Great press for CGC . .

[esquirecomics]

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?

 

Without knowing more information about the relationships, at the very least it is an appearance of a conflict of interest or impropriety. I've seen political appointees have to withdraw their nominations, or business execs resign from their positions due to a mere appearance. At the very least there should be more of an independent separation between the two companies. It is not the "financial interest" of the PR person that is the issue, it is the relationship she has with her husband and his business, which also has a relationship with CGC.

 

Again, as with many of the issues that become fodder for discusion on these boards, it is a question of maintaining a certain reputation. One would think that CGC would not want to do anything that could potentially damage its reputation or raise a question concerning its integrity, but obviously it is free to make whatever business choices it wishes. And we, its customer base, can infer whatever we want and act accordingly.

[FFB]

So does this mean that Dawn does CGC's PR?

 

Someone remind me how many new books a month CGC pre-screens/grades for her husband's store ...?

 

 

Yes, Dawn handles PR for CGC. She seems like a very nice sort and is married to a comic book dealer, so you have to have a little sympathy. She attended San Diego Con last year on CGC's behalf, and is going to WizardWorld in LA under the same auspices.

 

As to how many new books her husband submits each month, I have no real idea, but they're pretty much all moderns, so it's probably in the hundreds at least.

 

I met Dawn and Steve at the WonderCon forum dinner. They are both really cool folks.

[FFB]

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...

 

Since when does a PR professional need to be a detached, neutral third party? PR is not about neutrality. It is about marketing your product.

[FFB]

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?

 

Without knowing more information about the relationships, at the very least it is an appearance of a conflict of interest or impropriety. I've seen political appointees have to withdraw their nominations, or business execs resign from their positions due to a mere appearance. At the very least there should be more of an independent separation between the two companies. It is not the "financial interest" of the PR person that is the issue, it is the relationship she has with her husband and his business, which also has a relationship with CGC.

 

Again, as with many of the issues that become fodder for discusion on these boards, it is a question of maintaining a certain reputation. One would think that CGC would not want to do anything that could potentially damage its reputation or raise a question concerning its integrity, but obviously it is free to make whatever business choices it wishes. And we, its customer base, can infer whatever we want and act accordingly.

 

I could not disagree more. Plenty of companies do their own PR in house. You don't get more "connected" than that. I don't care if the PR person is Steve's daughter. It doesn't make any difference. It is a PR piece announcing on-site grading, with Steve making claims about the good that CGC does for the hobby. No one is going to mistake it for unbiased journalism, but as Donut pointed out, no one ever looks at company press releases on Business Wire that way anyway. That's what Business Wire is for -- for companies to release positive PR about themselves. It is unfair and unrealistic to equate political ethics with PR ethics. Every time I've seen an entity like Reuters pick up a story that was released on Business Wire, the story has been rewritten by the news entity anyway.

[garthgantu]

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

 

Uh, you talkin' tuh me?

[shadroch]

If I was hiring a PR person for my business,I'd certainly want one that was 'in the know' about my type of business.I don't think there are all that many comic-related PR firms out there,so where would I turn?

I wouldn't be looking for a person with a neutral stance,I'd want an advocate.It seems to me hiring someone with a direct tie is a pretty good idea. Her husband sells the product,hence-good PR means more sales,better income.

I don't think I'd let her advertise her hubbys business on my dime,though.

[Illiterati-migration]

Great point, FD, and one I was about to make myself.

 

Marketwatch.com, while certainly a 'news outlet' and a relatively prominent one on the Web, will post just about any press release in its entirety. That doesn't make it news.

 

I also like Jbud's point about how CT and trimming may decrease in frequency due to the easier, safer "improvement options" available to people - namely, clean and press.

 

Now here's where things get a little strange. I went and looked at the "PR contact" at the bottom of the press release. It's someone named Dawn Mortensen, of Dawn Mortensen PR. Okay so far. But when I try to direct my browser to www.dawnmortensen.com (using the domain from Dawn's email address), it redirects me here

 

What does "Colossus Comics" have to do with this announcement? Who is Dawn Mortensen? Dawn is a PR consultant in the SF Bay Area, and the wife of Steve Mortensen, who owns Colossus Comics. Dawn and Steve own the domain "dawnmortensen.com" and figured, why not put a redirect on that so anyone heading to that URL will go straight to the Colossus Comics offerings on eBay?

