SABRINA TEENAGE SWITCH How Sabrina Carpenter shed her Disney image to become world’s most controversial star… from sex shock to A-list affairs
The US Sun
“She’s killed off her innocent image, just as Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and all the others had to,” says PR guru Mark Borkowski.
“The young people who grew up watching her have also grown up, and kids today are growing up faster – some would say too fast. So she is giving her audience what they want, or at least what she thinks they want.”
“I see her as a featherweight genius,” says Mark Borkowski, who admits he questions her longevity.
“Like a lot of pop stars now, she has a really profound digital social literacy. She’s brilliant at creating the type of content that gets shared and becomes clickbait.
“She’s found a way of getting the fame machine to work for her – with all the algorithms and the viral clips. She’s the perfect pop star for the algorithm age,” he adds.
Kanye West ‘paid wife Bianca Censori $250k to wear edible lingerie’… only for her to EAT the pricey panties
Daily Mail Online
PR Guru Mark Borkowski told MailOnline last year that the couple have a ‘game plan’ when it comes to Bianca’s outfits.
‘Kanye understands outrage and is trying to break the Internet. I think a lot of people are starting to feel rather uncomfortable, despite everything he’s said, about that he feels he can do whatever he wants with his partner.’
He added, ‘There is a line here drawn between those who believe this is control and those who believe that this woman is complicit and fully involved with this freak show.
‘But it is a weird freak show that everybody is engaging with and some are enjoying these quite explicit photos.’
Borkowski continued, ‘I think we’ll be looking back at this if a rift appears between them as something that is something exploitative. Some of the dresses are built for craving for publicity.’
Brad Pitt looks more loved-up than ever with glamorous girlfriend Ines de Ramon as she sweetly fixes his scarf on the red carpet at F1: The Movie premiere in London
Mail on Sunday
Borkowski PR found Mark Borkowski opined to Us Weekly that the actor’s fame, charm and enduring attractiveness may have helped him weather the storm.
‘When you’re that genetically gifted, the scandal has to work twice as hard to stick,’ he said.
Meghan Markle shows ‘lack of confidence’ in own brand products – expert
The Express
Leading PR consultant, Mark Borkowski, told Newsweek, the situation that unfolded shows low confidence in the brand. He said: “Nobody wants to be left with a load of stock you can’t shift. So it shows to a certain extent a lack of confidence in their own product because if they believed in it, they would go into overproduction or a greater production line.”
“It shows they’re still unsure about the very thing that would seem to be quite successful. Anyone with a rudimentary understanding of supply and demand would think they are surprised by their success.”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/2072589/meghan-markle-brand-lacking-confidence
Meghan Markle’s Confidence Struggles Illuminate Challenges Behind the As Ever Lifestyle Brand
Newz9
Meghan Markle’s online store, As Ever, recently restocked its products only to sell out again within minutes. This reflects a growing popularity and consumer demand. Yet, some experts are questioning the strategy behind the quick sellouts.
PR expert Mark Borkowski suggested that the rapid sellouts indicate uncertainty about product demand. He noted that a successful business usually prepares for high demand with adequate inventory. “If they truly believed in their product, they would produce more,” he stated, hinting at a lack of confidence in their supply chain.
Meghan Markle’s Confidence Struggles Illuminate Challenges Behind the As Ever Lifestyle Brand
Meghan Markle’s ‘Lack of Confidence’ Shows in As Ever Lifestyle Brand
Newsweek
Mark Borkowski, a U.K.-based PR expert, told Newsweek it reflected a lack of confidence in her own ability to sell despite the success she has so far achieved.
“Nobody wants to be left with a load of stock you can’t shift,” he said. “So it shows to a certain extent a lack of confidence in their own product because if they believed in it, they would go into overproduction or a greater production line.
“It shows they’re still unsure about the very thing that would seem to be quite successful.
“Anyone with a rudimentary understanding of supply and demand would think they are surprised by their success.”
Borkowski said Meghan’s comments about not wanting to sell out in minutes days before she did just that showed “a certain amount of naivety,” though he also acknowledged increasing supply might not be as straightforward as it sounds.
