Martha Stewart & Public Relations

2005-04-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

What's the Frequency Martha?

Sirius Satellite Radio to Launch Exclusive Martha Stewart Channel. Ahh, my two favorite topics come together like chocolate and peanut butter.

I've written about satellite radio before and really like the technology. Martha makes a smart move tying her brand to a popular cultural trend. Not to mention, it expands her dominant media presence.

According to the press release:

SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) today announced an exclusive four-year agreement to create and launch a Martha Stewart-branded satellite radio channel. The channel, the first of its kind, will provide original programming specifically designed for women listeners and their families, 24-hours-a-day, seven days-a-week.
Martha Stewart will be a regular presence on the channel and will be actively involved with program development. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's team of experts will also contribute. Martha Stewart Living Radio is expected to begin on SIRIUS later this year. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
"This will be the first 'around the clock' channel devoted entirely to areas of interest for women in particular. It has been our dream to bring our expertise in the life-style arena, and our vast library of how-to ideas, to radio programming. Just as we pioneered in the creation of the how-to lifestyle magazine and how-to television media categories, our new partnership with SIRIUS is breaking new ground in satellite radio," said Martha Stewart, founder Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.
"Through magazines, books, television, Internet, and merchandising, Martha Stewart Living has become the leader in women's lifestyle as a brand that stands for quality and expertise around the world," said Scott Greenstein, President of Entertainment and Sports Programming. "SIRIUS and Martha Stewart Living together create a one-of-a-kind combination that will provide women with the definitive complement to their lives and lifestyle."

Public relations folks take note and add this target to your media list as warranted. A relevant, targeted media placement on satellite radio is sure to have some serious impressions. Not to mention it also attaches your client to this popular cultural trend.

2005-04-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

Sears Prefers Ty Over Martha

According to the Chicago Tribune, Sears has no immediate plans to incorporate Martha Stewart's retail line into its stores. Sears just debuted a retail line from Ty Penngington, from Trading Spaces and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Not sure what the big deal is here. The two stores merged, K-Mart and Sears are not becoming ONE brand. As a result, they need to tailor offerings that are distinct from each other.

2005-03-04T06:58:00.000-08:00

Martha's Stock Continues to Climb

CNN offers a brilliant timeline that compares milestones in the Stewart Saga against MSLO stock price.

You can see clearly see how things are already ramping up for MSLO.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has already announced plans to have Stewart write a column for the company's flagship Martha Stewart Living magazine. Also filling up her schedule: She's scheduled to star in two television shows next fall and there is talk of plans to launch a clothing line.

And all while wearing an ankle bracelet, folks!

My next Martha prediction:
SOMEONE from Camp Cupcake has probably snagged some of Martha's personal prison items and they will show up on E-Bay within the next week.

2005-03-04T05:34:00.000-08:00

Martha Talks?

Martha's wasting no time positioning herself post-prison. In a subtle move, she is funneling all of her post-prison Web announcements to MSLO's Web site. Stewart's Marthatalks Web site shows her Christmas post as the most recent update. While the site may not be updated from this point on, it is a great example of using the Web to rally support. It also serves as an example of Martha's smart pr moves during the trial...perhaps the only smart move. Yes, the CBS salad comment is at the other extreme as her worst PR move.

As you will see below, she is clearly being selective on which elements of her prison sentence to take advantage of. Perhaps she is finally putting some thought into her public relations?

2005-03-04T03:25:00.000-08:00

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.

2005-02-24T12:28:00.000-08:00

"Don't Call it a Comeback"

In a scant nine days, Martha Stewart will be released from prison. Already, the news media are wondering if she will make a comeback. I'd argue that she never left in the first place. Wall Street may tell a different story based on MSLO earnings, but I predict a stock surge when she gets back out.

I also predict someone makes reference to the "Ides of March" in news stories discussing her release and the state of her company in the coming days. A ten day difference is too hard to resist.

2005-02-02T13:17:00.000-08:00

The Apprentice: Martha Stewart

"Martha Stewart to Host New Version of NBC's The Apprentice"
NBC announced today the network would broadcast an additional version of the hit reality show "The Apprentice" featuring Martha Stewart as host. The new edition will be titled "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart." Donald Trump and Mark Burnett will serve as Executive Producers of both series.

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about. I assumed this was the direction they were heading prior to the recent press conference I ~~complain about it~~ er, weigh in on it below. Why else would she be teaming up with Burnett? It just keeps getting interesting.

2005-01-29T03:24:00.000-08:00

Has Martha Learned Nothing?

Canuckflack ponders if Martha will take a lesson from her prison stay and redirect her life, much like Michael Milken did.

Without rehashing the beaten-dead-discussion over her guilt or innocence, I will predict that the prison stay is less a redirection into a life of philanthropy and more a reinvention to spawn several more multi-million dollar media deals.

Her behavior in the big house has been pretty strategic and is already serving as fodder for plenty of projects. Time will tell upon her release.

2004-12-31T09:32:00.000-08:00

Stewart Publicity Stunt

This story smells funny to me.

"Report: Stewart loses decorating contest in prison." Martha Stewart, who has regaled audiences with countless holiday decorating tips in her magazine and on television, reportedly was unable to lead her team to victory in a prison decoration contest.

This is perfect material for Stewart. By losing, it is a much bigger story and shows she is out of her element in prison. Pure gold. And you will be hearing more about it in a few months.

2004-12-27T13:57:00.000-08:00

Dinner and a Show

Martha noted before the holidays that the quality of prison food is lacking. Now I think Martha's prison sentence is a bit extreme, but I do wonder how good prison food should be. No one would commit a crime to get access to prison food, but why make prison a great place to stay? Incentivize folks to reform and stay out of prison. A slippery slope to argue, I know.

Stewart suggested Americans should push for reforms in federal sentencing guidelines for nonviolent first-time offenders and particularly for drug offenders, who she said would be better served by rehabilitation than prison.
Stewart, who built a billion-dollar empire in homemaking, reported that her job at the federal prison camp in Alderson, W.Va., has been cleaning, including sweeping, vacuuming and raking leaves.
"I have had time to think, time to write, time to exercise, time to not eat the bad food, and time to walk and contemplate the future," she said.

An update on MarthaTV was also publicized recently. Unfortunately, it looks like less The Apprentice meets Trading Spaces and more of the usual Martha Stewart Living show.

Stewart will revive her daily homemaking show next September, it was announced Wednesday this time before a live audience, with celebrity guests and the help of "The Apprentice" producer Mark Burnett.
NBC-owned stations in 14 major cities have already agreed to air the daytime show, and deals will be sought in other cities.
"Millions of people feel that Martha got a raw deal," Burnett said. "America loves comeback stories."
Her old show, "Martha Stewart Living," was put on hiatus last summer after its 11th season. She will tread familiar territory on the yet-to-be-titled new show, including cooking, entertaining, decorating and home renovation.
Burnett said he watched several hours of outtakes from "Martha Stewart Living" and often found them more entertaining and reflective of her personality than the show itself. Interaction with a studio audience and guests will add a new element to what she does, he said.
Stewart went into prison promising to learn something new every day, Lyne said. "Knowing her, I am convinced that much of it will end up on the show," she said.

Come on now, Burnett will have to have more of an impact on this show other than star power. It is a creative opportunity for both parties and I hope it is not a rehash of what Martha was doing before she decided to "focus on her salad."

2004-11-30T07:07:00.000-08:00

Orange Suits You

Forbes reports that Martha Stewart Living is seeing the same loyalty as her retail products selling at K-Mart.

Any expected besmirching-by-association has failed to put off admirers of Stewart's better-living vision. Previously, Kmart had noted the loyalty of customers to her line of household niceties. Now, acolytes of the home-decor high priestess are showing their colors on paper, too. Mediaedge:cia director George Janson said that "Subscriber renewals are really bouncing back." Some 70% of Martha Stewart Living subscribers said they planned to renew their subscriptions, Janson said. And those who planned not to largely blamed it on their own financial status, rather than Stewart's legal blemishing. The renewal rate is 19% better than the magazine industry average, a circulation consultancy group said. Doilies are a force to be reckoned with.