 

Golly, Garth, isn't Colossus Comics offering a "guaranteed 9.8 submission" for modern books down in the marketplace right at this very moment?

[garthgantu]

Since when does a PR professional need to be a detached, neutral third party? PR is not about neutrality. It is about marketing your product.

 

See, this is what makes PR frustrating sometimes. Everyone thinks they understand PR. I mean everyone. Ask the product manager, the CEO, the janitor, the chef in the company cafeteria, and they'll all say "oh, yeah, I know how to do PR." I'm sure there's a bit of this in the legal profession as well, but not nearly to the same extent. (People do their own PR - poorly - all the time; people serve as their own lawyers far less frequently.)

 

I'm not saying that Dawn needs to be a detached, neutral third party - but it would be wise to act like one. It only undermines her credibility if a journalist considering doing a story based on the press release tries to reach Dawn's website and finds him/herself looking at a list of CGCed books for sale on eBay. It's confusing at the least, and offputting or even suspicious at worst.

 

Look, there are plenty of other aspects to CGC's business that are worth greater - and more passionate - debate. This one's a blip on the radar.

 

I found it interesting mostly in the context of past CGC PR/Marketing gaffs than as the launching pad for some new conspiracy theory.

[DawgPhan]

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.

 

That there is basically a link to someone selling cgc comics at the bottom of that press release...not really a great idea in my book...also a PR person should be able to look at your firm objectively which I doubt that this person can do given her current situation.

[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...

 

Since when does a PR professional need to be a detached, neutral third party? PR is not about neutrality. It is about marketing your product.

 

Since just about the start of the PR world....

[DawgPhan]

Some one said it and I dont remember who, but it the real world this might be a hige deal.

[drbanner]

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.

 

That there is basically a link to someone selling cgc comics at the bottom of that press release...not really a great idea in my book...also a PR person should be able to look at your firm objectively which I doubt that this person can do given her current situation.

 

I keep seeing everyone mention a link in this press release, but the only link I see is the one to CGC's website.

 

Don't you guys have more important things to do like wash your hair or sumpin like that? This one takes the cake for unsubstantiated CGC-bashing witch-hunts...

[esquirecomics]

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?

 

Without knowing more information about the relationships, at the very least it is an appearance of a conflict of interest or impropriety. I've seen political appointees have to withdraw their nominations, or business execs resign from their positions due to a mere appearance. At the very least there should be more of an independent separation between the two companies. It is not the "financial interest" of the PR person that is the issue, it is the relationship she has with her husband and his business, which also has a relationship with CGC.

 

Again, as with many of the issues that become fodder for discusion on these boards, it is a question of maintaining a certain reputation. One would think that CGC would not want to do anything that could potentially damage its reputation or raise a question concerning its integrity, but obviously it is free to make whatever business choices it wishes. And we, its customer base, can infer whatever we want and act accordingly.

 

I could not disagree more. Plenty of companies do their own PR in house. You don't get more "connected" than that. I don't care if the PR person is Steve's daughter. It doesn't make any difference. It is a PR piece announcing on-site grading, with Steve making claims about the good that CGC does for the hobby. No one is going to mistake it for unbiased journalism, but as Donut pointed out, no one ever looks at company press releases on Business Wire that way anyway. That's what Business Wire is for -- for companies to release positive PR about themselves. It is unfair and unrealistic to equate political ethics with PR ethics. Every time I've seen an entity like Reuters pick up a story that was released on Business Wire, the story has been rewritten by the news entity anyway.

 

FFB, it appears you misunderstood the context of my comments. I am not questioning the bias of the press release or the PR consultant. Of course the information is "biased", that is what a press release is all about. It is an advocacy statement. PR consultants and firms are hired to advocate a particular position or steer the discussion in a specific direction. Moreover, in response to another posting, the PR person need not have any expertise in the specific subject matter. It certainly helps, but, in fact, most never have any prior knowledge whatsoever of the subject matter. But a true PR expert doesn't need any to be successful at their job.

