Four Things the Kardashians Can Teach Us About Good Public Relations

Courtesy of E!

Love them or hate them, there is no doubt you know them. The Kardashians are America’s most famous family and have become a household name throughout the world. Their million-dollar empire is based solely on one thing — good public relations.

The time Kim “broke the Internet.”

In 2014, Kim Kardashian graced the cover of Paper magazine wearing a necklace of pearls and a black gown that draped over her bare derriere. The nude shots were intended to #BreakTheInternet and it became a top news story for weeks. It came with a surge of memes, shares, comments and likes on social media with people creating their own versions to #BreakTheInternet.

Good public relations lesson: Give the people something to talk about.

One of the main goals of public relations is to generate buzz about your brand. Kim’s outrageous photos got a lot of people talking, including celebrities that have millions of followers on social media. Kim is successful with her media outreach mainly because she is always doing something crazy, unexpected and sometimes controversial.

Kylie Jenner’s Lip Kit

Kylie Jenner’s lip fillers controversy was one of the best-handled public relations moments that helped launch her billion-dollar business. In 2014, fans speculated that the 16-year-old at the time had lip fillers after her lips became plump overnight and it led to the  #KylieJennerLipChallege on social media. After finally admitting to getting lip fillers on an episode of “Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” Kylie launched Kylie Lip Kits.

Good public relations lesson: Turn a negative into a positive.

Kylie used the controversy surrounding her lips to create excitement about her lip kits and they quickly sold out. Is there anything really unique about her lip glosses that sets them apart from other brands? Not really. But Kylie’s name attached to her lip kits is enough appeal for people to buy them.

Kylie’s Pregnancy

(Photo Credit: Kylie Jenner’s
Instagram account @kyliejenner)

 

Kylie Jenner’s pregnancy announcement was one of the most anticipated news stories in 2018. Kylie waited until after the birth of her daughter to confirm the rumors on Instagram to her millions of followers, and released a short 12-minute film called “To Our Daughter,” documenting her pregnancy.

Good public relations lesson: Timing is everything.

Instead of using her pregnancy as a nine-month publicity stunt, Kylie refused to speak on the matter, which generated even more buzz and speculation. Her documentary was viewed more than 73 million times and her Instagram announcement received more than 10 million likes, which proves that timing is an effective public relations tool.

The Jordyn Woods and Tristan Thompson cheating scandal

Jordyn Woods, although not a Kardashian sister by blood, was Kylie Jenner’s longtime best friend and was considered extended family. After news broke that she cheated with Khloe Kardashian’s NBA ex-boyfriend Tristan Thompson, she came clean about what happened on Jada Pinkett Smith’s “Red Table Talk” and received tons of positive feedback. 

Good public relations lesson: Any publicity is good publicity … if you handle it right.

(Photo Credit: Courtesy of Facebook)

 

Despite being cut off from the Kardashian family after the scandal, Woods has made news around the world and has gained awareness. Woods gained more than 1 million followers on Instagram and has finalized new business contracts following the controversy.

Angela Kight is a public relations major at the California State University of Long Beach with a passion for branding and beauty. When she’s not finishing assignments for her public relations classes, she enjoys watching horror films, catching up on Rick and Morty, and spending time with her dog, Milo.

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *