The Think Tank’s PR pros reflect on what they’ve learned from iconic on-screen moments
Here at The Think Tank, we work hard to deliver fantastic campaigns for our clients—but it’s not all work and no play. Like everyone else, we too enjoy grabbing a bag of popcorn and unwinding with the latest Netflix releases (other streaming services are available).
From the calculated chaos of Succession to the charm offensive in Emily in Paris, PR often takes centre stage. Inspired by these on-screen portrayals, we’re launching a two-part series where our PR team shares insights learned from their favourite films and TV shows.
Read on to hear from three of our team members – and discover lessons that every PR professional can put into practice.
1. Media monitoring and planning is essential
Name: Niamh Meyer, PR Account Manager
Film/series title: Succession
Succession follows the Roy family’s media empire as it constantly navigates power struggles, corporate rivalries and high-stakes PR moments. Kendall Roy is the ambitious but often out-of-touch second-eldest son, whose PR strategies leave much to be desired.
Sounds like an ad for Critical Mention, but I really do think incorporating tools would have helped him out in his work. The fact that Kendall is only really concerned with X (f.k.a Twitter) shows how out of touch he is. In reality, you’d want to monitor mentions across a variety of outlets to truly understand public sentiment and media coverage.
Adding to the chaos, Cousin Greg—awkward and hilariously unqualified—becomes the ‘media monitoring department’, manually reading out top tweets. Naturally, this isn’t the best way to go about analysing media sentiment. As Greg soon realises: “The internet is big.” So things are going to be flying under the radar.
The lesson here is to avoid wasting time doing tasks that can be performed by a tool. Using a PR tool for something like this massively decreases the manual workload and improves the amount of data and analytics you receive.
One of the most ridiculous moments in Succession is when a billion-dollar company fails to plan for the potential death of its 84-year-old CEO. No crisis communication, no internal strategy for delivering the news to the board, just a PR head drafting a press release at 30,000 feet in the air while everyone panicked and the news leaked.
Crisis situations are a big test on any company’s reputation, but they do happen and – as we see in the show – it’s pretty much always a mistake to think that it won’t happen to you.
How you communicate in a crisis is really important:
- Acknowledge the crisis quickly – but don’t speculate or over-explain. Stick to what you know and show empathy.
- Outline the fix – and make sure it’s realistic.
- Align your messaging – who’s talking to the press? Who’s managing social? Don’t wing it.
2. Bold wins, but tone deaf fails
Name: Megan Duncombe, PR Account Manager
Film/series title: Emily in Paris
In Emily in Paris, a young marketing executive from Chicago is sent to Paris to work for a French luxury marketing agency. Her unique approach to marketing often creates a buzz, leading to both successful and questionable campaigns.
Emily’s pitch for De L’Heure, which featured a nude model walking across the Pont Alexandre III, was bold and quintessentially French. It really matched the brand’s identity: sensual, daring and luxurious. The campaign generated buzz and captured public attention because it embraced the cultural essence of Paris and the high-fashion drama people expect.
It worked for several reasons:
- Brand alignment: It stayed true to the brand’s image and reinforced its core values of allure.
- Calculated risk: The idea was unconventional but done with sophistication, avoiding cheap shock tactics.
- Cultural fit: The idea resonated with the local audience, and synced with French sensibilities about art, fashion, and sensuality.
The lesson? Creativity shines when it amplifies what makes a brand unique. Taking risks can pay off, but only if they’re strategic, authentic, and in tune with target audience values.
Emily’s attempt to promote the Vaga-Jeune campaign, on the other hand, was a total swing and miss. It was already a tricky topic, and the campaign leaned on awkward humour which made things worse.
Instead of educating or empowering, it came off as tone-deaf and inauthentic, which didn’t please the audience. It felt really forced and out of step with how women’s health topics should be approached.
Here’s why it failed:
- Cultural sensitivity: The messaging didn’t land because it failed to address the topic with the nuance required.
- Inauthenticity: It seemed like the campaign was chasing shock value rather than genuinely trying to connect with the audience.
- Zero empathy: Women’s health is a personal subject and the campaign didn’t approach it with the sensitivity it deserved.
The lesson here: if a campaign doesn’t align with the brand or ignores how the audience will perceive it, it’s going to backfire. Understanding cultural awareness, thorough audience research, brand alignment, and delivering an authentic message are crucial.
3. Stay cool under pressure
Name: Samantha Williams, PR Account Manager
Film/series title: The Bear
The Bear offers raw insights into high-pressure communication. Working in a chaotic restaurant isn’t that different from PR. Like a kitchen team transforming chaos into culinary art, PR professionals craft compelling narratives out of complex challenges.
The series is also an excellent example of how staying cool under pressure and working collaboratively leads to success—just like in PR. It beautifully illustrates the importance of adapting quickly, problem-solving in the moment, and keeping everyone motivated and on the same page, even when the stakes are high.
There’s a strong emphasis on personal growth and overcoming challenges, which mirrors how PR professionals need to be resilient, innovative, and adaptable in the face of evolving client needs or unexpected crises
Just as Carmy navigates intense kitchen dynamics, we navigate the media landscape, turning potential challenges into powerful stories that resonate and inspire. The lesson here is clear: when the heat is on, collaboration, adaptability, and calm under pressure are key to transforming challenges into success.
Want to hear more lessons our PR pros have picked up from their favourite shows and movies? Stay tuned for part two – coming soon!.
And if you’re searching for a multi-award-winning PR agency who puts our learnings into action, get in touch with us today.
