Lady Gaga's Marketing Mania

Lady Gaga is all over the place - from her music to signing million dollar marketing campaigns. This month she signed deals with some very successful companies - both Google and Starbucks. That makes her a must see where she'll be next kind of gal.

Maybe it's just that Google and Gaga run of the tongue easily. She just signed a 10 million dollar partnership with Google Chrome to be the "face" of the new laptop line coming out this summer starting June 15. Gaga is already the star of the Google Chrome web browser commercial. Watch the video here.

Also, starting this month, the world's largest coffee shop chain will partner with the megastar for a large-scale online promotional campaign. The plan is to have Lady Gaga will engage with fans in a scavenger hunt across Starbucks' numerous digital proprieties, such as Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. The campaign will run through June 3, and coincides with the release of Gaga's new album, "Born This Way." Scavenger hunt participants can collect prizes, stream the new album, download new songs and watch exclusive videos from the in-store digital networks. Another brilliant PR campaign both both businesses.

So, what's with everyone wanting to be tied to her? The fact is Lady Gaga is possibly the most in-demand artist currently worldwide. This is for several reasons: She's got an army of fans, she knows how to attract attention, She's reportedly engaged in the deals that carry her name, and she's not shy about working with anyone. Another reason, her label-Interscope-shares in the revenue gained from such partnerships through a 360 deal with Lady Gaga. This makes perfect sense as to why everyone wants a piece of her. Don't be surprised to see her popping up a lot more throughout 2011.

Sex and the City 2: A Promotion for a Life of Whimsical Carelessness

Even though I'm not a "Sex and the City" fanatic, I saw several episodes of the series and liked the characters and the actresses playing them. I still do. The half-hour episodes were well-written and snappy. However, I was thoroughly disappointed in SATC2 and thought it didn't do the six award-winning seasons and first movie justice, was over the top and borderline insulting. For those of you that loved SATC2, I really don't have anything good to say, so you probably should skip this post.

One of the main reasons I enjoyed watching SATC was for the high end fashion, but for some reason the sequel's outfits didn't live up to my expectations and I felt they were farfetched. The ladies have always loved the labels and bought expensive things, but it was still grounded in some sort of far-reaching reality, rather than a flashing showcase of life where money is no object. Also, this time around I often found myself saying, 'what is she wearing?' Rather than, "wow, that's really cool and unique."

I realize that during the Great Depression, Hollywood movies that portrayed glamour and good times were an escape mechanism and flights of fantasy. But, this is a cruel punishment to the average person in the work-a-day world who is upside down on a mortgage, looking for work and had to watch a quartet sit down to an all-you-can-eat buffet and gorge themselves for two hours, and talk about how utterly incredible the food was.

Starting with a flashback scene in the beginning, throughout the whole movie you're reminded of how old the women are. Samantha constantly talks about the vitamins and hormone creams she takes to stay younger, her Spanx and hot flashes. Yes, these lines are funny, but when the theme didn't stop, I thought, has Sex and the City lost its prime just like the characters?

Speaking of age, while watching the storyline unfold, I couldn't believe some of the characters behavior. The drama produced seemed like something an immature, young woman might do and be ridiculed for. Carrie is married to Big and still needs to be reminded that a kiss is still a kiss and that certain marital fundamentals actually do apply. Miranda quits her job because she feels silent in a firm of all men. Charlotte, a mom of two, shuts herself in a closet when two-year-old Rose's constant screaming and older sister Lily's attention-craving gets the best of her while baking cookies and finally Samantha, who is still single and mingling at the age of 52 insists on wearing the same clothes in Abu Dhabi where the culture is very different.

Lastly, I understand Samantha's character and I really do like her. However, I thought that she showed a lack of respect to a culture when she refused to cover herself somewhat in a Muslim culture country. This issue struck controversy across the globe.

As a young female business professional I really like the SATC storyline featuring single, professionally successful women charting their own course, while talking frankly about their experiences with sex, love and city life. I just thought it could have been done more realistically and tactful.

Academy Awards Edition

I truly enjoyed the 82nd Academy Awards. I thought they started off on a good note and entertained me the entire time. If you want to check out who won last night, click here.

