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Sunbelt Belts Walmart and Edelman Agency

Oct 20, 2006
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Agencies and their diagrams…sigh.

From my Alex at Sunbelt Software, friend and esteemed competitor.


There’s revelations coming out that mega PR firm Edelman created three “independent” blogs for WalMart (called “flogs”). The first one that was outed was “Wal-Marting Across America”, a travelogue of a couple of RVers that was found out to be paid Edelman staffers. Now, MediaPost reports that two more blogs, PaidCritics and a blog run off of Working Families for Walmart were all manufactured blogs.

As Mya Frazier writes in Ad Age (link here via Walmartwatch), “It’s ironic that Edelman Worldwide helped to write the Word of Mouth Marketing Association’s code of ethics, which states: “Honesty of identity: You never obscure your identity.”

Oh yeah, that’s ironic. Especially coming from a PR agency.

Edelman got tricky and got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Will this make a difference for WalMart’s brand? Hell no. WalMart is virulently hated by a minority of people, tolerated by a larger group and loved by RVers and shoppers (ostensibly those who are at or below the median income line, where every penny counts).

and more…

Covert control of public opinion has been the hallmark of 20th century PR, and it hasn’t served us well at all. It’s just that now, with the ease of transparency on the Internet, it’s much easier for them get caught. But it’s still there and quite a part of our society. The pharmaceutical industry is built on PR (how many “syndromes” and diseases can you actually make up to sell more drugs?), as are many other industries. How many “thinktanks”, “grass-roots” organizations and “independent studies” are the work of PR agencies?

Read it all here.

About Wayne Porter

Wayne Porter is one of the original founders of ReveNews.com, and served as the CEO and founder of XBlock Systems a specialized research firm on greynets and malware research before being acquired by unified communications security leader, Factime Security Labs. His work includes serving as a panlist at the Federal Trade Commission to shape legislation on software and the creation of two patent-pending technologies for corporate networks. Wayne is a frequent speaker at e-commerce & business events including CJU, ASW and RSA and frequently cited in the press. He has been designated a Microsoft Security MVP three times and is recognized on Google’s Responsible Security Disclosure page- in addition to receiving the first Summit Legend Award. Wayne currently works as a Security Consultant on Social Media and operates a consultancy on digital worlds. His hobbies include reading science fiction, playing chess, fishing, writing, collecting shiny digital gadgets, playing racquetball and studying memetic engineering. He maintains a personal weblog at WaynePorter.com detailing his explorations in security, web 2.0, and virtual worlds.
You can follow Wayne on Twitter: @wporter.

Filed under: Internet Strategy + Online Marketing + Online Publishing + Social Networks & Networking
  • http://www.samharrelson.com Sam Harrelson
  • http://gimps.de Marina making pictures

    I think wallmart should be ashamed by producing fake blogs. Edelman is going to far by making propaganda to a legal standard.

    Thank you for sharing this story with me !