A Q&A with Brian MacLaurin
On his appointment as Chairman of Iredale Communications we talk to Brian MacLaurin
You were a journalist and broadcaster before you moved over to public relations. What are the advantages to a client of being a poacher turned gamekeeper?
There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that a deep understanding of how the media world works, and how journalists think, are huge assets to anyone working to promote or protect brands, products and even celebrities. These tools are key to success. I am not saying that if you haven’t been a journalist you can’t do the job, but I have never once doubted that for a PR to be able to “talk the same language” gives a client a significant edge every time.
You ran your own business for more than 20 years. Tell us about a couple of your most memorable PR moments?
For me the biggest and most exciting was — as a relatively new agency in the mid 1990’s — beating off major competition to win the launch of Sony Playstation. Believe it or not, in those days gaming was something that took place in fairgrounds or rather seedy backstreet shops. Playstation was a huge turning point. We worked with Sony for five fantastic years. This account significantly changed the direction of the agency and put us on the road to success.There were also many PR moments over the years where I was involved in sensitive issues relating to celebrities, sports stars and people of note. They are certainly memorable, however I have always maintained absolute discretion on these and I will continue to do so.
How easy is it to get the media to follow PR briefings on a fast moving news story?
The honest answer is generally “get in first” and put your stake in the ground by providing the media with accurate facts which suit the client, but giving enough information to enable the journalist to write the story. In today’s world the run of news is frenetic, and it’s very easy for something to get out of control. I am not saying the media get it wrong, but what does happen is one inaccurate fact can grow and grow until it reaches a level where it bears no resemblance to the truth.
I remember a decade ago working for a Russian client, Andrey Melnichenko. A company called Bentley’s was hired to stage the marriage of Andrey to Aleksandra Nikolic. This took place at Cap D’Antibes. There was a Russian theme, and Bentley’s built a magnificent Russian styled wedding altar, hired high-flying acrobats and there were performances by international pop stars. The decision was taken that, as a private event, nothing should be provided to the media in advance. To emphasise the point I am making, it has since been written that the organisers “demolished a Russian church and rebuilt it for the wedding”, that they “hired the Russian State Circus”, and that the price tag was £30m! Of course this is all nonsense, as the budget was actually around £3m!
How has PR changed now we’re in the digital age, with 24/7 news and social media? Is it still relevant?
The short answer is everything is faster, more immediate, more challenging and of course more exciting. It means the need for good PR representation becomes a more essential element in the overall marketing mix for every business and organisation.