Malaysia’s uber blogger Jeff Ooi of Screenshots has reported that British Telecoms, BT, is preparing to launch its own blog in a marketing move that is also a riposte to Carphone Warehouse, its smaller rival.
C-Level executives should keep their eyes peeled on such blogs to see if they get anywhere. Likewise PR companies as their success would mean a fundamental shift in the PR business as it is. The question that needs to be answered then would be: If they can get it straight from the horse’s mouth, why would they need a middleman?
This is the rest of thE Financial times report:
Corporate blogging is increasingly used by companies to improve both internal and external communications, as well as for sheer promotional reasons.
It can also be a risky strategy – if uncensored comments are allowed – that gives individual employees and customers a new level of influence over a brand.
John Petter, BT’s chief operating officer, will start blogging in the next few weeks. He believes keeping an online journal offers a way to reach customers who are increasingly disillusioned with traditional public relations methods.
“They are suspicious of ‘corporate speak’ and they want it straight from the horse’s mouth,” he says. “Especially in a big company they want to know that someone is taking responsibility.”
Unspun 
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