Here Come the "Social Media" PR Firms, Yawn

Here they come - the "social media relations" PR agencies. Here's the completely traditional press release announcing Attention PR's “social media relations” agency.(quotes are theirs)

Here's the completely traditional press release from Ogilvy PR's new social media practice, and another from anthonyBarum PR anthonyBarnum PR and so on.

PR firms, which over the past 10 years have repeatedly demonstrated their inability to understand the Internet, long ago ceded control of client websites to legal and sales departments, will now begin to try to control social media.

Hi BL - Just wanted to clarify, the release that you linked to actually announces a new co-head for our social marketing practice, which has been around for more than a decade and is focused on advocacy and nonprofit awareness campaigns. Our social media team is actually called the 360 Digital Influence team and was founded in 2004.

Actually, Ogilvy's announcement is for social marketing, not social media marketing. Looks like they're going to focus on do-good causes, such as disease prevention. I think we've already seen some examples to demonstrate your point, but this is an example of something else.

I think there's room for PR firms to develop social media capabilities—and maybe even practices—if they can escape the need to control the media they use. Certainly, there's a need for someone to help companies figure out the changing environment.

Lord help us.

I've seen a bunch of other firms try getting into the social media game, but the fact still remains they lack the skills necessary for the medium.

Most of the time they hire one person that has somewhat of a clue in one area (blogging) and proclaim themselves a social media agency.

Total joke.

The first question I always ask the posers is if they access to their client's web analytics. Most of the time they have no clue what that would be important.

While I tend to agree that there has been a recent plethora of announcements from PR firms with perhaps questionable social media pedigree, I would politely suggest that, in the case of Ogilvy, you've compared an apple to an orange... Social marketing is not the same as social media... though it could very well apply social media practices.

Well, whoops on the social marketing thing I guess, but to your main point-- I agree. Companies that want to get into social media will have to wade through the ones who are faking it, the ones who are doing it wrong, and the ones whose idea of a blog is to publish a home page trashing all comers and then calling what they are doing a "conversation" despite a complete lack of comment interaction (it boggles the mind but they are out there).

On the other side, companies with no clue wil get led down the wrong path, with horrifying results. If Edleman, a firm that generally gets social media, can birth the Wal-Mart fiascos (excuse me: "kerfuffles"), then imagine the horrors that could await us.

B.L.,

Thanks for the mention, even though you misspelled our name (it’s anthonyBarnum) and lumped us in with those Big Bad PR Firms who haven’t figured out the Internet. Duh.

We understand that social media is about reaching out and making connections, not trying to control the message. So I hope you’ll welcome us into the discussion instead of putting out the No PR Firms Allowed sign. We might just have something positive to contribute to the conversation.

If you’re ever in Austin, the coffee’s on me.

Connie

BL - It looks like YOU have really opened up the floodgates! What wonderful PR your little blog has created! How do they say it, Proof is in the PRudding !?

A nagging question I have is why the "a" in anthonyBarnum is lower case? It really bugs me, and I do not understand the purpose?

Regardless, keep up the great work BL!
You certainly got their attention!
Best Regards, Bob VL

Thanks Bob. Yes, it's a pretty pretentious way to present the name. But then again, it makes you look twice.
BL