Missed Opportunity for Airbnb?

The Situation:

Airbnb is an online company that pairs people that are offering their homes as bed and breakfast locations to anyone around the world. If you’re in southern California and you want to stay at a quaint b&b in Monaco, Airbnb might be a great place to look.

If you’re a property owner that would like to list their home as a b&b, then using Airbnb might not be a first choice after what happened to one customer. A woman who is only known as EJ, used Airbnb to rent out her San Francisco home to people who literally destroyed it and stole her belongings, all while communicating with her via email that she had a lovely home and that everything was great.

In response to EJ’s complaints to Airbnb, she was met with a cold shoulder, promised things she has yet to receive and more or less told her she was out of luck.

The PR Angle:

What a giant misstep this was for Airbnb to grab some great positive PR. After seeking out Airbnb to try and get a little restitution, she was essentially told to go away. In the same week, Airbnb actually received a new $112 million investment. Why not take a small part of that money and put it towards the rebuilding of this woman’s home? It would be a drop in the bucket for them. Also, it could be publicized and it would show that Airbnb takes care of their customers and it would make other people who potentially host their homes on Airbnb be more comfortable with letting strangers in their homes.

After EJ took to her blog and complained, Airbnb saw the backlash that they received from people that took EJ’s side. In response, it was reported on Aug. 1, that Airbnb will be offering a $50,000 home guarantee starting Aug. 15.

Is that enough though? People that hear about this story now may be totally turned off from using the company. Those that don’t know about this story will see this as a great advantage to using the service.

The point of this story is that a person or company that is trying to be successful should not be in the position of being caught and have to back pedal to make up for it. They should have been more willing to help EJ from the beginning. That way they would have gotten positive feedback from the community instead of a large amount of anger.

EJ’s Blog

SF Gate Write-Up

Airbnb Site

Sony’s PSN Gets Hacked ( Bad PR)

The Situation:

Unfortunately for Sony and it’s users, the Sony Playstation Network was taken down just before Easter this year. The Playstation Network or, PSN, is a network on their console gaming system that allows users to buy games, movies, play games with other users online and a whole host of other things.

At first, Sony did not come out and say what the issue was and why the network was taken down. It then came to light that their network was hacked. As a response to Sony hassling and suing another “hacker” for jailbreaking the PS3, some rogue hackers from the group “Anonymous” hacked the PSN and was able to retrieve names, addresses, phone numbers, usernames, passwords, birth dates and even credit card numbers. Also, the PSN hack has affected more than 70 million users.

This details of the hack and the reason why they took the PSN down were officially released by Sony over a week later on their blog.

The PR Angle:

One of the biggest mistakes that Sony made was that they waited over a week to announce why the network went down. In that time, people could have alerted their credit card companies and canceled credit cards. In Sony’s defense, they stated that they had gotten help from a security team to help figure out what had happened and then took all the information they got and shaped it into a presentable format. They said as soon as they had everything they needed, they released the information. In the world of PR, waiting that long to release information that could affect people’s credit and identity is simply not an option.

Also, it was discovered that Sony was keeping users information on the servers in plain text. It was not encrypted in any way. The credit card information was hashed so it would be difficult for hackers to get the numbers, but they are still technically retrievable. As far as the names, usernames, emails and all of the other relevant information, anyone with access can read all the information the same as you’re reading this.

Another point is how they decided to finally release the information that they found. They didn’t hold a press conference, they didn’t immediately email users, they decided to write a post on the Sony PSN blog. If you didn’t know that there was a blog or that the PSN was even hacked, you would never even think to check there and you would maybe never know that your private information was in the hands of malicious hackers.

Lastly, the cherry on the top comes from Sony’s second-rate apology. They did say that they were sorry and are offering some free things to its users. The greatest thing is that they are paying for and giving every user an insurance policy that insures credit fraud up to 1 million dollars. The slap in the face though is the poor choice of tangible freebies. Users are able to choose two games from a pot of four that either came out a very long time ago and are probably already owned by most users, or games that do not have any real value. Also, users are able to choose from a select few movies to rent for free.  Another thing users were given was a free one month subscription to Playstation Plus.

