Opinion  Others
Problem of marketing, not PR
Dr. Ra'anan Gissin
Published: 30.07.06, 12:12
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1. You must look on this clup hehe...
ben ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (07.30.06)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVcupfjW81g
2. Israel's PR in Europe is atrocious
Nannette ,   London, UK   (07.30.06)
With the exception of a couple of journalists who see the truth, we won't see any positive PR coming from Israel for Israel. It's a shame that Peres disbanded the PR department in the 1970's - and let Israel fall flat on it's face afterwards. It'll take years to undo the damage that's been done. In ALL UK newspapers now, we see Israel compared to the Nazis. If you think that you don't need PR, come and read the British newspapers and watch all the news programmes.
3. Gissin
Joel Fishman ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (07.30.06)
Once again, Raanan Gissin demonstrates his fine analytical ability.
4. what nonsense.
Yoni Carvin ,   Tel Aviv   (07.30.06)
maybe if we stop committing war crimes like we did today we won't be faced with an 'image problem'. Fellow Jews get with the picture - Israel is a pariah state led by war criminals. We must stop this horror perpetrated in our names.
5. Is Gissin part of the problem or the solution
JPS ,   Israel   (07.30.06)
Gissin is close to the mark(et), but misses out on the foremost concept - buy in at the top. The PM's office where he worked is notorious for cronyism and working at cross-purposes with the rest of the country. He should remember that for the past decade the PMO has ignored "marketing" and in fact cut down one of the best marketing tools, the Government Press Office, to the bare bones. When the foreign press comes to Jerusalem, the PLO welcomes them with open arms and rolls out the red carpet, pointing them in the right direction (for their own purposes, of course) and providing them with services. The end result is a great sell for the Pal cause. On the other hand, the Israeli GPO meets the press with forms to fill out, pay the fee to get your presscard, and have a look at the meagre collection of brochures in the 30 year-old rundown office. Granted, things have improved a trifle in the past couple of years, but it's a marketing tool waiting to be exploited. And waiting, and waiting, while the PMO adds more and more overly paid and ineffective "consultants" to its staff. Let's change Gissin's kicker line to: "If there is to be any hope for a viable marketing process, then the media advisors must send a clear message to the government and those who rise up to take our tax money in consulting fees: It is better to do a proper marketing job than to mess up the country even more.
6. PR
Mohamed ,   Egypt   (07.30.06)
Israel is committing a great error for not having an effective mass media apparatus to deal with the other Arab Hate news channels specially AL Jazeera news it is 24/7 hate transmission brain washing and I call it WMD weapon of mind destruction, there is your fight and vital one, The Israel have the right of existence . I am the forth generation suffering the Arab-Muslim conflict and I don’t want my children and Israeli children to suffer more .Enough, we have other conflicts to face such poverty, diseases, and many others. My sincere advise to Mr. Ra'anan Gissin and others to refrain being interviewed or appear at AL Jazeera news and others they are very biased and they present half of the truth which means lies after lies , from my heart I wish peace in this world despite all together Arab, Jews, Christian and all human kind
7. PR = Cover ups
Min Van Doh ,   Singapore   (07.30.06)
This is evidence that Israel's other weapon is brainwashing.
8. #4
Stewart ,   USA   (07.30.06)
Hey Yoni. Why don't you and your other self hating Jewish friends go over to Lebenon and clim on one of the Hezbolla rockets before it is launch. Too bad there is no Soviet Union left to give you a free air ticket too. Hey, I bet they'd appreciate having your type in Cuba or North Korea. Leave Israel and go some place you and your friends will be trully appreciated.
9. Israeli actions are your PR ...
Sam ,   Qatar   (07.30.06)
... the voice of your bombs are higher than than any PR. Dont forget that Al Manar only broadcasts in Arabic and are also banned in Europe. I would say it is a very poor analysis.
10. "Human rights groups" are "positive"??
Larry ,   Eastbourne, UK   (07.30.06)
I found this comment astonishing. Surely Mr Gissin knows that most so-called human rights groups deny human rights to Jews and Israelis? Surely he knows that UNRWA is staffed largely by Hamas members and is an integral part of the Palestinian terror infrastructure? Surely he knows that NGOs in general are run by terrorist sympathisers and have a vicious anti-Israel agenda? How on earth therefore can it be possible "to enlist these forces for Israel's benefit"?