Neil Patrick Harris started with a song-and-dance number, setting the theme, no on wants to do it alone. Continuing in that theme, the two hosts, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin descended from the sky and warmed up the audience with little teasers.

They worked their way through the nominees with edgy jokes.

• In 'Inglorious Basterds,' Christoph Waltz is obsessed with finding Jews. Well Christoph," gesture to the audience, "the mother lode."
• 'Precious,' "it really was the only film that lived up to its video game."

There were many Meryl Streep references and shots of a stone-faced George Clooney, but Martin and Baldwin were funny throughout. They were unafraid to appear in a double Snuggie backstage and introduced presenters with flair, "He directed ' A Single Man,' she weighs a single pound, Tom Ford and Sarah Jessica Parker", and did their best to keep things moving.

Other highlights from the night in my book included:

• A John Hughes memorial which displayed a montage of work he had done and monologues from a few people Hughes made famous.
• A very nice, yet simple, memorial to all the actors, actresses, musicians, producers, editors, PR, etc. in the film industry who passed in the last year. However, I was surprised that Farrah Fawcett was left off the list. I wonder how come.
• Teams from the 'So You Think You Can Dance' performed to the scores up for Best Music - Original Score.
• In my opinion, great speeches came from Oprah Winfrey, who praised Gabourey Sidibe for her nomination for best leading actress, Sandra Bullock who gave an emotional and hilarious speech, in which she thanked, among many others, those who supported her when "it was not fashionable," and Mo'Nique who won for Best Support Actress; she always gives a moving an powerful speech.
• I laughed out loud when Ben Stiller presented the award for best makeup in full Na'vi, down to the tail. He was hilarious when commenting that he dressed up like this and 'Avatar' wasn't even nominated in this category.
• The first win for a woman for Best Director - Kathryn Bigelow, Director of 'The Hurt Locker' "I hope I'm the first of many," Bigelow said. "I'd love to just think of myself as a filmmaker, and I long for the day when a modifier can be a moot point. But, I'm ever grateful if I can inspire some young, intrepid, tenacious male or female filmmakers and have them feel that the impossible is possible."

The Art of the Public Apology: Reactions to Wood's Public Statement

Last Friday's public apology from Tiger Woods spurred a wide range of reactions from the audience. I'm always entertained by these types of press conferences and thought that the Woods public statement was about what I expected. The public apology is an art and like always it has it's connoisseurs and critics. In case you missed the 13 minute extravaganza in which Woods apologized for the pain his marital infidelities caused his family, friends and fans (in that order), don't worry, I'm going to cover my PR thoughts as well as a wide range of public opinions on the topic.

(Professional apology expert consensus’s on Woods statement: Too long. Too much stagecraft. But otherwise, not bad.)

However, for all the expertise out there, and despite the fascination and great public demand for it, the art of apology as practiced by the average American person of prominence, whether in politics, sports, religion or business, remains by most accounts pretty unsatisfying.

There was Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina: "I've spent the last five days of my life crying in Argentina" or Lloyd Blankfein, chief executive of Goldman Sachs, who offered a stinting apology for his firm's role in the financial collapse.

Experts in the field recorded other failed public apologies:

· A "Mark Stanford" is the sort of rambling, confessional apology that leaves you worse off than before.

· A "Mark McGwire" is the self-pitying apology that shows a lack of genuine contrition, and broadcasts your resentment at being caught

· A "John Edwards" is that apology which almost does not matter because you are for the foreseeable future beyond help.

· A "David Letterman" is one that works, but only if you happen to be a professional comedian with a goofy persona and late-night talk show.

Elin was not at the Woods press conference. I almost thought that Tiger’s statement was a, ‘please, please, Elin take me back’ press conference. I thought it was interesting how Woods kept stating that this issue was not Elin's fault, I kept thinking, when was it ever Elin's fault? Also, I thought it was interesting that he kept saying the issue was between him and Elin. We don't even know if there is a 'them' still. However, as Woods said, that is not our business.

In my opinion a good apology has to begin with a real connection between the apologizer and the offended person or audience. However, I'm not sure that most of the people who have risen to the top of their professions are narcissistic individuals and are just not capable of that.

