Comments on: One of History’s Worst PR Disasters

By: What were they thinking!? | Search Engine Optimization Blog - Internet Marketing Blog

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:08:45 +0000

[...] as a slap in the face to Americans who are already angry about footing the bill for automakers. Patrick Di Chiro at Idea Driven Marketing summed it up best, “They have so misjudged the mood of the country and bungled the essential [...]

By: Michael Kaleikini

Michael Kaleikini — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:15:55 +0000

Well, they did it anyway, and GOT THE AID they wanted.

If you want good PR, don’t send the “fat boys”, send the “skinny little scraggly guys” that look like they need the ehlp…heck even hire actors to at least look like they could use the help….

If you’re going to send the “wrong message” at least make it so that when you’re seen that you have some kind of credibility with the visual you put out there. I mean really, Wouldn’t it have been smarter to have the presidents that look stressed out about things go instead of these well fed over priced CEOs come in a arrogantly say, “We need your help so we can keep eating!”?

Bottom line, they still got the bail out…think someone got a bit of extra kick? I’ll bet someone was gettin a little bonus for his help..

In-bred? they epitomize the term we have all come to endearingly know as “RED NECKS”. They had to go and look somewhat strong as a front to show the public they would be ok…If that was the case, they wouldn’t have needed the bail out. But they got it.

By: Patrick Di Chiro

Patrick Di Chiro — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:30:46 +0000

Thanks, Mike! I appreciate your comment. That is a pretty devastating view of the US auto companies. It really is sad to see how far they have fallen. A forced bankruptcy is probably the only way to change them at this point. They are too in-bred to make the changes that really need to happen to reinvent themselves.

Best,

PDC

By: mike long

mike long — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:45:53 +0000

re: they just donâ€™t get it anymore

They never did get it. I took the buyout from Ford because I realized that no matter what i did to try and make things work, someone above me would stop it in its tracks because i wasn’t an engineer, logistics person, whatever.

After an engine had fallen off a rack from a height of at least 12 feet, my bosses debated for 4 hours whether to install into a pickup truck. That was the last straw for me. The companies need to die. I will lose 18 years worth of future pension benefits when they do.

btw I’ll have dual bachelors degrees in marketing and healthcare administration by March…after just a little over 2 years in school. Virtually everyone(hourly) who could have helped saved these companies is already gone.

Michael Long
PR Intern
Creative Communications
Sullivan University System

By: Patrick Di Chiro

Patrick Di Chiro — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:03:33 +0000

Thanks, Greg! Interestingly, I was willing to give these companies the benefit of the doubt before. But after the CEOs demonstrated their unbelievable arrogance and cluelessness on Capitol Hill this week, enough is enough. I have also heard so many people talking about this. The tide has definitely turned for them. They made all the classic PR mistakes along the way, ultimately making their hole even deeper.

Cheers!

PDC

By: Greg Hazley

Greg Hazley — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:05:37 +0000

You are merciless but entirely correct. It seemed like everywhere I went yesterday people were talking about the arrogance of the three auto CEOs. I even overheard a group of teenagers kicking around the subject.

The story is pervasive and you are right that it is a case study for a complete PR disaster.