I just watched a report on WSB-TV (Atlanta) that has me fired up.  An overweight woman was charged $5.00 extra at a nail salon in Lithonia, Georgia, because she is "fat".  Clear cut case of discrimination in my book.  What is amazing is the salon owner did a TV interview and admits what her salon did.  Her excuse?  The special chairs have a weight limit of 200 pounds and cost $2500 to repair.  Kim Tan doesn't think that's fair.  She went on to say, if she had seen the large woman before the manicure began, she would have turned her away.  The humiliated customer plans a protest outside the salon.

If I were giving Ms. Tan public relations advice, I would tell her to apologize publically and announce a change of salon policy immediately. Some free manicures are also a good idea.  I  have been to many nail salons and have seen large women and some men having treatments. Never seen one break a chair yet.  The salon owner may think this story will just go away.  It won't.  Her TV interview only made things worse.  It would have been a golden opportunity to right a wrong.  She blew it. 

Even the largest corporations can blow it when it comes to PR.  Take Disney for example.  The happiest place on earth apparently isn't into diversity, or at least that is the message coming through the latest media reports.  A Muslim employee at Disneyland, who wants to wear her religious headscarf to work, was told to go home or work "in the back".  The company line?  It's a violation of the costume policy.  Really?  It comes off like a violation of religious freedom.  Are Disney visitors really so disturbed by this headscarf that its wearer must be kept out of sight?  Time to reexamine company policy and send a clear message to the public that diversity is embraced and out in the open.

Target is another biggie with PR problems.  There have been protests at stores across the country following reports Target made a hefty donation to a GOP candidate who opposes Gay marriage.  And now some shareholders are weighing in and demanding the company review its policy on political contributions.  Target has taken some steps to calm the PR storm, including negotiating with a gay and lesbian group.  Still the protests continue.  I counted just 4 protestors at my local Target store and no shortage of shoppers.  With numbers like that, the story may seem small, but the longer this goes unresolved, the bigger it becomes. Corporations are playing Russian roulette when they make direct political contributions. Target would, I believe, score major points with shoppers and shareholders by taking a big step and announcing the end to political contributions.  Probably wishful thinking.   

It appears Jet Blue is making the most of a bad situation. While the debate continues whether stressed out flight attendant, Steven Slater, was justified in his on-board rant and quick exit, the airline has just brought back its popular, "all you can fly" deal.  The timing couldn't be more perfect for a company that wants to move on from the mess and get people talking about what's good about Jet Blue.  As a frequent flyer, I wish good manners would replace bad behavior by passengers and some testy crew members on all flights.  As for Jet Blue, I think it struck the right tone, stressing the safety issue in the Slater incident. The jury is still out on the wisdom of "leaking" an internal memo that questions the validity of Slater's story.  On one hand, once picked up by the media, it creates doubts about Slater.  But, what if a credible passenger or flight attendant steps forward  now and backs up his account?  Jet Blue looks like a bully that doesn't support its employees.  From the moment Slater went down that slide, the airline has been in crisis communication mode.  How do you think the executives handled it? And do you have a crisis communication plan in place to help you through the bad times?

While Slater's days as a flight attendant are likely over, his fifteen minutes of fame aren't over just yet.  He's hired a big name PR agent and if rumors are right, may end up with a reality TV show.  His take this job and shove it sentiment could really resonate with viewers. 

Have they all gone mad?  First, BP's Chairman emerges from a meeting with President Obama and tells the world BP is concerned about "the small people".  Then the company's CEO goes  before a Congressional committee and gives some of the poorest answers imaginable.  Next stop for Tony Hayward...a yacht!  Talk about bad PR.

Now comes General Stanley McChrystal and the piece in "Rolling Stone" that everyone is talking about.  Why his PR team would set this up and why McChrystal would give such access to the media is a real puzzle. The general's media rep has already fallen on his sword and resigned.  And perhaps by days end the General will be asked to do the same.  The general is no stranger to controversy and has survived.  But, so openly criticizing the President and mocking the Vice President during a war, is very bad PR indeed.  If the President let's it slide; he is seen as weak.
If he fires the man in charge of U.S. operations in Afghanistan, does he do harm to the mission?  Pundits are having a field day.  President Obama has been criticized by all sides for not appearing angry enough during his primetime address on the oil disaster.  Maybe it's time for Mr. Niceguy to pull no punches.  We know what Harry Truman would do. 

Media experts know that it's both substance and style that impact your message.  Whether you are the President of the United States, the CEO of a fortune 500 company or a solo-preneur, words matter.  And how you convey your message in the media matters.  Apologies after the fact only go so far to repair your reputation.  

A sharp tongue and a hot microphone is a bad combination for a politician.  Too bad U.S. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina had to learn that lesson the hard way.  Now her trash talk about Barbara Boxer's old fashioned hairstyle is taking her off message and raising old stereotypes about "catty", competitive women.  Fiorina didn't spare her GOP friend and gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman either, questioning Whitman's choice of media interviews. 

Shouldn't someone on Fiorina's team  have helped her out by reminding her she was in a TV studio, wearing a microphone? Before, during and after a broadcast interview, an experienced interviewee will always assume her mic is open.  Fiorina isn't the first politician to get burned and she won't be the last.  But this kind of silliness is a sad way to start off the general election campaign.

