Happy Holidays to all.
This year has been a great success for MLC PR and its clients and we know it is only going to get better in 2008.
Even though there have been bumps for everyone in the biz-- okay, one major bump (i.e. the writer's strike!), we haven't let it stop us. Clients are capable of getting just as much attention-- you just have to swing the angle a bit differently. For example, if you would normally write about your actor's new project-- now you'd have to find something else to discuss. Think creatively... after all, this is something you should do regardless of a strike. All press doesn't need to be about your clients' actual projects. Go to a home magazine and offer a story about your client's upscale living room filled with antique collectibles... don't have a client that fits that category? See what they do have. Love for pets? Pitch a spread with their fave one-eyed pup Skippy. There's always a story... you just have to dig for it sometimes.
Whether you are reading this blog as a fellow publicist, client, potential client or industry professional-- know that PR is always in your hands. It doesn't stop just because the writers have thrown down their pens... err... mouse-- mice?
We wish you a beautiful rest of the year. Thanks for your interest in MLC PR.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Mona Loring on BBC News UK
Yes, that's right....
Last Wednesday- I went down to the lovely Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood to shoot a segment with BBC (UK News) regarding "the makings of a star." The piece chronicles the saga of a UK gentlemen driven to make it as a star-- no matter what it takes. They wanted to show that it is difficult to make it as a star in the UK-- but even MORE difficult in Hollywood...
I was the chosen PR expert for the piece in Hollywood, there was also an expert chosen in the UK.
The "star-in-the-making" and I sat down to discuss... well, what it takes to make it. Bottom line was-- what would it take for him to convince me to sign him to the firm and help him get famous? That's just the problem... I don't just make anyone famous... You have to have a talent... a story... something to get press!! It came down to the guy singing, dancing and then I kid you not-- stripping down to his knickers and jumping in the public pool. Still didn't work... MLC PR needs more than that!!
Too bad no one here will see it air (unless you're going to the UK in late Spring!) but I will keep you posted if I can get a clip (they told me it's hard to convert their PAL version). It will be a 6-7 million viewership in the UK... not too shabby.
Anyway, thought I would share the news as it was pretty funny. Plus, I have some friends overseas-- perhaps you all can tell me how the piece turned out!
Happy Holidays!
-Mona :)
Last Wednesday- I went down to the lovely Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood to shoot a segment with BBC (UK News) regarding "the makings of a star." The piece chronicles the saga of a UK gentlemen driven to make it as a star-- no matter what it takes. They wanted to show that it is difficult to make it as a star in the UK-- but even MORE difficult in Hollywood...
I was the chosen PR expert for the piece in Hollywood, there was also an expert chosen in the UK.
The "star-in-the-making" and I sat down to discuss... well, what it takes to make it. Bottom line was-- what would it take for him to convince me to sign him to the firm and help him get famous? That's just the problem... I don't just make anyone famous... You have to have a talent... a story... something to get press!! It came down to the guy singing, dancing and then I kid you not-- stripping down to his knickers and jumping in the public pool. Still didn't work... MLC PR needs more than that!!
Too bad no one here will see it air (unless you're going to the UK in late Spring!) but I will keep you posted if I can get a clip (they told me it's hard to convert their PAL version). It will be a 6-7 million viewership in the UK... not too shabby.
Anyway, thought I would share the news as it was pretty funny. Plus, I have some friends overseas-- perhaps you all can tell me how the piece turned out!
Happy Holidays!
-Mona :)
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Celebrity Defined- Brief Overview of Entertainment PR
Being a “celebrity” is quite different from working as an actor or a musician… you can do your job and even take in your handsome paycheck, but at the end of the day—you’re only regarded as “star” when people know who you are.
So what makes you stand out above the rest? And let us note that when we are talking about the entertainment industry so “the rest” is a pretty large number.
You can argue as much as you want, however, in the end-- a publicist is what makes you officially stand out. A high-caliber publicist introduces (or re-introduces) you to the public. Without the public consistently caring about you, it is near impossible to succeed as a person in the entertainment industry with celebrity status.
You are not a celebrity unless the public wants to know more about you and what you are currently doing-- and the media is the integral passageway to your desired audience.