11. Flat-footed diplomacy
Sher   (07.30.06)
Dr Gissin, pardon my saying so, was as inept as anyone else at explaining Israel to any country but the USA. Israel is not a product it is a country. Hasbara in plain English is spin. So is PR. The problem is our way of interacting with those around us, which is usually perceived as insensitive. Maybe it is. If so, shouldn't we be doing something about that instead of trying to explain it away? Sensitivity, by the way, is not to be confused with sentimentality.
12. To Yoni (4)
Shai ,   Israel   (07.30.06)
Yawn. Define your terms, defend your assertion. Otherwise, shut up.
13. to #4 - spot on!
Brian ,   Australia   (07.30.06)
you're right... trying to explain how the world interprets the massacre of 50 civilians as a problem of 'PR' points to where Israel gets it wrong. It's a war crime plain and simple. There is no way to excuse it or blame it on someone else. Any attempt to do so just deepens the horror. The world is starting to understand what Israel is all about. Israel's only allies are Bush, Blair, Howard and Harper. Probably the four most hated individuals in the world (if we consider the WHOLE world and not just the US). Any country that relies on Bush's support for its PR is doomed. Israel has no future without recognizing the horrors it has inflicted on Palestinians, Lebanese and other Arabs. Maybe once it does recognize that horror- it may be able to ask for forgiveness.
14. PR for Israel
CJ ,   London UK   (07.30.06)
It is not just Jews in the diaspora but also people like me, one of the four children of a Jewish grandfather who married out in the UK but loved his faith and Israel who pledge their support for Israel. Me and my sisters and brothers will never stop fighting the PR battle for Israel because those who demonise her and those who allow her to be demonised do what non-jewish population did to our grandparents and great grandparents in pre-holocaust Europe. The terrorists and the very media in my country is using this war to villify the Israelis and it is working. I will challenge this anti -Israeli propaganda to the very end because for my grandfather and for those members of his family who vanished without a trace 60 years ago: IT CAN NEVER BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
15. Qana II: what PR ?
Ihab ,   Saudi Arabia   (07.30.06)
Israel is a very good "product". Please define product. What functionalities does this product entail on its neighbors other than refugees, wars, and destruction. PR is meant to address a "perception" or to enhance a corporate image. yet, the product functionalities are key for the success of the brand. You can fool some of the people for some time [you know the rest]. Today Qana massacre has been realized on your IDF's hands. Explain what PR can address israel's image. Does not 300 million Arabs count as part of your Target Audience? What would you tell them? 27 kids were killed . You blocked their laughters and assasinated their dreams. The PR Israel is doing is extremely effective with us , the Arabs: Israel is a terrorist state. You keep reminding us of your atrocities and barbarism. Some of us bought you up as a brand. Upon using it, we discovered how "unfit" is this product. The first PR activity you need to do is to suspend this "superiority" with which you deal with us. The IDF 's legend has been broken...The Arabs considering to switch to your brand are embarassed now due to your acts. You are assisting the agenda of the extremists more than ever. I believe that when functionalities of a product are byond correction...the brand is doomed to disappear. Thank you for your atrocities and cruelty. Kill us more...we will understand you better...if you do not publish this talkback...I would understand ...the product has a defection.
16. ihab
danny   (07.30.06)
your product does indeed have defect.today's tragedy is terrible but you do not chose to speak of the 3000-4000 monthly deaths in the iraqi civil war.ours today was an accident.iraq is no accident.
