Leaked Memos Turn Orange Home Depot Bright Red (by Al Norman at HuffPost)

[marmar]

Al Norman
Leaked Memos Turn Orange Home Depot Bright Red
Posted July 30, 2007 | 09:08 PM (EST)



Home Depot, the retail giant known by its competitors as "The Orange Crush," turned beet red this week, when the Los Angeles media got its hands on a confidential strategy memo from its PR firm.

Public relations firms don't always like publicity -- especially when the bright lights are pointed at them. This week in the Los Angeles, California neighborhood of Sunland-Tujunga, Home Depot and its PR firm found themselves in a very embarrassing situation. Some leaked strategy memos between the retail giant and its PR firm had neighbors furious, and the PR firm just as angry.

A memo from Rick Taylor of Dakota Communications dated July 24th, spells out in vivid detail what Home Depot should do to convince the city council to approve its big box store. Such key strategy memos rarely see the light of day, and Taylor was reportedly furious that his memo to Home Depot was leaked to the press. Dakota Communications said it would file a report with the police, "which our firm will pursue swiftly and with vengeance." In the memo, Taylor outlines a plan for dealing with the City Council hearing tomorrow night. "Our goal is to galvanize a critical mass of supporters," the memo says, "to attend the hearing to demonstrate visible and vocal community support for the Home Depot." "We will identifiy five local residents and business owners to provide testimony at the City Council meeting...We will prepare talking points for these individuals, focusing on how a new Home Depot store will positively benefit the local community and economy," the memo says.

Dakota names specific commissioners it will focus on, in an attempt "to contact the Mayor to hopefully engage him on this issue on our behalf." The PR firm also promised to recruit 150 local area residents to attend tomorrow's hearing, provide them with transportation, and "food during meal times." Dakota Communications said it would bus supporters in by 9p.m. "to ensure that they are prominently seated in Council Chambers." "Finally, we will order orange t-shirts with a positive message about The Home Depot for all supporters to wear and so Council members can easily identify." The PR firm also promised "free media support" in the form of an op-ed for the Los Angeles newspapers, "a wonderfully sincere and compelling story about The Home Depot's commitment to Los Angeles in the aftermath of the 1992 riots and one that has yet to be told." The price tag for all this activity? $24,100, including $17,000 to hire "recruitment/organizers."

Opponents of Home Depot were appalled by the memo's contents. "We don't have near the amount of money Home Depot has and we wouldn't use our money that way anyway," Joe Barrett, of the No Home Depot In Sunland-Tujunga Committee, told the Daily News. "Our supporters come on their own free will, are not compensated, and pay their own way to attend these hearings, including getting off work, and for babysitters." Dakota said its firm does not pay supporters, but added, "There isn't one major project in the city that doesn't do this -- on both sides. This is what people do to get people motivated, excited and turn out." ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/al-norman/leaked-memos-turn-orange-_b_58467.html

[Spinzonner]

1. Astroturfing

How ironic that Home Depot would be involved in fake Grass Roots

[corbett]

16. Great Point!

We have seen dirty tricks used by big box stores in Central Florida, too. It's economic hegemony.

[Mr Rabble]

2. This is the most important thread of the night.

This is testament to what is really going on behind the curtain.

A specific game plan of corporate propaganda aimed at subverting the will of the people in pursuit of profit.

This is how our country now functions.

Watch this thread sink to the bottom of the page...

[krkaufman]

18. Exactly. The democratic process being subverted by money.

I only hope that the PR firm and Home Depot crossed some legal boundaries in their collusion.

[muntrv]

3. Sounds like Sprawl Mart's tactics.

[Lifelong Protester]

4. Disgusting corporate propaganda and tactics.

I hate big box retailers, guess I'd rather buy local or do without and this type of shenanigans just cements that stance for me.

[natrat]

5. that's classic-bus in some winos and bribe them with food

[OwnedByFerrets]

6. K & R

[cui bono]

7. k & r

[Truth2Tell]

8. K to the R

[anitar1]

9. Here in eugene and Springfield < Oregon we have 2 home town large stores to compete

with Home Depot. The differences are dramatic. Home depot sucks, our local business'es give great service. Now a Lowe's is poised to enter the picture. I do not think these big box stores will survive here. Our locals are beating them out with loyalty, competitive prices and great service.

