these4wallsgroup

BBC WORLD CAMPAIGN

Thought that this was a really strong piece of work for BBC World. A great piece of creative thinking that has gone around the creative community in a way that is almost viral.

MORE ON THE ETHICS QUESTION

As predicted, the question of Microsoft's ethics in distributing free "review" computers has continued.

There is  a piece that sums up the debate from thenewmarketing weblog HERE. However, this is not the only side of the story and TechCrunch doesn't see a problem with it ... read their piece HERE.

Perhaps most tellingly, there has been general disdain for the whole thing amongst the tech journalist community ... Dan Warne, News Editor at APC:

"This is a PR disaster for Microsoft. Within a few days it’ll be in every newspaper and tech publication in the world; I guarantee it.

"It’s bizarre for one of the world’s largest PR companies, Edelman, to think it could get away with this. Perhaps they don’t know bloggers as well as they thought they did. As you’ve pointed out, Long, now that some of the bloggers have disclosed the receipt of the gift, the public knows. Whatever the subtleties of the offer were, it comes across as nothing more than a bribe, and that is a very bad look for Microsoft."

It does bring into question the whole thing ... will bloggers be careful enough to protect their own reputations for a degree of independence in the way that a media brand has to by either disclosing the freebie or by being honest in their review. And what does it mean for PRs who want to get products reviewed by influential bloggers? Will they continue to offer review machines if this is the possible result. Views?

As predicted, the question of Microsoft's ethics in distributing free "review" computers has continued.

There is  a piece that sums up the debate from thenewmarketing weblog HERE. However, this is not the only side of the story and TechCrunch doesn't see a problem with it ... read their piece HERE.

Perhaps most tellingly, there has been general disdain for the whole thing amongst the tech journalist community ... Dan Warne, News Editor at APC:

"This is a PR disaster for Microsoft. Within a few days it’ll be in every newspaper and tech publication in the world; I guarantee it.

"It’s bizarre for one of the world’s largest PR companies, Edelman, to think it could get away with this. Perhaps they don’t know bloggers as well as they thought they did. As you’ve pointed out, Long, now that some of the bloggers have disclosed the receipt of the gift, the public knows. Whatever the subtleties of the offer were, it comes across as nothing more than a bribe, and that is a very bad look for Microsoft."

It does bring into question the whole thing ... will bloggers be careful enough to protect their own reputations for a degree of independence in the way that a media brand has to by either disclosing the freebie or by being honest in their review. And what does it mean for PRs who want to get products reviewed by influential bloggers? Will they continue to offer review machines if this is the possible result. Views?