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Borat Makes Glorious PR for Kazakhstan

Guest post by: Paul Nathanson

Article Overview: Looking at Borat's PR for the Kazaks and How BA compounded its Pfolly over the wearing a cross by a member of staff...R

Borat Makes Glorious PR for Kazakhstan

PNPR LTD NEWSLETTER 1011

December 2006


Borat Makes Glorious PR for Nation of Kazakhstan

The big question is: can the Kazakhs ever recover from their savage monstering in Sacha Baron Cohen’s hit movie?

The answer, said their leader, Nursultan Nazarbayer, on a visit to London was clear. “Any publicity is good publicity. The film was created by a comedian, so let’s laugh at it.” (Had he actually seen it, one wonders), but good on yer, Nazar for being such a sport.

Yet in PR terms the film is a goldmine for the former Soviets. Who had ever heard of the republic before Borat? Now, free of charge, it’s firmly on the map of places to visit, second only to Graceland Memphis and the Eden Project.

How could anywhere be soooo bad?? And the property must be even cheaper than Bulgaria!

No wonder then that the Kazakh national airline, Air Astana, is running ads in The Daily Telegraph, describing itself as ‘one of the world’s fastest growing airlines’.

Could it take over from BA? Whatever happens, don’t ban crosses!

***

BA Perfects The Art of PR Harikare and Gets Its Crosses In Even More of a Twist


In our last Newsletter we flailed those muppets at BA for their insane ban of any crosses being worn by staff.


And the Archibishop of York since then has given ‘the world’s favourite airline’ a right red mullet round the chops. He dismissed the ban as ‘a nonsense’.


***



BA then got a bony knee in the blinis from Tony Blair who chided the chief executive publicly.


And if that wasn’t enough, in stormed the blazing blonde bombshell and former Tory minister Ann Widdicombe, demanding no less than a public boycott of the airline.


All everyone wanted, was for BA to reconsider its lunacy. This it did. Well, up to a point. You can wear your crosses, OK, it conceded, so long as you keep them hidden. Dorrrr! Homer Simpson, Eat Your Heart Out, You’ve Met Your Match!


They simply cannot be serious! Clearly the PR chiefs have an overwhelming death wish as the lady in question, Nadia Eweida, refuses to return to work on that condition. Meanwhile, the whole world gasps at the growing storm raging round BA’s brainless head.


This is not so much a PR disaster as PR Armageddon.

***




PNPR Tip of the Month: Memo to BA. If you’re in crater, stop digging, and let everyone wear their religious symbols. Visibly.




Copyright Paul NathansonPublic Relations Ltd. Tel.+ 44 (1483) 82 44 58


Ends.

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