Parker PR

I've been tracking some stories of late, collecting ideas of what people refer to as "PR Nightmares" or "PR Disasters". I do find it odd how people bandy these terms around in the supposition that the earth will fall apart if such idiocies are allowed to destroy corporate reputations.

However, I do think that Bodycare in Wigan have totally missed the point and the public opinion on this one news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8342958.stm

To ban the wearing of Royal British Legion Poppies at this particular time is simply madness. To then refuse to answer press questions and finally say it is all down to policy beggars belief and shows a complete lack of PR skills by the company.

At a recent PR Conference in Leeds I got to ask Alastair Campbell http://twitter.com/campbellclaret the question I posted on my Blog on June 9th. Specifically I asked him if Gordon Brown will lose the next election on PR, policy, performance or personality?

As you would expect from a fervent Labour supporter and an excellent interviewee, he quickly turned the question round to put David Cameron under the spotlight. His belief is that Gordon Brown will now come into his own and expose the Tories for their complete lack of policy, which is where he sees the PM has having overwhelming strengths.

Far be it from me to question the insight of the former Labour communications maestro but I'm beginning to wonder just how long it will take Brown to step up to the mark and win the policy PR battle - let alone the inescapable one of personality.

We are two weeks into the campaign to raise enough money to establish and maintain a permanent memorial to all the service men and women from Mansfield who have given their lives since the end of World War Two, and it's an amazing ride already.

Our aim was to get every licensed premises in the District to support the campaign, there are an estimated 94 of them according to figures provided by the Borough Council; to date there are 74 involved and supporting the campaign! Have a look at some of the media coverage we have had here - http://www.chad.co.uk/news/March-For-Mansfield39s-Heroes.5748147.jp

The story is in the local paper and on their website every week and has featured on BBC East Midlands and Cenatral TV as well as BBC and independent radio.

Tim Vickery seems to be lavishing egalitarian praise on Kaka for his attempt to save Milan from the economic pressures we are all living with http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/timvickery/2009/06/milan_to_madrid_via_manchester.html

While I appreciate that Kaka, Milan and Real Madrid have to go about securing their long-term futures in business, is it not a teensy bit disingenuous to suggest that Kaka left Milan as a canonised ex-player, thinking of how he could save his former club from extinction?

Is it not more the case that from it being a case of "typical Kaka - diplomatic, intelligent, serene and methodical" it was more the overpowering whiff of £56,000,000 that swayed the mind of the young Brazilian?