Posted on 08/14/2014 1:24:53 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Edeman is usually tapped with helping brands avoid or disentangle themselves from public backlash, but the global PR firm instead found itself in the hot seat this week.
At issue was a blog post from media relations strategy evp Lisa Kovitz, who said the suicide of comedian Robin Williams created a PR opportunity for groups advocating for better treatment of mental illness.
"As we mourn the loss of Robin Williams to depression, we must recognize it as an opportunity to engage in a national conversation," she wrote. "His death yesterday created a carpe diem moment for mental health professionals and those people who have suffered with depression and want to make a point about the condition and the system that treats it."
While she certainly has a point about such a high-profile tragedy bringing mental health and depression into the spotlight, quite a few readers found the post to be in poor taste.
Most of the backlash likely stemmed from Gawker's writeup calling Edelman a "soulless PR conglomerate" using a celebrity's suicide to promote its own expertise.
Asked by Adweek whether she regretted the phrasing or the intent of the blog post, Kovitz directed us to Edelman's tweet of apology this morning:
"We apologize to anyone we offended with our post. We did not intend to capitalize on the passing of a great actor who contributed so much."
— Edelman PR (@EdelmanPR) August 14, 2014
Despite the company's apology, Kovitz said the blog post "will remain live."
(Excerpt) Read more at adweek.com ...
How soon before the studios start a marketing blitz of Robin Williams CDs and DVDs?
It happens often with dead musicians.
I heard that he had worked on four movies which have not yet been released. Assuming his parts were all filmed already, we could see marketing campaigns for the movies based on the fact that we are seeing his final acting performances.
I’d opine that Americans are overly sensitive — but, too many people would be offended.
They did that “final film” marketing campaign with the later movies of Heath Ledger and that guy who died of a heroin overdose (one of his films just came out).
Ya, you mean Philip Seymour Hoffman, the guy who recently had the overdose.
Heath Ledger won an Oscar, after he died, for that Batman movie he was in.
She was right before she was wrong - suicide should not be glorified the way it has been with Mr. Williams. People should be disappointed, his reputation should be tarnished; the time to be sympathetic to his demons was before he died...
Like the Obama administration's statement to "never let a crisis go to waste".
Big media hyping the late Michael Jackson’s new video now too.
I just wish someone in this situation would say: “You all know what I was trying to say. Those of you trying to twist my words and act all offended can just kiss may ass!”
an opportunity to engage in a national conversation
What? We don't talk about depression enough? Half the ads on TV are for anti-depression drugs. We need to raise awareness. We need national dialog. It's just nonsense words.
From what I’ve seen people were upset that the detective described how Mr. Williams was found. He is trying to explain that it is public info and he had to release it as in all other cases.
I think “national conversation” means treating no person as an individual but instead medicating all children as a precaution.
Didn’t Hoffman do that also?
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