The Best (Or The Worst) PR Blunders of 2013

As this is the last full week in 2013, PRowl has decided to recap the year for our readers in PR style, as only we can. To kick things off, here are a few unfortunate incidences that could have been prevented with a little public relations insight.

1. White people don't get AIDS, at least according to Justine Sacco, PR director at InterActiveCorp (IAC). On Friday, December 20th Sacco sent out a tweet before boarding an 11 hour flight from London to Cape Town, South Africa that read, "Going to Africa. Hope I don't get AIDS. Just kidding. I'm white!" During her wifi-less flight, not only had she become a trending topic, but so had the tag #HasJustineLandedYet. Sacco's insensitive tweet angered people worldwide and she was unable to do any damage control. Once she did land, she deleted her Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts without offering an apology. Sacco has since been let go from IAC. 
2. Do these yoga pants make me look fat? Don't ask Lululemon co-founder, Chip Wilson, this. After several complaints from customers about the brand's black yoga pants being too sheer, Wilson states, "They don't work for some women's bodies. It's really about the rubbing through the thighs, how much pressure is there over a period of time, how much they use it." Naturally, women everywhere were offended and outraged. While Wilson did later issue an apology, it hasn't seemed to help falling sales this year. 
3. Funeral crasher. During former South African President Nelson Mandela's memorial service on Tuesday, December 10th, Thamsanqa Jantjie seemed to steal the spotlight. He attended the service posing a fake interpreter for the deaf. Standing just a few feet away from some of the greatest world leaders, including President Barack Obama, Jantjie continued making false motions and gestures for hours, signing neither in American or South African sign language (which covers all 11 of the country's official languages). This not only speaks to a lack of security, but a lack on the PR coordinator's part as well.
4. Going bananas on game day. Home Depot also found itself in hot water this year after tweeting a picture of two African-American drummers and a white drummer in a monkey suit with the caption, "Which drummer is not like the others?" While the tweet was pulled immediately, it wasn't fast enough before the internet was able to get ahold of it. However, Home Depot did handle damage control quite well, apologizing and firing both the person and the outside agency responsible for the questionable tweet. While they did not disclose information about the employee or the agency, Home Depot's spokesman Stephen Holmes said, "We have zero tolerance for anything so stupid and offensive." Way to go, Depot.
5. Ever walk into a room and realize everyone was just talking about you? About a month ago, JPMorgan attempted to utilize Twitter to relate to their customers. Twitter users were encouraged to tweet finance-related questions to their account using the tag #AskJPM that would be answered by JPMorgan Vice Chairman Jimmy Lee. However, a simple survey could have clued in the company that most people aren't fans of their work. Less than 24 hours before the chat was set to begin, Twitter users began using the hashtag to tweet sarcastic and anger-filled questions to the company. They decided to cancel the Q&A tweeting, "Bad idea. Back to the drawing board." Now that seems like a sound idea.

Don't let this list discourage you; 2013 wasn't all bad! Continue reading our "Best of 2013" series this week to discover all of the highlights of this phenomenal year!

Avoiding all-too-common PR Snafus

One of the most important things to do when writing press releases, emails, pitches, etc. is to proofread. Error-free writing is a must when trying to get your writing picked up by journalists. In order to help you steer clear of errors, here are some things to keep in mind when sending information to the media:

Do not use internet language, slang, or little-known acronyms

As you will see below, it is incredibly unprofessional, and often confusing, to understand important information when it is not written in plain English. Avoid at all costs using abbreviated statements like TTYL and LOL. A blast email sent from a PR agency to PRNewser in 2010 shows why internet language should not be used when writing for public relations:

The subject line for the pitch email read:

Pls send this firm wide and to my whole rolodex asap—also to PR trade list on Y drive in media lists—pls do so asap—also pr newswire, etc.

If the person who sent this email had paid closer attention to what they were sending, the issue could have been avoided. Showing directions for pitch distribution reflects poorly on the agency’s credibility.

Always check for typos and missing words

Even if you think something is perfect, look over it for typos. Better yet, have a coworker look over it. A simple email with an overlooked typo could mean the difference between the word “as” and a more explicit word. Typos can be detrimental to the purpose of your writing, like the following skincare company’s marketing copy:

“Pulse is a state-of-the-art spa, catering to people who have skin.”

Always make sure you send your email to the right person

Nothing is more offensive to the person receiving your message than addressing them incorrectly. Sending an email greeting Diane instead of Dan is an automatic way to get your email put into an editor’s trash bin.

Do not use emoticons when sending a professional email

This may seem like common sense, but I have seen emails to executives filled with smiley faces. Use of emoticons is one of the most unprofessional ways to communicate via email. So please, do not send a message with one of these guys in it: .

Subject lines should always be error-free

The subject line is the first thing that a person sees when they look through their email inbox. Subject line errors are both embarrassing and a way to land your email in the trash bin. For instance, if you are announcing someone as the Vice President of Finance and they really are the CFO, you have given out incorrect information that, unfortunately, may get used by the media as it is assumed that the information you sent out is correct.

Have you ever seen any of these common “snafus”? Do you have any other tips on avoiding such mistakes? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Kurie Fitzgerald.