Working extensively in entertainment PR, including extensive work as a crisis PR agency for celebrities, an interesting story is the Angelina Jolie Brand – and will she incorporate her soon to be husband’s last name into her name ?

And my 2 cents? Angelina Jolie shouldn’t change her name to Angelina Pitt – the Angelina Jolie brand is a brand that has been built over many years of hard work, and it’s authentic. It has worked very well. Angelina Jolie is a great example of how building a brand can help restore a tarnished image. For a while, Jolie seemed not on the edge but all the way over the precipice, what with making out with her brother, breaking up Laura Dern’s marriage to Billy Bob Thornton, and wearing Thornton’s blood in a charm around her neck. She was a wild child; over the last few years however, she’s done a great job turning her image around (even while stealing Jennifer Aniston’s husband.)

Now she not only speaks out against global poverty when most actresses pontificate about metallic flats versus leather stilettos (or comment on political issues they know little about), but she also puts her money, time, and resources where her mouth is. The Angelina Jolie brand today is not only about being a gorgeous woman and a talented actress but also an effective activist and fundraiser for causes having to do with children around the world – and it should remain intact.

This Public Relations Agency owner says Angelina Jolie has worked hard to build her brand – she has worked hard for her and it shows.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

Some interesting articles which I thought were worth presenting to readers of my blog and are suggested reading

• “12 publicity “hooks” to promote your products” – I agree, gimmicks work…

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505183_162-57424966-10391735/12-publicity-hooks-to-promote-your-products/

• Pippa Middleton hired a crisis PR agency – The only surprise is it seems this is the 1^st time she has consulted a Public Relations expert – can that really be the case after so much attention?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/9248338/Pippa-Middleton-picks-PR-professional.html

• Australian media reports that journalists will soon be outnumbered by PR pros

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/journos-face-being-outnumbered-by-merchants-of-spin/story-e6frg996-1226348193567

• 9 tips for handling a crisis on Twitter:

http://www.prnewsonline.com/watercooler/9-Tips-for-Handling-a-Crisis-on-Twitter_16420.html

As always, I welcome your feedback.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

An op-ed I wrote ran today at Everything PR: http://www.pamil-visions.net/pr-money-talks/234386/

Excerpt: “We are governed, our minds molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of.” Edward Bernays, the father of Public Relations

PR Agencies today more than ever before are in the content creation business – and this democratization of the media – of information and communication can be used for good and for bad.  Nick Cohen, an influential British journalist wrote a fascinating article this weekend about dictators utilizing PR Agencies to tell their stories.

This owner of a PR Agency will say that of course money matters in PR – and all of us in the Public Relations business  are enjoying a well-deserved growth stage. Companies and people are beginning to recognize that the old way of building consumer or public equity is changing. IBIS World, a media research firm, says PR spending in 2010 was $9.73 billion and forecasts it will increase to $12.82 billion by 2015.

The growth is in part due to PR’s ability to participate in a more nimble and flexible way with the new methods by which people consume media, including social media.  Content is king.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

• Major crisis unfolding in Australia where a publicist sent ABC’s Media Watch an anonymous email saying that the South Australian Tourism Commission was looking to pay high-profile influencers and celebrities to tweet about Kangaroo Island – in a seemingly organic manner. And the SATC confirmed to Media Watch that it was “using influencers in the promotion of great South Australian products.” As media in Australia has reported it’s “the tip of a marketing iceberg that has yet to hit Australian shores, but is already turning into a lucrative sideline for overseas celebrities willing to hand over a slice of their 144-character tweets to brands.” The managing director of the agency who executed the campaign was quoted as saying “the seemingly innocent marketing effort had turned into a full-blown crisis” – and undoubtedly a crisis PR firmis needed to manage this as its seemingly front page in all the Australian media.
  • Of course celebrities are paid to tweet – and in a crowded, distracted market, celebrities allow brands to break through the clutter. Influencers create buzz around products, necessary noise and it’s something we do a lot of and will continue to.  America as leader of the pack.

• Media reports that Penn State University hired two new public relations firmsthis week to navigate “corporate communications, media relations and stakeholder engagement” in the aftermath of their major scandal.  They already paid $5.3 million to several firms and now, retained two new firms, for the next year for $2.5 million. “Retaining these communications firms puts us more firmly on the path toward accountability, openness and preserving our reputation as one of the world’s leading research universities,” Penn State President Rodney Erickson said in a statement.
  • Its natural that Penn State should hire top agencies to help them recover from this world-class scandal.

Ronn Torossian is Founder of 5WPR.

More than a month ago Greg Smith slammed Goldman Sachs in his high-profile public resignation letter. Since then its been continual crisis management for the investment firm.  The job of their crisis PR team wont be getting easier anytime soon – In the newest scandal to hit Goldman Sachs, Prosecutors have started a new insider trading probe against a current employee of the firm.  Combine that with the upcoming insider trading set to start May 21 for former Goldman Sachs Group director Rajat Gupta and it ain’t looking too pretty.

The Goldman Sachs brand is continually being chipped away at and it is very harmful to “Brand Goldman Sachs.” Liken it to a boxer who is continually taking body blows in the midst of a fight – how many bodyblows can Goldman Sachs stand before it does real damage ? Publics need to know that Goldman Sachs is secure – and that these negatives are isolated, and these continued negative occurrences damage the Goldman Sachs institution.

Google Goldman Sachs – On page 1 & 2, 30% of the entrees are negative. A very negative reflection of one of the world’s largest financial institution – and proof that Goldman better immediately get to work on managing their online reputation. Goldman Sachs has to realize there are two courts involved when it comes to crisis PR: the court of law and the court of public opinion (think Casey Anthony, who may have been found “not guilty” in a court of law but is certainly guilty in the court of public opinion). Both courts matter immensely.

Brand Goldman Sachs is being defined by courts and negative op-eds in high-profile papers. Goldman has a real problem – The legal system at odds with the media system; court proceedings are, by design, long, complicated, and tedious. And media goes on and people form opinions from media (which demands immediacy). Customers, employees, and others are following the media and forming opinions.

Goldman Sachs is facing a court of public opinion which is immediate and viral. Reporters, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, 24/7 cable news, search engine results, etc., aren’t waiting for the next investigation of Goldman Sachs – they are making decisions now.  One of the world’s largest financial institutions – so talented and amazing in so many areas needs to handle their public relations with the same efforts as it handles money.

On May 21, 2010 Lloyd Blankfein said in a public address: “We did a good job managing risk; we did a less good job managing our reputation.” Smart people usually learn from their mistakes – clearly that isn’t the case here as the Goldman Sachs brand doesn’t have a communications plan – and needs a crisis PR Agency asap.

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a leading NY PR Agency.  He is also author of “For Immediate Release”, a best-selling PR book.