The one where I lose my patience with the world of PR

I know that it’s part of your job description if you work in PR to be as annoying and over friendly as possible, and mostly I am tolerant of this, but today I just couldn’t be doing with it. Seriously, if you send me an email today that begins ‘Hello lovely!’ please don’t expect me to respond with anything other than a punch to the face.

The email that sent me over the edge this morning went like this:

“Hi there,

I hope all is well with you! I’m already one flat white down this morning. Might go for a second coffee but I fear the jitters!

I wanted to share a lovely bit o’ content with you from the weekend…”

Ha ha! Coffee jokes! Now we are best chums right? Oh no, hang on, we’re not, because I don’t know who you are and you haven’t even used my name.

And ‘a lovely bit o’ content’?? What even is that??

I literally had no words, so as a reply I just sent this:

Annoying PRsSometimes people just need to be told.

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28 Comments

  1. 22 October, 2014 / 11:06 am

    Yes, they’re like bad chat up lines. My best one was yesterday when a brand congratulated me on my new arrival (er no babies here) – I did a double take at that and the street talk slang used in it too! At least they used my name so I should be thankful fo that – but I’m not LOL!

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      22 October, 2014 / 12:07 pm

      Well congratulations! Perhaps they know something you don’t!

  2. 22 October, 2014 / 11:23 am

    You are my NEW FAVOURITE PERSON!

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      22 October, 2014 / 12:07 pm

      Why thank you :-D

  3. 22 October, 2014 / 11:25 am

    Haha, “bad chat up lines” – Camilla, that is exactly what they are!

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      22 October, 2014 / 12:08 pm

      It really is isn’t it? Akin to the whole ‘falling from heaven’ type line.

  4. 22 October, 2014 / 11:29 am

    HAHAHA! I had that email too and felt exactly the same!!! I’m thinking … what exactly is a bit ‘o’ content?! Well played young lady. Well played. (you not her)

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      22 October, 2014 / 12:05 pm

      I soooo want you to reply to her Kate with the exact same picture!

  5. David Nichols
    22 October, 2014 / 11:32 am

    Nice one for calling people out when those kinds of emails go beyond friendly. Working in PR and Marketing myself, I agree you need to be friendly and pleasant while doing your research on the person/outlet you want to speak to, but (hopefully!) I’ve never gone overboard to the point where it sounds like I’ve stalked ha! :) Loving the ‘bad chat up lines’ similarity too ;)

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      22 October, 2014 / 12:05 pm

      Friendly and pleasant is absolutely fine, I totally agree with that. This one not so much…

  6. 22 October, 2014 / 11:38 am

    ha ha ha ha ha. I hate talking to them on the phone too – on top of the irritating chirpiness is that added edge that they’re about 12 and are making me feel so bloody old…

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      22 October, 2014 / 12:04 pm

      And if they say ‘I just wanted to pick up the phone…’ as though they INVENTED the idea of verbal communication…

  7. 22 October, 2014 / 11:54 am

    Cannot be bothered to check my email now. I’m with Alison *puts Slummy Single Mummy to top of Favourites List*

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      22 October, 2014 / 12:03 pm

      :-)

  8. 22 October, 2014 / 11:58 am

    It’s odd because I love emails like this. I feel it’s much nicer than the standard boring ones that get through.

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      22 October, 2014 / 12:03 pm

      Gosh, really?? I’m all for interesting, but there are ways to stand out from the crowd surely without having to resort to ‘look at us and our coffee because we’re so stressed hahahaha!’

  9. 22 October, 2014 / 1:22 pm

    I too get these types of emails from PR folk, don’t they know that all they have to do is change “coffee” to “4 cans of cheap lager” and they’d have got my undivided attention ;P

    • Jo Middleton
      Author
      22 October, 2014 / 1:27 pm

      Haha yes! I would definitely read on then Darren :-)

  10. 22 October, 2014 / 4:03 pm

    Haha Darren! I would definitely reply if they just sent an email like:

    “Hello! How are you? Struggling through Monday as usual! Already on my second bottle of mouthwash! Hahaha! (Save me)”

  11. 22 October, 2014 / 4:12 pm

    Being extraordinarily bad at names and faces, I completely fell for an over friendly email some months ago, assuming it must be sometime I’d met but couldn’t place.

    Nope. Just the way they talk. Hohum.

    Also, his hair! I’d forgotten the hair!

  12. 22 October, 2014 / 4:14 pm

    Haha brilliant! x

  13. 22 October, 2014 / 4:55 pm

    Oh my goodness laughing out loud! Good on you :)

  14. 22 October, 2014 / 5:25 pm

    I had one a while ago addressed ‘Hi Hun’ – I don’t need to say any more do I?

  15. 22 October, 2014 / 8:36 pm

    I always imagine them overly blonde, wearing one of those jackets that look like somebody’s skinned a muppet, flicking their chirpy ponytail around…

  16. 3 November, 2014 / 7:53 am

    oh yes i get a LOT of this too

  17. Charlotte
    6 January, 2015 / 10:33 am

    Simply amazing.

  18. 9 April, 2015 / 9:36 pm

    Excellent reply!! Well done you!

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