The Greatest Showman is based on the story of P.T. Barnum, the man who founded the Barnum & Bailey Circus and a man who people believe possessed one of the brightest public relations minds in history. Barnum apparently understood promotion in a way few did in the 1800s,
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The Hugh Jackman starrer is running in theatres all across Pakistan and we recommend local film and drama producers watch it for some valuable lessons.
The Greatest Showman is based on the story of P.T. Barnum, the man who founded the Barnum & Bailey Circus and a man who people believe possessed one of the brightest public relations minds in history. Barnum apparently understood promotion in a way few did in the 1800s, and was ahead of his time in the way he went about getting people excited about what he had to offer. The film is a must-watch for its musical, lyrical and choreographical elements (it is fascinating to say the least) but another important dimension that emerges is the PR angle that reflects upon how Barnum used bad reviews to encourage a good day at the box office.
1. Understand the power of PR. Barnum understood that getting the press on his side was a powerful way to get his story out. By leveraging those relationships, he succeeded in getting the public to pay attention to his museum and his shows. Publically shaming critics and ridiculing them on a personal level will only ascertain ill will and a blind eye to your next project.
2. Use even bad media to your advantage. Barnum leveraged a less-than-stellar review of his show that appeared in one newspaper, using it in ads in publications across the region, offering a discount to anyone who brought the ad to the ticket counter. The result was sell-out performances, which only drove the demand for tickets higher. As Barnum says in the film, “Nothing draws a crowd like a crowd.”
3. Controversy isn’t always a bad thing. As the film depicts, Barnum’s tactics were questioned by some. His show created controversy, which he used to drive even more publicity. The idea that people knew they’d be seeing something they’d never seen before helped Barnum to succeed. He dared to be different and didn’t shy away from chaos. Barnum believed, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity,” another of his famous quotes.
4. Believe in your product. Even though what Barnum was doing had never been done before, he had faith it would be a success. He believed people were looking for something new and different, even if they didn’t know it yet. When times got tough—and ticket sales were failing—he kept on believing and tweaking his approach. He was eventually proven right when crowds started to show up. If you believe in your greatness and people/critics can’t see it, just persevere; consistency will change their minds.
5. Master the sales pitch. Barnum knew how to sell his ideas. Even if you have the most brilliant idea for a campaign, if you don’t know how to present it to the decision makers, it may never see the light of day. If you can use creativity to get your idea across to your client or boss, you may be more likely to get the green light. One sales pitch cannot apply to every idea, which is why producers need to rethink their movie promotional activities.
– With information from 9 PR and marketing lessons from The Greatest Showman by Michelle Garrett for the PR Daily