I think the real issue with public apologies from prominent figures is that they don't sound trustworthy. It really hurts social trust when a public figure reveals to be other than who they claim, and then follow up with an apology that betrays them as having an immature personality, unfamiliar with the rigors of honest self-assessment.

Often times the person apologizing doesn't even state what they did wrong or how it's wrong, ask for forgiveness or ask how the offended how to make things right. I think there is not a lot different between a personal and public apology. In both you really should be specific, say what you did, ask the offended person not only for forgiveness, but ask them for what you need to do to make things right.

I like the public apology analysis an author at The New York Times took. He compared it to a cartoon features in The New Yorker last year: The woman stands over her shoulder-drooped husband. "I don't want your apology," she says. "I want you to be sorry."

Reactions to Tiger Woods' statement Friday Courtesy of The Associated Press:

__

Woods' Family

_ "I said, 'I'm so proud of you. Never think you stand alone. Mom will always be there for you and I love you.'" — Kultida Woods.

_ "I watched it but I have nothing to say right now. I have no comments." — Father-in-law Thomas Nordegren, in Sweden.

___

Olympians

_ "It's a bummer, his personal life. He's trying to deal with it and I don't think he knows how to totally express how he feels and I don't wanna say, come clean about everything, but explain what was going on. He's trying to pick his words very carefully and apologize. I respect that." — American gold medal snowboarder Shaun White.

_ "do we think this is coming from the heart or the paper! come on Tiger! give us some reality here .... thanks tiger. sweet hugs to your fam, can't wait to see you back out there!! Good Luck!! — American silver medal skier Julia Mancuso on Twitter.

___

Golf Community

_ "There is anger in some corners, but mainly it is a sense of sadness. He's an American hero, and he's had his issues. At the end of the day, he's a human being. We all make mistakes. We all have made mistakes. And when we're lucky, we learn from those mistakes and we get to be better people." — PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem.

_ "Today was a step in the right direction. ... We know what kind of champion he is on and off the golf course but this is a big battle he's fighting right now. He's going to show to the people he can be a champion off the course." — Golfer Mark O'Meara.

_ "It's not about words, it is about actions. It's all down to actions. I personally think if Tiger wants to be a family man, get out and play some golf and bring the whole family out with him. " — Golfer and TV analyst Nick Faldo.

_ "I thought it was an amazing conference. I thought Tiger was very humble. And, you know what? I think we all love him as a golfer and as a family man. And we want to see what's best for him." — Golfer Ben Crane.

___

Marketing/Public Relations

_ "He came off very Tiger-like, in that it was a little too rehearsed and a little too scripted for my liking. The more scripted you are, the more risk you run of not being authentic or sincere." — Bill McGowan, image consultant for Clarity Media Group.

_ "It looked like it was staged. These things should have come from his heart, but he was reading out of a script. I could see he was tearing up, but I don't feel like he was being sincere." — Puntarika Susuntitapong, public relations executive in Bangkok.

_ "What I expected to see today was some humility. What I saw today was arrogance. What I saw was anger. ... It was basically an infomercial." — Public relations executive Rick Cerrone on CNN.

___

Media

_ "One of the most remarkable public apologies ever by a public figure." — ABC's George Stephanopoulos.

_ "I think he was very genuine in his responses and his statement. I think we are entering a whole new era spiritually and emotionally for Tiger Woods." — Debert Cook, publisher of African American Golfer's Digest, on BBC News 24 television in London.

_ "Looked like a deer in the headlights — the kind of expression people have when they're playing with him on the golf course." — NBC Sports' Jimmy Roberts.

_ "I have never seen him appear so vulnerable. ... I was very impressed with what he said." — CBS' David Feherty.

___

Business World

_ "I don't think anyone would want to rush out for someone who, by his own words, says he still needs treatment." — Rick Burton, former chief marketing officer of U.S. Olympic Committee.

_ "It was good to see Tiger address the public today, and we're supportive of his focus toward family and rebuilding his life. He remains one of the greatest athletes in history, and as a long-standing partner, we look forward to seeing Tiger back on the golf course when the time is right for him and his family." — Peter Moore, president of EA Sports.

