Two digital blunders: PR man disses his client’s city on Twitter; radio trade body’s rogue email

Tim Burrowes

January 16, 2009 12:36

ketchum-twitter2 It’s been a day of digital PR disasters in the US, with rogue emails and ill-advised Twitter messages causing two major embarrassments overnight.

In the most damaging to client relations, James Andrews, VP of PR giant Ketchum Communications was in Memphis yesterday for a major presentation to client FedEx. He Twittered: “I’m in one of those towns where I scratch my head and say I would die if I had to live here!”

Unfortunately, his message was spotted by FedEx staff. They sent a frosty retort:

“Many of my peers and I feel this is inappropriate. We do not know the total millions of dollars FedEx Corporation pays Ketchum annually for the valuable and important work your company does for us around the globe. We are confident however, it is enough to expect a greater level of respect and awareness from someone in your position as a vice president at a major global player in your industry. A hazard of social networking is people will read what you write.”

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.