Famous-ish? You still need PR

I was asked two PR questions this past week that had nothing to do with Bill Belichick … we’re making progress, people.

Like I sometimes do, I’m answering those questions here because one of them gets asked a lot. Like this one:

Q – “I get why new kids on the public scene need it, but if I’m ‘recognized’ and I’m kind and considerate to others, why would I ever need PR help?”

A—It’s a lot like an athlete who’s eligible to play professionally but doesn’t hire an agent. Agents have the insights and contacts to help them navigate the pro process—layers that can be impenetrable for even the savviest negotiators. They put players in position to be more sought-after by teams than they would be going solo.

So for you, forget press just to say you got press. A smart PR agent use their relationships and experience and connect the dots—making sure your stories, mentions and media hits amp your exposure goals. Every headline, post and search result should earn its place and push you forward.

We also prepare you for what-ifs. What if you say or post something that causes an international uprising? You know—the "Oh 💩” kind when a post backfires or a quote gets twisted and suddenly you look bad in business and beyond. Crisis communications is a PR speciality but it doesn’t live on an island. It’s part of a complete plan.

** Speaking of crisis—or just plain confusion—I’m thinking about publicists and PR types who have to deal with coverage of HBO — I mean Max — I mean HBO Max — or whatever it’s called today.

Q2—Do you have any PR or broadcast friends who might have three tickets to the Lions-Packers 🏈game for a Florida family visiting Lambeau Field Sept. 7?

A—Workin’ on it.

But Bill …

Ok, we can’t quite quit Bill. Not yet. PR geeks like me continue to use football coach Bill Belichick’s spring as examples of to-do or not-to-do when speaking in public. 

If you feel like your head is on a swivel listening to him since he was hired as the football coach at North Carolina, you’re not alone. While his attention appears to be football-focused this week during ACC’s spring meetings—we have to assume that’s former NFL PR man Brandon Faber at work—he’s done enough in recent weeks with girlfriend Jordon Hudson as his co-mouthpiece—to keep everyone guessing.

There’s still some bristly stuff going on, though. If I’m a reporter and I’m told what I can and cannot ask during an interview, as told by WRAL-TV’s Brian Murphy, I walk. As PR agents, we might suggest angles and topics to cover, but I’ve never in my bundle of years doing this, told a reporter a topic is off limits. (In Murphy’s defense, he covers the ACC and likely needs video to last the next few months.)

Belichick’s comments from the Amelia Island, Florida meetings reflect a 180-degree message flip from what he said only a week ago. If the football-only thing sticks, we have to say Bill is back to No-Distractions-on-the-Field-Bill and that’s good for Tar Heels football. If Typhoon Jordon hits again, however, any goodwill seeded this week will be washed away.

Belichick is still a man with eight Super Bowl rings (six as a head coach) so it’s expected his work, as well as his life off the field, will be under a microscope. And what he and Hudson brought to Chapel Hill is expected to be part of PR classes for years to come.

@ 2025 Gail Sideman, gpublicity.com, SIDEbar

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