X-Message-Number: 23670
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 17:44:27 -0800
Subject: Re:Meta discussion of  Frozen dead guy days and email to government
From: Kennita Watson <>

> From: "Fred C. Moulton" <>
> ...
> Even showing up at the Frozen Dead Guy Days would be a disaster.

I beg to differ.

> One of the keys to marketing is being able to set the context
> of discussion.  By going to the Frozen Dead Guy Days Alcor
> would provide the opportunity for persons opposed to cryonics
> and journalists who want a humorous lead for news story to
> set the agenda by making cute remarks and asking strange
> questions.  At this point someone usually wants to argue
> that this would the time so state our case.  NO!  Anytime you
> put yourself in a situation in which you have to spend 30
> minutes responding to a 30 second sound bite you have likely
> lost.  Your long detailed explanation with footnotes and
> studies of fruit flies is probably not going to be seen by
> the audience.

30 minutes?  Detailed information?  Fruit flies?  No wonder
Alcor has media problems!  If the media man is giving sound
bites, respond with sound bites!  I have from now till next
March to think of good responses to cute remarks and strange
questions.

The trick is not to set the context -- nobody is interested
in our context -- but to find the best presentation of our
product for the context we find ourselves in.

>  And what about the casual passersby who wander
> along the event, how many are going stop by a stand for a
> detailed explanation or will they just wander by and six months
> from now the only impression they will have had of Alcor is
> seeing the Alcor logo at the Frozen Dead Guy Days and thinking
> maybe there is some connection.

Surprise, people!  There *is* some connection.  Trygve wants
his grandfather back, and we want our patients back.  He used
a low-tech method because a high-tech one wasn't available.
We think our method will get out much more of the person who
went in than his, because we preserve more.  Does that mean
we shouldn't point that out to people who have a minute or two
to listen and take a brochure, and are having fun, rather than
trying to stay in shadows that no longer exist?
>
> Another point of good PR work is control the message.  Having
> a bunch of people (no matter how well meaning) sending off
> emails is not controlling the message.  Please do not give out
> a list of email addresses without some mechanism in place to
> limit the downside.  The minute I saw that list I knew there
> would be people who would send inappropriate email.  I sent my
> message in a small attempt to counter-balance the inappropriate
> email.  What needs to be done is get a set of volunteers in
> place well ahead of time...

I thought I mentioned this in an earlier message; I hope
higher-ups at Alcor et al. are paying attention.
>
> My point is that PR and marketing are difficult.  Just having
> a technical or philosophical winning argument is not enough.
> And charging ahead without good PR and marketing has serious
> downside risk.

Alcor has had a *long* time to do PR and marketing, and has
apparently chosen not to.  They got blindsided by the Ted
Williams case for that reason.

I plan to attend the 2005 Frozen Dead Guy Days, with as high a
profile as I can manage, because I actually think it will be
*good* for cryonics.  My general message will be "This isn't
the time or place for discussing technical details -- people
are here enjoying life, which is what it's all about.  We
think using our cryopreservation techniques can give you a
good chance of being revived by the medicine and technology
of the future.  If you want more information about how we
expect to do it, check out www.alcor.com.".  I'm sure this
message will be tweaked, and it will have multiple versions
for different venues, but hey, you gotta start somewhere.
We have plenty of time.

Live long and prosper,
Kennita
--
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
none but ourselves can free our minds.
           -- Bob Marley, "Redemption Song"

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