Bloggers are not your flacks

As part of many marketing campaigns, companies target influential bloggers in ways similar to how they target traditional media for coverage of new products, company events, etc.  Companies hope for positive coverage after reaching out such media.  If you're going to do this, it's best not to treat the influential media/boggers too casually.  Disrespecting legit bloggers can backfire in a big way counterproductive to the cause, just as it would if you disrespected CBS News, The New York Times, or Fortune.  One such example is Samsung's recent treatment of blogger Clinton Jeff.  Jeff matters in the Indian tech market and was invited by the Korean based Samsung to participate in a prominent trade show to cover new Samsung products.  However after flying to Berlin at Samsung's expense, Jeff was told he had to wear a Samsung uniform and do demos for the products at the trade show.  What?  Asking a reporter, even an industry blogger, to be a spokesperson for a company rather than cover the company's products is just not done.  When Jeff refused, Samsung told him he would not be flown home and was kicked out of his hotel.  Need-less-to say, Jeff turned this episode into an online cause celebe which reflected very poorly on Samsung.  PRWeek tagged Samsung's actions as "Clueless."