Entertainment Public Relations: Communicating with Audiences

Every show needs an audience. How do we find them? How do we reach them? How do we motivate them to buy tickets? This informative book provides an essential look at the public relations strategies, tactics, and tools that have put Hollywood entertainment at the center of global popular culture. It uniquely focuses on the public relations cycle in each segment of the entertainment industry. PR cycles connect strategy to benchmarks in product development, production, and distribution, as well as to seasons and industry events. Chapters focus on the basics and challenges of successful public relations for: blockbuster movies; independent films; network, syndicated, and streaming television; personal publicity and celebrity representation; award events; music; video games; sports; and tourism. Also discussed are charity tie-ins, public service campaigns, and corporate public relations, as well as the use of digital and social media for two-way conversations with audiences. Sidebars give examples and instructions for writing effective entertainment media releases, media alerts, press statements, pitches, PSAs, social media postings, and campaign proposals. Other sidebars analyze the ways industry organizations use events such as the Academy Awards and the Super Bowl to build public awareness and place their industries at the center of popular culture. This book is a valuable resource for those who already know the basic strategies, tactics, and tools of PR and for those who want to learn them in the context of the rapidly changing field of entertainment and tourism marketing.