Could prison actually wind up helping Martha in the long-term? Only time will tell, but it certainly has not signaled the demise of our favorite domestic diva.

2004-11-25T03:51:00.000-08:00

Martha Gears up for the Holidays

The AP reports on Martha as we head into the holiday march.

Martha Stewart, in prison for one of her favorite holidays, says she is "safe, fit and healthy" and grateful this Thanksgiving for the support of her fans.
In a new message on her personal Web site, the homemaking maven also says she is being treated fairly by staff and other inmates at the federal women's prison in Alderson, W.Va.
Stewart says she has received thousands of letters and 15,000 e-mails since reporting to prison Oct. 8. Her lawyers have said she spends much of her time at Alderson writing - perhaps for a book rumored to be in the works.

Martha has a ton to be thankful for in my opinion. Most interesting to note is that: "Shares of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, the media company Stewart founded, have more than doubled since she was sentenced in July and have traded recently near $21 - its highest level since the stock scandal broke in 2002."

A simple prediction: Martha will turn her lemons into a refreshing pitcher of sparkling lemondade. She will also keep working her well-established Web site, Martha Talks. She will have some projects to promote after all and what better way? It's serving as her primary communication device.

2004-11-02T21:40:00.000-08:00

Write Martha Stewart

Cox News Service offers up Martha Stewart's mailing address for the next few months:

Martha Stewart
Number 55170-054
FPC Alderson
Glen Ray Road, Box B
Alderson, WV 24910

Drop her a line.

2004-10-20T07:07:00.000-07:00

Breaking the Law

This is great. Always in need of a story, The New York Post reports that Martha Stewart is causing controversy for making illegal jam?

The New York Post, citing an unnamed inmate at the Alderson, W.Va., minimum-security prison camp for women, reported that the guru of good living spent some time last week picking crab apples from trees on the camp grounds and used them to cook up sweet jelly.
"The normal person would get punished for that, but the prison guards managed not to see her," the inmate was quoted as saying.

Here's a theory...could she be behaving strategically? She has a book deal and a TV deal waiting for her upon her release. Why just sit idly by in a corner for 5 months? Makes for a boring book. Making jam sounds like a small story, but it makes for good content. I suspect it is not the only one we will hear from her...if not now, then in the book.

2004-10-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

Making Furniture instead of License Plates

Fine, you do not make license plates in prison anymore, but MSLO just announced it is expanding its furniture line.

Martha Stewart Signature(TM) Furniture Introduces Additions to Collections.With the continued success of Martha Stewart Signature(TM) Furniture with Bernhardt, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (MSO) and Bernhardt Furniture Company today announced an expansion of the brand label at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, North Carolina. The two companies will introduce 43 new SKUs, including additions to each of the three case goods collections- Lily Pond(R), Skylands(TM), and Turkey Hill(TM)-as well as to the range of upholstery options. The new items will be available to consumers at furniture retailers nationwide in March 2005.
"Consumer reaction to the Lily Pond, Skylands, and Turkey Hill Collections continues to be extremely favorable," said Alex Bernhardt, Sr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bernhardt Furniture Company. "Consumers love our unique twist on traditional, classic design, our rich color palette, and special fabrics and finishes. As a result, we've expanded our selection, providing consumers with even more choices for decorating their homes. We're offering exciting new designs and finishes, as well as supplementing existing groups with additional pieces."

Brand expansion. Interesting to note the 3 collections are named after Martha's homes. It's quintessential brand personification, but in this case, you are not necessarily lining your living room with Martha's name. It's a bit more subtle. And while I wish I could say the growth in a non-Martha named product was part of a trend, I cannot.

2004-10-07T22:17:00.000-07:00

From her Farmhouse to the Bighouse

Martha Stewart begins her five-month sentence today. CNN has a great story updating us on where Martha will be staying, Camp Cupcake. Luckily, she'll be wearing khaki and not stripes. Stripes aren't very slimming.

"If Stewart begins her prison term Friday, she would be out by early March -- just in time to begin work on her television program during the five-month home detention period." And we already know the father of reality TV, Mark Burnett will have a few ideas waiting for her upon her return.

She'll be back in a big way.

2004-09-23T03:59:00.000-07:00

I want my MTV

M is for Martha and for Mark. In the final days before Martha heads to the big house, she is already showing us she will be back—and then some. MSO announced a deal with reality TV guru Mark Burnett.

The release is interesting in how it tries to walk a fine line between merchandising Mark Burnett and not mentioning reality TV whatsoever. As a result, the release is pretty disappointing. As exhibit 'A' I submit this quote someone at MSO wrote for Burnett:

"Martha and MSO are pioneers in high-quality 'how-to' television, and I can't wait to collaborate with them to develop the next generation of programming rooted in what they do so well," Mr. Burnett said. "We will explore new ways to communicate that unique combination of teaching, usefulness, quality, style, and impeccable good taste that millions of viewers have enjoyed for over a decade. I look forward to a very productive relationship, starting with 2005."

Zzzzzz...oh, you're done reading the quote. Sorry, must have dozed off. I have to believe that Burnett is capable of a heck of a lot more than Trading Spaces, a la Martha Stewart Style. So I suspect we're looking at something less Trading Spaces and more Apprentice. Martha won't sweat through the episode, that much I am willing to bet.

Regardless, it is a good move. Burnett could be seen as a loose cannon by MSO, but his brand is hot and making money.

2004-08-03T05:13:00.000-07:00

MSLO Moves Forward

MSLO announced the launch of its "Everyday Food" television program today. It builds on the success of its print counterpart and will air on PBS stations nationwide beginning January 2005.

Most notable in the release is how "the half-hour program will feature an ensemble cast of cooks offering quick, easy, practical solutions for preparing delicious everyday meals using supermarket ingredients."

Ensemble cast, huh? Slowly but surely, MSLO maintains their media presence but backs away from Martha.

It's a good thing.

I am going to be doing the same as of this post. There have already been a ton of stories around the case/crisis I could have commented on. But I am moving on. Now that we're in the aftermath of the Martha Stewart Crisis, I will not be updating this blog on a regular basis. Barring something truly interesting, this could in fact be the last post. But the blog will stay standing as a historical reference. Hopefully it is a useful one.

Back in 2002, I started this blog unknowingly with one post on the CBS Morning Show snafu. And here we are. Thanks for visiting this blog. To keep up on public relations in general, I hope you'll stop by Strategic Public Relations.

Martha will be back. We're already seeing a variety of possibilities for her. Was she a victim? Yes. Did she drop the ball? Yes. Has she paid for doing so? Yes. It will be interesting to see what the new Martha brings.

2004-07-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

The Martha Stewart Crisis

Whether you consider Martha Stewart a criminal, hero or victim, her sentencing signals the end of a long, punishing crisis. This analysis will focus on what Stewart did right and wrong from a public relations perspective; and how the scandal was shaped by the media and corporate reform.

Weighing in on this topic are authors Eric Dezenhall and Al Ries.

Dezenhall is an oft-quoted expert in damage control and the author of "Nail 'Em: Confronting High-Profile Attacks on Celebrities and Businesses."

Ries is the best-selling author/co-author of 12 marketing books including our favorite “The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR.”

But before we dive in, two points to make:

Some simply stellar content on blogs and public relations have been posted here over the last four days. As this post does not focus on blogs, I am hoping it offers Global PR Blog Week a timely, refreshing change of pace. You be the judge and let everyone know in the comments section.

The basic history of Stewart’s crisis will not be covered here. If you need a refresher, check out this timeline. Or just follow today’s news.

Every Meal Starts with a Salad
The media feeding frenzy around Stewart’s fall from grace began after her now infamous appearance on CBS' The Early Show. During her then weekly cooking segment, she was asked about the ImClone issue.

