When PR Needs PR: Duke Nukem Forever’s Epic PR #FAIL
After the reviews poured in, Redner threatened to ‘review’ (translation = blacklist) members of the press who posted poor reviews of Nukem. Needless to say, the press didn’t take the threats lightly, expressing their candid opinions via Twitter and various blogs.
Fail #1 – Retaliating
PR blacklists are never threatened publicly. They do exist (with some firms, though we don’t see any use in them). Press have the right to call out a PR person’s lack of judgement.
In fact, media outlets occasionally blacklist publishers and PR firms. The media outlet holds the bargaining chip. If you want exposure, you need (and should appreciate) their attention. The journalists control the outcome of reviews, we accept ‘em even if they hit us hard.
When it’s on, it’s on. As soon as Redner opened the floodgates by criticizing the press, the press were free to return fire. In a battle of PR vs. press, the press always wins. So, the inevitable public apology ensued. The Redner Group formally apologized, and 2K Games stated that the firm had been indefinitely dropped as representatives of 2K.
Fail #2 – Taking it personally.
As PR professionals, letting your frustrations and emotions pass through is setting yourself up for failure. All actions have consequences and reviews are never ever supposed to be taken personally. Reviews are meant to consist of opinions and legitimate facts regarding your product. The media and PR professionals have a delicate relationship. As PR professionals, it’s our job to create product buzz and inform the press of newsworthy stories. The press strive for readership and often rely on PR professionals to help them stay ‘in the loop’ on major news. Let’s admit it, we can’t survive without each other. Redner should have never lashed out.
The Bottom Line:
The Redner Group seriously FAILED on the Duke Nukem PR front. There were several reviews filled to the rim with venom, as The Redner Group claimed. Nevertheless, we’re in the business of lighting controlled fires, not pouring gas on one that’s out of control. In the end, Duke Nukem and the Redner Group tested and failed the old saying ‘there’s no such thing as bad press’.
Have a dying question to ask or a suggestion to get across? By all means, please send your hate mail to: tyler@appular.com. Prefer Twitter? Hit him up at http://twitter.com/honorablesquid.
[Image Source: Ben Kuchera, Ars Technica]
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