Prescription for a PR Headache
It’s shaping up to be a long summer for the healthcare industry’s public relations departments. The blogosphere has already been abuzz for weeks about the June 29 release of Michael Moore’s latest documentary, "SiCKO." Moore dubs the film a "comedy" about the state of the American healthcare system. The cheeky trailer is posted dozens of times on YouTube, with each post accumulating thousands of views:
Weeks from its release, the film has been generating chatter for months. YouTube features hundreds of clips and trailers, and the film’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-May sparked thousands of blog posts, as did the filmmaker’s scuffle with former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson earlier in the month.
Thompson published a National Review article in early May critical of Moore’s position that the Cuban healthcare system trumps the U.S., and of Moore’s deicison to film in Cuba, a potential violation of the U.S. trade embargo. He then posted a video response to Moore’s call for a debate between the two on healthcare. Chomping a (Cuban?) cigar and alleging Moore has mental problems, the video only raised the online profile of the upcoming film:
Adding fuel to the fire, Moore appeared on Oprah this week to discuss the film, which received the Oprah seal of approval:
One can only hope that insurance, pharmaceutical and other health industry companies are monitoring their online reputations closely as the film’s release date draws nearer. Pharmaceutical industries in particular, often a favorite target of the blogosphere, seem to be drawing ire. Kami Huyse posted a link to an Ad Age article this week, which highlighted that Big Pharma’s YouTube reputation is already in deep weeds. Will it survive "SiCKO"?
Technorati Tags: Michael Moore, SiCKO, Fred Thompson, Oprah, Kami Huyse
3 Comments to "Prescription for a PR Headache"
Kami Huyse
June 6, 2007
Sarah Wurrey
June 7, 2007
Samuel
June 24, 2007