Better Analysis of True.com’s Campaigns in State Legislatures
I wrote in earlier blog entries ( February 28, March 1, March 4, and March 7) about True.com’s activities in various states to legislate criminal background checks by Internet dating sites, or to clearly state that they do not do so. Two excellent articles about the efforts came across the wires this morning: Sean Mussenden’s “Is dating-servce legislation just another marketing ploy?” for the Orlando Sentinel, and Mark Ranzenberger’s “Bill requires background check disclosure” for the Morning Sun.
Mussenden’s article is particularly clear and revealing. Mussenden leads with a discussion of innovative marketing tactics to get products noticed, and specifies that True.com has put a unique twist to the approach: getting state legislatures and the media who cover them to provide publicity. (According to a third article, the idea for the bill was brought to Representative Kevin Ambler by a lobbyist for True.com.)
Mussenden reports that companies often try to get friendly legislation passed, but try to dissociate the company from the legislation. True.com has not shied away from the associated attention. Herb Vest, True.com’s founder, is quoted: “I’m a businessman. Of course, publicity is good. And we have had quite a bit of publicity, negative too, from this also; I don’t know on balance whether we have gained or lost.”
Reminds me of the old saying “Negative attention is better than no attention at all.” True.com has really pulled a fast one with these actions.
BTW, legislation was actually introduced in six states. The bills have stumbled or failed in every state except Michigan, where it is still poking along.