Stewart tried to dodge the question and noted she wanted to focus on her salad. Media training executives around the globe quickly added the footage to their training tapes of how not to handle direct questions.

“This interview took place too soon after the ImClone story broke,” says Dezenhall. “She was too flip and hadn't endured the crucible long enough to show human depth. When you live by personality you can die by personality. There are acute limits to what you can do with someone with Martha's personality.

“The same doggedness that served her well on the way up, served her poorly on the way down. Avoiding the CBS salad interview would have been a good place to start. But you can't tell divas that diva behavior is wrong. After all, until now it was effective.”

Silence isn’t Golden, it’s Guilty
Stewart’s first public appearance during the scandal was the most damaging of all. We could note this snafu proves out the importance of media training, but lets consider the bigger issue of brand strategy. Crisis communications’ and media training's role in a brand strategy is to preserve and reinforce the brand—when used proactively. Far too often, they're used reactively with mixed results.

Stewart fell silent after the CBS spot turned bad into worse, canceling public appearances. She hired The Brunswick Group to handle damage control and help create a crisis strategy (Citigate Sard Verbinnen now handles this work).

She should have engaged a crisis team the day the scandal broke. Especially during a crisis, silence isn’t golden, it’s guilty. Until Martha Talks was unveiled, the media had no comment from Stewart and they were left to assume, and assign, guilt.

Web Page As Spokesperson
Martha Talks proved the effectiveness of the Web in crisis communications. And as we’ve discussed, a blog could also support crisis communications.

Martha Talks tells Stewart’s side of the story. It generates support and presents her as a normal person—not the uber-perfect home heroine her shows and the media make her out to be. The site is humble, subtle and presented in a way that communicates, while Stewart maintains her innocence, that she realizes the serious nature of her legal issues.

Timely trial updates, statements from Stewart’s legal team and a library of different op/eds written on her behalf populate the site. It’s become a news source, getting Stewart’s point across without her having to field interviews. Of course, she did conduct strategically-timed interviews with Larry King and Barbara Walters.

Traffic Shows Support
Stewart also translated traffic stats into a show of support. The site has received more than 34 million hits and more than 170,000 supportive emails since it was launched in June, 2003. This information is brought to your attention on first view.

Personally, I think she could have employed a blog or comparable comments/bulletin board section to build on the e-mail support base the site developed. The danger is that anti-Stewart fans can also post, but I think the pros of pushing her site further to tap into this audience outweigh the cons.

“Stewart's Internet campaign was quite good,” says Dezenhall. “It allowed her to mobilize and to communicate with supporters. In the end, it didn't turn the jury, but it was a good move to establish the Web site.

“I am a skeptic about too many TV interviews, especially with a personality like hers. When I have a legal defendant I've been conservative about press, but because Martha had a publicly-traded company there was reason to do it. In the end, the killers were bad facts against Martha, the hostile Marie Antoinette climate and Martha's persona.”

Brand Personification
Can the brand survive without Martha Stewart? Wharton School offers up an interesting article on this entitled: “When the CEO is the Brand, But Falls from Grace, What's Next?” (login now required – sorry!)

The article explores brand personification—when the brand is tied to an individual. The main point is to strike a balance when you rely on the CEO as your brand.

"Strike a balance, where the company benefits from an appealing public personality like Martha Stewart and Donald Trump or Ralph Lauren and Michael Dell, while it builds a strong identity that doesn't rely on the individual.
“Like Stewart, Trump places his name on everything he gets involved in. He is a visible, vocal brand voice. Lauren and Dell, however, have cleverly created a separate, institutional identity that doesn't make them so vulnerable if they have a personal problem.”

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) is moving in that direction with products and projects that do not bear Martha's name. It will be interesting to see how much more they will need to change at MSLO to strike a balance.

“It's a long road, to differentiate your company from your personality,” says Dezenhall. “But it's do-able.”

Ries disagrees.

“The Martha Stewart brand can’t survive without her,” says Ries. “But we do think that brand personification is a good idea. For every failure there are many successes. Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and George Foreman to name three.”

MSLO and Martha Stewart have been very inconsistent on how much MSLO’s house of brands relies on Stewart. MSLO is quick to point out that Stewart is one employee of a large company. How could one person possibly account for the bulk of the brand?

Then after the guilty verdict, the lawyers had everyone saying that MSLO could not survive if Stewart were in prison. There was lots of waffling here. And not the Belgian kind, made from scratch for your next Sunday brunch (you KNEW there would be a domestic reference in here sooner or later).

What's in a Name?
“Eventually the goal will be to make Martha Stewart a Betty Crocker-type figure,” says Dezenhall. “This is someone who we know as a symbol, but do not know personally. I'm not even sure if Betty Crocker was a real person. [she’s not]

“In a less radioactive climate, the name Martha Stewart still has equity. I'd be throttling back on her personality but not necessarily doing away with her image. There is no singular strategy here, and much will depend on the business and cultural climate after Stewart's sentence is served.”

The New York Times brings us an interesting fact: "Since last June, when Stewart was indicted on charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice, MSLO has applied for 12 trademarks—none of which include her name."

The article notes, "trademarks are a capital asset—property a company can own to enhance a brand, product or service. An exclusive name or image often increases a product's value."

Based on how the sentencing goes Friday morning, I'm predicting that MSLO might even start referring themselves as just that...MSLO, or their ticker symbol MSO. I call it pulling a KFC. Unfortunately, this is no longer an accurate statement as KFC tries to distract us from the sizzle and crackle of the deep fryer by evolving from Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC and now to Kitchen Fresh Chicken? They should have stopped at KFC.

CEOs & Corporate Reform
Personally, I think Stewart is a victim of much needed corporate reform.

Keep in mind, she’s not being convicted of insider trading, rather lying during the insider trading investigation. Her worth has plummeted from billions to millions and she lost the helm of a diverse company she built all by herself. Hopefully U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum will hand down a sentence fitting the crime.

So why the need to incarcerate her? Well, I’ll argue it’s because most folks cannot match these executives:

Rigas, Ebbers, Kozlowski, Fastow, Nacchio

to their respective companies

Enron, Tyco, WorldCom, Qwest, Adelphia

The Justice Department has charged more than 700 people in the two years since the Corporate Fraud Task Force was formed. But Stewart is the celebrity CEO everyone recognizes. This sentence sends a message to corporate America.

Dezenhall notes, “Legally, Martha isn't a victim because she was convicted of breaking the law. Her career and her business certainly have been victimized. There is a witch hunt component to this on top of the legal violations. Her celebrity and her success played a role in the intensity of the scrutiny and the harshness of the punishment.

“We are living in a Marie Antoinette period right now. The savaging of success is considered universally good. Americans enjoy playing a role in building someone up, but once they rise out of our reach, they must be torn down. How it's done, in a court, in the media, is academic.”

The Big House or Stewart’s Farmhouse?
August 3rd is Stewart’s birthday. Will she spend it in the big house or at her farmhouse? We’ll find out, but legal experts estimate the prison sentence could be 16 months or more. Will a prison sentence spell the end of Stewart? Of course not.

“Stewart will be back,” says Dezenhall. “Americans enjoy the whole process of crucifixion and resurrection. A wounded Martha may be a lovable Martha. We do love to see the mighty suffer. A Martha comeback would be a story the media would love to do and that may dictate things.

“There are simply too many examples out there to tell us that scandal is not only temporary, but it could be the best thing that ever happened to someone.”

2004-06-08T03:34:00.000-07:00

Sentencing Postponed

Stewart's sentencing will be delayed until July 8th, three weeks later than originally planned, to give federal judge Miriam Cedarbaum time to consider requests for a new trial.

This news is huge regardless of how Cedarbaum responds. It buys the Stewart camp, including MSLO, some time. It also helps promote her innocence with consumers. If she was clearly guilty, she would be in prison by now.

