Media Terms You Need to Know…Now!
Your brand is the most important aspect of your marketing. There are a few terms every actor should know when working on their branding and gaining media exposure.
Public relations (PR). This one is fairly self-explanatory – it’s your relationship with the public. It is the image you present to others, and one that can make or break your career. You can do the leg work on your own or consider hiring a publicist to ensure your brand is consistent and easily identifiable. What’s a publicist?
Publicist/Publicity. Your publicist’s job is also fairly self-explanatory – to help ensure you get publicity, and just the right kind. This is the attention you get from the media that helps propel your career forward. Whether you use podcasts, radio interviews, television interviews, spots on talk shows, print advertising, or any other form of media to feature your brand, this is the publicity you receive.
Media. Media is the particular medium in which you are featured, and there are many forms. In addition to those listed above, you might be showcased on a website, social media, a blog, etc. There are many platforms you can reach out to in order to extend your reach.
Media Outlet. This is the business that broadcasts your story, in whichever medium the story is told. It could be a particular television network, newspaper or magazine publication, or a specific radio show. The actual company behind the media is termed the “outlet” and they will present who you are from various angles.
Angle. This is the stance you are taking when you project your image to the media. You will have a particular angle when you pitch yourself, soliciting exposure from the outlets. You may take more than one angle and cater this angle to the client to which you are pitching or the story to be told. You will likely have to adjust along the way. For example, say you want to be in an anti-global warming PSA campaign because you think global warming is a significant issue. Your angle might be to broadcast different prevention methods. If you are trying to get featured in a fashion magazine, your angle might be to share your latest beauty finds. There are endless ways to modify your angle to fit.
This is just a taste of the terminology you should familiarize yourself with when you’re pursuing a creative arts career. The whole point is to get noticed, so you’ll want to have a solid understanding of how to best pull that off!
