Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Press Release - Good Housekeeping Reports: Z-CoiL Footwear - Potentially Dangerous Shoes

i-Newswire.com - Press Release

Albuquerque Corporate Office Sends Springy Soled Shoes To Women’s Magazine Without Qualified Fitters

i-Newswire, 2005-02-23 - Port Townsend, WA – Good Housekeeping Reports has published a video story on OrganicFramework.com about Z-CoiL pain relief footwear that suggests that the springy soled shoes are unsafe on sticky surfaces and uneven terrain and could cause back strain.

An independent Z-CoiL dealer says the Albuquerque, NM head office sent the 120-year-old women’s magazine six pair of shoes to be tested for the article. But, the corporate office did not provide qualified personal to fit the shoes to the feet of the Good Housekeeping staff members that participated in the investigative report. Z-CoiL footwear can be adjusted 32 different ways and are custom fitted to customer’s feet by trained individuals. The orthotic foot beds are not sold mail order or online for this very reason.

Z-CoiL owners are posting comments on the OrganicFramework.com forum fuming over the unfavorable results of the Good Housekeeping "test."

Forum Excerpt:

As the owner of three pairs of z-coils, I was astonished at the results of the Good Housekeeping "test."

click title to read more

RESOURCES

GH Media Site
PR Web
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Dr. Stuart Hirsch, Chair of the Council on Communications for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

7 comments:

JOlmsted said...

Last week, I contacted the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Media Relations department to set-up an interview with Dr. Stuart Hirsch, Chair of the Council on Communications for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

After a furry of e-mails and a five minute phone chat with an American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Media Relations Specialist, the enclosed email arrived this morning:

Mon, 28 Feb 2005 12:17:24 -0600

Because we at AAOS were completely unaware that Dr. Hirsch even participated in your shoe review or that he commented on the Z-Coil, we cannot serve as the liaison between you and him. We are uncertain of the terms under which he provided his original comments to Good Housekeeping, so it's best you connect with him directly.

You can certainly find Dr. Hirsch's contact information on the AAOS web site at http://www.aaos.org. Please note his correct title -- with the "Academy" not the "Association."

This afternoon a voice mail message was left for Dr. Hirsch regarding an interview to discuss the Z-CoiL Good Housekeeping report.

JOlmsted said...

This morning an email was sent to members of the Good Housekeeping media relations department:

pldavis@hearst.com - director marketing
srad@hearst.com – director of brand development
imichaels@hearst.com – fashion
ssullivan@hearst.com – consumer goods
-------------

Last week, I sent an email to you regarding the Good Housekeeping report entitled, Testing Z-CoiL Shoes, without a response.

It appears the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons media relations department is unaware that "Dr. Hirsch even participated in your shoe review or that he commented on the Z-Coil."

Please send the email of the women that claims she broke her leg while wearing the footwear. (Her name and email address can be with held.)

Please send the contact name and email address of the Good Housekeeping reporter that produced the "Testing Z-CoiL Shoes" report.

Thank You,

JOlmsted said...

Email Reply:
Tue, 1 Mar 2005 10:11:58 -0600

To answer your questions:

1) No, Good Housekeeping did not contact our media relations department about this opportunity

2) I was not aware of the Good Housekeeping report prior to your
message

3) Typically, publications/broadcast outlets first contact our department before going directly to a doctor. However, as you saw from our
website, it's quite easy to go to "find a surgeon" and to get the name, contact info, for our members, so media can -- and sometimes do! -- bypass our department and pose inquiries directly to our members, as they must have done in this case with Dr. Hirsch.

Best,

Media Relations Specialist
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

JOlmsted said...

To: Special Projects Director
Good Housekeeping

Z-Reporter: Thanks for getting back with me.

Special Projects Director
Good Housekeeping:
> I will try to help answer questions you have
> regarding the Good
> Housekeeping Institute's evaluation of the shoes,
> but I cannot release the
> name, address, email or phone number of a Good
> Housekeeping reader who
> wrote to the magazine.

Z-Reporter: OK.

Special Projects Director
Good Housekeeping: What is the Z-Reporter?

The Z-Reporter is a blog for Z-CoiL customers and independent dealers. http://z-coil.blogspot.com

Questions:

1) When was the Good Housekeeping/Z-Coils investigative report conducted?

2) How many Z-CoiL shoes did you have for the six Good Housekeeping female staffers that tested the footwear?

3) How many different styles were used for the test?

4) What happened to the Z-CoiLs that the staffers tested?

5) Who was your contact person at the Z-CoiL corporate offices?

6) Why weren't factory trained shoe fitters used to make necessary adjustments to the footwear for the Good Housekeeping female testers? Typically, consumers can only purchase Z-CoiLs through authorized dealers that custom fit the footwear to individual's feet.

7) Did any of the Good Housekeeping female testers have back, leg or foot pain?

8) What were the “variety of surfaces” the six women wore the Z-CoiLs on?

9) "One tester complained that her heel started hurting after a few days." How long a time period did the GH female testers wear Z-CoiLs?

10) Dr. Hirsch is an Orthopedic Surgery Sports Medicine specialist and not a Podiatric Physician or Foot Surgeon. Why did the GH Institute use Dr. Hirsch as the expert for the report?

11) Did the GH Institute send Dr. Hirsch Z-CoiLs in his size?

12) The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons public relations office was unaware of the GH report until I contacted their office last week. What kind of a relationship does the GH Institute have with Dr. Hirsch?

13) What other GH Institute tests has Dr. Hirsch been the leading expert?

--------

Note: The questions were sent to the Good Housekeeping Special Projects Director on Wednesday March 2, 2005.

--------------

On Thursday March 3, 2005, the Special Projects Director sent the below statements:

After hearing from a reader and consulting with a medical expert about his opinion, Good Housekeeping found that there are people who may experience problems with Z-Coil shoes. Good Housekeeping reported these findings.

We understand that the company feels a professional fitting may help prevent problems and acknowledge the company's position in our article.

Special Projects Director

--------------

A follow up email was sent to the Special Projects Director to make sure he received the list of questions and if the above statements were his response to the questions.

The Special Projects Director has not replied to the Friday follow up email.

JOlmsted said...

Thu, 14 Apr 2005 22:51:08 -0400

I believe it free speech, but you are copying folks in the advertsing sales department who have no authority to comment on your statements.

Patricia Lippe Davis
Creative Director, Marketing
Good Housekeeping
250 West 55th Street; NY, NY 10019

THE DIFFERENCE IS GUARANTEED.

Z-Blog Reporter (Reply): I don't understand. "I believe it free speech"?
Please explain.

Can you provide me with a list of people who can make
comments regarding the Good Housekeeping Z-CoiL story?

Who can members of the AAOS contact to discuss issues
in the Good Housekeeping Z-CoiL story?

Instead of sending around the entire press release,
you can simply send this link

Patricia Lippe Davis (Reply): It was a rush late at night. Just saying I believe IN free speech.

Z-Blog Reporter (Reply): I'm not writing an Op-Ed piece.
I'm simply asking questions in an attempt to verify facts associated with the February GH report on Z-CoiL footwear as they were presented to the press.
Questions everyone up and down the information food chain apparently are pleading the 5th.

Exactly what are the responsibilities of a Good Housekeeping Creative Marketing Director?

Enjoy your Spring weekend.

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Bologna744 said...

Hi

Tks very much for post:

I like it and hope that you continue posting.

Let me show other source that may be good for community.

Source: Housekeeping interview questions

Best rgs
David