Why PR Gets A Bad Name - This Takes The Biscuit
Robert Minton-Taylor FCIPR FHEA
Visiting Fellow, Leeds Beckett University. Governor, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust. Fellow, CIPR. Member, PR & Communications Council, PRCA. Inset pic: Me with my saviour, oncologist Dr Ganesan Jeyasangar.
Since my stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis in May 2024 I have been sent unsolicited messages via my LinkedIn profile from people trying to sell either me baseless cures for my terminal cancer or lawyers who want me to sue the NHS for the misdiagnosis and/or delay in my cancer treatment etc.
That’s not going to happen. The NHS has been my bedrock in restoring me to health after my stroke in 2019 and is now giving me superlative palliative care for my cancer.
But this post is not about that. It’s about a LinkedIn message I got a few days ago from a company called Famousinfluencer.com who claim to be “primarily a PR company”. It came from their Head of Partnerships.
What took my breath away - and having been in the public relations business for 50 years I've seen a few things in my time - is the last sentence in the last paragraph of their message to me.I’ve bolded and unlined it.
No wonder PR gets a bad reputation!
“Hi Robert,
“Hope you are having a good start to 2025!
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“I was wondering whether you might be interested in our new username claim service for yourself or business? We can claim inactive usernames for yourself or business on Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook and Twitter.
“Having your own username for your personal brand or business looks very cool and is key for differentiating yourself in 2025! Most well known public figures have their own usernames and are uniform across their social channels.
“The username needs to be over 6 letters and inactive for us to claim it. We can also change usernames on legacy verified Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok accounts too whilst keeping the blue badge in tact! “In addition, we also offer Tiktok verification, Snapchat verification, Youtube verification and Facebook page verification as well as pre-verified large established accounts on all these channels with large followings - which can be re-branded saving you the hassle of spending years growing an account.
“We are also a primarily a PR company and have connections with most PR publications so if interested in PR for yourself or company do let me know too! We can also do negative PR against your competitors and can ban Instagram accounts too if you have a competitor or ex bothering you!
“Look forward to hearing from you."
Owner at Footprint PR
2 周Wow. Well said Robert. Love to you too in your journey.
Trustee of CIoJ Welfare Fund and Communications Consultant
2 周Clearly the ideal company to advise Gerald Ratner....
Professor of Academic Leadership & Marketing Strategy. Senior academic leader. Executive and marketing strategy coach and trainer. Non-executive director.
2 周Ouch! I know this happens but can't believe they put it in writing and send it to someone they don't know!