Even though the hack took place about a month ago, I still feel it is relevant and that people should know about it because Sony’s online networks are actually still being hacked. After the major PSN hack, other Sony online properties started to go down. Like Sony Online Entertainment, which is the PC side of its online gaming market, and also some of its online music properties, the services were hacked and user’s information was stolen. After adding on those hacks to the original one on the PSN, the affected users count reaches above 140 million.

Guaranteed, Sony has lost many users and even consumers who were thinking about purchasing a PS3 are now turned off from that idea. With their half-baked sorry and their lousy selection of free gifts, who would go back or trust them now? If you’re a PSN user, are you going to go back to using your PS3 or are you going to sell it on eBay or Craigslist? Leave your comments below.

PSN FAQ – Restoration Questions Answered (May 16)

Kazuo Hirai: PlayStation Network Restoration Announcement

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A Few Reasons Why A Level 5 Company Can Use Proper Communications

Communications is a very important concept in all organizations. It is a tool that almost anyone can take advantage of and if it is not put to good use, an organization can miss out on quality exposure and opportunities to do better by their organization. If used improperly it can single handedly ruin any organization.

            From what I understand, level 5 companies are those that are not out to make a quick buck. They are not there to undermine the public and cheat their employees to make more money. They are powerful organizations that realize what power they have but don’t use it to take advantage of others. It took a little bit of research to find out what it even meant to be an organization that runs at level 5. This is definitely something that a communications department can do for a company like that.

            I found it odd that it took me over 15 minutes to find out what a level 5 company was and when I did, I didn’t even get any examples of what organizations operate at level 5. An organization that has that status needs to get that information out in the open. I, and I’m sure many other consumers, would prefer to buy or use products that come from a company that operates at level 5. Consumers need to know what level 5 means and that a certain company operates at that level. To be the one company that sets themselves apart and gets the word out about their status, it would do them well.

            Also, internal communications is a big deal in a level 5 organization. All employees and even volunteers need to be on the same page as far as what the goals and objectives are for the organization. At all times they must be able to portray what the organization represents. A communications department can help organize that.

            A communications team can also help the organization stay ethical. Ethics is the key to staying at level 5. A big slip up can take away that status and with a team of public relations professionals at the side of the organization, they can help lead it in the right direction when certain events and opportunities arise.

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Recommendation Re: Foster the People

In a recent assignment for my public relations management class, I had to pretend that I am a PR associate at Columbia Records where I was given the task of helping to plan for the May 24 release of Torches, the debut album from Foster the People. Foster the people is an indie band from LA that formed in 2009 and has since enjoyed a growing underground popularity, fueled by the blogosphere, college radio, music critics, and touring small clubs across the U.S.

The assignment was as follows:
An appearance on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” is booked for the night of May 24, in line with the CD release.  Posing a potential problem, however, is the fact that their biggest hit is about an isolated youth who fantasizes about using his father’s gun on other kids.  In fact, you have been assigned to this project because your company received a warning from Mothers Against Gun Violence that they plan to picket the Fallon show.

Below, I have posted my brief recommendation to the company as how to handle the complications. You will see the overall goal, a couple of objectives and some strategies on how to best fulfill those objectives.

Recommendation Re: Foster the People

Goal   

The main goal of what needs to be achieved is an overall feel from the public that the members of the band do not condone violent behavior. It needs to be made clear that not only do they not approve of egregious violence but also they especially don’t approve of the actions that are described in their hit song.

Objective #1

To make clear to the audiences of blogs, college radio stations, music critics and small music clubs that they don’t necessarily agree with or condone the actions taken place in their hit song.

Strategy

1. Prior to the appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, the members of the band must go on college radio stations and talk to the listener.
2. Prior to the appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, the members of the band or one of their representatives must contact major news outlets to explain what was stated in the objective. That way, when groups protest, the journalists will already have statements ready from the band.

