Half way through the book Public Relations Disasters: Talespin by Gerry McCusker and I’m starting to notice a recurring pattern.
A couple of paragraphs into each story I find myself mentally screaming, “No! Don’t go down the rickety stairs into the dark, creepy basement. Don’t you know you’re in a horror movie?”
This book reviews 79 public relations mishaps. And in each one, because I already know the outcome isn’t going to be positive, I can almost guess what mistakes the main players are about to make.
As I read these scenarios, I can’t help but wonder what background and training the public relations people from each company had. It’s easy to see most didn’t follow the common ethical PR best practices – honesty and clarity.
For a great “what not to do” read, check out the book. For more up-to-date information, visit Gerry McCusker’s incredibly interesting blog PR Disasters.
Tatum Lyles Flick 