So here's a great case study for PR junkies everywhere.
| Some of the students targeted in the university’s ‘prouder than ever’ PR campaign react to news of the drug bust. |
So what do you do?
Well, here's how the university PR department responded. A week after the students were arrested, the department launched a newspaper, television and radio campaign entitled, "We're Prouder than Ever".
Hmmmm....something wrong with the juxtaposition here, wouldn't you say?
News headlines: 75 arrested in San Diego State drug bust
Press release headline: We're prouder than ever.
Is it only us? Does anyone else think this is a very, very stupid way to respond to a serious drug problem on campus?
Of course, no where in the press release is there even the slightest mention of the drug bust.
We're simply told that the campaign will feature celebrities, students and alumni saying how proud they are of the school.
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Comments (3)
Frankly, I think this drug investigation was probably the biggest waste of taxpayer money in the history of San Diego. Wow, college kids smoke trees. What a big surprise.
Posted by Anonymous | May 20, 2008 2:21 PM
Posted on May 20, 2008 14:21
Oh, indeed...this is just asking for the talk show nuts to blast the university with more 'elitist intellectual counterculture' crapola. It should have been postponed until the university dealt with the drug issues.
Posted by Chuck | May 20, 2008 11:08 AM
Posted on May 20, 2008 11:08
This entire campaign could have been saved if it had been more transparent. Why is it so difficult for senior execs to simply admit the problem and address the issue head on?
For example, if the press release had stated the obvious upfront: "We know we have significant drug issues on campus. So does every other university. But this new campaign is designed to highlight all of the good things about our school."
Instead, the release says nothing about the now-infamous arrests, setting up what you called (rightly) the absurdity of the dueling headlines:
Media: "Students busted;" with,
University: "We're prouder than ever.'"
Posted by Mark Ragan | May 18, 2008 12:49 PM
Posted on May 18, 2008 12:49