CELEBRITY MEDIA RELEASE BLOOPER

There is highlighting your client's good points and then there is....well, telling big old porky pie lies.

The UK based Infinite PR, which is headed up by ex-Public Relations Director at EMI, Murray Chalmers (who clearly should have known better!), has just issued a stinker of a media release. The release opens with the following words:

'Now I lie here in the wet patch in the middle of the bed,

I'm feeling pretty hard done by, I've spent ages giving head.'

Nice. This adorable little couplet is followed by the claim:

'Lily Allen, the Wordsworth of the MySpace generation......'

Hang on a second. Lily Allen? Wordsworth? I've heard about embellishing the truth but this is just ridiculous! I'm sure poor old William is turning in his grave. If you don't know who Lily Allen is check out this YouTube video of her performing- poet certainly isn't a word that comes to mind.

I really don't know what to say. Even a PR Junior Account Executive knows that media releases should consist of solid, newsworthy facts, not the overemotional statements that run throughout this entire release.

If you want to read more about this particular blooper, check out this Guardian article. They even phoned Murray to ask him exactly which of Wordsworth's works he thought Lily's songs were most like? Very funny.

PR DISASTERS- KERRY KATONA SLURS HER WAY THROUGH 'THIS MORNING'

I know that many Kiwis will not know who Kerry Katona is or will be familiar with breakfast TV programme 'This Morning.'

Just to provide some brief background information- Kerry Katona used to be part of a very successful British girl band called 'Atomic Kitten.' Since she left the group she has gone through divorce, drug addiction, depression and bankruptcy. Recently, she has had something of a body makeover and has been promoting a new TV series. Clearly, the message she wants to get out is 'I have got my life back on track.'

Yesterday morning, she appeared on 'This Morning', an extremely popular show which is watched by a huge portion of the British population. She came across as confused, uncoordinated and slurred her way through the entire interview. She also became incredibly defensive when questioned about her alcohol consumption.

Why, oh why, would any self-respecting publicist allow her to get up in front of a camera in this state? The whole thing was a train wreck and simply awful to watch. To be completely honest, I would be sacking her whole PR team or at least having very stern words with them.

Mindyou, I'm imagining that the TV shows viewing figures haven't suffered too much......

Does anyone else have any PR Disasters to share, either here or abroad?

WHAT'S IN YOUR PR BAG?

This post was inspired by my English friends over at the PR and Comms Network. I thought it would be interesting to see whether there is any difference between what British and Kiwi public relations consultants choose to carry around.

The rather organised gentleman over at PR and Comms survives each day with only a few essentials, including his iPhone and a copy of the Economist neatly filed away in his 'man bag'. Click here to read the full list.

As I type this, I am looking in trepidation at my plum coloured Karen Millen handbag, which is sat, bulging, on the floor next to my desk.... Looking inside, I discover the following:

• A matching Karen Millen wallet, stuffed with receipts, money, my various cards, driving license and notes from my boyfriend


• An apple, to join the two other wizzened apples and tangerine on my desk that I never get around to eating!


• A hairbrush


• A pair of Bill Bass sunglasses that reaaallly need replacing


• A big bunch of keys, complete with London phone-box keyring


• A mini Crunchie bar


• A small sandwich bag of dry cereal (don't ask)


• A couple of Sharpies that I keep forgetting to take back to the advertising studio in my building


• A collection of random coins and car park receipts

Along with my handbag, I also have my laptop.

I feel rather shamed compared to the neat and tidy blogger in the UK. So, now that I have laid bare the contents of my handbag, I'm interested to hear....what do you have in your PR bag?

Do you have as much useless stuff in your bag as me? Is it a woman thing? Do the guys over in London have less stuff because they generally don't drive to work- they tend to either walk or take the tube and just aren't able to carry as much around?

Or is it just me?