Do you have what it takes to be a V.I.P.?

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Media training for celebrities begins with a careful and thorough review of all existing press and background material on the client. The synthesis of this information will determine the main messages that will resonate with target audiences and be easy benchmarks to return to in an interview. This, of course, changes depending on the type of celebrity as well as who is managing them. The main messages between a pop star working under the hidden apparatus of a 50-person team and Charli D'Amelio's dad making sure she makes the bed before filming a TikTok are clearly different. You can read more about the hidden apparatus under branding.

 

From that point on, it's a matter of anticipating questions, constructing answers in advance, and developing techniques, often referred to as bridging and redirecting, to return to the celebrity's main message or rehearsed answers no matter what. Today's media environment is intensely critical. With more channels than ever to be consumed, celebrities must be prepared for crisis. Anticipate it, even.

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Below is a Media Training Document curated by DePaul professor as well as senior corporate communications, public relations agency, and not-for-profit executive, Don Ingle. Although the context of this training is for a business executive being targeted by a major news corporation, much of its contents are still relevant.

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