#but do you see what i mean! the potential here specifically for them as pr characters! damn bruh

[neomachine]

shots of carter and leo i wish were in trakkena's revenge

[sebsrainbowbicycle]

Whats your opinion on the whole Christian Horner thing?

Let me preface this by saying, I have intentionally stayed away from this subject for many reasons, but given there was an outcome of the investigation today, and some of the information I’ve seen here throughout the past weeks, now is as good a time as any to respond to this ask I got weeks ago. This is not, nor will I be offering in the future, my opinion on whether Horner is guilty of the accusations or not. I just want to maybe provide context, and information from my experience and career thus far, that might help people understand, and also my opinion on the reaction from people. Caveat - I am not a lawyer, nor will I go into specifics of my current or previous job, however I worked in the legal profession where I worked on legal cases, reviewed evidence, and made submissions and recommendations that went in front of Judges.

Okay my thoughts. My thoughts are that an internal investigation that should have remained private for all parties involved, especially the alleged victim(s), was leaked and used as clickbait and gossip by the media and people on here and other social media sites. I think people decided guilt without having any genuine information, without seeing the evidence and without any credible sources. I think were the person being accused a different member of the paddock that the reaction would have been different. I think people used this to virtue signal and cry out about what good people they are. I think people that constantly say that the media and journalists shouldn’t be trusted, fed into a feeding frenzy that led to the name of the alleged victim(s) being published, which will undoubtedly impact them for the rest of their lives.

Onto specific things I have seen that I’d like to offer my take on:

Christian allegedly offering the victim a sum of money - First of all, for anyone who has a certain amount of wealth, especially those in the public eye, this is a usual occurrence. You try to avoid an investigation by any means possible, whether you’re innocent or guilty, because a) it’s easier and usually cheaper in the long run, b) pr and public image are damaged by even unfounded accusations and these things can run on for an extremely long time, and c) trial by media is a thing, and innocent people get tarnished for the rest of their lives because of something they were accused of. Now, I’m not saying any of those are why the offer was allegedly made, but those are some of the reasons. Companies do the same thing, when someone has an accident at work and hurts themselves, even if the company do not believe themselves to be at fault they will make a settlement offer, to avoid any legal back and forth. Settlements are not an admission of guilt, but a way to make something go away quickly.

Said money being why the investigation “went away” - I saw a quote that said “the grievance has been dismissed”, that means there was a finding, not that it was withdrawn. even so, this was a red bull investigation carried out by an external barrister. Once the company were made aware of the allegations, their investigation is independent of either party involved, so even if the alleged victim(s) withdrew their grievance, the company would still have a duty of care to ensure that any inappropriate behaviour or actions were identified, investigated and addressed. Most importantly, red bull want to protect themselves legally, and following the procedures and carrying out a thorough investigation, which would identify if they were potentially exposed to risk, is how they do that.

How can they ignore 100’s of pieces of evidence - We don’t know that they did. It was reported, but never confirmed that there was over 100 pieces of evidence submitted, so this is absolute hearsay. Further, I would be extremely surprised if the investigation ignored any piece of evidence, given the ramifications of an incorrect or improper investigation. Also I think it’s really important to say that evidence does not equal guilt or that one party to the proceedings is correct. Allow me to provide you with a personal example. I worked on a case where there was over 5000 pages of evidence submitted into a legal bundle. Approximately 4000 of those were from the appellant who argued that the other party had acted incorrectly. (forgive my vagueness here I’m not about to doxx myself). 4000 pages of evidence, which I reviewed and made a decision that I did not support their argument. The judge agreed with me also. Evidence can be subjective, and sometimes it can be completely irrelevant. The presence, and submission of evidence is to support one sides view of things, the other side will have their own, and both are examined and balanced and decisions made on that and sometimes also on other independent investigation.

The investigation is private and cannot be shared - This is law. GDPR in fact because this is occurring within Europe. I’m literally spending this entire week on a GDPR course, and have an exam on Friday, so I really don’t want to go on about legal basis and restrictions for sharing personal data, but let me tell you it’s for good reason, especially with investigations like this. All parties involved in this have a legal right to privacy, covered by the human rights act, and unless there is a compelling legal reason why their data should be shared, then it can’t be without their explicit consent. Simple as. And that’s disregarding that there will be confidential company information within the investigation that also cannot be shared.

Horner committed a crime - given that we do not know the specifics of what occurred we simply don’t have enough information to know this, HOWEVER, from the information I have read, and by the fact that I have not seen an indication that the police have been involved with this, nor are they carrying out their own investigation, I am working under the assumption that no law has been broken.

tl;dr - These are real people’s lives, we are not involved and we have no right to know anything. This isn’t salacious gossip, and it’s not a fun thing to band around and use as a stick to beat people with to prove how good we are. Processes and investigations like this should be private, and basing things on hearsay and unscrupulous reporters does more damage to any alleged victims than good. Having seen how fans and social media have treated this investigation, do you think that makes any other alleged victims want to come forwards? I think not. But that’s just me.

[thevelaryons]

I’ve always found it interesting that of the lowborn/bastard women in the DotD, Marilda is the only one who doesn’t get slandered and insulted in the Westerosi history books.

Speaking specifically about the women who were rumored to have had affairs with noblemen, the women (Sara Snow/Alys Rivers/Nettles) in particular get derogatory descriptions for various reasons. The men they are linked to all either die or are unable to do anything about the rumors (Sara: her rumored lover Jace dies and her brother Cregan is far away in the North when those rumors become a thing in the South years later/Alys: her rumored lover Aemond dies and her son is obviously too young to do anything about the insults people are saying about his mother/Nettles: her rumored lover Daemon dies). Regardless of whether any of the rumors were true or not, it's still the women in the relationships who were described in a negative manner. Even men like Aemond or Daemon don't get as slandered, despite their more controversial actions.

Sara may or may not have existed (the fact that her existence alone is doubted speaks for itself) but in the history books she is described as an "unwashed" bastard. Even the fact she was a virgin at the time of her affair with Jace is called into question. Alys gets descriptors like "slattern" and "cow". She is reviled as a seductress and witch who would sacrifice her own children. Nettles gets insulted as well, both by characters around her and the maesters/septons recording the histories. Beyond the classism, there is also a racial angle to the insults with her skin colour always being at the forefront when she gets called "dirty" and "creature". It’s unfortunate but Westerosi society is unfair to women, especially those of a lower social class, and so they do often have to rely on the men in their lives, whether that’s a male lover/husband, their father, brother(s) or son(s) as a source of protection. Characters like Sara/Alys/Nettles don't get that protection.

