Yes, if you can believe it, I am still asked this question and rather frequently (admittedly, it’s sometimes from family members who aren’t sure what I do, but that’s a different blog post altogether). The short answer is no, all publicity is not good publicity. Fortunately, we are rarely dealing with a crisis situation to de-flame or an investigative reporter looking to dig up the truth on our clients, but rather we’re looking to promote a positive company announcement, encourage the client’s inclusion in a trend story or promote their product wares. In doing so, though, interested reporters in today’s “more with less” media industry are misconstruing facts or – if time – looking for the dark side of the rainbow to provide a more balanced article. We often find ourselves counseling our clients who have trouble understanding why the reporter has jumbled the facts or, worse yet, included a negative comment.
The good news is that in the digital age, facts can be corrected almost instantaneously and most reporters are willing to do so. But, what do you do when a negative statement is made when, frankly, it’s true? I’m a big believer in credibility–who isn’t. From a reader’s point of view, a balanced article that highlights both sides of the coin is far more palatable than a press release regurgitation and paints the company in a more realistic light. Give me a new angle and yes, even if some negative points are made, I will appreciate the company’s position and/or product far more in the end. What’s your view?