SUV Moms: the New Security Moms

October 25, 2006 · Filed Under Feminism, Politics, Uncategorized · Comment

I cross posted about this new polling on BlogHer.

Is there a rule somewhere that identifying a new political bloc requires a cutesy name? I suppose so, because Amy Gershkoff at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner has written about a new group that gives Dems a fighting chance with married women this November: the “SUV Moms.”

Despite the annoying moniker, “Goodbye Security Moms, Hello SUV Moms” highlights what could be a growing awareness of the relationship between global security and the ability to sustain a family and keep the car filled with gas.”

I hope this means no more Bush-types on aircraft carriers swooping in to save the day for America’s women. Phew!!

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Ax “Axe”- read Suzanne Reisman’s blog

October 23, 2006 · Filed Under Feminism · Comment

Suzanne writes a great post on the disgusting, neanderthal, Axe campaign right now. When I saw the ad with a hungover guy asleep clutching a toilet I not only thought the campaign denigrated women, but men too.
I’m working with a women’s rights organization right now, and one of the biggest issues they face is the relevancy of the women’s movement. We can vote, we have abortion rights (nominally, in some states), we can get professionals, so what’s the need for feminism, many ask. Indeed, between the hysterical media ranting of “mommy war” proponents and the nasty reproductive rights arguments, it’s tough to find a reasonable feminist discourse sometimes.
Campaigns like Axe suggest we need a humanist movement, one that celebrates human values of love and companionship, equal rights and respect.

Not to be too Feminism 2nd wave, but Gloria Steinem said it well: “We are talking about a society in which there will be no roles other than those chosen or those earned; we are really talking about humanism.”

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Flogging bloggers and Wal-Mart

October 23, 2006 · Filed Under Internet Media · Comment

I have been in a grad-school bubble, but this weekend I caught up on the Edelman/Wal-Mart fake blog brou ha ha.

My colleagues at BlogHer wrote well on the subject, as did Shel Holtz. He asks: “It is inappropriate for agency reps to act as spokespersons on the clientâ€™s behalf. Does a blog change that dynamic or is it no different than getting up and speaking for the client at a press conference?”

Shel is missing the point: who knows? When you pioneer something, you fuck up. We’re making up this practice as we go along. WOMMA, the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, has censured Edelman apparently for the Wal-Mart unbylined blogs, but the truth is WOMMA and the whole word of mouth marketing phenonemon wouldn’t be where it is had it not been for Edelman and the firm’s willingness to experiement and write new rules. Bloggers like BL Ochman can rant about the Edelman misstep but that comes with the territory when you do something new, at least in politics. You try something, it works, maybe you go too far. You forget the ground rules. Some call it hubris, others call it mavericking.

Anyone who has worked at a PR firm knows that we create beings and entities for our clients. The rules are clear when it comes to media relations, repping clients at events and press conferences, or going on background. Blogging- not so much.

Did Edelman overstep? Absolutely. Does it have egg on its face? Obviously. Is this growing pains of a medium where big corporate money intersects with an essentially grassroots, social media? I think so.

Now, I started the department at Edelman that’s come under so much fire. I helped launch the Wal-Mart account (tough for a committed Democrat with a labor arbitrator father). I hired Miranda Grill when it was just me, and she is an honorable person. The department has done great worked. It’s taken risks. I don’t know what led to these fake blogs launching without bylines, but honestly, anyone who’s worked in DC knows there are a million coalitions and groups run by communications firms. Call any 1-800 coalition number for many non-profits and companies and you’ll get a PR firm.
Why is a blog so different? Because it’s more visible to those beyond the target audience?

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Beyond

October 12, 2006 · Filed Under Internet Media, Uncategorized · Comment

Kfed

Uh, K-Fed, who wears the pants in this household again? The world’s luckiest aspiring rapper (and former dancer) is apparently feeling some pangs of jealousy, and he’s reportedly forbidding wife Britney Spears from using male dancers in her new video.

Kevin, do not bite the hand that feeds you.

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GOP Losing Grip on Married Moms

October 10, 2006 · Filed Under Feminism, Politics · Comment

From cnn.com…

An Associated Press-Ipsos poll this month found that support is now evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans among married women with children in the house. Republicans won this voting group by 18 percentage points in 2002 and Bush won it by 14 percentage points in 2004.

During Election 2004, we stressed constantly that both married and unmarried women would swing Republican. It seems many Dems even wrote off married women in 2004 in favor of trying to pursuade unmarried women- see Jennifer Kritz from the Kennedy School of Government’s great study on unmarried women and the ballot box. (Now, what does that say about the Democratic self-identity?). I’m glad to see married women are firmly back in the Democrats’ sight.

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