Systeme D

13 June 2007

Idiot PR spraymailers

Apparently it's good PR practice to send your release to as many magazines as possible, even if the subject matter of the release has nothing at all to do with the magazine's subject.

I thought it would be kind to celebrate some of the excellent work carried out by these fearless PR bunnies. So I've created an ongoing document to highlight their greatest successes. You can read it here.

If you'd like to be included in this hall of fame, simply send a press release to me at Waterways World and make sure it has nothing at all to do with waterways. For bonus points, please attach 25Mb of JPEGs (saved at 100% quality, of course) and send on deadline day.

You're all such loves.

Comments

Maybe the extreme sports people had seen your last attempt at the BCN Challenge?

Posted by Ben Jameson on 13.6.07 14:44

Those are pretty funny. As a PR in the tech sector I am somewhat embarrassed by my counterparts. Quick question though...how many relevant press releases do you actually receive per day? I'd have thought a couple of extreme sports release might liven up your day?

Posted by M on 14.6.07 09:33

I guess I get four or five relevant releases a day, usually from big organisations such as British Waterways and the Environment Agency - both of whom have pretty good press offices. Most waterway businesses, though. are what the Merkins charmingly call 'Mom and Pop businesses', and would no sooner think of a press release than a social networking website.

Plus there's the usual bombardment from DEFRA/DfT/HM Coastguard and the like, of which a small fraction are relevant, but I did sign up for those (and CoI doesn't provide an "inland waterways only" option, unsurprisingly) so I can't really complain.

Posted by Richard Fairhurst on 14.6.07 10:32

Did you ever try replying to one or more of these "Idiot PR spraymailers" to say that the releases weren't relevant and could you be taken off their list?

Posted by Spud on 14.6.07 14:14

Yes, I did, initially. But the problem is that even if one stops, fifty-nine more jump up to take their place.

I don't see why PR lists for irrelevant products should have to be opt-out - there's a name for opt-out mailings about stuff which you'd never be interested in: it's "spam", and it's generally considered to be a Bad Thing. Hopefully, the more people that name and shame, the less likely PR people will be to spraymail.

Posted by Richard Fairhurst on 14.6.07 14:54

I love the 'mailto:' tags in your page, the perfect way to exact revenge. How long do you think it will take the spambots...?

Posted by Ben on 14.6.07 17:36

The more people that name and shame, the fewer PR people there will be. Full stop.

Posted by Spud on 15.6.07 09:02

Shame there's no RSS feed from the list... I could see that cheering up London's grey summer days!

Disclaimer: I do work in the PR tech sector, but I don't deal with journalists and have never actually sent a press release - this probably means I don't sympathise with the offenders as much as I might...

Posted by Dom Pannell on 24.6.07 19:25

Richard, your details are on a product PR people use called Media Disk. You're interests on there must be incorrect - I think what you have done on your page is cruel as you are being person specific, there is nothing wrong with knocking a company, but why the person? My friend is very upset about your page, particularly as she has left her job.

Posted by Amelia on 14.8.07 11:13

c328t

Posted by ma50zda on 19.10.07 01:42

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