Elizabeth Holmes’ story is a warning signal to the PR industry
Public relations needs to ensure it’s speaking the truth, as its clients may be less than forthcoming, writes Pure Public Relations managing director Phoebe Netto.
The story of disgraced former Silicon-valley success story Elizabeth Holmes is a modern-day parable, warning us exactly what can happen when greed, deception, and idealism get in the way of genuine progress.
As CEO and founder of US blood-testing startup Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes tricked not only investors, but journalists, and by extension, the public. Her large-scale, billion-dollar deception was propelled forward by glowing articles in major media outlets that helped win the confidence of huge investors.
She lied to serious reporters, including former Fortune journalist Roger Parloff, who wrote a major cover story on the business in June 2014. Elizabeth has since admitted that the article’s claim that Theranos “offers more than 200 — and is ramping up to offer more than 1,000 — of the most commonly ordered blood diagnostic tests, all without the need for a syringe” was false.
