Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart at the "Twilight" World Premiere. Image courtesy of Superior Pics

We’ve had the pleasure of reaching out to talent and celebrities for the 5th annual Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF). Since it’s always a fun and exciting experience, we thought we’d share some tips that we’ve used along the way…

  • Whether you’re inviting celebs to an event or asking them to endorse your product, always remember that they are humans, too. Always be respectful, polite and professional when dealing with celebrities or their agents.
  • Which brings us to our next point ~ hit up the agents and publicists first. By doing so, not only are you respecting the publicists, but also s/he will know all the pertinent facts about the celebs. Will the celebrities you’re trying to reach out to be shooting a film the week that you need them? Do they already endorse a product that’s similar to yours? The publicist or agent will have a lot of these answers for you, so start with them first.
  • When reaching out to publicists via phone, always be prepared! Keep notes close to you (so you don’t forget anything) and be personable. Nothing will sound more scripted than reading off a doc with your bullet-point notes!
  • When reaching out to publicists or agents via email, focus on crafting individual emails…

Dear Agent,

We specialize in a revolutionary hairspray that we know your client (Insert: desired celeb name here) will love!

Sheli Sanders of TLC's Beauty Spaces. She'll be attending the 2011 GIFF!

See the above won’t really work. By typing, “Dear Agent,” you’re not being respectful or personable! Nothing can be worse than the publicist/agent/celebrity seeing that you sent this email to 50+ other contacts. It may take a few extra minutes, no, it will take a few extra minutes to craft an  individual email, but it will really go a long way! (It’s just the same as reaching out to media partners.)

  • Be persistent! Your emails may get pushed to the bottom or your voice mail messages may result in un-returned calls. It’s okay! Sending friendly (not annoying) reminders will help the celebrity contact remember what it is that you need.
  • Don’t send your message to everyone. Your revolutionary hairspray may be fabulous, but Discovery Channel’s American Choppers stars may not be into that. Read themagazines, watch the shows and do your research.
  • And last but not least, consider outside help. PR firms often have relationships and contacts with other firms and agents. For products, there may be swag bag opportunities that are passed out at exclusive, red carpet celebrity events. Who knows, your amazing hairspray may just end up in the hands of several famous celebrities attending one star-studded event!

Good luck ~ and if you need help, reach out to us!

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This