Great press for CGC . .

[Foolkiller]

It's not a tangled web. People just like to talk.

[DawgPhan]

tangled web indeed..

 

I am not sure why this would be a "tangled web".

 

We met Dawn through her husband, she is a PR person, we liked her, She is very professional, and now we pay her to do PR for CGC.

 

 

Let's see...Wife does PR for company that hubbie sells a ton of thier product....Your right...nothing strange here...

 

1000's of PR folks in the world...why pick one who has some finacial interest in comics?

 

I dont think that I would do anything like that if I was running a company...especially one that basically sells impartialness(is that a word and even close to being spelled right?)

 

Well I must admitt that I am surprised to find out that you pay someone to do your PR considering some of your more recent quotes...

[garthgantu]

I wouldn't call it a tangled web, necessarily... but it's a little strange the that the URL associated with the email addy Dawn uses in the press release would in fact redirect people to eBay listings for CGCed comics.

 

I can see the logic from the Mortensen's perspective - why miss out on an opportunity to drive some traffic?

 

But if you step back and consider who is most likely to try to reach Dawn in the context of the announcement in question, the answer is journalists. That's who press releases are really directed to. Some companies would prefer that their press releases never be "translated" by journalists; they'd prefer that their press releases just get posted, as is, in appropriate places around the Web and/or in print (far less likely; most print publications won't 'reprint' a press release verbatim).

 

So one could argue that the most likely scenario is journalists trying to visit Dawn's website (rather than just calling or emailing her via the contact info included in the release) will end up at Colossus Comic's eBay store/pages. This in turn might prompt some journalists to assume that Colossus Comics is in some way affiliated with, or representing, CGC.

 

A long and roundabout thought process, to be sure, but once you've met enough journalists, you realize some of them do think this way.

 

To be fair, it's not as though Dawn posted her hubby's website URL at the bottom of the release. But it would probably be prudent to have the domain "dawnmortensen.com" direct people to CGC's site while Dawn is repping CGC. That's my take.

[Red Hook]

[Foolkiller]

Now guys, I don't want to seem like I'm just being a CGC cheerleader, but honestly, is this REALLY that big of a deal... TO ANYONE? Cause honestly, I see it as much ado about nothing.

[Rocketeer]

...I heard that the PR person that wrote the article once bought a Hulk #181 CGC 7.5 from Heritage and had it re-submitted and it got a 9.4 with a double cover,....I'm not sure what all that means,...but it somehow seems all eerily connected........

[jbud73]

As a lawyer I thought you'd be eating this up. I think that Garth, who knows a whole lot more about PR and journalism is indicating not so much conflict of interest - though I think a case could be made for that. In so much as he's saying the web links don't make sense from a Marketing, or journalistic standpoint. The press release should be targeted to news services and or journalists if it is to be effective and reach a larger targeted audience. Directing them to Collosus comics Ebay auctions is a tad confusing and unecessarily muddles the process.

[BassGMan]

Now guys, I don't want to seem like I'm just being a CGC cheerleader, but honestly, is this REALLY that big of a deal... TO ANYONE? Cause honestly, I see it as much ado about nothing.

 

 

Very true. But do not forget where you are. This is the CGC Forum where the comic book detectives come to play and practice their techniques. NOT that THAT is a bad thing mind you, but it does mean that, as you said, it is often much ado about nothing.

[shadroch]

I blame the NHL players. If not for that damn strike,we'd have somethin' to talk about.

Having a PR person who knows something about comics? The nerve.Whats next?

[BassGMan]

As a lawyer I thought you'd be eating this up. I think that Garth, who knows a whole lot more about PR and journalism is indicating not so much conflict of interest - though I think a case could be made for that. In so much as he's saying the web links don't make sense from a Marketing, or journalistic standpoint. The press release should be targeted to news services and or journalists if it is to be effective and reach a larger targeted audience. Directing them to Collosus comics Ebay auctions is a tad confusing and unecessarily muddles the process.

