Friday, March 04, 2005
Martha's PR-Fueled Prison Release
She's baaack! Just in time for a weekend of news reports, Ms. Stewart was released late enough last night that it was deemed to be this morning.
This is NOT news. Well, ok, it IS NEWS. But I want to look at the orchestration of this release and the calculated PR efforts designed specifically to make this news.
If you had any doubts that Martha and MSLO wanted to promote her getting out of jail, I submit the fact that MSLO supplied a flat bed truck at the nearby airport from where Stewart would be flying home. Just in case anyone might miss the photo opp, MSLO puts this news out there to get the release back on everyone's radar.
In preparation, the flat-bed truck will be positioned at the Greenbrier Valley Airport near Stewart's minimum-security prison, according to airport manager Jerry O'Sullivan.
But O'Sullivan said the truck will be parked 100 feet from the passenger entrance of Stewart's plane and will be available to television crews on a first-come, first-served basis.
Stewart chose to serve her time early rather than await the outcome of her appeal, which is pending. Stewart has maintained throughout the ordeal that she did nothing wrong.
In announcing her decision to go to prison, Stewart said she wanted to put the scandal behind her. Both her public image and the company's finances had been badly damaged by her legal case and what critics saw as her open defiance.
In hindsight, Stewart may have made the right decision. Legal and marketing experts note that prison has done wonders for her reputation, which appears to have improved in recent months.
Improved? Prison is the best thing that ever happened to her! Here comes Martha, a Phoenix from the flames. I suspect MSLO stock will bump up today and next week we will be hearing a rash of MSLO announcements...at least one big press conference reviewing immediate company plans now that the boss is back.