Now it is important to keep in mind that for most talent, a publicist can be unnecessary. In fact, if a PR firm is legitimate, they will turn down prospective clients seeking their services unless that talent has a solid reason for needing the exposure. Day in and day out, publicists are contacted with inquiries from people who assume the key to instant stardom is a publicist. Sure, we do help you get there but you have to crawl before you walk. You can’t just assume we can get you featured in Vanity Fair just because you do the job that you do (no matter how well you do it). You have to have something going for you that will set you apart from everyone doing the very same job as you. Why are you original? What makes you the next big thing? Why should the world care? Any logical publicist would tell you that they cannot generate press, create appearance (red carpet) requests, or fuel public interest if the talent has nothing of consequence to report.
Most people who are at the right stage for a publicist are on the cusp breaking through to the next level in their career. That can be anything as minor as landing a small role on a hit television show to releasing an album and touring with someone who is getting a ton of what we call—“buzz.”
Now on the flip side, even though some publicists say that you have to ripen your craft prior to seeking PR representation, it is not necessarily true. If that were the case, reality stars would never acquire fame for what they do-- being themselves. They may not have much experience in the public eye, but they do have something… Reality stars have a TV show behind them which has created the buzz they need for their publicity efforts to take effect.
Coming back to the focal issue at hand-- being the term “celebrity” and all its glory. Talent and their reps need to understand exactly why it is NOT a good idea to pass on publicity. As discussed, there are times to wait and ripen yet times to seize the moment as well. You need to assess every aspect of your career.
There are a number of actors who choose to refuse PR services assuming their management can just “field the requests” and that is all they need.
Not true.
Unless you are someone like Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt (who trust me, need a publicist for other reasons!) you will seldom be approached by media. Even if you’re promoting a hot new movie, there are only a handful of media outlets that will cover your project and even then—they won’t necessarily come to you for the interview. There are many people involved in a project who can comment on the experience: directors, supporting actors, producers, etc. If you want to make sure that you are noted for your achievement, you need a publicist to assist you. Taking that a step further, not only will your publicist assist you but they will make sure to do so in a way that stands in line with branding you as the celebrity you want to be. This branding comes into play with every detail of your career. Which events you attend and how often, what you wear in a photo shoot, what you decide to say about an experience, and much more are all the actions you take which come together to brand you as a celebrity.
To end, let’s take the idea further. Becoming a celebrity is different than just getting famous. The word famous is not as everlasting as the term celebrity. Sure, by definition they both mean the same concept but in theory—a celebrity should be timeless. Remaining a celebrity is an on-going job and the word doesn’t come lightly. You need a team built around you to help you stay that way.
Copyright Mona Loring of MLC PR 2007
*You may reprint this article but please properly credit the author.
So what makes you stand out above the rest? And let us note that when we are talking about the entertainment industry so “the rest” is a pretty large number.
You can argue as much as you want, however, in the end-- a publicist is what makes you officially stand out. A high-caliber publicist introduces (or re-introduces) you to the public. Without the public consistently caring about you, it is near impossible to succeed as a person in the entertainment industry with celebrity status.
You are not a celebrity unless the public wants to know more about you and what you are currently doing-- and the media is the integral passageway to your desired audience.
Now it is important to keep in mind that for most talent, a publicist can be unnecessary. In fact, if a PR firm is legitimate, they will turn down prospective clients seeking their services unless that talent has a solid reason for needing the exposure. Day in and day out, publicists are contacted with inquiries from people who assume the key to instant stardom is a publicist. Sure, we do help you get there but you have to crawl before you walk. You can’t just assume we can get you featured in Vanity Fair just because you do the job that you do (no matter how well you do it). You have to have something going for you that will set you apart from everyone doing the very same job as you. Why are you original? What makes you the next big thing? Why should the world care? Any logical publicist would tell you that they cannot generate press, create appearance (red carpet) requests, or fuel public interest if the talent has nothing of consequence to report.
Most people who are at the right stage for a publicist are on the cusp breaking through to the next level in their career. That can be anything as minor as landing a small role on a hit television show to releasing an album and touring with someone who is getting a ton of what we call—“buzz.”
