The evolution of the press conference and a (funny) lesson learned

We recently helped a client put together a virtual press conference, which we frequently do, but one thing I didn’t account for happened. It was live streamed by a TV station, which is AWESOME, except that I wasn’t counting on actually being “on camera” myself as outlets usually edit what they pull from these events.

Of course it’s PR 101, right? After 17 years in PR, I definitely would have advised clients that the camera and microphone are always on. But in playing host/facilitator, I wasn’t thinking about what I looked like on screen and that resulted in a VERY ”flattering” image of me (see photo).

Did this “mistake” actually hurt anything? No, of course not. But I certainly found it a little embarrassing. I hope my faux-pas gave TV viewers in Northern Michigan a good chuckle. And I hope it gives you one too. (For the record, I was giving reporters who had joined the press event permission to record, which is critical to a Zoom press conference.)  This experience reminded me that even an “old” dog can learn new tricks.  

Take the press conference itself as an example. Before the pandemic, a virtual press conference was quite rare. Now doing virtual press conferences is something that our firm does more often than in-person ones. I love doing virtual press conferences because it provides clients with the opportunity to highlight members/speakers from around the state without taking up their entire day travelling somewhere.

It also makes it easier for reporters from across the state to cover the event, making it simple to record the story without having to send a reporter somewhere to cover it. Plus, we record the event for reporters who can’t log in during that timeframe. This has become one of my favorite ways to reach media statewide and the level of participation we get indicates they like it too.

If you have a newsworthy issue you’re looking to message statewide, a virtual press conference might be a good option. And of course, we’re here and ready to facilitate all of the details for you. Don’t worry, I’ll leave my camera off next time.