Wildly Off Target

If PR is about anything - and, increasingly, it seems unsure what it is about - then, surely, it's about tailoring your information, it's about finding the people who care about the stuff you're trying to punt and developing some sort of relationship with them. Because, otherwise, it's just annoying, pointless, time-wasting spam, isn't it? The following email was received by a reader who writes for a publication about the nuclear industry – "the magazine has ‘Nuclear’ in the title so it’s not hard to work out what it’s about," they explain. So why would anyone send them this tired load of horseshit? Or as our reader has it:

I get a huge amount of e-mails about all sorts of crap, from public school open days to independent financial advisors. Most of them I just delete straight away. The following, however, was so indescribably bad and so utterly off topic I was moved to send it in. I nodded off at ‘Great…’, but managed to rouse myself enough to count two awful clichés in the first paragraph alone. I have no idea what the rest of it says, I didn’t bother reading the majority of his 700+ word introductory e-mail asking me if I wanted to see his feature – which is no doubt as ‘unique’, ‘revolutionary’ and ‘innovative’ as this god-awful email...

From: James
Sent: 02 June 2008 16:23
To: **** *******
Subject: Re: Music Industry All A Big Joke?

Hi there
Great story for you about how though the current state of the music industry may be no joke, but one of Britain's biggest comedy brands are convinced their fresh approach to marketing music will mean they have the last laugh.

New music company DELETED is the latest branch of the DELETED comedy empire. Founded by then drama teacher DELETED in 1983, DELETED has grown to become a British comedy institution with a chain of sixteen comedy clubs throughout the UK and corporate, theatre and television divisions.

The same ethos that has made the company so phenomenally successful in comedy is now being applied to music and the forthcoming album 'DELETED', by hotly tipped new act DELETED, will be the first release by the new label. Out of nowhere their tune 'DELETED' has been B listed for Radio 2 and it looks like being the soulful soundtrack to the summer.

DELETED is the brainchild of talented new singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, DJ, designer and animator DELETED as well as being a great musician, DELETED were determined to find a modern '360 degree artist' who would not in any way rest on their laurels in the pursuit of chart success. For starters DELETED was discovered after playing with DELETED from The DELETED.

Central to the company's music marketing strategy for DELETED, just as it is with comedy performers, is an emphasis on live performance and the company's experience and contacts in this field have proven invaluable. Ahead of the release of 'DELETED,' DELETED have toured extensively with a street team accompanying them on every date of the tour and plastic models, badges, USB wrist bands with info about the band have been distributed to fans as a way of helping to capture data from audiences who attend the gigs.

In an effort to capture the attention of key media figures, a limited number of VIP packs have also been produced. In line with the DELETED brand's sense of fun, this has taken the form of gun-shaped boxes including CD sample, biog and a jack in a box that has been creating a real buzz.

But the fresh approach doesn't end there and OH CHRIST ALRIGHT - WE'VE SUFFERED ENOUGH!

Anyway, I thought this story might make a really interesting feature and I can arrange exclusive interviews with everyone behind the project such as former business woman of the year DELETED, great new band DELETED and everyone behind DELETED.

I'd love to see a feature on this and think there's a lot to say. What are your thoughts?

All the best,

James