Frederik, Mary and the Media: A Discussion of Sorts

[Xeara]

I actually had a feeling this would happen...Mary does have a background in PR and advertising and she has friends, or friends of friends who still work in these industries...I thought it was fishy from the moment I saw her buying nappies (please!) I think it was a favour and all the paperwork (waivers, etc) had been signed prior to this trip, she gave her permission and she is aware of the ad and campaign, I am sure...call me cynical but I think it is true...Mary knew exactly what she was doing and when...Even I know, through a friend of a friend, an employee of Kimberly-Clark...they are everywhere

I think it was fully orchestrated just based on Huggies sliiping market, I was also once a purchaser of Huggies until I discovered Aldi nappies and eco-nappies, etc...Huggies needed help from the big guns....Genevieve Taubman (Mrs. Hamish Campbell) could have asked Mary to do this favour for her on behalf of her client...Sitting in a meeting saying "we need name/brand recognition"..."Um, I know Princess Mary and she is coming to Australia soon"...It could have been any number of Mary's friends in advertising/PR asking a favour and seriously what had Mary to lose...it was win/win, being seen as a "normal Mum" while helping out a friend at the same time, why not?

So really she had 3 engagements across 3 states in Oz: Huggies, Alannah and Madeline and Victor Chang

 

[Madame Royale]

I think it was a favour and all the paperwork (waivers, etc) had been signed prior to this trip, she gave her permission and she is aware of the ad and campaign, I am

I think perhaps if you do a little research on the issue, you would soon come to realise the above is in no way a possibility. The royal family and indeed brands associated with the monarchy, can not be used in any way, shape or form, as a marketing tool for external corporations or franchising. They are not an industrial commodity.

 

[biboquinhas]

I just cannot understand why she ask the Danish press to step outside and not take any photos and let the other media to take photos inside the park, that to me is a big disrespect to the Danish press and is this what I'am against with....

 

[Madame Royale]

I just cannot understand why she ask the Danish press to step outside and not take any photos and let the other media to take photos inside the park, that to me is a big disrespect to the Danish press and is this what I'am against with....

It seems to me like your not reading the information that's been provided...

 

[sneeuwklokje]

I think that this whole trip was just one big PR-exercise. There was nothing private about it. When she bought the infamous Huggies, she should have asked the pharmacist to put them in a bag, with her PR-background she must have known what would happen if a CP gets herself associated with a certain brand. Even better, she could have asked her sister to do the shopping for her and even "better better", she should have hired some more private accomodation. PR-wise this trip was a disaster. (And Fred looked reaaally uncomfortable in most of the pictures..).

 

[Paty]

This last photoshoot it has been a really susprise, very very nice.

 

[Madame Royale]

I know! Maybe next time Mary and Frederik can purchase Tasmania for the week or two, just to be safe...

Perhaps give Ticketek a call...

 

[Santacruz]

I think that this whole trip was just one big PR-exercise. There was nothing private about it. When she bought the infamous Huggies, she should have asked the pharmacist to put them in a bag, with her PR-background she must have known what would happen if a CP gets herself associated with a certain brand. Even better, she could have asked her sister to do the shopping for her and even "better better", she should have hired some more private accomodation. PR-wise this trip was a disaster. (And Fred looked reaaally uncomfortable in most of the pictures..).

Yes, it makes me a bit a angry that people were told that this was a nice private family trip but in real life it was a planned PR trip.
It's not nice from the DRF to assume that most people would not recognize what was really going on. Never underestimate the intelligence of people! I think the PR concept was: we'll make you big in OZ , give you a nice down-to-earth-charity-people image , compare Mary to late Diana and in return this will have a positive impact on your image home in Denmark.
I never thought that Fred and Mary would need spin doctors and PR trips. The trip looked good on photos but if you think about the whole PR machinery, its a bit sad.

 

[biboquinhas]

I think that this whole trip was just one big PR-exercise. There was nothing private about it. When she bought the infamous Huggies, she should have asked the pharmacist to put them in a bag, with her PR-background she must have known what would happen if a CP gets herself associated with a certain brand. Even better, she could have asked her sister to do the shopping for her and even "better better", she should have hired some more private accomodation. PR-wise this trip was a disaster. (And Fred looked reaaally uncomfortable in most of the pictures..).

I do agree with all your message 100%. She should act more like a Royal and she should know that all her acts have responses and discussion, so she should not be hanging out with some Higgies nappies shoe should know that this will start a big big fuss, so why do it???

