Abercrombie & Fitch issued a press release last night saying that they would pay Michael ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino from The Jersey Shore to stop wearing its products. Is it stunt marketing or trying to preempt an anti-all-things-Jersey-Shore-related backlash? [More]
press releases
Cash4Gold Activates Magical Press Release Machine
By 9.4.09
Since we posted our feature investigation into their business practices, Cash4Gold has been busy sending out one new press release per day.
Saving Money Is Better Than Sex
By 8.27.09
Enterprising personal finance blogger J. Money analyzes a survey by two money-saving websites that finds most people would rather save $50 a week (57 percent) than drop down to the next lowest clothing size (31 percent) or have more sex (6 percent).
Water Bottles Marketed To BPA-Fearing Parents Contained BPA All Along
By 8.23.09
I may as well attach my Nalgene bottles to myself with steel cables, but it seems like everyone is switching over to metal bottles because of the public’s new-found fear of plastic additive bisphenol-A (BPA.) One of the major manufacturers of aluminum bottles, Sigg, recently admitted that the plastic liners of their metal bottles kind of, um, contained BPA. Cue uproar.
The Pain (And Hilarity) Of Old Press Releases
By 8.21.09
Harry McCracken at Technologizer gathered a bunch of old press releases from technology companies and retailers and annotated them based on what we now know.
Snuggie Addresses Fake "Rebate" Check Story
By 7.29.09
Allstar Products, the company that makes Snuggies, sent out a clarification today regarding that weird $8.25 check that some customers were receiving in the mail. As far as they’re concerned, it was a small promo and they were upfront about everything—the check “is not a rebate, nor was it ever represented as a rebate.”
Skyy Tastelessly Tries To Capitalize On Absolut’s Mexican Gaffe
By 4.12.08 — Updated: 11.1.12
Skyy vodka issued a crass press release declaring their support for the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in response to an ad from rival Absolut that featured pre-Mexican-American War borders. We had no problem with the ad. We put up a poll. A majority of you had no problem with the ad. Not Skyy, though! They’re drunk with outrage and felt compelled to “[decry] Absolut vodka’s suggestion to redraw North [America’s] map.”
Introducing The Most Accurate Press Release Ever Published
By 2.2.08
The Senate Commerce Committee issued a bold press release aggressively backing FCC Commissioner Michael Copps’ contention that the nation is woefully unprepared for the pending transition to digital television. The release is a stunning rebuke to the FCC and the Commerce Department, which have dickered over responsibility for the ongoing transition. The Committee plans to hold a hearing on February 14 to find out just what content should, under ideal circumstances, go here. Full release, after the jump.
Banks Target The Wealthy To The Detriment Of Minorities And The Poor
By 3.31.07
According to a report by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC,) banks are predominantly concentrated in wealthy neighborhoods, leaving poor and minority communities without access to basic financial tools such as checking and savings accounts. The NCRC compared bank locations to minority and income data provided by the census. The findings suggest that banks are redlining with devastating consequences.
This report shows in 24 out of 25 MSAs [Metropolitan Statistical Areas], urban areas that have dense populations have fewer bank branches — therefore fewer mainstream banking opportunities — than the less populated suburbs. Without the ability to build relationships with the regulated banking community, working class and minority neighborhoods are more likely to use “fringe” services, such as payday lenders and pawnshops, for small loans. They are also more likely to have their home loans originated with mortgage brokers and subprime lenders, which often led to foreclosures and unmanageable monthly payments.
Houston, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles showed the greatest disparities, compared to the relatively equitable distribution of banks in San Francisco, Seattle, and Boston.
Verizon: Test Drive Our Network For 30 Days
By 3.26.07
Verizon will allow potential customers to try their wireless network for 30 days “virtually risk-free.” The offer, dubbed Test Drive, begins tomorrow.
If at any point during the 30-day Test Drive customers are not satisfied with their experience and take their number to another wireless carrier, Verizon Wireless will refund their money for their calls, equipment, activation fee and taxes, as well as release them from their contract without an early termination fee when they return their phone within the Test Drive period.
Not included are the cost of data services, V CAST, and “certain Verizon Wireless surcharges.”
100 Years of PR Celebrated With World’s Largest Cake!
By 10.13.06
Oh jeez, just spotted this [update: wonderful bit of satire] at Strumpette.
