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Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
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NJ2MDTerp Offline
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Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
http://touch.baltimoresun.com/#section/-...-78081342/

Quote:COLLEGE PARK — The University of Maryland anticipated most fans would initially react "emotionally and negatively" to last year's decision to join the Big Ten Conference. So the school sought to influence the debate with a plan to lobby media pundits and plant positive comments into fan message boards.

Scores of documents and emails, obtained by The Baltimore Sun in response to a Public Information Act request, detail a public relations strategy that was as secret as the Big Ten negotiations themselves.

...

The public relations campaign was meant to help turn the tide in favor of the move. It included hiring a corporate communications consultant to help shape the message and also working to prevent news of the negotiations from getting out before the move was imminent.

"So far, this is unfolding just as we expected," Brian Ullmann, the university's assistant vice president for marketing and communications, wrote in an email to deputy athletic director Nathan Pine on Nov. 18, one day after negotiations on the impending move were disclosed in the media. "We knew that in the absence of our messaging during this initial stage, most fans would react emotionally and negatively. That has occurred and clearly the message boards and comments sections skew heavily negative. Several of us placed comments on boards and media sites last night to help balance it out."

Ullmann also wrote that the school planned to "engage professional assistance in helping to drop positive messages into the blogs, comments and message board sites. I will arrange for this service today."
(This post was last modified: 11-06-2013 11:21 PM by NJ2MDTerp.)
11-06-2013 11:10 PM
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bluesox Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
so who is the maryland paid hack on this site?
11-06-2013 11:15 PM
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CommuterBob Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
(11-06-2013 11:15 PM)bluesox Wrote:  so who is the maryland paid hack on this site?

Exactly. I was gonna say it didn't really work on here. There are still many on this board who have lots of derogatory comments about Maryland.
11-06-2013 11:19 PM
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CommuterBob Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
This is interesting:

Quote:"Scott Van Pelt is a powerful voice in the media and a loyal UMD grad," public relations consultant John Maroon wrote to a Maryland communications official before the story broke. "It would be in our best interest to let Van Pelt break the story and talk about all of the positives."

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps...z2jvkFJpYR
11-06-2013 11:20 PM
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NJ2MDTerp Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
The Scout Maryland football forum is firmly pro-Big Ten. I guess that's why it's not a very popular forum.
11-06-2013 11:28 PM
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He1nousOne Offline
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Post: #6
RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
(11-06-2013 11:19 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  
(11-06-2013 11:15 PM)bluesox Wrote:  so who is the maryland paid hack on this site?

Exactly. I was gonna say it didn't really work on here. There are still many on this board who have lots of derogatory comments about Maryland.

Doesn't matter, they told me I tried as hard as anyone possibly could and also gave me a very nice bonus. 07-coffee3
11-06-2013 11:45 PM
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Dasville Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
News "travels" fast.....$30 million to spread the message!
11-06-2013 11:53 PM
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Marge Schott Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
UMD looks f'ing pathetic. Oh well.
11-07-2013 11:32 AM
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btstimpy Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
(11-06-2013 11:10 PM)NJ2MDTerp Wrote:  http://touch.baltimoresun.com/#section/-...-78081342/

Quote:COLLEGE PARK — The University of Maryland anticipated most fans would initially react "emotionally and negatively" to last year's decision to join the Big Ten Conference. So the school sought to influence the debate with a plan to lobby media pundits and plant positive comments into fan message boards.

Scores of documents and emails, obtained by The Baltimore Sun in response to a Public Information Act request, detail a public relations strategy that was as secret as the Big Ten negotiations themselves.

...

The public relations campaign was meant to help turn the tide in favor of the move. It included hiring a corporate communications consultant to help shape the message and also working to prevent news of the negotiations from getting out before the move was imminent.

"So far, this is unfolding just as we expected," Brian Ullmann, the university's assistant vice president for marketing and communications, wrote in an email to deputy athletic director Nathan Pine on Nov. 18, one day after negotiations on the impending move were disclosed in the media. "We knew that in the absence of our messaging during this initial stage, most fans would react emotionally and negatively. That has occurred and clearly the message boards and comments sections skew heavily negative. Several of us placed comments on boards and media sites last night to help balance it out."

Ullmann also wrote that the school planned to "engage professional assistance in helping to drop positive messages into the blogs, comments and message board sites. I will arrange for this service today."

