Fame Formula Update
Mark Borkowski - Mark my words - Borkowski Blogs » THE FAME FORMULA or In Search Of The Sons Of Barnum » Suarez, shame and the not-so-beautiful game
The BBC crowned Liverpool player Luis Suarez the king of football controversy yesterday afternoon following the FA’s announcement that they have handed him a massive 10 match ban. The scandal has had scribblers on the sidelines outraged at football’s reputation since. Left, right and centre, commentators have been clamouring to declare that football’s reputation is in the gutter – but is it? The truth is that football’s reputation has been in the gutter for decades. Biting, spitting, headbutting, rioting, racism, rape and homophobia have riddled the Professional Game for years. Not to mention the number of super injunctions players have taken out against wives and girlfriends. These super injunctions – which come with a hefty price tag – are part of wider attempts by the industry to use financial muscle to prevent the real extent of players’ malfaisance. Let’s face it: there are very few role models in football. There … [Link]
Mark Borkowski - Mark my words - Borkowski Blogs » THE FAME FORMULA or In Search Of The Sons Of Barnum » Justin Bieber, Anne Frank and the hidden blessing in a Twitter travesty
Justin Bieber fell foul of public opinion earlier today following comments made after a visit to the Anne Frank Museum saying that he thought Anne Frank was a “great girl” and that he wished she too were a “belieber” (term for a Justin Bieber fan). Although defensiveness is an immediate reaction to the atrocities of the Holocaust, there is perhaps a blessing disguised in this misguided 19 year old boy’s comments. Whilst his remarks may seem flippant in the light of the atrocities suffered by Frank and countless others during the Holocaust, what is perhaps more striking than the 19 year old’s light treatment of history is the Twitter reaction to it. When Anne Frank started trending on Twitter, it was not a result of the united voice of people defending her; it was the united voice of uninformed young people rising to the defence of their idol. Whilst it … [Link]
Mark Borkowski - Mark my words - Borkowski Blogs » THE FAME FORMULA or In Search Of The Sons Of Barnum » Sally Osman, Paddy Haverson and the Royal PR machine
Today marks a momentous day for Sally Osman, who, in June, will take on the role of Communications Secretary to HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. Whilst researching my book, The Fame Formula, which examined the PR legends of Hollywood, a pattern started to emerge: the very best publicists in the game were not taking on the A-listers as one might expect. Although such individuals can offer a publicist great collateral, they are dangerous. The wisest publicists are always wary of stepping into warm shoes. When Jay Bernstein – who represented names like Sammy Davis Jr and Farrah Fawcett – looked back over his career and those he could have represented, he noted that there is always a reason why someone leaves a big job, and you will be judged by your predecessor’s success. When a brand is successful, it’s important to take a hard look … [Link]
Mark Borkowski - Mark my words - Borkowski Blogs » THE FAME FORMULA or In Search Of The Sons Of Barnum » Of Mormons, Musicals and Maggie
Trendy theatre goers are bartering their kidneys with scalpers in exchange for seats at the Book of Mormon show, which are proving harder to find than a 1787 bottle of Chateau Lafite. The response of the Mormon church has been phenomenal. I am so impressed that it has decided to provide the show with airtime oxygen by creating a fully-fledged advertising campaign to rescue the church’s reputation from under the wheels of this satirical entertainment juggernaut. Both parties are set to prosper from the sharp focus of the debate. More importantly, the media and onlookers can get involved with the rough and tumble of it. However, it’s clear that those who have just returned from a desert island will be heading to the Prince of Wales box office rather than the local London Mormon temple, which Joe Public is not allowed to enter. It’s increasingly rare to see West End … [Link]
Mark Borkowski - Mark my words - Borkowski Blogs » THE FAME FORMULA or In Search Of The Sons Of Barnum » Beckham and the Bounce-Back Brand
