Silence Happens... Temporarily

Minneapolis, Minn.

Week two in my Edelman Me2Revolution journey is well underway. This week I am on the road. I met with some interesting companies that I cannot name and had some fascinating discussions about word of mouth marketing that I can't disclose either.

"Wait, Steve," you might say. "Why can't you name them? The blogosphere is all about transparency. Give us the goods."

Well, the blogosphere is only as transparent as the rest of society. Do things bubble up in the b'sphere that might normally not see light? You bet. Is the blogosphere helping to make marketing and society overall more transparent and accountable? Yes, that's a good thing. However, our little corner of the Internet is not as transparent as everyone might hope. Lots of information needs to stay close to the vest, like it or not. Perhaps this will change one day.

Something that is becoming more transparent is the process of public relations. Yesterday, the blogosphere exploded in commentary over Edelman's outreach to bloggers on behalf of Wal-Mart. Some of it was pro-Edelman, other were against. Several of you emailed me yesterday why I didn't post on the story. Others more posted it on blogs. BL Ochman even asked if I am sorry I went to Edelman. Hardly, BL. So why was I silent?

Put yourself in my shoes. You just joined a high profile company with a high profile gig and you're getting your feet wet. The spotlight is shining on you from all directions.

In your second week a polarizing news story comes out that details how your new employer conducts business in the blogosphere. You don't have first hand knowledge of the situation. Some praise it, others condemn it. Everyone looks to you to comment. You're on the road working until midnight on the week's presentations. You scan the commentary and even leave a few notes here and there to correct misinformation, but you largely don't have time to craft a thoughtful post. That was the situation I was in yesterday and it's why I am now at 4:30 a.m. getting around to posting.

Some of you might think I was lying low or that I didn't care about the story. That's not the case it all. Yesterday I did not have a moment to craft a thoughtful post with the quality that you have come to expect from me. Was this wrong? Perhaps. I felt that this situation, perhaps more than any other in the two years I have been writing blog, required deeper reflection. I recognize that I need to speak out on this story. I also understand that no matter which direction I fall on this story, there is a sword waiting to catch me. Already some are calling me a hatchet man for the company. This comes with the territory of my new gig and I embrace it.

So here I am in my hotel in Minneapolis at almost five a.m. central time, ready to talk. The blog world is largely quiet now. In the US most of you are sleeping. In Europe, bloggers are starting their workdays. The Wal-Mart story has died down and some other meme will top memeorandum and Tailrank in a matter of hours. Google's new calendar is looking like a good candidate.

While as a brand new Edelman employee I did not have first-hand knowledge of the Wal-Mart account team's practices here, I have long believed that companies through their PR reps should build relationships with bloggers. As we do, our actions will inevitably bubble up to the surface as they did yesterday. PR professionals now live in glass houses. This puts it incumbent upon us to adhere to the unwritten rules of the blogosphere - to the letter. It also means that as this new form of common law shifts, so must we.

I wholeheartedly endorse Edelman here for reaching out to bloggers and for taking the high road in explaining why. If you read Richard Edelman's post, you will see where the organization stands. As for me, I will continue to post here in as timely a manner as possible when these situations come up. I will try to get faster. I will follow Scoble's manifesto as it is reflective of the blogosphere's common laws. At times this means I may even be critical of my employer, the industry and competitors. If you feel this post does not adequately answer your questions, please leave a comment and I will try to get back to you from my next stop in Chicago.