Diary of HipHop Publicist Sit Down With Universal Artist Kritikal

A Day in the life of a Publicist

A publicist gets press coverage for his client. The publicist is often the middleman between the high-profile personality and members of the media. He usually wants his client to receive positive acclaim, but many publicists surveyed noted the old adage that “the only bad publicity is no publicity.” Politicians and captains of industry require a little more specific spin on their press-they want to be seen as forward-looking and confident-but other professions are less picky, as in the case of the rock star who reveals the sordid details of his seamy nightlife to cultivate a rough image. Publicists also perform damage control, attempting to counteract any undesirable press coverage the client receives. This position as “last line of defense” is what distinguishes the adequate publicist from the extraordinary one. Good publicists can turn scandal into opportunity and create valuable name-recognition for their clients. Publicists don’t only work for the famous. Sometimes they work for a little-known person or industry and create reasons for them to receive press coverage. In a case where a company desiring publicity is hampered by its esoteric nature or technical jargon, the publicist must translate its positions into easily understandable language. A major part of the publicist’s day is spent writing press releases and creating press packets, which have photos and information about the publicized person or company. Publicists spend a lot of time on the phone. They put in long hours, and most receive little financial reward in return. They operate under hectic conditions and must adhere to strict deadlines which coincide with publicity events, such as the release of a movie or the publishing of a book. They have to ensure that they get the appropriate information to the media in time for the event they are generating publicity for, such as a record release or automotive sale. They must always be available for comment (even when that comment is “no comment”) and remain friends with the media, no matter how demanding the desires of both clients and the reporters on whom they depend. But at the end of the day, they go to the hottest parties in town, the ones for their clients.

What exactly does a celebrity publicist do?

Pulling the media's strings to make sure the all-powerful public likes their clients (or at the very least, is aware of them), 

So what do publicists do exactly? In short, they accentuate the positive and downplay the negative. Ever come across a fluff piece in a magazine touting how much so-and-so gave to charity? How about a five-minute "news" segment on some star's swanky house? That's what a publicist does. Similarly, whenever a celebrity suffers an unfortunate bout of bad judgment, gets caught lip-syncing, or has a very public breakup, it's the publicist to the rescue, putting a positive spin on the event. That old adage about there being no such thing as bad press isn't exactly true.