Two stories from PR land: the good, the bad and the Daily Mail

I would like to share with you today two stories which caught my attention on a arduous trip back ‘Up North’ from London Sunday last, both of which contain lessons in PR.

The first is the story of the barber, Ben Martin, who lost his business in the recession. Not to be perturbed, he took heed from a friend who owned a burger van, and set up a barber van in a lay-by on the A6 near Luton. He is being hailed everywhere for his entrepreneurial spirit, and I, in fact, actually heard the story on BBC Radio 5 Live.

A Barber. From Luton. On Radio 5. I wonder how many other times throughout history that has happened.

You see, not only has he had the get up and go to motor on with his business in the face of adversity, not only has he had the naus to come up with what is a very good idea, but he, or someone close to him, has sent out a press release. Priceless. It’s in all the papers and national radio. Guess where people in Luton are going for haircuts now.

You can read the full story here.

The second story, unfortunately, involves a rather more unfortunate institution of our country, the Daily Mail. I bet they were dead chuffed with their expose of former FA and World cup Bid chief exec Lord Triesman, whose crime seems to be having said something mildly silly and unsubstantiated in private. Well, if that’s an offence to lose your job over, I had better quit now. We all talk to those close to us. Just that they aren’t normally wearing a wire. At least, I hope not.

What the Daily Mail, presumably, hadn’t anticipated was the backlash from football fans against their newspaper for jeopardising England’s 2018 World Cup bid. This page from the title’s website shows some of the vitriol aimed at the Mail (check out the comments), and the general consensus is that they have overstepped the mark and shot the country in the foot.

The Guardian, always pleased to have the opportunity to have a pop at its right-wing counterpart, is having a field day with this. Triesman seems to actually be getting quite a bit of sympathy, having had to resign, because, although his remarks (alleging that officials at the World Cup would be bribed by Spain and Russia) were probably not true and just part of a macho display, they were, nevertheless, made in private.

The Daily Mail seems to be coming out of this the worst. An internet campaign rages urging any individuals who have not had the good sense to do so years ago to boycott the paper. Its writers have battened down the hatches, editorially speaking, and continue to try to justify this completely unnecessary tapping up, by stating that Lord Triesman wasn’t very well liked anyway. So, if we don’t like someone, it’s ok to rip apart their career and private life? Daily Mail hacks ought to take note. They’re hardly the most popular.

It just seems bizarre to me that a paper that claims to be as patriotic as the Daily Heil should set out to do something so damaging to England. the World Cup in 2018 is being touted as the most profitable one ever, not to mention the public morale which it would generate and, if history is anything to go by, the increased chances of England actually lifting the trophy. A really, really, remarkable own goal. Well done ed.

Advertisement

~ by Mira on May 18, 2010.