IT must be one of the classic PR blunders of the year…

Birmingham city council in the West Midlands produces 360,000 leaflets - using a picture of Birmingham, Alabama!

As the saying goes, ‘you couldn’t make this stuff up’.

A sharp-eyed Brummie first spotted the Alabama image on the leaflet and rang the council to complain.

No doubt there were red faces all around the Bull Ring, internal enquiries and interminable meetings to try and find out what went wrong.

But after making the gaffe, Birmingham, West Mids then added insult to injury by:

initally denying they had made a mistake
refusing to apologise
continuing to deliver the leaflets
being unable to find a single senior council employee who was prepared to stand up and accept responsibility

Anyone can make mistakes - especially in huge bureacratic organisations like a city council.

But it only makes matters worse when you try to avoid responsibility.

It really rankles with both the council tax-paying public and the media if public organisations are caught out, won’t admit it and then try to wriggle off the hook.

Far better to hold your hands up straightaway - and apologise.

Far better too, to turn the mistake to your advantage with a bit of humour and creativity.

Why not announce a twinning deal or a student exchange programme between Birmingham, West Midlands and Birmingham, Alabama?

Or perhaps the city council’s Director of Leaflets could be sent on a West Midlands photography course?