If you haven't had a chance to read it, it might be advisable to look at yesterday's ALL TOP BUSINESS NEWS AND INTEL BLOG posting at http://alltopbusinessnews.blogspot.com/2012/02/stratfor-wikileaks-and-other-crucial.html. Then, hit the "BACK" button on your browser to see how publicity works in the real world.
WikiLeaks, in its attempt to undress, embarrass and discredit StratFor, an intelligence source and strategic-futurist-for-hire to some very prestigious Fortune 500 companies, unleashed a stream of purloined and potentially damaging emails intercepted from its target and made the information public. They have indeed attempted to brand their Goliath as "notorious." They might have been somewhat successful.
But in a society that puts a premium on power no matter how it is obtained, and wealth regardless of its origin, a bit of notoriety leads to some additional media exposure. And that media exposure, gone wildly viral, leads to increased noteworthiness. And that noteworthiness sometimes leads existing clients to reaffirm their dedication to the intended PR victim (in this case StratFor), and actually attracts a great many new prospective clients.
Thank you, WikiLeaks and Mr. Assange for lifting the cloak of secrecy from over this mysterious company with its web of unholy handshakes, sketchy sources and uncustomary quid pro quo arrangements. Investigative journalism and exposes are always exciting.
But the public ultimately will not be the greatest beneficiary from this latest WikiLeaks expose-cum-self-promotion opportunity -- no... Statfor will be receiving millions upon millions of dollars worth of free publicity (with a very long tail and wide berth) due to an attempt to assault it. I suspect that George Friedman is putting on a mean face just because his position and circumstances demand that he must, but that he is secretly doing the dance of joy when reviewing the firm's prospective client roster and billings.
The Public does not want truth nearly so much as they want excitement and entertainment.
So Notoriety becomes Notability, and the machinery of Human Nature proceeds along its unevolved course. There will always be windmills, there will always be Don Quixotes, and there will also be a public gathered about to read the book or watch the play -- maybe on BluRay.
Douglas E Castle -
p.s. Should you have an opportunity, you might want to take a look at The Mad Marketing Tactics Blog. We discuss things as exciting as this. Really. We're working at becoming scandalous so that we may attract the attention of WikiLeaks as our unwitting press agent. Only joking.
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