Following is the first paragraph or so of an email pitch I just got from an employee at one of the five largest PR firms in the world. I have liberally edited the email to protect the identity of the client, PR firm and specific person responsible. Changed stuff is in caps.

Hello,

I know that your blog is geared toward technology and general information. However [CAR COMPANY] has a program where they are [DOING GOOD THINGS]. Do you think that your readers would be intrested in learning about the program? If so you can insert the following infomation into a blogg.

What followed was a press release.

I don’t even know where to start.

  • Three typos in one paragraph?
  • Should people who can’t spell “blogg” really be paid to do “bloggger” outreach?
  • Is The Bivings Report really about “general” information? I had no idea. Good to know.
  • How does one “insert” a press release into a “blogg”?

The web is both a huge challenge and opportunity for practitioners of traditional public relations. As Mark Rose writes in this piece, “Big PR agencies are like super tankers; they are set on their course and they take a super effort to navigate a new direction.”

By the time some of these mammoth firms figure things out we’ll have all already moved on to the next thing.

Check out the Bad Pitch Blog for more stuff like this.

About the Author
Todd Zeigler
Todd Zeigler serves as the Brick Factory’s chief strategist and oversees the operations of the firm. In his sixteen year career in digital, he has planned and implemented campaigns for clients including the Pickens Plan, International Youth Foundation, Panthera, Edison Electric Institute, and the American Chemistry Council. Todd develops ambitious online advocacy programs, manages crises, implements online marketing strategies, and develops custom applications and software. He is bad at golf though.