Adobe: Why on earth are you sending me pressreleases ?
Last week I wrote about  about people who add me to their newsletters without me acknowledging it on the Toothless Tiger blog.
It’s something that can really get my anger going – basically because it undermines my own work and the whole art of identity, viral effects, marketing and branding.
This morning I was send a press release from guy I don’t remember having met about Adobe’s new socialanalytics tool. It was bcc’ed me (in danish) so there’s possibly a lot of other danish “influencers†who has recieved the same pressrelease.  Yes I can see it might have some relevance for me and I could be a part of the target group and all (and possibly one of the people in Europe that Adobe really wants to have using their products).
Instead I’m sitting here completely pissed because I can’t believe that a company like Adobe would hire a PR agency who includes me in a PR list, without me having given my acceptance about it and where there isn’t any sort of personal touch. Press release, copy-paste, Send.  One of the hilarious parts of it is that in the end of the press release, it says “adobe – changes the world though digital experiencesâ€â€¦ Yeah. erhm. right. For the better, or…? Because you certainly don’t give me that feeling right now.
I choose to make a big deal about this and actually take up some of my time to write about it, because in my eyes it’s the wrong way of doing things online these days – and I don’t think it’s legal in Denmark either + again, it undermines my own work.
Now dear Adobe, if I don’t include this – it would just be a bitching post (and it kind of is) but for the next time :
Get your PR agency to do a bit of the good old “know, like, trust†thing – you know: reach out to me beforehand and get me to know you, get me to like you at least – as a part of the community. It’s as a part of the whole identity, branding and marketing building that I am writing about on this blog!
And then include a personal customized note to every individual on your PR list (I know it kinds of contradicts the whole “reach a whole bunch of influencers really really fastâ€)
I’m honored that you think it’s relevant for me and Im cool with me being seen as an influencer - but you should treat me as one – you’re not really making me feel special right now.
The bottom line is this: that because I’m so sick about people doing this, dear Adobe, you became the tip of the iceberg. You became the case for this blogpost where I’m telling everyone that it’s not OK. Just because you can find my contact details on the internet doesn’t mean that you have the right to contact me, without me lashing back.
Sorry about that… I don’t know anything about this deal itself, but will pass your post to others in the company. Apologies in the meantime.
jd/adobe