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December 05, 2009
50 in 50. #19: Where’s My Fifteen Minutes?
If you aspire to be the next George Clooney or Angelina Jolie—to use media attention to become famous—then Where’s My Fifteen Minutes? by Howard Bragman is the book for you.
If, however, your aspirations are a bit more modest, and you simply would like to leverage publicity to, as the subtitle says, “Get Your Company, Your Cause, or Yourself the Recognition You Deserve,” then you might want to save your $18.94.
Mr. Bragman is the consummate Hollywood press agent who has “represented some of the most famous celebrities, companies, and events in the world.” And his advice is most relevant to the entertainment industry; occasionally, he relates how average people might use his techniques, it’s clear he’s most comfortable in the world of outsized egos and bold-faced names.
Still, I picked up a few tidbits, including:
“Even if you’re a nuclear physicist, you’ve got to talk to people at a level they can understand and not make your message too complicated.” To make this point, Mr. Bragman tells a story about Albert Einstein. When reporters asked Einstein to define the theory of relativity, he replied, “Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and its seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and its seems like a minute. That’s relativity.” As Mr. Bragman writes, “We don’t have to be Albert Einstein to understand that great messages are simple, easily absorbed and appropriate for their audiences.”
Many people who want to get publicity for themselves or their companies think only of the big national media: The New York Times or CNN, for example. But Mr. Bragman makes a strong case for thinking local. “Let’s say you’re an attorney running for state representative,” he writes. “What influences which outlets go on your media list? The city where you grew up. The cit where you live. Where you went to law school. Causes in which you’re involved. Where your wife grew up. Where your kids go to school . . . The real question is ‘What are all the different places that would be interested in doing a story about me, helping me get my messages out?’”
Overall, Where’s My Fifteen Minutes? is an interesting book—especially if you want to a behind-the-scenes look at how PR pros like Mr. Bragman get publicity for movies and celebrities—but not an essential one.
Posted by Alison Davis at December 5, 2009 03:31 PM
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