Useful lessons from Groupon's Superbowl ads

Groupon's Superbowl: Social media (C)PR -- Fast Company
Much has been written about Groupon’s PR missteps at the Superbowl over the last two days. Their three ads (representing $3 million ad buy) poked fun at celebrity-endorsed PSAs for endangered whales, the Brazilian rainforest, and Tibet. The ads were variously described as in bad taste or simply poor communications because they failed to mention that Groupon was matching people’s donations to these causes up to $100,000.
What the Groupon ads do offer, however, are useful lessons in a) effective communication in today's social business marketplace; b) what happens when traditional and social media mentalities collide and; c) how well-intended cause marketing must be managed for a brand to resonate with consumers. Let's take them one by one...
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Virgin Atlantic -- good for the public vs. bad for business

Heathrow-Virgin Spat: Virgin Caves, but Wins the PR Battle -- BNET
Last month, Virgin Atlantic decided to stand up to Heathrow Airport by refusing to pay landing fees to protest how the airport handled a December snow storm that stranded thousands. Heathrow’s owner BAA has now smacked back, and Virgin Atlantic is walking away like a dog with a tail in between its legs. Then again, it still looks like the winner in the PR world...
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BP still cleaning up safety standards mess

BP Misled Investors Before Gulf Spill, Lawyers Say -- Bloomberg
BP Plc investors accused the company of lying about its commitment to safety and inflating company shares for three years before the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon set off the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. BP management claimed the company learned its lesson after an accident at a Texas refinery in 2005 killed 15 workers and injured hundreds, the lawyers said in a lawsuit brought by institutional investors, including Ohio’s pension plan. Investors discovered after the rig explosion that the company didn’t live up to promises to increase its focus on safety and maintenance, the lawyers said yesterday in an amended complaint...
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Smart Quote

"You learn something everyday if you pay attention." 

-- unknown