Product Code Database
A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a company, a brand, or public figure – especially a celebrity – or for work or a project such as a book, film, or album. Publicists are public relations specialists who maintain and represent the images of individuals, rather than representing an entire corporation or business. Publicists are also hired by public figures who want to maintain or protect their image. Publicists brand their clients by getting magazine, TV, newspaper, and website coverage. Most top-level publicists work in private practice, handling multiple clients.
The term publicist was coined by the legal scholar Francis Lieber to describe the engagement of internationalists with the public during the late nineteenth century. Publicists are sometimes called flacks, a term that traces back to Gene Flack, who was a well-known movie publicist in the 1930s.
One of the publicist's main functions is to generate press coverage on behalf of their clients and serve as the bridge between clients, their public, and media outlets. A publicist manages campaigns and performs other public relations functions. It usually takes many years to develop the media contacts, experience, and relationships necessary to be an effective publicist.
Some publicists specialize in representing ordinary members of the public to procure the maximum possible fee for stories they wish to sell to newspapers, television stations, and magazines. Several publicists have now sprung up on the internet and work as media agents gaining members of the public multiple deals with publications.
Publicists tend to have good working relationships with journalists, TV news producers, and producers. In order to have these relationships, publicists usually network with these media professionals. To protect a client's image, publicists will often ask journalists what questions will be asked during interviews to prevent any surprises and discussion of any unwanted topics.
Publicists determine how to manage a person's or brand's image by what is being said about them in the media. This pertains to websites and social media. More recently, publicists have the need to network with bloggers and scope out their websites to make sure the content on their client is appropriate. Celebrity publicists usually schedule their client's press tours, which includes everything from making the travel arrangements and locations.
A typical day for a publicist consists of being on the phone, networking through e-mails, and can make themselves available at all times of the day for when conflict arises. Out of the office, publicists go to gatherings to network with media professionals.
Compared to channels of paid advertising, publicity generates exposure which is relatively "free". Publicity is at work whenever stars make personal appearances at press conferences or film premieres, give television interviews, are displayed on magazine covers, or allow the press to cover a private event. Independent publicists include Hollywood stars and studios as their clients, alongside corporations and individuals from the worlds of entertainment, sports, finance, technology, retailing, and other business sectors.
The role of a publicist in Hollywood has changed and has become more challenging in recent years. With the enormous increase of entertainment news outlets such as Perez Hilton, TMZ, and Page Six, it has become much more difficult for publicists to control negative stories. Publicists must also work much harder to keep some of their star clients relevant in the media with the entertainment options in Hollywood continuously growing. Even booking a star for an interview or on a television talk show has become a challenging task, because if something goes awry, the publicist and the star could both be highly criticized by the media.Siegel, Tatiana (2010) "PR: the first line of defense?", Variety. 420(1). 1–25
|
|
