A celebrity is more than just a pretty face or a heavenly voice. He — or she — is a brand.
Most every top celebrity successfully employs PR tactics. Celebrities actively cultivate hordes of passionate fans. Likewise, brands can develop communities of supporters who act as fans and brand advocates. Some brands have accomplished that goal. Case in point: Many consumers camp out all night to purchase Apple’s newest iPhone and would never dream of buying a non-Apple smartphone.
In a an article for eConsultancy, Eddie Newquist, chief creative officer at Global Experience Specialists, explains how PR and marketing professionals can incorporate fandom into their strategies by studying famous entertainers.
Know your fans. A brand assessment and customer audit reveals what your fans and potential fans want. The analysis defines your audience and reveals what drives their purchasing behavior, insights that can drive marketing and PR decisions.
“When the Kardashians gear up for a new season, they don’t just wing it; they delve into storylines that resonate most with their audience,” Newquist says. “Similarly, ask what happens to your product when it comes off the assembly line and how people react and interact with it.”
The traditional method to assess customer sentiment – surveys – has today been largely replaced by social media monitoring to gain insights into consumer thinking about a brand and its category.
Care for your customers. Successful celebrities dedicate time to interact with their fans. They communicate with them on social media and make special appearances. Fans react by becoming more loyal. Brands can also nurture their audience through social media, email and marketing techniques that invite and encourage consumer participation. Providing first-class customer service is an important element.
Nurture fandom. Celebrities give fans the opportunity to interact at concerts, in social media comments and other promotions. Don’t just create a community; help it grow in the way that’s most conducive to your audience. Star Wars director J.J. Abrams and producer Kathleen Kennedy bought pizza for 1,500 fans who were waiting in line for the opening ceremony at the Star Wars Celebration fan convention. Abrams also invited hundreds of people to walk across the street to a stadium for a concert.
“Once you realize you’ve grabbed your fans’ attention and understand what’s important to them, you don’t want to mess that up,” Newquist writes.
Media Relations Lessons from Celebrities
Heather Ebert at RLF Communications also cited PR lessons from celebrities.
Engage the media. Ian Somerhalder, star of “The Vampire Diaries,” responded to E! News after it investigated rumors that his ex-girlfriend and co-star Nina Dobrev left the show due to on-set tensions. Somerhalder tweeted E! News to thank it for reporting the story correctly. The lesson: Interact with the media covering your industry. If a reporter writes a positive story about your company, thank them and share the story.
Beyoncé Knowles was criticized for lip-syncing during her rendition of the national anthem during Obama’s 2013 inauguration. A month later, she sang the song live without lip-syncing at the Super Bowl and explained why she lip-synced. A year later, her husband Jay-Z was attacked by her sister Solange on camera in an elevator at the Met Gala. Instead of holding a press conference to address the event, she, Jay-Z and Solange released a joint statement to the Associated Press. The lesson: Adapt responses to the situation. A PR crisis and a CEO retirement call for different responses.
Don’t comment about what you don’t know. Celebrities also sometimes provide PR lessons about what not to do. After Beck won Album of the Year at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West protested, saying Knowles should have received it. West later said he didn’t know Beck plays 14 instruments and he had since listened to Beck’s music and liked it. Unfortunately, West will continue to be judged by his initial remarks.
Be Accessible. There’s a cliché that celebs duck the press; in fact, most of them make themselves available, usually by appointment. Be prepared to provide interviews and statements. But, make sure your experts only discuss their niche areas. It’s better to say you don’t know rather than release incorrect information.
Bottom Line: Brands can examine PR and marketing practices of top celebrities to transform audiences into loyal fans. Always in the media spotlight, famous entertainers provide many lessons for PR practitioners.
William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
A lot of different things comes with being famous — good and bad.