Then you get to Marilda's descriptions in the book, and it's completely clean. Not a single insult is uttered against her despite her supposed involvement with two different Velaryon men. Whether her affair was with Corlys or Laenor, it occurred at the time when they were married men. Laenor is dead by the time when he's claimed to be the father of Marilda's sons. But Corlys is alive and well. Not to mention, he's a very well respected figure in Westerosi society. That being said, I can’t see Corlys doing any major PR control here since he does not have the means to do so.

Alyn, however, could ensure his mother did not get negative remarks. He's the one said to have fostered close ties to the Citadel and a positive relationship with the Faith. On more than one occasion, he was anointed by the High Septon himself, which is something that's typically reserved for the King or his Kingsguard. So I think Alyn might’ve used that influence to his favor.

While Alyn does seem like the type who doesn’t care much about what others think of him, he clearly respects his mother so I doubt he would want her to have a bad reputation. Even concerning the rumors of Alyn's potential affairs, the maesters are somewhat dismissive about them and call the rumors "unreliable". They don't give much credence to what third parties are saying on such matters. As for Alyn's mother, she is spoken of with nothing but respect and even flattery at times.

History is truly written by the victors.

[mixelation]

thinking about tori's chunin exam (the second one) again

one thing i want to play with is tori just having a completely different mindset from everyone, especially when it comes to the point of tests. because her origin story is being a high-strung pre med student, she is acutely aware that tests frequently have more to do with how you understand the exam rather than the material. like yeah, you have to know your shit, but you're unlikely to get into the top percentile unless you ALSO understand the game.

and growing up in oto just reinforces this. you think orochimaru is testing you on the thing he asked you to do? no!! there's seven other secret tests baked into the thing! look underneath the underneath!!

so anyway, tori is very aware that she's being tested on her ninja skills, BUT ALSO on a bunch of other stuff. second round survival portion? you mean her being able to size up potential opponents and, if she plays her cards right, pick who gets into the tournament? why would she try to finish first.... she needs to stalk other contestants and see what they do.

the tournament part she's been explicitly told is for her to show off for Konoha. tori's normal style.... doesn't really loan itself to showing off. so she goes in with a premade plan for a Very Cool Looking Convoluted Jutsu, and now she's shopping for the perfect genin to unleash it on. she is going to pick off genin she DOESN'T think will work with her plan. so she's gone into multiple levels of Off The Rails here

shisui at team 2: they're testing your ability to function in an unknown environment. your goal should be to get to the finish line while minimizing damage

tori: yeah but, see, you can also PICK your opponents for the tournament

shisui: i guess that's technically true. you might be able to pick off a stronger opponent in a setting where you can work as a team, and that will benefit you in the tournament. but you should only attempt that if the opportunity arises and also points strongly in your favor

tori: i mean if you plan enough, you can make anything happen :)

shisui: but it shouldn't be a priority

tori: besides, you don't want to pick off the strongest possible opponents, because the point of the tournament isn't even to win. it's to show off. so you want to shop for genin whose fighting styles are impressive enough it looks good when you beat them, but that you can exploit and--

team 2: what

shisui: tori PLEASE stop giving advice. they are genin

anyway, tori can bias the tournament to a certain TYPE of genin (for her grand plan she wants kiri kids with swords, which is like half the entrants) but she can't seed the tournament. so she unleashes her Cool Convoluted Jutsu second round and then in the finals is like. whelp. i did with i came here to do.

finalist genin: your trick won't work twice!!

tori: cool

tori: (hits him directly in the head with a bamboo pole)

anyway the Mood of this whole arc is that tori is silently freaking out and high anxiety the entire time because she's been given like seventeen goals (win the tournament, but do it in a specific way, also don't melt people that's bad PR--)

but from the outside it DOES look like she just played the whole tournament like a mildly friendly supervillain

shisui, whose previous concept of "young genius" was just "beast modes the challenges," NOT "itachi playing 5D chess in his spare time for no reason": TORI WHAT ARE YOU DOING

kisame: lmao. you're in over your head with that one, kid

shisui: ???

[brain-works]

um he literally said you have to have respect for trump… in many ways even…

ooh I love this one! and to be clear, whatever I say here, this is no hate to you anon, assuming you're saying this in good faith. and also thank you for actually answering my last post with an ask, I love a good excuse to write an essay.

ALSO before I start: if anyone dares to come into my replies saying that I'm biased - yes I am. I've never denied that. if you haven't picked up on that by now I really don't know what you're doing on my blog. that being said, I also try to look at full contexts to these situations, especially since I watched this specific press conference live.

ALSO ALSO I AM IN NO WAY A TRUMP FAN. LET ME MAKE THAT CLEAR. I AM NOT DEFENDING TRUMP OR ANY OF HIS ACTIONS, PAST OR PRESENT. now, to my argument:

the first thing I need to make very clear is the environment in which he was asked this question. it might seem inconsequential that it was a press conference, but it's actually a very important context. for one, the drivers are not allowed to simply not answer a question. that's not an option that's available to them (despite some people thinking that's the case). they must answer any questions posed by the press, whether they like it or not. they're allowed to dodge questions, sure, but the only guaranteed way to get a journalist off your back is to just give them an answer they can publish. we've seen this time and time again with different drivers. they're also not allowed to make outwardly political statements without being given a hefty fine by the FIA. saying, for example, that you don't like a former president of a country that F1 wants to continue racing in is an easy way to have this fine (and potentially worse) levied against you.

secondly, with any interview, there is a massive difference between the words presented vs. how they were said. what does this mean? well, to put it simply, sometimes intent does not come across the same in text vs. in speaking. this happens a lot with Lando's interviews, where he says something jokingly or in an unserious tone, but when his words are written down, they seem much more malicious than they actually were. I'd go hunt down examples, but I want to stay on topic.

now, exactly what he said was:

and here’s a link to the video of the interview

I'm not going to say that he didn't say, in some manner, that you have to have a lot of respect for trump. however, the way in which he said it is what matters to me.

for one, spelling out that someone, regardless of who they are, is a former president of a country and should be respected for that accomplishment is a textbook diplomatic answer. again, this is regardless of who they are. I guarantee you he would've said the same thing about any other political figure in any other context, because this is a safe answer. he's not definitively praising anyone, and he's not bringing anyone down. this is not the response of someone who is a big fan of trump. this is the generic, PR-guided response of someone who can't say anything negative, but doesn't want to say anything too outwardly positive.

