from time to time we come across a great example of how a brand is using social media and blending it with PR in order to create as much bang for their marketing buck. Often this marriage between traditional publicity and new digital marketing goes awry and we end up with a bit of a mess. Last week we spoke about reputation management and how your online reputation can be maintained (and in some cases0 repaired, today we are taking a look at how to undo all of that hard work and rubbish your or your brands reputation in just a few minutes…

It all started when online shopper Tom Boddingham ordered a special slipper to fit his size 14.5 foot but he was sent a size 1450 one instead. The product sent directly from Hong Kong measured  210 x 130 x 65cm (about the size of a small to medium car)

The first question is… is what is a grown man doing ordering novelty slippers, the second, how has the factory managed not to pick this up in their QA? Well folks, the whole thing was a giant PR stunt and not a very well executed one at that….

Those skeptics out there who saw this online last week started to do some digging using social media and sure enough the guy pictured in the giant novelty slipper has the EXACT same face of Monster Slippers CEO Joe Jennings, who on his twitter profile lists himself as a part time online retail manager.

So business owners, let this be a lesson to you… if you are going to use PR and social media as a means to promote your business, dont try and fool the masses, we might look silly, but we assure you, we aren’t.

Take aways from this monster  stuff up…

Be open and honest

Dont use your CEO as a “customer”

Be transparent

PR stunts are OK, just dont involve anyone from your business

If you are going to use PR to promote your brand, make sure it is executed VERY well

There is such thing as bad PR

Novelty slippers are for children