All Online Publicity Is Good Publicity?
This week, California GOP Senate hopeful Carly Fiorina launched an odd campaign Web site that grabbed headlines, but left many doubting her appeal.
The site, www.CarlyForCalifornia.com, was obviously conceived as an attention-getting teaser. Featuring no information about the candidate herself, the site begins with an animated sequence that compares her and her opponent to day vs. night, dogs vs. cats and just plain old good vs. bad. The site then settles on the uber-cheesy slogan, Carlyfornia Dreamin’.
The site has been successful in that it has created plenty of commotion, but at what price? Republicans and Democrats alike refer to the site as a joke, and The Huffington Post reporter Jason Linkins calls the site the worst political Web site ever.
There is a lesson here for professional communicators. When hustling to compete for attention, some not-so-great ideas can seem brilliant just for the “headline” potential. But never forget that headlines fade and reputation still matters. Negative publicity can last a lifetime, especially if it’s not handled correctly. Think Chris Brown and Michael Richards.
In the end, Ms. Fiorina is indeed getting the attention she was looking for. Hey, we’re blogging about it! The question is, will it have a lasting positive or negative effect?
