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There is a word which describes what the Conservatives are trying to do by linking the UK’s inner city drug problem to cult US TV drama ‘The Wire’.

Verisimilitude.

Apologies. I know it’s unpronounceable and looks like an excuse to use a big word but it describes what shadow home secretary Chris Grayling was attempting to generate when drawing the comparison. It is what any solid campaign needs for credibility and clarity.

But there’s a fine line between verisimilitude and marketing nonsense – for instance, does anyone believe David Beckham would get excited about a pen that isn’t jewel encrusted and only works with ink extracted (sustainably) from a rare squid?

And that’s part of the problem with the Conservatives evoking a cult TV series constantly plugged by The Guardian. It smacks of one too many ‘blue sky’ sessions at Millbank where ‘no idea is a bad one’ and everyone is giddy at the thought of Government. It’s just a little bit too try hard.

Can we expect Gordon Brown to stumble out of Number 10 in a vest, dressing gown and slippers to fetch his paper as he enters what his makeover people call ‘Operation Soprano’. After all, someone paid $11,000 for this.

One reason blogging has been such a phenomenon in recent years is the freedom it gives to an ordinary, otherwise unremarkable person. It provides a platform for anyone who wants to be heard – quite literally turning bedroom-based bloggers into overnight superstars (think Perez Hilton).

However, a precedent was set in a Manhattan supreme court yesterday. It ruled that Google should hand over information regarding an anonymous blogger who called Vogue model Liskula Cohen a “skank” on Blogger.com.

The judge rejected the blogger’s defence that blogs “serve as a modern-day forum for conveying personal opinions, including invective and ranting”.

This landmark case could have far-reaching effects on the blogging community.

The social media landscape is constantly being redefined and, while it may still be a legal grey area, this case shows that it is most definitely not above the law. Companies need to sit up and take note as case law starts to catch up with the fast pace of the digital world.

We’ve encouraged our clients to set out clear company guidelines when it comes to social media, marking out policy regarding blogs, Twitter and Facebook .

If this is something you haven’t addressed yet, perhaps now is the time to put it on the agenda.

Love him or hate him (and I’m sure he’s loved by someone) Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary plays the media better than anyone.

He’s the person that gives weight to the old PR myth – and it is a myth – that ‘no publicity is bad publicity’. From making the disabled pay for wheelchairs to his ‘A Pound to Spend a Penny’ idea, he always gets his core message across.

“We are cheap because we give you nothing but a seat.”

Everyone complains about Ryanair. I’ve heard colleagues say they feel ‘dirty’ after booking with them, a quick blog search mostly associates the brand with the phrases ‘scum’ and ‘epic fail’.

But today Ryanair announced its latest expansion – 14 new routes from Leeds Bradford Airport, 63 weekly return flights, an £84 million investment. I’m sure they will be well used, whatever Mr O’Leary’s popularity rating.

He’s the anti PR persona we should all consider when brainstorming new ideas. Pin a picture of his face up and use it for inspiration on how to stick to your message.

Just draw the line at dressing your client like this:

Thanks to North West journalist and blogger David Quinn for the image.

Whole Foods boss John Mackey may yet regret his admission that his stores sell ‘junk’ food but his supposed gaffe is not quite as Ratneresque as it may have appeared.

From an issues management perspective there are crucial differences. He was trying to be honest and outline his belief that his business had strayed from its original principles. Gerald Ratner’s famous words – beloved of media trainers everywhere – exposed his glee at selling ‘crap’ to customers.

So while Ratner’s jewellery chain collapsed under the weight of the media fallout from Gerald’s confession, there has been plenty of debate over Mr Mackey’s position in the ‘Bad PR Hall of Fame’.

At time of writing it is still one of the most viewed stories on The Guardian’s website – surely the newspaper whose readers are most likely to embrace Whole Foods’ renewed ethos – and many readers commenting on the story have praised his honesty.

Nevertheless, I bet his PR company have recommended another session of media training for the notoriously outspoken boss and blogger.