“What is this business?” He said. “If this business is from her own land it will only have a limited amount of product to supply that global demand.
“So, therefore, if she was to get involved in another supply chain, would that supply chain have the same credentials?
“And would we be picking over it to say it’s another complete and utter farce and it becomes another stick to attack her with.”
https://www.newsweek.com/meghan-markle-lack-confidence-ever-lifestyle-brand-2089254
Kneecap rapper faces mixed messages before Glasto gig
The Observer
The band have embraced the controversy around the legal case. “It is always down to authenticity and to commitment when it comes to taking a political position,” says PR agent Mark Borkowski. “But then those are the artists who then get targeted by the music industry and by the state.”
https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/kneecap-rapper-faces-mixed-messages-before-glasto-gig
Kneecap rapper faces mixed messages before Glasto gig
The band have embraced the controversy around the legal case. “It is always down to authenticity and to commitment when it comes to taking a political position,” says PR agent Mark Borkowski. “But then those are the artists who then get targeted by the music industry and by the state.”
Last night, Keir Starmer added his voice to calls for Glastonbury to drop the rappers from performing on Saturday. He said it is “not appropriate” for the group to appear. “I think we need to come down really clearly on this. I won’t say too much, because there’s a court case on, but I don’t think that’s appropriate,” he told The Sun on Sunday.
https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/kneecap-rapper-faces-mixed-messages-before-glasto-gig
Hypocrite Meghan CAUGHT OUT playing major power game – she knows exactly what she’s doing
The Sun
Public Relations Consultant Mark Borkowski also agreed the image caught Meghan out for using the title for leverage.
He said: “It’s clearly social capital. I mean, I think that I’m sure her PA uses it to ensure that she gets that top table at a restaurant.”
He went on to add: “Of course it adds weight and she knows it adds weight. And it gives that sort of subliminal aura that she still has links with the British Royal Family, which is a very, very, very powerful brand globally, particularly in America.
“And the fact is, if you are disconnected from that, of course, you lose your social capital, you lose your weight in terms of sort of some of these deals that she’s trying to do.
“I’m sure she is using that, when it’s important, when she has to land something to remind the people the power that she possibly has.
“This is a power game. And no more than in America where that status is so important because without that status, she’s just another sort of B-lister in a continent absolutely populated with celebrities.”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/royals/35508067/truth-lies-meghan-markle-podcast-royal-family/
‘This presidency is a brand-franchise’: Trump has taken the commercialization of politics to a new level
The Guardian
“There was a lot of dialog when Trump returned to power that we would see in this term a particularly interesting residency in the White House about how much money would be made,” says marketing-PR guru Mark Borkowski, “and this is a typical Trump side-hustle playing off Maga patriotism.”
The blurred lines between business and politics, impacting how candidates are portrayed, policies are shaped and voters engage with the political process – commonly referred to as the commercialization of politics – may not be Trump’s to own exclusively, but he’s taken it to a new level.
“It is troubling, and more than in jest, that this is now a political economy and he’s actually saying this presidency is a brand-franchise,” says Borkowski. “There is no separation between power and profit. He’s redrawn the boundaries between commerce and the office of the president, and he’s accelerated the notion of post-ethical politics.”
But under Trump politics and business have become melded as never before.
“It’s a new hyper-reality that exists in America,” says Borkowski. “It’s about turning political fandom into money, and he’s laughing all the way to the bank. He’s doing exactly what was expected. Nobody in Trump’s heartland sees this as damaging – it’s what they expect a deal-maker to do. The absurdity of everything Trump does is the point.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/21/trump-products-presidency-as-a-brand
Brad Pitt and girlfriend Ines de Ramon leave fans wincing over painfully awkward moment at F1 world premiere
Daily Mail Online
Borkowski PR found Mark Borkowski opined to Us Weekly that the actor’s fame, charm and enduring attractiveness may have helped him weather the storm.
‘When you’re that genetically gifted, the scandal has to work twice as hard to stick,’ he said.
