In the news this week: Aussie cheerleaders learn tough PR lesson
A group of young Aussie cheerleaders this week have learnt one of the toughest PR lessons, that those of us in the industry are very familiar with – when it comes to TV you only get one shot.
The group were due to perform on the Weekend Today Show, but when the show managed to land one of the hunkiest celebrities on the planet, Chris Hemsworth and had to change schedules to accommodate his appearance, it meant the group missed out on their five minutes of fame. No doubt highly disappointing for the squad, but they certainly aren’t the first and won’t be the last, because when it comes to TV, timing is everything.
TV is seen as the holy grail in PR and when a segment is locked in, harmonious cheers echo throughout the office, but deep down, as publicists we know that until the segment goes to air – anything can happen. I still remember working on a big launch that was due to be covered by all the major TV networks – everything was locked in place weeks in advance, but on launch day, news broke of the unexpected passing of a much-loved Aussie actor – and just like that segments that had taken weeks of preparation and planning were swiftly cancelled, as the news cycle was filled with tribute reels and farewell montages.
It’s the nature of the fast paced world of the media news cycle, breaking news in all it’s different forms, including Hollywood A-listers can trump the best laid plans, and unfortunately, no one, not even cheerleaders are immune.
By Vanessa Strangio – Senior Publicist at InsideOut PR
