Big Reputation: What We Can Learn From Celebrity PR

By: Makenzie Rogers, Account Supervisor

Behind all the designer clothes, flashing lights, and perfectly-timed pap walks is a team of communications professionals orchestrating how seamless a celebrity’s life appears to the public. However, not every attempt to maintain or repair a celebrity’s image succeeds and can sometimes damage their reputation further. So what campaign elements make or break superstars’ careers? 

For a masterclass in celebrity PR, look no further than Taylor Swift. After being in the music industry for almost two decades, she and her team have crafted a flawless image for the pop star, evolving with her as she aged and her music changed. Much of Swift’s PR relies on timing, consistency, and subtly shifting narratives. This is evident in her responses to Kanye West and Kim Kardashian during “snakegate,” as well as her transition to pop from country, and her deliberate decisions to speak out on social media.

“Snakegate” redefined Swift’s career. She released a statement on Twitter defending herself and immediately went silent afterwards. After months of hiding from the public eye, Swift deleted all of her Instagram posts and teased a new era with a video of a snake; this set up the album announcement for reputation. This clever reclamation of the snake and her tongue-in-cheek “good girl gone bad” persona garnered much mixed attention. The brilliance of this campaign would not be appreciated until years later, after Swift was exonerated by the media and society, and now, when celebrities archive all their social media posts, they’re dubbed as “entering their reputation era.”

Swift and her team know precisely when, where, and how to respond depending on the context, relevancy, and situation. Over the years, she’s been able to maintain her relatability and authenticity that she first established with fans back in 2006, even as she’s pulled back from social media, and her posts now go through several approval channels. If one scrolled through the captions on her Instagram, they would read as though she wrote them herself, riddled with emojis, witty wording, and niche references that only fans would know to decipher. This intentional voice choice has continued to solidify the strong relationship between her and her fanbase, because she appears to have never changed. The brand of Taylor Swift is expertly sculpted and polished, and other celebrities should take notes when they’re embroiled in scandal; timing and intention are everything.

On the other side, many celebrities have experienced backlash and boycotts for poorly handled PR responses. A few examples include Kevin Spacey’s insensitive sexual assault allegation defense, Kanye West doubling down on his bigotry, and Colleen Ballinger’s infamous ukulele apology. What all of these have in common is that they lack accountability and empathy. A good crisis response shows honesty, sincerity, and a commitment to growth. When a statement comes without those, the general public tends not to sympathize with the celebrity behind the empty words. After a PR statement is received negatively, it’s difficult for a person’s reputation to recover, which we’ve seen with all three celebrities mentioned above. In today’s era of social media and cancel culture, a celebrity’s PR team must place accountability above playing defense immediately, especially if what they’re attempting to mitigate is true. 

If the saying “all press is good press” were accurate, celebrities wouldn’t have extensive communications teams. Emerging PR professionals can expand their knowledge about crisis and image management by studying celebrities’ brands and past responses to scandals. There is always something to learn when it comes to the successes and failures surrounding superstars, but taking accountability and remaining consistent should be at the forefront of every PR approach. 

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About the Author: Makenzie Rogers

Makenzie Rogers is a senior from Shreveport, Louisiana, majoring in public relations. She is currently the account supervisor for Goodwill and Made Concepts. Outside of PRLab, Makenzie works as the social media manager at Social Butterfly Advertising & Design, LLC. Additionally, she is actively involved in PRSSA, presently serving as Programming Coordinator.