Comments on: The Agony, Comeupance, and Learning Experience of Social Media Rage http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/ Public Relations :: Marcom Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:39:01 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Robert http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/comment-page-1/#comment-3486 Robert Fri, 27 Oct 2006 05:33:31 +0000 http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/#comment-3486 Thanks, Chris. I read your post and commented. It was an interesting timing for all of that to happen. <a href="http://www.forward-moving.com/blog/2006/10/26/through-a-glass-darkly/" rel="external" rel="nofollow">Richard Bailey has posted an analysis of the situation</a> in Forward Blog. His assertion that so much of what PR does is opaque, really does hit the mark. A big reason, beyond this just being Wal-mart and Edelman, the controversy was so loud in blog land is that this is a PR function in a medium that claimed transparency as gospel - at the outset. Still, I truly doubt that there are any universals applied to any medium. Certainly there is a great deal of splogging, flogging and much more at work out there. Much of it will never be discovered. Thanks, Chris. I read your post and commented. It was an interesting timing for all of that to happen.

Richard Bailey has posted an analysis of the situation in Forward Blog.

His assertion that so much of what PR does is opaque, really does hit the mark. A big reason, beyond this just being Wal-mart and Edelman, the controversy was so loud in blog land is that this is a PR function in a medium that claimed transparency as gospel – at the outset.

Still, I truly doubt that there are any universals applied to any medium. Certainly there is a great deal of splogging, flogging and much more at work out there. Much of it will never be discovered.

]]> By: Chris Brown http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/comment-page-1/#comment-3482 Chris Brown Thu, 26 Oct 2006 12:06:58 +0000 http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/#comment-3482 Although your blog is quite long, I appreciate how you broke this down into so many different points. As a marcom professional who also blogs, I too am concerned with pointing fingers and the witch hunt. One wrinkle in the situation that you didn't bring up, was the article from the New York Times writer Eric Pfanner about Edelman and Technorati's new blog watching service for PR to watch and measure the results of blogging for their clients. I found the timing of that article extremely ironic. It was published the same day as Edelman's apology. Eric added a correction later to his article, but still never mentioned the controversy. My long version and opinion is on my blog today. I'd be interested in your opinion. Chris Brown brandandmarket.blogspot.com Although your blog is quite long, I appreciate how you broke this down into so many different points. As a marcom professional who also blogs, I too am concerned with pointing fingers and the witch hunt.

One wrinkle in the situation that you didn’t bring up, was the article from the New York Times writer Eric Pfanner about Edelman and Technorati’s new blog watching service for PR to watch and measure the results of blogging for their clients.

I found the timing of that article extremely ironic. It was published the same day as Edelman’s apology. Eric added a correction later to his article, but still never mentioned the controversy. My long version and opinion is on my blog today. I’d be interested in your opinion.

Chris Brown
brandandmarket.blogspot.com

]]> By: Robert http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/comment-page-1/#comment-3480 Robert Thu, 26 Oct 2006 03:46:12 +0000 http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/#comment-3480 Eric: Thank you. I, too, am no stalwart of blog wisdom or purity. In this case, I just see it a bit out of balance. Two things helped drive much of this outrage, in my opinion. (1) The reality that Wal-Mart and Edelman were involved. (2) The resentment, or whatever you want to call it, for both. Certainly there were sincere and justified concerns for the best practice issues, the most important point of all, but I'm afraid some of that was overwhelmed by the rest. Fard: I think Edelman's personal visits to the blogs of others is a great example of blog relations. I'm pleased that they are tracking and responding. I wish more of the principles in this campaign with Wal-Mart would do the same. I also understand why they may not. We'll just have to watch and see if all this may be worked out to the benefit of all involved. Eric: Thank you. I, too, am no stalwart of blog wisdom or purity. In this case, I just see it a bit out of balance. Two things helped drive much of this outrage, in my opinion. (1) The reality that Wal-Mart and Edelman were involved. (2) The resentment, or whatever you want to call it, for both. Certainly there were sincere and justified concerns for the best practice issues, the most important point of all, but I’m afraid some of that was overwhelmed by the rest.

Fard: I think Edelman’s personal visits to the blogs of others is a great example of blog relations. I’m pleased that they are tracking and responding. I wish more of the principles in this campaign with Wal-Mart would do the same. I also understand why they may not.

We’ll just have to watch and see if all this may be worked out to the benefit of all involved.