It seems to me like your not reading the information that's been provided...

No I have been reading and that's why I cannot understand, if they were media press inside the park already why BB wasn't allowed to get in?? She didn't have the privacy she wanted because they were media inside the gates so she should allow BB to enter and to join the press that was inside the gate, that is what I cannot understand

 

[Madame Royale]

In order to have calm down the situation the CP Couple went - pressed into this - (inside the park) to pose for some photos to be taken."

From BB, itself...

Are you sure you have been reading?...

 

[JessRulz]

...When she bought the infamous Huggies, she should have asked the pharmacist to put them in a bag...

Put Huggies in a bag? I doubt the chemist would have a bag big enough to fit two packs of Huggies into to give Mary if she had asked for one! I have never seen someone put Huggies into a plastic bag - and I work in the nursery department of the local Target store!

 

[Santacruz]

What exactly was ignored ?

 

[Charlotte1]

I disagree. IMO it has been one thing after anohter - and now Nappy Gate. The Danish Foreign service has been asked by the palace to look into the matter of how CP Mary's highly staged nappy-run ended up as a commercial for disposable nappies. Not the DRFs finest hour, unfortunately!

But in Australia this is a total non story, nothing! Here's an example from the Australian media The Daily Telegraph ( a Sydney paper) and a Murdoch one no less! It couldn't be more positive, we were also regaled on breakfast TV by the Editor in Chief of Australia's largest magazine publishing house ( not just women's magazines) going on how wonderful Mary was etc etc.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24288725-5001030,00.html

 

[Charlotte1]

Third, where is your proof that she is paid by the Danish taxpayers and not - at least partly - by The Alannah and Madeline Foundation and The Victor Chang Institute which were promoting their causes with the help of Mary?

The DRF spokesperson Lene Balleby actually did state that as it wasn't an official visit to Australia the Danes were paying all the expenses, including media liason. Credit here to Trine Villeman's article for Se og hoer on Aug 28th Lene Balleby stated the "the court is working with Nina Fudala on press liason in connection with the crown princess's official activities during their stay." Thats it.

I also wouldn't put money on the fact that Nina Fudala was actually in Tasmania during Mary's stay there. In the official engagements in Melbourne and Sydney Nina Fudala can be seen in the photos interacting with the media, as far as I've been able to see there's no sight of her in Tasmania despite the claim she 'lined up the Australian media in the wildlife park'

 

[Viv]

Nappy-gate and the Danish Embassy

Somebody asked about verification that the Royal Danish Embassy in Canberra (?) is now involved in the socalled "nappy-gate":

The story was published on the website of the republican tabloid
Ekstra-Bladet on Wednesday evening, l.t. It was written by DRF.
bashing Jan Körner, who has made a living out of scrutinizing the
Royal Danish House and putting the royals in a bad light, whenever possible.

In the article DRF press officer Lene Balleby confirms that the royal
court has asked the Danish Embassy to "look into the matter", and that
"CP Mary never agreed to be an ad-column/billboard".

There's normally every reason to take Ekstra-Bladets royalty reports
with a grain of salt, but this time it looks as if it is holding water.

At the bottomline I'm pleased that this is a non-story in Oz. For
future reference however, maybe CP Mary should send someone
else for nappies whenever in Hobart!

 

[biboquinhas]

From BB, itself...

Are you sure you have been reading?...

Yes I have been reading if they pose for some photos why not let BB enter and pose for them too??? This I cannot understand sorry... If they let other press media take some photos why not let BB also??????? If they want some privacy they didn't have allowed the press to enter the Park, and if they enter with no authorization where are the bodyguards?????? Wasn't that a photocall??

Put Huggies in a bag? I doubt the chemist would have a bag big enough to fit two packs of Huggies into to give Mary if she had asked for one! I have never seen someone put Huggies into a plastic bag - and I work in the nursery department of the local Target store!

So maybe it was more reasonable to ask someone to get the nappies for her. She should know by the moment she appears with to nappies on her hand a discussion will be on the way..for this...for that...and she should avoid that by all means she has

 

[Villemann]

So maybe it was more reasonable to ask someone to get the nappies for her. She should know by the moment she appears with to nappies on her hand a discussion will be on the way..for this...for that...and she should avoid that by all means she has

Well, if CP Mary wants to do a nappy-run, of course, she should do it. However, turning it into a media-event by having one's PR-person tipping off the media - which is what happened, see the link I posted in a previous post - has backfired big time. The cheeky people at Huggeis told me in an email that the add is a one off, but boy, did the get a lot of publicity of this stunt!I hope the palace asks for a fee for one of CP Mary's charities!

