Is Graham Norton about to hang up his headphones for good?
Daily Mail Online
Mark Borkowski, one of Britain’s leading PR gurus who represents a number celebrity clients, told MailOnline that despite the trappings of wealth and celebrity, a career as long as Graham’s takes its toll.
Final thought
WARC
Many children have their own social media accounts, even those who are supposed to be too young to have one. And they tend to have a very different relationship with influencers than an older generation. “They follow them, understand the algorithms, they are learning from them. [Because] they think that they can do it, younger kids are smarter than a marketing executive,” PR executive Mark Borkowski told the Financial Times.
https://www.warc.com/content/feed/behind-the-prime-hydration-phenomenon/en-GB/7979
How Prince Harry and Meghan Markle burned bridges in Hollywood
The Mercury News
“Taking on Harry and Meghan was a great coup for Netflix,” U.K.-based public relations and branding expert Mark Borkowski told The Wrap. “It probably got a lot of eyeballs and subscriptions, but they (Harry and Markle) never delivered.”
As for the couple’s rebrand, it’s not their first effort to try to find new ways to promote themselves as entertainment innovators, humanitarians or global thought leaders. Last month, the couple launched Sussex.com, their third website in four years, with their representatives saying it would bring their various charitable and commercial endeavors “under one umbrella.”
Critics say the Sussex.com site mainly serves to amplify the couple’s connections to their duke and duchess titles, as well to the monarchy, even after they spent the past few years alleging that the institution was dysfunctional, out of touch, cruel and possibly racist.
Willy Wonka and the great British shambles
Financial Times
This attitude of expectant pessimism led the BBC to put on a satire dedicated to the bungled preparations for the UK-hosted Olympics in 2012. Except, of course, it turned out to be a raging success. Because when we put the effort in we’re not bad at these things. We can actually (whispers) be quite good.
But the disasters of chancers are always going to find equal footing in the hearts of the nation. As Mark Borkowski, a public relations expert, says: “When something is very poor, word of mouth travels fast, quicker than when something is good.”
https://www.ft.com/content/85d8327a-a6c6-41ff-9d62-73fc5f841c8e
Letter from London: Everything Was Forever
Counterpunch
I first met media expert Mark Borkowski 30 years ago before traveling to West Africa to write for an English newspaper about Peter Kosminsky’s Dying of the Light, a film on murdered UK aid worker Sean Devereux. I have long warmed to Mark and always try to read him. Last week, he spoke of our growing push for smartphone-free childhoods and asked why so many of us were considering switching off entirely.
Is it harming our mental health and strength, he asked? Does it stunt our attention span? Will it affect our cognitive abilities? Mark also referenced overloaded media channels struggling to balance quality with survival, hinting at things racing away from us before proper safeguarding.
$100 million Sussex misfire
The Royal Observer
“Taking on Harry and Meghan was a great coup for Netflix,” PR expert Mark Borkowski told an outlet. “It probably got a lot of eyeballs and subscriptions, but they [Harry and Markle] never delivered,” he claimed before further adding about the Montecito twosome: “The amount of income this pair has to raise is enormous.”
Another insider pointed out that Harry and Meghan’s deal with the company is an “overhead agreement,” which means the ex-working royals will not receive the full $100 million since some of it also funds their staff at the company.
Biggest corporate crisis
PR Week
Formula 1 team Red Bull was in the spotlight even more than usual during the pre-race season period this year.
When its boss, Christian Horner (pictured), faced allegations of inappropriate behaviour, Red Bull chose to keep him front and centre. Horner was interviewed by the press, calling the claims against him a mere “distraction”, in a strategy that crisis comms pro Mark Borkowski referred to as “Horner playing hardball”, and cautioned could cause further problems for Red Bull.
Harry And Meghan’s Controlling Attitudes Reportedly Ruined Their Hollywood Reputations
The List
Creating media and producing are collaborative processes — especially if it’s your first time doing so. This means that Harry and Meghan need help from authorities in the field. Yet, PR expert Mark Borkowski told TheWrap that the couple doesn’t “have a quality team around them.” Instead of seeking counsel from others, they prefer to always be in charge.
