FX-IT: There are many things to say about the #MeToo phenomenon, now entering its fifth week. We’ll confine ourselves to some PR aspects. The biggest new Hollywood name in the story as we write, of course, is comedian, television series creator, actor and filmmaker Louis C.K. Unlike actor and director Kevin Spacey, whose initial statement was inconclusive and roundly criticized ( PRN, Oct. 31), C.K. quickly confirmed he’d sexually harassed women, issuing an 11-paragraph, 493-word statement, nearly all of it written in first-person format. Five female comedy writers and performers, four on the record, accused C.K. in a Nov. 9 article in the NY Times of masturbating in front of them or asking if he could. Issued the following day, C.K.’s statement of confirmation is far superior to Spacey’s somewhat nonchalant initial response. [Note to Subscribers:The statements of Spacey and C.K. can be found at the PR News Essentials page: http://bit.ly/2mUP2OR] C.K.’s second sentence sets the tone for the rest of his statement as he addresses the allegations in the NY Times. He writes clearly and simply: “These stories are true.” The PR lesson is obvious: Admit wrongdoing quickly and directly. While it is true C.K. acted authentically only after he was accused in the NY Times’ story, from a PR perspective you could argue he took the correct course of action, and did so swiftly, after listening to the social conversation. Of course, if you said allegations have followed C.K. for several years, so he really didn’t need too much time to assess the situation, you’d be correct. Another PR lesson: When addressing something you did, write in a personal manner and avoid corporate-speak. C.K. writes, “I have been remorseful of my actions…There is nothing about this that I forgive myself for…The hardest regret to live with is what you’ve done to hurt someone else. And I can hardly wrap my head around the scope of hurt I brought on them.” C.K. correctly offers no excuses and blames no one but himself. As you might recall, Spacey wrote that if he behaved badly 30 years ago it was due to too much alcohol. C.K. hurts his case, though, when he writes several times that the women he mistreated “admired” him. This ego-boosting was a mistake. Where C.K. commits a major miscue, though, is that he fails to use the words “I’m sorry” or “I apologize.” He should have. That might have prevented some of what happened next: FX, which carries three of his hit series, the critically acclaimed Louie and Baskets as well as Better Things, ended its associations with C.K. Earlier, before he released his statement, FX said C.K.’s situation was “under review.” FX parent 21st Century Fox remains embroiled in scandal over its handling of former Fox News star Bill O’Reilly, who lost his job in April due to a series of sexual scandals. Roughly one year earlier, Fox News founder Roger Ailes was forced to resign owing to an accusation of sexual misconduct. Back to C.K., HBO, Netflix and C.K.’s PR pro, Lewis Kay, dropped him.
Growth: The M&A and exit planning firm Tobin Group added Scott Leff as partner and rebranded itself TobinLeff, LLC. We asked Leff about tips for PR firm owners regarding exit planning and monetization of stakes. “PR firm owners need to focus on enhancing their value drivers,” Leff says, “qualitative and quantitative characteristics that can significantly impact the money you’ll receive in a sale.” These include profit margin, industry expertise and a diverse business base, or not relying on a few large clients. One issue that often depresses value is dependency on the owner, Leff adds. “The less dependent the agency is on [the owner] for developing business and servicing clients, the better the sales terms.”
News Bits: Chipotle shares fell badly in early trading Nov. 13 on weekend reports that Supergirl actor Jeremy Jordan ate at a Chipotle and later was hospitalized. “I almost died,” the actor said on Instagram. Chipotle communicator Chris Arnold told CNBC the brand found no other cases of sickness at the outlet where Jordan dined. Shares recovered later in the day to close down $1.95 at $277.50. – At our press time Volvo joined Keurig and realtor.com in pulling ads from Sean Hannity’s Fox News show. While not saying so directly, the ad pulls are related to Hannity’s reporting about sexual misconduct allegations against Senate hopeful Judge Roy Moore of AL. A fifth woman accused Moore of sexual misconduct Nov. 13. Consumers still judge brands “by the company they keep,” Michael Priem, CEO, at ad agency Modern Impact, tells us in an interview. “Having a crystal clear understanding of your brand values...makes it much easier to reach media-related decisions and know when it’s time to part ways with programs, networks or audiences.”
People: Jaguar Land Rover named Felix Bräutigam chief marketing officer. He’ll report to CEO Ralf Speth. He replaces retiring Gerd Mäuser. Bräutigam joins from Porsche AG, where he was VP, Europe. – Karen Reynolds was named VP, corporate communications, at Centrify. She was chief communications officer at Good Technology.