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A celebrity isn?t just a pretty face, a rocket arm or a heavenly voice. As a major country music star once told me: ?I?m a corporation.?
Public figures?like small businesses?are living, breathing brands that need a carefully crafted public relations strategy to match. Here are some celebrity PR lessons you can apply right now.
Meet your customers.
Since 1972 the Country Music Association has matched musicians with their fans for photos, handshakes and hugs each year during the Music Festival Fan Fair in Nashville. It may seem corny, but it builds loyalty and gives the 350,000-plus paying customers an emotional link to their favorite singers. Not a bad return on investment for signing a few autographs and posing for snapshots.
Release bad news quickly.
When news of David Letterman?s extracurricular activities with his employees was about to go public (via a blackmail scam), the late-night host made a brilliant PR move. He quickly announced the tawdry news himself, on his own terms, on his own show, on live TV. One Band-Aid-ripping jolt of embarrassment saved his reputation a death by a thousand newspaper cuts.
Don?t feud publicly.
Donald Trump clearly hasn?t learned this lesson. When Jerry Seinfeld backed out of a charity event citing Trump?s political views, the megalomaniacal real estate developer was quoted in the New York Post as saying the comedian ?should be ashamed of himself.? When David Letterman criticized Trump for his stand on the ?birther? issue, Trump fired off a letter to CBS (also reported in the Post).When Rosie O?Donnell called Trump a ?snake oil salesman? on the ?The View? talk show in 2006, Trump threatened to sue her in the pages of People magazine. Even for a press-hungry guy like Trump, bullying every public detractor is a dumb strategy (as is not being able to take a joke at the nationally televised White House Correspondents Dinner).
Be loyal, not blind.
The Pittsburgh Steelers handled the Rashard Mendenhall situation perfectly.?When the running back Tweeted his dismay over what he felt was excessive public celebration of Osama bin Laden?s demise, the Steelers quickly distanced themselves from Mendenhall?s opinion by releasing a public statement condemning it and expressing support for the troops?all while not criticizing Mendenhall personally. Nicely played.
On the flipside, Warren Buffett probably jumped too soon to defend David Sokol, his right hand man, in the wake of accusations of Sokol?s insider trading of shares in a firm he recommended before Buffett agreed to purchase the company. Buffett wrote a chatty press release announcing Sokol?s departure but claimed nothing illegal happened. Berkshire?s own Audit Committee was not as kind, claiming Sokol violated their code of conduct and insider trading policies.?? Whatever the turnout, the situation is a blemish on an investing hero?s legacy. Bottom line: Loyalty counts, but have all the facts first.
Remember that PR is a tool, not a solution.
The press is powerful, but it can?t save you if you really screw up. Case in point: Frank McCourt, who was relieved of his duties as the day-to-day operator of the Los Angeles Dodgers by Major League Baseball after the Los Angeles Times revealed he needed to borrow $30 million to make payroll in April and possibly owed a whopping $500 million. Hoping to hold onto the team, McCourt has pled his case on any local TV and radio station that would have him, including KLAC radio and KTLA-TV. Skepticism abounds?as does McCourt?s cringe-worthy desperation.
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Article source: http://blogs.forbes.com/robertwynne/2011/05/13/celebrity-pr-lessons-for-your-business/
Source: http://celebritybusinesses.r8tr.com/celebrity-pr-lessons-for-your-business
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