Giving Thanks for a Twitter Firestorm?
Thanks to my daughter, Katherine, I saw the power of Twitter lighting up like a Christmas tree after well known chef Guy Fieri's new restaurant was skewered by a New York Timesfood critic. The review was horrific and sparked an amazing reaction on Twitter with defenders and bashers chiming in.
The Associated Press food editor's article on the kerfuffle included one of my favorite "tweets":
“I am planning on visiting Guy Fieri’s NYC eatery this weekend because it can’t be as bad as all those snooty New Yorkers say,” tweeted Alton Brown, adding the hashtag “wishmeluck.”
What intrigued me, as a PR professional, was the first line of the article about the uproar in the blogosphere: "Guy Fieri may not realize it, but being ravaged by a New York Times restaurant reviewer might have been the best thing that could have happened to him."
It got me thinking about that old adage, "there's no such thing as bad publicity." In this era of stunts and the desire to go viral, one wonders if companies or individuals seeking coverage aren't considering the upside versus the downside of negative publicity and, perhaps, even seeking it to get their fan base enraged and online in their defense.
Believe me, it's not a strategy I'm recommending. But it will be fascinating to see how Fieri's extra 15 minutes of cyber fame ultimately impacts the success of his flawed fledgling restaurant venture.
What do all of you foodies out there think?