The Reuters story notes that Stewart has offered to conduct community service and that MSLO has made it clear it will suffer without its leader. Unfortunately these two key points fly in the face of previous strategies. While community service is the right thing to do and something Martha should do regardless of her sentencing, it connotes her guilt and is inconsistent with her positioning thus far. Same goes for MSLO's statement as everything leading up to this involved distancing themselves from Martha—not tying their future to her.

Fine, we're seeing some last minute bet hedging. Perhaps it is working as Cedarbaum decides to consider a new trial.

2004-05-31T18:32:00.000-07:00

Stewart's Community Service Strategy

CNN reports Martha Stewart is offering to conduct community service to lighten her sentence. OK, clearly a last minute ploy. Had she started doing this earlier, it might have made an impact. Now it merely comes off as panic.

It is the right thing for Martha to do however. It's the one thing she has not passed along to others through her franchise. She helps America learn how to cook, clean and craft. She could help underprivileged women enormously by helping them learn business skills.

2004-05-27T05:08:00.000-07:00

Grounds for appeal changes game

Perjury charges brought against a government witness have the Stewart legal team prepping for next week when they will request a new trial. The charges give Stewart grounds for appeal and a last chance at staving off a prison sentence.

Yes, you might say, "it's a good thing."

The June sentencing is the other shoe dropping as it relates to this case. Prior to the verdict in March, Stewart, MSLO and companies like K-Mart were all in limbo. Separate strategies were waiting to be implemented based on a guilty or not guilty verdict. These companies are in a similar state as we wait to see if Martha Stewart will do time in prison.

Before the above news, it was merely a question of HOW long she might serve. This changes the game and, I suspect, her lawyers are not the only team shuffling plans accordingly.

2004-05-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

Al Ries Weighs In On Martha Stewart

In a recent interview with Strategic Public Relations, author, brand guru and PR proponent, Al Ries weighed in on MSLO's chances without Martha Stewart.

SPR: Martha Stewart's case is calling the wisdom of brand personification into question. Do you think Martha's brand can survive without her? Do you think brand personification is a good idea?

Ries: No, we don't think the Martha Stewart brand can survive without her, but we do think that brand personification is a good idea.

For every failure (Martha Stewart) there are many successes. Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Donald Trump, George Foreman and many others.

The full interview is available here.

2004-05-18T10:08:00.000-07:00

All eyes on June sentencing

Martha Stewart's TV Show is on hiatus until her June sentencing. Her TV show and media empire have been hardest hit by her scandal/crisis/legal issues. Not surprising they are waiting. It adds even more suspense to Cedarbaum's sentencing.

2004-05-12T06:01:00.000-07:00

Oprah Takes Aim

We’re a scant four weeks away from the sentencing and the story continues to evolve as Martha blames everyone but herself.

For sake of discussion, let's oversimplify Martha Stewart’s empire into media and retail. While the news media has been quick to point out how the conviction is impacting MSLO quarterly earnings, retail is doing well. Depending on which story you read, you will see that the stock is down five percent or that MSLO lost $20 million last quarter.

If earnings continue to plummet, the NY Post predicts we will see more changes at MSLO.

The bottom line? Look for mass layoffs, running well over 100, coming soon - and that's just for starters. At its current headcount of 545, the company has barely cut back at all from its peak of 610 employees just two years ago. Look as well for an announcement, after a suitable interval, that the company plans to relocate to more "suitable" (read: cheap) offices elsewhere than its present digs in Midtown and TriBeCa.

So I send a shout out to those members of the press that ran with the five percent to keep things in perspective. Martha does not need any help painting this bleak picture.

Or does she?

Martha’s new plan is to prove that MSLO cannot survive without her presence. Forbes first broke this story last month (see below). This is a great plan to keep Martha in her farmhouse instead of the big house, but it conflicts with MSLO’s strategy of distancing themselves from Stewart.

Media Post provides us with inconsistency’s case in point as it details MSLO’s plans for Martha Stewart Living magazine.

Martha Stewart Living will retain its name, but undergo other alterations: Stewart's column will disappear by next month's issue, and the cover will be redesigned for the September issue.
”While retaining the name Martha Stewart--which connotes brand attributes of quality expert information and a unique sense of style--we will place greater emphasis on the name 'Living' as the brand label," Chief Executive Officer Sharon Patrick said Friday morning.
Patrick said that a survey found most readers felt it was too early to take Stewart's name off the magazine, but that it was important to make changes to the cover. The subscribers didn't seem to be put off by the verdict.
"These results demonstrate how much our subscribers value the key attributes associated with the name 'Martha Stewart,' and how much progress we have made in evolving the brand from expert personality to trusted brand attributes and brand labels," Patrick said.

Doph! Speaking of publishing, did I mention how well retail is doing?

Oprah just announced a new home magazine to capitalize on MSLO’s publishing funk and pick up Martha readers. This is a smart move on O’s part. She no longer has Rosie’s magazine to contend with and Rosie was handily addressing the Oprah audience and the Martha audience. Her approach might have been much different from Oprah and Martha, but she delivered.

Here is a good exercise in brand personification—compare and contrast Oprah, Rosie and Martha. Rosie shows us a brand tied to an individual can survive scandal.

2004-05-05T19:38:00.000-07:00

No Go on New Trial

Martha Stewart's request for a new trial was denied today. Her legal team may have one or two more plays to run between now and June, but more than likely Martha will wind up doing some time.

One result of Martha Stewart's prison sentence could be further distancing from her by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO). They've already started to introduce products without her name—the publishing side that is, the retail side is still seeing brisk sales. In fact, The New York Times reports that "since June, when Stewart was indicted on charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has applied for 12 trademarks—none of which include her name."

I'm also predicting that MSLO might start referring themselves as just that...MSLO. I call it pulling a KFC. Unfortunately, this is no longer an accurate statement as KFC tries to distract us from the sizzle and crackle of the deep fryer by evolving from Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC and now to Kitchen Fresh Chicken? They should have stopped at KFC.

2004-04-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

May—Martha Movement Month

Ahhh, sweet alliteration. Lots of Martha news to catch up on. Here's a recap:

* Martha Talks...a lot: Martha's Web page is translating traffic stats into a show of support. Response to the site includes "more than 32 million hits since it was launched last June; nearly 150,000 supportive emails to date - more than 40,000 of which have flooded in just since the verdict was announced on March 5."

This won't get her a new trial, but it is smart to substantiate her support using these metrics.

* Speaking of Retrial: Fortune details Martha's secret plan to try and stay out of jail. "Stewart's lawyers hope to save her from prison time by convincing a judge that her company--and its jobs--would not survive her absence." This is a tricky strategy that conflicts with MSLO's current efforts to distance themselves from Stewart and messages sent to stockholders that the company CAN survive without Stewart.

* Brand is Alive: Whether or not the company can survive prison, it has survived the trial. Despite her legal wrangling, Stewart's retail and furniture products continue to sell well. In fact, K-Mart has settled some issues between the two camps and signed on through 2009.

* She's an Earner: On May 7, 2004, we'll see how much of an impact retail and furniture sales have made to offset the poor performance of MSLO's Martha-branded media offerings. MSLO releases its quarterly earnings for first quarter 2004. This announcement is one key benchmark of how MSLO has fared through the trial and before Stewart's pending prison sentence.

2004-04-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

Plagiarism Blog

There is a blog out there plagiarizing my Martha Stewart posts. The author—known only as Tara—is backdating the posts to make it look like she(?) is writing the pieces first.

Well, in addition to being lazy and unethical, this person is not very smart. A post noting Michael Jackson's indictment is listed as being posted on April 8th—well before the indictment actually took place.

Tara, stop taking credit for work that is not your own. Do the right thing and attribute it, or simply take it down altogether.

2004-04-22T23:16:00.000-07:00

How Much Time Will Martha Do?

