Mike Krempasky, a well known blogger on RedState.org, founder of Rathergate.com, and defender of blogging from the tentacles of the FEC, has joined Edelman PR.
Why is that important? He is on the Wal-Mart account:
My work largely focuses on helping companies appropriately shift conversations online, to not only build a better image - but to actually be better online citizens. The first account I’ve had the pleasure to work on is that gigantic little company based in Bentonville, Arkansas. I can’t tell you what an experience it’s been over the past two weeks - watching this corporate giant lead the way in response to Hurricane Katrina and helping to tell that story.Opponents have made sure that it's not hard to find extensive information about Mr. Krempasky.
In completely unrelated news, Reuters notes Wal-Mart has a new "secret spin strategy":
And now, Scott has started to drop hints about a secret spin strategy to counter a union-backed, anti-Wal-Mart media blitz that he says is not going to go away.Why big media needs to be told how Wal-Mart will deal with big media is anybody's guess; you would figure they already know how these things work. Reuters journalists should ask themselves whether Wal-Mart is already spinning!Scott -- who says his job is to defend Wal-Mart's reputation from those who contend the world's No. 1 retailer pays poverty-level wages and drives competitors out of business -- wouldn't divulge details of the new public relations plan, but he has stressed its importance
UPDATE: WMW is "buzzing", wondering about "dirty tricks", etc. They ask, "Do dirty tricks go hand-in-hand with dirty stores," but come out looking pretty dirty themselves. One can ask with equal righteousness, do dirty tricks go hand-in-hand with a smear campaign? Honestly, I cannot see how anybody can get into a PR fight and come out "clean", especially when the battle involves politicians and policy at every level of government. As you can imagine, Wal-Mart Watch is hard at work examining -- utilizing only "clean" methods! -- Mr. Krempasky's history.
Posted by Kevin on September, 15 2005 at 11:39 AM
