What is Over-Exposure in Public Relations?
In public relations, there is such a thing as oversaturation or over-exposure. It occurs when a leader is highly visible for an extended period of time. The public may feel like they see the leader all the time and in a variety of settings.
While many people want and need media attention, leaders still need to be careful about how often they’re in the media and on what topics they’re engaging. If you’re a leader or influencer reading this and you want to expand your platform, you still need to think through what media interviews and public appearances you accept. You still need to remember that oversaturation is possible.
Failure to do so can strain your relationship with your base. It can also contribute to you making unforced errors or costly mistakes such as saying the wrong thing, or accepting the wrong appearance.
When does oversaturation occur?
We see oversaturation in Hollywood as well as in the media. Some mainstream outlets appear to fixate on one leader or another. They will gravitate – at least for a season – to a handful of celebrities, politicians or leaders. These folks may provide pithy, possibly viral-prone, sound bites. Or producers may have a relationship with them and want to promote them.
These individuals will then appear on cable news platforms over and over again. They become media darlings. An example of this is political strategist James Carville. It’s hard to believe that there aren’t other political strategists on the Democratic side that could be tapped for political interviews. Carville isn’t the only strategist who should be heard.
We see a similar dynamic in Hollywood of producers and directors gravitating to one talent or another. The person will appear in a host of films, almost back-to-back. For instance, Cynthia Erivo is in the spotlight presently. But I remember when Melissa McCarthy, Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish were cast in back-to-back movies and in a host of advertising campaigns. It felt like you couldn’t turn on the TV without seeing one of the three. After a while, media and pop culture consumers can get tired of seeing the person. There comes a point when over-exposure can be harmful.
Extended Exposure Harms
Professionally, I’ve had a handful of clients and employers who were very visible for an extended period of time. In most cases, rather than bolstering their brand, the extended exposure harmed them. One leader consistently came to the defense of others. He was bold and had a tough guy persona. As the months passed, his brand took a hit.
To be clear, some degree of exposure for a celebrity, influencer, actress or elected official can be helpful. But too much exposure is not always beneficial. Additionally, the more exposure the greater the scrutiny. The more exposure, the greater the risk for mistakes. This is one of the reasons I advise clients not to accept extended interviews or interviews longer than 20 to 30 minutes. It’s not that the leader isn’t capable; the point is that the more you speak, the greater the chance you will stray from your message.
Why Does This Happen?
Personally, I get leery when popular culture fixates on one person or another. Regardless of the issue, there are usually multiple people who are organizing around a given issue at any given moment. To give the impression – by only platforming one person of a handful of people – that there is only one voice, one organizer or one advocate – is purposeful. The question for the rest of us is why is the mainstream media or popular culture fixating on one person or the other? Who benefits?
My main takeaway is that all exposure is not good exposure. Leaders must think beyond the headlines and beyond their platforms. When the camera lights fade, what body of work will remain? When the appearances slow, what has been done to position yourself for the long term.
Jennifer R. Farmer, aka The PR Whisperer®, is the principal of Spotlight PR LLC. Be sure to check out other blogs and subscribe for regular communications updates.