Objective #2

To show the members of Mothers Against Gun Violence that the members of the band are sincere in what they say in the goal and objective #1.

Strategy

1. The band can host an event or have a special place at their next performance where people can donate to a charity or cause that is related to anti-violence.
2. The band can also choose to match donations.

Messages to Media

1. Music is an art just like photography, painting and sculpture. Even though some forms of art and what they depict aren’t agreed with, it does not mean that it’s voice must be held back.
2. The point of art is to make people stop and feel what is going on. That’s what we’re doing with our music. Though we don’t condone what is heard, if art doesn’t make people feel something different, then what is the point of making art at all

Credit: Some of the description of the assignment and it’s ideas belong to David Porges, PR Management professor and U.S. Regional Operations & Pacific Southwest Leader of Community Involvement for Deloitte Services LP.

 

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Barnes Foundation Assignment

For this post I want to do something a little different. I am currently enrolled in a PR management class that teaches students how to manage a proper PR campaign and many other things. For our first real assignment we were to do research about the Barnes Foundation and the moving of the Barnes art Collection. There is a lot of controversy surrounding its move from the Barnes Institute that I won’t explain in too much detail here but I do want to give a quick summary of the situation.

Basically, the owner of the collection, Albert C. Barnes, did not like the city of Philadelphia at all and did not want his art collection moved, sold or changed in any way after he died. The collection consisted of 181 Renoirs, 69 Cézannes, 60 Matisses, 44 Picassos and other works. All of the details surrounding the art was detailed in his will. Well, the art is being moved even though he did not want it to be. This is the lead into the assignment. A group of six people, including myself, had to come up with a pseudo PR proposal outlying what the movers of the art would do to lower the criticism they are getting for breaking the will.

There is also a documentary that was made about the situation that I watched and thoroughly enjoyed. I highly recommend you give it a watch. It is also available for instant streaming on Netflix. Here is the link to the official trailer. The Art of the Steal Documentary – Official Trailer The video is also posted at the end of the proposal.

Here I have posted the entirety of the proposal. Not all of the writing is mine but  about 1/4 – 1/3 of it is.

PR Proposal Re: Barnes Art Collection

Though most of the people who know the story of the Barnes collection believe that it was in fact stolen and used in ways not outlined in Barnes’ will, our objective is to make those involved believe that moving the collection is a good idea.

In order to do that, the people must bet told what the situation is and be a little transparent, stating that the Barnes Foundation is simply running out of money. One of the best ways to raise money quickly is to go against Barnes’ wishes and display the collection to the public for a short time until there is enough money. Only then must they follow the rules Barnes left behind. The law states that actions can be taken outside of what a will says if those actions indeed make carrying out the wishes in the will possible.

To do this, the neighborhood and the city itself must be notified of what the intended actions are. Furthermore, notifying the art galleries, museums, enthusiasts and the wealthy would most likely be the groups that would be notified first.

Moving the art gallery from a residential neighborhood and into an area where there is more public access will actually help benefit the local economy as well. Relocating will allow the Barnes foundation to gain more exposure by being in a more public area. The move will create an opportunity to help build a world-class museum that will turn out to be a tourist attraction and therefore become an economic driver. It will be an attraction that will bring tourists into the city and provide some economic benefit to Philadelphia. Moving the Barnes collection will turn Philadelphia into a city that lovers of the arts and culture will have to come and see. In moving it’s the collection of 181 Renoirs, 69 Cézannes, 60 Matisses, 44 Picassos and other works to a museum will open the doors to tourist, and it will become a popular venue to visit which will bring in more money to not only the Barnes Foundation, but the state as well.

