Most businesses have their "heroes". They’re the trend-setters who lay the
foundation for the rest to follow.
In the publicity business, the real trend-setters are the Press Agents. They’re the
people who literally "create" news stories.
They’re people like George Evans. His company was hired to take a relatively
unknown Vegas lounge singer called Frank Sinatra and try to make him into a star.
Evans hired a dozen girls, at $5 each, to jump and scream "Oh Frankie, Oh Frankie"
and toss flowers at the stage. They met and practiced in the basement at the
Paramount Casino where Sinatra was performing.
Jack Keller, Evan’s West Coast partner explains what happened:
"We hired girls to scream when he sexily rolled a note. The dozen girls we hired to
scream an swoon did exactly as we told them. But hundreds more we didn’t hire
screamed even louder. Others squealed, howled, kissed his pictures with their
lipsticked lips, and kept him a prisoner in his dressing room between shows at the
Paramount. It was wild, crazy, completely out of control."
And it continued to be for many years. Sinatra was now an established star thanks
to a "media campaign" that only cost the promoters a total of $60 paid to a handful
of women to act crazy.
Press Agent Alan Abel staked his claim to fame came in 1962 when he formed The
Society for Indecency to Naked Animals (SINA). They produced a handful of "experts"
who claimed that it was degrading to animals to be forced to expose themselves in
public. SINA sported their own newsletter, board of directors and theme song.
Members received membership cards and free patterns for animal garments.
It may sound like a joke, but it sold. In their heyday, SINA claimed to have 40,000
members and claimed an income of $400,000. Their president, G. Clifford Prout, Jr.
did a national media tour. The prestigious San Francisco Chronicle ran a series of
humorous but "legitimate" front page stories on the group.
Later on a few of the Chronicle executives admitted they realized the entire thing
was a hoax, knowing that anything that had Abel’s name on it was probably a scam,
but they said the story was so entertaining and good that they ran it anyway. They
never admitted being duped, although they eventually ran a story exposing
president G. Clifford Prout as being Buck Henry, a comedy writer for "The Gary
Moore Show", but not before "Prout" appeared on "The Tonight Show (with Johnny
Carson)", "The Today Show" and "The Tomorrow Show".
Abel explains, "I realized that Buck or I could walk into any television studio with a
drawing of a horse wearing Bermuda shorts under our arm, and go right on the air,
whether television or radio and practically stop the show. The network news
programs were all interested in these "moral maniacs" who wanted to clothe
animals."
But the greatest promotional scam ever pulled over on the press may well have been
orchestrated by Joey Skaggs.
It all began with a simple, inconspicuous ad in the Village Voice. He explained later
that the entire hoax was perpetrated to prove how the press rarely actually checks
the facts on stories they run. The ad read:
"CATHOUSE FOR DOGS featuring a savory selection of hot bitches. From pedigree
(Fifi the French Poodle) to mutts (Lady the Tramp). Handler and Vet on duty. Stud
and photo service available. No weirdoes, please. Dogs only. By appointment. Call
254-7878."
He then staged a mini-documentary on what it was like "at the cathouse". Thirty
actor friends brought dogs. The cameras got close ups of male dogs trying to break
lose from their chains.
The ASPCA was incensed. Protests were staged and eventually an indictment was
filed against Skaggs for cruelty to animals. The media ate up the entire story.
He appeared on several national shows, and ABC even put together a documentary
that was nominated for an Emmy award on the cathouse. Everybody was
embarrassed when Skaggs walked into court with his thirty friends all explaining
there never had been a cathouse at all.
But that didn’t really matter, did it?
It’s all about creating an image in the minds of an audience.
Hopefully these stories might spark a few ideas that might make it easier to
promote what you do. Part of the trick is to stay away from the ordinary. It has to be
sensational and colorful. An auto dealer might consider having a local magician
make a car disappear.
A flower shop might start delivering flowers using a remote control robot (like the
ones now available at many of the higher end electronics shops in most malls).
Sid Grauman took an idea as old as concrete itself and made it into a worldwide icon
that’s lasted for over half a century when he had Mary Pickford and Douglas
Fairbanks put their footprints in cement to help celebrate the opening of his theater
in Hollywood on May 1, 1927. It’s a simple idea that made us feel close to the stars.
Want a book full of ideas just like these? The most fascinating book I’ve ever read
on the subject is Publicity Stunts by Candice Fuhrman It’s loaded, cover-to-cover,
with funny, fascinating, highly successful publicity stunts that have been
orchestrated over the years. They can be great templates for your publicity
campaigns.
If you can’t find it in your local bookstore check Amazon.com, Half.com or BN.com.
The last time I looked there were several copies available, all on sale.
With a little imagination, most any business can find ways to become a news story.
# # #
Paul Hartunian is widely considered the world’s leading authority on writing press
releases and getting publicity for any product, service, cause or issue.
Subscribe to Paul’s free publicity ezine “Million Dollar Publicity Tactics”. By going to
http://www.Hartunian.com/ezine. Also be sure to check out all the great free
publicity resources at his website http://www.Hartunian.com.
Also be sure to read the story of how Paul used press releases and publicity to
become the first person in history to really sell the world famous Brooklyn Bridge.
You can read the story at http://www.Hartunian.com/bridge.html.
You can reach Paul at (973) 857-4142 or by email at Paul@Hartunian.com.
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