Borkowski added that part of the reason the public hasn’t risen up against the star is ‘because he never comes across as smug and seems vaguely apologetic for being Brad.’
Borkowski noted that Brad departed from many celebrities who respond to accusations of wrongdoing by highlighting their alleged traumas and sharing with fans how they’re working to improve themselves.
Instead, Borkowski says the Tree Of Life star ‘kept quiet,’ which turned out to be ‘the one thing no one expects anymore.’
Brad Pitt Is Embracing ‘A Quiet Life’ After Settling His Divorce, Beating His Demons and Finding Love
US Weekly
Mark Borkowski, founder of Borkowski PR, tells Us Pitt’s Greek God looks do a lot of heavy lifting (“When you’re that genetically gifted, the scandal has to work twice as hard to stick,” he says), adding that the public forgives Pitt “because he never comes across as smug and seems vaguely apologetic for being Brad.” Indeed, Pitt took accountability for some of his behavior in a 2017 GQ story, saying he’d been “looking at my weaknesses and failures and owning my side of the street.” Says the first source: “The public has seen he’s someone who’s been able to be self-aware and self-reflective. Years ago, he acknowledged his mistakes and he’s worked to improve them.”
By and large, Pitt has kept his head down, only addressing Jolie’s allegations through his lawyers. “In the modern fame game, where celebrities rush to share their trauma in an Instagram carousel or recount their healing journey via podcast, Brad did the one thing no one expects anymore,” notes Borkowski. “He kept quiet.”
Brad Pitt Is ‘in a Good Place’ After Divorce, Heartbreak and Healing
Can the Beckham brand survive reports of family feud?
BBC News
He and Spice Girl wife Victoria created Brand Beckham – fusing fame, fashion and football to redefine modern stardom.
“Their brand has always been about control of narrative, image, and legacy,” says PR expert Mark Borkowski. “The media didn’t chase them. They gave it a trail to follow – blending scandal with strategy and high-end deals.”
Beckham “made metrosexuality mainstream”, he adds. “He showed working-class lads you could wear nail polish, model for Armani, champion grooming rituals – and still bend a free kick past the keeper at crunch time. All while embodying a very traditional ideal: devoted husband, hands-on dad, family first.”
Prince William and Prince Harry’s lives are worlds apart
Hello
PR and media consultant Mark Borkowski believes that the couple’s busy social-media strategy, including the unprecedented twerking video, is a way to keep themselves in the spotlight.
“I think that, particularly in America and with the way the media is consumed, it is about not being out of the headlines,” he tells us. “They know that if they can keep the spotlight, there’s always a business deal, because if you’re launching something, you need attention. They have to generate money; they have, undoubtedly, a very expensive lifestyle.
“Any noise that’s created around them gets eyeballs: that’s data, that’s clicks, that’s money. I think what Meghan and Harry have done is to unconsciously create a live 24/7 soap opera. It’s not far away from the Kardashian brand.
He adds: “The person who gets forgotten about is Harry: this is the Meghan show. Here is a man built for purpose and service and, in my eyes, there is a sense that he is a very different kind of spare now.”
https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/836943/prince-william-prince-harry-worlds-apart/
Us’ Mission Impossible Into Tom Cruise’s Secret Life: Scientology, Fatherhood and Dating
US Weekly
PR guru Mark Borkowski says Cruise is a unique being in an overexposed world. “In an age when celebrity is measured in clickbait and confessionals, he’s Houdini with a dollop of old-Hollywood glamour,” he tells Us. “He’s one of the few who understands that mystique — curated silence, not curated content — is more potent than a thousand influencer confessionals.”
'If You Are Close to Tom Cruise, You Don't Gossip': Insiders Tell Us
Exclusive: Prince William and Prince Harry’s lives are worlds apart
Hello Mag
PR and media consultant Mark Borkowski believes that the couple’s busy social-media strategy, including the unprecedented twerking video, is a way to keep themselves in the spotlight.
“I think that, particularly in America and with the way the media is consumed, it is about not being out of the headlines,” he tells us. “They know that if they can keep the spotlight, there’s always a business deal, because if you’re launching something, you need attention. They have to generate money; they have, undoubtedly, a very expensive lifestyle.
