Senior Account Manager and Social Media Strategist Kate Connors was featured on BulldogReporter.com. The original article can be found here.
PR Lessons Learned From Disney Movies: How to Create a Successful Brand Campaign Without a Fairy Godmother
By Kate Connors, Senior Account Manager & Social Media Strategist, Media & Communications Strategies
With so many millennials in the public relations industry, it is no surprise that many of these individuals still look fondly on the lessons they learned from their favorite childhood movies. Many of these “PR millennials” were born at the start of the Disney Renaissance, a period of Disney filmmaking that is remembered for its beautiful animation, dynamic scores and lovable characters. With Disney in our blood, it is no surprise that these beloved talking animals and singing characters also had some great communications lessons that can be applied every day in our jobs. Here are a few of my favorites that I learned from these lovable Disney characters:
“The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.” – Rafiki, The Lion King.
No organization likes to experience a public relations crisis, but just like Rafiki tells Simba in The Lion King, you have to face the crisis and deal with the situation head on. Not long after The Lion King aired for the first time, Odwalla Inc., the popular juice company, experienced this lesson first hand in 1996 when there was an e coli outbreak in their juices. Instead of backing away from the crisis, CEO Stephen Williamson immediately recalled all Odwalla products that contained the unpasteurized carrot or apple juice. He also offered to pay for the medical expenses for the victims of the outbreak, even though the recall was already having a huge impact on the company finances. By showing that the customer came before any financial concern, Stephen Williamson was able to save his brand. Odwalla juices are still thriving today, proving that learning from their mistakes and vowing to fix them was the right path to take. This is a lesson we should all take from Rafiki and Odwalla.
“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.” – Thumper the Rabbit, Bambi.
Bambi was one of the first Disney movies I ever saw, and yet even after all these years, I am still aware of the fact that it is full of lessons I am able to use as a public relations professional today. Thumper, the lovable rabbit from Bambi, reminds us of the simple yet important lesson to hold your tongue if you (or your client) don’t have anything nice to say.
Working in the public relations industry, you often come across clients who feel passionately about a subject or issue. It is your job as the communications professional to help them present their expertise in a balanced way to the journalists with whom you are pitching and building a relationship. Unless your media outlet has a strong advocacy slant, most journalists need to report a balanced and fair story and want sources that can give this to them.
In addition to communicating with journalists, Thumper’s advice can be applied to how an individual or brand should handle themselves on social media as well. Sears Holdings Corporation (SHC), which operates Sears and Kmart stores, experienced a social media attack when a photographer went on a Twitter rampage, snapping shots of Sears and Kmart stores that were messy, understocked, and dirty. Instead of apologizing for the photos and promising to investigate, Chris Brathwaite, Vice President of Corp. Communications at Sears Holdings, engaged in a Twitter war with Sozzi. If Chris Brathwaite had listened to Thumper’s wise advice and held his tongue, the brand would have been spared future embarrassment.
“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.” – Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh.
Eeyore was always my favorite character in Winnie the Pooh, mostly because he had some of the most honest and impactful quotes of all the characters. Eeyore’s reminder to be considerate of others is one that all brands and PR professionals should take to heart when managing their public relations campaigns. Very recently, Uber Executive Emil Michael came under fire when he suggested that “the company should consider hiring a team of opposition researchers to dig up dirt on its critics in the media.” Instead of trying to play dirty, Emil Michael should have suggested reaching out to Uber’s media critics to try to understand from where their negativity towards the company stemmed. Most journalists do their homework, and chances are they had a reason for critiquing the company the way they did. Considering other’s opinions and voices can go a long way in creating a successful public relations campaign.
“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.” – The Emperor of China, Mulan.
The Emperor of China couldn’t be more on point when he noted that Mulan’s rise to prominence in spite of misfortunes made her even more exceptional. Just like Mulan, brands and company leaders can use their public relations calamities as a way to build even stronger brands and campaigns. As a crisis communications specialist, it should come as no surprise that my firm receives phone calls from individuals or companies who have never had a communications platform and yet due to a recent mishap, they suddenly find themselves in need of media experts. We always say that a crisis can be an opportunity; a chance to seize control of your communications strategy and make it stronger than ever.
Perhaps the most important lesson is that although Disney movies have become much more technologically advanced and digitally enhanced, many of these films still contain the same messages and meanings that have endeared them to so many generations. So as your public relations campaigns grow more complex and enhanced, keep in mind that the key elements that make any campaign so successful (personalization of a brand and consideration for internal and external audiences) have stayed the same. We’ve just upgraded them from our VHS boxes to Blue-ray discs.
Kate Connors is a Senior Account Manager & Social Media Strategist at Media & Communications Strategies. She proudly played the role of Timon in her 6th grade production of The Lion King and can still sing all the words to Hakuna Matata.