Looking at Boston's "Aquapacalypse" from a PR Perspective

Well, the crisis is finally over. It took a little over 60 hours. It was painful, unpleasant, etc. Yet it provided me with some perspective. At my current internship, we represent several restaurants and service clients. How can we produce some positive press for our clients out of a disastrous situation?

I spoke with my boss yesterday about it, and it helped me realized what he specifically did. First he called his specific clients and asked what they were doing - covering their tracks ensuring for no bad press, but then also making suggestions for an example of how the company can go above and beyond and build a better reputation.

In the example of one of our hotel clients, they had one of the more serious responsibilities of informing & providing their guests with the information and water to maintain a pleasant stay. For our restaurants, they had to adapt to making sure they could cook and provide their guests water as well. For one of our bigger clients - a coffee company - everyone was literally DEPRIVED. (I'm really glad I never drink coffee. I was just water-deprived rather than coffee. Water is my coffee.) So today they'll be going around the city giving out coffee to everyone as a thank you for tolerating the lack of coffee - which is a very appropriate gesture.

My point is - there's always another opportunity out there. It's PR's job to take advantage of them. I'm excited about getting started.

I Love That Dirty Water

If you're not in Boston, then you're missing out. We've had a massive (and unprecedented) water mane break in the city - leaving the place under a "boil order" for all water and honestly causing a sense of chaos for no real reason.

People are going to grocery stores and buying water as if they're stocking up their bomb shelters for the impending nuclear winter. I saw one woman get 10 cases of water yesterday. That's 240 bottles. I'm hoping it was not all just for her.

Boston University, in all of it's great service to it's students (and senior's final two weeks of college before we get hit with a) reality and b) them asking for "donations") can only give you water if you've got a meal plan to their dining hall. I'm serious. Me and my roommate stopped by yesterday to try and pick up one bottle of the great "Terrier Water" and were told no, I need to sign up for a meal plan. WHAT KIND OF INHUMANE PLACE IS THIS? NO WATER UNLESS YOU PAY AN EXTRA THREE GRAND. SORRY.

Sorry, I got a little carried away. It's too easy sometimes.

The other great thing about Boston right now is the weather - the place is gorgeous. Had a beautiful day out. Until I was feeling dehydrated and bought water, which I'm pretty sure they're jacking up the prices because EVERYONE's buying water. In my lovely not-well-ventilated Boston University sponsored apartment, we have poor air flow when its hot. And in my room, there's a kind of "mystery" window that conveniently pointed east which is also conveniently where the sun rises everyday at about 6:30 AM. Let's do some math --> Dehydration + Hot room + Sunlight at 6:30AM + College student who usually doesn't wake up until 9 AM on a Monday = A dry(in more ways than one,) witty, blog post at 7AM after laying in bed until 2:30 AM because of the same situation. Honestly, I wasn't even up this early for Marathon Monday.

This isn't a rant, this is more of just like a 'When I Pictured College, It Didn't Include A Scavenging For Water" situation. I just sit and laugh. Is this real life?

I also keep making this joke that I know I'm totally killing it, but it's honestly SO FUNNY right now. The Standells did a song about Boston and called it "Dirty Water" and it's one of those Boston anthems - it's played everywhere around the city. Sporting events, in the park, it's everywhere. It's like the Dropkick Murphy's "Shipping Up To Boston" of the 60s, but everyone still listens to it now. Anyway, the repeating lyric is "I love that dirty water, I love Boston." I know someone reading this is laughing right now. YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP GUYS.

OH ALSO - It's National Drink Tap Water Week. YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP.

I'm closing with another great line about drinking from the "Most Interesting Man In The World" campaign - Stay Thirsty My Friends.

ps I'm laughing really hard at that one too. Bye.