Lilly Allen Rats Out New York Times For Syndicating Photos Used For Arts Section
September 24, 2009 | Filed Under Legal Issues, Marketing, Music | Comments Off
I was shocked to read the New York Times arranged a photo session with Lilly Allen to illustrate an article they ran on her for the Arts Section, only to see those photos syndicated to OK magazine (for starters) so OK could run their own “exclusive” story made up of quotes from third party sources. I realize the Times is not in the best financial shape, but man, it’s pretty sleazy to use your reputation as bait for monetizing the results in a tabloid aftermarket. David Azia is the New York Times photographer in question.
Note to artists: make sure you sign a photo contract that stipulates how photos can be used once the initial use has past, especially in the digital age….it’s up to you if you want to sell out for the publicity at the expense of controlling your likeness.
This Wild Girl’s a Homebody Now (NY Times’ article)
Life & Style Kelly Ripa Films TD Bank Commercial New York City
August 2, 2009 | Filed Under Female, Marketing, New York, TV Star | Comments Off
Heroes, Celebrities and the Fans Who Worship Them
June 22, 2009 | Filed Under Celebrity, Marketing | Comments Off
It’s a rainy day, so rather than shoot Kelly Clarkson on Regis & Kelly I delved into understanding the psychological meaning behind the artist-fan relationship. Google delivered a worthy result: American Heroes in a Media Age by Susan J. Drucker and Robert S. Cathcart. The working theory of this book suggests the notion that mass media itself has given birth to a late 20th and early 21st Century phenomenon; namely, anyone can become a social artifact aka celebrity when subjected to mass media packaging.
“The responses obtained in this investigation indicate that personal characteristics of celebrities rather than public deeds are related to their elevated status. Identification with the looks and personal characteristics that media publicity celebrates removes the celebrity from the hallowed pedestal of the hero.” (Drucker, Cathcart, 1994)
The dark side of this theory is that corporations today fulfill our psychological and emotional needs by offering up media packages (TV shows, movies, merchandise) that nurture a lifelong emotional attachment that replace human interaction with simulated relationships to fictional characters…which, unfortunately for the actors playing these roles winds up turning THEIR personal lives into fodder for fan consumption as well. The fictional character mysteriously transmogrifies into the real life of the actor whereby the line separating the two disappears in the blink of a tabloid eye.
“The hero may well be he or she whom every American should wish to be, but the celebrity is he or she whom every American can be” (Wecter, 1941).
So where does that leaves an actor like Robert Pattinson? I guess fighting for his personal life in the trenches of his onscreen fictional characters. Is it possible for him to maintain the line between his public and private lives once a fan has become emotionally attached to his fictional personality? Nope.
American Heroes in a Media Age
Starstruck: When A Fan Gets Close to Fame by Michael Joseph Gross
New York Post Leighton Meester Reebok Print Campaign
November 28, 2008 | Filed Under Female, Marketing, New York, Published, TV Star | Comments Off
There was a film permit that simply said “Reebok Meester.” I looked at it Saturday night and suddenly I realized it had to be Leighton Meester from “Gossip Girl.” It’s hard to believe I didn’t realize it sooner. I was up in the Berkshires and decided to head back to New York City early Sunday morning to see if in fact it was Leighton Meester shooting a print campaign for Reebook. It was. And the best part: no other paparazzi discovered the shoot for the entire day. I shot her in Soho at Broome and Greene, then followed the crew into Tribeca for three more setups. The photo ran the next day in the New York Post.
Life and Style Magazine Leighton Meester Earl Jeans
November 28, 2008 | Filed Under Female, Marketing, TV Star | Comments Off
Leighton Meester was walking her dog outsider her trailer on the “Gossip Girl” set. Instead of the image being used because of her cute dog, the editors used it to highlight her choice of “low-rise slim-cut Earl jeans. Moral: shoot everything and upload everything! Who knows how these images will get used.
Actress Andie MacDowell Filming L’Oreal Commercial Brooklyn Museum New York TR Pescod
June 21, 2008 | Filed Under Dress, Female, Marketing, Movie Star | Comments Off
Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw Laughing on Set of Annie Leibovitz Vogue Shoot Central Park
March 9, 2008 | Filed Under Blonde, Female, Film, Marketing, New York | Comments Off
Vogue Editor Anna Wintour Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall 2008 New York
February 18, 2008 | Filed Under Events, Fashion Industry, Female, Magazines, Marketing, New York | Comments Off
Sexy Socialite Actress Francesca Cecil Patrick McMullan Glamour Girls Valentino Party New York City
December 6, 2007 | Filed Under Events, Female, Film, Marketing, New York, Socialite | Comments Off
Genevieve Jones Jen Brill Dolce Gabbana Store Opening Madison Avenue New York City
December 6, 2007 | Filed Under Events, Fashion Industry, Female, Marketing, New York, Socialite | Comments Off
