Friday, April 01, 2011

There is NEVER a Good Day For a Tasteless Prank

Some of you may have read this press release on OpenPR.com. No day, is ever a good day for faking a press release like this. Especially, when you put a company's name and address on it, and plagiarize portions from another press release.


This Press Release is 100% False.


Fans, we understand that it is April Fool's Day, but pranks like this must be made in jest without going too far. If you name a company and make it "look official", many fans may take it to be real. If you send your fake release to an actual PR site that posts legitimate press releases, then you're just asking for trouble. In the wake of having to deal with rumors and impostors, I had to make some phone calls (and because today is Friday, it was hard to get a hold of anyone easily). No one is ever happy having their name dragged through the mud in places it shouldn't be, and we honestly hope the fans responsible for this never do it again. Or, at least keep the rumor to their own site.

EDIT: To clarify: A fan has notified me that according to the party in question, I spoke to a Jackie Smith in Funimation.

This is completely false. I don't even KNOW a Jackie Smith at Funimation, nor did I speak to one yesterday. I don't want her name, or my name ruined over some false information. I was transferred to a woman named Perry yesterday. She was surprised that this was posted on a PR site (I never even knew it was on a fansite at all, I don't visit every fansite out there). She even asked me to read a couple paragraphs of the press release over the phone, and promised that she would go find someone to take care of this. She gave me a few people to email as well, and thanked me for letting them know. Again it was Friday, and late in the workday by the time I had gotten a hold of anyone over the phone, and most people were not in their offices. Our concern again was that this was posted on a PR site, and not a fansite. This is not a "Moon Chase versus this other site Battle". People can play whatever pranks they want to, but use moderation and exercise caution.