The Wall Street Journal selected "choices for the best and worst ads and other marketing gimmicks in 2006." The first listing under "The Worst" is Wal-Mart:
CLIENT: Wal-Mart Stores Inc.AGENCY: Edelman, a unit of Daniel J. Edelman Inc.
CONTENT: Edelman set up a blog called Wal-Marting Across America, which tracked the life of "Jim" and "Laura," a couple who drove cross-country in an RV visiting Wal-Mart stores. On the pro-Wal-Mart blog the duo conducted interviews with happy Wal-Mart workers.
FEEDBACK: In a sign of how things can quickly go wrong for brands online, critics complained the company failed to disclose on the blog the full identities of two people -- one the sister of an Edelman employee -- whom it enlisted to write the pro-company blog. The controversy quickly spilled over into the mainstream media. Richard Edelman, president and chief executive of the public-relations giant and a long-time proponent of PR transparency and blog ethics, ended up apologizing on his blog.
Click here for more on Jim and Laura's blog.
Posted by Laura - January 2, 2007 03:58 AM - In The News