It Starts with Us
Holding a Mirror Up to the ‘It Ends with Us’ Publicity War
“You know we can bury anyone.” These are the words texted by public relations professional Melissa Nathan to client Justin Baldoni. If you work in PR and these words don’t send a chill up your spine, they should.
By now, it seems almost everyone has weighed in on the very public legal and reputational battle between actress Blake Lively and actor Justin Baldoni. A simple Google search on the topic results in hundreds of hits, and anyone on Instagram or TikTok with an interest, an internet connection and a microphone has contributed to the circular and confusing narrative.
It's easy to get lost in the chaos and confusion of it all. Buried, if you will.
I won’t rehash details here. If you aren’t aware of the situation, and have a couple of hours to spare, you can check out The New York Times article that ignited the media frenzy, review Lively’s official legal complaint, take a look at Baldoni’s self-published website with his amended complaint and timeline of relevant events and reference a recently published timeline by The Independent.
Three major players in the story include two publicists (Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel) and a self-proclaimed “hired gun” (Jed Wallace) for their role in what Lively identifies as a smear campaign against her.
What has me spinning over this situation (aside from my feminist sensibilities about the deeply troubling, gendered narratives at every turn of the story) is not only the use of PR, but also the mirror it holds up to our media system and how we consume information. Here are some of the reflections.
Flooding the Zone
Flooding the Zone is a powerful and real communications strategy used here; it creates chaos, overwhelm, distraction and eventually numbs people into avoidance at best and complacency at worst. As stated in a reported text message from Nathan, “ALL Press is so overwhelming. Weve confused people. So much mixed messaging It’s actually really funny if you think about it [sic].”
Social Media Sites are Not News Sites
Social media is not organic, time-bound, linear, fact-based, nuanced or contextual. Somewhere along the way, we’ve confused social media with news; when, in fact, it’s based on an algorithm to get clicks, views and keep viral stories alive.
Conflict is King
While conflict has always been one of the tenets of a “newsworthy” story, it appears content has crowned conflict our reigning king.
The Untraceable Nature of PR
Public relations is all around us. Its untraceable nature is both its magic and its kryptonite. From news to blogs to social media to influencer posts, there’s a good chance a professional communicator was behind the scenes bringing that story or post you’re reading to life. As we move deeper into a culture with less transparency, how can we trust the people behind the curtain are pulling the right strings?
The (Mis)Information Society
More information does not lead to more truth. We live in a 24/7 news cycle with information constantly at our literal finger trips. It’s not all accurate, fact-based, fact-checked or even real (AI).
So, where do we go from here? Knowing these concerns permeate our media today, what can we do to be different?
At a basic level, we should all be adhering to a personal and professional code of ethics, preferably one that does not support overwhelming, confusing, bullying or burying anyone.
Part of that code should include a responsibility to source accurate, truthful information when pitching stories and sharing information. We must constantly educate ourselves about the best people to deliver our messages to the public - journalists, reporters and influencers who share our values and abide by their own code of ethics.
We have an opportunity to break through the chaos of the current news cycle by offering and establishing a calm, authentic, consistent voice. Let’s elevate the unique stories of socially responsible companies and people.
Let’s diversify the tools we use to tell stories. Social media is powerful and has a strategic place in the communications process, but if you’re trying to find original sources, excavate truths, understand nuance, and chart an accurate chronology of events, look elsewhere. We may have no choice on this one, as a movement is underway to abandon social media sites. Let’s stay ahead of it.
While conflict is inevitable, be weary of leaning into it as a strategy. Its dichotomous nature almost always results in winners and losers, at best, and at worst, losers and losers in the court of public opinion.
Businesses – this one is for you – bring ethical PR people to the table sooner. Use us to vet story ideas, business ventures, partnerships and other big decisions through a PR lens. We have a nose for trouble and may be able to prevent PR disasters (that could cost you time, money and reputation) before they happen.
Lastly, and probably most importantly, as media consumers we must all maintain a critical eye and avoid using tired and overly simplistic narratives to share stories and information. In other words, don’t believe everything you hear and avoid sharing information you haven’t personally vetted and sourced.
I believe we are living through a pivotal time in terms of how we choose to communicate and what we accept as conventional, permissible and truthful. Communicators have an opportunity to use public relations and other tools to build community, consensus and social change. Businesses have a chance to hire smart, ethical communicators to tell different types of stories. And every single one of us has the power to ask more of our media system and the people who manipulate it. Let’s be the change. It starts with us.
