Good PR of the week
 

Cadbury makes Olympic gold
 

Cadbury will ask viewers to use a smartphone app to identify a song during its latest advert, which will air for the first time this Saturday (12 May) during the Britain’s Got Talent final. The app in question – Shazam – is a service that enables users to identify songs by holding their phone up to the source of the sound.

By using the app, users will be directed to a virtual chocolate bar unwrapping with a chance to win Olympic Games tickets, as part of Cadbury’s wider Unwrap Gold campaign.

This isn’t the first time this year Cadbury is testing new ways to target more technologically minded consumers to promote its products, having already launched a chocolate bar using Google+ this year.

This is a smart way to highlight its Olympic sponsorship, while taking advantage of what is sure to be a popular ad slot. Shazam will also undoubtedly see a boost in users and interest, so as everybody’s favourite Hollywood inebriate would say, everybody’s winning.

Facebook gives the ultimate gift
 

Facebook has partnered with the NHS to increase registered organ donors.

As mentioned in this update you can now add that you’re an organ donor to your timeline, and share your story about “when, where or why you decided to become a donor“. You can also register to become a donor through this Facebook NHS Organ Donor Register, from this organ donation page.

Although an issue as important as organ donation should be a carefully considered decision and not just something people do because their friends are doing it, it can’t be ignored: this partnership can and undoubtedly will save lives. While we’re all high-fiving because a client got a link on MSN for something comparatively inconsequential, this effort will make a difference.

The act of sharing that you’ve become a donor is important because family members can, apparently, still veto organ transplantation, with only half of registered donors telling their family of their wishes. If families are aware before the event, it prevents them from having to hear that their loved one is about to be harvested without having had prior knowledge and as such, they’re much more likely to recognise and accept their wishes.

As I often say, I try not to get too deep in this column, but industry awards for campaigns that shift a few units of a company’s product seem laughable in comparison to how this campaign could have already saved your life.

Bad PR of the week
 

London Marathon loses it
 

Claire Lomas, a paralysed 32-year-old, has completed the London Marathon using a ReWalk bionic body suit, only to be told by organisers that she’s not going to receive a medal for completing it.

Bear in mind that the link I read the story on – Tweeted to me by Kindred’s Lorna Gozzard – was to the Daily Mail, so my response may be one of ire because, well, that’s how the articles are written, isn’t it? I swear I could read about the survival of a baby born on a plane that then immediately crash-landed in the Arctic leaving no other survivors, after which it was plucked from the icy grip of death and raised by a family of polar bears and STILL feel angry about something.

The former chiropractor had raised more than £130,000 for the Spinal Research charity when she finished, and although organisers said she wasn’t entitled to a medal because competitors must finish the course on the same day – Claire took more than 16 days, staying in a hotel each night – others donated their medals to her.

Rules is rules and all that, but I can’t help but feel that a big PR trick was missed. Many people only take part in the marathon to raise money for charity and better treatment of somebody who was media-worthy would likely ensure a better profile of the event for future years.

Have you seen any good or bad PR?
 

Contact Rich Leigh with it by Tweeting him @GoodandBadPR or by emailing rich@10yetis.co.uk throughout the week and we’ll happily credit you for your trouble.

Good and Bad PR is a daily feature on the blog of 10 Yetis tech PR Agency. Rich also writes about PR stunts at PRexamples.com.