5WPR, the public relations firm led by industry punching bag Ronn Torossian, sent over a few photos of Paris Hilton, Benji Madden, and America's Next Top Model something Jaslene Gonzalez (who we don't know, and apparently neither does 5WPR, since they spelled her name "Jaslene Gonzalzes") partying at "new midtown hostpot" Haven last night. Notes the emailed plant: "The notorious party girl parked herself at the table right next to the DJ booth, where her bf Benji was spinning, keeping herself awake by drinking Three Olives Cherry Vodka and Red Bull all night long."
Normally, we refrain from posting this soul-emaciating flack-fed items. But then some of you might have been worried that, given the ruinous economy and Wall Streeters withdrawing cash from their bank accounts, the days of overpriced bottle service were over. Hallelujah, they are not! (More evidence of celebrities paid to show up places here.)
Oh to be a blogger who yearns to cover Fashion Week! The semi-annual two week party with fancier clothes than usual is also where the power struggle between the old guard (fashion houses and their PR agencies) and the new regime (us Web 2.0 types) goes down. The two warriors clash, negotiate, and, on the dozens of occasions we've heard about, go home together. Mostly, the furor between the two erupts over credentialing — the clipboarding process where a publicist says yes or no to media outlets who want to cover their clients' shows. These days, as the DNC and RNC saw, bloggers sees themselves entitled — equally, if not more so — to the same lavish treatment and access as the established players, like those who produce their content on actual paper. Except the publicists, who are paid to promote and protect their clients' image, are wary about the wayward things a blogger might post. And the fact that she could criticize a runway show in real time, as the models are still walking. This is scary. Which is why publicists like Kelly Cutrone, of fashion PR firm People's Revolution and The Hills regular, don't want to deal with this shit. CONTINUED »
Playboy Bunny Kendra Wilkinson loves her some Olive Garden. That's fair; that all-you-can-eat salad and breadsticks deal is pretty slammin'. (Why do you think we stationed Jossip HQ just up the street from one?) But Ms. Wilkinson, who appears on the E! series about Hugh Hefner's empire of chests, The Girls Next Door, loves the Olive Garden so much she shouts about it on the show while holding doggie bags with the restaurant's logo on it. And she blogs about it on MySpace. She once said Olive Garden was better than any food in Italy. (NB: We couldn't find a single OG in that country).
But with all that free publicity, the OG is all like "wuh-oh" because it's not great publicity to have your family-themed establishment promoted by someone who makes a living taking her shirt off and pretending to service an 80 year old man. CONTINUED »
A movie industry publicist plays a few roles. It is her (and these people are often shes) job to coordinate those obnoxious three-minute celebrity interviews that even blogs can partake in; there, it's her duty to make sure things like this don't happen.
It's also her job to coordinate step-and-repeats and the usual red carpet drama at movie premieres, selecting which media outlets get how much time with her client; inevitably, tabloid TV shows and anybody else with a video camera get the most time, while reporters with a handheld tape recorder will be lucky to stand next to somebody who gets to ask questions.
But the biggest part of a publicist's job? Making sure her asshole entitled client has bottle service reservations at a handful of clubs (because his tastes can change on whim) for the movie premiere's after-after party, and that the right food from a restaurant that hasn't opened yet, and doesn't offer take out, is served hot on her client's private plane. CONTINUED »
If you have to ditch your loudmouth celebrity client with whom you've represented through her messy divorce to a beloved pop icon because she's just too freaking much, what's the best way to do it?
By issuing one last press release on behalf of your client — about why you're quitting.
That's how Heather Mills' rep Michele Elyzabeth (who also reps Christian Audigier) just did it. Buzzwords: "Impossible person," "heated argment," "I cannot take anymore." CONTINUED »
MySpace is said to be shopping around its public relations account to tech-focused agencies. Mainly, the social networking site would like to stop being referred to as "over." [PR Week]
Steven Greenberg, the owner of rooftop lounge 230 Fifth, either has a public relations stain on his collar, or he's a fair businessman who knows a bad customer when he sees one. On Wednesday night, Greenberg threatened to kick out a 40-person meeting of the Black Public Relations Society of New York off his roof when not one person in the entire group ordered anything from the bar, effectively commandeering a huge chunk of revenue-worthy deck space to hold their meeting, which was held without a reservation. Supposedly, BPRSNY members wanted to wait until their invited guest, CNN political pundit Jamal Simmons, was finished giving a speech before they ordered anything. (Much like when a bar shuts down at an event when a keynote speaker takes to the podium, we hate this policy.)
