PR Co-incidence

We have seen lot of strange co-incidences across the world many times. I don’t know how many of us noticed, but there was one such co-incidence this week as well. It was about two big corporate names fighting their PR battle.

First case is of British airways, which is now facing one of the worst PR disasters ever. BA would never have imagined that the much hyped opening of Terminal 5 at Heathrow by the Queen of England herself, would land it in such a trouble. There are reports of heaps of 20,000 backlogs of misplaced luggage. One can only imagine the plight and helplessness of the harried BA customers. The prediction of Martin Broughton, BA Chairman that the new terminal would “put some fun back into flying” came totally true. Who can tell more about it than Naomi Campbell herself? The job of BA CEO Willie Walsh seems to be secure as no one other than harried customers have asked him to be sacked. BA might term it as ‘teething problem’ but it has made a huge dent into image of BA How is British Airways fighting its way back to reputation? It is taking use of its website and put a permanent “We’re Sorry” board to apologise to its customers.

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Internet website is being put to use across the Atlantic as well. Two American corporates are fighting an epic PR battle, which is getting interesting with each passing day. The case is 35 Bn USD contract of US Airforce refueling aircraft. Boeing would never have dreamt that it will lose the contract after already supplying refueling aircraft previously. To add insult to injury, the contract was won by joint group of Northrop Grumman and Europe’s EADS (parent of Airbus). Boeing has appealed against the contract and trying to invoke popular sentiment of job loss to the case. It ran full page advertisement in the major US newspapers about the tanker deal, saying “Why It Doesn’t Add Up”.

Northrop Grumman was fully prepared to return the favour. It didn’t use the newspapers but its website. It put a picture of the deal winner plane with the words “It DOES Add Up” This particular deal is a case study who has even a slightest bit of interest in sales strategy and more has to come.

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Two corporates in the same week fighting their PR battle through their website in the same week. It could not get any more interesting.