_ "It was 95 percent about contrition and 5 percent about golf, because the latter will take care of itself. Winning, good behavior and time can be his friends for the long term." — Vada Manager, former public relations official for Nike.

___

Alleged Mistress

"I would be open to a telephone apology from Tiger, but I really feel I deserve to look at him in person, face-to-face, in the eyes, because I did not deserve this. ... I am sorry for my part for any of their pain, but you can't help who you fall in love with." — Veronica Siwik-Daniels, who watched from Los Angeles.

Kevin Smith vs. Southwest Airlines: 'too fat to fly' battle starts on Twitter

Over the weekend a large Los Angeles man, Kevin Smith, posted this on his Twitter page: "I'm way fat, but I'm not there just yet," and "If you look like me, you may be ejected from Southwest Air." He also posted a picture of himself sitting on the plane with his cheeks puffed out and make a podcast slamming Southwest Airlines for kicking him off.

Smith started this online rampage after a pilot ejected him from a Southwest Airlines flight, saying he didn't fit properly in a single seat. If you were Southwest Airlines, would you think his post is a big deal?

I'd say yes, because we've seen the impact social media can have and how famous it can make someone. Plus, this man is already famous for his work as a director (you may recognize him as the director of the new Bruce Willis movie "Cop Out," and he previously directed the films "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy". Furthermore, obesity is a hot topic right now.

Southwest handled the issue by doing the following:

• Stating that their "Customer of Size" policy requires travelers must be able to fit safely and comfortably in one seat or make other arrangements
• Issued an apology first from its own Twitter account
• Later issued another apology on its website titled "Not So Silent Bob," a jovial jab at the Silent Bob character Smith plays in many of his films
• Will accommodate Smith on a later flight by giving him a $100 voucher
• Another apology - this time by phone

It should be mentioned that Smith and the airline stated that he had bought two seats for his original flight from Oakland, where he had spoken at the Macworld Expo conference. However, he was flying standby in order to catch an earlier flight and only one was available. Smith insisted that he was still able to put both armrests down and buckle his seat belt, which is Southwest's standard.

I think that Southwest Airlines did a good job handling the issue right away and taking responsibility for their decision.

A Swift Backlash: Will Taylor's Album of the Year Grammy Hurt Her?

Taylor Swift has been the music industry's golden girl ever since Kanye West jumped the stage at the VMAs and interrupted her win for best female video. (And maybe even before.)

However, will her incredible run atop of everyone's list end soon? At the Grammys, Swift took home the album of the year Grammy, surprisingly, beating out Lady Gaga and Beyonce. (I like Swifts CDs, but I believe her 'Fearless' album really pales in comparison to Gaga's 'The Fame' and Beyonce's 'I Am ... Sasha Fierce.'

Swift has carved out an impressive career for herself at a young age by working hard and being well-rehearsed (see her 'surprised' reaction to every single awards victor she's had in the last year.) She prides herself as being a country princess who writes all of her songs and plays the instruments to accompany them, which I do give her props for. However, when her album beats out those more deserving and her live performances are clearly lacking, it makes me wonder what will happen next.

Since Kanye's outburst, everyone's bee cheering her on. But, will that end now that she's won awards she may or may not deserve?

I noticed that upon accepting album of the year, Swift didn't even thank the other nominees, as this standard is in most speeches, she just rambled on about how much the award meant to her -- a move that could further condemn her in the industry's eyes.

I thought it was hard to watch her awkward duet with Stevie Nicks. Next to Nicks, Swift looked and sounded like a terrified kitten who wandered up on the stage. Further, after watching Lady Gaga and Beyonce dominate vocally reinforced Swift's own shortcomings. I truly believe if Swift would have performed way in an American Idol audition, Simon would have told her it was dreadful and Paula Abdul would have started her comments by telling her how pretty she looked.

Regardless, Taylor Swift has won the awards she has and should be very proud of her accomplishments. Looking at it from a PR background, at this point I do not think Swift needs to say or do anything drastic to keep her image and stay at the top of her game. However, to fight these complaints I think she should strengthen her live performance skills and not always act so 'surprised' when she earns an award. Otherwise, her 'down-to-earth,' strong performer image will be tarnished and people will agree with Kanye that other had better albums.