When Greenberg started yelling, some in the group quickly began placing orders, squashing Greenberg's fears and any potential to paint him as someone who thinks blacks are freeloading and cheap.
If you're a publicist or marketing trying to get your message to America's youth, what would be your best course of action: Surreptitiously edit a Wikipedia page about whatever you're pushing; book an expert to trump up your brand on a radio show; spam an online forum; get the kids talking about your gimmick on Facebook; or hound a business magazine editor until she agrees to plug you in a write up. According to "Edelman Trust Barometer 2008," an annual survey about trust, the youth demo is more likely to believe anything they see in that last option: business magazines. But if you don't have the connections to score a half-page in one of those rags, at least breathe easier knowing your official press release is still seen as more trustworthy than anything on YouTube. CONTINUED »
Irena Briganti, the oft-discussed and rarely seen No. 2 at Fox News' PR department, gets the field guide treatment. [Gawker]
David Carr did something very brave. The Times media columnist and reformed crackhead – with his new book detailing his druggy past, that description will carry on at length – dared confront the Fox News publicity machine and call it out for what it is: Another mouthpiece for Roger Ailes & Co.
That Carr would publish an article like this — lots of finger-pointing, zero niceties — is very interesting, and potentially very game changing. Undoubtedly, it's a piece he's been wanting to pen for months, if not longer. But for somebody working an industry beat to so deliberately slam the garage door down on one of the niche's major players is a bold move; the gossip that spills out from the item today will not be even close to the sum of the fall out.
The real gauge of this article's effect will be determined only months, perhaps years, from now, as Carr continues reporting on Fox News, the network's PR division continues it's aggressive defense tactics, and countless more reporters engage in a tug-of-war with Ailes' spirited charges. CONTINUED »
Getting Oprah to shill your goods is "the gold standard" in marketing and PR. So how come an industry built on busting through the clutter of consumer pitches doesn't quite understand the Oprah machine? That's the only reason we could find for AdAge's expose on the matter. Or maybe top-ranking publicists do get the Oprah/Harpo juggernaut, and this primer on landing your book, lotion, or motor vehicle on her talk show, magazine, or satellite radio program is a waste of copy. But perhaps not. The Oprah is, like choosing a Democratic nominee, not an exact science. You can throw money at her, in the form of ad spends, but that does not guarantee you that Oprah will plug your product on the show outside of a 30-second commercial spot. Or you can give her company exactly $0, and she'll send your revenues to the heavens. CONTINUED »
Where's a Mike Sitrick or a Mike Paul when you need one? JetBlue is in the market for a crisis management PR maestro to help resuscitate its image. The former media darling and god send to air travelers is now famous for imprisoning passengers on the runway and allegedly forcing a flier to spend a good chunk of his flight seated in the plane's lavatory. And then there's JetBlue's decision to get rid of the free headsets, and you've got all the makings for a PR nightmare. (Not to mention the airline's schlocky new ad campaign.)
So now JetBlue chief David Neeleman Dave Barger is shopping around for someone to re-color his brand's black eye. Except there's on itsy bitsy little problem, and it's one that the average commuter might be familiar with.
CONTINUED »
Remember last week, when we babbled about our big gay night out and mentioned ditching our TrimWater, which we received in the Fashion Cares gift bag? No? Here’s what we wrote: “…We did get a gift bag, which was clearly suited for our media credentials: shampoo, a gym membership and something called ‘TrimWater,’ which we were too scared to even carry.”
Well, TrimWater’s publicist came across our little blurb and wrote us the following note:
Cash-strapped local news stations will be happy to run your video news releases (VNR) that push your client's products. They'll even do you the favor of editing out the part where you disclose the segment was paid for. "A segment may appear to be an in-depth look at the travails of travelers during cold and flu season, but all its experts refer to Zicam nasal spray as a preferred treatment. A consumer-safety piece warns viewers about scam artists who dress up flood-damaged cars and sell them as if they're perfect — an announcement drenched in irony, considering that the news segment is actually a dressed-up ad for CarFax.com. A Halloween report delves into the origins of the jack-o'-lantern, but the reporter — who's not actually a reporter but a P.R. man — ends the story by suggesting holiday recipes from Betty Crocker. All of these pieces made it to news broadcasts near you." [Machinist]
Is appearing on the cover of a magazine the new celebrity rehab?