 

[Lilla]

However, turning it into a media-event by having one's PR-person tipping off the media - which is what happened, see the link I posted in a previous post - has backfired big time. The cheeky people at Huggeis told me in an email that the add is a one off, but boy, did the get a lot of publicity of this stunt!I hope the palace asks for a fee for one of CP Mary's charities!

As several posters living in Australia has written - it is an non-issue in Australia. As someone living in DK I can tell you - it is a complet non-issue in Danmark as well. The only place this has become an issue is on this thread - and IMO it has only become such an issue, becauce you and a few more posters are blowing this "non-issue thing" so far out of proportions that it has reached a point of being ridiculous!!!

 

[Madame Royale]

As is their agenda, Lilla...

 

[Santacruz]

The whole nappy thing was certainly not to promote a certain nappy brand.
It was just to show the people in Denmark & Australia: I am low-key and down to earth , I buy nappies myself ...
End of story.

 

[Madame Royale]

Thank you Mary..oh..hmm..I mean, Santacruz...

 

[Lilla]

Great comment...........

 

[Santacruz]

Damn, you got me!!

 

[zinzen]

Just a quick question about the mink.. Are we 100% certain that it is real fur? Or is that just an assumption on someones part?

IMO it is real fur

Princess Mary's fur outrage

 

[Charlotte1]

The cheeky people at Huggeis told me in an email that the add is a one off, but boy, did the get a lot of publicity of this stunt!!

Well the Australian sense of humour and irreverence ( the country of the larrikin) is precisely why there is no controversy here over the Huggies ad. It's a non story because most Australians would be like me, I was flicking through a woman's magazine on Monday and saw the print version of the ad, I laughed out loud and thought "cheeky sods!" In reference to the Huggies marketing people, it's funny cheeky ad where the larrikin Australians display their sense of irreverence. ( it's a cultural thing )

 

[Jo of Palatine]

As several posters living in Australia has written - it is an non-issue in Australia. As someone living in DK I can tell you - it is a complet non-issue in Danmark as well. The only place this has become an issue is on this thread - and IMO it has only become such an issue, becauce you and a few more posters are blowing this "non-issue thing" so far out of proportions that it has reached a point of being ridiculous!!!

Reminds one a bit about how certain journalists used the kate Middleton-bashing on internet forums to back up their own non-story. I bet we will hear that at least one Danish journalist will report about "Nappygate" and the internet forums....

 

[biboquinhas]

If Princess Isabella jacket is a fake fur jacket (wicht I think it isn't) We have seen Mary wearing other fur jackets in many other ocassions and I'am 100% SURE THEY ARE REAL FUR, and for someone who love animals like she inted to be this is a tottaly contradition, fashion speaks louder than other mucht more important issues.

 

[Santacruz]

The general question is: shoulnd't the Royal Family, or Mary and Fred in particular, be a role model in every aspect, even when it comes to the question of wearing fur?
As a member of a Royal family you make a statement with what you do. That would also include: having furniture made of tropical wood, wearing clothes that was made with childrens work etc., wearing diamonds that were produced by people living in slavery ( which happens nowadays). If you are wealthy and have access to all kinds of information plus you do charity worldwide, you must have a social conscience and be aware of what is happening in the world around you.
IMo wearing fur is not acceptable for a role model of the 21st century and someone who knows the facts of life.

 

[Empress]

Well, if CP Mary wants to do a nappy-run, of course, she should do it. However, turning it into a media-event by having one's PR-person tipping off the media - which is what happened, see the link I posted in a previous post - has backfired big time. The cheeky people at Huggeis told me in an email that the add is a one off, but boy, did the get a lot of publicity of this stunt!I hope the palace asks for a fee for one of CP Mary's charities!

I'm sorry, but it appears as if your theory, and the link that was used to support it, of this PR person helping out with the Tasmanian visit, and "tipping" off the media, has been debunked by the DRF themselves, as well as other published and reliable sources.

 

[zinzen]

Fur

I'm sorry, but it appears as if your theory, and the link that was used to support it, of this PR person helping out with the Tasmanian visit, and "tipping" off the media, has been debunked by the DRF themselves, as well as other published and reliable sources.

I have posted a link, but it did'nt appear, may be I did a wrong manipulation

Princess Mary's fur outrage