PR gets nasty

I have just come across this incident from Press Gazette, which although is much longer than my normal posts is almost as entertaining and enlightening.

Enjoy and I will get back to more serious things tomorrow:

This is the compelling tale of a showbiz publicist who created a PR nightmare when she sent an email to the wrong person. Adrienne Merrill at the Borkowski agency had been to a party promoting London's Supper Club dating agency. The next morning, Addi emailed her friend, Supper Club founder Tamsin Lonsdale, and was nasty about the event's PR. But Addi also managed to send the email to Laura Lou. And Laura Lou happens to work for Golden Goose — the firm which did the PR for the Supper Club event.

EMAIL #1 Addi emails Tamsin, but the publicist accidentally copies Laura Lou of Golden Goose, into the message

Dear Tamsin,

We all had such a great time last night, fantastic entertainment & drinks and music by the DJ was brilliant — we all danced until out feet hurt!!! As for the PR from Golden Goose… well — the celebrity attendance was what?? Zero? Oh no, let me think now, oh yes Syed (the one that didn't even come second in what was that show, The Apprentice?) He was there. And journalists, well now, I did have a pretty full house crack team of publicists with me, try as we might to spot one, well I think it was what? Zero? Oh, no, wrong again, Chris Sullivan was there. He did let slip to me though that he only popped in to see Mick (the lovely promoter) and he's not exactly a target writer for the Supper Club.

EMAIL #2 Miki Watson, MD of Golden Goose PR, has been shown Addi's email. She has a few words to say and wants to share them with some influential media figures (10 journalists are on the CC list). Settle back for a masterclass in bitchiness…

Dear Adrienne,

We're delighted that you enjoyed last night's Supper Club party; it was fabulous wasn't it! I'm terribly sorry that you obviously don't know your media well enough to recognise some of the UK's most influential press by face. We were looking after Esther Walker from the Evening Standard, arranging a photograph feature for Karen Stretch at the Mail on Sunday Live magazine, introducing some of our guests to Louise Hannah from the Mail on Sunday, arranging a ‘date' with one of the country's most well known jockeys that is being written about by Katie Hind in the London Lite, and entertaining the GQ editorial team who are writing about Tamsin in November. Oh and Helen Nugent from The Times was having a great time in VIP, along with Georgina Pattinson from BBC.co.uk whom, when she last wrote about an online networking client of us (BeautifulPeople.net), generated 9,000 hits for our client in one day. Pretty good contacts, don't you think? But as you don't know them, we thought we'd introduce you to them on this email; as we always like to help people out in PR here at Golden Goose... it's a pretty sad, bitchy industry when you don't, wouldn't you say? As for Dave Benett... it's a shame he didn't get a lead picture for today's Diary, but Tam — he had a fabulous time and your picture has also made a story in today's thelondonpaper with a great plug for the Supper Club. Zoe Griffin is very kindly posting us a copy for you now. Regarding celebrities... well, I don't recall that the Supper Club was meant to be about celebrities? It's about a calibre of person whom you get to meet at the most brilliant soirée. I think last night ticked every box. I don't know if Borkowski solely regards celebrity attendance or celebrity association as the epitome of a campaign's success; but at Golden Goose PR we look at what we've generated in terms of column inches, brand identity and revenue for our client's business. Daily Candy, OK! mag and London Lite pieces which ran even before the party started yesterday were only the beginning. Anyway, I'm way too busy to write about all the other pieces of editorial we're working on as my phone is going and people are asking for pictures...

I suggest, Adrienne, that you get back to doing your job too. Have a lovely weekend everyone, Miki xxx

EMAIL #3 Golden Goose is gathering supporters. First up, London's Lite's Katie Hind emails Addi (and the same CC bunch)…

I thought that Golden Goose were fantastic last night. They never fail to help me out when I need a favour and this quite often leads to fabulous coverage for their clients. The Supper Club will be no exception. Tamsin and the Golden Goose girls will have a great plug in my dating column on Tuesday. xx

EMAIL #4 Addi is acutely embarrassed. She adopts a strategy not normally known in the PR industry: humility (the usual CC mob are included)

I must stress, Borkowski have nothing to do with Supper Club, never have done, never will do. It was my private client who I worked on BEFORE even joining here! Surely you were aware of that Miki? I see you fantastically out bitched me! A true pro. I have much to learn. Sigh. Thanks for the advice, Adrienne We all make mistakes. Addi xxx