pr lessons from justin bieber

Between Britney Spears, Amanda Bynes, Miley Cyrus and Kanye West, it’s safe to say celebrities cause a lot of negative buzz, and Justin Bieber is no exception. 

As of late, Bieber decided to cancel his world tour Meet and Greet ticket options, the reason is relatively unclear but his team insists its due to a former “security incident”. The VIP tickets were $2,000 a piece and include great seats, an after show meet and greet and pictures with the performer. Bieber announced the cancelling of the VIP passes via a heartfelt Instagram post explaining to his fans that the pressure of always meeting everyone’s expectations leave him “drained and unhappy”.

Give the guy a break. Can you imagine having to put on your best after a full day of travel and a full night of preforming? At least with this one, I am with you Biebs.

Well, I was until I realized why everyone is so upset. First, fans are upset that Bieber blames them for his emotional and mental fatigue. Second, Bieber is taking an all-or-nothing refund approach. The Bieb team is allowing for full refunds if you also forfeit your ticket to the show. Either that, or keep your tickets at the premium cost with no VIP experience.

Celebrities are so much more than a pretty face and angelic voice, they’re a brand. 

So, what PR lessons can we learn from Justin Bieber?

1. Know your fans (Target Audience) – Nothing is bulletproof, but employing tactics like social media monitoring to see what most people are buzzing about when your name comes up is a best practice everyone should have.

2. Care for your customers - Brands need to take the time to nurture their audience, whether that’s reacting on social media or participating above and beyond the expected- Customer service and customer experience is key.

3. Nurture Fandom - Creating a great experience is essential but nurturing that experience is equally as important. Once you’ve grabbed someone’s attention, brands should dig deeper to enhance the loyalty.  

Tawwney Sayre is a senior Advertising and Public Relations major at Grand Valley State University expected to graduate this April. Her current positions include roles as an account associate for GrandPR and a marketing intern for a local accounting firm. When Tawwney is not at work or in class you can find her watching a hockey game or listening to country music.