[tom_paine]

10. They use the same tactics the Busheviks do. Should we be surprised?

Afetr all, the propaganda tactics this group used come straight from the Hitler/Goebbels playbook. Lucky for we Imperial Subjects of Amerika, the aspects of Hitler/Goebbels/Rove playbook that the Busheis are using do not mimic theior violence...YET.

[myrna minx]

11. This is a very important thread.

This shines a light on the predatory practices of these big box thugs. K&R.

[formercia]

12. The boys at work

compliments of your local Chamber of Commerce.

Join or you will never get another customer.

[Tab]

13. Nothing surprising here

I mean, all businesses trying to get into a certain market/area have to develop a strategy, particularly if there's resistance. Home Depot is mainly offended at being exposed.

I use Home Depot when I have to, but frankly I'd rather they simply had more service staff. They've gone to few checkout counters, and mainly like self-checkout. However, the last time I was there, I did self-checkout, but a clerk hovered over me to make sure I properly checked out everything (and no, I didn't look dangerous or anything). For goodness sake, if they can do that, why not just run them as a checkout station? And it annoys me (and some Sam's Club does this too) is that you go through checkout (self- or not) and then you have to get inspected at the door barely 8 feet away and have your receipt examined. Fer chrissake - I just checked out!!

[Nautilusjohn]

14. I don't understand?

I see nothing wrong with this tactic. When it comes to business, survival of the fittest applies. THis is not politics, where we have a right to fairness, equality, etc. This is business. We as consumers do not have those rights. But we do have the right to choose where we shop. And with that said, if you are offended by Home Depot tactics, then don't shop there. But, don't fault them for wanting to be prosperous and dominant in their field of consumerism.

[KurtNYC]

15. You don't think you have a right to fairness bc it's business???

I have swamp land to sell YOU, or perhaps you would like a bridge.

[guruoo]

21. Oh it's nothing personal...

it's just business...

[Laelth]

17. Welcome to DU.

Attempts to sway duly-elected political decision makers is not just business. It's the marriage of business and politics (i.e. fascism), and it sux. Our political leaders are charged with effecting the will of the people on a one-person, one-vote system. I dislike Home Depot's tactics, here, because these tactics are inherently anti-democratic. If Home Depot wins, it will not be because they had the support of the people. It will be because they had the most money. I find that anti-democratic and distasteful.

-Laelth

[ChromeFoundry]

20. So, you think monopolies are all well and good...

...as long as the business makes that profit!?! It's more profitable for a business to dump heavy metals into the Great Lakes than to pay for proper disposal. How about our beaches littered with hypodermics and other bio waste... guess that fits into your narrow minded views of 'all is fair in business.' :dunce:

BTW... nice way to make an entrance with your first post. Maybe number two will buy you a fancy tombstone! :popcorn:

[Skittles]

22. LOL

is fascism your friend???

[mcg]

23. The city council is not a business, it is political, so this IS politics, it is...

Home Depot and its PR firm scheming to present a fraudulent perception of public support for Home Depot to the city council.

"But, don't fault them for wanting to be prosperous and dominant in their field of consumerism."

Don't distort the situation, that's not what they are being faulted for.

[drm604]

25. Are you serious?

don't fault them for wanting to be prosperous and dominant in their field of consumerism

And don't fault consumers for publicizing and complaining about their dishonesty.

They're targeting City Council. How the hell is that not politics? They're trying to mislead a government body as to what the popular will is. I ask again, how the hell is that not politics? :crazy:

[guruoo]

19. These Council members would have to be total idiots to not have

realized what was going on here -even without the memo.

"The PR firm also promised to recruit 150 local area residents to attend tomorrow's hearing,"
"we will order orange t-shirts with a positive message about The Home Depot
for all supporters to wear and so Council members can easily identify."

Either that, or...

[drm604]

24. Not much of a PR firm.

Dakota Communications said it would file a report with the police, "which our firm will pursue swiftly and with vengeance."

Good. Give more publicity to your smarmy tactics.