Like most children growing up, I was obsessed with Disney. Most of my life lessons I learned from Disney movies. I could attribute my dislike of fruits and vegetables to the indisputable fact that Snow White was poisoned with an apple. I knew that the ocean was filled with beautiful mermaids having daily adventures with their marine companions. But one of the most valuable pieces of information I ever learned from a Disney character was from Bambi’s Thumper:
“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”
It’s simple really; it’s all about learning when to keep your mouth shut.
This advice holds especially true in the PR industry. Peter Shankman tells the infamous story of how Mr. Andrews, an employee for Ketchum who was giving a presentation to the Employee Communications department for FedEx, made a comment on Twitter that many of his business partners regarded as insulting. Mr. Andrews received the double humiliation of being sent the rebuking letter and having the management of both Ketchum and FedEx be informed of his thoughtless remark, which more than likely cost him his job. And now, he’s being blogged about.
Social media has allowed the public relations industry to explode. It has long been known that if you don’t want something read by the wrong people, or even misinterpreted by the right people, you don’t put it on paper. While online social media has created some of the biggest opportunities in the history of PR, it also creates potential liabilities. Anything posted on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, or a personal blog can be accessed by millions, and then spread to a million more. In this instance, one thoughtless comment on Twitter, which was probably intended just for Mr. Andrews’ friends and was meant to be entertaining, cost him his job while he was publicly humiliated. How public? I have had multiple professors use this story as a warning for students just starting out on Twitter, and undoubtedly others are doing the same.
And just as a refresher, here are a few tips that even veteran internet users can live by:
1: Nothing on the internet is private. We’ve all heard it, it’s just a matter of having that knowledge truly ingrained. Anything on the internet can be accessed and read, regardless of how “secured” or private you think it is.
2: A lot of people are on the internet. A recent study found that over half of every age group of Americans younger than 70 is on the internet, and that more than 80% of most age groups are surfing the web. It goes without saying what an astronomically huge number that is. This means that people need to seriously consider how many people with different perspectives, opinions, and levels of influence can access the information before posting anything online.
3: Social media is exactly what it calls itself: it’s people talking. Twitter even attracts new members by telling them to “Join the Conversation!” This means that posting anything online is like clicking the “Reply All” button that we all fear accidentally pressing.
4: Proofread. People notice typos. In one extreme instance, police made a typo when entering the license plate of a wanted criminal. As a result, a man is in the hospital with a bullet in his liver. Typos seriously undermine the credibility of what you’re trying to say, and a thoughtless typo can be almost as detrimental as a thoughtless comment.
5: Humor is notoriously difficult to convey in writing. Not everyone is born a Douglas Adams or a David Sedaris. Unlike speaking to another person, writing has no voice inflection to indicate sarcasm, facetiousness, or any other humor mechanism. Mr. Andrews attempts at humor were clearly not well received, and his is not the only instance of this happening. If you have an innate knack for writing humor, go for it. Otherwise, it’s not worth the potential backlash.
And finally, to bring this post full circle: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Thank you, Thumper!
