Turns out that GM realized it made a mistake in telling dealers and others to stop using Chevy instead of Chevrolet.
After all, GM uses Chevy on its website.
Check out "Backtracking, G.M. Says Please, Call It a Chevy" for more details.
Meanwhile, in another case of corporate reputation management, BP has asked the Twitter feed BPGlobalPR to "clarify that it was not an official outlet for BP news," according to a PC World article, "BP Tries to Distance Itself From Twitter Parody."
BPGlobalPR complied with BP's request.
But in so doing, demonstrated the reason PR functions must be careful in how they handle parodists and others. Here's BPGlobalPR's new description of itself: "We are not associated with Beyond Petroleum, the company that has been destroying the Gulf of Mexico for 51 days."
Showing posts with label corporate reputation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label corporate reputation. Show all posts
Friday, June 11, 2010
Branding & Nicknames
Corporate reputations are important to establish and maintain. And it can be a real challenge in the age of social media, when people can support or undermine your brand very easily.
Case in point: the Twitter feeds BPCares and BPGlobalPR, which have a combined 155,000 followers. Neither is connected to BP, as most of those following realize.
Usually, when a company changes its name -- like AIG (now Chartis) or Philip Morris (Altria Group) -- it's to get past an embarrassing incident.
But the New York Times reported that Chevrolet is asking dealers and others who work or partner with the brand to stop calling it "Chevy." The reason: lack of consistency hurts branding, according to Chevrolet executives.
Like that's the real problem with the auto business.
The memo even cites Coke -- um, Coca-Cola -- as an example of consistency (forgetting that Coke is a nickname).
I think they're mistaken. Check out the Times article: "Saving Chevrolet Means Sending ‘Chevy’ to Dump," and let me know if you agree or disagree.
Case in point: the Twitter feeds BPCares and BPGlobalPR, which have a combined 155,000 followers. Neither is connected to BP, as most of those following realize.
Usually, when a company changes its name -- like AIG (now Chartis) or Philip Morris (Altria Group) -- it's to get past an embarrassing incident.
But the New York Times reported that Chevrolet is asking dealers and others who work or partner with the brand to stop calling it "Chevy." The reason: lack of consistency hurts branding, according to Chevrolet executives.
Like that's the real problem with the auto business.
The memo even cites Coke -- um, Coca-Cola -- as an example of consistency (forgetting that Coke is a nickname).
I think they're mistaken. Check out the Times article: "Saving Chevrolet Means Sending ‘Chevy’ to Dump," and let me know if you agree or disagree.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
WSJ Article on Online Corp. Reputation
Online corporate reputation management is going to continue to be an issue for companies, given the proliferation of blogs, micro-blogs like Twitter, etc.
The Wall St. Journal ran an article about an oldie-but-goodie: the "gripe site" run by disgruntled former employees and customers.
Check out: "How to Handle 'IHateYourCompany.com': Some Firms Buy Up Negative Domain Names To Avert 'Gripe Sites.'"
Basically, according to the out-quote in the print edition: "Companies should use these sites as a vehicle to solicit feedback."
For example, visitors to Loewsucks.com and Southwestsucks.com get a guest-satisfaction survey and the customer-service page, respectively, to register complaints.
The article notes that Dell does not own many gripe-site names. The reason, as readers of this blog know, is that Dell has found it more effective to conduct a thorough outreach program to identify and work with bloggers and others who complain about Dell. That program seems to be extremely successful.
The Wall St. Journal ran an article about an oldie-but-goodie: the "gripe site" run by disgruntled former employees and customers.
Check out: "How to Handle 'IHateYourCompany.com': Some Firms Buy Up Negative Domain Names To Avert 'Gripe Sites.'"
Basically, according to the out-quote in the print edition: "Companies should use these sites as a vehicle to solicit feedback."
For example, visitors to Loewsucks.com and Southwestsucks.com get a guest-satisfaction survey and the customer-service page, respectively, to register complaints.
The article notes that Dell does not own many gripe-site names. The reason, as readers of this blog know, is that Dell has found it more effective to conduct a thorough outreach program to identify and work with bloggers and others who complain about Dell. That program seems to be extremely successful.
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