Now on the flip side, even though some publicists say that you have to ripen your craft prior to seeking PR representation, it is not necessarily true. If that were the case, reality stars would never acquire fame for what they do-- being themselves. They may not have much experience in the public eye, but they do have something… Reality stars have a TV show behind them which has created the buzz they need for their publicity efforts to take effect.
Coming back to the focal issue at hand-- being the term “celebrity” and all its glory. Talent and their reps need to understand exactly why it is NOT a good idea to pass on publicity. As discussed, there are times to wait and ripen yet times to seize the moment as well. You need to assess every aspect of your career.
There are a number of actors who choose to refuse PR services assuming their management can just “field the requests” and that is all they need.
Not true.
Unless you are someone like Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt (who trust me, need a publicist for other reasons!) you will seldom be approached by media. Even if you’re promoting a hot new movie, there are only a handful of media outlets that will cover your project and even then—they won’t necessarily come to you for the interview. There are many people involved in a project who can comment on the experience: directors, supporting actors, producers, etc. If you want to make sure that you are noted for your achievement, you need a publicist to assist you. Taking that a step further, not only will your publicist assist you but they will make sure to do so in a way that stands in line with branding you as the celebrity you want to be. This branding comes into play with every detail of your career. Which events you attend and how often, what you wear in a photo shoot, what you decide to say about an experience, and much more are all the actions you take which come together to brand you as a celebrity.
To end, let’s take the idea further. Becoming a celebrity is different than just getting famous. The word famous is not as everlasting as the term celebrity. Sure, by definition they both mean the same concept but in theory—a celebrity should be timeless. Remaining a celebrity is an on-going job and the word doesn’t come lightly. You need a team built around you to help you stay that way.
Copyright Mona Loring of MLC PR 2007
*You may reprint this article but please properly credit the author.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Top 5 Reasons Why You Need a Publicist
You need exposure.
In order to sell something, the public needs to know about it.
You have something that you are certain that the rest of the public needs to know about and there is no better way to spread the word about you or your product than with public relations. The amount of encouraging attention that a magazine interview or news article gets cannot compare to that of an advertisement. There is an extra sense of authority when people hear about something from a TV show or radio show. It is notably influential. Although both ads and PR are effective and necessary to properly market you or your product, you really cannot do with public relations.
PR efforts can expose you to all kinds of media. With the proper publicist, you will get the chance to tell the world whatever you think they should know, in the most effectual manner. For example, a band can land a radio interview on a hot morning show and discuss about the importance of the message behind their new album. A chef can be featured in a trade magazine and get the chance to tell the public about his new television program. The public’s interest is instantaneously provoked.
Advertising costs too much.
Advertisements are influential, important and necessary.
Although advertising can be an excellent way to tell the public about why they need your product, it does not come without a significant price. Even ads in local magazines can cost thousands of dollars. Plus, since the public knows that the ads are coming straight from the business, they lose their reliability.
Through the use of quality public relation efforts, a publicist can reach the public for a small fraction of the cost of an ad. Considering the cost and credibility factor, PR is much more cost-effective and efficient.
You can’t do it yourself, there’s no time!
There are a million things to do before one can achieve true success.
Public relations are very time consuming. There are many words to speak, sentences to write and ideas to generate. Very few people have the time to handle an effective PR campaign, market their product and conduct “business as usual.” A publicist can take your mind off of the promotional aspects so that you can do whatever it is that you do best.
What is a media kit? I don’t have a clue!
Do you know how to pitch a producer?
Very few people know what they need to do to successfully launch a powerful PR campaign. The time spent on learning every procedure, tactic and secret in addition to the probability of failing is not worth the money you save being your own publicist.
Sure, anyone can write their own press release… but do they know all the rules? Do they understand the proper format? Do they know the tricks of the trade? Can they come up with an effective angle?
Publicists can see things from a different point of view—and not just from the company’s perspective. It is vital to try and see everything from the public’s standpoint.
Adds credibility.
“Have your people contact my people.”
Believe it or not, having a publicist on staff boosts your credibility. This is basically for two reasons. First, it shows that you are serious about your product. If you did not believe it could be a success, you would not hire someone and pay for them to tell the world about it. Second, it makes you look and feel important, which in turn gives you the confidence you need to thrive.