NBC's Poor PR : Conan O'Brien reaches deal to exit `Tonight'; deal includes severance for staff

It's officially official now. In a $45 million deal, NBC and Conan O'Brien finally reached a resolution to the issues surrounding O'Brien's contract to host The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.

Under terms of an agreement that was signed earlier today, NBC and O'Brien will settle their contractual obligations and the network will release O'Brien from his contract, freeing him to pursue other opportunities after September 1, 2010. O'Brien will get more than 33 million and the rest will go to his 200 staff in severance. O'Brien's last show on The Tonight Show will be this Friday, January 22.

NBC stated that Jay Leno will return as host of The Tonight Show at its regular time starting March 1st. NBC Universal Entertainment's chairman released this statement:

"We're pleased that Jay Leno is returning to host the franchise that he helmed brilliantly and successfully for many years. He is an enormous talent, a consummate professional and one of the hardest-working performers on television."

NBC should be embarrassed about the nightmare they've created. This controversy has started a ton of bad press and public relations for the entire network. First, they should have given O'Brien more time. Especially after most of the people involved uprooted their lives and moved across the country for this opportunity. Most businesses take over a year to really get going; O'Brien only had seven months! Second, the network is spending millions to break O'Brien's contract. This is such a waste for the company and shows very poor leadership. I think that NBC's chairman should resign should resign when this mess is over. Also, NBC doesn't have any 'big' shows on right now; they need some better programming. NBC could be blowing this whole situation out of proportion because of their bigger problem - poor ratings across the board. Third, Leno's current show is just bad and needs a lot of work to get back to up to the quality it was at before and ratings for that matter. Also, Leno hasn't been saying much about the matter; I think that's pretty smart. He's in a tough spot because he should support NBC for giving him a job, but at the same time, shouldn't show too much support in fear of showing agreement with their terrible process. I'm curious to see how Leno does when he returns in March, I will be stunned if he is successful.

I think that Conan's doing an awesome job handling the whole situation. His jokes about NBC are very funny and creative, yet tactful. NBC claims that O'Brien's argument to demand severance for his staff is a 'PR-ploy,' but regardless is smart. I think he's doing a great job building an audience to move to another network and start a new show and want to wish him the best.

Can you use a celebrity’s photo without their permission?

Last Wednesday, a larger-than-life President Barack Obama became a presidential pitchman on a Times Square billboard that used his photo without permission.

Outerwear company, Weatherproof, used a recent news photo of the president in front of the Great Wall in Badaling, China, wearing one of their coats for their advertisement, with the tagline "A Leader In Style." This rose questions of the need for celebrity permission.

The photo was taken by Charles Dharapak of The Associated Press and the company purchased the right to use it from AP Images, the news gathering organization's commercial photo arm. The AP agreement with Weatherproof required the company to seek any necessary clearances, said a spokesman for The AP. However, Weatherproof did not seek permission from the White House, nor does it believe it was necessary to do so since the billboard does not say Obama endorses the product.

At the same time, animal-rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, recently debuted a new ad campaign featuring Michelle Obama, and also did not ask for the first lady's consent. Those ads are appearing in Washington's Metro stations, magazines and PETA's Web site.

The way I look at it, the ad has potential to be effective with consumers because the president and first lady both carry considerable fashion credibility. However, it's a risk because passers-by may get so caught up with the image and not notice the brand name. Overall, I disagree with the usage of the photo, but think the ad/marketing idea is brilliant. Right now there are no strict laws or punishment against the use of the photo and besides the press it's getting from the ad placement, it's getting a whole lot more by this debate's media coverage.

The Last Decade in a Nutshell

When I think back on the last decade two things come to mind: war on terror and technology. The CBS News announcement that 'Google' won top word of our nameless past decade (in front of "9/11," "green," "blog," "text," and "war on terror") spurred me to think about what really big did happen in the news over the past ten years.