]]> By: Forward Blog » Blog Archive » A Beginner’s Guide to the Edelman/Wal-Mart Scandal http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/comment-page-1/#comment-3478 Forward Blog » Blog Archive » A Beginner’s Guide to the Edelman/Wal-Mart Scandal Wed, 25 Oct 2006 19:52:36 +0000 http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/#comment-3478 [...] Robert French’s post - a PR teacher at Auburn University who gives a lengthy explanation of the situation and surrounding issues [...] [...] Robert French’s post – a PR teacher at Auburn University who gives a lengthy explanation of the situation and surrounding issues [...]

]]> By: Fard Johnmar http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/comment-page-1/#comment-3477 Fard Johnmar Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:57:42 +0000 http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/#comment-3477 Robert: Nice, balanced, honest post. I haven't written about this issue. I did write about a similar incident back in March or April. I think that it's good that Edelman is trying to make changes and I like the fact that Richard Edelman is personally talking about this issue, commenting on others' blogs and changing things at his company. In business, that's tough to do and I'm happy that they are taking steps to change things. Once again thanks for waiting to post and for being so clear headed about everything. Robert:

Nice, balanced, honest post. I haven’t written about this issue. I did write about a similar incident back in March or April. I think that it’s good that Edelman is trying to make changes and I like the fact that Richard Edelman is personally talking about this issue, commenting on others’ blogs and changing things at his company. In business, that’s tough to do and I’m happy that they are taking steps to change things.

Once again thanks for waiting to post and for being so clear headed about everything.

]]> By: hyku | blog - Josh Hallett http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/comment-page-1/#comment-3476 hyku | blog - Josh Hallett Wed, 25 Oct 2006 12:39:26 +0000 http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/#comment-3476 <strong>Post Edelman & Wal-Mart: The Rules of PR in Blogs</strong> Yes that title is a bit over the top, since I am not an official 'rule' maker, I'm just one person offering my opinion. Much has been written about the role of PR in blogs in the wake of the... Post Edelman & Wal-Mart: The Rules of PR in Blogs

Yes that title is a bit over the top, since I am not an official ‘rule’ maker, I’m just one person offering my opinion. Much has been written about the role of PR in blogs in the wake of the…

]]> By: Eric Eggertson http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/comment-page-1/#comment-3474 Eric Eggertson Wed, 25 Oct 2006 03:11:17 +0000 http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/#comment-3474 Robert: I've taken a few shots at different people and companies, so I don't think of myself as the Mother (Father?) Theresa of PR bloggers. But I think you and Shel Holtz are right that somewhere along the way things went over the top in the incessant criticism. I got a personal e-mail from Richard Edelman after I commented on his original post, (which was a nice gesture). In my reply I suggested his firm needed to do more in the way of acknowledging what had taken place, if it turned out there was more than just a small slip-up in attribution. I also said: "This is a new model of communications, and those who try new things are either going to get roasted, or praised for being pioneers, or both." I am glad to see Edelman restate their commitment to pursuing opportunities in social media, instead of retreating into a shell of inaction. Robert:

I’ve taken a few shots at different people and companies, so I don’t think of myself as the Mother (Father?) Theresa of PR bloggers. But I think you and Shel Holtz are right that somewhere along the way things went over the top in the incessant criticism.

I got a personal e-mail from Richard Edelman after I commented on his original post, (which was a nice gesture). In my reply I suggested his firm needed to do more in the way of acknowledging what had taken place, if it turned out there was more than just a small slip-up in attribution. I also said:

“This is a new model of communications, and those who try new things are either going to get roasted, or praised for being pioneers, or both.”

I am glad to see Edelman restate their commitment to pursuing opportunities in social media, instead of retreating into a shell of inaction.

]]> By: FPRAblog - home of FPRA Blog Week 2006 http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/comment-page-1/#comment-4369 FPRAblog - home of FPRA Blog Week 2006 Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.auburnmedia.com/wordpress/2006/10/24/the-agony-comeupance-and-learning-experience-of-social-media-rage/#comment-4369 <!--%kramer-pre%-->Yes that title is a bit over the top, since I am not an official 'rule' maker, I'm just one person offering my opinion. Much has been written about the role of PR in blogs in the wake of the Edel-Wal story. Recenty, Robert posted his notes and Shel says enough (with some great comments). The entire affair has brought forth a discussion on ethics, disclosure, transparency (the new buzzword) and if PR can truly co-exist with blogs. When working with a client here are some basic rules for<!--%kramer-post%--> Yes that title is a bit over the top, since I am not an official ‘rule’ maker, I’m just one person offering my opinion. Much has been written about the role of PR in blogs in the wake of the Edel-Wal story. Recenty, Robert posted his notes and Shel says enough (with some great comments). The entire affair has brought forth a discussion on ethics, disclosure, transparency (the new buzzword) and if PR can truly co-exist with blogs. When working with a client here are some basic rules for

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