The last poll asked everyone to grade Martha Stewart's overall PR approach to the crisis/scandal thus far. 38 percent of the tiny sample gave her a D—she made some good PR moves, but for the most part she made mistakes. 24 folks responded in total.

The new poll wonders how long Martha's sentence will be. Her sentencing is in June and fast approaching. So be sure to cast your vote in the poll to your right.

2004-04-22T22:29:00.000-07:00

What Michael Can Learn From Martha

Disclaimer: The comparison this post makes between Michael Jackson and Martha Stewart is confined strictly to the Web sites created to deal with their individual legal issues. The similarities stop there.

Jackson's indictment prompted me to revisit his spokesperson Web site.

It has evolved from being a brief and simplistic site, lacking any contact information. Unfortunately, its redesign might be even more harmful than his first site.

The site's objective is "to provide the public and media official reports and exclusive interviews pertaining to the Michael Jackson case." Its design resembles a cross between a news site and an official fan club site. It offers a variety of content and, finally, contact information. Unfortunately, not all of this content is related to his case. For example, he congratulates his sister Janet on her new album. The other major error the site makes is that it displays advertising from sponsors.

The end result makes for a confusing site, not a credible one. It also connotes that Micheal does not realize the severity of the charges brought against him. For example, in the first paragraph of his welcome note to visitors, Jackson writes: "Thank you to the creators of this site for your hard work and efforts in helping to make this website a reality. For revolutionary video quality, the site will feature a brand new CoDec technology. "

Martha Stewart's site was designed to help tell her side of the story, generate support and present her as a normal person—not the perfect home heroine her shows made her out to be. This helped support her legal strategy. But the site was humble, subtle and was presented in a way that communicated, while Martha maintained her innocence, she realized the serious nature of her legal issues.

Jackson's site presents him as more concerned about addressing rumors and giving his fans access to his life than his legal crisis.

Jackson's first site may have been damaging in what it did not say. But with no legal focus, his new site is damaging in what it does say.

2004-04-22T22:23:00.000-07:00

What's in a Name?

Interesting note from The New York Times: "Since June, when Stewart was indicted on charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has applied for 12 trademarks—none of which include her name."

It will be interesting to see if Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) winds up being referenced in acronym only. I noted awhile ago that the company might become MSLO officially. I suspect it depends on what happens in June when Martha is sentenced. They should wait and see.

As the article notes, "trademarks are a capital asset—property a company can own to enhance a brand, product or service. An exclusive name or image often increases a product's value."

No need to make the change until they know if the asset is truly a liability.

2004-04-05T05:33:00.000-07:00

MSLO Relies on Research to Chart Course

The New York Times reports MSLO is engaging some of its readers via email to poll them on possible changes to Martha Stewart Living. Much like her syndicated columns, the magazine title might be shortened to Living. Regardless of what the research tells MSLO and how they react, it is great to see them taking a sound step forward.

Elsewhere in corporate scandal land, the Tyco mistrial is turning up the heat on media access to trials and juries. Judge Cedarbaum's approach with the Martha trial—boxing out the media and giving them little access to shield the jury—is credited with the smooth proceedings. And while the substance of each case is dramatically different, I agree that this approach helped the Stewart trial dramatically.

2004-04-01T06:35:00.000-08:00

While the cat's away...

Martha Stewart has switched the focus from her salad to her pending sentence. In the meantime, the business world must move on and we're seeing several stories emerge as a result.

As lawyers seek a new trial, everyone wants to know who will replace Martha Stewart. Keep in mind the gravity of this discussion—Stewart's Midas touch extends to much more than MSLO and K-Mart. A scan of any newsstand shows us Martha's publishing impact. Nearly every home publication has followed Martha with "home how-to" articles. Pick up a TV Guide to chart a similar TV evolution. Now consider that publishing and TV are currently her two weakest assets in light of the guilty verdicts and pending sentencing. Competitors know to focus here, rather than retail, to gain market share.

CBS is trying to cash in merely on the process of replacing her with a reality TV-based search. But The Boston Globe offers up some more worthy candidates. Now, if the Fab Five were seriously deemed Martha's replacements, it would spread the person as brand issue across five people instead of one and defuse the problems that brand personification can create. It would also be a testament to Martha Stewart's importance in that no one person can replace her.

In lieu of regular news stories around the trial, even simple personnel moves at MSLO are under the microscope. We have a good two or three months before her scheduled sentencing. We should expect a few more of these items to present themselves.

2004-03-28T15:38:00.000-08:00

Cashing in on Martha Stewart's Conviction

This news from Reuters is sad, but not surprising. Hoping to cash in once more on the reality TV craze, CBS is creating a reality TV show designed to find the next Martha Stewart. Um, yeah. Good luck with that.

2004-03-25T09:26:00.000-08:00

Brand Personification

Wharton School offers up an interesting article on Martha Stewart entitled: When the CEO is the Brand, But Falls from Grace, What's Next?

The article explores Brand Personification—when the brand is tied to an individual. Several great examples of businesses moving on after the CEO/brand leaves the company are offered. While there were not a lot of examples directly relevant to Stewart's case, one good point is to strike a balance when you rely on the CEO as your brand:

"Perhaps the key is to strike a balance, where the company benefits from an appealing public personality like Martha Stewart, Donald Trump or Michael Dell, while it builds a strong identity that doesn't rely on the individual. That strategy is suggested by Alan Siegel, chairman and CEO of the eponymous Siegel & Gale, a strategic branding company that developed the Dell brand image.
'Like Martha Stewart, Donald Trump places his name on everything he gets involved in: buildings, gambling casinos and airlines. He is a visible, vocal brand voice,' says Siegel. 'Ralph Lauren and Michael Dell, on the other hand...have cleverly created a separate, institutional identity that doesn't make them so vulnerable if they have a personal problem.'”

MSLO was moving in that direction with Real Simple and some other magazine projects that do not bear Martha's name. It will be interesting to see how much more they will need to change at MSLO to strike a balance.

Thanks to Robb Hecht at PR Machine for the link.

2004-03-24T06:44:00.000-08:00

"News" for K-Mart

Research sells a story. Case in point: HomeWorld Business magazine.

The trade publication did a survey to see if consumers would continue to purchase her products post-conviction. The research validated what we already know; Martha's retail business has not been impacted by the conviction. This has been reported on several times in the trial's aftermath.

But I give HomeWorld Business high marks for riding the Stewart wave. It is garnering them additional awareness and vetting them as a credible home retail business source.

Research is a powerful public relations tactic. This allows me to segue to my research soapbox and make a general observation.
Marketers everywhere clamor for metrics, yet most are still reticent to spend money on research. If you want to measure something at the end of the program, you must start by measuring it at the front end of the program. Research and metrics are directly related.

2004-03-16T04:47:00.000-08:00

Martha Hangs On At MSLO

Martha Stewart stepped down from her executive post, but is staying on at MSLO. This allows her to bring her creative force to the company while possibly addressing corporate ethic issues. It is a slippery slope, but a clear sign Martha is sticking to her story and MSLO is preparing for the months ahead.

The big question now is, "How much prison time will Martha be sentenced to serve?" Predictions vary widely.

PR Fuel offers some good insight into the Martha Stewart scandal. Once the guilty verdicts came in, seemingly *everyone* was quick to point out what Martha did wrong from a public relations perspective. It's a pretty easy position to take. Ben shares some thoughts we have discussed before noting she was consistent if nothing else. This consistency is already paying off. She's kept her job at MSLO...albeit with a demotion.

2004-03-09T04:56:00.000-08:00

Martha Stewart—from Asset to Liability

Martha Stewart's guilty verdict turns her from an asset to a liability. This will fuel a lot of name changes. By simply removing her name, Martha's newspaper column titles are already being shortened. As I predicted in my last post, I think MSLO will follow suit. Amongst other changes, they will reposition themselves as MSLO instead of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

This would follow Martha's physical removal from the company she founded. Martha's departure from MSLO comes as no surprise. What initially surprised me was that Martha tried to stay on at MSLO. But this fight actually makes sense.