Top ten stories of the decade according to Associated Content News:

1. September 11th, 2001: This day changed the way Americans live forever. It impacted our economy, security and the way we travel. It was the beginning of the 'war on terror' we're still fighting today. Also, I'm almost sure this day was the first time I started to hear the words 'terrorism' and 'terrorist' on the news. Now, we hear it every day.
2. Wars in Afghanistan & Iraq: News programs cover this on a daily basis. Many Americans have served time or given their lives in this quest. Right after 9/11 majority of Americans supported going into these wars, but as time has gone on support has dropped. This war is different than any other war we've been in. The war is so far away for many of us. As in previous wars, Americans were asked to serve in the military or work in an industry on behalf of the war. Now, most of us just see a glimpse of it on TV. Also, 'war on terror,' is very undefined. It means that we don't really know who we're fighting against, many are just ordinary citizens, not military people.
3. President Barack Obama's Election: In November of 2008, the U.S. public elected their first African-American President. It was an election of many firsts besides this and it got more coverage and interest than any other. Women took a large step in politics as well. Hillary Clinton was the Democratic Party's choice right behind Barack and Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, was chosen for Senator McCain's running mate.
4. U.S. Supreme Court Decides 2000 Election for George W. Bush: Five (Conservative) Supreme Court justices terminated Florida's vote recount and gave the "appointed presidency" to Bush. They supported federal power over Florida's state rights and asserted that Bush's "equal protection" civil rights would have been violated if the recount continued. This drastically hurt the Supreme Court's creditability.
5. Globalization and Near Depression: The economy has been down most of this decade. The news is reporting high unemployment rates all the time, interest rates from banks are down and therefore so is spending. The big manufacturing cities in the U.S. along with the small towns have all been suffering. At the same time, globalization is increasing. Companies are working internationally more and more. You're behind if you aren't! Lastly, the 'green environmental movement' has begun in the last decade. People and corporations are making more moves to downsize pollution after scientists worldwide stated global warming would place the planet at risk if we don't cut down on our carbon emissions.
6. "Googleization": It's hard to believe, but most of us didn't even know what Google was ten years ago. Social media sites such as: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have all started up in the last decade. Since, majority of news outlets and corporations use the Internet and social networking sites to communicate with their public. Computers and the Internet are all just becoming a way of life for us and the older generations are feeling a left out because most of them still do not have even a clue how to use one!
7. National Health care/insurance reform: This discussion will continue into the next decade. Health Care's been on the rise and has left many Americans without insurance. Recently, more compromise since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965.
8. Health care research: In 2003, scientists mapped out the human genome. Researchers have continued to make progress in finding genetic variations that could unlock huge doors toward treating diseases. Stem-cell research has continued to emerge as a related issue.
9. Hurricane Katrina: This devastating hurricane that hit in late August 2005 hit New Orleans and a lot of the Gulf Coast. This are still not fixed up completely today. Media was criticized for portraying an unequal society.
10. Y-2-K: Remember this?! Forecasters talked about this for weeks before the new year and predicted that once the clocked ticked over to the new millennium, everything would be thrown off. It caused so much buzz that people stocked up on food and water because they were afraid of what would happen. Well, nothing happen!

Top Stories of 2009 according to The Associated Press:

1. THE ECONOMY
2. OBAMA INAUGURATION
3. HEALTH CARE:
4. AUTO INDUSTRY
5. SWINE FLU
6. AFGHANISTAN
7. MICHAEL JACKSON DIES
8. FORT HOOD RAMPAGE
9. EDWARD KENNEDY DIES
10. MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON

The Associated Press stated that their research began before the Tiger Wood's scandal enveloped.

Celebrity Philanthropy and Public Relations

Is celeb philanthropy more about the charity or their public relations? No doubt about it, no matter the reason any type of public service is good, but it seems to me that every time I watch or read the news some celebrity is shown visiting people overseas in a poor economic country or are donating a large sum to a social cause. This has caused me to start question their intentions. Would these celebrities still do the same thing if the cameras were turned off or if their name was not posted on the front page of every pop culture media outlet? Regardless, this PR approach works. Every time a celeb is shown helping a noble cause, it really helps their public image.

