Tips on Growing Astroturf
August 10th, 2006 by Jhoward |
Say you are a corporation with a cause — convincing Congress to help you pad your profits.
Normally, unleashing an army of lobbyists with terms like “free market competition” and “deregulation” will suffice. But this time you face a grassroots coalition that is taking the issue off the Hill and into the mainstream.
What should you do?
Use the telco strategy — imitate grassroots behavior by growing Astroturf. But it won’t be cheap. It takes millions to seed the media with the fake notion of popular support.
You’ll need a high priced, inside-the-Beltway PR firm, a team of marketing consultants and a coin-operated mouthpiece. At a premium rate, these people will do all of your dirty work.
Add a Web site, a catchy slogan and a seemingly populist message with misleading talking points. Blatant lies are OK, too. Many in the corporate media are happy to quote your Astroturf crew without checking behind the curtain.
Throw in some amateur-looking online videos, a blog and maybe a few cutesy cartoons. These will all be provided by your consultants. Pray that your videos appear homespun enough to go viral on YouTube.
Finally – and this is the most important step – obscure the links between your corporation and your newly created “Astroturf” group. Anything other than a vague affiliation will ruin all of the fake credibility you seek.
Results are not guaranteed.
Grassroots groups like Common Cause are very good at uncovering corporate connections to your Astroturf – and they will not hesitate to expose you.
Common Cause President Chellie Pingree says Astroturf campaigns “are dangerous for our democracy.”
Her organization today outed the Astroturfers at Hands off the Internet, NetCompetition, TV4US, The Future…Faster and Video Access Alliance for touting “so-called consumer choice” and “consumer benefits” as they quietly maneuver on behalf of their corporate sponsors at the phone and cable companies.
Let this be a lesson: growing Astroturf is a risky investment. But give it a go, and hope that no one is watching too closely.
August 12th, 2006 at 7:44 am
[…] AKA “Astroturf” — A great article that describes the Telco,,,,s latest strategy to battle real grassroots efforts such as “Save the Internet” by creating their own fake grassroot effort. AKA “Astroturf” — A great article that describes the Telco,,,,s latest strategy to battle real grassroots efforts such as “Save the Internet” by creating their own fake grassroot effort. […]
August 13th, 2006 at 11:40 pm
[…] Surprise. Big Corporations doesn’t give a rats ass about your freedom. Opern Right group reports on Freedom of Expression - China’s Internet: Microsoft, Yahoo! and Google are all singled out in the report. They have tried to defend themselves by saying that China’s laws force them to do it. Significantly, none of the companies has been willing or able to specify precisely which laws and legal processes it has been obliged to follow. See also: Corporate astro turf method to styme open internet. (at save the internet) […]
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