To resign from MSLO on her own would imply that Martha knows she is guilty. Image experts everywhere are telling us how Martha should handle herself over the next few months. But right now, Martha is being consistent with her story and she should stick to this strategy while she appeals.

Martha Stewart will live to fight another day. Already, the 20-year maximum prison sentence she could receive is being estimated at 10 to 16 months. If her appeals do not work, experts assume she could even serve half of this sentence outside of prison. There are simply too many examples out there to tell us that scandal is not only temporary, but it could be the best thing that ever happened to someone. All prison couture jokes aside; Martha could stage a comeback to rival Richard Nixon. She could be a rags to riches story twice over.

What about MSLO? The stock has plunged more than 30 percent since the guilty verdict came in on Friday. MSLO stock will continue to plunge, so buy low and sell high. I've seen companies with bleaker futures come back from more dramatic stock plunges.

Brands can shift their positioning, evolve the promise that they make and live on. This is not even an apples to oranges comparison, but look at Radio Shack and K-Mart.

Both positioned themselves as the cheap alternative with off-name brands. Wal-Mart has moved so quickly, it blew K-Mart into bankruptcy before it could shift gears and bring in new brands to show that low prices do not mean low quality. Radio Shack however signed on big stars to sell their cell phones and are still around, competing with local and national competitors and doing just fine in comparison to K-Mart.

Will MSLO survive? Probably. Will they have to change everything? Probably not. Will it be a tough road? Definitely.

2004-03-08T05:55:00.000-08:00

Martha Stewart's Guilty Aftermath

It is interesting to see stories proclaiming the beginning of the end for Martha Stewart now that she has been found guilty. As I noted in my last post, we've only just begun to write this story. Most obviously, Martha Stewart will not be sentenced for another three months on June 17th.

Three months. Three months to appeal and three months to read a blitz of stories analyzing Martha Stewart's case. Three months to prepare for whatever sentence Judge Miriam Cedarbaum hands down.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) however, does not have the luxury of three month's preparation. MSLO has moved into the eye of the storm it began weathering when Stewart was first charged.

MSLO has already introduced products that do not bear the Martha Stewart name. This trend will continue. I also think that MSLO will change its corporate identity standards to note it should be referenced solely as MSLO. This is a tactic that Kentucky Fried Chicken took when it realized fried foods were under fire as a fat-laden treat. They have been KFC ever since.

No matter how it responds, MSLO and its stock price will suffer. Martha Stewart's show is already being pulled. But this is this NOT all that controversial. Do you *honestly* think the television show will continue in its current format? Not to mention, the show is one product from MSLO's large portfolio. For the time being, its retail business is doing ok. While this will have a dramatic impact on MSLO, it is not the end for this company.

NEW POLL:How do you think public relations around the Martha Stewart case have been handled as a whole? Check out the new poll to the right and let you voice be heard.

2004-03-05T17:23:00.000-08:00

Guilty on All Counts

Wow. Thursday I was in New York, within striking distance of the courthouse. And the verdict came in while I was flying home today.

Martha Stewart. Guilty.

It was good to see that Martha Stewart's public relations camp was ready for either scenario. Her response to the verdict was almost instantly posted to her Web site. This becomes an instant source for news stories, getting Martha's point across without Martha having to field any questions from the media. It will be interesting to see MSLO's response. They too were preparing for either scenario.

This is FAR from over. The guilty verdict kicks the media circus into gear while we wait for the sentencing. Then the appeals will get underway.

"We've only just begun..."

2004-03-02T06:02:00.000-08:00

Closing Arguments & Quarterly Earnings

Timing is everything. As closing arguments wrap up on Thursday, MSLO will announce its quarterly earnings. By then the jury will most likely be in deliberation. It will be interesting to see how MSLO positions itself in the call for next quarter. It will certainly be impacted by the outcome of the trial.

2004-03-01T05:50:00.000-08:00

Charges Drop, Stock Rises

Judge Cedarbaum threw out Martha Stewart’s most serious charge on Friday and the impact was easily measured. MSLO stock rose—proving how inseparable the two entities are despite their efforts to distance themselves.

Speaking of which, do you know who Sharon L. Patrick is? She’s MSLO’s new CEO. As charges are dropped, we see the media shifting to stories on business as usual, including how MSLO is moving ahead during the trial. We’ve been discussing this for awhile here. MSLO and Martha Stewart may not be as separate as they would like these days, but MSLO will go on and survive—regardless of the trial outcome.

That said, I think Martha will walk. The most serious charge against her has been dropped. This brings the rest of the charges into question. As closing arguments wrap this week, it gives the Stewart camp more momentum towards a not guilty verdict.

2004-02-25T06:36:00.000-08:00

Martha's Less is More Strategy

The LA Times claims that the defense will call only one witness. As we assumed, it will not be Martha.

A quick trial is best for Martha Stewart. And if the defense can take this route, it also points to their confidence that Martha's innocence is already obvious and needs no further proving out for the jury to come to this conclusion.

I'm sure they have plans for legal recourse should a guilty verdict be handed down. It will be far from over should this occur.

2004-02-24T09:38:00.000-08:00

Will Martha Stewart Take the Stand?

After a brief respite, I am back on the trial trail. Sad to note, I did not miss much while I was away.

As the prosecution rests and the defense responds, most notable is how testimony from Martha’s friends and colleagues is helping the prosecution and the defense. This rates as drama in a case that is comparing ink on documents to help support their claims.

This all puts even more focus on the big question: Will Martha Stewart take the stand in her own defense? To this question, I reply: Are you, insane?

No matter what Martha says on the stand, the prosecution gets to cross-examine. Barbara Walters won’t be conducting this interview folks. It is way too risky for the defense. And by not putting her on the stand, the defense keeps the trial low on the media radar. In fact, when this case is over and dissected ad nauseam, it will be held up as an excellent example of how to eliminate the media circus around celebrity court cases.

The media may not be happy about how little access they may have received in this trial, but it certainly made them more creative.

The perfect example is at Slate, where Martha’s chances of conviction have risen to 30 percent based on recent testimony. Then there is CNN/Money. This site tracks stock performance for MSLO against a Martha Stewart trial timeline. There is also an article noting that life will go on at MSLO should Martha be found guilty. To this article, I reply: DUH!

2004-02-14T06:48:00.000-08:00

Less Circus, More Trial

As the prosecution prepares to rest, it occurs to me this trial is moving along pretty smoothly without the usual overexposure of the media.

A few items make ironic news during the trial. Erbitux, the drug from Imclone that started the insider trading scandal, was approved by the FDA. K-Mart is suing Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, accusing the company of overcharging it for the rights to sell its products. These two news pieces just show that it's business as usual while the trial goes on. They have *nothing* to do with the trial. But it is interesting to note in the K-Mart article how they refer to MSLO as "Martha Stewart's company." Might as well cash in on her notoriety now I guess.

So what are trial media focused on now? The tug of war between the prosecution and the defense will shift in Martha's favor as the prosecution is expected to wrap up their case next week. The whole case should be done by the end of March...just in time for spring cleaning!

My biggest complaint is Blodget's Martha guilt meter. It has hardly moved throughout the trial. These gimmicks are created to actually measure something! But Martha has hovered between 18 and 22 percent chance of being convicted thus far. I assume this will drop during her defense.

2004-02-06T03:55:00.000-08:00

Criminal or Role Model?

Martha's op/ed strategy makes for great editorial before the verdict comes in. The tricky part about op/eds is that both sides of a discussion will write them. Here we see someone disagreeing with a pro-Martha op/ed. Needless to say, there will not be a link to this from Martha Talks.