Philanthropy public relations began with Ivy Lee when he created this new image building approach for John D. Rockefeller. Rockefeller had a long reputation of being a wealthy robber baron, because he came across as a ruthless, profit-driven businessman who's actions were harsh and uncaring. Instead of writing a series of press releases and public statements, Lee thought that it would help his image more if Rockefeller made some company changes. Lee began advertising Rockefeller on the public relations advantages of a broad range of business decisions and management policy that included mechanisms to redress workers' grievances, the selection of new plant sites, setting employee wages and working conditions, and negotiating contracts with suppliers and vendors. In many ways this interactive, image transformation process wasn't complete until 70 years later. Whatever you call this approach, it completely changed Rockefeller's public image from a cruel autocrat to a warm paternalistic employer and incredibly generous philanthropist.

Of course there are many good things that come with a celebs support such as more awareness of a certain organization, foundation or cause and of course usually money follows. Further, it is always nice when someone well-known sets an example; it encourages onlookers to do the same.

On the other hand, not always are causes or programs thrilled to join forces with a celebrity. It can cause a lot of organizational frustration. Issues that can arise are: sometimes the celebrity wants to dictate what their money must be used for, your organization's image is tarnished if theirs is, sometimes their support suggests the cause/organization has a lot of financial support and it's not true and lastly, sometimes an organization does not want a lot of fanfare for their work and the celebrity does. If you are in public relations and advising this type of work to a client be careful of these problematic items.

I'm not saying I think celebrity gifts are wrong or suggesting that celebrities stop their generous deeds. I think that it's great if they are willing to stand up for a noble cause and give their time or money. I just think it's wrong if they are only showing up to show support an event in hopes of stealing the spotlight. (Even from a PR standpoint.) What I really am asking is for my readers to think a little harder the next time they hear or see a celeb trying to make social change either through: a donation, financial gift or by showing support by appearing at an organization's fundraising gala. What are the celeb's intentions and if you believe in a cause or organization, research it yourself, see what's going on with it and support it yourself if you can.

Some of the largest celebrity givers of 2009:

• Paul Newman
• Oprah Winfrey
• Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
• Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith
• Leonardo DiCaprio
• Drew Barrymore
• Laurie and Larry David

Check out some of the websites covering celebrity giving:

• http://www.looktothestars.org/
• http://www.celebritiesforcharity.org/

Tiger Woods Engulfed in PR Storm

Within less than a week Tiger Wood's image has been damaged greatly. Since the report of a car crash involving the superstar, the story has grown and spiraled into allegations of a long-term love affair. Woods has yet to say anything aside from postings on his website. My public relations background and friends say this is not the way to handle his PR crisis situation.

Woods said on his website "Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions."

I think that David Letterman did it right, he addressed his affair and alleged extortion attempt quickly. I believe that Woods has waited too long and has used vague words like "transgressions" in his online apology. If you tell all the facts, tell the truth, nothing else will stand the test of time and get it done quickly. If you tell it quickly there will be no holes for other people, such as journalists, to fill.

I must say, I am surprised that Tiger's main sponsors such as Nike, Gillette and Gatorade are still supporting him. However, I suppose he still is a good golfer and will continue to be. Maybe his career is the reason they are still holding on.

It will be interesting to see if he can recover his brand and image. The next few weeks and months will tell.

Letterman's Tragically Creative Statement

I've always been a fan of David Letterman and his show, especially since I visited the Ed Sullivan Studio for a taping of The Late Show a few years ago. I was very curious about the news of Letterman's affair and want to know how it will play out.

From a PR perspective, I see Letterman's surprising announcement as a nightmare for any publicist. However, the more I think about the way Letterman gave the news, the more entertaining and clever I see it as. For someone who being blackmailed and never does interviews, I think it's a very honest, great, disastrous idea.

When in a situation like this, there are not many options to take. Letterman could have done nothing and paid off the accuser. He could have held a press conference to make the announcement, or he could have said nothing directly to the media, handled it as a legal matter and just let the media find information out on their own.

For a horrible PR situation, I really think Letterman came up with a witty way to handle a tough personal issue. Now, I'm interested to know if this incident will affect his popularity at all.