The publicity campaign behind Bruce Jenner’s public transformation into Caitlyn Jenner is far from random and unorganized.
Starting from the Diane Sawyer two-hour interview to this week’s Vanity Fair cover revealing Caitlyn Jenner, every aspect of Caitlyn’s transition has been carefully calculated and artfully released.
But, it begs the question – did Caitlyn Jenner do this all by herself?
Who is Alan Nierob?
Well, according to reports, the transition was all orchestrated and planned by legendary publicist and executive Alan Nierob. Variety reports that Caitlyn Jenner hired Nierob last year in an attempt to make the trnasition as profitable as possible.
So, who is Nierob? Nierob has done crisis PR for some of the Hollywood’s biggest names including Robert Downey Jr. and Mel Gibson. You may remember when Mel Gibson’s acting career took a complete turn for the worst after he launched several racist remarks at police officers and his ex-wife. The actor then hired Nierob to assist him with his acting career and prevent him from getting “blackballed” in the industry.
But, why did Caitlyn Jenner choose Nierob?
According to reports, Bruce Jenner hired Nierob during the 1980s and Nierob helped Jener at a “moment of crisis” when a reporter for the New York Times discovered that Bruce Jenner was a cross dresser.
At the time, Jenner was on the rebound from a career downturn and was enjoying a new round of endorsement deals and media gigs. In the mid-1980s, a story about the Olympic decathlon star dressing in women’s clothing would have severely damaged, if not destroyed, his public image.
When Jenner was approached by the New York Times about the alleged history of cross-dressing, he asked for Nierob’s help. Variety reports that Nierob worked alongside Jenner’s attorney and manager to stop the story from being released including, “denials, questioning the motives of sources, and pointing out how the story would ruin Jenner’s life forever. The story was never released.
Thirty years later, Jenner asked for Nierob’s help once again to help him transition into Caitlyn. Sources suggest that Jenner trusted Nierob because the PR exec never revealed the story to anyone in Hollywood.
The PR Strategy Behind Caitlyn Jenner
The marketing campaign all started when Nierob reached out to Diane Sawyer for an exclusive interview. He knew it had to be a serious reporter to dispel any suggestion that was a publicity stunt. The interview would later bring in 17 million viewers.
Next, Nierob released photos of the Vanity Fair cover on the same day Caitlyn Jenner’s twitter account launched. @Caitlyn_Jenner racked up more than 1 million followers in a few hours, setting a new Twitter record.
Earlier this week ESPN announced that Jenner would receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the July 15 ESPY Awards. That will be followed by the July 26 premiere of E! “I Am Cait,” which will feature eight episodes highlighting Jenner’s transition.
Overall
The marketing and public relations for Caitlyn Jenner has been damn near perfect turning the rejected cast member of ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ to probably what most will call the most inspiring, and the most successful.
If you’re in a crisis we suggest you check out Nierob’s PR agency. They may just change your life.
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