 

The potential conflict is between the relationship of the two companies with the PR spouse right in between the middle. The appearance given is that there exists a special relationship connection between the two, and this could reasonably raise certain questions and inferences. For example, CC is in the business of ensuring certain grades are obtained from CGC. There clearly exists a business relationship between CC and CGC, just like there does between many other comic companies and CGC. But the PR prouncement creates an inference of a different relationship, one where there could be direct links between the companies that could alter how the normal business relationship is managed.

 

I am not at all suggesting, intimating or accussing either CC or CGC that any impropriety exists. I have absolutely no idea. And many of you may not view the triangular connection through the PR spouse as disconcerting in the slightest. Still, that is not the issue. The issue is one of appearance and whether the relationship (and even apparent promotional connection) may lead to a distortion of the truth through the perception of the community, which would potentially be adverse to both CGC and CC.

 

That is a perception that any company would be ill-advised to avoid.

[Aman619]

holy moly.... What an interesting thread. heres my take...

 

It all boils down yo innocent naive business choices. Steve B does business with Steve M. Steve B meets Steve M's wife Dawn. CGC needs a PR person. Steve B likes and hires Dawn to do a job that needs doing. So far so good. Thats how all of us get work, or find vendors, from personal contacts.

 

But, think of how you first took the info that CGCs PR person just happenned to be the wife of one of their biggest clients? Sounded a bit cozy to me, a little disappointing that it had connotations beyond just a business hiring. And followed by the revelation that Dawns link leads to her husbands comics auctions wasnt cool. Surely another careless goof, not intended to be misread, just another way to drive traffic to the auctions. But its a conflict of interest to her client CGC... that she obviously did on her own with no permission or direction from CGC.

 

In the real world, with a Fortune 500 company in a situation like this, CGC would have to severe their relations with her, and find a new publicist to avoid misunderstandings. Or force her to resign if she hadnt done so already. But of course we are far from Wall St here in the comics biz, so a simple request from CGC to Dawn to kindly redirect all future links to CGC or Mortenson PR, NOT Colossus Comics endeavors should suffice.

 

I dont see any great (or small) conspiracy or underhandedness by CGC here, or by Dawn or Steve M... Just amateur hour business "exposed" that can be simply corrected. No harm No foul. CGC should in the future try harder to think ahead and take these things more seriously (as silly as they appear beforehand) as their business rests squarely on their reputation. ANY thing that even appears suspect can not help their bottom line. CGC IS under constant scrutiny. Building good habits now will protect them later when there is some competition to potentially be worried about.

[drbanner]

And followed by the revelation that Dawns link leads to her husbands comics auctions wasnt cool.

 

What link are you referring to, because the only link in the article is to CGC's website?

[FlyingDonut]

And followed by the revelation that Dawns link leads to her husbands comics auctions wasnt cool.

 

What link are you referring to, because the only link in the article is to CGC's website?

 

It has been changed. Yesterday it went to Colossus Comics' eBay sales.

[drbanner]

And followed by the revelation that Dawns link leads to her husbands comics auctions wasnt cool.

 

What link are you referring to, because the only link in the article is to CGC's website?

 

It has been changed. Yesterday it went to Colossus Comics' eBay sales.

 

The "(www.cgccomics.com)" hyperlink went there? No wonder...

[DawgPhan]

I dont think that anything shaddy is going on at CGC and think that this was just another mistake made by them. No harm, no foul. They should be a little more careful in the future. As someone else pointed out...this is strictly amaetur hour...

[FlyingDonut]

I dont think that anything shaddy is going on at CGC and think that this was just another mistake made by them. No harm, no foul. They should be a little more careful in the future. As someone else pointed out...this is strictly amaetur hour...

 

That's exactly my point - CGC shouldn't be amateur hour anymore. Steve, if you're reading this, don't take this the wrong way - I'd like for you guys to succeed and keep growing, and I think you need to revisit your PR efforts.

[Zonker]

And followed by the revelation that Dawns link leads to her husbands comics auctions wasnt cool.

 

What link are you referring to, because the only link in the article is to CGC's website?

 

It has been changed. Yesterday it went to Colossus Comics' eBay sales.

 

Ya sure about that? I just read this thread today, but when Garth said

But when I try to direct my browser to www.dawnmortensen.com (using the domain from Dawn's email address), it redirects me here

I thought it meant he saw her email address dawn@dawnmortensen.com, and went out of his way to investigate where the dawnmortensen.com URL took him.