Borkowski says that the Sussexes “drive this ship, they are in the wheelhouse, whether you are the Obamas, or Meghan and Harry you have to defer to people who can really get the job done.” By the sound of it, they’ve alienated many Hollywood partnerships.
Meghan and Harry’s $100 Million Netflix Deal Is a Hollywood Miss
The Wrap
“Taking on Harry and Meghan was a great coup for Netflix,” public relations and image guru Mark Borkowski told TheWrap. “It probably got a lot of eyeballs and subscriptions, but they [Harry and Markle] never delivered.”
Borkowski added that the clients he works with are closely watching their budgets and costs, but, given the former royals’ lifestyle, “The amount of income this pair has to raise is enormous.”
https://www.thewrap.com/meghan-and-harrys-100-million-netflix-deal-is-a-hollywood-miss-exclusive/
Victoria Beckham devastated over Romeo & Mia Regan’s split
The Sun
PR expert Mark Borkowski told The Sun that being a ‘momager’ means Victoria has to “take the rough with the smooth”.
He said: “If you create a soap opera out of your life, you have to accept the ups and downs — just like the Kardashians have proved.
“Break-ups might not be pleasant but they carry on the family narrative and make it interesting.
“I think Victoria has ultimate control as far as she can and it goes without saying that any mum wants their children to be happy.
“But these are still young people making their way in life and it’s not always a happy story.” Victoria has a notoriously tricky relationship with eldest son Brooklyn’s wife, heiress Nicola Peltz, after the pair fell out over the design of her wedding dress.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/26199922/victoria-beckham-devastated-romeo-mia-regan-split/
Love Island star Jake Cornish has sparked rift rumours after he was missing from nights out in London with his co-stars.
The Sun
LOVE Island star Jake Cornish has sparked rift rumours after he was missing from nights out in London with his co-stars.
Liberty’s proclamation she found “self love” while in the ITV2 matchmaking series has been widely praised – with her premature departure hinting the prize money wasn’t the most important thing to her.
And despite her walkout, PR expert Mark Borkowski reckons it hasn’t affected her money-making potential one bit.
The straight-talking beauty has already been offered a book deal and been approached by a variety of fashion and beauty brands.
Mark told the Mirror: “Liberty’s timing and tactics have chimed with a post-Covid world. She will be a multi-millionaire.”
Football, commercials and movies: Travis Kelce’s meteoric Hollywood rise
Marca.com
“It’s very interesting,” Mark Borkowski said to Page Six. “I think the guy was always going on to great things before he met Taylor Swift.
https://www.marca.com/en/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/2024/02/17/65d0c80c268e3e390e8b4574.html
From starring in commercials to producing a movie: How Travis Kelce is going Hollywood
Page Six
Global PR and branding expert Mark Borkowski told Page Six: “It’s very interesting, I think the guy was always going on to great things before he met Taylor Swift. He was part of a legendary team and he had a big part to play in it. He was poised to be one of those players who have a huge career both on and off the field.
Kelce’s “passion” definitely took over as he swept Swift — who had flown from Japan for the game — into an embrace on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
https://pagesix.com/2024/02/17/entertainment/how-travis-kelce-is-going-hollywood/
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘catastrophic’ management has left ‘brand Sussex’ in chaos… so what IS the plan?
Newsbreak
PR insiders have now also waded in on the Sussexes’ “contradictory” image overhaul, telling The Sun it flies in the face of their blistering attacks against the Firm in a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, scathing books including Harry’s memoir, Spare, and their Netflix documentary series.
PR expert Mark Borkowski tells us: “Everything that they have done has always been a bit of a knee jerk.
“It is not being considered. If you look at the whole thing, from Oprah, right the way through to Harry’s appearance with James Corden, the book, the story-spinning, it’s just been a catastrophic disaster.
