As a public figure or a well-known individual, it is very important to realize that wherever you go, you have to represent yourself professionally. Why is that? Well, because you never know if a person will have a video camera and tape you doing something that you may regret. This is what has happened to Danica Patrick, where it was reported that she got in an altercation with another female driver. It seems that the other driver was “getting in the way” of Patrick on the track.
For a PR professional, this is a challenge because you have to think about how you are going to address this. Are you going to say that this was a mistake, or just a one-time event? Plus, it is a challenge to manage how people are going to perceive this incident and whether or not it will impact the personal brand of Danica Patrick, one of the more recognizable faces in racing today, and her overall reputation among her key audiences.
In my point of view, Patrick and the other driver could have acted more professionally. They have to represent their own personal brands in a positive manner, but they are also representing other brands– such as Nascar and their respective sponsors. This is a case where it would have been different if it was just reported by a journalist in a news article, but there is a video that shows the entire interaction between the two drivers. I have seen the video, and you really get an insight to what went on. I wonder what Danica Patrick’s PR person is thinking right now….
So, my point is that it is important to realize that videos have a way to come up and be used to impact your brand and people just have to be careful. 🙂
Best Wishes,
Karen 🙂
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