Also, even though the risk of loss is quite small to the collection in reality, the Barnes institute does need some repair. The people need to be told that collection would be at a huge risk of damage if the collection weren’t moved. Moving the collection to a museum will keep it safe and the staff there will do a great job and preserving it. The previous action would also provide funds to the repairs of the foundation so that the building would not be torn down. We must show that the foundation itself is in dire need of help and that there are no other options. It must be shown that the foundation itself does not want to go against Barnes’ will but it must to carry out his wishes.

Having this collection for citizens to view can also inspire a community. Future artists and art enthusiasts can visit this museum and share a meaningful and potentially motivating experience. Art and culture are important in communities because urban revitalization is created by the creatively minded; giving them more to expand their creativity can only enliven their future works.

Lastly, the collection was only made for students of the Barnes Institute, it can also be publicized that having the collection on display at a museum could make for a great educational experience for all. The young and the old, students and non-students can come to see and learn about the work of the famous artists. If the art stays locked inside of the Barnes Foundation, the public cannot see what it has to offer.

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Groupon Super Bowl Commercials (Bad PR?)

The Situation:

Big social coupon company Groupon is a small upstart that has quickly grown to be a big part of social coupons and a way for people to get great deals on daily products and services.

As stated by one of Groupon’s representatives in a blog post, the people at Groupon resisted using TV commercials for two years because they didn’t believe that they were worth the money and that they didn’t work very well. During the Super Bowl though, they released their first TV commercials.

The series of commercials unfortunately exploit bad things going on in the world, like the oppression of the Tibetan people, deforestation and the dwindling numbers of the whale population to make their TV spots successful. How did people react to the commercials?

The PR Angle:

Many people ended up being very offended by what Groupon did with its commercials. Exploiting others’ misery for your gain is not a good idea. Also, after doing some research, I could not find an instance where anyone from Groupon apologized for its misstep. After such a backlash from the public, making an apology would be a great thing for them to do. What they have said is that their commercials bring to light the atrocities going on in other countries. Like anyone believed for a second that that was their intention.

On the other hand, the people at Groupon are doing something good to make up for their lapse of judgment. They have set up ways for people to donate to the causes that were talked about in the commercials. They even say that Groupon will match donations up to $100,000 for the three featured charities.

“You can view the already aired commercials, as well as new ones as we release them, at SaveTheMoney.org. And if you’ve saved enough money for yourself and feel like saving something else, you can donate to mission-driven organizations that are doing great work for the causes featured in our PSA parodies. If you guys pony up, Groupon will contribute matching donations of up to $100,000 for three featured charities – Rainforest Action Network, buildOn, and the Tibet Fund — and Groupon credit of up to $100,000 for contributions made to Greenpeace.”

Check out a couple of the commercials I’ve posted here and let me know how you feel about them in the comments below.

Groupon Source

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Internship!

The situation:

Actually, no situation this time. In lieu of a story I want to just talk about how excited I am to start my new internship. Tomorrow will be the first opportunity for me to knock some hours off of the 200 hour requirement that Cal Poly Pomona puts on all graduating communication majors. I will be doing work for a new TV show that airs on the OC Channel called OC Crime Catchers.

OC Crime Catchers is an awesome ‘cold case’ style crime show that focuses only on crimes that took place in Orange County. I’ll be doing a lot PR/publicity for them so that their show can get off on the right foot and also learn how to do it properly from professionals. In fact, tomorrow will my first day doing work with them. I’ll be observing and doing a little photographing while they shoot some of the 3rd episode. It’s all VERY exciting. Finally, I get to put my learned skills to work and really do something for real.

For all who are interested, the show is also free to watch online if you missed it on TV.

You can find them here: OC Crime Catchers

Also, I want to take the time to thank my awesome supervisor at my current job for helping me make the connections to get the internship! Thanks Kathleen Kelton!

In the future, in addition to critiquing stories I’ll post updates on what’s going on with my internship.

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Google Person Finder (Good PR)

The situation:

Undoubtedly, most people have heard about the unfortunate natural disasters that happened in Japan recently and what kind of destruction they caused. With damage to infrastructure that would take millions of dollars to repair, thousands of deaths and even more people missing, the nation of Japan and it’s citizens could use a lot of help right now.

