Theatre 2021: Mark Borkowski on… media messaging
The Stage
A critic once said that if a play was any good, it didn’t need PR. This utopian idea has come to fruition a few times over the years, but in the post-Covid landscape a production will be as likely to take off without effective communications as the Miss Saigon chopper without a production team.
Public relations, marketing and social media are a theatre’s lungs, and the industry is going to have to shout louder and more incisively than ever before, or risk drowning.
To survive, theatre must focus on relevance and social impact, embrace new technologies, break with identikit marketing, become the talk of the town, and make promotion part of the art.
Theatre must be unapologetic about its positive role in society. It’s the only art form that puts the audience in the room with huge topical issues and experiences. This powers a unique ability to foster social change that should be ingrained in the creation of a show, never retrofitted on a whim. Social impact has rarely been a more powerful form of communication – look at Captain Tom: a call to aid the NHS turned a pensioner walking laps of his garden into a fairytale of human endeavour.
If content is king, platform is queen. Many point to streaming as a means of attracting new and wider audiences. Lockdown has seen the medium take a necessary step forward, and a streaming release will likely be part of many shows’ life cycles going forward. But theatre is created to be live and a stream doesn’t truly put you ‘in the room’.
Theatre productions native to digital platforms are still treated as a niche sub-genre somewhere between site-specific and multimedia. Creating theatre for new platforms, particularly virtual reality and augmented reality, is essential for building audiences and opening revenue streams. Comedy producers are making the biggest strides here and theatre should look to them for inspiration. The theatre experience also has to extend beyond the auditorium doors and be imbibed in every facet of a production.
It’s also worth considering specific comms practices in more detail. UK theatre marketing and PR pre-Covid was formulaic. It’s harder to stand out when a show’s public image is generated by an identikit, box-ticking formula. Producers should demand a genuine point of difference in the form their promotion takes, as well as the content.
This is particularly true for regional theatre. A huge amount of water has flowed under the bridge since I started out at the Wyvern in Swindon, but PR and marketing for regional theatres has been in stasis, notwithstanding the advent of social and digital media. If there’s a lesson to take from the olden days, it’s this: become the talk of the town, employ mavens (we’d call them influencers now), integrate productions with the local community, tell stories that break out of the arts pages and into news, and revisit the art of the publicity stunt.
The latter we owe to PT Barnum’s masterstroke of making publicity an extension of the art – the art and its ability to attract an audience are one and the same. As the former circus impresario Gerry Cottle once put it: “We either get an audience, or we starve.” The whole of theatre is now in the same boat.
https://www.thestage.co.uk/features/theatre-2021-mark-borkowski-on-media-messaging
ROYALLY CONDEMNED. Prince Andrew interview – what happened on the BBC Newsnight special?
The Sun
PRINCE Andrew complained that the Jeffrey Epstein saga had become a “constant sore” for himself and his family in the bombshell interview with Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis on November 16.
Public relations and crisis consultant Mark Borkowski said about the interview: “I have never seen anything so disastrous. For any students of PR that is how not to do it.
“It was like watching a man in quicksand and unfortunately, I don’t think anyone would have thrown him a line to get him out.”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10367608/prince-andrew-interview-recap-reaction-newsnight/
Has government weathered Dominic Cummings-gate? PR experts weigh in
The Independent
PR experts and political analysts are divided on whether Mr Cummings will have to go. While some believe he has weathered the worst of the controversy, others think the media coverage over next few days could still prove crucial in deciding his future.
Top PR agent Mark Borkowski does not think the police statement, the recent nose dive in the polls, or a revolt by dozens of Tory backbenchers will make any difference to the prime minister or his defiant strategist.
“I’ve taken a bet with some US journalists who are amazed by this story, and I’ve confidently predicted that Cummings isn’t going anywhere,” Mr Borkowski tells The Independent.
“There are those will thick skins, and there are those with very thick skins who can simply ignore all this. Cummings is that person. He doesn’t give a flying f***. He really doesn’t.”
Mr Borkowski adds: “At No 10 he’s deemed necessary and powerful and they just don’t want him to go. They’re looking at the polling and choosing to take a gamble. It’s undoubtedly damaging. Keir Starmer and Labour will be able to hark back to this and say ‘look at this privilege’. But No 10 will wait and move on to the next controversy.
“We’re seeing the Trump effect in communications globally – you make a mistake and you move on without saying sorry. You deliver a better story or happily generate another controversy to move away from the previous controversy.”
Source: Prince Harry ‘Is Not Unhappy.’ He and Meghan are ‘Excited,’ Planning Their Future
Daily Beast
The British brand consultant Mark Borkowski, who has long been fascinated by the royals, says that Harry’s commercial future success will be intimately linked to how well he manages his emergence into the post-COVID world.
