67% of Media Interviews Go Wrong: Don’t Let Yours Be One of Them

Hi Mistake Lovers,

Strap in as I have had a busy week already, and it's only Weds. I managed to put my back out on Sunday, which meant I have been crawling around at home just to be able to get about.

Ever watched an interview where the person being questioned looks totally blindsided? Maybe they say something a tad awkward, stumble through their words, or get trapped into answering something they really shouldn’t have.

It happens a lot. In fact, 67% of executives feel they’ve been misquoted or taken out of context in media interviews. But the truth? Many of these blunders are completely avoidable.

As a lover of PR and Crisis comms I offer you these two infamous PR disasters:

? BP’s CEO After the Deepwater Horizon Disaster – In 2010, Tony Hayward made a catastrophic mistake when, after the oil spill devastated the Gulf of Mexico, he told the press: "I'd like my life back." Given that 11 people had just died, the backlash was swift and brutal. ??

?? Sainsbury’s CEO and the ‘We’re in the Money’ Blunder – Mike Coupe, CEO of Sainsbury’s, was caught on camera singing “We’re in the Money” while waiting for a live TV interview about a major supermarket merger. The merger later fell through, but the damage to his credibility was already done. It was quite amusing that one. ??

These moments prove that when you’re in the media spotlight, one wrong move can spiral into a full-blown crisis.

That’s exactly what we’re diving into on this week’s episode of Embracing Marketing Mistakes with an award-winning journalist Helen Nugent . Helen’s spent 27 years interviewing politicians, CEOs, and celebrities—including one nervous Richard Branson at 30,000 feet, which you definitely need to hear.

She reveals the exact tactics and tricks journalists use to get the juiciest soundbites, including:

?? The "Rabbit Punch" Question – A sharp, unexpected opener designed to throw you off.

??? The Columbo Trick – "Oh, just one more thing…" (it’s always a curveball).

??? Small Talk Traps – That friendly chit-chat before the interview? It’s all on the record.

?? The Power of Silence – Journalists love when interviewees panic and over explain.

If you’ve ever faced the media—or might in the future—you have to hear this.

?? Listen now ?? https://link.podtrac.com/EMM

Finally, before I go and leave you alone for another week, I have to tell you what has been going on with us at our end. I actually had my own crisis story this week, and it wasn't even one of my own making.

So earlier this week, I exposed an online scam involving a fraudster calling himself Marcus Donovan, who has been impersonating PR and creative agencies, including my very own Prohibition, to steal money from unsuspecting victims. I did a bit of a cringe video, I didn't want to but I was forced to. Sorry, Mum.

Well, my little story has since become the Top Story on PR Week. I didn't want it to be a thing, but I was so frustrated talking with people affected by this awful scam and I wanted to do something. If you work in PR, marketing, or run an agency, you need to be aware of frauds like this, don't buy anything from Facebook Marketplace. Read the full story here ??

Thanks for reading this week's stuff, what’s the trickiest interview question you’ve ever faced? I would love to hear your interview horror stories and chat about them. Come on share them pls. ??

Until next week cheers,

Chris

P.S. We still have three places for our Media Training Masterclass and you can register for free here.