Note to Michael Vick: Your PR image rehab campaign bites.
As someone who’s genetically incapable of understanding football, the fact that I know so much about Vick says a lot about the reach of his despicable celebrity.
Vick’s the newest poster child for that infamous club of talent who really, truly, badly screw up and want to restore their image -- or restore that hefty old paycheck and perks that demand a little penance first. But he’s also the example of why this uniquely American PR art form has to grow up.
At one time, the strategy for celebrity redemption was interesting and offered in occasional doses. Now, it’s both ritual and regular.
These days, an entry-level publicist could map it out. First, the confessional interview is done for a high-visibility media outlet, with a carefully vetted sympathetic interviewer. Few or no statements are released in advance, to build excitement. The sitdown delivers admission of mistakes, a little religion, apologies and pitches for forgiveness. Toss in a furrowed brow, stammer, maybe even tears, so the cameraperson can get that one great tight shot.
Book the interviewer to be interviewed other media, where he or she -- to avoid looking like a chump who’s just a pawn in a PR campaign -- further affirms the authenticity of the remorse.
Finally, there’s some public commitment to do community service sometime down the road specifically related to the faux pas. Preferably something that doesn’t require getting hands dirty, wearing an orange uniform or waking up early. A PSA is good because it guarantees TV exposure along with wardrobe, grooming and maybe craft services. And since there’s virtually no follow-up ever done by the media as to whether the public service promises were kept, the story simply fades away.
So let’s be honest. These days, everyone knows why these little dances are done; it’s the how that’s making them ineffective. They’ve become too predictable: the PR equivalent of crying innocent while hiring Mark Geragos.
And they don’t take into account 24/7 media, bloggers, mash-ups, social networks and a slight but definite born-again public sense of right and wrong.
So let me violate every tentpole in this PR strategy for those about to embark on this path:
-- Skip the sitdown. It’s only an imperative to the interviewers fighting over it. On his Aug. 18 episode, Larry King asked journalist/lawyer Jim Moret whether embattled Dr. Conrad Murray should make an appearance on a talk show -- hint, hint -- to fix his image. Moret, to his credit, said no. Unless you can manage to sound sincere and/or credible -- as Vick clearly couldn’t -- don’t do it. Instead, post a non-robotic video, a lengthy and unlawyered statement, do your own online chat. All will get the viral reach you want minus the agony of endless questions, awkward responses and dead air. I bet John Edwards wished he had a do-over.
-- And do it promptly. Chris Brown’s apology five months after beating up Rihanna ranks as one of the dumbest entertainment PR moves of the decade. No