“I just don’t see him having the skill set to be a producer,” said Borkowski. “What people forget about Harry is that because he was trained to be in the firm, so as a result he is a man who is very tuned into concepts like public duty, service and community. Putting him in California is a bit like putting an animal in a zoo. It is so far out of his natural environment. It would definitely be a mistake for him to become too closely identified with the Hollywood glitz and the glamor. That’s Meghan’s world.
“He is the outdoors guy, the explorer, the guy in your local community doing cup challenges for charity, and that was why the Invictus Games was a huge success; it had all the attributes and brand values he stands for. That’s why he is so strong on Africa and the environment. I can easily see him walking across Antarctica for charity and making a film about it, for example—the adventure for good purpose—and setting up a very compelling narrative about someone overcoming huge hurdles in life to establish who he is in the process.”
Borkowski says the money needed to fund the dreary details of life such as security teams will come if the narrative is right: “Harry can build a business structure around that kind of narrative and get paid big commercial money. It might involve sitting on the board of a Silicon Valley company, for example, leadership courses, inspirational seminars or helping corporations with their own philanthropic goals to give back. He could be a very disruptive force in that world.”
For Biden to beat Trump in a digital campaign, strategists say these two things are essential
Newsweek
Mark Borkowski, a British publicist and author, addressed the unprecedented situation Biden is campaigning in, which he thinks is made harder given the position Trump has as the incumbent. This combination he said provides a communications challenge “like no other.”
“Joe Biden is running a Presidential campaign the likes of which has never been run before. The ability of the incumbent to grab media attention has been raised to an ultimate level,” Borkowski, whose company has worked with the celebrities such as Prince and Led Zeppelin, told Newsweek.
He added that there are “six months to go and pressure will only rise.”
https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-donald-trump-digital-campaign-needs-1504770
Harry and Meghan versus everyone else
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are making some big strategic errors in their quest to get even with Britain’s infamous tabloid newspapers.
“They are trying to beat the media with a very big stick,” says public relations guru Mark Borkowski, who regularly advises celebrities facing court. “However, what’s really happening is that they are in a knife fight with an enemy who has a flame thrower.”
“It was the worst case of timing I have ever seen,” Borkowski says. “They are clearly in a bubble.”
Borkowski knows a thing or two about image and perception. And in Harry and Meghan, he sees a poorly advised couple conducting a war they should have never started. He also suspects the British public grows tired of the antics.
“I want to be as generous as possible about this because they are wounded individuals,” Borkowski says. “Harry clearly treasures and loves this woman. And he is scarred. Everyone knows about the huge impact of losing his mother. And that appalling decision for him to walk behind the coffin at her funeral would have scarred anyone.
“But this wounding, from my perspective, is leading to some appalling decisions being made.”
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/harry-and-meghan-versus-everyone-else-20200422-p54mcv.html
CHOC THE DIFFERENCE Cadbury spends MILLIONS on new logo… and it looks almost identical to old one
The Sun
CADBURY has spent more than £1million on a new logo — almost identical to the old one.
Its designers say the bolder and louder lettering “puts the humanity back” into the signature seen on Dairy Milk and other bars.
PR expert Mark Borkowski said the rebrand by agency Bulletproof could easily top £1million. But he said Cadbury was right to keep changes subtle rather than risk alienating its loyal customers.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/11475956/cadbury-spend-millions-near-identical-logo/
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Reject U.K. Tabloids. The Tabloids Yawn.
Daily Beast
British tabloid editors say Harry and Meghan were “tone deaf” to attack them in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, and further evidence of “the worst PR operation in history.”
The British crisis management consultant Mark Borkowski told The Daily Beast, “Why is it important to tell the world this now? Aside from the fact that it is just stating the bleeding obvious, I don’t think it takes a genius to work out that this was not the right time to make this announcement. People are dying, frontline carers are dying, and he brings it back to Meghan and Harry world.
“All this suggests is just how far out of the loop of his own country Harry now is,” he said.
The only solution, Borkowski says, is for them to shed their hubris: “They need people significantly challenging them to think about what they are doing. Unfortunately, as we have seen, that’s not part of their make-up. This is the result.”
https://www.thedailybeast.com/prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-reject-uk-tabloids-the-tabloids-yawn
Cadbury spends more than £1million on a new logo – but can you tell which is which?
MailOnline
Cadbury has spent more than £1million on a new logo that looks just like the old one.
The much-loved British chocolate maker has ditched some of the words thickness and slightly re-moulded their tilt.
Its designer said this ‘puts the humanity back’ into the signature, which has gone unchanged for 50 years. But critics say this is simply a fudge.
PR expert Mark Borkowski told The Sun the re-brand, by agency Bulletproof, could easily have cost £1million.
But, he said, the national favourite was right to keep the changes subtle to avoid alienating customers.
