Wal-Mart's Blog is Working

Businessweek reviews Wal-Mart's public relations strategy focused on its community, environment and disaster relief efforts. "Can Wal-Mart Wear a White Hat?" is an interesting view behind this massive image turnaround.

In August, seven media-savvy professionals from Edelman, a Chicago public relations firm, flew to Bentonville, Ark., for an unusual assignment. Although they remain on Edelman's payroll, the PR experts, some of them seasoned veterans of political campaigns, now run a new office deep in the headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores

Dubbed "Action Alley," the office -- as well as a similar one in Washington, D.C. -- acts as the nerve center of the world's largest retailer's campaign to soften its public face. Backed by Wal-Mart's own publicity staff, the team responds within hours to any new blast of criticism.

The ability to respond so quickly to criticism tells us that they are tracking the blogosphere. Wal-Mart already has its own blog, Wal-Mart Facts. Edelman practices what it preaches with Richard’s blog, a raft of white papers and a blog research survey underway. So blog tracking is more than likely a crucial part of this response network.

The troops also try to spin positive stories about the corporate giant. As they sat facing one another around three tables arranged in a U shape one day in mid-September, Hurricane Katrina was still high on the agenda. Action Alley had scored a bull's-eye after just weeks on the job when it garnered widespread national publicity about Wal-Mart's efficient relief efforts following New Orleans' devastation.

SNIP

Now, in addition to Action Alley, Wal-Mart has opened eight community-relations offices nationwide to answer local criticism. It also has approached two environmental groups and will soon announce a major initiative to curb waste by reducing packaging.

In the meantime, Wal-Mart is already focused on Hurricane Rita. Be sure to check out this article. It shows how blogs can help elevate issues quickly to gain widespread attention. In addition to ramping up quickly, all of the content is being catalogued in search engines for the long-term benefits. Wal-Mart should also be buying negative keywords. They can push folks searching on these terms to their blog. It would complement the strategy nicely.

tags: public relations, media relations, Wal-Mart, PR, blog

Comments

[Dan Bowling]

This is very interesting. Most corporate blogs seem to have dificulties with the transparency that is affiliated with it. Microsoft seems to be doing well, though struggling with the same issue.

[Kevin Dugan]

Transparency is definitely a major consideration for corporations deciding if they should blog. Bottom line is that transparency is the benefit of blogging. If it makes a company nervous, they should simply monitor the blogosphere and not necessarily set up their own blog.

[Rogire Airem]

In August, seven media-savvy professionals from Edelman, a Chicago public relations firm, flew to Bentonville, Ark., for an unusual assignment. Although they remain on Edelman's payroll, the PR experts, some of them seasoned veterans of political campaigns, now run a new office deep in the headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores

This should help, NOT! the more they pour into the IMAGE CLEANING the worst it will get. THEY ARE BIG, they are number One going away and this stuff will just have to be handled and a smiley face put on some things, but more important LOW PRICES must stay on everything, and I am betting they don't miss a beat no matter how hot it gets in the PR side. In some ways this whole deal is just what the Bushman wants...low prices, free trade, jobs at any price to kick up the numbers on the employment side.

[Thethings Idoformoney]

Share your story. We're telling the world about the the things we need to do for money...and I think WalMart employees have as much to share as anyone!