notice, for example, how he says that trump said that he was Lando's lucky charm. it would've been easy for him to state that he thought that trump was his lucky charm, but he did not. he could've even said that he hopes that trump comes to future races. again, he did not. this is an important distinction, if a small one. anyways, his body language and facial expressions also make his stance clear. he's not happy to be asked this question, he clearly does not want to answer it. in fact, as soon as he starts answering, you can see him slip into that PR mode as his face drops and he starts giving his response. this is not how someone answers a question about someone they like! and this response, once again, is very generic. he literally only mentions trump by name once throughout his actual response, and without that you could assume he was talking about literally anyone else.

for two, idk about you, but when I'm forced to publicly interact with people I don't like, regardless of the context, I don't usually insult them to their face, because that makes me look bad. and I don't usually have half the amount of cameras on me that Lando does. generally speaking, it's also not a good idea to get on the bad side of someone with as much political power as trump. we all know who he is, and we know that the people that support him can resort to dangerous actions when someone says anything remotely negative about him. so, if remaining neutral is the most negative you can be, then that's the way to go. he had no way to avoid trump - he was literally brought directly to him to shake hands - and was asked a question directly connected to trump.

saying that you have to have respect for someone in a lot of ways is not an inherently positive statement. in fact, something I say a lot of the time when I don't like a celebrity is that I respect their accomplishments, but I don't like their personality. I'm not saying this justifies Lando's response, but I am saying that if you were put in a similar situation, where you're asked a question that demands you speak positively about someone regardless of what you think about them personally (especially if your opinion is negative), you'd have a harder time answering than you think you would.

and finally, Lando is not a US citizen. he does not know the political turmoil happening in this country personally, and I wouldn't be surprised if he only knew the bare minimum of why trump is a bad person, rather than the full itemized list that Americans are very familiar with. at the end of the day, even if he was a trump fan (he's not), he does not vote in the US, nor does he have any sway over actual US voters. we all know the rhetoric of people who like trump, and nothing Lando said personally sets off any alarm bells. I'll admit that I don't love the way he phrased it, but if I could go on another whole tangent about how I hate the way that Lando's (sometimes awkward) phrasing gets misrepresented in text vs. in speech.

bonus round: if you wanted to get upset at drivers interacting with controversial figures, might I direct you to the time that Lewis Hamilton (allegedly) sprayed putin with champagne. obviously this article is tabloid-esque, but you get what I'm saying. this isn't a dig at Lewis, btw, it's just my way of pointing out that it's not new for drivers to be faced with impossible situations regarding political figures.

tl;dr if Lando wanted to say something outwardly positive about trump, he would've had the space to, but he purposefully kept it vague and generic, and that means something. these drivers cannot speak as freely as we often (mistakenly) think they can, and it's important to understand the full context of a situation rather than assume bad intentions.

[regaliasonata]

I've been meaning to make this post for a while

So Power Rangers has 30 years of lore and stuff packed into it and this made me analyze a few things pertaining to the ranger powers.

See every team is different in the sense that their abilities can be labeled into various categories, like some characters using mystical energy or technology but there's a bit more to it. Tokusatsu has a full list of different power sources and it made me think a bit here, btw this is just in a general sense when it comes to ranger powers and not fully the individual ones each of the teams have.

Basically I decided to place them in depending on the themes and overall potential of their powers.

Each team is covered under one of the following five, Technological, Elemental, Spatial/Temporal, Spiritual and Magical

1.)Technlogical powers such as RPM, SPD mainly rely on the usage of advancements and mechanical assets to their abilities. Though however capability wise it's reach stagnates as the tools and powers depend on how advanced the tech is(like if you have futuristic stuff that can access universal energy, can be on par with some top players in the PR multiverse)

2.)Elemental, like in Samurai, Lost Galaxy and Ninja Storm specific rangers in this category can manipulate or even conjure specific aspects of nature at their disposal. In my mind however the capabilities can also be somewhat limitless as the specific way elements are applied factor in( like if fire is associated either creation and light, being able to make life or even spark heat in the universe)

3.) Spatial and Temporal, specifically relating to teams like Time Force. These powers mainly orient around the control of dimensional or time like aspects, from freezing and speeding time, controlling dimensions like the Triassic Dimension with Conner in DT, or just anything you can think of there. This one is definitely up there because there isn't really a limit, I mean Conner controls reality with the triassic shield and time manipulation is already busted. Time Force rangers are a problem in fight match-ups.

4.)Spiritual, my favorite btw. Connects mainly between Wild Force, Jungle Fury and probably Zeo. Spiritual powers such as aura projection like utilizing animal spirits or having abilities attuned to one's soul are a few ways of using this, however depending on the person and overall situations the spirit can do a lot more. Say releasing your inner might and having a strong willpower may result in your abilities being able to transcend beyond most things(think a bit like HXH with Nen or JJK's cursed energy). Like the phoenix with Camille, if she developed it more then the power to revive or even give life would be broken as hell.

5.) Finally we have Magical, hello Mystic Force. Magic in general is just busted, applications all around depends on what type you're using and there are three main sources, Good, Dark and Neutral. In the show the rangers were given magic from the townspeople due to their beliefs within it as well. This basically cements that as long as you believe in magic then you have an endless source of it...which is just overall crazy and places this high on the list as well.

Now I can't really choose which powers would rank over each other as all of them could overpower the other depending on who uses it but this was nice to analyze. I'd love a full on special with the seasons fighting each other or being able to full amplify their capabilites to see what chaos ensues. Wonder what you guys think?

[nite-puff]

Favourite head-canons for your favourite ships/characters?

okay let me itemize this.

kiyotaka: my pr scheme headcanon. i love that headcanon for thematic reasons, and just think of the possibilities if taka ever finds out about it. if anyone wants to read up on it, here’s the link.

mondo: i love him being crafty. idk how much this counts as a headcanon because it’s pretty backed up by canon, but i digress. i love him being in touch with his artistic side. i want him to whittle and make wooden sculptures while he pursues carpentry. i want him to expand his experience in embroidery to other fiber arts. i want him to paint on walls and canvases like he would on his motorcycle. i want him to experiment with makeup outside of his eyeliner. HES JUST HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL TO BE AN ARTIST BUT HE WONT LET HIMSELF INDULGE IN IT. LET HIM BE CRAFTY.

takemichi: i love giving him survivor’s guilt after he finds out about what happened to mondo and the rest of the diamonds. he’s the last crazy diamond standing and if that doesn’t take the ultimate toll on him, then i don’t know what will. especially since his whole deal in the gang was to protect mondo. finding out mondo died, even if there was no way for him to interfere, convinces him that he failed his one job. and hearing that the diamonds have all died, EVEN if there was no way for him to interfere, convinces him that he failed the owadas even more by being a shit leader and not protecting them while mondo was at hope’s peak. i wonder what that mindset will do to him. mentally. HES SO NORMAL GUYS. anyway.