Tyson Fury: From the Lowest of Lows to the Top of the World
Asharq Al-Awsat
For Tyson Fury it was the sweetest of redemption songs. Moments after regaining the heavyweight title in the early hours of Sunday in Las Vegas, he began serenading the 16,000-strong crowd at the MGM Grand with a boisterous two-minute rendition of Don McLean’s American Pie, beaming from ear to ear as they joined in…
…In the past Fury has equated homosexuality and abortions with paedophilia, claimed “Zionist, Jewish people … own all the banks, all the papers, all the TV stations” and “a woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on her back”.
While Fury has apologised for some of his remarks, pointing out that as a man of Traveller heritage he has suffered bigotry and abuse all his life, some believe that he should have been more contrite.
Mark Borkowski, a PR expert who has represented Diego Maradona, Michael Jackson, Virgin and Cadbury, says major brands will still be wary of Fury’s views. “Clearly Tyson is an incredibly gifted fighter and a once-in-a-generation showman,” he says. “But he carries a whole heap of baggage that will make many brands not want to go near him.
“If Joshua had just stopped Wilder as spectacularly as Fury has just done, he would be in line to make gazillions. I don’t see that happening with Fury.”
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2153806/tyson-fury-lowest-lows-top-world
‘Modest, authentic…but pointless? – PR pros on Yorkshire Tea’s handling of Twitter storm
PR Week
PR pros have given broad – but not universal – support for Yorkshire Tea’s “be kind” response to trolls and detractors, after a senior Conservative politician tweeted his fondness for the brand.
“Yorkshire Tea got it right,” said Mark Borkowski, founder of PR agency Borkowski.
“Distancing themselves from the ‘game’ of politics rather than just the ‘player’ (Rishi Sunak or the Tories) kept them out of the tribal squalor of that world. Their language and tone was also much plainer-spoken than the usual corporate social media account. It came across as modest and human, which seems consistent with their values.”
How a ‘future Queen in training’ is finding her voice
CBC News
As much as the more prominent role is an evolution for Kate, she is treading relatively safe ground. Offering support for parents and caregivers and promoting the importance of early childhood development carry a relatively low risk of controversy.
And those looking for shocking revelations out of her podcast will still be looking.
“To be quite honest, it was quite bland,” public relations expert Mark Borkowski said in an interview from London. “There was nothing much in it.”
Maybe in some ways, that’s not a surprise.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/royal-fascinator-kate-harry-meghan-1.5471544
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry ‘threat’ to Royal Family – ‘Huge hurdle in front of them’
The Express
PR “threat” to the Royal Family brand and the Queen had to ensure the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could not tarnish it with their Sussex Royal aspirations, PR expert Mark Borkowski suggested.
Queen ‘100 percent right’ to take Sussex Royal from Meghan Markle and Harry
The Express
Brand experts are confident Harry and Meghan will be able to rake in millions, even a billion in money earned through a mix of corporate deals, brand ambassador roles and public speaking.
The Sussexes are reportedly being lined up for a key role at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos next year where they will rub shoulders with the some of the richest people on the globe.
By mixing with that crowd they will likely form lucrative partnerships.
PR expert Mark Borkowski said of the move: “This does not surprise me at all.”
Billionaire business leaders in a ‘gold rush’ to work with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Long Room
PR expert Mark Borkowski told the Mirror: ‘This does not surprise me at all.’
Meanwhile a banking insider told the publication: ‘Harry and Meghan have set a clear path to work with big banks and corporate giants as well as doing altruistic work with charities.
Meghan Markle next steps: What will Meghan and Prince Harry do next? Source reveals all
The Express
The WEF’s mission is cited as being “committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas”.
Experts are suggesting that fraternising with WEF attendees could land the Sussexes £1billion with the right mix of corporate deals and brand ambassador roles.
PR expert Mark Borkowski said of the move: “This does not surprise me at all.”
Queen bans ‘Sussex Royal’: what now for Harry and Meghan?
The Week
A leading PR agent said last month that the pair should fight to keep the brand: “They have to fight for it. What else are they going to be? Harry and Meghan Windsor?” said Mark Borkowski.
Changing it would be “expensive and incredibly complicated”, he said. “There will be a lot of entrepreneurs out there who have been looking at variations of that name and who have been creating land grabs for it.”
https://www.theweek.co.uk/105771/queen-bans-sussex-royal-what-now-for-harry-and-meghan
Billionaire business leaders are in a ‘gold rush’ to work with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry – and the couple are set to be invited to speak at Davos in 2021, source claims
Mail Online
PR expert Mark Borkowski told the Mirror: ‘This does not surprise me at all.’
The billion pound jackpot Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will receive from just ONE outing
The Express
PR guru Mark Borkowski told the Mirror that he was not surprised by the move, while a banking source said: “Harry and Meghan have set a clear path to work with big banks and corporate giants as well as doing altruistic work with charities.
“The mix works well with the target audience and the celebrity set. However, it is sure to raise eyebrows in royal circles.
“It has echoes of other royals criticised for touting themselves to the highest bidder and all becomes rather tawdry.”