I've always seen the commercials, like McDonalds, using the bait-and-switch to advertise their product. I've never thought of it from the perspective that maybe the people don't want their processed food.
I think Ketchum's research methods should have been better. Find out who their target audiences were and invited those people. I imagine the people who were not thrilled with their experiment were either health conscience people, food critics, mothers who would like nutritional meals, and etc.
Also, the bloggers who made the trip probably had to pay airfare and lodging fees, while only the dinner was free. No one wants to pay for a trip to get tricked out of what was actually promised for them. Of course, I am speculating and could be totally of base.
I'm having a hard time thinking of a way to structure the invitation to bloggers without receiving seamlessly the same result. Perhaps pay airfare/lodging and provide an event other than the dinner. Make it seem like the trip to New York and free event are the reward for participating in the test dinner. Of course this only makes sense if their grievances were what I stated before.
I think these are learning experiences for all PR practitioners. Mistakes like the one Ketchum made can teach everyone in PR what-not-to-do.
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