Earlier this summer, we did an interview with the No Respect! podcast. They asked us about The Consumerist in general and Walmart in particular. Especially of interest was our meeting with Mike Krempasksy (above, center, tie), who runs the Walmart blog war team at Edelman PR. After a series of disapariging posts, Mike wanted to meet up with us for drinks. He opened the meeting with, “This is all off the record.” The next thing out of his mouth was, “What can we do to get you to stop writing about our companies?” You can hear more about it in this episode of the No Respect! podcast.
public relations
Please Ignore the 800 Pound Guerilla Marketer in the Corner, Napster Frontmen Beg
By 7.24.06
We could have been the ones to get a bad PR flack fired. Two weeks ago, Nadine at Guerilla PR tried to airplane gaming blog Kotaku a big bowl of Napster payola:
Pith & Vinegar: The Spinning of the Chum
By 6.1.06
• Old news but we didn’t talk about it yet: Telcos secretly funding anti-net-neutrality websites. Probably made by the same ad agency who did the pro-C02 spot. [Digg]
Oozinator Doesn’t Want Our Interview
By 5.24.06
We submitted our questions to Hasbro PR but for some strange reason we can’t fathom, they’re less than oozing out of their suits to speak with us.
Ask The Consumerists: What’s in the Ooze?
By 5.22.06
We’re on a quest. We want to interview the Oozinator. We want to find out what was going on in Hasbro’s minds when they created this product and its advertising.
Why Marketers Are Douchebags
By 5.16.06
There’s an article yesterday on Mediapost that we’re not sure what to think of. It’s called, “What To Do With The Haters” and it’s all about how companies should engage irate customers online in public forums.
Banksy Pranks British Telecom with Bloody Telephone Booth
By 4.10.06
This retro British Telecom (BT) telephone box, pierced by pick axe, was a recent unauthorized outdoor art installation by guerrilla artist Banksy in London’s SoHo square. It was removed shortly afterwards by the London City Council.
Wal-Mart Hates Gay Cowboys
By 4.3.06
According to an anonymous source, Wal-Mart expects to get a large number of customer complaints about Brokeback Mountain, set to be released tomorrow.
Wal-Mart Buys MLK Juice
By 3.16.06
Wal-Mart purchased another gilt bullhorn, this time, in the form of a former aide to Martin Luther King Jr.
PR Monolith Edelman’s Wal-Mart Cramps and Diarrhea
By 3.8.06
A brief glance on what goes on inside the mind of PR giant and Wal-Mart lover, Richard Edelman, courtesy of Gawker.com. Our virginal, Harriet-the-Spy-esque sister writes,
Source Email From Wal-Mart’s Blogtrusion
By 3.7.06
Here’s an email Mark Thomas, an economics blogger, received from Wal-Mart via an employee of Edelman.
Walmart Loves Blogging
By 3.7.06
Walmart is drawing bloggers into the fold to help burnish its tarnished image.
H&R Block Needs Help With Its Taxes
By 2.27.06
H&R Block had to restate its results after under reporting its liabilities by $32 million in its very own state taxes.
The Consumerist Interview: Scott Meldrum of Hype Council
By 2.10.06
In a post on gaming webcomic Penny Arcade, an anonymous email was posted regarding the actions of Hype Council, accusing the company of hiring employees to create online personas to drive word-of-mouth marketing online.
WOMMA’s Word of Mouth Code of Ethics
By 2.10.06
WOMMA, the ‘Word of Mouth Marketing Association,’ has published their first draft of an ‘Ethics Code’ and they’re asking for “interested parties” to pass on comment. Touched with unique quality that allows marketers to mix terms describing ethics with terms describing profit, they’ve boiled down the ‘WOMMA Code’ to the ‘Honest ROI,’ comprised of the following:
Majority Of New Yorkers Love/Hate Wal-Mart… In The Same Poll!
By 2.9.06
According to this Quinnipiac University poll, over 50% of New Yorker’s supported Wal-Mart infilitrating Gotham. But the Neighborhood Retail Alliance picks apart thier findings and comes to the opposite conclusion: most New Yorkers don’t want Wal-Mart in their city:
