Art, PR and the Billion Dollar Art Market

April 4, 2012 Leave a comment

The art world is a world of business; really big business.  According to a recent segment on 60 Minutes, the market for this art has outperformed the Standard & Poor’s list of 500 common stocks since 2003.  Just as art is your passion, art is also your work.  Many artists don’t like to concern themselves with the business aspect, but if art is your work. It is also your business.  It’s important to remember that creating your art is only step one.  This is when marketing, PR and media relations need to become part of the picture.

As a good investment, art is bigger than ever. Elite art buyers – many from Russia and China — are so ravenous that in the last year alone, the contemporary art market raked in over $5 billion in auction sales.

Just as art is your passion, art is also your work.  Many artists don’t like to concern themselves with the business aspect, but if art is your work. It is also your business.  It’s important to remember that creating your art is only step one.  In order for your work to become a successful business, you now need to master the art of connecting with your audience, which means it’s time to learn the art of storytelling.  And now, marketing, PR, and media relations enter the picture, no pun intended.

Particularly when it comes to the world of fine art, too many artists and galleries get lost in discussing the specifics that are of interest only to those involved in the art world.  This mistake is not dissimilar to a physician who talks to patients the same way he would speak to a medical peer.  That type of communication is specialized, it is field specific and it generally only works to alienate the public.

Always keep your target audience in mind; remember who your customers are.  If you are targeting art aficionados, fine, use art jargon and art facts, but if you are targeting the general public, beware.  This is particularly true of those who work in or own art galleries.  Often by trying to impress, they end up intimidating a prospective buyer.  Someone might be interested in a particular piece, but by making obscure references that only art insiders will understand, that person ends up intimidated and uncomfortable.  Generally that person will find a quick way to exit and leave -and another one bites the dust.  If that person had been made to feel comfortable and welcomed, if the discussion was about the look and feel of the work, about how and why the work was created, perhaps a story or two about the artist, the opening to the sale would be there.

The same holds true when telling your story to the public and the media.  Effective public relations is effective story telling.  Never lose sight of that.  People don’t want cold facts or jargon.  They want to be engaged, and stories engage.  You’ll want to come up with one overall story and then drill down and find stories that meet the needs of different media outlets.  These stories might be about your art, your journey, your experiences, or your influences.  Make a list of possible stories for example, how and why you became an artist, how you developed your particular style, new projects, shows or exhibits, awards and honors, collaborations with other artists, etc.

Different stories will resonate with different media outlets, so know who your market is, learn which media outlets target those markets, study the media, read or watch, the websites they visit, etc.  Define your message, your market and develop stories and media angles that resonate with your audience.  Launch an effective story-based, PR campaign and you’ll build a bridge between your art and your customers.  Next time 60 minutes does an art story, you can be the example they use.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

“Scrioff Fine Art Gallery.” Photo. Scrioff. 04 Apr 2012. <http://www.stricoff.com/>

Filed under Entertainment Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“Bully” and the MPAA PR Dilemma

April 3, 2012 Leave a comment

“Bully” opened in a limited release on Friday, leaving theaters to decide whether they should let underage teens in or not.  Harvey Weinstein chose to release the film without a rating after loudly and repeatedly objecting to a controversial decision by the Motion Picture Association of America to give the film an R, which means anyone 17 and under needs an adult with them to get in.

Weinstein has brought his objections along with his army of celebrity supporters to magazines and talkshows, but the MPAA refused to budge and the R rating has stuck, which the Weinstein Co. argued would bar its target audience: teens.

“Bully” is said to have received the R rating because in one scene a bully uses profanity.  If sticking to the letter of the law is its sole purpose, the MPAA is doing its job, but at what cost?  The kids who could most benefit from this film are being locked out.  And why, because of language they hear every day on the playground by those very bullies being documented.  The Hunger Games, a film about kids sent to hunt and eat other kids, ended up with a PG rating.  Go figure.

To quote a recent article by AO Scott in the New York Times: “There is little swearing in the movie, and a lot of upsetting stuff, but while some of it may shock parents, very little of it is likely to surprise their school-age children.” Whose sensitivity does the association suppose it is protecting? The answer is nobody’s. That organization, like the panicked educators in the film itself, holds fast to its rigid, myopic policies to preserve its own authority. The members of the ratings board perform a useful function, but this is not the first time they’ve politicianed us.”

By sticking to this decision, the MPAA is doing irreparable PR damage to its own brand.  It is presenting itself as a dated, archaic system.  “Bully” on the other hand is generating more buzz and PR than it ever could have without this controversy.  Harvey is doing his PR magic.  He and the legion of star power champions of the film are garnering more exposure for the film than any marketing or ad campaign could buy.

Regardless of the rating and the controversy, “Bully” is an important film and one that should be watched by kids and parents.  The problem is how to get the kids to see it.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Allocca, Dave. “Lee Hirsch (left) and Alex Libby.” Photo. People. 02 Apr 2012. 03 Apr 2012. <http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20582921,00.html>

Filed under Entertainment, Top Stories Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

To Sheen or to Tebow: The Celebrity PR Dilemma

March 16, 2012 Leave a comment

Just when you thought the Charlie Sheen saga couldn’t get any stranger, Fiat and Direct TV enter the picture.  The newest commercials for the Fiat 500 Abarth and Direct TV showcase the actor who now is perhaps best known for having the mother of all public meltdowns, at least it appeared to be a meltdown.  Looking at it now it might just be the newest PR and media relations strategy for actually “winning” product endorsement deals.

Yes, the actor and warlock Charlie Sheen has emerged from the ashes in a big way. The ex Two and A half Men star has reemerged as a commercial hit.  Perhaps this marks traditional advertisings full embracement of celebrity train wrecks as marketing tools.  Reality TV has used that formula for years now.  In the formula, the most obnoxious one is the biggest celebrity. The train wreck is the one who lands all of the publicity.

It’s hard to deny that these ads are funny, but what’s interesting is to try and figure out what they say about us and our culture.  It’s as though Superman’s Bizarre world came to life in front of our very eyes.  Forget the celebrity with the wholesome or upstanding image, now advertisers will fall all over themselves in search of nasty, disagreeable, noxious.

The DirecTV spot, illustrates how a personal encounter with Sheen happens at the end of a downward slide into ruin which comes about as a result of having regular cable TV.  In the end Sheen and the protagonist are in military gear play-acting scenes from Platoon. In the Fiat commercial, Sheen hoops and hollers and spins in his Fiat Abarth around the inside of his mansion. Later, while Sheen, wearing a fitted suit and ankle bracelet, exits the car stands next to model Catrinel Menghia, and grinning up at a cheering crowd standing on the balcony above him, cries out: “I love being under house arrest!” Not that Sheen has ever actually been under house arrest, but by now most people probably think he has.  Is this the Resurrection of Sheen?  Was “winning” more a prediction than a boast?

When Fiat was questioned as to why they decided to go with Sheen (who many would have viewed as a commercial liability) Olivier Francois, who also serves as Chrysler’s chief marketing officer explained:  “The Fiat 500 Abarth is the bad boy of the Fiat vehicle lineup, and Charlie Sheen personifies the edgy and fun attributes of the Fiat 500 Abarth.”

Who can argue with that? Not that wholesomeness and apple pie are complexly off the radar.  Tim Tebow represents the counterpart to this Sheen PR strategy.

Tebow is the Heisman Trophy winning former quarterback of the University of Florida Gators. Tebow who lead the Denver Broncos into the playoffs.  Tebow is known for his trademark one knee prayer stance.  He was followed through his senior season by a film crew, which produced the “Chosen One”. A one-hour documentary that looked at Tebow’s football career, work ethic and family life.

Both celebrities are now household names and both have now become verbs.  When in doubt celebrities now have a choice, they can either Sheen or Tebow.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Thompson, Rebecca. “Americans want to live next to Tim Tebow, not Nancy Grace, Charlie Sheen.” Photos. Landmark Report. 16 Mar 2012. <http://landmarkreport.com/rthompson/2012/01/americans-want-to-live-next-to-tim-tebow-not-nancy-grace-charlie-sheen>

Filed under Entertainment, Top Stories Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Dictator Victorious Over Oscar?

February 26, 2012 Leave a comment

So only a couple of days after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences warned Sacha Baron Cohen that he would not be allowed into the Oscars if he turned up dressed as his latest creation, Admiral General Aladeen, the Academy seems to have made a 180, or at least a 90.  The program’s co producer, Brian Grazer told Extra that Cohen was indeed planning on showing up at the Award show dressed as the Dictator, Admiral General Aladeen.  That wouldn’t be a surprise considering that was how he promoted  Borat in 2006 and Brüno in 2009 at various events.   “We’re thrilled to have him and he’ll be on the red carpet dressed as ‘The Dictator,’” Brian Grazer told Extra, to which the fictional Admiral proclaimed, “Victory is ours!”.

Whereas Cohen has not definitively said yes or no, he has been making the most of the situation on Twitter, where he posted. “VICTORY IS OURS! Today the Mighty Nation of Wadiya triumphed over the Zionist snakes of Hollywood. Evil and all those who made Satan their protector were vanquished and driven into the Pacific Sea.  He then went on to tweet: “What I am trying to say here is that the Academy have surrendered and sent over two tickets and a parking pass! TODAY OSCAR, TOMORROW OBAMA!”

It’s ironic that the Academy initially threatened to ban Sacha Baron Cohen for using the Awards to promote his upcoming film, considering the entire Award ceremony is created to promote films.  But wait, could this all be a clever ploy? Could said Dictator and the Academy be working in tandem to generate even more media coverage for Oscar?  Could this be a clever media relations ploy, a public relations gambit, a shameless PR stunt?  Of course not, this is Hollywood we’re talking about.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Zutter, Natlie. “Admiral General Aladeen”. Photo. Crushable. 24 Feb. 2012. 25 Feb. 2012. <http://crushable.com/entertainment/admiral-general-aladeen-banned-oscars-response-the-dictator-332/>

Filed under Entertainment Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Surviving (and thriving) In The Music Industry

February 22, 2012 Leave a comment

The music industry has made such a complete 180 in the past few years, that it’s enough to make you dizzy.  The days of A&R reps finding a new band, recording them and putting them through the star making machine is pretty much a thing of the past. The mid to late ‘80s was one of the heydays in the music industry.  From The Police and Motley Crue to the GoGo’s and the Chili Peppers (originally Tony Flow and the Majestic Masters of Mayhem) bands were signed and snatched up out of the local rock scenes.  Those were the days of powerful large labels and upstart independent labels.  Most bands sparked for a minute or two and faded away, some are still on top today.  But the difference is that back then there were labels that were willing to take a chance on an artist or a band, produce, market and distribute their product.  That was also the heyday of MTV.  A video in strong rotation could launch a band.  Touring was still important, but bands could do so more sparingly.  Radio and video exposure could help keep an act in the spotlight.  CDs were sold directly to the consumer.  Artists actually made money by selling their music.

Fast forward to 2012.  The world I just described is as anachronistic as that of the era of the horse and buggy.  Everything has changed.  It is now a true struggle to make money by selling music.  Touring and merchandising is a must.  The days of musicians and record labels spinning gold by selling music are over.  Not long ago there were bands who wouldn’t consider selling their music to an advertiser or TV show.  They could make their revenue off of an album and then CD sales.  With product placement now becoming the name of the game, recording artists are having to rethink their approach and their career paths.

The upside is that there is more of a level playing field.  More singers, bands and musicians now have an opportunity to get known and develop a career.  But, it has become more of a do-it-yourself world; musicians, who know how to work social media, blog, and launch traditional media campaigns, can still establish a presence, create a fan base and build a buzz.   There is still a way to launch a music career and make money while making music, but musicians now have to be savvy marketers.  They need to understand PR, media relations, publicity and the basics of marketing.  It’s a bit daunting, that goes without saying, but for those who learn the ropes, it also puts the power squarely in their hands.  It’s true that labels launch many a band, but there are also myriad stories of bands who were taken advantage of and ripped off.  Musicians now have to be more savvy about marketing and business, but they also command more control.  In the long run it could be a decent trade off.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Filed under Entertainment Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How You Can Utilize the Celebrity PR Angle

February 15, 2012 Leave a comment

When it comes to PR, business owners and entrepreneurs generally think of the obvious.  An owner of a hair salon will think of stories that have to do with hair care.  On optician will think of stories that have to do with eyewear, a florist will think of stories that have to do with flowers.  That all makes sense, right?  Yep.  And that’s a start, but if you really want to get your story covered in magazines, newspapers and TV segments, you need to be a bit more creative than that.  For example, if you do own a hair salon, come up with the top ten best celebrity hairstyles and explain why, or maybe give the worst celebrity hairstyles.  You don’t have to be the hairstylist who worked on the celebrities, but you can be the one to comment and position yourself as a hairstyling expert.  If you’re an optician, develop a story on why glasses are really jewelry for the face and then come up with a list of celebrities that illustrate why glasses are a beauty item.  If you’re a florist, come up with a pitch based on flower arrangements used at celebrity events, political events, or any event that is featured in the news.  Comment on why the floral arrangements worked or didn’t work and what you would suggest in the future.

The best way to launch a successful media campaign is to give the press options.  You have a story that you want to tell through the media.  Chances are you have one or two main angles or story ideas that you want covered.  Those are where your focus lies, they are you primary objectives.  But don’t stop there.  Broaden your approach.  For good or bad (and I think I know which one it is) we live in a celebrity-based culture.  The media loves celebrity-oriented stories, so brainstorm a bit and see how you can tie your story into a pitch that offers a celebrity angle.  This might be the furthest thing from your mind and that type of story might very well bore you to tears, but don’t let your personal bias, keep you from presenting a story angle that the media will pick up.  Have fun with it.  Think out of the box.

This celebrity-oriented approach can often be the way to prime the pump and get your media relations campaign off the ground.  From there you can broaden into a more comprehensive campaign.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

James. “Celebrity News”.  Photo. Celebrity Cheeze. 02 Feb 2012. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://celebritycheeze.com/the-history-of-celebrities/>

Filed under Entertainment, Lifestyle PR Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Oscar Race is On & Hollywood’s Media Machines Rev Up

January 28, 2012 Leave a comment

Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo,” came away with eleven Academy Award nominations, and “The Artist,” which won the Golden Globes received ten.  The two films, which are both about the bygone days of film making, head the list of best picture Oscar contenders announced Tuesday.  Ironically there is a belief in Hollywood that films about films, particularly films about film making are doomed to die at the box-office.  If true, at least this year they’d do so in style.

It’s interesting to sense the difference between the Golden Globes and the Oscars.  As one well known film critic recently put it, the Golden Globes are so much fun, because they really don’t matter.  The sense is that people go to the Globes to see and be seen, party, have fun, say things you’d never say at the Academy Awards and possibly help create a bit of a media buzz for your film.   The Golden Globes is a PR vehicle.  A feel good party where the winners hope to influence the Oscar voters.

The Academy Awards remain the main event.  This will always remain the award the public views as the golden ring in the film business and it’s hard to tell the influence that the other awards have on the Oscars.

The best picture category is an interesting one with heavy hitter Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse,” going against, among others, Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris.”  Allen’s film hit a chord this year, and could result in an (all is truly forgiven) embrace from the Academy.  Perhaps the most interesting inclusion is Terrence Malick’s (either love it or hate it) “The Tree of Life;” but it’s good to know mystics can climb the Hollywood heights.

Superstars Brad Pitt and George Clooney go head to head in the best actor category with Pitts’s “Moneyball” and Clooney’s “The Descendants” garnering a number of awards.  Those two are where the glitz and glamour is, but that’s not always where the awards go.

The best actress category includes Meryl Streep’s performance as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady” and Michelle Williams’ role as movie legend Marilyn Monroe in “My Week With Marilyn.”  It’s always a gamble bringing an icon to the screen, but in both cases the gamble paid off.

Now that the nominees have been named, the Hollywood movie machine media relations blitz goes into high gear.  From here to the awards date the publicity and media campaigns run 24/7.  Public relations, and some subtle and often not so subtle arm twisting are the staples of race to the Oscar.  As long as Harvey Weinstein is involved in the race, it will be interesting.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Seib, Al. “Plaster Oscar statuettes used for rehearsals.” Photo. The Envelope. Jan. 2012. 27, Jan. 2012.                                                  <http://theenvelope.latimes.com/news/la-env-oscars-winners-nominees-scorecard-2012,0,2535525.htmlstory>

Filed under Entertainment, Public Relations Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Promoting Your Movie via the Media

December 12, 2011 1 Comment

You see your job as director or producer (or both) but not as marketer.  Well, if you want to maximize your chances of getting your film out there, it’s time to get comfortable with this new role.  Whether you promote and PR your film on your own or hire a firm to do it for you, you can effectively create a buzz for your film and you will maximize your chances of building your audience and fan base.

By actively promoting your film, you’ll maximize your chances of:

  • Building awareness for your film within the industry
  • Increasing your audience and fan base.
  • Securing a distribution deal.
  • Establishing yourself as a director, producer or writer within the industry.
  • Generating interest for upcoming projects.
  • Securing financing for future projects.

Using PR and media relations to establish your film and/or production company is the most validating and legitimizing route.  By appearing in the media you establish yourself as a presence and a player in the industry.  You gain the validation of be covered by and featured in the news.  I’ve written other articles on how to launch an effective public relations campaign, which would be worth reviewing.  Your best bet is to bring a company or consultant on board that has experience and can work with you to launch an effective campaign.  If that’s not possible, do some homework, learn the process and give it a stab on your own.

Along with launching a PR and media relations outreach consider adding the following:

  • First and foremost create a compelling website or a blog with a compelling design and an easy to read layout.  This doesn’t have to be a bells and whistles affair.  Make it clean, easy to read and simple to navigate.
  • Utilize Social Media including Facebook and Twitter.
  • If you have a small budget for it, consider running Facebook and Google ads; consider forum marketing.
  • Edit some compelling, short videos to use as teasers for your film
  • Tag your videos.  Be sure to use keywords that effectively describe your videos in the associated tags for effective SEO.
  • Submit your video to directories and social bookmarking sites to help up your Google ranking

There is quite a lot you can do to help market, publicize and promote your film.  I believe that the most effective approach is to combine blogging and social media marketing with  traditional PR and media relations.  As a filmmaker, this is an exciting time.  Now more than ever you can take steps that can help ensure the success of your projects and your careers.  Be bold.  Go for it.
See you at the movies.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Filed under Entertainment Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to PR Blitz Your Indie Film

November 16, 2011 Leave a comment

Film festivals can be seductive; there are now more avenues to get your feature film viewed.  In reality, that has its upside and its downside.  Hundreds of films are now shown at film festivals and nowhere else.  Whereas it’s great that filmmakers are able to have their projects shown at festivals, those showings can also give a false sense of security.  As a producer, you may feel that something is moving forward where it may not be.  And chances are it won’t be if you simply show at a festival and leave it at that. Let’s say you do get your film into a festival, are showing it online, have clips up on YouTube, or have a dynamite website up describing your film.  That’s simply step one, now you need to work it!  Don’t simply wait for the public, or distributors or producers to find you.  Chances are they won’t. Now that it’s produced, you’re job is to shepherd your project, get it viewed, get it noticed, create a buzz.

Let’s say you do get your film into a festival, are showing it online, have clips up on YouTube, or have a dynamite website up describing your film.  That’s simply step one, now you need to work it!  Don’t simply wait for the public, or distributors or producers to find you.  Chances are they won’t. Now that it’s produced, you’re job is to shepherd your project, get it viewed, get it noticed, create a buzz.

The best method I’ve found to successfully market and promote a film, is a combination of social media, blogging and traditional and online PR.  Producing, directing or acting in your film is only step one.  Once you’ve actually produced it your real work starts.  The creative labor of love is over and the marketing labor of love needs to take over.  The following is a check list of PR and marketing moves to consider in order to maximize your chances of having your film succeed.

1) If you’re accepted to a film festival, market it; pass out fliers, postcards, etc.  Do some basic initial guerilla marketing.

2) Brainstorm and come up with ideas and angles that you can pitch to the media.  If there is an event, or photo shoot, or stunt that you can direct them to, give it a shot. Come up with a number of story and pitch angles about the film, the journey and the making of the film, the actors, director, producer, etc.

3) Look for tie-ins with current media stories.  The bottom line is– be creative!  Don’t just focus on the entertainment angle, try to come up with some topical or human interest pitches as well.

4) Come up with a compelling one-page press release on your film and send it out to the local media, entertainment media, blogs, online publications, freelance writers.  Send it out to anyone you feel could help get the word out.

5) Create a media list of the media you’re most interested in seeing the film.  Send them the release, but also make sure and make follow up phone calls to verbally pitch them.  To be honest, releases are important, but you never know if they’re actually read.  You need to contact the media to make sure they received the release, understand the pitch and realize why this could be such a great story for them to cover.

Chances are this film has been a labor of love; it’s cost you blood, sweat, tears and cash.  Now you owe it to yourself and to your film to give it a real shot to succeed.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2011

Filed under Entertainment, Uncategorized Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Controlling Your Media Image: Why Many Celebrities Fail

March 4, 2011 1 Comment

Generally those who have the most trouble trying to utilize the media are those that have no real idea how it works.  Simply because someone is a celebrity, or head of state, and has been continually highlighted in the media, doesn’t mean he or she truly understands the inner workings of the press.  Appearing in front of the camera day after day does not make one an expert in the process.  Those who have had the most media coverage are often the ones that have the most naive or delusional take on how the media actually works.  Often when celebrities run into a damage control situation (such as the Charlie Sheen fiasco) they believe they are the story, where generally it’s the train wreck that’s the real story.  They simply happen to be the ones driving that train.  They eventually end up trying to put out fire with gasoline and their media and image problems only continue to grow.

It used to be that newspapers, magazines, along with network and cable TV, defined and shaped the stories we read or watched.  We’re now in the world of citizen journalists and social media.  Twitter or Facbook not only distribute information, now they become stories in and of themselves.  For example, when Sarah Palin or Charlie Sheen posts a Tweet and you suddenly have a news story.  But, as we’ve all seen, they don’t necessarily control that story.  Tweets and posts take on a life of their own and can often backfire.

Whereas many have tried to utilize the media for their own ends and have failed, there are cases where individuals have been able to achieve their ends.  Howard Stern was certainly a master of utilizing the media.  Those that are most successful, like Stern, generally have a media outlet where they can actively control the message if it starts to run amok.  Glen Beck comes to mind.  He has a nightly forum where he can shape his message.  It’s much more difficult to control if you are outside of the media.  Yet we’ve all seen damage control scenarios where a celebrity or politician goes on the “right” shows to get his or her message across and then steps back.  That can work.  But it is getting more and more difficult now.  Interacting with the media isn’t something that should be taken lightly.  There are inherent dangers in carelessly playing the media game and being a celebrity or a “star”, does not immune you.  In fact the bull’s-eye on your back is all the bigger.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2011

 

Filed under Entertainment, PR Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

← Older posts

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 65 other followers