Copyright 2006 Mona Loring
You need exposure.
In order to sell something, the public needs to know about it.
You have something that you are certain that the rest of the public needs to know about and there is no better way to spread the word about you or your product than with public relations. The amount of encouraging attention that a magazine interview or news article gets cannot compare to that of an advertisement. There is an extra sense of authority when people hear about something from a TV show or radio show. It is notably influential. Although both ads and PR are effective and necessary to properly market you or your product, you really cannot do with public relations.
PR efforts can expose you to all kinds of media. With the proper publicist, you will get the chance to tell the world whatever you think they should know, in the most effectual manner. For example, a band can land a radio interview on a hot morning show and discuss about the importance of the message behind their new album. A chef can be featured in a trade magazine and get the chance to tell the public about his new television program. The public’s interest is instantaneously provoked.
Advertising costs too much.
Advertisements are influential, important and necessary.
Although advertising can be an excellent way to tell the public about why they need your product, it does not come without a significant price. Even ads in local magazines can cost thousands of dollars. Plus, since the public knows that the ads are coming straight from the business, they lose their reliability.
Through the use of quality public relation efforts, a publicist can reach the public for a small fraction of the cost of an ad. Considering the cost and credibility factor, PR is much more cost-effective and efficient.
You can’t do it yourself, there’s no time!
There are a million things to do before one can achieve true success.
Public relations are very time consuming. There are many words to speak, sentences to write and ideas to generate. Very few people have the time to handle an effective PR campaign, market their product and conduct “business as usual.” A publicist can take your mind off of the promotional aspects so that you can do whatever it is that you do best.
What is a media kit? I don’t have a clue!
Do you know how to pitch a producer?
Very few people know what they need to do to successfully launch a powerful PR campaign. The time spent on learning every procedure, tactic and secret in addition to the probability of failing is not worth the money you save being your own publicist.
Sure, anyone can write their own press release… but do they know all the rules? Do they understand the proper format? Do they know the tricks of the trade? Can they come up with an effective angle?
Publicists can see things from a different point of view—and not just from the company’s perspective. It is vital to try and see everything from the public’s standpoint.
Adds credibility.
“Have your people contact my people.”
Believe it or not, having a publicist on staff boosts your credibility. This is basically for two reasons. First, it shows that you are serious about your product. If you did not believe it could be a success, you would not hire someone and pay for them to tell the world about it. Second, it makes you look and feel important, which in turn gives you the confidence you need to thrive.
Copyright 2006 Mona Loring
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Welcome
Welcome to MLC PR's new blog.
Although we post our clients' news and updates on our Myspace blog (www.myspace.com/mlowriting), we additionally wanted to share industry news, PR advice and everything else we feel would be useful to our colleagues, clients and media contacts.
We feel very strongly about the internet's presence these days and we want to allow for as many outlets as possible. We feel that with You Tube, Live Video, Music Plus TV, Myspace, Blogger and Linked In-- we can reach out to more people, thus benefiting everyone involved with our business.
We hope you agree.
As we always say here at MLC PR, we don't do cookie-cutter PR. We're not "old school" or old-fashioned. The face of PR is changing and we are embracing it every step of the way. We think outside of the box and find new and innovative ways to communicate with the world.
Feel free to visit our website for more information on our boutique PR firm-- and while you are there, join our mailing list!
Thank you,
MLC PR
Although we post our clients' news and updates on our Myspace blog (www.myspace.com/mlowriting), we additionally wanted to share industry news, PR advice and everything else we feel would be useful to our colleagues, clients and media contacts.
We feel very strongly about the internet's presence these days and we want to allow for as many outlets as possible. We feel that with You Tube, Live Video, Music Plus TV, Myspace, Blogger and Linked In-- we can reach out to more people, thus benefiting everyone involved with our business.
We hope you agree.
As we always say here at MLC PR, we don't do cookie-cutter PR. We're not "old school" or old-fashioned. The face of PR is changing and we are embracing it every step of the way. We think outside of the box and find new and innovative ways to communicate with the world.
Feel free to visit our website for more information on our boutique PR firm-- and while you are there, join our mailing list!
Thank you,
MLC PR
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