Obama: the aftermath

So the US elections were very exciting weren't they?! Or do you think it was a done deal way before the vote?

There has been a huge amount of discussion on the US election and Obama's successful campaign. It is virtually impossible to miss, from donating Facebook profiles to support the cause, to Twitter updates, from blogs analysing the campaign to YouTube videos of the latest news commentary.

I'm going to add my tuppence worth to the conversation by saying this:

Social media was critical to campaign success as I previously discussed here and as highlighted in this ComputerWorld article.

Sarah Palin was key to McCain's failure highlighted by Matt Damon here and demonstrated in this interview with Katy Couric.

That's all I'm saying!

Busted by Facebook

This is my favourite story of the week courtesy of The Register.

In short, an Australian call centre employee is exchanging email with HR regarding a sick day and the need to produce a doctors note. This email chain has been doing the rounds across Asia and made my Kyle Doyle an instant celeb! Enjoy...

From: Niresh Regmi
Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:35 a.m.
To: Kyle Doyle
Subject: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Kyle,
Please provide a medical certificate stating a valid reason for your sick leave on Thursday 21st 2008.
Thank You
NIRESH REGMI
Real Time Manager, Workforce Operations
________________________________________

From: Kyle Doyle
Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:38 a.m.
To: Niresh Regmi
Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Niresh,
1 day leave absences do not require a medical certificate as stated in my contract, provided I have stated that I am on leave for medical reasons.

Thanks Regards,
Kyle Doyle Resolutions Expert - Technical
________________________________________

From: Niresh Regmi Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:39 a.m.
To: Kyle Doyle
Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Kyle,

Usually that is the case, as per your contract. However please note that leave during these occasions is only granted for genuine medical reasons. You line manager has determined that your leave was not due to medical reasons and as such we cannot grant leave on this occasion.

NIRESH REGMI
________________________________________

From: Kyle Doyle
Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:43 a.m.
To: Niresh Regmi
Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Niresh,

My leave was due to medical reasons, so you cannot deny leave based on a line manager's discretion, with no proof, please process leave as requested.

Thanks Regards,
Kyle Doyle
________________________________________

From: Niresh Regmi
Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:50 a.m.
To: Kyle Doyle
Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Kyle,

I believe the proof that you are after is below

To his credit, the busted Doyle concludes:

From: Kyle Doyle
Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:55 a.m.
To: Niresh Regmi
Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

HAHAHA LMAO epic fail No worries man

Regards,
Kyle Doyle

The ugly side of social media

Being a big advocate of the possibilities of social media, I was saddened by two stories I came across today. The first is a blog post by Jeremy Woolf of Text100 Hong Kong questioning the ‘trustworthiness’ of information that filters through via social media. Jeremy alludes that each of us, whether we are PR professionals, editors, journalists or ordinary citizens should take responsibility for the information we pass on, as the consequences can be very damaging. I agree that just because technology has made it easy for us to spread rumours, it shouldn’t take away or conscience or responsibilities.

This view has been further enforced when it has been reported that the suicide of Korean actress Choi Jin Sil was the result of malicious rumours that were spread via the internet – this is the second case following from the suicide of Korean pop singer Yoo Na after cyber-bullying over her plastic surgery. Korean Police have now decided to crack down on malicious new media rumour spreading.

It’s a shame that a small group of people would use such a powerful vehicle for malicious actions. It almost makes a case for internet censorship!!

I hope we don’t see a rise in cases such as Darryn Walker case, in which he is being charged under the Obscene Publications Act after postings about girl group Girls Aloud in the UK.

Can you help?

I'm attending a 'compelling writing' training course in a few weeks and have been asked to submit an example of a 'great' press release and a 'bad' one.

I've trawled through my own archive and think that most of mine are good, but constrained by my clients company styles or policies. I've also looked on the web for examples, but have yet to see anything that inspires me.

Here's where you come in - if you have a truly great or a teriible release you would like to share, it would be much appreciated. Please only send examples that really inspired you or ones that have made you wonder whether the person responsible writes with crayons!

You can either send it as a reply to this post or to me directly at yeeliml@gmail.com

Thanks

Guess what I did today mum!?

I’ve been steering clear of writing anything about the global economic crisis / credit crunch – partly due to my own cynicism of how the markets work (corrupt greedy brokers short selling on inside information – hey, just my opinion) and my lack of understanding!

But a story that caught my eye this week in Hong Kong is the one concerning the Bank of East Asia as reported by the South China Morning Post. In short, several days ago a rumor started to spread that BEA bank was in serious trouble as a result of its dealing with Lehman Brothers. Text messages were sent and entries were posted on internet discussion forums confirming this. I even had a friend Instant Message me asking whether I had withdrawn my savings from my BEA account. When I questioned him about his source, this is how the conversation went:

Me: I haven’t heard anything, are you sure?
Friend: Oh my god – don’t you watch the news
Me: I work in PR, I monitor the news all day every day
Friend: Well you’re not very good at your job!

This led me to think I must have missed a howitzer of a news story and that I was not as good as my job as I thought I was (tongue firmly in cheek)!!!

Since this conversation there have been throngs of people queuing to withdraw all their savings for fear that the bank will swallow their money - Northern Rock style panic escalated quickly. I thought I had missed the most important news of the day and potentially the week! However, only days after, those throngs of people are now lining up to deposit their money again!

This was in fact a case of Chinese whispers (played by actual Chinese people) and is a fantastic example of how technology today enables rumours to spread like wildfire and wide enough to (almost) bring down a bank.

The chairman of the bank, David Li Kwok-po, has come out to say the rumours about solvency problems at his bank are “groundless” and the perpetrator has now been arrested (an 18 year old bank clerk). Authorities are now looking to make further arrests of those who helped spread the rumour – which in my eyes is every person who sent passed the message on and thus unrealistic.

The key factor of this panic was the wide diffusion of mobile phone SMS and BBS postings warning that there was trouble in the bank. Under current strained conditions, we have to be extra vigilant of messages received from friends and treat them with a lot more caution than viral emails such as the “I Love You’ virus in 2000.

I'm a PC and I don't care!

I’ve just seen Micorosft’s counterstrike against Apple’s ‘PC vs Mac’ campaign, which carries the theme Life without walls. And I have to say I like it…



The ad attempts to dispel the ‘PC stereotype’ by using celebrities such as Eva Longoria, Pharell Williams as well as everyday people who have an interesting story to tell. I like this type of head on approach by companies in which they directly address a previous competitor campaign.

Too often, large corporate are too afraid to address their competitors directly. As a PR consultant I often advise my clients not to reference their competitors by name when speaking to media – but sometimes I think ‘why not’. It’s obvious to the journalist and to most of the general public so why not address the competitor directly (obviously there are times when discretion is advised).

I think this is a good follow up to the Seinfeld / Gates ad, which took heavy (and unfair) criticism.

Facebook Facelift

I've been trying out the new look Facebook over the past fortnight and have found myself reverting back to the old one.

The beauty of the old Facebook was that it was simple to navigate - the new look was too cluttered and I couldn't find the information I wanted in its usual place. I thought I was alone! However, it seems that many others are in the same boat. According to this BBC article almost 10 million out of 40 million prefer the old style.

What I also found interesting is that Facebook has kind of become a victim of its own success - the Petition against the new Facebook seems to have generated a rather large following. It now remains to be seen whether this group has any influence on the platform that raised it and made it successful in so many other petitions. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

Unfortunately, it looks like I'll have to go back to the new look style soon with the compulsory switch over.