the(new)mediaslut

(sigh) Smartbrain’s much more expensive DSLR and powerful flash simply overwhelms this picture and the balance is all wrong. Unlike Boo’s simple compact, the screen became too dark and only the Yahoo logo was visible on the Motorola, while nothing was visible on the Nokia.

Still, that event does bring back memories (oh, wait, it was a different event than Boo’s. Never mind).

Smartbrain: Can I have the agenda?

PR: It’s in my room, I’ll get it you at dinner.

Smartbrain (at dinner): Can I have the agenda?

PR: Oh, I forgot. I’ll give it to you first thing in the morning.

Smartbrain: Agenda?

PR: Here it is, here it is (five minutes before the event starts).

Smartbrain: … 

PR: Oh, here’s the file for this evening’s one on one (given at half past two, in a plenary session with the one on one at four and no time in the middle to prepare).

Smartbrain: … (tries to concentrate on the presentation on stage)

At four…

Smartbrain: So how is your company tapping into this new mobile micropayment space?

Anonymous interviewee: Well, that’s not really my field of expertise… (and goes on to talk about handsets).

Smartbrain: (Trying to look smart) How about the breakthroughs in near-field communication that I’ve heard. Surely that’s a hot topic now?

Interviewee: Well, that’s not really my field either… I’m the product selection and placement guy (and continues to talk about handsets in certain local markets)

Smartbrain: (trying to look like he is in position of a brain, asks first relevant question) So how are the differences when it comes to EDGE and 3G markets that you see here?

Product placement manager: (gives meaningful answer).

What happened was that the PR, in a frenzy of expensive restaurant dining and furniture shopping sprees, simply grabbed the company’s last ten or so press releases, including a couple on near field communications and micro payments, and handed them to Smartbrain. No information on the interviewee was in the file received.

The motto of the story is that in order to be the in-house PR manager of a major multinational telco, the only thing needed is a pleasant demeanour and the ability to lick ass while taking Journos out eating or shopping. The ability to hand in a meaningful agenda in a timely fashion, warn of one on one interviews more than a few hours before the event and provide relevant information as to the one on one is strictly optional.

Viva TMS.