LOL. They might need to consult to folks trying to put a positive spin on Obamacare. It's an art to put lipstick on a pig.
11-07-2013 11:38 AM
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The Cutter of Bish Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
You don't move that kind of money around for something so trivial if you haven't had it in the trenches for some time. Good to know that you can cut programs because of bad funds, but find trolling message boards being a good investment. What a bunch of clowns.
11-07-2013 11:59 AM
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Zombiewoof Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
This is another reason why you will never see Texas in the Big 10. They could spend $300 million on marketing schemes and PR strategies and send a nude Kate Upton door-to-door touting the virtues of the Big 10 and Texas fans still wouldn't want the Longhorns to be there. Now I would let Kate Upton try to convince me for a couple of days. 04-rock
11-07-2013 12:05 PM
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LSUtah Offline
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Post: #12
RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
Now the putrid uniforms make sense...diversionary tactics.
11-07-2013 12:45 PM
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lumberpack4 Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
(11-07-2013 12:45 PM)LSUtah Wrote:  Now the putrid uniforms make sense...diversionary tactics.

There are deep problems at Maryland and most folks only see that shown with the sports programs. The costs to attend Maryland are huge for a so-called public school and their endowment is tiny compared to their age and their number of alums, especially for a university with a full range of professional schools.
11-07-2013 01:41 PM
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He1nousOne Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
I love how ACC folks have to spew the Maryland hatred now that Maryland is leaving. What you folks are saying is nothing new if it is true at all so why now?

Too funny.
11-07-2013 07:54 PM
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jaminandjachin Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
No one is spewing hatred. It's fact. It's ridiculous for a conference to hire a PR firm to smooth over a conference move. How many other schools had to do that?
11-07-2013 07:56 PM
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He1nousOne Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
(11-07-2013 07:56 PM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  No one is spewing hatred. It's fact. It's ridiculous for a conference to hire a PR firm to smooth over a conference move. How many other schools had to do that?

Pretty much all of them. You think PR is something only Maryland works on? Seriously????

You think your beloved Tar Heels havn't consulted with some PR Guru's on how to best defend themselves during the issues that have popped up lately for you guys?

Sure...you go ahead and think that.
11-07-2013 08:06 PM
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jaminandjachin Offline
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Post: #17
RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
(11-07-2013 08:06 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  
(11-07-2013 07:56 PM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  No one is spewing hatred. It's fact. It's ridiculous for a conference to hire a PR firm to smooth over a conference move. How many other schools had to do that?

Pretty much all of them. You think PR is something only Maryland works on? Seriously????

You think your beloved Tar Heels havn't consulted with some PR Guru's on how to best defend themselves during the issues that have popped up lately for you guys?

Sure...you go ahead and think that.

I don't recall an ad being put out in a major newspaper to calm down our fanbase for any reason. Besides, this thing with Maryland is different. They are a year removed from making this decision and they are still trying to sell their fanbase on it.
11-07-2013 08:26 PM
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Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Offline
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Post: #18
RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
Great, a Big Ten homer calling out others for being homers for their league. Alrighty then.
11-07-2013 08:37 PM
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He1nousOne Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
(11-07-2013 08:37 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  Great, a Big Ten homer calling out others for being homers for their league. Alrighty then.

A Big Ten homer that calls out the Big Ten plenty. You don't deny what I am claiming though. That says plenty. You know it's true. Maryland hiring a PR firm is not big news, it is par for the course.
11-07-2013 08:51 PM
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He1nousOne Offline
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RE: Maryland used PR firm to change negative impressions about Big Ten move
(11-07-2013 08:26 PM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  
(11-07-2013 08:06 PM)He1nousOne Wrote:  
(11-07-2013 07:56 PM)jaminandjachin Wrote:  No one is spewing hatred. It's fact. It's ridiculous for a conference to hire a PR firm to smooth over a conference move. How many other schools had to do that?

Pretty much all of them. You think PR is something only Maryland works on? Seriously????

You think your beloved Tar Heels havn't consulted with some PR Guru's on how to best defend themselves during the issues that have popped up lately for you guys?

Sure...you go ahead and think that.

I don't recall an ad being put out in a major newspaper to calm down our fanbase for any reason. Besides, this thing with Maryland is different. They are a year removed from making this decision and they are still trying to sell their fanbase on it.

So what? It was a big decision and a huge change. Of course some folks aren't going to like it. You think that PR firms only advice to University Boards and Presidents is to put Ad's out in the paper and that without such there wouldn't have ever been PR Consultants working with University Administrators? Come on...
11-07-2013 08:53 PM
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