17. Help Israel - Sign the Petition
gerd schulz ,   germany   (07.30.06)
The State of Israel is in crisis now and needs your support more than ever before. Help Israel - Sign the Petition http://globaljewish.com/
18. Re Dani
Ihab ,   Saudi Arabia   (07.30.06)
Isn't Bush "Dubya" the one who invaded Iraq? Isn't he the same president who refused the ceasefire with Lebanon? It is the same play but with different settings. I don't deny we have extremism problems and issues to address .yet, we are not pretentious that we want to export prosperity and democracy to the world. Dani, this "accident" denied 37 babies their life. How many of them were guerilla's warriors, and how many of them launched Katyusha? May be some of them participated in the abduction of your two soldiers? I don't think so. What accident when your technology allows you to monitor a motorbike. I believe it is another intelligence failure . It also made 1 million Lebanese leave their homes and reside in public schools. This year, another million students might be denied their school because of the refugees issue without mentioning the infrastructure. All this has been used before with Palestinians. Where did it get Israel? no where? Rather, the Palestinians have chosen Hamas. Where would it get us? To a unity never witnessed before. To a moment of strength that already allowed us to overcome the political conflicts between the Lebanese parties. Rather a consolidation behind our resistance and a more than ever definite and firm resistance to the aggressor. Even between enemies there are rules of engagement. It was a big mistake, rather a tragedy. We will benefit from it for sure!
19. #4 Yoni, & #8 Brian must smoke crack
Lev ,   Tel Aviv   (07.31.06)
You two got to be kidding me! Actually the war crime is shooting missles FROM a home at random Israeli civilians. These Lebanese people are innocent? PROVE IT! They were called on their telephone or got the word that if they want to live they ned to leave. I suppose they should keep firing away since they are using children to light the fuse? This is a war that wasn't wanted in Israel. And at this stage of the war, it's better that it's their children being killed then ours. You two don't understand that. If Yoni and Brian are Jewish, I feel sad for them. But this is typical message coming from Austrailia (aka The Land of Make-Believe) and another person giving their two cents from the US. YOU NEED TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!! This was a perfect strike that saved INNOCENT Israeli lives! G-D BLESS ISRAEL and the IDF!!!!
20. Previous message was for #4 and #13
Lev ,   TEL AVIV   (07.31.06)
sorry stewart!
21. I disagree, you need both.
Yehuda ,   Seattle, USA   (07.31.06)
Marketing is excellent in the USA, but it took time and effort in gaining mind share of sensible Americans. Marketing can overcome some bad PR but messaging is crucial – say the wrong thing enough times and your market will get confused and erode. Israel must stop repeating their key mistake - telling the world that the enemy is innocent. For example, we say Hizbollah Terrorists are responsible for attacking us, leaving Lebanon’s population that voted for Hizbollah innocent and unaccountable. Without popular Lebanese Shia consensus Hizbollah would vanish regardless of Iranian money. By isolating Hizbollah Terrorists as our enemy we can only fight them and them alone – everyone else is innocent. If Israel truly believes this, then it should have never entered into a military war, as it does not have weapons to sort the enemy from the innocent. I support a fair and just two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, but only the Lebanese and Palestinians can distinguish between their right and wrong. This must be made clear in the message. Lebanese and Palestinians are attacking us and until the conflict is resolved we must defend our population from attacks from these nations.
22. SAM FROM QUATAR - www.israel21c.com
andrew ,   Tel Aviv   (07.31.06)
and so much more.. stop buying the bullshit thi si who we are too http://www.nbn.org.il/
23. still not sure they get it: PR 101
Greg ,   Dallas TX USA   (07.31.06)
Broadly speaking, Israel needs PR and marketing strategies for the immediate crisis, mid-term and long-term. The immediate problem is mostly damage control and making sure Israel's side of every story is told well, widely, and in time to make a difference. For the mid-term, broadly speaking, Israel needs to strengthen its relationships with its many friends and allies around the world and make sure they have the information they need to be Israel's advocates to their consituencies. As a more long-term strategy, Israel must get beyond crisis communications, which in reality is only damage control, and be more aggressive and more creative about presenting the diverse faces of Israel and the contributions Israelis are making in the fields of medicine, science, technology, film, fashion, literature, etc. You must create a foundation of trust and understanding before a crisis erupts, not during one. Above all, make sure your friends and allies around the world have the information they need to help tell your story. You will never be able to do it all with only your resources.
24. ihab
Ari ,   ny   (07.31.06)
do you care when 100 arabs are killed every day in iraq? no you don't care even though they are also women and children. you don't care because you can't USE their deaths to attack israel. You don't care when syria wiped out the arabs in Hama. You don't care about black september in jordan. you don't care about the genocide in darfur. You don't care about arabs brainwashed to be suicide bombers. And you don't care about the women and children killed in Qana. You use them as tools-mere pawns for your objectives. So please spare us your phony tears. We know the truth, that behind your fake outrage and protests you are really smirking and secretly saying "heh heh now we really got those dirty Jews in a bind now."
