort into response strategies for “real” issues as we do for spoofs, we’d probably be on the right path.

By: Michael Sommermeyer

Michael Sommermeyer — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:08:12 +0000

You can take the tact of “Oh, be serious. Nobody believes that stuff” and ignore it, or realize that quite a few people actually do believe that Nessie is hiding in Loch Ness and that aliens stole Michael Jackson’s body. In that case, it’s always best to be ready to put out the proper facts and work on revealing who is real and who is fake.

That doesn’t mean these folks aren’t revealing some truths about your handling of a crisis or your communication. In fact, I would say these fake PR sites are doing the real folks a service by pointing out their failings and shortcomings.

In the end, be transparent, anticipate and lead. Always tell the truth and earn trust. That way you won’t have to convince people that you’re the real PR person and not the fake.

By: Kami Huyse

Kami Huyse — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:08:03 +0000

These cases of brandjacking are very difficult for companies in that they strike right in the gut (ego, etc). It is pretty easy to take it personally and it generally rises to crisis level internally (even if it is more like a small ant hill externally) – which is exactly what the perps intended.

I agree that Step 3, fight humor with humor, is ideal, but it VERY difficult (if not impossible) for most companies to pull off. Your suggestions are easier for companies that are further along in their online engagement and who already have built a community. Step 4 is more likely, and step 1 is imperative.

Also, there is the pushback from fans and stakeholders. The thing about “fake” accounts is that they don’t have any of the conventions that a responsible company has: shareholders, customers, employees, vendors, regulators, yada-yada. All they have to do is entertain. At the end of the day, a company has to do much more.

By: Kama

Kama — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:26:34 +0000

Nice post, Andrew. It’s always good to have a plan in action, just because you never know where the next “threat” is coming from. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more examples of fake PR in the future.
@KamaAtDoe

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:38:41 +0000

@Tom Yes, the General Mills case is different. Somebody got access to their PRNewswire acct and issued the phony press release so the intent was certainly more malicious. But the way the company handled the issue is consistent with some of the steps I outlined above.

@Lauren Thanks for stopping by. Where do you find the time…