The public relations industry gives Martha Talks mixed reviews. Some herald it as a miracle while others note it is one of many Web sites that represent well. I agree, Martha has not created the Internet or blazed any new trails with this site. But Martha Stewart has elevated the Web page as spokesperson approach with this site. She reinforces her innocence on this site by offering timely updates from her legal team and pointing visitors to other "voices" speaking on Martha's behalf. The beauty of this strategy is it allows Martha to stay silent during the trial--something she should do--while also getting credible people to "endorse" her innocence.

What should we expect after the trial? It depends on the verdict of course. If she is found not guilty, you will see a full-frontal assault as Martha-palooza kicks into the highest of gears.

If she is found guilty, she should be consistent and maintain her innocence. She has spent the past two years maintaining her innocence. To suddenly agree with the prosecution and "confess" after all of this time would be a disaster. She will be far-removed from MSLO if this happens, but she will still have a career to consider...assuming she does not get any jail time. If Martha Stewart is found guilty, it will not be the end of her career. It will merely force her to regroup.

2004-02-04T21:45:00.000-08:00

Martha Stewart Op/Eds

Public relations professionals often rely on customer testimonals and third party endorsements to fuel media relations efforts. Martha's Web site has a library of these endorsements. The site links to 17 different op/eds written on her behalf. Individually, each piece helps her cause, but seeing all of them in one spot is impressive. Too bad the jurors won't see the site until after the trial.

2004-02-04T21:22:00.000-08:00

Martha Stewart should thank Janet Jackson

As Martha's trial finally picks up speed, the Stewart camp is breathing a sigh of relief as the media circus focuses on the Janet Jackson Super Bowl debacle—for now.

The media love a villain, and Janet is taking Martha's place handily. Just in time too as the prosecution's star witness, Douglas Faneuil, testified that he passed the tip along to Martha and then lied about doing so. This confession has barely made news in the din of the halftime show aftermath. The Stewart story is not among last week's top 10 news stories. Now, with Jackson getting more coverage than in her entire career, it will stay out of the spotlight for awhile.

It seems that many people stopping by here are looking for Martha Stewart courtroom sketches. Well, I aim to please so here you go:

In my opinion, the courtroom sketch artist is either a trainee or she has a less than favorable opinion of Martha. Or there is an unwritten rule that courtroom sketches have to be unflattering.

2004-02-03T06:05:00.000-08:00

Martha Talks: Trial Update

As promised, Martha is keeping her Web site updated with trial proceedings. It is interesting to see her attorneys issue statements on her behalf. The fact sheet is also a clear sign that her public relations team are working closely with her legal team. Smart move.

2004-02-03T03:49:00.000-08:00

Martha Stewart and the MSLO brand

Separating Martha Stewart's persona from MSLO is impossible after years of work joining them at the hip. You cannot tell where one starts and the other stops. But they are two very separate entities. Not that it matters much now. The negative impact on MSLO increases the longer the trial takes. The media has made it clear—the verdict doesn't matter. In lieu of substantive or controversial news in this trial, the media continue to track MSLO performance against Martha's legal problems.

Readers were shocked to see the stock up as the trial started. Now Ad Age compares MSLO's 2003 publishing performance to the trial. There is undeniably a strong connection between the two, more so than anyone at MSLO would like to admit. But there are many factors impacting such a large company. Whether MSLO stock is up or ad pages are down, there are several factors that are responsible.

But what else are the media to do? The trial is a yawner. You have to dig to find the latest headlines. Blodget's Martha Meter hovers at 20 percent. He feels she has an 80 percent chance of being found innocent.

The next story we'll see revolves around the big question, WILL MARTHA TAKE THE STAND?

The media are hoping so they can salvage a story out of this trial. And if Martha does take the stand, you can be sure she will not screw up. Her on-camera antics, focusing on her salad, took place well over a year ago. Since then she's had two major interviews and the media training to match. The defense has already decided if she will take the stand and, if she will, they have been training her for the interview of a career.

2004-01-29T09:06:00.000-08:00

Tasteful Farmhouse or the Big House?

Slate's resources on the trial continue to provide insight into the trial. I've already pointed you to timelines showing how the Martha mess came to pass. Slate offers another one for those retracing Stewart's steps. But my favorite new resource is Blodget's self-proclaimed Martha Meter.

Blodget is gauging Martha's chances of being found guilty or innocent based on what he learns covering the trial. Right now he feels she has a 20 percent chance of being found guilty.

What do you think? Is Martha innocent or guilty? Take the poll located to the right and weigh in.

2004-01-27T19:20:00.000-08:00

Blodget Brings Edge to Coverage

Slate's Guide to the Martha Stewart trial provides a comprehensive review of news, analysis and relevant background leading up to Martha's day in court. Henry Blodget covering the trial for Slate made big news before the trial started. It is great to see him deliver. Check it out.

2004-01-27T19:05:00.000-08:00

Martha PR Review

If you told me 1.5 years ago I would be writing about Martha Stewart, I would have gotten hostile. But here we are. I thought it might be helpful to review the posts that drove the creation of this blog.

“Martha, Martha, Martha!” July 28, 2002—From focusing on her salad to hiring a crisis communications firm, this first post looks at Martha’s early strategy.

Silence as a Strategy October 10, 2002—Nothing to say as her legal team firms up her case and the media make their own assumptions.

The Big Red K October 11, 2002—K-Mart ads with Martha in them make one wonder which brand needs more help.

One long year December 14, 2002—An update one year after the stock sale that launched a scandal.

Is Martha’s other shoe dropping? June 03, 2003—The feds prepare to indict Martha.

Martha Talks. Finally. June 05, 2003—Legal and PR teams in lockstep, they roll out the new strategy with a bang.

Personal scandal exacerbates business issues October 10, 2003—The danger of one person being the brand becomes clear when Martha’s magazine sees hard times.

It’s not a good thing November 10, 2003—Martha Stewart’s interview with Barbara Walters helps Martha distance herself from her company, position herself as a normal person and influence potential jurors.

It’s been a long 1.5 years for Martha. It will be interesting to see how the observations above hold up and evolve as the trial heats up.

2004-01-27T05:24:00.000-08:00

Showtime for Stewart

The jury is selected and MSLO's stock is up as the trial officially begins today. Some suggest it will be a fast, straightforward trial. Fast or slow, it will be a media frenzy. Barring the media from jury selection merely chummed the waters. The media are hungry and hopeful as they aim their spotlights on Martha's biggest show yet.

2004-01-25T19:22:00.000-08:00

Martha is the Brand

As Stewart is the nucleus of the MSLO brand, the media are now trying to determine what will happen post-trial. CNBC offers a great quote: "While press coverage is up and earnings are down, some still insist that Stewart's company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is here to stay. Still, at last check, business was way off at Stewart's company. "

Newsday shares some other points of view around the company's uncertain future. Obviously, the company is having performance issues that are exacerbated by Stewart's trial. MSLO is being hurt by the trial. Will the trial and its outcome finish Stewart and/or MSLO? I really doubt it.

Will both Stewart and MSLO think twice before hanging brand on one individual? I really hope so.

2004-01-23T05:50:00.000-08:00

Web Helps Martha's Case

Everyone, including myself, has been ga-ga over Marthatalks since it launched many moons ago. While some report on the site as if it were the first of its kind, I have been impressed at how Martha has leveraged the support her fans have expressed through the Web site.

Another Web site that now merits mention is Save Martha. Mostly a novelty, this site is run by a die-hard Martha fan. He started his site in support of Martha well before she launched Marthatalks and it has gotten a lot of coverage. The site was even mentioned during Martha's interview with Barbara Walters.

The importance of this site was elevated with a UPI story questioning if Martha Stewart is getting a fair shake in a trial that has not even begun presenting its case!

In the article, Double standard hurting Martha Stewart? Save Martha site founder John Hall is quoted as an expert on the trial. At best, this piece should be on the op/ed page and not on the news wire. Day three of jury selection yields no new stories so the UPI interviews a clearly biased source for a new angle on the trial.