Google has stepped up to help people find missing individuals in Japan and also to help people who have information on missing individuals report that information. Google with its vast array of databases and servers, have the power and resources to provide this kind of service. At the Google Crisis Response site for Japan, people can not only search for data on missing people and report data on missing people, but they can also make donations to the Red Cross, get links to the latest information on the power plants, rolling blackouts, government agencies, public transit, shelters and more.

The PR angle:

This is simply a great service that Google is providing to not only Japan, but the world. This is not the first time this resource has been implemented by Google either. It was also used during the Haiti and Chile disasters.

Even though it’s not related in any way, the recent comments from the public criticizing Google’s motto of “Don’t be evil” are muffled by the company’s great deed. From a company that does not have to do anything at all, this is definitely NOT an evil thing to do.

Kudos Google.

Google Person Finder (Available in many languages)

Google Crisis Response

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Abuse Among New Orleans Police (Bad PR)

The Situation:

Reported by CNN, a federal investigation found that officers at the New Orleans Police Department had been engaged in much wrongdoing and misconduct that violates the Constitution and federal law. The police were found to have used excessive force, made unconstitutional stops and searches and illegally profiled based on race, ethnicity and sexual orientation.

“Many of the New Orleans officers carry out their jobs well, unfortunately, our conclusions reveal that many New Orleans police officers have failed to live up to what we rightfully expect from our law enforcement people,” said U.S. Deputy Attorney General James Cole.

The report also explains that there were other things that happened in the past that showed that officers from the department engaged in illegal activity. Including a failed cover-up of a shooting of 2 individuals after Hurricane Katrina came to New Orleans.

“They also found that officers did not know the law regarding legal stops, searches and arrests. The system at the police department favored quantity of arrests over quality,” said Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division.

“Investigators also found regular harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals,” Perez said.

The PR Angle:

What a horrible situation for the New Orleans Police Department. Citizens finding out that the police were engaged in so much illegal activity is horrible for the department’s image and also the city’s overall image.

It will take a while for people to trust the police in that city again. There are though, some things that the city can do to help remedy the situation.

1. High-ranking officials must make a great public apology
2. Find out, through investigation, who did what and when and then have their position with the police department terminated without pay and without any retirement compensation.
3. Since it was found that most of the officers didn’t know the laws regarding a lot of common things that police deal with on a daily basis, mandatory classes must be imposed on the officers and they must test in the top percentile to pass the class.
4. Officers must also attend lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and race tolerance classes and/or meetings. This is because even though the people who committed the atrocities would be terminated, there could be others that have negative feelings towards these groups but never did anything
5. Every six months the progress of the department must be investigated and reported on
6. All of these things must be done publicly so that the citizens of New Orleans know that steps are being taken to make things better

The New Orleans Police Department has a lot of work to do.

Original CNN Article

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Sprint CEO Tells Users What ‘Unlimited’ Really Means

A short but sweet one here.

The Situation:

To many in the tech community, it is widely known that when cell phone companies and internet service providers claim that they provide ‘unlimited’ access to their data and services, they aren’t exactly telling the whole truth. They usually implement bandwidth shaping, throttling, metering and other techniques to ‘help’ you use your data within reason.

Here is an example of a great PR move by Dan Hesse, the CEO of Sprint, which is one of the biggest cell phone companies in the U.S. He is doing what he can to make sure that current and future customers using the ‘Simply Everything’ plan know for sure that their access will not be hindered in any way.

The PR Angle:

While other companies allegedly deceive customers, The Sprint CEO made a TV commercial to show that his company is doing the exact opposite. Customers don’t have to worry about getting overage charges or having problems with their service. This is a great move by the CEO in my opinion. Being proactive in this market is a great thing, and by doing this he is making it easier for people to choose what company they want to go with.

The TV commercial is embedded below.

Engadget Source Article

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