Wal-Mart Enlists Bloggers in P.R. Campaign
Brian Pickrell, a blogger, recently posted a note on his Web site attacking state legislation that would force Wal-Mart Stores to spend more on employee health insurance. "All across the country, newspaper editorial boards - no great friends of business - are ripping the bills," he wrote. It was the kind of pro-Wal-Mart comment the giant retailer might write itself. And, in fact, it did. Several sentences in Mr. Pickrell's Jan. 20 posting - and others from different days - are identical to those written by an employee at one of Wal-Mart's public relations firms. But the strategy raises questions about what bloggers, who pride themselves on independence, should disclose to readers. Wal-Mart, the nation's largest private employer, has been forthright with bloggers about the origins of its communications, and the company and its public relations firm, Edelman, say they do not compensate the bloggers. But some bloggers have posted information from Wal-Mart, at times word for word, without revealing where it came from. What is different about Wal-Mart's approach to blogging compared to other companies is that rather than promoting a product - something it excels at, given its $300 billion in annual sales - it is trying to improve its battered image. 3-08 |
Under
assault as never before, Wal-Mart is working directly with bloggers,
feeding them exclusive nuggets of news, suggesting topics for postings
and even inviting them to visit its corporate headquarters.