Good PR of the week

Middlesbrough scores

Sometimes, the best PR stories are the ones that feel like they weren’t supposed to be seen by the masses. This, where a video game developer included an in-game eulogy for a young fan that died, is a fantastic example of what I mean. As PR professionals, we can sometimes see genuinely good stories as a contrived attempt to shine a positive light on brands for promotional purposes.

Former Middlesbrough football club defender Gary Parkinson, 43, paralysed by an illness caused by a stroke while working with Blackpool as its head of youth, has been recruited to aid as a scout for Middlesbrough – despite the fact he can’t speak.

Parkinson will help scout potential new signings by watching DVDs and rating players by blinking to his wife, with Middlesbrough boss Tony Mowbray stating that they "were determined to give Gary a role where he could feel involved", but did so not only because of that, but because they "genuinely value his opinions about the game," and that "long after he ceases to be headline news, we will still be there for him".

Just a genuinely nice, human story to end the week with.

Cheers to James Beard for Tweeting with it.

Bad PR of the week

Crocodile tears

I’ve seen (and heard of) some incredibly bizarre PR efforts. I guess the disruptive nature of stunts has led them to a place where agencies and brands are constantly vying to better grab us. Sometimes stunts hit the mark and sometimes, their forced quirkiness is just a bit too much, a bit too try-hard. Oh, and sometimes their sheer ridiculousness ruins what I consider to be a real art – the reason so many people use the phrase "PR stunt" negatively.

Step forward The Parap Day Spa, an Australian spa, with what has to be one of the most surreal publicity snaps I’ve ever seen, which I spotted in Elaine Jones at Frank’s Twitter feed.

You see that? Yep, that’s a young female crocodile, wearing paper pants.

Having a wax.

Before (or after, it’s not clear) having a pedicure.

The human-like crossed-arm, relaxed pose adopted by the croc made me laugh so much that I almost forgot that I was looking at an actual animal, wearing paper pants. Having a wax.

Forget though that the crocodile is there against its will. Cast aside concerns for it given that waxing is particularly painful and don’t even worry about how they managed to keep it sedated enough to get the PR shots. Because it turns out the spa isn’t doing it for the publicity – no, no, no – it’s doing it because, and I quote business manager Louanne Grasmeder, "Breeding season is just around the corner" and the spa wants her "to look her best for the breeding season". Which is nice of it, isn’t it?

Nissan stalls

Nissan has taken a bit of a battering after a Facebook page competition to win a $20,000 car was won by the BFF (best friend forever, I’m told) of the page admin. Read more about it here.

Thanks to Tania Cavaiuolo for getting in touch with this.

Have you seen any good or bad PR?

Contact PR 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 feature on the blog of 10 Yetis PR Agency.