Microsoft PR Lady contacts me about last blog post
June 19, 2008 – 4:38 pmWow, talk about trying to control the spin! Quick to get back to me, Erika from Waggener Edstrom Worldwide! (See my open response after her email):
Hi Robert,
I hope you don’t mind me reaching out to you, but I saw your blog post today about the i’m talkathon and really wanted to apologize if you were in any way misled about the campaign. I do PR for Microsoft and this initiative specifically, and we are super sensitive about being transparent that this is not a real person. It’s meant to be in fun, to help drive awareness around the broader i’m initiative. I also, wanted to clarify that the i’m initiative isn’t a campaign encouraging our customers to donate money –Microsoft donates money on their behalf. It lets our customers get behind a cause of their choice and for every time someone sends a message using Windows Live Messenger or Windows Live Hotmail after they’ve joined the i’m Initiative, Microsoft Corp. shares a portion of the program’s advertising revenue with the organization of his/her choice. If you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them for you. Also, if you have any suggestions on what you think would help communicate better that he isn’t real, while not spoiling the fun of the campaign, please feel free to send them. Appreciate your time
– Erika Bitzer
Waggener Edstrom Worldwide
P +1.503.443.7304
(I encourage any readers to contact Erika with their thoughts and ideas, I’m sure she’d LOVE the feedback)
So, in a very transparent and public fashion, allow me to adress you, Erika (if you even exist):
I’ll let you slide on the fact that you require me to use your products, which means setting my time/energy/quality of life in the hands of your company (but you had better not insult me again), because I think it is great that Microsoft has decided to do something like that- really, and an IM talkathon is a sweet idea/pseudomashup (in theory). Companies leveraging their products to do good things is always great.
However, creating a fake person, with feelings, nuances, a back story, motivations such as “leveling out some karma” and etc. is preposterousterous. It’s just plain deceptive. What is the point? Fun? I don’t think it’s fun being confused and misled, do you? Maybe it’s fun to you, but to me it’s deceptive. Even if it is for a good cause. It’s just plain dumb. How much are you guys getting paid? You couldn’t do better than that?
You claim you want to be transparent? Get a clue! I started reading your blog, was confused about this person, then realized THIS HAS GOT TO BE FAKE, and found the disclaimer, only to be turned off entirely by not knowing what the whole this was really about anymore. Your tactics are creating confusion around something good. With all the lack of trust surrounding big corporations, why would do such a stupid and nieve thing? Why would anyone pay you to?
My advice to you: TAKE DOWN THE FAKE BLOG, and let the fact that something good is happening speak for itself. Spend time promoting something REAL.
And yes, I do mind you reaching out to me. The internet, by extension of this blog a public sphere, where you can address the public via a simple comment below.