Meghan Markle et Harry irresponsables ? Ils sont accusés de semer le chaos
Gala
Selon Mark Borkowski, “depuis Oprah jusqu’à l’apparition d’Harry chez James Corden, le livre, l’histoire, c’est tout simplement un désastre catastrophique”. “Si vous voulez comprendre comment construire une fondation ou une marque, il y a une bonne façon de le faire, ou vous pouvez le faire à la manière de Harry et Meghan, ce qui n’est pas la façon la plus sensée d’aller de l’avant ou de s’établir comme des leaders d’opinion qui pourraient effectivement changer le monde”, a-t-il ajouté. Pour Nick Ede, expert en marques et en culture, s’“ils ont le droit d’utiliser le nom, car il leur appartient”, “cela brouille les lignes entre leur passé et leur présent”.
“J’ai l’impression que cela contredit tout ce qu’ils ont présenté ces dernières années avec le documentaire, Spare et l’interview d’Oprah”, a-t-il poursuivi. Selon un autre expert des relations publiques, la façon dont ils ont façonné leur entreprise “pourrait conduire à des conflits”. “Ils sont en difficulté depuis un certain temps et ont dû faire face à un certain nombre de défis, a-t-il expliqué. Maintenant, ils essaient désespérément de posséder le domaine Sussex.com, mais il ne semble pas y avoir de stratégie. Cela semble un peu désespéré”.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘catastrophic’ management has left ‘brand Sussex’ in chaos
The Sun
PR insiders have now also waded in on the Sussexes’ “contradictory” image overhaul, telling The Sun it flies in the face of their blistering attacks against the Firm in a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, scathing books including Harry’s memoir, Spare, and their Netflix documentary series.
PR expert Mark Borkowski tells us: “Everything that they have done has always been a bit of a knee jerk.
“It is not being considered. If you look at the whole thing, from Oprah, right the way through to Harry’s appearance with James Corden, the book, the story-spinning, it’s just been a catastrophic disaster.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/royals/25916077/prince-harry-meghan-markle-staff-exodus-archewell-netflix/
PR expert weighs in on the Harkles’ collapsing brand
The Sun posted a video on Youtube (link below) of PR expert, Mark Borkowski, talking about what the Harkles are doing wrong and what lies ahead for them. For those who don’t want to watch it because it’s kinda long, I summarized it below (it’s not verbatim). A lot of it is Captain Obvious and what we have discussed before. I don’t think it takes an expert to tell us that they’ve failed miserably. Anything in italics are my comments. Also he didn’t call them the Harkles/Harold/etc, I did lol.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s ‘knee jerk’ PR strategy slammed as ‘catastrophic’
The Express
PR guru Mark Borkowski has said that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s new website is an attempt by them to “dump their failures” and restart.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1866942/prince-harry-meghan-markle-pr-strategy-catastrophic
How Edward Enninful got 40 of the world’s most famous women in one room for iconic final Vogue cover
The Daily Mail
Many of the 40 women could command a combined rate of north of £1.5million per day. Oprah famously can be paid up to £600,000 a day while Linda Evangelista famously said she wouldn’t get out of bed for less than £10,000.
But Mark Borkowski, one of Britain’s leading PR gurus, told MailOnline that being featured on such an iconic cover would mean that most, if not all would, have not charged Vogue at all. Some of their costs may have been covered by fashion houses and model agencies who want the exposure, he said.
Divided brothers? Britain’s press pounces on Harry’s fleeting visit.
The Washington Post
Publicist and royal commentator Mark Borkowski said the contrast in media treatment showed “just how deep the hatred of Harry is from the British media.” He said it was “unfair” to suggest his visit had been a “PR exercise” and that more likely, like everyone else, he was “shocked” by news of his father’s ill health and wanted to be with him.
Borkowski acknowledged that Harry’s “visceral” autobiography had probably “caused deep wounds between the family,” but suggested that the royals could in the future use more hands on deck, possibly including Harry.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/08/prince-harry-william-charles-cancer/