Comments on: Yikes: Peabody uses Super Bowl blackouts to push coal agenda

By: txpatriot

txpatriot — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:58:26 +0000

Ms. Fehrenbacher claims the press release (note that it IS a “press release” and NOT an advertisement) is disengenous.

Then she implies it blamed the blackout on reduced coal usage (when she says, “there are much more likely causes of the blackout than a reduction of coal use”), then finally she admits the press release makes no such claim, as Mr. Frasier astutely points out. So which is it, were they being disengenuous or was it Katie? She admits they did no such thing then rants about the evils of coal nonetheless. It’s perfectly fine to rant about the evils of coal, and it’s also perfectly fine to push your own point of view in a press release that by the way, NO ONE is obliged to publish.

But to call Peabody disengenuous for doing something you admit they didn’t actually do sounds, well . . a bit “disengenuous”.

By: ronwagn

ronwagn — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 01:53:19 +0000

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By: Rich

Rich — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 01:30:03 +0000

Why is GigaOm allowing ads to be posted in the comments section?

By: MKL

MKL — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:45:28 +0000

The Peabody press release is an interesting contrast to this piece in the NY Times about the incredibly bad air pollution in Beijing being caused by cars and coal.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/world/asia/beijing-takes-emergency-steps-to-fight-smog.html?_r=0

By: Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:50:45 +0000

Great reporting, Katie. This is truly trying to capitalize on the buzz around the blackout (hey, capitalizing on buzz is nothing new) but making it an argument for coal and a negatie message is a bit disconcerting.

New technology used to support dying technology? Yes, the irony is there. Oreo cookies did an excellent job of making a positive statement and having some fun in the process. Remarkably, they did it in 4 minutes from the time the blackout happened. They didn’t make a Ray Lewis joke, either.

http://successfulworkplace.com/2013/02/03/oreo-and-a-super-bowl-blackout-show-the-power-of-speed-marketing/

It made me want to eat an Oreo. Peabody makes me want to picket a coal-fired power plant…

By: Mr Frasier

Mr Frasier — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:50:38 +0000

End of Paragraph #2:

“(Note, Peabody isn’t actually saying the blackout was caused but a reduction of coal use, but just weirdly slaps the two together).”

Though, I think she means “by” and not “but”

By: Mr Frasier

Mr Frasier — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:49:28 +0000

Good points Katie… But Barnes & Noble is still alive and kicking (even jabbing Amazon with the Nook)

By: Kary

Kary — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:48:31 +0000

I find your depiction of the press release to be more deceptive than the press release. There’s no indication at all in the press release that the use of less coal caused the blackout.