06 Aug Flops, Errors, Cringe & More: Media Mayhem and Mistakes That Happen and How to Learn from Them

Media relations is a high-stakes game where even the slightest mistake can snowball into a memorable blunder. Here are some funny, crazy, and cringeworthy mistakes made by public relations professionals when booking or handling interviews. Hey, we all make mistakes and so why not learn from other people? Right?

The Classic Name Mix-Up

“Eager to secure a high-profile interview, I addressed an email to the wrong journalist. Instead of contacting the renowned tech reporter I had in mind, I sent a detailed pitch to a blogger with a similar name. I did this several times until they let me know. Facepalm.” – C.

Not Scrubbing Media Lists

“I’ve pitched people before at competitor companies because they somehow ended up on a tech list etc.” – R.

Client Meltdown

“I was once working with a highly-regarding surgeon. They were top in their field and had lots of confidence. I’ve seen them perform complex surgeries. But when a tv camera came to their office to do an interview, they freaked out, ripped off their mic and said they needed to reschedule.” – J.

Wanna Have Dinner

“Early on in my career, I was writing an email to a person I was interested in asking if they wanted to do a romantic dinner this weekend (telling them I really liked them). Instead, I sent the email to a very attractive reporter that I was working with on an interview. They didn’t respond, thankfully.” – G.

The Go-Around

“I had a client go around me one time and reach out to the journalist because she had cancelled an interview. He contacted her on Twitter and was asking her why she had to reschedule. She was less than happy and I had to have a conversation with the client as well.” – A.

The Mute Button Mishap

“During a live interview setup, I forgot to mute my mic while observing the interview. The news station heard the my background on live tv. This was off-hours so I was simultaneously doing the dishes and clanking the dishes around. This was national news too.” – M.

Video, Off

“It was a client interview happening at 4 a.m. I was on observing and making sure they showed up and everything went smoothly. I forgot my video was on and my client and news crew got to see my crazy bed hair and tired facial expressions. I basically was there with my eyes closed. I did this during the entire interview.” – S.

Spelling is Everything

“I once kept writing to a reporter named ‘Melisa’ and yet, I kept spelling it ‘Melissa’. I wondered why she seemed short with me. Ugh, I did this several times.” – R.

The Forest for The Trees

“I once had a client tell me their previous PR agency wouldn’t attend their biggest event of the year and largest opportunity for media coverage because they were over their hours. They ended up terminating the contract. I totally get hours, but as a PR professional, you have to understand big opportunities when they arise.” – L.

Matching Uniforms

“I showed up to a media interview with the exact same dress as my client. We didn’t plan it. The crew kept say, ‘Wow you guys are matching’ while we laughed awkwardly.” – J.

The Embargo Blunder

“A colleague of mine accidentally sent out an embargoed press release ahead of schedule (without embargo written on it). The press release, announcing a groundbreaking product, hit the inboxes of journalists early. They had to issue a correction and explain to their client.” – A.

The Overly Aggressive Follow-Up

“One enthusiastic PR professional decided that ten follow-up emails in two days were a good idea. They changed the subject line to ‘This is my second follow up,’ or ‘Chek out this latest third attempt.’ The reporter asked them to stop.” – M.

The Wrong Attachment

“A colleague once sent the wrong attachment including the company’s financial records along with a press release draft with red line mark-ups galore. The news station ended up putting the financial graphics on as a graphic during the interview.” – B.

The Mispronunciation Fiasco

“A client once kept mispronouncing the journalists’ name on live television. They were coached prior to the interview, but it just didn’t stick.” – A.

The Kanye West

“I had a client that normally did well during media interviews. A particular producer booked them a lot. All of the sudden the producer started to ghost me. I wondered why, so I picked up the phone. She said she was glad I called because she didn’t want to put it in writing, but that my client acted like Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift’s speech. He was apparently rude, loud, and interrupted their news cast. I nearly died. I apologized heavily and had to talk with the client.” – C.

The Unprepared Interview

“A colleague once booked an interview for their client without adequately briefing them on the topic. The client was busy and didn’t ask who they were interviewing about or why. It still went well somehow.” – B.

The Misplaced Confidence

“I once confidently assured a journalist that my client could answer technical questions. When the journalist asked a particularly complex question, my client responded with, “I have no idea, but it sounds cool!” I was left with egg on my face.” – T.

The Overpromise, Underdeliver

“A client hyped up their client’s “groundbreaking” announcement to such an extent that journalists were expecting a major innovation. I went ahead with it and pumped it up. The actual announcement was a minor product update but I didn’t understand this because it was so technical in nature. Next time I’m going to be fully sure I know.” – R.

Botox Gone Wrong

“I had a client that we had to reschedule (indefinitely) an interview because their Botox had gone wrong. I did end up salvaging the interview and getting another person at their organization to handle it, but I scrambled a bit because I couldn’t tell the reporter the real reason why.” – J.

The Inappropriate Joke

“Trying to lighten the mood, a PR person made a joke during a serious interview setup. The joke was in poor taste, and their manager quickly had to let them go.” – S.

Media relations is a tricky field where even seasoned professionals can slip up. While these blunders can be embarrassing, they also serve as valuable lessons and, in some cases, provide a good laugh. Remember, even the best PR pros make mistakes—it’s how you handle them that makes all the difference!