Sports PR/Entertainment

The Truth About Entertainment PR: Three Common Myths That Need Busting

Heather Sliwinski 2 Comments

As a college student, I remember a great deal of fellow PRSSA members wanting to become entertainment communicators. I mean, how could one not, right? You essentially get paid to read TMZ all day long and tweet about it, which sounds pretty easy.

This is totally not the case.

For the past two years, I have worked as a social media professional over at MTV. While there, I learned three major things PR students should know before pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.

You can’t turn it off

The field of entertainment is nonstop. How celebrities spend their holidays is newsworthy, which means there will always be work during those times. Personally, I enjoyed working on projects like the 12 Days of Jerzmas on Christmas, so it was always a win-win situation in my book. However, understand that while some of your friends are going home to be with loved ones for the holidays, you could be stuck in the office.

Don’t be a super-fan

While we all have our favorite celebrities we would love to meet, in entertainment it’s not cool – at all – to be an overt, super fan. There’s a thin line between being a crazy fan and someone who is familiar with a celebrity’s professional portfolio. One of my PR instructors taught me something that truly helped me prepare to work with celebrities: always act like you have been there before. Acknowledge that you are familiar with their background (some celebs will test your knowledge), but act how you would when meeting any other person.

Name-dropping can be annoying

So, let’s be honest. It is hard not to name drop when you have a really cool entertainment job. In the first few months, the most humble person wouldn’t be able to fight the urge to say, “I work for a cool celebrity or brand.” The reaction you get from everyone else never gets old, but it does get annoying to others … fast. No one is going to do anything for you and not expect something in return. It just doesn’t happen in entertainment. So, if you – the name dropper – get invited to a pretty “cool” party, it’s probably because someone expects your celeb to make an appearance or your media brand to cover it. Keep in mind that sometimes people have their own agenda, but what is within your control is whether or not you will be a part of it.

I truly enjoyed my experience in the entertainment world, but make sure you understand the truths behind common myths before pursuing PR in this industry.

 

Kion SandersKion Sanders is a digital strategist with a strong passion for the entertainment industry. As a digital strategist at MTV, he works with a variety of production companies to drive awareness to several TV-show franchises. Some of his duties involve community management, event planning, developing and executing social marketing strategies.

Intro to Sports PR: Professional Sports Not the Only Game in Town

Diahnn Henderson 1 Comment

When you think of the Sports PR industry, do you think of professional sports teams, red carpet events, and flashing bulbs from cameras? Maybe you think of representing high profile athletes.  While this may represent one segment of Sports PR, there are other opportunities within the industry that are equally as valuable. Our New Pros Section Chair, Sarah Siewert, interviewed her KemperLesnik colleague Alex Prosperi on life in the sports PR industry. KemperLesnik is a full service sports marketing, event planning and PR agency in Chicago.

Sarah: Describe a typical week in this industry.

Alex:  A normal day at KemperLesnik always involves a lot of work, brainstorming of new ideas and reaching out to clients. The EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, which KemperLesnik has managed since 1990, is the premier early-season college basketball tournament in the country that is annually played during Thanksgiving week, and it is my primary account. When the tournament is in full swing, my typical week includes monitoring stories about the Tournament, pitching college basketball writers, building the media list, updating the Tournament website and managing our social media outlets (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr). The other challenge is preparing for our on-site needs, like outlining where media will sit on press row, figuring out our needs for the media room and of course, how many Hawaiian shirts to bring for the trip

Sarah: What is the work environment like?

Alex:  The work environment depends on the day. When we have a big announcement (i.e., announcing the bracket, the future fields or a new sponsorship) it can get pretty chaotic. There is a lot of work that goes into drafting, editing and sending out press releases as well as contacting key media to pitch our story. During a typical work week, I always try to keep the environment lively by throwing around new ideas and talking about current events.

Sarah: Who are your clients?

Alex:  KemperLesnik has a wide variety of clients, but I personally work on the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational. I’m also working on the McDonald’s All American High School Basketball Games, but I am more involved in the operations side for that event.

Sarah:  Are there specific PR activities you do not typically do in this industry?

Alex:  Not really. For the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, I’m pitching, monitoring, managing social media, promoting the tournament at schools through our Surfboard Delivery Program, and then managing the media on-site.

Sarah:  Are there specific PR activities you do often in this industry?

Alex:  Out of all my roles, my biggest responsibility comes down to managing the media on-site and helping to produce great coverage of the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational. To me, the bottom line is that I’m working to help promote the Tournament and make sure everyone knows that it’s the premier early-season college basketball tournament in the country.

Sarah: What other activities are important in this industry?

Alex:  In any industry, I think the main thing to remember is that everything comes down to personal relationships. So whether it’s through email, phone calls or face-to-face, I’m always working to develop close personal relationships. Once you have those, it’s much easier to work, especially in PR.

Sarah: What are industry-specific challenges?

Alex:  One of the biggest challenges in PR is getting that initial first step in the door. You may have a great pitch but sometimes it’s challenging to get past that first stage. This idea reinforces the importance of first impressions and to not get discouraged when something doesn’t go your way.

Sarah: What might surprise you about this industry? 

Alex:  It’s a lot more work than you would think. Growing up with a Dad that did PR, I had no idea the legwork involved with doing something as simple as getting a placement in a local magazine. It truly opens your mind to the hard work that goes into any industry, whether it be PR, marketing operations, you name it.

Sarah: What kind of non-PR courses are beneficial?

Alex:  With any field, but especially in PR, it’s critical that you see the entire picture. You can’t be short-sighted or not understand multiple perspectives. My favorite class in college was Sports Law because it taught me to think things through all the way and really examine situations in detail. In PR, it’s crucial to think like your audiences thinks. Will the pitch letter you write resonate well with a certain writer? Just because you’re pitching 10 writers on one topic doesn’t mean you send all 10 the same pitch letter. Think like your audience.

Sarah: What kind of non-PR skills/interests are important?

Alex:  It’s important to educate yourself in the field you’re working. I love basketball so knowing information about the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational comes naturally. But if you are a sports nut who finds a job in PR for a technology firm, you have to learn about your field. It sounds simple enough, but I can say with confidence that part of the reason I enjoy my job and can do it well is that I know my field.

Sarah: What specific tips can help new pros find a job in this niche field?

Alex:  Right off the bat I’d say to read and surround yourself with social media! Learn as much as you can about it. Although it’s mainstream, lots of firms are still in the infant stages of using it. If you can demonstrate a sound knowledge and ability to run a social media outlet for your company, you become a key asset.

Alex Prosperi graduated in 2010 with a degree in Sports Management from the University of Michigan.  Through his internships with KemperLesnik and ESPN he gained valuable experiences that led him to his current full-time role with KemperLesnik where he supports the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational.