Publicity: What I Learned From Balloon Boy!

Yesterday, unless you were in a box in your attic, you probably heard or watched the saga of "Balloon Boy" unfold on news channels everywhere.

In case you didn't, here is a recap. A six year old boy named Falcon Heene was reported missing and assumed to be trapped inside a weather balloon prototype floating 8,000 feet over Colorado. Apparently, Dad Heene, was working on the balloon, went in the house, little Falcon climbed inside the balloon, and Falcon's older brother set the balloon adrift. Ah, brotherly love...

Based on this information the following adventure commenced:

1. Authorities were notified and swung into action searching high and low for little Falcon.
2. Denver International Airport was closed temporarily until the flight path of the balloon could be determined.
3. Local media sent helicopter crews to chase the balloon and cover it's flight in real time.
4. Local and government agencies began tracking the balloon both electronically with radar and such, as well as on the ground with chase vehicles.
5. The Air National Guard had helicopter teams on standby to perform a rescue once they figured out how exactly to rescue someone from a floating mylar balloon.
6. For over two hours the balloon was adrift over Colorado and was the hottest story on TV.
7. Eventually the balloon came to rest in a farm field, but alas young Falcon was no where to be found.
8. Authorities, continuing the search, found little Falcon two hours after the balloon landing hiding in a box in the attic of the family home.
9. Much joy ensued.
10. The family is interviewed by Wolf Blitzer on Larry King Live.
11. Wolf asks little Falcon why he didn't respond when he heard people calling his name during the search.
12. Little Falcon replies: "You had said that we did this for a show."
13. Trumpets play "wah, wah, wah"

It turns out that the Heene family had been featured on two past episodes of the ABC reality show "Wife Swap", and that the father is a retired weatherman who hopes that his balloon invention will be the transportation method of the future.

Anyone else smell a publicity stunt? Dad Heene denies this charge, and says that the media is making up stories based on little Falcon's reply to Wolf Blitzer's question. Well, dad, I am going to have to agree with the media on this one.

However, from the stand point of getting attention and putting your name and message out to the world, this was BRILLIANT! Though I am willing to bet, it will be very costly in the end. Never the less, here is what we can learn about publicity from "balloon boy".

1. If you are going to go big with your announcement, go REALLY BIG! Now I am not suggesting by any means that you put your child at risk, so no hate mail please. But I am suggesting that you make your announcement, press release, tv interviews, etc as exciting as possible. Use powerful and emotional words and phrases. Connect with your audience so that they feel and share your passion. (C'mon, who didn't want to see the kid emerge from that balloon safe and sound?)
   
   
2. Make sure everyone involved in your publicity or marketing process is on the same page! This story had all of the elements needed to capture the world's attention, right up until little Falcon blew his cover story. Now granted, we are still talking about his "adventure" 24 hours later, but the Heene family's fifteen minutes of fame will be up soon enough and their credibility has been shot to hell. So make sure that your marketing team all know the party mantra inside and out before turning them loose on the media. It only takes one wrong statement for your message to go from "Bleeding Lead" to "Cutting Room Floor" and taking your credibility with it.
   
   
3. Finally, damage control. IF, for some reason, your marketing and publicity efforts take a wrong turn and the media starts dragging you toward the wall of shame, have a better response than "nuh uh poo poo head". Look at your message from all angles at the very beginning of the process, long before you ever get in front of the media. Look at every word in your press release and mantra. Can any of it be taken out of context? Instead of seeing that you are building shelters abused animals, will the press think that you are putting babies on spikes? If so, change your wording. Re-think, re-write, re-read, repeat. Get your message as perfect as possible. If there still seems to be an angle that could be put into a weird context, and you can't get around it, make sure that you have an answer that will clarify and lead people back to your original message.
   

In the end, I do wish little Falcon well. He is simply a pawn in the game of chasing the spotlight that his father is playing. I also hope that the authorities take appropriate action against dear ol' dad. Be it billing him for the expense of the rescue mission, or even time in the slammer. After all, stupidity should have it's price, and this PUBLICITY STUNT has stupid written all over it.

Whatever the cost to Dad Heene, it is well worth what I learned at his expense. As always, I welcome your thoughts, comments, or flaming arrows. You can find out more info on this story from the links below.

Read the story here: http://tinyurl.com/yfu4sj7
Read about the hoax here: http://tinyurl.com/ykqcl4k

Update: Watch updated CNN video here:

Wasted Opportunity

This morning while making breakfast, I had a rare opportunity to see part of the Today Show. The segment I landed on just happened to be where they talk to people on the street. Usually, the folks that are gathered around the outside stage area are holding signs about birthdays, anniversaries, events, and so on. This is a great chance for the show to connect with their audience and for the "on set" audience to grab 10 seconds of fame.

The "interview" that caught my attention was with a group of about twenty people holding a banner and all dressed in matching pajamas. It wasn't their message that grabbed me, but the LACK of message. Their matching costumes did the job of grabbing Al Roker's attention, or that of a producer, to get them on the air. However, when Al interviewed FOUR of the twenty people in the group, not one of them could tell him why they were there, what cause they were supporting, or why we should care. Not ONE of them! Sad, very sad. It turns out that they were holding a "PJ Day" to raise money for a local homeless shelter. That is a story I might have cared about.

All of this brings me to my point. If you are PROMOTING an event, organization, product, or your business, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, have your "pitch" ready. Make sure that EVERYONE involved knows the same pitch inside and out. You never know when someone in the group will have an opportunity to be on camera, speak to a reporter or producer, or just an average Joe on the street. I can't care about you unless you tell me your story.

When was the last time you missed an opportunity to tell your story to the world?