Well Meaning Adoption Service Blows It When It Takes Back Dog From Ellen Degeneres Hairdresser
United States of America (Press Release) October 17, 2007 --
Dallas, Texas (October 17, 2007) – Johnson & Johnson’s response to a Tylenol poisoning incident is generally regarded as the gold standard for how to handle a crisis situation. Mutts and Moms decision to repossessed a dog adopted by Ellen DeGeneres has become the gold standard for how to blow a reputation in the media.
“This case should be a lesson to every company and organization that wants to prevent a minor issue from becoming a major public relations nightmare,” said David Margulies, president and founder of the Margulies Communications Group. “Good intentions won’t trump what the public views as insensitivity.”
On Wednesday, Mutts and Moms announced it would keep a dog previously adopted by DeGeneres. The agency said that the celebrity broke their adoption rules by later giving the pet away to her hair stylist as a gift.
“This issue had all of the signs of a looming public relations disaster,” said Margulies. “The agency opposed a celebrity with unlimited access to the media. Then they took a small dog away from a loving home and two young children. That’s exactly the kind of environment where helpless animals would want to go. This is what journalists call a Man Bites Dog story. It just doesn’t make sense.”
“Sometimes it is not in a company’s best interest to stick to the rules,” added Margulies. “In this situation, the adoption agency could have used the opportunity to help Ellen correct her mistake and then leverage the issue for positive publicity regarding pet adoption.”
“Hopefully this story will eventually have a happy ending when everyone makes up and the puppy gets to go back to Ellen or the hair stylist’s home,” said Margulies.
The Margulies Communications Group is a national media relations firm specializing in crisis prevention, crisis management, litigation support and media relations for major corporations, government agencies and trade and professional organizations.
“This case should be a lesson to every company and organization that wants to prevent a minor issue from becoming a major public relations nightmare,” said David Margulies, president and founder of the Margulies Communications Group. “Good intentions won’t trump what the public views as insensitivity.”
On Wednesday, Mutts and Moms announced it would keep a dog previously adopted by DeGeneres. The agency said that the celebrity broke their adoption rules by later giving the pet away to her hair stylist as a gift.
“This issue had all of the signs of a looming public relations disaster,” said Margulies. “The agency opposed a celebrity with unlimited access to the media. Then they took a small dog away from a loving home and two young children. That’s exactly the kind of environment where helpless animals would want to go. This is what journalists call a Man Bites Dog story. It just doesn’t make sense.”
“Sometimes it is not in a company’s best interest to stick to the rules,” added Margulies. “In this situation, the adoption agency could have used the opportunity to help Ellen correct her mistake and then leverage the issue for positive publicity regarding pet adoption.”
“Hopefully this story will eventually have a happy ending when everyone makes up and the puppy gets to go back to Ellen or the hair stylist’s home,” said Margulies.
The Margulies Communications Group is a national media relations firm specializing in crisis prevention, crisis management, litigation support and media relations for major corporations, government agencies and trade and professional organizations.
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