Handling the media scrum for the Freedom of Bury event yesterday on behalf of the borough council brought home just how much of media sentiment towards celebrities can be influenced by the person themselves.
Note the use of the word ‘person’. Celebrities are human beings, and how they behave with other human beings (yes, that also refers to journalists), goes a long way towards how they are treated by the media.
Cry Freedom: Boyle and Garvey
Yesterday, both Oscar-winning movie director Danny Boyle and Guy Garvey, Elbow’s multi-awarded frontman, demonstrated that they are people first and famous people second.
Mobbed by media for quotes and interviews, and pressed around by groups of people asking for autographs and posed photos, they were not only patient but also showed a real interest in everyone - teens clutching their DVD showreels, town hall workers, friends of relatives and relatives of friends. Not a single request was left unresponded to.
Zoe Robinson, the paralympic Gold-medal winner, of course needed a friend or parent alongside her. But the disarmingly open approach from Boyle and Garvey was a breath of fresh air.
Media interviews were all handled with helpful, responsive replies. No impatient huffing or puffing. We had not been told that any subjects were out of bounds.
Ask any PR from a Manchester public relations agency and they’ll tell you they’ve been snapped at by someone important in their charge to fetch a drink or food. Danny Boyle even went and made himself a cuppa from the journalists’ tea urn.
The mutual pride in the town hall was tangible. It was heart-warming to experience, and comes at a great time for SKV client Bury’s inward investment drive, with so much development racing ahead in the town.
These talented sons of Bury carried themselves with a humility which, when placed against their national and international achievements, was touching. Unaffected directness in the world of entertainment is a rare thing these days. Lovely people. Lovely day.
Tags: Bury council, Danny Boyle, destination marketing, Elbow, entertainment PR
What else would you expect of Bury folk, naturally down to earth and grounded… Celebrity its just fluff, Danny Boyle and Guy Garvey proud Northerners.
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