Wal-Mart turns to bloggers to pimp its image
They say no cash changes hands; but, exclusivity,
corporate junkets are OK.
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 had.
Under assault as never before, Wal- Mart is increasingly looking beyond the mainstream media and working directly with bloggers, feeding them exclusive nuggets of news, suggesting topics for postings and even inviting them to visit its corporate headquarters.
But the strategy raises questions about what bloggers, who pride themselves on independence, should disclose to readers. Wal-Mart, the largest private employer in the United States, 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.
Uh-huh.
Posted: Tue - March 7, 2006 at 12:43 PM