Ketchum tweets into trouble
In a demonstration of the pitfalls of Twitter, it appears that an offhand Tweet by a Ketchum staffer wound up creating a headache for the agency when its client allegedly took offense.
A made by the screen name “keyinfluencer,” which lists James Andrews, VP in Ketchum Interactive Communications (KIC) in Atlanta, as its owner, made the “true confession” that “I’m in one of those towns where I scratch my head and say ‘I would die if I had to live here!’”
Well, apparently Andrews was in Memphis, TN, to visit Ketchum client, FedEx. Peter Shankman posted a memo that was allegedly written by a FedEx employee angered by that Tweet.
The memo on Shankman’s blog is addressed to “Mr. Andrews” and says that some FedEx employees found the Twitter comments “inappropriate” and were “confident” that “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.”
Ketchum e-mailed PRWeek a statement on the issue.
“It was a lapse in judgment, and we’ve apologized to our client,” reads the statement. “We greatly value this long standing client relationship. It is our privilege to work with them.”
In later postings, the ”keyinfluencer” said he was “Having a great day with my new friends at #Fedex” and apologized.
PRWeek is following up with FedEx.