“Any noise that’s created around them gets eyeballs: that’s data, that’s clicks, that’s money. I think what Meghan and Harry have done is to unconsciously create a live 24/7 soap opera. It’s not far away from the Kardashian brand.
He adds: “The person who gets forgotten about is Harry: this is the Meghan show. Here is a man built for purpose and service and, in my eyes, there is a sense that he is a very different kind of spare now.”
https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/836943/prince-william-prince-harry-worlds-apart/
They’re perfect – until they aren’t’: why are people so interested in the Beckxit beef
The Guardian
The timing of the Glamour piece was terrible or brilliant, “depending on whose publicist you were”, said the PR agent Mark Borkowski, who helped revive Noel Edmonds’ career. But however you look at it, it is “absolutely a war of spin”, he said of the shoot. “It’s what I call a visual soundbite. These images often don’t always have the meaning we imbue them with. But we still feed off of it because we are all culprits driven by twitching.”
The real reason why David Beckham is finally getting a knighthood after years of rejection
The Express
But despite the ex-England captain’s carefully-curated image, “skeletons in his closet” are likely to have delayed the crowning honour. “Beckham’s alleged involvement in a tax avoidance scheme was a PR nightmare,” public relations expert Mark Borkowski told the Daily Express. “While the scheme wasn’t illegal, it struck a nerve with both the public and the establishment, especially in an era of heightened scrutiny on wealth inequality.
Leaked emails that year also suggested the former footballer was desperate for a knighthood. On missing out again, he allegedly wrote: “I expected nothing less. It’s a disgrace to be honest and if I was American I would [have] got something like this 10 years ago.”
Branding the incident a “significant PR misstep” Mr Borkowski said: “The incident painted him as entitled and transactional – a cardinal sin for the decorum-obsessed Honours Committee. Beckham has since worked hard to bury this faux pas.”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2065397/real-reasons-beckham-finally-getting-knighthood
Meghan Markle Admits to Feeling ‘Incredibly Lonely’ as Harry Pushes ‘Professional Split
Royal Observer
Shortly after the episode aired, the Duchess of Sussex also made a cryptic comment about ‘stepping back’ from her lifestyle brand, As Ever. As per GB News, in an interview with Fast Company, she hinted that she might never restock products such as her raspberry jam amid plans to “step back, gather data from the launch, and figure out exactly what As Ever could be.”
She also revealed that she is not planning to announce new products until the first quarter of 2026. In response, PR guru Mark Borkowski slammed, “One day it’s jam, the next it’s ambiguous talk of stepping back, then it’s whispers of fashion. From a PR standpoint, it’s all theatrics and no third act.”
Markle seems to be reevaluating quite a bit, and so is Harry. Insiders claimed that the Prince had meticulously planned their ‘professional separation’ for nine months upon advice from old friends.
A source told the Daily Mail, “Harry is turning away from all sorts of Hollywood publicists and is seeking counsel from his old friends and associates. He is clearly reaching out, thinking, ‘I need to do something different because what I’m doing is clearly not working.”
Meghan admits she is unlikely to release further products until 2026 as duchess outlines need to ‘step back’
GB News
However, just hours after the interview was published, insiders told MailOnline that a jam restock will in fact be coming soon, prompting questions over the “mixed messages” her lifestyle brand is sending.
Mark Borkowski, arguably Britain’s leading PR guru, told MailOnline: “Meghan’s brand isn’t so much a business as it is an aesthetic experiment, mood over message.
“One day it’s jam, the next it’s ambiguous talk of stepping back, then it’s whispers of fashion. From a PR standpoint, it’s all theatrics and no third act.”
He criticised the brand for having “all the trimmings of curated luxury but no sense of what it’s actually selling, apart from vibes and vague aspiration”.
The comments highlight growing concerns about As Ever’s lack of clear identity and coherent business strategy.
https://www.gbnews.com/royal/meghan-markle-duchess-of-sussex-latest-as-ever-products-2026