10 PR LESSONS FROM OLIVIA POPE’S SCANDALA Presentation by Busola Olujemisin | January 2017

Content

Background

Who is Olivia Pope?

What does she do?

How does she win?

Conclusion

Questions?

Background

One of my favourite TV shows is Scandal and over 5 seasons of watching it, I

couldn’t help but notice and admire the main protagonist, Olivia Pope and how

she practices PR and manages her client’s crises.

PR a’la Olivia is unique and at the same time it isn’t. My presentation today shows

how we can learn and apply some of the few realistic public relations tips that

are practiced in the hit show.

To set the ball rolling, I’ll like to introduce you to Olivia Carolyn Pope…

WHO IS OLIVIA POPE?

Olivia Carolyn Pope is a fictional character

created by Shonda Rhimes (TV writing god)

and portrayed by the awesome Kerry

Washington.

The character is partially based on a real life

crisis and PR manager, Judy Smith, for the

political drama television series Scandal.

Based in Washington, D.C. USA, Olivia is

a crisis manager who runs her own firm, Pope &

Associates. The firm specializes in repairing and

managing political crisis situations.

The character has become a widely watched

fashion and style trendsetter.

WHAT DOES

SHE DO?

Olivia is the ultimate fixer. She does anything and everything within and without her power to

remedy a crisis. – from hiding bodies to erasing evidence to rigging elections, etc. the list is endless!

Now this is not necessarily a true representation of something that would happen in the PR world

(there are plenty bobos!) but murders and adultery aside, there are indeed several ways that

Olivia embodies a true PR professional when it comes to crafting a client’s image and messaging.

SO HOW DOES

SHE WIN?WHAT CAN WE LEARN

FROM HER PRACTICE?

OLIVIA has a dream team (Gladiators)

Each member of any communications team is an important piece to

the puzzle. Everyone will have different strengths or weaknesses

but together you should make up one killer group.

It’s also important that you get to know your teammates – not only

their skills but also their personalities.

Be there to support each other – whether that’s stepping in for

someone who is sick or who is overwhelmed with a long to-do list.

At the end of the day, you win as a team and you lose as a team.

1

She is ALWAYS in the know.

If you’re a public relations or marketing professional and you don’t have your finger on the

pulse of what’s happening in the world, you’re already behind. It’s PR 101 to be up to speed

on the news. This means not only being immersed in what your clients do and what’s

happening in their industries, but also what’s going on in the news in general.

Whether it’s creating Twitter lists to monitor real-time, or setting up a Google alert account

to keep yourself up to date on client news, find something that works for you and stick with it.

Not only will your knowledge improve, you’ll start to feel out how to capitalize on trends and

fit your client into stories. In Olivia’s case, her knowledge of what’s going on in the political

sphere enables her to build smarter client strategies.

2

She inspires TEAMWORK

It’s called Olivia Pope & Associates for a reason. Olivia is the star of

the show, but she wouldn’t be able to “handle it” without her

gladiators in suits next to her. A well-rounded team is important in PR.

We all bring our own unique set of experiences and background to

the table, and that helps when brainstorming different ideas and

tactics. Plus, none of us are perfect. We will need someone to

proofread that byline before we send it out to the media.

3

Olivia knows her team’s

strengths and delegates well

Olivia is confident and, most of the time, relies on her gut to make

decisions. That being said, she knows when to ask for help from her

team and how to play to their individual strengths.

She communicates her vision clearly and delegates when necessary, with

clear expectations of what’s expected from her staff members. A clear

communication of vision and delegation is key to any successful PR firm.

4

Olivia is a Connection MAMA

Olivia’s networking skills are off the charts! Though we can’t all know the president as

personally as OP does, but we can establish connections with reporters and people

relevant to our line of work.

Gaining and maintaining the respect of different media channels will go a long way in

supporting our PR efforts. If a journalist trusts you, they will be more likely to use your

story (even without compensation) or cover the story from the angle you want them to.

5

Olivia always dresses for success.

Whether she’s lounging at home or leading a presidential campaign meeting,

Olivia is always dressed like she’s ready to take on the world. In the realm

of public relations, you never know when you’ll run into a client or meet a

potential new one. Olivia’s wardrobe is full of staples: statement dresses,

pants and killer heels—something every PR woman needs

6

Olivia always has a Plan B…and a

Plan C and D. Maybe a Plan E, too

If there’s anything I’ve learnt from Scandal, it’s that Olivia is never out of

options. She always has a backup plan and isn’t opposed to thinking outside

of the box, whether it’s to help a client or save the President of the United

States. Granted, we’ll most likely never have to do the latter, but her creative

problem-solving and confidence while doing so is inspirational.

7

She is a master at media training.

Olivia’s media training skills are impressive. She prepares her clients for any and all

media interactions, so they are confident answering even the toughest questions,

succinctly and on message.

Think about preparing your spokesperson the same way, regardless of whether or

not they’re currently in a crisis. Run them through a sample of potential questions they

could run into – good and bad. Coach them to give a response that’s genuine to

them but still on message. Encourage them to control their emotions when they

respond to tough questions and be as clear as possible.

If you can enable your spokesperson to understand more about the media and what

their tendencies are when it comes to writing stories, it will help them be ready to

face their next reporter.

8

She always tries to wear her white hat

Olivia Pope is constantly struggling to decide if she wants to wear her white hat or do

what is best for her client.

This is something PR professionals deal with on a daily basis, and it’s why it is so

important to have a moral code of ethics.

The PR industry has its own code of ethics, determined by the country’s relevant Public

Relations Association, but it’s important to have your own personal moral code as well.

9

Olivia always takes time to enjoy a good glass of wine.

No matter how long or how hectic of a day she’s had, Olivia always manages to find time to

unwind and appreciate a big glass of red wine.

Whether your “big glass of wine” is reading, running, or a glass of wine in the literal sense

(Olivia’s way of relaxing after a long day), it’s important to make time for yourself and relax.

10

CONCLUSION

At the end of the day, Scandal is a fictional TV show that

certainly takes some “artistic” liberties. But Olivia Pope’s

grace under pressure and her ability to “fix” most things

thrown her way is something that any PR professional would

be envious of.

So I challenge you to take time and study Ms. Pope, identify

the qualities you admire most about her and apply it to

your PR practice. You’ll definitely be better for it!

Any Questions?

THANK

YOU!