Conspiracy theories are always rife within the PR industry.  Now we’re not talking assassinations or aliens, more like the stunt used to create some hype around Tom Jones’s new album. Most of the unassuming public believe that these stories are leaks, such as the latest one released by Island Records; the vice president reportedly sent an email to colleagues calling Tom’s new album a ‘sick joke’.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/jul/05/how-hype-tom-jones-record

But we know not to believe this, don’t we?

The leaked email is an easy way to drum up publicity for what would otherwise have been a long drawn out slog. But some people go one step further and do it better. The BBC Trust has recently been reviewing all radio stations looking closely at 6 Music. Now I’m not a listener but I do know that 6 Music is what the BBC does best, which got me to thinking would they ever have really shut it down. I wonder how many new listeners the station has received since the start of the campaign http://save6music.com.

Chocolate companies are very good at drumming up support for a failing bar by launching an axe campaign. Cadbury’s successfully kept the Wispa bar, but unfortunately for us, Nestle really did axe the Peanut Butter Kit Kat Chunky.

This ploy works best through the power of social media making it easier for PR professionals to avoid being caught in the act. And talking of being caught in the act the leaked sex tape has launched many a successful career. I’m sure there are many ‘rumours’ trending on twitter today.