We have an official company response in regards to our post, “Sur La Table Mug Handle Found Scorchingly Hot After 2 Minutes In Microwave.” Susanna Linse, Sur La Table Media Relations Manager writes:
pr
$1800 For FiOS House Fire Family Is Just An Advance, Says Verizon
By 11.9.07
Verizon has a different take on the story about a Philly’s family house being set on fire by a FiOS installer hitting their electrical wire — especially the family lawyer’s assertion that Verizon is only offering the family $1,800. Eric Rabe, Verizon Senior Vice President of Media Relations told The Consumerist: [More]
UPDATE: DHL Laptop Thieves Busted After Reader Complaint
By 11.1.07
Sue, whose Dell laptops were stolen by dirty, dirty DHL thieves writes in to update us.
By 10.27.07
../../../..//2007/10/27/fema-employees-posed-as-independent/
FEMA employees posed as independent reporters in a fake and staged news conference to ask softball questions of the agency’s response to the California wildfires. [MSNBC]
Comcast Reminds Customers Not To Start A Mass Spontaneous Uprising
By 10.19.07
Comcast PR sent us this statement about the hammer-wielding grammie:
By 10.3.07
../../../..//2007/10/03/after-independent-tests-show-lead/
After independent tests show lead in Walmart pet toys, Instead of solving the problem or even fulfilling a pledge to test the toys, Walmart summoned one of its PR minions from a pile of feces located under a cesspool in Chernobyl to try to bully ConsumerAffairs.com with legal threats and disinformation. [ConsumerAffairs]
AT&T Promises To Not Terminate Your Service For Criticizing Them
By 10.2.07
Yesterday we posted about how the AT&T DSL Terms of Service contain a clause that says AT&T can cancel your service if you “damage” their “reputation.” Today, AT&T PR bots reached out to some sites to say they would only do it if you were promoting violence or peddling child porn. Unfortunately, that’s not what’s in writing. What’s in writing is the nebulous “damage” of their “reputation.” So, AT&T subscribers, feel free to criticize away, until they change their mind.
Virgin America Is Trying Too Hard
By 9.28.07
According to OK! magazine, Virgin America will be hosting “the first-ever supermodel in-flight pajama party this November,” with the Victoria’s Secret models. No, you’re not invited. Yes, someone else is. Yes, that person probably has a camera.
FCC Proposes $4,000 Fine On Comcast For Broadcasting "Fake News"
By 9.25.07
The FCC, always a source of amusement for this website, has decided to crack down on Comcast for broadcasting VNRs or “Video News Releases.” VNRs are produced by PR firms for use as filler by lazy TV news producers. It’s a great deal for TV: They get free content and don’t have to deal with the pressure of doing their jobs properly, and the company gets product placement. Consumers are the only losers.
Newspaper's Error Confuses, Angers JetBlue Customers
By 9.17.07
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote an article about JetBlue’s 1 year anniversary in Pittsburgh. In honor of that momentous occasion, JetBlue was offering a heck of a deal. TrueBlue members could “reserve a flight leaving Pittsburgh between June 26 and Nov. 15 and complete that reservation no later than June 30,” and by doing so earn a free flight.
How Bank Of America Spun Raising ATM Fees To $3
By 9.13.07
Bank of America defended raising ATM fees to $3 for non-customers to withdraw from its ATMs by spokesperson Betty Riess spilling this lovely bucket of hogwash:
Verizon Spins Causing Electrical Fire During FiOs Install Into Sales Pitch
By 9.8.07
When will Verizon wonks learn that it’s in incredibly bad taste to insert a sales pitch in the middle of your apology for yet another FiOs technician causing yet annother electrical fire at a customer’s home?
The good news is that Wilen loves his FiOS service…now that it is up and working. As a friend wrote to me earlier, “If he had this sort of problem when it was installed, and still likes FiOS this much, it must be a great service!”
Never, it seems, never.
Why Do You Hate The Gap? The Gap Responds To Your Complaints
By 8.20.07
Mike Antonucci at the San Jose Mercury News took your complaints to the Gap’s top brass and got some interesting responses. They even responded to our editorializing about the Gap’s general state of failure with some upbeat sentences touting their own profitability. Whoops! We guess we were wrong and everything is just fine. Wait, what about the three-year sales slump, the recent layoffs, and the fact that same-store sales (the most important indicator of the health of a retail operation) have fallen in 12 consecutive quarters. Teehee! Sorry, we were sooo mean!
When Starbucks Dumps Scalding Hot Coffee On You, It's A PR Problem
By 8.20.07
When a Starbucks barista accidentally dumped scalding hot coffee all over Matt’s father, he got to see Starbuck’s crack PR response in action.
Verizon: There Was No Fire. Fire Department: Yes, There Was A Fire.
By 8.14.07
We’re feeling philosophical this morning after being confronted with two very different accounts of what went on at a small house on Pine Grove Street in Needham, Mass. Was there a fire? Was there not a fire? What is the definition of fire, anyway?
Mattel Identifies Manufacturer Responsible For Supplying 967,000 Tainted Toys
By 8.8.07
Mattel is blaming a potentially bankrupt cardboard box vendor for supplying 967,000 toys covered with lead paint. The toy maker publicly identified the Lee Der Industrial Company in Guangdong province in the hopes that other toy makers will take their business elsewhere. The AP tried to call Lee Der for comment, which resulted in this odd exchange:
