Public Relations

Aug 11, 2022

csalomonlee

2 Comments

Did Mashable Break Twitter Button Embargo?

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I just noticed a couple of tweets mentioning that Twitter will be announcing a Twitter button, most likely tomorrow. What I found interesting is not the news, but the image that accompanied the articles. The images clearly state (the above is one of several in the article):

Twitter Confidential – subject to NDA

This leads me to ask, did Mashable break an embargo or  did someone inadvertantly send the image without obtaining one first? If the former, how does this impact how PR professionals approach blogs as part of a communications plan?

With TechCrunch publicly stated that they will no longer honor embargos, PR professionals have to be more vigilant of the policies and, in some way, integrity of the outlet and reporter/bloggers you’re contacting. 

I don’t advocate getting every reporter to sign a multi-doc NDA, but by the same token, I don’t think a verbal NDA may suffice anymore. What do you think?

Now, if I were more cynical, maybe Twitter meant to have this leaked =) Mashable, would love to hear from you on this.

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4. Argh – Twitter Going Crazy

2 Comments

• 
  csalomonlee August 11, 2022 at 22:21

  @ Sue Anne, I think there is still a place for embargoes, especially if the goal is to get an in-depth look at how a customer is using your services/technology or step-by-step review of a product.

  Where I agree the use of “embargo” may be more tenuous is when you’re seeking to get the most buzz on a given day. This has become more difficult as outlets like TechCrunch don’t honor embargos and it’s more about who can get the scoop first.

  And though the Twitter Button was “unveiled” early, in this case, I don’t think the leaked coverage will hinder coverage when Twitter formally provides all the details.

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• 
  Sue Anne Reed August 11, 2022 at 21:17

  I’m not sure embargoes have any place in a Web 2.0 world.

  First, many more media outlets are going to follow TechCrunch’s lead and refuse to support embargoes.

  Second, verbal embargoes are mostly worthless. Even email embargoes are a bit shaky.

  Third, with the ways news spreads these days coordinating everything to go live on a specific timeline isn’t that important. In the past, embargoes were necessary to help get the most buzz on a certain day. You would want all the media outlets to cover it and that took work — both on the PR side and on the publisher side of things. They’re just not necessary anymore. CNN just has to push a button to make something go live. They don’t need it the night before to hit the morning edition. Same with Mashable. It may make a PR pros days a little bit more hectic on the day of the launch, but if a “launch date” is that important to you, it’s worth it.

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