It won't get Lindsay Lohan off drugs, but it may help her score endorsement deals (like it did for Drew Barrymore) or remind casting directors that, hey, she's supposedly an actress and she's got some time available. Also: It's good for negating the weekly appearances on tabloid magazine covers. "Her appearance on Bazaar is part of a strategic repositioning," says Leslie Sloane Zelnik of her client, Lohan. Even Barrymore's rep, Chris Miller, agrees: "As a publicist, I would be high-fiving myself for getting Lindsay Lohan on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar."
So why does Lindsay need all this "strategic repositioning" to remind fans she's not just a crotch-flashing, Coca-Cola party girl? CONTINUED »
Great news everyone! Sick of just connecting with your friends on MySpace, Facebook and Friendster? Tired of just relying on LinkedIn to keep up with your business acquaintances? Do you want more websites to distract you from your trivial job and meaningless responsiblities?
Well, we have just the ticket for you. And by ticket, we mean web portal. The Biz:
LOS ANGELES – Variety, the world's premier source of entertainment news, in association with Jobster, today announces the launch of "The Biz" the first social networking site for entertainment professionals and enthusiasts in the U.S.
"The Biz" serves as an online meeting space for media and entertainment professionals to network, pitch products, exchange ideas, and search for jobs among peers and industry experts. The site also offers a vehicle for employers to recruit new talent and target candidates by specific interests, skills and experience, on Variety's platform which is the top destination for entertainment news and information.
Because you know what? If you have time to join another social networking site, you're clearly qualified for a top job in the entertainment industry, courtesy of Variety "the world's premier source of entertainment news."
Thanks Biz, you're my top friendster.
Bad news, eggs. There are only a few more years left, and we decided to spend that time “having a good time” with the straights and developing close friendships with the gays. So yeah, looks like fertilization isn’t in our immediate future. But on the plus side, we couldn’t really make a profit off of it anyway.
Maternal grandmothers aren’t happy with this plan, and neither are PR people: CONTINUED »
It totes warms our heart when publicists look our for our well-being. Today, it's M Booth & Associates who have our backs.
They're worried that we're "super busy" covering Fashion Week. And we're not, really, but we are super tired from the minimal amount of output! Even New York magazine must stop caring at some point.
But if it's a publicist showing feigned emotion, you know there's an ulterior motive: product pushing! So who is M Booth tossing our way as a savior from skinny models and a complete lack of runway mishaps? CONTINUED »
Eric Starkman is president and founder of Starkman & Associates. Before becoming a PR guru, he was a reporter and editor, working for The Wall Street Journal, The Toronto Star and The Montreal Gazette. Before starting S&A, he oversaw the corporate communications practices for Morgen-Walke Associates. We talk about Olsen twins, boycotts and playing chicken with lawsuits.
When a headline-making personal or corporate crisis hits, there's a tendency with lawyers to circle the wagons and maintain radio silence. What does involving legal teams do?
Lawyers are responsible for ensuring their clients are legally protected and from a legal point of view, maintaining radio silence is often the easiest and safest route to go. However, attorneys experienced with high-profile crises know that a client's media coverage can have a material impact on their legal proceedings and work to develop a thoughtful strategy that protects their clients on both the legal and PR fronts.
Does silence ever work?
There are circumstances when maintaining silence is the best strategy, particularly in a highly controversial situation where someone has been accused of wrongdoing. Also, during times of tragedy and loss, speaking to reporters could be misconstrued by the public as undignified and opportunistic. CONTINUED »
Like certain websites, some publicists want to let you know every bit of minutiae surrounding their clients. Thanks to Patrick McGregor, VP of public relations at "B C B G M A X A Z R I A G R O U P" (that's the annoyingly-spaced way he spells it in his email sig), we're entirely up to date on which celebs word Hervé Léger by Max Azria at Fashion Week thus far.
Editorial Director
