Pakistan's PR Firm Uses Classic Third Party Technique

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Pakistan's recent contract with Stirling Consulting for "media relations" work will include dealing with negative media stories, "stimulating" pro-Pakistan letters-to-the-editor, and enlisting Pakistani-American "message surrogates," Working for Change columnist Bill Berkowitz writes. "Recruiting 'message surrogates' is a classic example of what in PR lingo is called 'the third party technique,'" PR Watch's Sheldon Rampton told Berkowitz. "Hiding a client's message behind someone else's face -- putting a scripted message in the mouths of seemingly independent spokespeople -- is a major example of a deceptive PR campaign," Rampton added.