Paula Deen’s Live Cooking Show
By Lauren Todd
Prior to her gender and race discrimination lawsuit, Paula Deen had signed a deal with Nanco Group to create a Paula Deen product line; which will go on as planned in the wake of losing many of her other endorsements.
After many months of lying low, Deen and her team are working full force at promoting her product line and working towards her live appearance at her store opening in Buffalo, New York. Her appearance will happen in February in support of her partnership with Nanco Group.
Situational theory is being used to help connect Deen with her public.
Three variables make up situational theory: 1) problem recognition, 2) constraint recognition, and 3) level of involvement. Situational theory is a way for professionals to connect with the active audience by lowering constraints and increasing audience involvement.
By doing so her team has used the situational theory, to help show her public that Deen is on the mend and is still the same person who was once adored and respected by many.
Two groups must be targeted by Deen’s PR initiative to help reestablish Deen as a home name:
- Active public: The group that is aware of the problem and desires a response
- Aware public: Those who recognize that a problem exists
In this example, I would say Deen is being active at reconnecting with her active public, while showing the aware public that she has learned from her mistakes of the past and is taking steps to better her image.
To connect with her active public, Deen will be hosting a live cooking show. The live lunch will include a meal chosen by Deen herself, a cookbook, a gift package, preferred seating at the event, and photo op where she will also be signing autographs.
Click for more information on Paula Deen Live.
This is an example of PR because Paula Deen made the decision to go back to her roots and create an environment that would help her connect her with her public. Ultimately, increasing her audience involvement; creating a stronger bond for her active public while hopefully showing the aware public a solution to the problem.
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