The 10 Most Over-Publicized People of 2009!

The 10 Most Over-Publicized People of 2009!



December 27, 2009. Oakville, ON. The 10 Most Over-Publicized People of 2009 expertly compiled by Kathryn Kates, CEO of Oakville, Ontario based Kathryn Kates Public Relations.


10. Paris Hilton. From a sex tape, to a lost chihuahua, to an infinite number of boyfriends and fiancées, a fight with her TV co-star, a search for a new BFF and endless product endorsements…is Paris the City of Lights, or the Girl in the Limelight?

9. Ivana Trump. After splitting from “The Donald”, the very rich divorcee announced on daytime TV to much less affluent viewers… that if she could survive divorce anyone could. The arrogant ex-Mrs. Trump has now survived four divorces, but not a flight out of Florida… the self-proclaimed survivor’s foul mouth resulted in being bounced from the plane.

8. The Duggars. TLC don’t encourage these people with titling their show 17 and Counting, 18 and Counting…now that they have their 19th, little Josie…a preemie. Maybe it is time for these God-fearing folks to count their blessings—and rename the show 19 and Thank You Lord…But, That’s Enough!

7. Sarah Palin. In Sarah’s world, the road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue means giving up politics to become a celebrity…book deals, publicity tours – is a talk show next? Right or left…it is a scary thought that celebrity versus substance can lead you up to the White House path.

6. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Most surprising is when this philandering politician got bashed in the face – it wasn’t his ex-wife Veronica Lario doing the bashing.

5. Ocotomom. Instead of endearing herself to the world, Nadya Suleman, the single mother of 14 pissed off everyone including Dr. Phil...who felt compelled to walk away after renovating her house.

4. Balloon Boy's Dad. Richard Heene reached new heights when it comes to procuring a reality series…backfired! Not such a panoramic view from a jail cell.

3. Anyone named Jackson. Thought you were over-exposed with Janet’s wardrobe malfunction…well that was just the beginning. Talk about over-exposure…the brothers got a reality show on A&E.

2. Jon Gosselin. Coming out of his divorce from Kate, this father of eight got his “middle-age crazies”, 20 years too early. What’s next for this guy…a red Corvette?

1. Tiger Woods. Over publicized, over exposed…he might be known for scoring low on the course, but in bed it was another story. In his case, what happened in Vegas just didn’t stay in Vegas…ouch!

Kathryn Kates, a lover of pop-culture and the zaniness that surrounds it, is a former media darling, a journalist who crossed over to the PR-side. According to Kathryn, this year was a tough one, there were just so many over-publicized souls to select from.


Contact Info:
Kathryn Kates
CEO
Kathryn Kates Public Relations
kathryn@kathrynkatespr.com
kathrynkatespr.com
905-849-5639

Why Promotion?

This is a story I have heard more than once. A company spends a whole lot of money on developing a product or setting up an office or store full of stuff and when it comes to branding, advertising, publicity and generally getting the word out to attract customers - the coffers are empty.

So, the business sits there...with the owner crossing fingers and hoping that what they are offering will be discovered, perhaps by some divine intervention. When starting a new venture, and planning your budget, it is smart business to budget for your promotional future, even if you have to start small and increase your promotional spending as your revenue increases. This will certainly help you stay in the business of choice and not be looking for a secondary job to be supporting your business because no one knows you have a business except your close friends.When trying to figure out a promotional budget, ask around. Call a friend in business, meet with public relations firms, and read about promotion and see if you can do some self-promoting on your own.

A well thought out plan to spread the word about you and your business will speak volumes down the road and will make for easier driving.

Handling Rejection from the Media

You've come up with a great idea, one that you think will put your business on the map.So, you write up a killer press release, rehearse your pitch and get your media list all ready. You make your first call, get an answering machine, the next call is an intern confused by what you are saying, and to make matters worse the third call is a hardened old timer that has heard whatever you have to say a million times before.

Rejection can be tough, don't take it personally. Take a coffee break, rethink your message or delivery...perhaps your calling at the end of the week when those you are talking to are on overload or have their minds on the weekend not on what you are saying or about too. So, perhaps wait until a new week begins.

There are options available. Engage a professional public relations firm, who may have history with the media outlets you are trying to make inroads with. Another option is thinking outside the box of traditional media and engaging in social media PR, where by blogging and social networking you have more control of your message and it's circulation. The best thing is your message is out there without the need of a producer or editor having a good day and saying yes to you...you are in control.

Combining traditional public relations and digital public relations will ensure that a wide cross-section of potential customers will learn about you and your business.

I STILL BELIEVE IN SANTA!

By Kathryn Kates

When I was a little girl, I knew that Christmas wasn’t coming to our house. We celebrated Chanukah. However, I truly believed and still do, if you are good girl or boy, no matter what your religious beliefs, you too, could sit on Santa’s lap at the mall and invite him to drop by for milk and cookies on Christmas Eve, in hopes of having your stocking filled.

My parents encouraged us to celebrate our holiday by lighting candles and spinning a small wooden or plastic top called a dreidel. But to their credit, while establishing our faith’s boundaries in a positive way and conscious of the fact that we live in a secular society, my sister and I grew up never feeling alien to the Christian holiday that surrounded us. They allowed us to meet Santa Claus at our local shopping center. And although we weren’t supplied with a fancy red stocking, we did hang my fathers’ old socks above the fireplace and on Christmas morn found it full of oranges, candy and a small toy.

My family always made me feel secure and happy with the traditions I was born to follow. So it was never a problem for them or me to celebrate holidays of other faiths and in turn, my non-Jewish friends were welcomed to learn and participate in my religion’s festivities.

In many cases, children nowadays are allowed only to celebrate holidays during school hours in a generic fashion. How unfortunate and sad, to think that any character and color a religious holiday brings would be obliterated in hopes of not offending. Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for kids to be introduced to all the different songs, celebrations and foods that their fellow classmates and their families practice at this time of year?

My friends tell me, you don’t have to be a non-Christian to feel overwhelmed by all commercialism of Christmas. However, I would think a parent would be delighted if their children, no matter what the faith, had an opportunity to share their special family holidays with others at school. I don’t know any child to date that was corrupted by a Christmas carol or Chanukah song. It is certainly better than some of the other music kids are exposed to throughout the year.

It is so important to not lose sight of the true reasons we celebrate at this time of year. I don’t doubt Christians know Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, Jews know that Chanukah is about warrior Judah Maccabee and his sons saving the Ancient Temple and followers of other religions are well-versed in the roots of their faith’s celebrations. With that in mind, I still think we can enjoy the jolly old man in red with our Christian friends without feeling guilt. From all the many multicultural smiling faces I’ve recently seen pose for photos with Santa, I suppose many parents agree that Santa should be considered, as a seasonal celebrity who rewards us all for being good!

THE KATHRYN KATES' PHILOSOPHY OF PUBLIC RELATIONS!

1. Public Relations is not a nine-to-five profession. While it's crucial to pace oneself to avoid burnout, when involved in a campaign, one must "breathe" the product. A blasé effort results in a blasé campaign.

2. It is not enough to create an attention-drawing promotion. An "angle" needs to be packaged and presented to the media. The publicist must understand what makes a good accessible story.

3. Integrity is crucial. It is vital to develop a rapport with the media by being straightforward and honest.

4. Capturing media and public interest is accomplished by combining common sense with wild imagination. Public relations consultants need a creative feel for the whole picture, while at the same time, a constant concern for detail.