Online Reputation Management For Dummies

Forgetting to Do Your Homework

It’s simple: Before you ever publish a blog post with a funny name, please do yourself a favor and Google it first to make sure it isn’t offensive or off-color in some way. Surprisingly, even prestigious public relations and marketing firms can sometimes forget to take a minute and do this important homework. In case you think I’m exaggerating, consider Nike’s dreadful March 2012 “Black and Tan” public relations disaster.

Ironically enough, in celebration of St. Patrick’s day, Nike actually named one of its running shoes the “FB Black and Tan quick strike,” saying that it was celebrating the popular drink consisting of combining a dark beer with a light one so that you can see the layers of color. It claimed to have had no clue that Black and Tan also was the name of one of the most vicious, bloodthirsty, and widely feared groups that were sent into Ireland to make it a “hell for rebels to live in.” The Irish haven’t forgotten that tragedy, and emotions run high on the subject to this day.

After this “forgetting to do your homework” flavored faceplant where social networks and blogs angrily opined and shared, Nike issued an apology stating that no offense was intended, though it did remain silent on the topic for a period of time — the “allowing situations to flame” faceplanting scenario I describe earlier in this chapter.

Bottom line: Do your homework.