So I posted a request to a list for journos today; it's a list where people can sign up and ask PRs to mail them info. Now, as a journalist, this is a strange concept. Most of the time, you avoid PRs. Don't get me wrong. I have some good friends who are PRs. But I still have to introduce them as:
"This is blah. They work in PR but they're an ace person anyway."
Why? As a journo, you get endless dreadful press releases. And dreadful PRs calling to say "Did you get my press release? Are you going to run the story?" You say no. They call back a week later to make sure you're sure that you don't want to run it. (Good PRs rarely call to check. They assume if it's relevant then you'll call them for more info.)
Don't believe me? At one company I worked for that provided content services to student media across the UK, I got the following gems:
"People in [insert local council] will be drinking and washing with water until well into the next millenium thanks to [insert water board]"
"You are invited to a photo launch for the opening of an escalator that goes between the ground floor and the first floor of [big department store]" (to make matters worse, the launch was at 6am. And I was working in radio.)
"All aboard the Chicky Fun Bus" (random fried chicken company had giant cuddly chicken touring country to promote its deep fried chicken product. We were tempted to turn up with a flame-thrower and bucket of batter then say 'hey kids, look what [brand] does to chicky. But as that would have meant maiming someone on minimum wage, decided against it.)
However, I decided press releases on sex stuff may be handy. And they were. OK, I got a load of 'new Viagra' bollocks. But I also got offers of a night in a posh hotel, some free undies, lots of condoms, numerous videos and some random cool sex related things.
Best of all, I got to find out about a new procedure. Which I will *so* not be having:
"One of our clients is a French doctor and plastic surgeon, who has an
amazing new procedure: It involves injecting collagen into the G-spot
to increase its surface area, thereby improving the occurrence and
intensity of orgasms. It is a very quick and easy procedure that can
be carried out at the [blah blah blah] clinic in [blah]. It has
been brought over from Paris where it is all the rage. If you would like
any other details, please get in touch."
Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.
Great story though.
Posted by emilyd at February 06, 2003 01:25 AM