Chelsea Viral Marketing Campaign

Andrew O'Hara said... There seems to be an increase of these self-promoting "blogs" from companies like Penguin, and (my opinion) the tediously name dropping Hotel Chelsea, wanting you to think they're just a few of the good ol' fellas from the company with a burning urge to share some kind of back-door scoop. Cheaper than television ads, I guess.

Andrew is talking about the Hotel Chelsea Blog, of course, rather than the Hotel Chelsea proper, though it’s clear he doesn’t think there’s much of a distinction. This is just the latest accusation of corporate control to be hurled our way, and it will be news to Stanley Bard, who lectures us sternly for not being positive enough about the hotel.  We seem to be besieged on all sides.

We do glorify the hotel, I suppose, though we tend to celebrate its seedier aspects, such as its run-down furniture and equally decayed bohemian denizens.  As to the name dropping, tedious or otherwise, I suppose we must throw ourselves on the mercy of the court.

And yes, Andrew, we do like to think of ourselves as good ol’ fellas – or, well, a fella and a dame – but you make it sound like we work for the mind control branch of the CIA.  Or, perhaps you think you have uncovered some sort of insidious viral marketing campaign.  I think you just haven’t bothered to read the blog.   But you have at least got one thing right: it is a lot cheaper than a TV ad!  Here that Stanley? We are still waiting for you to buy us out.