“Even if it is just a small red carpet, it gives that glamour,” says Susie Arons, EVP at Rubenstein PR. “It doesn't always have to be celebrity driven. It can be VIPs in that particular niche.”
Juliette Harris, CEO and owner of It Girl PR, has done red-carpet events for 11 years and describes them as “one of the most fun parts about entertainment PR.” Her advice is to stay organized, have a clear path down the red carpet and into the event, and to have both a run-through and back-up plan.
Arons stresses working with the photographers and reporters, giving them relevant information and making sure their needs are met.
“If you respect them,” she says, “they then will respect what you need.” And one thing a PR professional needs is the brand's name in the spotlight, rather than just celebrities and VIPs.
“It's really challenging,” Harris says. “It comes down to relationships with the press.”
Doug Sidarweck, COO of Red Carpet Runway, noticed this challenge and created his company to provide customizable, all-in-one red carpet and backdrop solutions.
“With more digital photos and the Hollywood influence really going to a local level, the red carpet allows a company's logo to stand out in the photo and have its brand circulate around the Internet,” he says, adding that brands are still looking for that exposure, even during these rough economic times.
Arons agrees that glamour is still an important part of an event.
“People are so curious [about the red carpet],” she says. “It elevates the event.”
Key points:
- Red carpets can raise the importance of an event and provide more ways for the media to cover it
- A smaller industry event can benefit from having industry VIPs on a red carpet, rather than celebrities
- Photos from a red carpet can circulate on the Internet, so the brand and its logo can get a wider reach