Senator Boxer took advantage of this misstep; saying while Fiorina is talking about hair, she is talking about jobs.  Spoken like a media pro.

For more media tips 

As  a media consultant, I offer my clients tips on how to dress for TV appearances.  All white clothing for a TV interview is not good as a rule of thumb.  Fine lines are also out; they often appear "wavy" on camera.  There are many other do's and don'ts.  Too bad Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama wasn't clued in before he appeared in public (cameras rolling) in a terribly dated, multi-colored (ugly) shirt.  Not a crime, but critics pounced on it and the PM's poll numbers even fell.  He's accused of being out of touch with voters. 

Remember when our President was ridiculed for wearing high-wasted jeans as he threw out the first pitch at the All-star game?  Both these world leaders have more to worry about than being fashion-forward.  When you are the one in the spotlight, be sure not to let your appearance distract from your message.  If that means getting advice from a media consultant or an image consultant; consider it money well spent.   

If you have a nice blue blouse (or shirt) in your closet, you won't go wrong wearing it during your next TV interview. 

You can't buy publicity like this.  Lane Bryant accused FOX and ABC of refusing to air its lingerie commercial featuring full-busted women wearing lacy bras.  Unless you never watch TV, you have seen countless Victoria's Secret commercials featuring smaller-sized models wearing racy lingerie.  Were the networks using a double standard when they refused the Lane Bryant ad?  There has been a lot of debate about this weighty issue.  Some say, these ads don't belong in the "family hour".  FOX backed down after LB execs claimed the VS ads aired during the 8pm timeslot.  Over at  ABC, executives apparently feel no lingerie ads should run during their family program, "Dancing With the Stars".  As a fan of the show, I can report the woman appearing on the show wear less than the woman in the commercials. And there's plenty of sexy talk. 

Whether you see the hypocrisy or not, one thing is clear.  Lane Bryant came off a winner.  The commercial got plenty of free coverage in news stories on-line and in traditional media too.  Congrats to the PR rep who capitalized on this. 

One of the first things a media trainer will tell a client; always assume your mic is hot!  Oh, and be sure to take the microphone off when the interview is over.  Maybe someone close to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown should have clued him in.  In the midst of a tough reelection campaign, Brown did the unthinkable today.  He got caught being totally frank about a voter.  After a media photo op with potential voters, Brown jumped into his car and started ranting about an elderly woman; calling her a bigot.  Trouble was, the prime minister forgot to take off his mic and it was still "live".  Later the embarrassing remarks were played  back during a radio appearance by Brown.  With egg on his face, Brown apologized and even went back to the woman's house for another mea culpa.  Now the lady has hired a PR consultant.  Let the games begin.  With the election just a week away, a blunder like this may have real impact on the outcome.

Even professionals can make careless mistakes.  A few years back, a CNN anchor forgot about her mic during a stop in the restroom.  Viewers got some laughs out of restroom talk and the anchor laughed it off too.
But, if I'm sure Brown and his staff aren't laughing about his hot mic experience. 

The next time you do a broadcast interview, think of these two examples.  It should help you remember the golden rule.  Your mic is always hot!

The tragic events at the Upper Big Branch South Mine offer a sobering lesson  in crisis communication for other corporations and their top executives.  Disaster can strike at any time in any industry.  How would your executives respond to the victims' families and to the hordes of media assembled?  Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship is a disaster himself.  Watch Diane Sawyer's interview with him (April 6) and see if you don't agree, he comes off as uncaring, defensive and unprepared for a network interview.  With a disaster of this magnitude, it isn't easy to be the company's face.  But, it comes with the position.  Earlier in the ABC newscast, we saw Blankenship in 2008 trying to avoid the media; holding his hand up to block a camera and offering a threat.  It may not be fair to drag up this old footage, but it is not surprising. 

Today ABC is reporting that Blankenship is suggesting the miners may be to blame for the explosion.  I cannot think of a worse thing to say in the midst of this tragedy.  It's too early to say for sure who/what is responsible.  Blaming the victims is never a good idea.  There are ways for executives to protect the company's position and still show real compassion. 

http://www.womenmediapros.com/Public/Services/CrisisCommunications/index.cfm

 

John Mayer said some really stupid things in his "Playboy" interview and quickly offered an apology that really doesn't do much to repair the damage.  Now he plans to, "...quit the media game".  What?  John, no one put those hurtful words in your mouth.  This is on you.  It might be time for fans, especially us women, to quit John Mayer.  To be sure there are media outlets that love to trash celebrities and politicians---it makes for good ratings.  But, John Mayer makes it so easy.  If he has had media training, it didn't take.  My advice: get training before you say another word to a reporter or just keep your mouth shut. 

Just as Mayer's use of the "N-word" is offensive; so too is the use of the "R-word".  I applaud Sarah Palin for raising this issue when Rahm Emanuel used the word.  But when Palin excused Rush Limbaugh for using the same word, she lost me.  Either the term is offensive or it is not.  I think Palin lost a golden opportunity to educate people on this issue. 

The bottom line; words matter.  This is true in private conversations and when the media spotlight is shining.