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Tue, Dec 06 2011 14:32:56

Bell Pottinger, Uzbekistan and digital public affairs

Today's story in The Independent about Bell Pottinger pitching to the fake Azimov Group to improve the reputation of Uzbekistan has generated extensive coverage across mainstream media and social media, generating so much attention that Bell Pottinger became a trending topic on Twitter.

  1. I saw the first tweet about it, just after nine on Monday night, but my Twitter stream was soon full of tweets and retweets.
  2. david_singleton
    Oops. Trio of Bell Pottinger lobbyists on front page of tomorrow's Indy http://polho.me/tEYlzb via @politicshomeuk
    David Singleton
    Mon, Dec 05 2011 16:06:06
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    0 comments
  3. David Singleton, who was associate editor of PRWeek and is the new editor of Public Affairs News blogged his thoughts as the full story was still emerging (you can't link to specific posts on David's blog).
  4. The Independent's story was backed up by video of the actual pitch meeting.
  5. Never one to miss a good scandal Guido Fawkes (or rather neo-Guido young MrHarryCole was quick to publish Bell Pottinger's actual pitch deck, which revealed to me that The Independent was exactly being fair in its reporting and had laced it with as much spin as you could expect from the worst political spin doctor
  6. I was running a webinar and in phone conferences so didn't post about it until mid-afternoon on Tuesday.
  7. IW_anderson
    RT @stuartbruce: a maelstrom in a teacup? http://sbpr.co/s30jya a perhaps controversial opinion on #publicaffairs #lobbying
    Iain Anderson
    Tue, Dec 06 2011 10:47:17
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    0 comments
  8. CIPR_UK
    #CIPR #Conversation Bell Pottinger Uzbekistan: a maelstrom in a teacup? http://bit.ly/tQVdiW @stuartbruce
    CIPR
    Tue, Dec 06 2011 11:57:50
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  9. Later in the afternoon I had time to start perusing some of the other extensive coverage and commentary.
  10. Rory Cellan-Jones asks if mastering Google's search algorithm and Wikipedia's editing system are essential skills for the modern PR executive or lobbyist.
  11. Vikki Chowney at Econsultancy picked up on the same issue I'd identified, namely how could reputation management and digital experts have fallen for such a crude scam by journalists. Make sure you read the comment by Andrew Smith.
  12. Mark Adams, Head of Public Affairs at Lansons Communications who is running a great defence of the public affairs profession has submitted a complaint to the Public Relations Consultants Association so that the matter can be properly investigated.
  13. The PRCA's chief executive was also quick off the blocks to offer a defence of legitimate lobbying.
  14. PRWeek's Deputy Editor Cathy Bussey has also sprung to the defence of the public affairs and public relations industry.
  15. At least Bell Pottinger is using its digital skills for some good by realising a free online game to raise money for charity, although it's not so smart to just focus on the iPhone and forget the world's fastest growing phone by ignoring Android!

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