PR Disasters ….part 7

[AtIusvue]

Meg and Harry PR shenanigans

The Fyre festival continues.

The running of this event is extremely unprofessional and it’s already backfiring on them.

https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/i-paid-2699-to-see-meghan-duchess-of-sussex-speak-at-her-sydney-retreat-then-they-found-out-im-a-journalist-c-22111525.amp

This is deeply bizarre.

Do events like this normally exclude journalists? Surely not. If anything, events like this would welcome the publicity and extra interest generated if people started writing articles about them.

If they did want to exclude journalists, for whatever reason, then why not mention it upfront? And where exactly are they drawing the line about who's permitted to attend - which occupations, which media types?

Plus - on a practical level - I honestly don't think it's possible for them to delve into the background of every attendee to exclude anyone who might want to write an account of the weekend. You wouldn't even necessarily need to be a professional journalist. All they can really achieve with this approach is to exclude the open, upfront, professional, potentially neutral journalists, and make sure that any media reporters who do attend are doing so covertly. And those are probably going to be exactly the ones they would rather exclude.

Smacks of control issues and them spiralling about negative write ups.

Irony is…their behaviour has just landed them the negative press they’re desperately trying to avoid

I may be really stupid here but what is with the room sharing? Is it some sort of girl bonding thing? Why can't people have their own rooms ? I absolutely loathe sharing a room !

Yes, I posted this on the Australian tour thread.

If they're going to exclude lifestyle journalists (and this one sounds like she may have been going in a personal capacity) they may end up with even smaller numbers ...

Yes, I absolutely would NOT be sharing a room with a complete randomer. Especially not at that price!!

The article above says that they were told they would "be paired with another fabulous solo woman from the community." Er... it's not a community. It's just anyone who bought a ticket. They may or may not be fabulous. They may or may not be halfway decent. They may or may not be an utter nightmare.

And given current laws in Australia, they may or may not be female.

In fairness, there are so few people who'd buy a ticket to this, the ones that do may well find they have a lot in common. They could stay up into the wee hours talking about how misunderstood H&M are, and how mean and racist all her critics are. And make up weird rumours about William and Catherine. Good times.

The only place I know of where you're expected to share a room with a stranger is on yoga/meditation retreats, where it's pretty bare bones and you bring your own vegan food. I've also been on 'adventure' holidays where you have the option of sharing with a stranger or paying a supplement for your own room.

But on a luxury 'event' costing well over a grand for a weekend? No way!

I don't see who this is designed to appeal to anyway. Few Aussies care about the royals these days. And other than her faded royal connections, what achievemnts does Meghan have? The whole 'girls weekend' concept seems incredibly dated, like something from the early noughties at the very latest. But that's Meghan's vibe I guess.

TBH i'm more interested in the bit about not releasing the full itinerary until after the event for "security reasons"

Obviously this is nonsense, but it also means that anyone buying a ticket has little except flannel to go on regarding what to expect - or in other words don't bother complaing there wasn't this or that because it was never promised

Other than her faded royal connections, what achievements does Meghan have?

Edited to add do keep up, @IcedPurple - she got proctor and Gamble to change their advertiising don't you know

Yes, it makes no sense.
It’s obvious that they are still organising and trying to pull something together, that’s why they can’t publish anything….they haven’t got anything

They may or may not be biological women.

I mean they’ve released the dates and the hotel name….what security difference does it make if Megs fireside chat is listed as being in conference suite B or conference suite C?

Oops, missed your post before adding mine.

OMG I SOOoooo hope a male fan in a dress attends.

And that we get to hear all about it of course.

I can imagine someone like Dylan Mulvaney would love to go but he’s on the wrong continent. Pillow fights and a chance for a photo with a duchess. Tiaras all round. What’s not to like.

I’m glad they kicked that journalist out, what business does she have there but to harass private citizens?

Wouldn’t it have been wonderful darlings if Dame Edna Everage was still with us. I can just imagine her saying “you look fabulous Possom”

The organisation of this event demonstrates what we already knew from the organisation of their wedding, which was a shambles. It’s just not a skill Meghan Markle has, nor is she a good manager of those that do.

I don’t subscribe to the view that she’s rubbish at everything, I think she’s just very, very average with a phenomenally inflated idea of her own talents. I’m sure she could do an acceptable job of organising a small scale event but she plainly isn’t up to anything bigger. No shame in that, many of us wouldn’t be either, but we don’t put ourselves out there so brazenly.

Meanwhile H is channelling Sir Les Patterson.

How very dare you @Starryfifty, he has served his entire life! Art thou not falling at his feet in gratitude for his sacrifice?

@Ohpleeeease this is odd, you understand that this isn’t actually Meghan’s event right? she’s simply attending as a guest - her only part in this is appearing.

i understand the urge to nitpick her for breathing but at least let her have done something 😂

He uses his silver spoon in service to others, doncha know?

Are you seriously suggesting that if Meghan wasn’t attending there wouldn’t be all this nonsense about not releasing the itinerary and about security ?
The reality is that - assuming the weekend goes ahead - she will probably be there for an hour at most !

Come on. It’s much more than her just appearing. She isn’t incidental to the event by any stretch of the imagination, and some arrangements will be directed by her and/or her team.