PR By Numbers

"Ireland is the world's friendliest place," so says another seemingly trite survey or piece of research commissioned by a PR agency which The Guardian have hoovered up for a cheap story.

Instantly, obviously - this is bollocks. How exactly is friendliness measured?

But that's not the point is it? The point is people like me suddenly feel compelled to write about it, or have a conversation or a debate about it. It creates a story that people share and discuss. Sadly in this case, it doesn't make me want to discuss Lonely Planet and tell my friends that they're the dons at knocking out travel guides, (which presumably was the intention).

But it does illustrate the fact that stories based around research - no matter how shit - will never ever leave the British media. In fact, it was The Guardian again who in about 2004, broke the news to me that Carol Smillie was Britain's smiliest person in a poll commissioned by the online bank smile.co.uk. If Rusbridger's watching - check your cuttings mate. If media continue to write this stuff, I'm sure our industry will continue to peddle it.

Comments

[Benny]

New propaganda···#_#