The Art and Zen of Fashion Public Relations
It's a riddle. If a tree falls in a forest and there's no one
to hear it, does it still make a sound? If there's a news story
that the media don't know about--and that therefore goes unreported-is
it still news? And if it weren't for that much aligned and misunderstood
public relations professional, how many trees would fall without anyone hearing?
There are many people, members of the media among them, who discount
the importance of public relations. There are also a surprising number
of people who aren't quite sure what public relations is and what it's
supposed to do. Many write off p.r. as nothing more than a self-serving
luxury for people with big egos. In fact, a well-crafted public relations
program can provide much more than vanity press.
According to Webster's Dictionary, public relations is defined as
"methods and means by which a person or organization seeks to promote
a
favorable relationship with the public." Publicity is defined as
"information issued to attract public attention." Look under "advertise"
and you find, "to call public attention to, especially to increase sales."
The definitions,although accurate, are somewhat misleading. An effectual
public relations program can be as persuasive, if not more so. than
advertising and therefore greatly impact a company's bottom line.
A magazine's recognition, expressed through an editorial placement
or profile, is often perceived as a greater endorsement than a paid
advertisement.
A good public relations campaign can also be more cost effective than
advertising. Check out how much a 4-color, full-page ad in a fashion
magazine costs these days. If you get only two public relations-generated
placements a year by a PR firm which charges $5,000 an month, you are
still way ahead of what It would have cost you to advertise. Publicity can
also generate excitement in a variety of ways for the cost of one monthly
retainer. Promotional events serve to drive in-store traffic, while a
well-executed direct mail "image piece" can alert potential customers to
a product and/or service and create a stronger brand image. Are you looking
for profile stories? Placements in regional magazines? Local television?
National radio? You'd have to pay to advertise in each of these places.
One public relations pro can do it all.
There are two catches. of course. The first is that there are no guarantees
and any publicist that promises coverage is being, at best, an optimist,
If the publicist is a good one, there's a very good chance that you'll
get results. In order to do that, he or she must know your product
as well as you do and love it as much. The second catch is that getting
results requires patience.Monthly magazines work three to four months
in advance. Even if you get a placement tomorrow you might not see it until
March. You'll find the best results are achieved with a long-term plan.
Give any new agency a year to prove itself, with reviews each month to make
sure everyone is on track.
Is a publicist an essential person to have around? Well, as described
above, the most basic of a publicist's responsibilities might be handled
by anyone with time on their hands. And in some cases it might just work.
It would not be accurate to say that hiring a p.r. professional is the only
way to get p.r. But a publicist works for years to gain something that a
novice does not have. And that's credibility. A good publicist will know
what's possible to sell and to whom and what is not. A "PR" pro doesn't
just hand a story to an editor, she finds what's most compelling about
it and determines wbo it will he compelling to. Not every story is right
for every outlet. Publicists do not make friends by sending releases to
every press person with a fax machine.
Public relations, like many things In life, Is ultimately about sex.
Even If the product is motoroil, the right publicity will make a product
sexy--and therefore desirable--to the consumer. ln fact, many products,
designers, and collections have been created by hype alone. There are
limits though. If there's nothing to back it up, old news fades out.
And even too much good press can backfire.
So, what's hype got to do with It? It's not a required element in order
to achieve success, but the right publicity goes a long way towards
informing the consumer of your existence. The rest is up to you. And in
the end, what distinguishes a good publicist from a great one is her
media contacts. I have worked for large public relations firms and small
ones. The only publicist worth paying for is in the one who can sell
the right story to the right person--no extra charge for the smoke and
mirrors.
Amy Holman Edelman