 

Jason, while I agree with you and Garth, why is it that so many people here want to be some kind of business advisor to Steve and CGC? I realize that companies like feedback, but around here it seems like we nitpick every little thing that Steve and CGC does to the point of being neurotic about the whole thing.

[FlyingDonut]

Now guys, I don't want to seem like I'm just being a CGC cheerleader, but honestly, is this REALLY that big of a deal... TO ANYONE? Cause honestly, I see it as much ado about nothing.

 

Actually, yes it is. If you want journalists to take you seriously, you can't be directing them to a third party that sells your product. I've been out of PR for a couple of years, but this just doesn't pass the smell test, I'm sorry, it doesn't. Dawn Mortenson can be the best PR person in the world, but when the link she has posted goes from the press release to her husband's site? That's bad.

[jbud73]

As a lawyer I thought you'd be eating this up. I think that Garth, who knows a whole lot more about PR and journalism is indicating not so much conflict of interest - though I think a case could be made for that. In so much as he's saying the web links don't make sense from a Marketing, or journalistic standpoint. The press release should be targeted to news services and or journalists if it is to be effective and reach a larger targeted audience. Directing them to Collosus comics Ebay auctions is a tad confusing and unecessarily muddles the process.

 

Jason, while I agree with you are Garth, why is it that so many people here want to be some kind of business advisor to Steve and CGC? I realize that companies like feedback, but around here it seems like we nitpick every little thing that Steve and CGC does to the point of being neurotic about the whole thing.

 

The core of CGC's business is based in INTEGRITY - IMPARTIALITY AND TRANSPARENCY, without that they are toast. If anything they should be more paranoid about assertions of impropriety, not the other way around.

[Foolkiller]

Honestly, I just don't think it matters all that much. I think it's poor form to direct to ebay auctions, but really, what is the reason any of us should really give two s--ts about this issue is beyond me. I totally support pointing out slab damage and auctions that might defraud someone on ebay, but a link... some supposed connections that turn into something "fishy" about CGC, I just don't see it.

 

 

As a lawyer I thought you'd be eating this up. I think that Garth, who knows a whole lot more about PR and journalism is indicating not so much conflict of interest - though I think a case could be made for that. In so much as he's saying the web links don't make sense from a Marketing, or journalistic standpoint. The press release should be targeted to news services and or journalists if it is to be effective and reach a larger targeted audience. Directing them to Collosus comics Ebay auctions is a tad confusing and unecessarily muddles the process.

[BradleyX2]

Let's see...Wife does PR for company that hubbie sells a ton of thier product....Your right...nothing strange here...

 

1000's of PR folks in the world...why pick one who has some financial interest in comics?

 

 

Is that really a conflict of interest?

 

If I start a business and hire Joe Blow to be my PR guy, wouldn't he automatically have a "financial interest" in whatever my business sells?

[jbud73]

Honestly, I just don't think it matters all that much. I think it's poor form to direct to ebay auctions, but really, what is the reason any of us should really give two s--ts about this issue is beyond me. I totally support pointing out slab damage and auctions that might defraud someone on ebay, but a link... some supposed connections that turn into something "fishy" about CGC, I just don't see it.

 

 

As a lawyer I thought you'd be eating this up. I think that Garth, who knows a whole lot more about PR and journalism is indicating not so much conflict of interest - though I think a case could be made for that. In so much as he's saying the web links don't make sense from a Marketing, or journalistic standpoint. The press release should be targeted to news services and or journalists if it is to be effective and reach a larger targeted audience. Directing them to Collosus comics Ebay auctions is a tad confusing and unecessarily muddles the process.

 

And I'm not saying that the linkage = that the assertion is actually occuring, I'm just saying why even make it an issue, it just seems like a failure to understand or dismiss the nature of their business like I indicated in my response to Sid - I guess I have worked in the Political theatre for too long, but where there's smoke there's fire counsellor - I'm sure you've come across that sentiment before.

