Star Trek - The PR Problem

The Enterprise Problem

Starfleet PR problem by making James Kirk captain

of Enterprise

Background

• Romulans claimed to come back in time to destroy Vulcan and Earth

• All Starfleet cadets pressed into service• One was smuggled aboard Starfleet

flagship• Flagship captain was hijacked• Acting captain replaced by smuggled cadet• Smuggled cadet saved Earth• Smuggled cadet is the problem

The problem… James T Kirk• Kobyashi Maru cheat• Womaniser• Reckless• Rebellious• Disobeys orders• Bar brawler• In charge of most

advanced and expensive starship EVER

Secondary problem… the crew

• Bridge crew mostly rookies – running the flagship• Chief engineer seen as eccentric and advocate of

animal cruelty/experimentation• Chief Medical Officer has dark past involving divorce• First officer tried to murder Captain Kirk• Bridge officers having inter-species sexual

relationship

PR Solutions for Starfleet• Media blitz on all crew with crew to be

interviewed by each of their own local press according to country/planet.

• School visits and meetings with politicians

• Play on strengths of each Starfleet officer...

PR Solutions for Starfleet• Captain Kirk:• Hero background – sacrifice of father good for

sympathy but also shows Starfleet legacy • Overcame troubled upbringing• Technically skilled – driving at nine years old

• Suggest female press interviews only to play on Kirk’s strong charisma with females, but ensure interviews are chaparoned

PR Solutions for Starfleet• Spock: Vulcans do not do emotion but rest

of galaxy does, therefore interviews on:• Efforts at saving his mother• Role model now for entire species• Possible leaks on his relationship with

Uhura – continuing the Vulcan species?• For Vulcan press play up how logic

helped him save so many and what he plans to do now

Rest of crew media ops• Chief MO appears cranky. Keep away from live press ops. Make sure his

ex-wife is told to avoid kiss and tell stories.• Helmsman is keen action type, sell him in to swordfencing

websites/magazines.• Uhura is multi-lingual. Use this to strength in cross-species media. Also

have her sit on Chekov interviews.• Portray Chekov not as young, but as The Future. Ensure he updates

blog and other young galactic-wide media regularly to stay in touch with young, recruiting demographic.

• Chief Engineer should be left to engineering press and Scottish media as they love one of their own. However watch out for Scottish press backlash after building him up. Also, keep him sober and away from Tribbles and beagles.

• Also emphasise other crew. Remind press that the ship is more than just the bridge officers. More than 500 people working on ship – reassurance over age issue.

Overall media solutions• Have Captain Kirk and crew keep audio logs which can

be made available to public via Starfleet podcasts• Send camera crew with ship to record weekly TV

documentary which can be shown across the galaxy (subject to Starfleet clearance)

• At every planet, have senior crew interact with locals to build relationships and ongoing friendships

• Sensecheck local media for interview opps at each planet

• Play up crew working together. When details of any conflict leak out, treat it as normal, creative differences

Overall media solutions (cont)

• Have the missions be easy for crew, building familiarity with them. Exploring old hibernation ships, scientific trips to planets, diplomatic work on Organia

• Consider a media expert on ship or on-hand for any issues resolving from the leadership style of Kirk (see slide 2)– but do not use any aggressive Klingon service like Mal’Kum Tuck’R.

Final Media issue

This Vulcan claims to be from the future – and may have created this timeline

Spock 2• Play down Spock claims of being from timeline

with terrorist Nero for numerous reasons:• Resentment against Spock(s) for creation of

this timeline and destruction of Vulcan• People may seek him out to discover future• Mass hysteria at concept of alternative

timeline• Romulans of this era will be pissed at news of

future• Feelings of inadequacy as people discover this

timeline is offshoot of other

Media Plan• Solution: Remove Spock from all media opportunities• Claim the Nero incident was a rogue group of aliens claiming to

be Romulans (helps with PR dealings with them if we remove blame element)

• Point out Klingons let Nero escape, emphasising why Starfleet is better than Klingons (deflects attention from Nero to another, still tangible, enemy)

• Some vulcans saved thanks to brave sacrifice of many starfleet officers and quick thinking by Pike, Kirk and Spock

• Spock saved 10,000 Vulcans who are now looking for new home• Enterprise to assist in five year mission, going where no-one has

gone before to find new home• Energetic – yet fully trained – crew of Enterprise saved Earth

thanks to heroic actions• At no point is there need for a mention of alternative Spock.

Key messages• Space is safe yet exciting and worth exploring• Mankind has been able to save the universe and

other species• Starfleet is a youthful-minded organisation but is

also non-discriminatory (McCoy is older than rest of crew) and is an all-species organisation (see Spock and other crew for examples)

• Vulcans need somewhere to live. Suggest digging out old 20th Century files on ‘a puppy is not just for Christmas’ for those considering taking a Vulcan in.

• People are safe with Starfleet guarding the heavens

Thank you• www.contently-managed.com• www.twitter.com/cm_pr_tips• www.twitter.com/craigmcgill

• PR and media advice for more than 240 years