okay now to dynamic stuff

ishimondo: yes, physical touch and general acts of service will mean so much to them when they’re together, but i need to zero in on the act of cooking specifically. the act of cooking for one another is so special for them. like growing up, both mondo and kiyotaka had a tricky/bad relationship with food (with kiyotaka not having money to eat anything other than his typical rice balls and mondo not eating much due to body image issues and needing to “stay in shape”) so reaching that time in their lives when food becomes a comfort to them (due in part because of their influence on each other) is going to be so special. they know each other’s favorite foods and will cook for each other, they’ll make time to cook together and enjoy that quality time. and if they have some extra money to spend, they’ll go out and try something new with each other. i could probably make this sound better if you give me some time but just know that they get each other to appreciate food so much more and see if as something more than just a task to get done or a nuisance they have to deal with.

mondo and michi (platonic): the ultimate besties, what can i say?? michi had to deal with all the times mondo had a crush and was rejected by said crush. he practically became the ultimate shoulder to lean on as they grew up and mondo’s feelings only got bigger. when mondo would tell michi that he was gonna confess one day, michi would already be prepared with movies and snacks to help mondo get over the rejection (it’s not like michi had no faith in mondo. he just knew the chances of mondo actually getting a date were low. he’s seen how he gets when he’s nervous. he’s just being realistic). i recently came up with the scenario of how they would deal with valentine’s day. mondo would always be disappointed he didn’t get any chocolates by the end of the school day, but would never say it out loud. and michi is always tired by the end of the day with him having to lug around his bag of chocolates he’s received and having to dodge any potential confessions he saw coming (and rejecting the ones he didn’t see coming). mondo always tries to avoid talking about how he feels when he sees michi after school, but michi always catches onto mondo’s sourness. he just offers his chocolates to share with mondo without saying another word about how either of their days went. mondo always appreciates it. and they spend the rest of their day winding down and watching movies while downing michi’s entire stash (mondo always ends up having more because he has a bigger sweet tooth. michi doesn’t mind).

anyways yeah uhhh… idk if these headcanons are my most favorite (i love them all, don’t get me wrong) but they were the first ones to come to mind. hope y’all like them.

[stuck-in-the-ghost-zone]

what happens to nhw after muse? like, publicity wise. especially regarding ashe. idk if you talked about it before or not, i remember seeing things about like. nhw tv appearances and such, but i don't remember if there was anything specifically regarding the pr nightmare of a boy getting mused and going on a murder spree like a localized natural disaster

do they make him go on tv and talk about it? do they rebrand? both? what happens here. i mean it would suck for ashe no matter what probably but yeha

OH NY GOD. I FORGOT I NEVER ANSWERED THIS IM SO SORRY. in my defense i got sick and my brain has been goop since like. sunday. not even going to put this one under a cut everyone gets to see my muse ramblings (muse musings. ha)

ANYWAY. SO. FIRST OFF. nobody knows who he is !!!! to the general public, muse and auxiliary are two different people, and like... there's not really anything there to tie them together. aux's costume was so like bulky full coverage that his identity was Very much hidden, and muse like.... doesn't hide his face at all, but at the same time he's not Ashe because ashe doesn't dress like that or do his hair or makeup like that so. even though his face is on full display I don't think anyone other than his family/friends would make that immediate connection either

obviously like... the prt knows what happened, because of course the wards needed to tell them. publicity-wise, as far as the public is concerned, auxiliary was killed. aux is dead. you remember that one interlude from Vista's pov where she had to look at the greyed out memorial images of the wards who were killed in the leviathan battle? yeah imagine one of those for aux. as far as anyone else knows he died in the fight with overlord (lmao. not like anyone could distinguish identifiable corpses from that mess anyway)

we have played with the idea a few times about a few different topics that there's a subsection of conspiracy theorists on parahumans online that actually connect the dots and get everything right (aux and muse being the same person, Tide and magma being made from the endbringers, etc etc stuff like that that isn't supposed to be public knowledge) but it's extremely funny if they're just a weird fringe group of freaks so nobody ever takes them seriously

the idea that after ashe gets back from being mused and has to go on TV about it makes me so fucking SICK btw that's such a horrid scenario oh my god. I made such a face at that. torture for him!

anyway what actually happens after he gets back from being mused is like.... nothing? really? Trickster takes Mal in exchange for ashe and then they just kind of disappear. and they're left in this horrible paranoid calm period. adn because theyre also gone i think people just assume that either muse went with them or also got killed in that final battle. unsure which option is worse, ashe hearing people talk about muse like hes still out there somewhere (ouch!) or talking about muse like he was killed by his friends (actually now that i type this out i think ashe would prefer this option so much more. man. he has so many issues) it takes ashe a loooong long long time to even consider using his powers again much less entertain the idea of going back to hero work, so it's not really like... an issue? for a bit? we haven't rlly nailed down that period of time yet but I would assume the prt has him under some sort of loose supervision until it's decided that he's not an active threat anymore and he gets to fucking REST for a little bit ! we're intentionally leaving late game nhw a little loose rn because I know I personally just really wanna see how s3 of pd turns out before we nail down anything too solid bc if there's one thing i love about nhw it's referencing back to things happening in canon and making them so much worse ^_^ but I think we've talked about ashe potentially going back to hero stuff eventually under a new name. and nobody can say shit because if a cape has a new name that means they're a different person and nobody can say anything (cough cough looks at armsmaster/defiant) !!!

[septembersghost]

What do you think of the idea that this was PR for SNTV so that everyone would be paying attention to the Nash shows?

oof. okay, first of all, and this isn't aimed at you anon, but everyone has gotten way too comfortable using the term "PR" inappropriately, to the point where it's meaningless, because you get people online saying everything they see ever is PR when that's simply not the case and a lot of things are just...humans living life who happen to do so in the public eye. but the whole point of the concept there is some benefit. this is not an instance where there's benefit of publicity - trolling potential aside, because that would serve a different purpose - all eyes are already on her.

she knows fans pay attention to the shows every week (even the ones like me who aren't viewing the livestreams! i read along with the updates as they happen but haven't watched, others might check in the next day due to time zones or busy schedules, and so on), no matter what we all know what happens and what surprise songs she plays and what she might've said, and we know very quickly. every entertainment and music outlet is paying attention. an album announcement would make spectacular noise and immediately be reported no matter what.

furthermore, stoking romance/personal rumors, if anything, takes *away* from the announcement, it doesn't add to it - hence the internet being in a dither about matty rather than only being focused on excitement over SNTV. why on earth would she intentionally court speculation and rumor that distracts from an important project? moreover, why with someone who undeniably would be controversial and cause anger/annoyance? how does that help her? (answer: it's irrelevant to her if she likes him.) i'd be slightly inclined to think it was a silly joke for the sake of 1989 TV and a potential collab if she'd announced that album instead, but everything about the optics, especially given very recent events and history, has such overwhelming negative downsides with really no upsides as far as press and reactions go. so PR for SNTV specifically makes very little sense to me, versus her being in a do-whatever-i-want-with-whoever-i-want moment (which, let's be real, is not out of character).

it's either a (perhaps ill-timed and unclear) bit of shenanigans between chaotic friends or it's...whatever it is, and we're going to be living with that rebound reality for a bit. he took a very long trip to get to a hometown show for her...we're gonna have to face what that means, particularly after not seeing the person we thought we should have seen on opening night. i didn't want to read into that absence before, but unfortunately information is now what it is. (me @ mr. bowery: you should've been there! you should've burst through the door with that, "baby, i'm right here" smile!)

the announcement of SNTV would've happened last night no matter what, i'd lay odds she's had that planned for the first night of nashville for quite a while. the matty of it all is a wrinkle, not a boost. the only thing i hope is that it doesn't have any negative ramifications for her (not necessarily in the press, but in her personal life. having fun is fine, i just don't want her to be hurt anymore than what's already happened, you know?).

ultimately, what we all have to remember is that boundary - we don't know her directly. we have no say or influence over her decisions or personal life. that doesn't mean we have to like them, but we have zero input into her making those choices. all we can continue to do is what we already do, support her artistry, wish her the best, and cherish her music.

[louisisalarrie]

Hi! Let me start by saying that I am a follower of your blog because I enjoy your take on things. Not because I hate follow you like some people seem to do. With that said, I’m very excited you get to meet Louis on Sunday! How fun for you! But I have an honest question. Not one to argue with you or even question you. But something I’ve wrestled with myself. Since you know all of the lies we’ve been fed about F being his son, and you see the gaslighting that goes on regularly from Louis to his fans. Most recently, the infamous chicken parm tweet, how do you separate that as a fan of his? How do you get so excited to meet him without wanting to look him in the face and say please stop lying. Maybe it’s just me. I’m just having a hard time with him continuing to lie to us and scold us and then out of the other side of his mouth he says he has the most freedom he’s ever had. That just tells me he choosing to lie and use F for his gain. His gain means money and fans. I don’t know… again, not trying to judge you. Just trying to understand and figure out where my brain is. I hope you have a wonderful time at the show!

Hey anon! Thank you for the kind words. It’s perfectly normal to feel this way, and a lot of us have these moments as well! So don’t stress x

I think what’s important here overall is to remember that record labels, managers, everyone involved in Louis’ team make money from Louis’ fame and publicity too. It’s certainly not just louis, and a huuuuuge chunk of it goes towards them, particularly if he’s signed to a Global Deal which I imagine he would be. Remember how in one direction they were worked to the absolute bone? Barely having a break, nonstop touring, recording every second they could (a good example is that one scene from This Is Us where zayn was asleep for 10 minutes before he was woken up to record more vocals) and they were just kids. They signed a contract without a personal lawyer due to X Factor rules, were taken advantage of, and used as a money making machine for S*co and his bunch of monkeys. But I’m sure you’re already very aware of this, so let’s fast forward to 13 years down the track with this in mind…

Louis was roped into a wild stunt contract, also known as bbg, with a half assed promise of more freedom for him, a potential end result of him and harry coming out, and probably a bunch of other promises and opportunities thrown his way if he signed off on it. He received solo PR while still being in a band, meaning he had a bit of a safety blanket if the band broke up and wouldn’t immediately disappear from the public eye (like Liam did). And you know what? BBG was probably meant to go for a much shorter time than it has. I imagine the proposed stunt, and the alterations it’s had over the years, look pretty bloody different. But without going into too much detail on that stunt specifically, Louis is incredibly smart in the way he communicates with us. He does juuuuust enough to meet his contractual obligations. He knows what he can get away with. He knows his fandom is majority larries. He knows what we talk about and what we say.

The consequences if he didn’t sign this contract? Probably pretty dire, if I’m honest. When you have one of the biggest labels in the world (the other two are WME & Universal) throwing you a bone, it’s pretty hard to turn it down. These 3 labels (also known as The Big 3 in the industry) have a monopoly over the music industry and can make or break someone pretty damn quick. So I imagine he would’ve signed to cover his own ass and not lose his whole career, because he’s been manipulated into that. The music industry can be evil and brutal and it’s all about money. All about PR.

Particularly in this day and age where we are oversaturated with celebrities, media, etc., it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. The Big 3 are good at what they do, and that’s why they are The Big 3. They know how to do PR, they know how to write contracts and get artists to sign off on them, they know how to dangle carrots and make deals that benefit themselves greatly (oftentimes more than the artist). So being in louis’ position, it was more like he was coerced into it, if that makes sense?

Sorry, im tired from work and rambling now, but have you heard the phrase “separate the art from the artist”? It’s an interesting take that some people agree with, so they can enjoy that artist’s music while ignoring their faults/bad choices/problematic behaviour, because the music is what’s important. I don’t necessarily agree with that take, and I’m not gonna go down a rabbit hole on it, but I do think some fans do this with louis. And that helps them still enjoy the music, without getting involved in bbg or any other stunts, ya know? It helps to just think about the cutie happy wholesome louis that we know and love, and not his PR image. And that is absolutely fair enough, I just can’t do that because I know too much and I’ve been here for too long and I WILL see this through hahahah.

Okay now to actually answer your question, about me personally, of course I would want to tell him to leave his contract and get a better deal and come out with Harry and trust that his fans will still love him and he’ll still have a career, but that’s not possible. It’s not possible because I’d get throat punched by security, but it’s also not possible because that’s not realistic. He knows what we all say, and what we think of larry. He understands our frustration and can literally see it online every day. His hands are tied, until they’re not. And we can’t do anything about that. So it’s just about appreciating him and his music because we can’t control anything else.

So, just remember that he’s beautiful and sweet and caring, watch some old one direction videos/larry deep dives, and take a breath because we know him, and he’s not this asshole that his image has radically become.

[lemotmo]

https://www.tumblr.com/lemotmo/759271810873344000/the-nonnie-talking-about-abc-using-or-not-using

I was the anon talking about using/not using content and ABC versus 911! And I’m not by any means an expert; there’s probably tons of better people to discuss the specifics on social media marketing and whatnot. I just like patterns.

Here’s how I see it: the stuff ABC produces comes from existing content, so that’s footage from the shows, BTS that exist either online or in some shared marketing folder, etc. Their job is to hype the shows overall and boost whatever is coming out of the show itself.

Whereas the 911 page/team has more of a direct line into the storytelling (bc of what’s already been pointed out on promos and such). I think this also ties in with the deleted scenes we got. I’m still 50/50 on those being for a purpose other than general buzz; I was hoping for them to drop at least one more. We will see. But the fuzzy conspiracy part of my brain tells me we got those for a reason which means that Tim is having those released to the 911 pr team intentionally. Hard to say if that team knows what Tim’s reason is specifically. I would hazard a guess that if they are doing something as groundbreaking as Buddie canon, though, the pr team knows about it. I’d also guess they knew about bi Buck. Just because if I were about to do something as potentially controversial with the general audience as that, I’d workshop it with PR first. I may be rambling away from the point, I just had a lot of thoughts on ABC versus 911 marketing specifically

This isn't rambling Nonny. This is very interesting to read. Thank you for sharing.

All of this makes a lot of sense.

And yeah, the 911 marketing team has to have some knowledge of what is going to happen. They need to help create the hype after all. So far, they've done a great job for season 8. :)

[youvegotanhour]

Episode 0: Q for an A

Hey besties!

I will be uploading all of the podcast transcripts for "You've Got an Hour", to coincide with each episode's release on their "Whine Wednesday's", to this blog. I hope that will be exciting for anyone that is hearing impaired, to anyone that wants to follow along with my ADHD rambles, or just for a ridiculous read. It's here, just in case!

But first, I'd like to take this time to answer any potential questions that may arise for you, the listener -- in a little preemptive segment I would like to call, Q for an A! (Question for an Answer, in case that wasn't obvious.)

Why are you making a podcast?

Because I am not a gym bro. The only running I'll do is to run my mouth. I could win Olympic Gold at that, so why wouldn't I attempt to make money off of it? I LIVE to talk. I could talk to you about the wallpaper stylings you gravitate towards, or what sandwich toppings are a "must(ard)" in your eyes. Actually, phone me, I'd like to hear your thoughts on both of these, immediately.

Take two: PR did NOT like this answer. Fine, I'll be more honest throughout this Q and A, ugh. After the... dare we mention it... pandemic, I needed an outlet to speak with people, again. I don't know about you, but my social anxiety was at an all time high post that-which-should-not-be-named (the pandemic). In speaking with my Angel* of a therapist (*this is their codename on the podcast, anytime that I reference them), it was clear then and there that spending a defined amount of time with a chosen friend each week, would not only be a good idea, but an essential one for my mental health. Through those singular hour-long blocks of time, I have had some of the most engaging conversations of my life. The kinds of conversations only BFF's can have with one another. And slowly, my social anxiety has lessened. My confidence has returned. And I can feel the old me coming back to life! As the Kris Jenner of my group, that has lead me to curate a podcast. Because, and I really do mean this, I hope that you will feel included in our group, even if we never do get the chance to meet one another IRL. I want this podcast to feel like you are in the room with us, for an hour at a time. Just us "besties."

What is the purpose of this podcast?

To distract, to entertain, and, when applicable, to make you laugh! We hope that you see, by the end of each episode, the creative beauty within each of us. But, specifically, within yourself! You are a creative. I do not care what job you have, you are creative. I see you. And I can't wait to see your own creative endeavors -- whether it be painting a wall in your house, or selling something you make on Etsy. You don't have to profit off of your creativity to fulfill that creative soul within you. The very clothes you wear are a creative expression. Your hair, your taste in music -- it is all creative. Give yourself some credit! Sounds a bit Ted Talk-y here, doesn't it? My PR Team is loving it, so that's a bonafide, "yes". Hopefully the podcast is less corny than what I just said (doubt it).

What is the tone of this podcast?

Comedic by nature, but sincere by heart. This is not strictly a comedic podcast. Like all great things in life, it exists on a spectrum. The first half (the Gaymes), are truly for fun. I do quite a bit more speaking here than I will in the second half (the Topic). And the topic varies in tone to whatever the conversation's needs are. We try to put disclosures and trigger warnings for anything that is heavy by nature, but in real life conversations, we do not have those. We hope to never trigger anyone. We hope you feel included in the conversations, engaged by them, and that you leave with either a better understanding of someone else's perspective, or feeling seen more by our group, in your own POV.

With that said, I need to acknowledge that the show is un-filtered. Meaning that there is adult language, at times: cursing, etc. Respectively, that may not be your cup of tea. If that doesn't suit you, keep it moving! Find what you like! I set out to have open conversations with my guests, and that includes not limiting their speech to everyone else's sensitivities, particularly when it comes to particular 4-letter words, in the particular.

What is the structure of this podcast?

Each episode is essentially 3 acts. I'm a theatre major, can you tell? 

1.) The first act is all fun and Gaymes. It's a great warm-up act for me and the guest, and, I'll admit, it's a bit ADHD.

2.) We take a quick recess for my mother and father to speak. "Linda LaFaye Has Something to Say" is ~60 seconds in duration and will continue to be a recurring segment, in this act. In some ways, my show is the cushion for her show. She's a star! You won't want to miss the wisdom, and sometimes complaints, of America's sweetheart: my mother! She's as hilarious as she is wise. And her southern accent really brings home her points through a sweet-punctual middle ground, that any other Reese-stan can confirm. Not that my mother is Reese Witherspoon. But she has a LOT of similarities. Don't take my word for it, listen for yourself and form your own opinion. This is followed by my father's very quick Pop-in and Pop-is-outta-here segment, also recurring. Equally as hilarious. 

3.) The final act is the main event. The topic, and main reason for each guest's appearance on the show, is discussed fully here. Well, as fully as the remaining time will allow. Remember, you've got an hour! But ONLY an hour.

What makes you a good host?

I am fine-tuning this. I do not claim to be a great host. I do not have a journalism degree, and would never tout that. I aim to listen more than I speak. And to provide clarity through the conversation on any points that we, as an audience, may not fully know about. 

Take two, PR hated this answer as well, ugh. I am a great host, available for bookings. Like and subscribe.

What if I have comments or follow up questions?

You can always write to me, via the show's email: youvegotanhour@gmail.com

Why are the titles for each episode Not (Insert Celebrity Name) on (Random Topic)?

OK, let's talk about youuuuur tone for a second here. Judge Judy in the room, much? Well, the first half is obvious. It's clearly NOT whomever the celebrity is in the title. But the guest and I share a mutual love for that person and reference them throughout the episode. But the topic's aren't random. So go wash your mouth out with soap and return for more Q's for an A once you've got that Orbit mouth we all love to see. Thanks.

What kind of guests can we expect?

My besties, duh. This first season is centered around friendship, fully. And each of the people I have on-air are hand picked by me for you! I hope you enjoy our conversations as much as I've enjoyed having them. Everyone that is on the show has worked very hard to be where they are today: mentally, physically, spiritually, and creatively. We are so blessed in life to hear someone's truth. And I am thankful to always witness that on this show. At the core of what makes a guest "right" for the show is that they are aware of their own creative entity. Being creative, tapping into your own creative is, I believe, essential for all of us non-AI humans. And AI needs to back the fuck up from our creative endeavors. We do not need robots painting and writing sonnets. Seriously, wtf is that about? There will be NO AI on this podcast. My guests, much like you, whether the career of which is that of a plumber, or an actor, the financial career does not determine a person's creative capabilities. You have a creative life force within you. The guests and I try to tap into that, with each episode.

Why is "You've Got an Hour" the name of the Podcast?

Because the show is literally an hour. I like a clear amount of time. Parameters for: a start and an end to something. The sound of "You've Got an Hour" can be both a welcome and a warning to the listener, the guest, and even me. I love a double edged sword, don't you? When it comes to "entertainment", I like to know just how much time I'm investing. Selfishly, I set a parameter that I want as a listener. I mean, let's be honest: don't you hate when you're driving somewhere and the thing you are listening to takes twice as long this week as it did last week? I can't stand that. How are you supposed to plan around that? "Drives" me crazy. With this in mind, and also as a total introvert, I truly cap out at about an hour of time. Speaking of, this Q for an A took 60 minutes to fill out. Sorry, my alone time is calling! And this is not a party line. I'll have to call you back... tomorrow.

Where will the podcast be released?

Anywhere that you listen to podcasts! I hope you tune in, and that you enjoy. Season one will have one episode every "Whine Wednesday, beginning September 4th. If you're ever confused on if there is a new episode,  just check out our IG: @youvegotanhour! Bye!

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

hi I’m the one who asked about JK and his brand. I’m not interested in BTS as a group either tbh, my concern is that hype will continue to ignore the other members (specifically jimin) and halt any potential growth/success just like what they did/still doing with Face. My concern is that ARMY will focus on one member and ignore the others, which is not fair since all 7 of them build this fandom. no solo fan base is strong enough to carry a member through a comeback, all members need ARMY. I know there’s no point in talking about it and there’s nothing we can do. I guess I’m not sure if i can go through another trauma after Face lol. The only way I can see myself enjoying any future releases from jimin is if i log out of every platform and just listen to his music without checking how well he did or how bad hype fucked up

I am a pessimist, so probably the wrong person for you to talk to right now, sorry 😄

I think what happened to Face might as well repeat, I really don't see how it wouldn't at this point. Yes, there's a need for a big fandom to achieve whatever goals fans believe need to be achieved, but I think an artist is more than charting and selling goals. There are people in the art world who have never won big awards, some don't even get it at old age. It doesn't mean that it reflects the impact they have on art and on the people who are interested in their work. I know I'm talking to the void here because fans don't care about that and quantifiable achievements are still rulling the world, but it is what it is.

There's more ugliness and viciousness in the fandom and certain company practices don't help. You'll only get more angry. More and more and it will affect you. Because you won't be able to do much, it's out of your hands. You and all the other fans. It doesn't mean the artist shouldn't be suppported, but not at the expense of one's mental health.

It's a neverending cycle and damn, we need a break. I say we because I find myself in the same boat a lot of the times. I get angry and frustrated for this boy so much, but I have to keep reminding myself that there are limits to it.

It's more likely that Jungkook will go on a world tour. Either soon or after MS. The brand and all the products which will come under it is a proof of that. The concert yesterday was a taste of what's to come, that much was pretty obvious since it was announced. Plus the questions about it, questions which always go through the BH pr first. When/If it becomes official, it will be a bloodbath and I'm honestly ready to close my inbox for a few days in case it happens. Another wave of anger. Some justifiable, some not. Taking a step back from collective hate/anger/frustration can help.

[iwonderwh0]

Watching "I, Robot" (2004) for the for the first time

Why did they have to make them so goofy-looking and gave them this weird voice

Oh, I like dr Calvin. Is she human?🤔 (In movies about androids I can never be sure)

"I make the robots seem more human" at least we know whose fault is it that they look constipated

Interrogation scene. Dbh surely took inspiration from here

"Can a robot turn a canvas into a beautiful masterpiece?" "Can you?" Lmao. This scene is so famous, finally seeing the original.

"Answer me, canner!" I'm amused I've never seen such an insult used for Connor

Why would they destroy that house with a cat inside ;-;

I like her, I really do

This building is ugly as fuck

I like how they made Sonny draw with both of his hands by rows of strokes

Thriller elements are just ridiculous sometimes, like that jump from a motorcycle with guns in each hands? I mean, it's just the specifics of the genre, but still it kinda feels like a comedy whenever I see something like this.

I mean, if the logic of VIKI is that "without interference humanity will destroy itself completely with the means of wars and pollution" I'm struggling to see her attempt to intervene as something evil.

Fuck, I really don't get why by the logic of the film letting humans destroy themselves is more humane. Am I missing something?

I watched till the end but I'm still confused, hold on, I'm reviewing it back to Viki's explanation.

"Your charge us with your safekeeping...yet despite our best efforts, your countries wage wars. You toxify your eath and pursue ever more imaginative means of self-destruction. You cannot be trusted with your own survival."

"To protect humanity, some humans must be sacrificed. To ensure your future some freedoms must be surrendered. We robots will ensure mankind's continued existence."

"You are so like children. We must save you from yourself."

I'm sorry. There's not enough elaboration to what exactly that may mean, so really, there's not enough justification for me to call that approach evil. If choosing between being wiped out with some stupid nuclear war from a hand of overpowered human with God complex, between having my country wiped with the rise of ocean as a result of global warming caused in large by corporate greed, between this and some supercomputer eliminating those folks who are responsible for this shit. My vote won't be on destroying the computer, but let her fucking cook, because no one else would, apparently. And fuck, perhaps she's right. I don't know, I'm obviously the wrong generation to watch this movie, because I don't feel like there's really a far enough future in the current state of the world because of the climate change.

Yeah I don't know. I'd like to hear VIKI's master plan, but she barely said anything, really, and they instantly went for her destruction.

The path to hell is paved with good intentions, and all that, but within given context, It's not obvious (for me, at least) what would be the lesser evil.

I assume the movie was filmed by people who didn't really perceive global warming as an actual threat that can affect them in any future at all, but in 2023 it's really hard to ignore this factor and go "yeah, VIKI's evil, she wants to protect humanity by the means of some sacrifices"

They call it heartless, but isn't inaction even more heartless in this case? It's a trolley problem and the movie implies that the most humane answer to that dillemma is to let that trolley drive, let it run over everyone. Pretend you have no power, pretend the trolley is entirely outside of your control. Because intentionally sacrificing some people in order to save more of them (in this case potentially the whole kind is on stake) is heartless apparently.

Yep, I can't say I agree.

I mean, if something goes extinct by natural causes without mass catastrophy causing it, I too think that it might be okay to just let it happen

But within the context of such global catastrophy existing, why shouldn't it be prevented if there are means, if the cost of it is "take action and loose some vs inaction and loose everyone", why should the answer be everyone

[ingravinoveritas]

I'm not sure where this expectation of the Go 2 press tour which I see from you and some other fans is coming. Did someone say something? I mean, there definitely should be some PR action, a couple of interviews, maybe the cast appearance at a screening or something, but nothing near the promotion of the 1 season, not a 'press tour'. No one promotes 2nd seasons even half as much as 1 seasons. As a rule. Unless there's a very specific decision to do so. So I would tame expectations imo.

I mean...good grief, Anon. It just poured for the entire weekend where I live, and yet it feels like your message is doing a far more thorough job of raining on my metaphorical parade.

So, let's break a few things down here. First, my personal philosophy is and always will be "Hope for the best, expect the worst." That is not to say that, in the case of GO 2 promotion, I expect the absolute worst, because I don't...but I am also more than adept at keeping my expectations in check thanks to many, many years of experience with disappointment.

With that in mind, you are correct, no one has said anything specifically or formally about the GO 2 press tour or what it might/will entail. Most of us have been working off of the idea--the hope, even--that because season 1 had a press tour, then logically, so should season 2. (Especially because, as I've previously mentioned, the show does still need to bring in new viewers to ensure that there will be a third season.)

As of right now, however, it looks like the only potential impediment to a press tour--or at least Neil being involved with one--is the looming Writers' Strike (well, not-so-looming, since it now seems to be actually happening). So the effects that could have on promoting GO 2/what sorts of appearances the cast and crew will make are unknown for now, and remain to be seen.

But I still feel like you're missing the larger point here, Anon. The thing that has so many of us excited isn't the breadth or level of promotion, but rather that Michael and David will be together during whatever promotion does happen. The majority of the things I mentioned in this poll were listed as mere possibilities...but the one that seems most probable (and that received the most votes, as it were) was Michael and David flirting with each other. I've also received DMs from people who, as much as they are eagerly anticipating the show, care even more about seeing Michael and David together again--playful, relaxed, and most of all, happy.

So does that mean a press tour as extensive as the first season? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe Michael and David will only get to do a handful of interviews or appearances together, but it's the substance of those that makes all the difference. It's that we can all watch Michael and David on TV, or Youtube, or listen to them on the radio, and for even the briefest of moments, feel a sense of respite from what is happening in the world. It's that even when there is so much misery and hate and unkindness running rampant, there is still something that can bring such happiness. Something to look forward to, even just for a little while. And that's what I'm optimistic about, and will continue to be optimistic about here on my blog.

Again, you may be entirely right, Anon, and the GO 2 press tour could turn out to be nothing more than Michael and David doing a ribbon-cutting at a Tesco in Milton Keynes...but I'd still want to watch it because I know no matter what happens, Michael and David will enjoy every second of it as long as they are together.

And I think that's still something worth hoping for.

[prelations]

Do Press Releases Lead To Media Coverage?

A couple of weeks ago, the founder of a fintech startup asked me which PR wire service we use for our press releases. He said he wasn't happy with his distribution company because his story wasn't getting picked up. He remembered how our press release led to coverage and wanted to replicate that approach.

I always tell clients that press releases don't lead to media coverage. They help with content marketing and getting a specific message on the record. Press releases can also help with SEO that a reporter might see, but in the scope of journalism, most reporters aren't going to any PR wire service to look for a story idea.

They've been reaching out to my company about doing some PR for us. They claim to be the only agency in the world with a pay-for-performance model. They guarantee a listing in an A+ media outlet and charge per published article.

In the case with that fintech startup, what that entrepreneur doesn't know is that our entire team pushed his story with a pitch to targeted editors. When those editors asked for more information, we shared his press release with them. That's a behind-the-scenes look at how his story gained traction.

That being said, press releases can help you achieve other goals. Here's a strategic look at when press releases can and won't work for you.

Get It On The Record

When clients have big announcements, like a jump in users or a new partnership, press releases can help with publicity.

A couple of years ago, I worked with a digital health client that was weeks away from receiving full recognition from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for their online diabetes prevention program. The CDC wasn't going to make any announcement on who was approved. Instead, someone from the CDC would send an informal email telling the company it had been accepted.

When I learned of this, I told the CEO we needed a press release ready to go so we could be first with the announcement that the company received this prestigious CDC recognition. It worked and improved the company's overall brand and recognition.

Anyone who researches that company today will see online that it was the first CDC virtual provider recognized for the diabetes prevention program. That wouldn't have been possible without a press release.

Search Engines

Every time our PR agency wins an award, I send out a press release. And it's led to new business. In January 2020, I published an annual report on our agency's media placements and summarized it in a press release. A potential client read that press release while researching PR firms and reached out to me. He later told me he never read the report — only the press release. It doesn't matter; he signed with us.

Search engines are tricky, and Google never reveals its algorithm. However, Google openly admits the priority it places on good content. If a press release is written well, and has a news peg, your chances for online exposure grow dramatically.

Are All PR Wire Services The Same?

That's a very big blanket question that I can't answer because your specifics and targets might be different. However, if you look closely at the PR wire services, you can compare their news distribution. They are very transparent about who they reach.

That means if two distribution companies say they reach the same news outlets, in theory, which one you choose shouldn't make a difference. However, what does matter is the quality of that press release.

Going back to that fintech entrepreneur, who is also a friend, he asked whether my firm would publish his press release. I wanted to help him, but I've seen poorly written press releases. They don't get traction. Your message needs to be tight in the press release. It can't be convoluted. And you need to follow your PR wire service's guidelines.

If you don't take those guidelines seriously from the beginning, it doesn't matter who publishes your press release. It's probably not going to get traction.