Category: PR Comms Tips

Change the news cycle with The Grand List of Distractions

Photo Credit: Markus Winkler

People often ask me how to change the news cycle in the midst of a PR crisis. This was a top skill of mine in my job as Crisis Communications Manager for the President.

In the early days of his administration, Our Leader faced more public-relations crises than we on the communications team could ever have reasonably expected. So, one night over a few beers, Communications Director Scott Jones and I brainstormed a manifest of ideas to hijack the news cycle and change the narrative. We called it The Grand List of Distractions.

Whenever the media found out about one of the skeletons in Our Leader’s closet (literally, as it turned out, but it’s not as bad as you’d think), we would turn to the list and choose something to quickly supplant the story we wanted to squash.

I am thrilled to now share with you this historical document:

The Grand List of Distractions

  1. Accuse previous president of infidelity.
  2. Fire the Vice President.
  3. Accuse international ally of wiretapping Our Leader.
  4. Zoo prison break!
  5. Threaten to bomb an insignificant country.
  6. Reveal nationwide outbreak of food poisoning.
  7. Announce Our Leader is getting married.
  8. Require businesspeople to wear hats like in the old days.
  9. Bacon festival, with free bacon!
  10. False alarm air raid / missile crisis
  11. Announce national music contest judged by Our Leader.

So, you might be asking if we ever actually used anything from the Grand List.

Oh, yes. But if you want to know more, you’ll have to read my book Utopia PR. It’s available now in eBook and paperback at your favorite bookstore, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.org. You can also ask your local bookstore to order a copy. Soon you’ll be distracting like a spin doctor!

Read about the Grand List of Distractions and other ways to change the news cycle in Utopia PR by Adam Bender, pictured here as a paperback and an eBook on a generic looking tablet!
Read more about The Grand List of Distractions and other ways to change the news cycle in Utopia PR by Adam Bender!
Read the book!

Pandemic Public Relations Dos and Don’ts Are Just What We Needed Now More Than Ever

It should be easy to do public relations in a pandemic. After all, PR reps have had to be cheery, positive and inanely effusive during trying times since the earliest days of our profession! However, nothing in my lifetime ever hit us quite as hard as COVID-19. PR reps are social people–we like to get out! Unfortunately, the loneliness and isolation of this experience hasn’t been good for us, and I’m afraid a lot of us haven’t been doing our best work.

Don’t get too down about it! The truth is that we’re all making up the rules for public relations in a pandemic on the fly. I know I’ve made plenty of mistakes–including, perhaps, this blog post. In any case, here’s my short list of pandemic PR dos and don’ts based on the good, bad, and ugly that I’ve seen so far in coronavirus communications.

tl;dr: Now, more than ever, PR reps need to be the happily tweeting canary in the (possibly infected) coalmine for the American people.

Do! Say “Now, more than ever”

Now, more than ever, try to work into your PR pitches the phrase, “Now, more than ever.” You can tie literally anything to the pandemic with that phrase. Now, more than ever, stray dogs and cats need your donations. Now, more than ever, billionaire owners need you to pay to watch their professional sports teams. Now, more than ever, foot cream will resolve your callouses. Look, everybody’s doing it!

Don’t! Pretend there’s no pandemic

One of the worst things you can do is act like nothing is happening. You’ll come off as ignorant, insensitive or worse. So please, don’t invite reporters to in-person events or interviews. Don’t imply that someone with a different view needs to “get out more.” I know it’s almost Halloween, but watch it with the gallows humor, would you? And for goodness sake, please don’t use stock photos of people hugging, shaking hands or breathing on each other!

Friends hugging and laughing
No! Stop it! The CDC does not recommend this!

Do! Stay positive (It’s what we all need right now)

Everything you pitch is either a solution to–or wonderous distraction from–the virus. When I read clickbait headlines that end in “…is the [thing] we all needed right now,” I know a PR rep somewhere is getting a raise. A few real-world examples, if I may!

Don’t acknowledge coronavirus too much

Plague mask
This is not what anyone needed right now.

Look, it’s a balance, okay? You don’t need to hammer into people’s heads that 2020 sucks. Everyone knows 2020 sucks. Increasing your audience’s depression will only make them tune out.

And on that note, I conclude this grim blog post. Please add your own Dos and Don’ts in the comments page, and now, more than ever, reach out if you have any questions!