Archives for March 2007

Our friend at the Miami New Times, Isaiah Thompson, surely enjoyed himself March 13 on the road from Key West to Key Largo.

The recently endowed fellow for the alternative weekly newspaper resides in Miami, but accepted an invitation from the MWW Group, representing Volkswagen, to stay in a luxury hotel in town for a lifestyle event promoting the new Volkswagen Eos. He later said a night of raiding the mini bar of forbidden pleasures followed.

Eight other journalists, this reporter included, were there to see what the Eos had to offer, not minding at all that this event was in Miami as most of us were from the Northeast, enjoying a windy winter.

But the warm-weather-based Thompson smelled pay dirt at this event, visible in his reporting.

After all, eight journalists were enjoying themselves somewhere. Something must be afoot.

And let it be known that the event was quite enjoyable. Down to the last detail, the event managers made it clear that journalists were there to experience the purported meaning behind “Eos,” the new vehicle.

Thompson was not there out of an interest in any sort of lifestyle feature or automotive article. He was there “out of a cold, scientific curiosity to see such a specimen of publicity machinery at work.”

And cold it was, because, regrettably, some of us had our guards down at this event.

Thus, the lesson is learned.

“But if you go on something like this,” Guilfoil actually said, “there’s a certain understanding that this is a topic you’re interested in covering.”

As much as one hates to nitpick, we all must hold steadfast to our thin veneers of professionalism.