All I know is, Martha should be sending John Hall one heckuva fruit basket post-trial...no matter HOW the trial turns out. Hall's coup brings a lot of things into question, but mostly shows how lazy one reporter can be. This is particularly true when you compare this story to how other news outlets are making due without access to the selection process.

Newsday updates us on how MSLO is doing. The New York Times looks at the role of publicity in the trial and how intense press coverage drove the prosecution to ban media from the selection process in the first place. The New York Times is among several news outlets fighting to overturn this ban. A media circus will find a way to have its show.

2004-01-21T11:44:00.000-08:00

Public Relations and Damage Control

Too many news outlets covering the Martha Stewart trial are not saying enough. As predicted, barring the media from access to jury selection has created an issue of supply and demand—plenty of reporters to cover the trial and no trial.

So I was doubly pleased when I found this piece on NPR. Public relations and damage control includes an interview with Eric Dezenhall, an expert in damage control and the author of "Nail 'Em: Confronting High-Profile Attacks on Celebrities and Businesses." Dezenhall has some interesting perspectives on how to approach situations like the Stewart scandal.

Unfortunately, he also makes some sweeping generalizations about public relations. We see people go off message in front of the media all the time. But when it is a fellow public relations professional, it makes me angry. All too often PR folk wonder why no one understands or appreciates what we do for a living. Dezenhall provides a perfect example how misunderstanding is created and reinforced.

2004-01-20T10:04:00.000-08:00

Focus Groups Test Guilty Verdict

The Stewart camp has kept its legal team and public relations team in lockstep—a key to navigating any crisis successfully. In a recent New York Times article, we see how closely they have been working together.

In addition to Martha’s Web site and strategically timed interviews, Stewart has also been conducting opinion polls and focus groups. While this research will help the defense prepare for the trial, it will be interesting to see if the prosecution tries to use this very preparation against Stewart. If someone tests public reaction to a guilty verdict, is that person implying they might be guilty?

2004-01-20T04:30:00.000-08:00

Martha's World

Note to media covering the trial—if you must use alliteration when referring to Ms. Stewart, can we move past domestic doyen? It has been overused. Might I suggest "home improvement impresario," "good thing guru" or "savant of all things shelter?" Fine, all of these have too many words/characters for a tight news piece. But I implore you, no more domestic doyen!

Phew. Thanks.

Always on the lookout for interactive content, CNN maps out Martha's world for us. This overview helps detail how big her brand really is and what's at stake should she be found guilty.

2004-01-19T12:58:00.000-08:00

Can the Martha Stewart Brand Survive?

CNBC has a great, albeit unscientific, poll asking visitors if they think the Martha Stewart brand can survive the trial. Most voters think it can. I agree. Martha has had some big missteps on the public relations front and she might be found guilty, but the MSLO board surely has a brand strategy that takes a guilty verdict into account.

Media are barred from tomorrow's jury selection. This is only bad news in that it means stories will be rehashed. One rehashed story we are seeing is the news that Henry Blodget has been tapped by Slate to cover the trial.

Henry Blodget has relevant experience with financial analysis and personal scandals. His questionable past is attracting attention. Unfortunately it also calls his ethics into question. We do not need any more unethical reporters running around.

But with a horde of media thwarted from covering the trial, Blodgett is the most interesting piece of related news.

So, in lemming-like fashion, I'll be posting a review of my Martha Stewart content. In lieu of new stories to dissect, this will allow everyone to catch up on Martha's PR missteps thus far.

2004-01-13T03:52:00.000-08:00

The Calm Before the Storm

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is preparing for several scenarios based on the outcome of Stewart's trial. In the meantime, Martha is more focused on the Web than home crafts.

Salon reports she has been closely involved with her personal Web site. as the trial approaches. This is smart as we have already seen the value of her Web page as spokesperson approach. Stick with what works. In fact, her site will probably become a media resource during the trial. Martha notes they are planning a "trial update" section that will include transcripts starting next week:mdash;as they become available.

We've come a long way from just courtroom sketches folks. In fact, I predict the support Martha has gotten through her site will be submitted as evidence.

The media has had it the worst this week...looking for any angle to report on this story. We're seeing profiles people involved with the trial, reports on MSLO and just about anything else trial-related. The AP is even working on a story that will share consumer feelings about the Martha Stewart brand. Are consumers buying more or less right now? How do they feel about the quality of her products? Will the verdict impact your purchase of Martha Stewart products? THAT is the multi-million dollar question.

2004-01-09T05:10:00.000-08:00

Trial Strategy

Jury selection is an art and a science as detailed in this article noting fans could be foes. Interesting, as the uninitiated would assume a Martha fan would be a lock for a not-guilty verdict. The AP also introduces us to the legal teams for the prosecution and the defense. It will be interesting to see how the circus portrays the legal teams throughout the trial.

2004-01-06T17:00:00.000-08:00

Splitting the Atom

The AP discusses the "tricky process" of Martha Stewart's jury selection process.

As I note below, I think splitting the atom was easier.

2004-01-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

Martha Timeline

CNN has created a helpful timeline to summarize the evolution of Martha Stewart's career.

Hopefully the court case will not "end" the timeline as certain events can define a career. I highly doubt this will be the case.

Regardless, Martha should be considering strategies to rebuild her brand. The verdict will help decide her next moves, but it is never too early to start planning.

2004-01-04T19:10:00.000-08:00

Stewart Trial Jury Selection

Jury screening questionnaires have not even been handed out yet and Judge M. G. Cedarbaum has already issued a three page order reminding instructing prospective jurors to not speak to anyone about the case or to read or hear about it in the media. The judge also admits the trial will be subject to "widespread and intense press coverage."

There's an understatement. This will be a three-ring media circus. In lieu of a trial, some news outlets are already speculating about what might happen. The circus is why this blog was created.

In the meantime, MSLO reported a 42 per cent drop in third-quarter earnings recently and warned fourth-quarter earnings will fall far short of analysts' expectations. Sure Stewart's trial is impacting MSLO performance, but it does not get all of the credit. You also need to consider the overall economy, a glut of home show programming and competitive offerings to come up with a 42 percent earnings drop.

Hopefully for MSLO it will be a fast trial. It should be considering the straightforward charges. But no trial can start without a jury. And splitting the atom is easier than finding 12 impartial folks that have not heard a lot about this trial. Good luck.

2003-12-31T07:36:00.000-08:00

Blue Christmas?

Hope your holidays have been more Norman Rockwell than Norman Bates. Martha is taking the holidays off and so is this blog. Check out Strategic Public Relations in the meantime. Be sure to check back here before the trial starts on January 12. Happy New Year!

2003-12-22T03:50:00.000-08:00

A Very Martha Christmas

Martha Stewart is on Larry King tonight and clearly is trying to pull on holiday heartstrings so people will characterize her as a normal person. But she goes a step too far in my opinion. This from CNN:

Though she grew up in a modest household in New Jersey, the daughter of a schoolteacher and a pharmaceutical salesman, Stewart said her subsequent wealth has not changed her much.
"My priorities have kind of remained the same. And other than having a few more luxuries than I might have had, my life is the same.

You rang the bell on the NYSE when you took your company public. If anything, you are doing yourself a disservice by saying nothing has changed since you grew up in the middle class, hard working world. Fine, your hard work ethic has not changed, but your life? One look at your sprawling country estate says different.

2003-12-12T04:37:00.000-08:00

Strategic Drift Begets a Blog

Welcome to Martha Stewart public relations. This blog tracks and discusses public relations as it applies to Martha Stewart's personal legal issues that have spawned a professional crisis. This is a sister blog to Strategic Public Relations. I started focusing on Stewart's legal woes back in July of 2002. To be honest, it was a quick, one-off post. Then the scandal, and my MSPR content, started taking on a life of their own.

So this blog is designed to leverage publishing technology and give you more of what my traffic logs tell me you want—one view of all Martha Stewart PR activities, issues and their implications. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.