 

So I'm a journalist and don't know Stevie B and the boys personally, but I follow the links and they leasd me to ask about the relationship to Collosus Comics, is a few hits on his Ebay site really worth the potential damage to my credibility I would think NOT. As a former government policy analyst / spin doctor I'm just over that one. Put it this way, the PR department would be toast for a move like that at many of my previous jobs.

 

Oh Sid almost forgot Sell me some BA Horror you hoarder

[Foolkiller]

I'm not saying it's not a legitimate point your making jbud. It is, I'm just not sure why it's really a big deal. I read Donut's post above, and I agree with the problems you're all pointing out, but other than being a bad idea, and the perceived loss of objectivitiy, I honestly don't think there's a reason to make a huge deal out of it.

[jbud73]

Let's see...Wife does PR for company that hubbie sells a ton of thier product....Your right...nothing strange here...

 

1000's of PR folks in the world...why pick one who has some financial interest in comics?

 

 

Is that really a conflict of interest?

 

If I start a business and hire Joe Blow to be my PR guy, wouldn't he automatically have a "financial interest" in whatever my business sells?

 

Again sure hire who you want, with the understanding that there are positives and negatives to each hire. But to set up the links like that to include references to Collosus Comics Ebay auctions in your "We are the defenders of impartiality in the Comic Business" talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

 

I mean Garth isn't the swiftest of Cats at the best of times and he picked that out no problem.

[supapimp]

WIZARD FIRST!!!!!

[jbud73]

I just read donuts post, 100% agree with him. Its just bad professional conduct plain and simple. It just begs the question, if CGC will allow Collosus free publicity / exposure through its press release what else are they willing to do for him.. You just don't want to entertain those questions. CGC does a lot to ensure integrity and impartiality in their quality control and other processes - they need to realize that in their chosen business that sentiment has to extend EVERYWHERE. They dropped the ball on this one, or someone dropped it for them.

[garthgantu]

Is that really a conflict of interest?

 

If I start a business and hire Joe Blow to be my PR guy, wouldn't he automatically have a "financial interest" in whatever my business sells?

 

Let me first say that I never used the term "conflict of interest" in this instance, and I'm not saying that's what we're dealing with here. It may simply be the perception of a conflict of interest.

 

As for your other question, no, normally a PR agency or consultant doesn't really have a 'financial interest' in his/her/its clients. In the sense that they want them to stay in business and be able to pay their bills, sure, they have an interest in seeing that happen. But it's not usually the case that the PR agency/consultant is for example, operating a side business selling peripherals that work specifically with the products made by that agency's/consultant's client.

 

On the other hand, I would generally advocate hiring a PR rep who has some reasonable grounding or interest in the subject that is the focus of your business. So you wouldn't for instance go out and hire a PR pro who only focuses on the hospitality industry to rep your new laptop computer. (It happens, but rarely with positive results.) Hiring a PR pro who has some grasp of CGC's business makes sense - but hiring one whose husband is potentially in a position to reap some of the rewards/benefits of those PR efforts is a little foolhardy, IMO. If/when a journalist responds to the press release and asks Dawn "so, can you provide me with a contact at CGC with whom I can speak, as well as a couple of collectors or dealers who know/understand CGC's services," who do you think she'll offer up? It's got to be awfully tempting to say, "well, my husband runs an online comic store that sells a lot of CGCed comic books."

 

As I said earlier, Dawn seems like a very nice, ethical and honest person from the ten minutes we spent on the phone. She and I even worked at the same Silicon Valley PR agency, though our tenures there did not overlap. I'm not suggesting Dawn would 'abuse' the position she's in to somehow benefit her husband. But it still seems a tad odd at the very least. I'm sure most journalists wouldn't even care - this is comic books, after all. If we were talking about a similar arrangement in the defense industry or securities industry, this would make a fascinating little story for the Wall Street Journal.