25. #6 Mohamad from Egypt.
Tunisian   (07.31.06)
You have a very good shot at the new position...always in need for smart, dedicated people like yourself. Please include your e-mail, phone number and your underwear size/color will will contact you soon. best regards. Moussad.
26. agman@cox.net
Herbert Silverman   (07.31.06)
Problem of marketing, not PR. Dr. Gissin is so right. Israel is fighting for its life. Hizbullah and Hamas have in their charters te objective of destroying Israel. Israel doesnot have any ambition to capture more lsan except to protect its people. Arabs are free to purchase land and buy homes n Israel. Jew cannot buy land, build homes in arabian countries.
27. Market this
Jad ,   NY USA   (07.31.06)
U only need to look at the big picture to understand it all... 1948, the state of israel is declared on the land of another state who was under english protectorate. Today, Israel still acts as a foreign object in the region, hasnt achieved any durable peace with anyone, for if the dictator in egypt and the king in jordany signed, their people are still boiling with hate and ready to attack giventh the opportunity. Why the hate? let's see, to consider oneself superior, as an israeli and as a jew in general, to the rest of the world, to receive 2.9 billion dollars a year not by hard earned work but from honest hard working american tax-payers, to use this money for arming and use this technology to kill more of your neighbors, and then weep in front of the world saying you are fighting for your existence against the terrorists surrounding you, who are seen in the eyes of their own peoples as resistants and heroes. How about trying to PR a new strategy of peace instead of promoting lies and manipulating the world's conscience dr. Gissin, wont that make you feel better when you're breathing your last breath? that you have accomplished something to make this world a better place? because you had your chance for 50 years to demonstrate your theory of dompting by force, and the results? well look around you... Maybe it is time for Israel's intellectuals to start preaching more constructively and convince their neighbors that they want peace by starting to convince their own citizens that they want peace, starting by the idea that all human beings are born equal, the french revolution stated it 300 years ago, Christ 2000 years ago, for peace is never forced, never has been, never will be ... My last word for you Dr. Gissin, if you believe in God, do you think that Jehovah, Allah, the Holy Trinity or buddha will buy your PR once your hour has come? Good luck with that...
28. To No. 13
Laszlo Yarkony ,   Israel   (07.31.06)
Dear Brian, or shall I call you Ahmad?
29. YONI and BRIAN
freedom ,   canada   (07.31.06)
Actually I think war crimes involve the use of human shields in this case... yoni and brian please do some research on this.. I trust you will find your answers... the use of human shields is prohibited.. thank you all for your time...
30. Ari
Ihab ,   Saudi Arabia   (07.31.06)
What did i write in these talkbacks that insinuated that "we" don't care for our brothers all over this arab world. Let us take it case by case . Iraq: Israel and the neo conservatism of this bush administration were the preachers for the invasion of Iraq. Assad regime is dictatorship and the massacres were done under the eyes and noise of the US. At taht time, the US let it go because they were scared of the alternative extremist regime that could have replaced Assad's. In the Arab world we have an issue of regimes. None is democratic but except Lebanon. In Black Septmebr, Hussein asked israel for help and this has documented and released in 2000 from the archive of the British Foreign administration. Racism is a country called Israel. Israel was the only country that had commercial transactions with South Africa and Lesotho during the apartheid era. When you say "we" and then you refer to Jews, i believe it is you who is the racist. I have many jewish friends and they know and respect my opinion about the state of Israel and how it should deal with its neighbors. Ari, Arabs are semite as much as you are. You existed throughout history in the Arab peninsula and you never suffered what Europe got you through. But it seems that you - specifically- are still confused between the israeli citrizenship and your religion. Your leftist movement agrees with me on what you did. Sabra , Chatila, Muhamad Durra, Gaza beach shelling, Qana 1, Qana 2, Marwaheen [the van that was filled with civilians], etc... The important thing is that we know . not your media nor your PR would change realities anymore. For us Jews and christians are as religious as we are [ although you believe that christians are stupid because the messiah did not "appear" for you yet]. So please i believe it is time for you to get over it....
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