Sprint canceled the service of 200 Army men and women who had just come back from Iraq. For roaming too much. Because Sprint hadn’t installed a tower close enough to their base. A little ol’ backwoods place called West Point.
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Strange Dell Fashion Show Announces New Line Of Pretty Colored Laptops
By 6.26.07
Unable to resist, we sent Gawker video wunderkid Alex Goldberg to tape the affair awesomeness. We hypothesize the fete was conceptually tied to Dell’s new line of Insprions which come in different colors, meaning that Dell has finally caught up to Apple, circa 1998.
A Closer Look At Home Depot's "Eco Options" Program
By 6.25.07
Is Home Depot’s much-advertised PR darling “Eco Options” program an example of green washing or a genuine good? The NYT attempts to find out by interviewing Ron Javis, Home Depot’s senior vice president overseeing the Eco Options program.
Jamba Juice "Milk In The Non-Dairy" Mystery Solved
By 6.1.07
Now we know the real reason for the “Jamba Juice actually has milk in the non-dairy mix!” balderdash back in early April: bad typesetting.
What Happens When A Reporter Breaks A Press Embargo
By 5.31.07
Hardware reviewer Dan Rutter linked to our bit about press embargoes, “which in the computer world manifests itself in those sudden snowstorms of online reviews that show up for each new piece of PC gear, all on the same day and nearly on the same hour.” He writes:
How Companies Collude With Reporters To Control When Stories Get Published: Embargoed Press Releases
By 5.29.07
Have you ever noticed how a new product comes out and a well-developed article with multiple quotes and sources appears in all the major papers? Are reporters just so Olympian in their competitiveness, performing at levels differing only by a few milliseconds? If only. Often, this shows an “embargoed” story, a technique corporations use to control the media and public perception. Here’s how it works.
Spinning Walmart: Astroturfing, Edelman, And Why Walmart's TVs Are Tuned To Fox News
By 3.27.07
The Edelman team assigned to Wal-Mart, I learned, is divided into three groups: “promote,” “response,” and “pressure.” The Jobs and Opportunity Zones notion came from the promotions team. The response-team members–veterans of political campaigns–are supposed to quickly counter criticism in the press or on the Web. The pressure group works on opposition research, focussing on the unions and the press.
Can Andrew Dan-Jumbo Save Home Depot?
By 3.14.07
Each episode follows Andrew as he searches for people looking to tackle a pesky do-it-yourself home renovation project, but don’t quite know where to start. After identifying the perfect accomplice, Andrew convinces themto take him home so they can work side-by-side to get their weekend projects done right. Once Andrew confirms they’re game, the pair shops around The Home Depot for all supplies and tools necessary to complete the renovation. Then, Andrew loads up his all-new 2007 GMC Sierra and heads to their home to roll up his sleeves and get started!
We did suggest Home Depot hire more helpful staff… This isn’t what we meant. —MEGHANN MARCO
PayDay Loans' New Ad About How Payday Loans Are For Upstanding Citizens
By 3.8.07
“Please borrow only what you feel comfortable paying back when it’s due,” says Darrin Andersen, president of the Community Financial Services Assn. A new emblem will tell borrowers which lenders meet his trade group’s requirements, Andersen says in the ad.
Walmart.com Launches "Site-to-Store" Shipping
By 3.7.07
Thousands of products carried online at Walmart.com are eligible for the Site to Store service. Specific Site to Store messaging is featured on eligible product pages to let customers know the online item can be shipped to a local Wal-Mart store for free. During checkout, customers can choose the Site to Store option, select the store where they’ll ship their items and even see the amount saved on shipping.
Will any of you use this? It’ll be available nationwide by the end of the summer.—MEGHANN MARCO
KFC/Taco Bell Rat Apologist Comments On Vincent Ferrari's Blog
By 2.27.07
KFC/Taco Bell left a note over on Vincent Ferrari’s blog on a post about the profusion of rats at a western Manhattan KFC. We really liked this part (emphasis added):
Free Beer For Rewriting And Publishing This Press Release
By 2.23.07
Oh dear, this reminds us of the time that Walmart flack invited us out for drinks. Also, why we paid for our own. — BEN POPKEN
ConEd Takes Lying ESCOs Like IDT Energy Super Seriously
By 2.14.07
After seeing our post, “What ConEd Thinks Of IDT Energy Slamming Its Customers,” spokesman Alfonso Quiroz called back to say “your statement is incorrect.”
Man Gets Free Domino's By Saying He's A Journalist
By 2.6.07
We’ve got confirmation that you can call this number, say you’re a journalist, and get free Domino’s pizza.
Why Cellphone ETFs Are Awesome For America
By 2.2.07
Here are the cellphone industry’s talking points on why early termination fees are the cat’s tits.
Marketing Campaign For Aqua Teen Hunger Force Summons Bomb Sqaud
By 1.31.07
The discovery of a series of suspicious objects on bridges, near a medical center, underneath an interstate, and in other crowded public places have set off a wave of bomb scares across Boston, snarling traffic and subways across the city.
Domino's Bribes Journalists With Free Pizza?
By 1.31.07
We were yawning through Domino’s press release about its lame viral video campaign, when we nearly choked upon this gem:
