Press

Nigel Farage: Ad industry has ‘no idea what’s going on in people’s lives’

Mark Borkowski, founder and head of PR agency Borkowski, is not a fan of Farage but thinks Brexit is a salutary reminder of how inward-looking advertising and marketing have become.

“All those people who were running around at Cannes recently, slapping themselves on the back and giving awards to campaigns that, as good as many of them are, play to hipsters in Shoreditch, Glasgow and Manchester, should give Farage a communications award,” he said.

Read full article here: https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/nigel-farage-ad-industry-no-idea-whats-going-peoples-lives/1591206

After Another Nightmare Week For Meghan Markle, Now Kate Middleton Is Stepping In To Help

Grazia Daily

The Sussexes have also recently faced attacks for their decision not to reveal the names of Archie’s godparents and to keep his christening private – shortly after it was revealed that the renovation of their home, Frogmore Cottage, cost the taxpayer £2.4m. According to PR expert Mark Borkowski, last week’s trip to the polo was the start of an attempt to change the script.

Read full article here: https://graziadaily.co.uk/celebrity/news/meghan-markle-kate-middleton-princess-privacy/

Battle royal: Sussexes under fire as Archie set for private baptism

Herald Scotland

“Public relations expert Mark Borkowski said their decision to maintain privacy echoes the public relations strategy of a Hollywood A-lister. This is what you would expect a Hollywood A-lister to do, purposefully be sort of antagonist to the traditional system and not engaging with media in any shape or form” he said.

Read full article here: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/17753267.battle-royal-sussexes-fire-archie-set-private-baptism/

ACTING UP? Meghan and Harry are acting like ‘Hollywood A-listers’ by keeping baby Archie’s christening private, PR expert claims

The Sun

Borkowski, a public relations consultant, said the decision to keep the press and public out of the celebration was all part of their carefully planned media strategy.
Unlike the christenings of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s three children, Harry and Meghan are excluding the cameras, and will only release only a few select photographs.
And in another marked difference between the Sussexs and the Cambridges, the new parents have decided not to release the names of Archie’s godparents.
Mark told Independent Ireland: “This is what you’d expect a Hollywood A-lister to do, purposefully be sort of antagonist to the traditional system and not engaging with media in any shape or form.

Read full article here: https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/9442440/meghan-markle-prince-harry-hollywood-alisters-christening-archie-private/

Meghan Markle’s royal advisers made ‘HUGE MISTAKE’ with family drama – ‘the Meghan show!’

The Express

MEGHAN MARKLE’S Palace insiders made a “huge mistake” in the way in which they handled the backlash from the Duchess of Sussex’s family, PR guru Mark Borkowski has said.

Meghan Markle’s father Thomas was due to attend the Royal Wedding in May last year but it was revealed just days before that he had been hit with a heart problem and was too ill to make the trip.

The announcement came as he admitted he was paid to stage paparazzi photos to sell to news outlets in an effort to improve his image.

The Royal Family has been criticised for not welcoming Meghan’s family to the UK sooner in preparation for the wedding.

Mr Borkowski criticised the Royal Family’s handling of the situation and told ITV’s ‘Harry and Meghan: A Royal Baby’ documentary: “When you are dealing with AA list celebrities, it is really tough. It is unforgiving.

“The royal household didn’t deal with her family and cut then off and separated them out and they became the embarrassing dad.
“That was a huge mistake.

“She is a Hollywood actress. She knows what it is to project. She understands the demands of the media. It’s the Meghan show.”

Read full article here: https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1116159/Meghan-Markle-baby-news-Prince-Harry-pregnant-Thomas-Markle-wedding-latest-ITV

Here my thoughts on woke-washing; acting to appear more acceptable to socially conscious consumers. Outing cynical bullshit.

The Guardian

“Mark Borkowski, a branding expert, said: “There’s nothing wrong with having a purpose and a drive, but it has to run through every element of your brand.

“The younger generation are much more aware that they’re being marketed to. Every brand wants that immediate idea that’s going to lift them above the noise, but the messaging and authenticity – really making a change – isn’t easily achieved in the blink of an eye. We all end up even more cynical.”

Read full article here: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/jun/19/unilever-boss-says-brands-using-woke-washing-destroy-trust

Boris Johnson looks more like Katie Price than a statesman in ‘staged’ loved-up pictures

The Mirror

Wannabe Tory leader branded a hypocrite for showing private life while ducking debate.

It doesn’t take a PR expert to tell you that this won’t play well. The British public will judge and they are not easily fooled.

Whoever has done this has been influenced by less Alastair Campbell, more Katie Price , although it does feel like an episode of political satire The Thick of It.

I think it’s straight out of the school of gauche PR.

Whoever did this is setting him up as a reality star rather than as a statesman. Maybe that’s what you need to be in politics now. But it does smell.

These reconciliation photos are what every soap star, every reality star does six months before they split up.

They are hoping it will change the narrative. But people will think it looks like it’s been manufactured.

Maybe it’s not, but it’s far too convenient after all the ructions.

There’s been too much conversation about his relationship and not enough about him as a leader. It’s an own goal.

Read full article here: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-looks-more-like-17202949

Ed Sheeran set to become a billionaire before he turns 30

The Daily Star

“Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, he said: “The man who was busking on the streets is now a man who is going to be a billionaire. Above all, this shows just how potent live music is nowadays.It’s the one that generates the money. The music business has moved on with labels having to be more savvy and Ed clearly has a team that knows what it’s doing.”

Read full article here: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/showbiz-tv/music/781596/ed-sheeran-billionaire-singer-songwriter-money-30th-birthday

PR expert tells Jeremy Kyle to reinvent himself

The Independent

“Public relations and branding expert Mark Borkowski told Press Association: “He has to reinvent himself because clearly that type of programme is no longer fit for these times.
“We’re in sensitive areas – that programme might have been at its peak post-Springer, 2005, I’m personally surprised it’s been going so long”

Read full article here: https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/pr-expert-tells-jeremy-kyle-to-reinvent-himself-38117992.html

Why real-life memoirs are such a hit with readers

The Guardian

The popularity of the book – and others in the genre, such as Matt Haig’s Reasons to Stay Alive about depression – is down to people wanting “sweat, tears, blood and untold stories”, says celebrity commentator and PR professional Mark Borkowski. “What they don’t want to know is that it’s a perfect life.”

Read full article here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/may/04/real-life-memoirs-are-a-hit-with-readers

Triumph for Extinction Rebellion as protests spark huge surge in ‘climate change’ web traffic

The Independent

Mark Borkowski, who has written extensively about the art of the “publicity stunt”, said that the campaign was markedly different from previous eco-protests. The aims of the Extinction Rebellion press operation is gradual change – to gather momentum, and what we’ve seen recently with them has been something that has built up over a period of time,” he said

Read full article here: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/climate-change-protests-extinction-rebellion-london-google-search-a8886171.html

Triumph for Extinction Rebellion as protests spark huge surge in ‘climate change’ web traffic Group apologises for disruption but says demonstrations were ‘hugely successful’

The Independent

Extinction Rebellion activists have hailed their protests in London as a “huge success” after data suggested they caused a five-fold increase in online searches for climate change.

PR experts also agreed that the type of disruptive tactics employed by Extinction Rebellion had successfully made people take notice.

The media are doing exactly what they [Extinction Rebellion] want them to do, and that is talking about them.”

Mark Borkowski, who has written extensively about the art of the “publicity stunt”, said that the campaign was markedly different from previous eco-protests.

“The aims of the Extinction Rebellion press operation is gradual change – to gather momentum, and what we’ve seen recently with them has been something that has built up over a period of time,” he said.

“Publicity stunts, to a certain extent, are a tipping point to achieve a consciousness. What the PR world does badly sometimes are bad publicity stunts – that go off and generate a focus of attention for a 24-hour period but is then forgotten about.

“What they have done through the use of direct action and social media is build a momentum behind their campaign. You have to sustain the momentum of your action to keep interest going.”

He added: “They’ve had really strong iconic messages, such as the pink boat and stopping the traffic, which have really resonated with people’s consciousness – similar to protests in the past like ‘Ban the Bomb’, Greenham Common and anti-racism that had a profound effect.

“A lot of charities and protest movements could learn from the PR tactics of Extinction Rebellion.”

Read full article here: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/climate-change-protests-extinction-rebellion-london-google-search-a8886171.html

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