Initial responses via boards.ie was sceptical (moderated complaints etc!) but as time went by and complaints/queries were answered fairly quickly the satisfaction levels went up!

…and no I don’t work for O2

And I agree with you. My experience with this is quite new but I cannot believe the lead times that traditional PR people think are acceptable; or the distribution networks.

I am naturally impatient (bit of ADD in the genes) and I lose interest quickly in a concept if it is not picked up and run with.

And I know the online community think the same. In fashion blogging (my hobby blog) we often laugh and sneer at the print mags and how even the weekly supplements are 2-3 weeks behind a trend spotted, blogged and disected by comments. The traditional fashion mags are laughably behind trend by the time they hit the racks. I havent bought a glossy for 2 years (do my laughing and sneering in the Hairdresser)

And the Industry’s response to this? Some PR companies representing top designers are planning to do “private viewings” with major editors just to keep the ranges “a secret” until they are in print. ???!!!

Just to stop bloggers reviewing all the catwalk shows and identifying key trends before breakfast the next morning.

Check my BFF Imelda “Well Shod Well Imformed”
http://www.imelda.com.au/well_shod_well_imformed/independent_australian_fashion_bloggers/

Fashion is organic. And what grows feeds the next level. It is the dissemination of trends to street which make it possible for us to accept the new direction; and pay money for it.

Trying to create a closed shop for publicity is like Monsanto trying to genetically engineer those crops that cannot self seed.

Something will always pop up and the trad communicators will get left behind.

I go with the new Mulley, EXCELLENT POST!
xx

Most of them simply do not “get” internet technologies so for the moment at least I’ll stick to handling our PR instead.

Michele

I am glad to see here that they are at least looking at it for 2009…

During my lengthy comms with O2 and one of their retail supervisors, I pointed to the way that Comcast uses Twitter and actually follows up on customer inquiries. I also told them to engage with bloggers and customers who had problems, online more. I’m not sure where this advice ended up. Possibly in the ether. There’s nothing like hiding in a storm of controversy to propagate bad PR.

At essence, great online PR is about being active. Active in the places people talk about your product – blogs, Twitter etc. Ticking a box to say that a company has a Twitter account or a blog is just a first step. Damien is 100% right in that practitioners who preach the online message, need to first have that stage to stand on (online tools of the trade), but more than this they need to * commit * to that medium.

Interesting post as always.

The Public Relations Institute of Ireland invited Neville Hobson to address this year’s Annual Conference in May and just recently to host a PRII professionals training seminar titled ‘New Media in PR and Communications Strategies’.

There has been considerable discussion within the Institute about the rolling out of new professional development courses and Online PR has been earmarked for further expansion in 2009.

I will be talking with Paddy Hughes (President, PRII) and Gerry Davis (CEO, PRII) about future developments and will keep you posted.

Kind regards,

Steve Rawson (Hon. Treasurer – PRII)