By: Jennifer Vander Sanden
While driving to work recently, listening to Eric & Kathy on THE MIX, they played their parody of Adele’s new single “Hello.” It was highly amusing, but between laughs over their well-interjected “hello” movie quotes I heard something else.
The chorus of this song is a publicist’s plea to the media.
If you aren’t in the industry, let me explain. On a daily basis, we spend hours emailing and calling, and then following up on those emails and calls to the media- in some cases, what feels like a thousand times. Here’s my complete breakdown of the lyrics:
“Hello from the other side”- Being a former TV producer, I can assure you publicists are “the other side.” I constantly refer to my prior positions as “being on the other side of things.” It’s why so many former TV and newspaper folks end up in PR.
“I must’ve called a thousand times”- Maybe not a thousand, but as I said earlier, it sure feels like it. I’ve emailed! I’ve called! I’ve followed up every week for three weeks on those emails and calls! Why aren’t you answering me?
(Skip a line- the “I’m sorry” part doesn’t completely fit, especially if you are a good publicist like we all are at Heron Agency. If you are, in fact, not that great, you probably are apologizing to your client and your media contacts!)
“But when I call you never seem to be home”- So true! No one answers anymore. I’m 100% guilty myself. When I was a producer, I’d let all publicist calls go to voicemail, listen to them, and only if it was something I wanted to do, would I call the person back.
This is where things start to get even more literal…
“Hello from the outside”= Hello, did you get the message? I’m still here- on the outside- just waiting to hear back from you.
“At least I can say that I’ve tried” = Well, I can honestly tell my client I have literally done everything I can to get in touch with you.
(I’m skipping another “I’m sorry” line)
“But it don’t matter, it clearly doesn’t tear you apart”= I’m sitting at my desk, stressed out that I don’t know if you will or won’t do the interview, and your life is going on as if nothing is happening.
Am I right or what?
Very cute Jennifer!