So I’m guessing you blog nerds have probably already heard about the GameSpot incident in which a a reviewer was fired, supposedly for giving a negative review to a sponsor’s game.
In response, Newsweek has a blog post about the relationship between game publishers and what they call the “enthusiast press,” which I’ve called the “Fanarazzi” here– the fans who blog on news and review titles within their favored niche. Like yours truly.
I have heard and experienced tales– and no, I won’t share specifics –of some sneaky attempts by manga and anime publishers in the U.S. attempting to create (or control) buzz about their products, and of course at aO we always had to be rather defensive about our relationship to FUNimation (who never, to my knowledge, really exerted any control over our editorial process). So the whole thing is really pretty interesting to me.
On top of that, ComiPress now reports that Kodansha, one of the biggest manga publishers in Japan, was caught with an employee passing himself off as a college marketing student doing research and trying to get visitor information and statistics from popular blogs. Tsk tsk, slap on the wrist, etc.
The Newsweek article is really interesting, I think– it draws a parallel of video game reporting to rock reporting, where you get to know your niche’s stars and you feel like one of the “cool” kids, so y ou’re more positive and upbeat in your reporting (like in the movie Almost Famous, extensively quoted in the article).
But on the other hand, fans who DON’T feel like they’re part of the “cool club” for whatever reason will absolutely devour a company that uses particularly deceptive tactics in their marketing. So companies run a rather stupid PR risk when they try it, I think.
Companies just aren’t quite sure how to deal with bloggers and the like– usually vocal tastemakers of their niche, a growing voice in news and marketing in general. But since we’re still in essence just fans, we’re completely unpredictable as a group, and there are too many of us to have an individual approach for each.
So, if anyone working in PR in manga or anime (or any industry with a heavy quotient of bloggers) is reading this, here’s my advice: be honest, and be respectful. Don’t suck up, don’t talk down, and don’t lie. That’s all, really. Individual bloggers may or may not like your decisions still, but at least we can respect you back.
(Note: Sorry this isn’t as well put together as I usually like; part of it is because I’m still at work and wrote this up in parts, and part of it is because this mac sucks and displays text boxes weirdly so it’s hard to spot and edit errors. Also, this keyboard sucks. Booo.)
Tags: mainstream-media, PR, rants
December 5th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Gamespot has lost all credibility as a review site and their attempt at damage control was just pathetic. Their little Q&A that they put up is single most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read in my whole life. From now on I think I’ll go to the bloggers when I want a review that hasn’t been bought.
December 5th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Very good write up, Gia. I hadn’t heard about this yet (but then again, I work too damn much). I once saw an article a long time ago about celebrities in commercials, about how some simply did it for the money and some actually liked the products they were trying. Take for instance Bill Cosby and “NEW” Coke. It just about ruined his career with that one, but he later admitted to never even TRYING the new product. Oh well. God Bless the Almighty Dollar.
December 5th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Hey, a real industry rep wouldn’t admit wanting to “eat” Konata, right? :P
*hugs* I’m not a plant. I r a cat! Nyao!
December 5th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
@Kyaa: I would totally work for the company that would hire me as a PR person and let me make gratuitous sexual comments about our products.
December 5th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Why not link to Cashwh0re.com? WHORE