Before meeting my soon-to-be-wife for the first time, I "Googled" her. Google, with its amazing alacrity, turned up several documents in less than a second.
It turned up a paper she had written for a medical journal. It displayed her dissertation. Iteven showed me an article she had written for her college newspaper.
A lot of our personal information is on the web. It's a legitimate concern.
So it was understandable when a CEO became irate when a snarky website published all of his personal information it could find ? including home address and financial worth ? just by going to Google. Sure, it was publicly available information, the CEO acknowledged, but that story was just beyond the pale.
The CEO was so furious, in fact, he ordered his staff not to grant interviews to the news organization, CNet, for an entire year. His choice to "blackball" a website with more than 23 million visitors per month for a full year was a serious one, but one he believed was the right thing to do.
Only one problem. The CEO in question is Eric Schmidt. Mr. Schmidt is the CEO of Google.
In the days following Google's decision, dozens of news organizations ? including National Public Radio, the International Herald Tribune, the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, and the Associated Press ? covered it. Many of those stories lambasted Google's decision. One story was simply called, "Google Goes Berserk."
Besides being a stunningly tone-deaf decision on Google's part (the kind people should lose their jobs over), there is at least one big lesson to be learned here.
Sometimes, it's better to just be quiet.
Had Google chosen to say nothing after the original CNet story came out, it wouldn't have become an internationally covered story. It wouldn't have made it to the coffee shops of California, the bistros of Buenos Aires, or the patisseries of Paris.
Google took a relatively small story and, through awful crisis management, turned it into a much larger one. Even worse, it gave endless ammunition to Google's critics who have long feared the implications of so much readily accessible information on the web.
Finally, they did at least two other things wrong. We left a message for Google asking for their side of the story. To its credit, one of its representatives, David Crane, did call back within a few hours but said that they have not or will not respond to such queries "on-the-record." That means its enemies continue to get all the ink as Google does nothing. Companies in crisis mode need to say something, even if that means a terse two sentence statement sent via e-mail.
The other thing Mr. Crane did wrong was offer to make comments to me in an "off-the-record" capacity. I'm not a reporter, and was careful about identifying myself honestly. I had no obligation to honor his terms, and could have been the first "reporter" to finally get Google on-the-record.
Brad Phillips is the founder and president of Phillips Media Relations. He was formerly a journalist for ABC News and CNN, and headed the media relations department for the second largest environmental group in the world.
For more information and to sign up for free monthly media relations and media training e-tips, visit http://www.PhillipsMediaRelations.com
Especially good advice for business, non-profit and association managers whose... Read More
Without a solid, well-designed foundation, few buildings successfully withstand the... Read More
Sure, any publicity is good. But don't invest time and... Read More
If you own a franchise and have company vehicles, be... Read More
If you're trying to promote your store, but you don't... Read More
For business, non-profit and association managers, is it publicity that... Read More
"We are in the communications business, the business of conveying... Read More
THE TWO MINUTES UNDERDOGEdward Everett was one of the most... Read More
If you manage a department, division or subsidiary for a... Read More
The Internet may have opened worlds for businesses and consumers,... Read More
During my career as the head of media relations for... Read More
PR that really does something positive about the behaviors of... Read More
Strong for business, non-profit and association managers when they use... Read More
As the comedian Steve Martin once said, "some people have... Read More
Think for a moment! If you were to do a... Read More
So you've put yourself "out there" with a public relations... Read More
It's a phrase I hear over and over again from... Read More
You are getting a good deal when you accept the... Read More
If you want to know the best way to approach... Read More
Have you ever noticed that in communities without big universities,... Read More
One study found that as many as 90% of the... Read More
Although it seems less common these days, there are still... Read More
You thought of it, you researched it, you wrote it.... Read More
Everyone has an opinion on something, and you can leverage... Read More
Want to get radio interviews and coverage in print publications... Read More
As an entry level position to PR, I found myself... Read More
Each of us is exposed to people from other cultures... Read More
Wherever the fundamental premise of public relations is practiced.Look at... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, you'll know it's... Read More
There's an old African proverb:"If you think you are too... Read More
Do you dream of being on Oprah Winfrey's television show?... Read More
Public relations and news releases are synonymous in the minds... Read More
If, as is often the case, you are preoccupied with... Read More
What a shame! Potentially productive public relations people resting on... Read More
As a manager, does your current business, non-profit or association... Read More
Think carefully! You're a department, division or subsidiary manager for... Read More
It sounds too simple to be true, but it really... Read More
If your reading this, you must be online and most... Read More
Always ask, "Is now a good time?"Deadlines in journalism are... Read More
The easiest way to meet city council members is to... Read More
The right kind of PR, that is, the kind that... Read More
THE NATURE OF MEDIAThirty years ago, Marshall McCluhan, the father... Read More
What do you do with junk mail? Are you like... Read More
It's hard to imagine a reporter working today who doesn't... Read More
The power of public relations is its ability to alter... Read More
Almost assuredly you do, especially when your most important external... Read More
Redevelopment is replacing new construction throughout the Greater Boston area,... Read More
In my travels around the country while building my business... Read More
Yes? Then do something positive about the behaviors of those... Read More
You are a senior business, non-profit or association manager. So,... Read More
Things are pleasant for many business, non-profit or association managers... Read More
As the year starts to wind down, many businesses and... Read More
Receiving free advertising is the dream of most business people.... Read More
Because PR can be difficult to control, it is often... Read More
Most business, non-profit and association managers live to tell about... Read More
If I were coaching you as a business, non-profit or... Read More
Managers in the non-profit, association and business worlds need to... Read More
About a year ago I read a feature story in... Read More
Successful buisnesses know that media attention reaches consumers better than... Read More
A new public relations blueprint could be a good idea... Read More
I say public relations can be a matter of survival... Read More
Done right, it delivers the key, target audience behaviors you... Read More
When is your best advertisement not an advertisement? When it's... Read More
If you're like most of my clients, you're probably interested... Read More
You won't accomplish much if you call the gas company... Read More
Have you ever noticed that in communities without big universities,... Read More
Public Relations |