Unchartered Waters for Bullock



Sandra Bullock has always been the one who makes us laugh. She is the actress I’ve accredited to never needing the excuse “there is no bad publicity”. She has always stood on her own and I never seen her on the cover of a tabloid, until now. Bullock and her husband Jesse James always seemed genuinely happy and you never heard anything negative about them in the press. Bullock wins an Oscar, and the tabloid coverage begins. Michelle McGee claims she has had a relationship with James for almost a year and the story breaks.

Bullock canceled her UK premiere of “The Blind Side” after rumors of infidelity surfaced. The released statement was as follows “Due to unforeseen personal reasons a trip abroad to support ‘The Blind Side’ has been deemed impossible at this time. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and thank you for your continued support of the film.” Then it was reported that Bullock moved out of their home and that their marriage was a publicity stunt. The story broke almost a week ago and Bullock has yet to release a statement addressing the apology that James made. Why isn’t the press harassing her about the affair? Let’s examine the situation:



James was somewhat of a bad boy before he began his relationship with Bullock. The public was surprised when they got married but everyone thought they were “a cute couple”. Bullock had never been married and fans were happy for the actress. There has never been scandal coverage concerning their relationship. After the infidelity rumors surfaced, James made a statement apologizing to his wife and children. Bullock has yet to make an official statement yet the press is not pressuring her to do so. The fact is this, Bullock is seen as an icon, the funny girl you sit next to in math class. She isn’t someone you want to expose. She made the best PR move by releasing a statement about not attending the UK premiere and then staying quiet. For normal celebrities this would have been a death sentence, they would be followed and many stories and speculations would be made, but not Bullock.

Her public relations team is very lucky because they can just sit on the story and not respond and the press will accept that. The public loves Bullock and as a public relations professional, I would not advise making a public appearance until she decides on a form of action. The public expects her to take her time and this is shown by her not responding. Bullock has a reputation, a public image of being the fun loving girl and the press has always favored her. The stories the press are covering involves her reaching out Keanu Reeves for advice. These stories only solidify her public image. The press expects Bullock to be hurt now and need time alone and because they have always respected her, they are giving her space. Sandra Bullock is a perfect example of a sacred cow. Her image has been established over the years. The press doesn't want to say anything negative about her and this is the result of years of good public relations.

Too little too late for Tiger?

Tiger Woods will address the public Friday. Or will he? Woods is not allowing questions and only allowing pre approved reporters present during his televised address from TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Woods is mistaken to believe he can control his image in the media. What will he say? How will he say it? Why isn’t he allowing questions? This is what I have been wondering about Tiger Wood’s official statement on Friday. How is this crisis being handled? I think his image will become tarnished. He will finally be addressing the public but only on his terms. This makes him appear controlling. He needs to use public relations to his advantage and learn how to work the system, not try to run it.

There have been so many PR mistakes made surrounding Tiger Woods. I want to point out just a few public relations tactics I would have used.


• Issue an immediate apology.
Apologizing to family, fans, sponsors, and the game of golf would have improved his immediate image. This shows his humanity and helps him become relatable. This would have been a way to use PR to soften the accusations and his public image.

• Do not quit the reason you are “Tiger Woods”.
Woods took a sabbatical from golf after his media crisis. This was a mistake in my opinion. It made Woods appear weak and defeated by the media and accusations. In order for Woods to return to golf he needs to appear strong. This is why I think he is making an official statement on Friday. I think he will finally address the situation so he can return to the game. I also think it might be too late for the media to give him a break because he waited so long to let them in.

• Make a public appearance.
Woods has been hiding for months from the media. This has only led to the wonder of where he has been all this time. This interest has fueled media stories. Make a public appearance. Go to Starbucks, flash your smile at the cashier, buy a cup of coffee, get back in your wrecked Escalade and go home. This will show the public that your living your life just as normal as you did before the crisis.

• Answer the tough questions.
Do what every other black listed celebrity does, go on Oprah. It might sound cliché, or petty even but it will work. If Oprah wants to hear your story, so does the rest of the world. This will make the public sympathetic to your situation because the public loves to see celebrities vulnerable.

Only time will tell if Woods will once again be the king of golf. When it comes to sports PR the best solution is to get the fans and media to move on from the incident. His appearance might do just that if he announces to return to the game. Once he returns he will have to be the Tiger Woods we grew to love and if he starts winning all will be back to normal. It’s finally time for you to speak Tiger and I’ll be interested to hear what you have to say.

-Lisa Lindauer