anger

"You want public relations, I'll give you public relationsGAAHHHHH"


In your job, at one time or another, you’ve probably been sent an email that infuriated you, and hammered out a reply that really captured your rage and disappointment.

But you didn’t send it. Of course you didn’t. That would be madness. Instead, after a moment of reflection, you took a deep breath and edited out the vitriol until you ended up with something more measured.

Unless you’re the public relations manager at a particular major US law firm.

Last week RollOnFriday asked this PR, let’s call him ‘Mr Angry’, why we didn't get a press release until after other outlets had received the firm’s news.

You’d think a PR manager would be especially alive to the bad optics of sending an intemperate email. Apparently not.

“Are you serious?” replied the PR. “Stop your whining and do your job. You seem to have no idea what’s actually happening... Everyone else is writing while you’re staring at your scream [sic] and barking. Pathetic." 

An unusual on-the-record statement for a white-shoe firm.

Doubtless quite a few PRs have wanted to say the same thing to ROF on occasion, but had the wherewithal to swallow it. If you're one of them, hopefully Mr A’s unrestrained approach has provided some cathartic relief.

Needless to say, his colleagues on both sides of the pond were a little surprised by his forthright style and have done quite a lot of running around to clean up the mess. They may even have written him emails which, in their first drafts at least, rivalled his own.

Mr Angry's outburst gives SEC Newgate's wild accusations regarding sadomasochism a run for their money. If you've been sent a howitzer, ping it on to ROF. 

Category

Comments

Anon 06 March 24 19:38

Nothing unusual about this at US firms - every internal email has this tone.  In fact, "stop your whining and do your job" is the partners' automated response to any emails from trainees/juniors.  Any annual leave requests elicit a one-word email response of "pathetic".    

Anonymous 07 March 24 00:05

Seriously, what kind of massive wand ever sends an email like that to anyone?! And absolutely not from a work email address to RoF. 

C’mon, name and shame. This idiot is clearly out of a job already. 

Parsnip 15 March 24 15:07

if this was "on the record" why won't you say who it was.  Surely you owe a duty to the profession to name and shame twotishness. 

Anonymous 17 March 24 11:11

Anyone else kinda on the side of the PR manager? Imagine getting some snively twerp of a journalist sending you an entitled email moaning that they weren’t given the scoop and it’s your fault.