David Beckham epitomises the modern celebrity age: in any other era, we wouldn’t have blinked an eyelid at a 38 year old footballer, other than for the sheer amount of time he had managed to stay in the game. Past his prime, we may no longer celebrate his on-pitch prowess in the same way, but we cannot deny the mammoth commercial clout of his brand. I marvel at the noise and clamour surrounding his move back to Europe. The Beckham brand in its multiple forms has taken on global proportions, shepherding the herd with it at every stage. By leveraging his football career as a gossip point, David Beckham has been able to move across every point on the map. Beckham’s commercial success has been manifold, moving under the knowledgeable hands of Simon Fuller’s management company 19 from football to perfume and from fashion to advertising. He has moved from … [Link]
Mark Borkowski - Mark my words - Borkowski Blogs » THE FAME FORMULA or In Search Of The Sons Of Barnum » Embracing chaos
As we settle into the New Year, commentators continue to declare the present state of flux to be the ‘new normal’. In the wake of increasing globalisation and atomisation, humanity is simultaneously more connected and more fractured than ever before – how can brands manage in this new era? The tension of our age lies between an inherent desire for stability and a necessity to adapt to the new chaotic world order. At Borkowski.do, we believe in being ‘20% Maverick’ – using well-honed human instinct to create spaces in which creativity can flourish. Over the last year, I have seen that more and more brands want to understand how to manage risk effectively as we adjust to living in a less stabilised world. Clients are approaching us as they need a consultancy that offers robust advice on manageable risk. In the 24-hour world of instant communications, brands constantly face challenges … [Link]
Mark Borkowski - Mark my words - Borkowski Blogs » THE FAME FORMULA or In Search Of The Sons Of Barnum » Never Mind the Mayans, Here’s the Apocalypse
Whether or not the Apocalypse is approaching this Friday is speculation that I will leave to the Mayans. As life flashes past us, however, the approaching end of year provides a good opportunity to contemplate the changes that have happened in our world over the course of this past year and some of the PR dilemmas generated by a tsunami of negative memes. As we have been quaffing the dregs of the Diamond Jubilee and delighting in the now-distant memory of the success of Team GB, a strange transformation has been taking place in the celebrity sphere. Celebrity culture has been punctured by the Post-Savilegate Twitter Trials that now drive the media agenda. Whether we are looking at the names of those implicated in Operation Yewtree or Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell’s scuff with the Metropolitan Police, it is the ire of the crowd that has dictated, and continues to dictate … [Link]
Mark Borkowski - Mark my words - Borkowski Blogs » THE FAME FORMULA or In Search Of The Sons Of Barnum » The Royals Must Not Let Their Zygote Be Seized by the PR Zeitgeist
The only thing more nauseating than morning sickness has to be the wearisome and banal Royal baby chatter that has been assaulting my senses this week. It hasn’t just been politicians and celebrities clamouring over crowds of well-wishers to be the first to congratulate the Royal couple; the pranksters are back in town and have broadcast news of the microscopic monarch quite literally around the world. Even Prince Charles ran with the antipodean caper, quipping that he might in fact be a radio station when stopped by inquisitive journalists on Thursday. Rest assured that this is a very early present for the PR industry. PRs will be peddling their wares and attaching products and brand events onto the media charabang at every opportunity. Sales speak stronger than sentiment, and the baby care PR pixies have been stat-spinning like a tribal dervish overcome by super-strength hallucinogenic cacti. It’s not just the … [Link]
Mark Borkowski - Mark my words - Borkowski Blogs » THE FAME FORMULA or In Search Of The Sons Of Barnum » PRs on Top: Why New Senior Figures are Great News for the Industry
Autumn is a time for change. Recent weeks have seen a number of significant individuals take up prominent leadership roles: not only in Washington and the China Communist Party, but also in the major powerhouses of the communications world. What is heartening is the fact that positions at the top are increasingly being occupied by those with a PR background. Recently, Everything Everywhere announced that Stuart Jackson was leaving his post as Director of Communications to take up a new role as Director of the Chief Executive Office. The move evinced the increased weighting that is being placed on public relations at senior management level. Put simply: boards are recognising that in the Now Economy, success begins and ends with the ability of a company to engage in a genuine, deep, meaningful two way dialogue with their customers. This week Harris Diamond has been announced as the new CEO of … [Link]
