Why Israel is losing the PR war

[Ignis]

How Free Explains Israel’s Flotilla FAIL

The organizers of the “Free Gaza” flotilla spent almost nothing on their campaign. The government of Israel poured millions into its botched raid on the ships — and now is in a worse position than when the flotilla launched. How did it happen? Part of the problem is that the Israeli government never bothered to read Wired.

Israeli commandos may not have known that members of the Free Gaza flotilla were carrying knives, guns and metal bars. But they should have known that many in the incoming flotilla were armed with cameras, cellphones, blogs and Twitter accounts. For a country so technologically advanced, and with such acute public diplomacy challenges, to fail so miserably at preparing a communications offensive over new media is a failure of strategic proportions.

...

How much money did it cost the organizers of the Free Gaza flotilla to get their message out across the world? Answer: Almost nothing. Turkish TV placed a camera on one of the flotilla ships and kept it on all the time to livestream events on the boat, while constantly placing activists in front of the camera to speak about their cause. The costs of a camera, some other technical equipment, and hosting of a website are negligible.

...

How much did it cost the activists on some of the flotilla ships to tweet updates, messages and video from the boats? Answer: Nothing. It’s free. All they had to do was put a # sign before the word “flotilla,” or “freedomflotilla” and everyone that follows them on Twitter automatically sees it, and can re-tweet and reply to the original message if they so wish. In the days leading up to the Free Gaza raid, #Flotilla, #Gazaflotilla, and #Freedomflotilla rose dramatically in Twitter’s popularity ranks. Now, with the added element of violence and death, and the increased media attention to the story, these Twitter trends are only spiking further.

- Wired: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/06/how-free-explains-israels-flotilla-fiasco/

There's far too much good analysis in this article to post, but be sure to read to the end for the $-to-# comparison. :thumbsup: And if you haven't read Chris Anderson's book, Free, it's definitely worth a look if you're interested in the changing media landscape.

Here's an example of free (or extremely low-cost), effective PR in action:
http://www.youtube.com/v/NFXq48VXhCI&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US

[liberalhistorian]

1. Of course, holding sixty Reporters Without Borders

journalists hostage and refusing to release them really doesn't help Israel that much, either.

[T Wolf]

2. Could it be, not the medium, but the message? IT fucked up royally, as usual. But this

time to such an extent that the normally-passive media cannot carry the propaganda as well this time.

sometimes, the shit of that country stinks so much that it cannot be covered up - though they do try.

[Recursion]

3. Why did New Coke's marketing campaign fail?

Anybody remember the answer from Marketing 101?

[happyslug]

4. I am older, anyone remember the VW "Thing" ad campaign from the 1970s?

Don't adversities something NOT in the showrooms. The VW "Thing" was VWs response to the early jeep craze of the 1970s. The "Thing" was a remake of the WWII era Kubelwagen used by the Germans during WWII. Excellent vehicle, through only two wheel drive (If stuck it was light enough for two men to push out of the mud/snow it was in). Better fuel economy then a Jeep (But with less off road capability). VW had a great ad campaign, but made one little era, forget to get the product to the Showroom. By the time VW did, almost all the people who wanted one had gone to the dealers found the dealers had none and then bought a Jeep.

The ad campaign MUST occur at the time the product is for sale. In the case of Israel the problem was Israel should have started a full press ad campaign the moment the flotilla left Turkey. Build up that it was a danger and to prevent that danger Israel has to do something. Then rather then storm the ships block them i.e force the Flotilla to sail around your ships. Put this on the air, thus showing Israel's restraint. Then and only after it was clear the ships had passed into Israel's water (Or the Waters off Gaza) then storm the ships. Israel could portray the attack as one whose back is against the wall. Once the Ships were taken, do a quick inspection and release the goods to Gaza, to show that Israel is only protecting itself NOT punishing Gaza.

Notice the Ad campaign and military maneuver MUST WORK TOGETHER. The VW's Thing ad Campaign was Good, but without a product it was worthless. The same here, a good ad campaign worked with military operations could show Israel as in the right to defend itself. Do NOT make the mistake of VW in the 1970s, work the ad campaign and the action being marketed by the Ad campaign together.