I was hooked on “The Bold Type” as soon as I watched the trailer, and now that the first season is out, I’m obsessed. I enjoy shows with strong female leads, and this one really impressed me. The story follows three young women with big dreams and the determination to achieve them, even when things get tough. The best part about this new series is the CEO. Unlike many other stories where the CEO of a big magazine is harsh and unkind (sorry, Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada), Jacqueline Carlyle of Scarlet Magazine plays a key role in supporting her employees and helping them succeed, rather than making their work lives hard. It’s refreshing to see empowering relationships between leaders and their teams on screen, and it’s one of the reasons this is my new favorite show.
As I watched, I began to see some useful public relations tips woven into the challenges that Jane, Kat, and Sutton encounter while pursuing their dreams, and I was eager to share these insights with you! So, settle in and read on to discover how the fearless women of Scarlet Magazine can support your public relations efforts. Just a heads-up, if you haven’t seen the show yet, there are spoilers coming up.
Be Bold with Your Business’ Public Relations
- Don’t be afraid to lay your cards on the table. In The Bold Type, Jacqueline knows how great of a writer Jane can be if she gets out of her own way. She pushes Jane to lay all her cards on the table and be completely honest with both her readers and herself.
Creating public relations content for your business can be just as scary as writing articles about your own life experiences. After all, being open and honest with internet users you’ve never met can make you feel very vulnerable! But the good news is no one knows or embodies your brand better than you do. Write for that vision and don’t be afraid to show your readers who you are!
- But at the same time, know when to post and when to stop. That’s an important lesson Kat had to learn while Adena was detained in an airport in her home country. Kat was furious that she was being held and wanted to use her authority as the head of social media for Scarlet to help free her. The other executives at Scarlet, including Jacqueline, knew doing this would cause more harm than good and convinced Kat to hold off. While it was difficult for Kat to not send out a #FreeAdena tweet, she kept Scarlet out of the situation. Jacqueline approached her after Adena was released, telling Kat that she made the right choice to not say anything, but that wouldn’t always be the right choice.
This same rationality is needed when writing content for your brand. It’s easy to get carried away with personal opinions, but certain topics should never touch your business (we generally recommend avoiding divisive topics like politics and religion). Keep all your business’ content, from blog posts to social media updates, free from heated topics and opinions. Anything you publicly post reflects on your brand; keep your content about your company and save the personal stuff for your private life.
- Empower your employees. When I sat down to watch the first episode of The Bold Type, I was honestly expecting Jacqueline to be another Miranda Priestly. Stereotypically in films and T.V. shows, CEOs of successful fashion magazines and the like have that role of ‘mean boss.’ I was very happy to learn I was utterly wrong about that. The more I watch this show, the more I realize how much it’s about empowering women to chase after their ambitions and turn their dreams into reality.
Whether you’re just starting a company or you’ve been growing for years, this is a lesson you should always keep in mind. Your employees are a big part of why your business is as successful as it is, so make sure you’re letting your team know how much you appreciate their work. Company culture starts at the top; the more you empower your staff, the better they’ll turn around and serve your clients.
In the show, Jacqueline acts as a mentor to her employees. She’s firm in her decisions and she always makes sure everything that happens in in Scarlet’s best interest, but she also takes the time to nurture her people and make sure they’re getting out of work as much as they’re putting in. When was the last time you spoke to your employees about how they feel in their jobs? Act as a mentor for them. Help them grow in their own skill and confidence just as they’ve helped your business grow. As Sr. Dir. Of Publicity, Emily Sidley, wrote about the Parks and Recreation finale, just as you’d help a journalist with whom you were working, help your employees be their absolute best.
- Be fearless. Sutton tends to play close to home when it comes to her life, and a prime example of this is her chasing a job she doesn’t really want because it provides more financial security. That is one approach, but without taking any risks, you rob yourself of the chance to see where your dreams can take you. Sutton really wants to work in fashion, not advertising sales, and while it takes her some time to admit it, once she does it’s like she lifts chains off of herself. You can see the relief she feels to finally be honest about what she really wants.
When you’re starting your brand, you need to be just as fearless. If J.K. Rowling gave up, we wouldn’t know anything about Hogwarts or the wizarding world. If our CEO Erika Taylor Montgomery let fear hold her back, Three Girls Media would never have been founded. Be honest about what you want your company and your brand to be, and then do everything in your power to make it happen.
- Know when to chase success. I love Kat. She knows when to chase down a good thing. In the first episode, Adena, a very talented Muslim photographer rescinds her decision to let Scarlet run her photo spread. Kat, being the fearless person she is, finds Adena and convinces her that letting Scarlet run her story would be the best thing for her career (and she was right, the story gained tons of attention on social media).
You need to know when it’s time to chase after your own success. At the end of the day, you are the only person who is able to determine the prosperity of your business. When an opportunity comes up that you know will help advance your brand, be like Kat and don’t let it get away.
- Be confident! This is an important aspect of The Bold Type. It’s so fun to see Jane come out of her shell to confront her ex, Sutton finally gain the confidence to admit she wants to pursue a career in fashion and Kat refusing to take no for an answer when she knows Adena’s photo spread is the right move for Scarlet. These ladies don’t back down from a challenge, and neither should you!
Whatever you do, do it with confidence. If you’re constantly unsure of yourself, not only will your readers and potential clients sense this and be less likely to work with your company, but you’ll miss so many opportunities to grow your brand. It’s okay to try something different. Not only will you help push your brand forward, but the confidence you gain from going outside your comfort zone will encourage you to continue searching for new ways to build up your business.
- Work hard. Jane, Kat and Sutton put in years of internship and assistant work in order to achieve their dreams. They used every opportunity they had as a stepping stone to help get them where they wanted to be, and they used their networking connections to continue learning and improving in their field.
You can’t wait for your brand to become successful by itself! Every chance you get, work on your business’ public relations. Create content to reach your audience so they are inspired to work with your business; look for opportunities to learn something new. I know it can be frustrating when you’re just starting out, but the fact remains that you can’t skip ahead to the part where you’re already successful, and you shouldn’t want to! The experiences you have and the skills you learn along the way will serve to make you better at what you do, so look for every possible opportunity you can to learn and grow!
I love the great public relations tips The Bold Type has to offer, and I can’t wait to see what others I can find as the season progresses. If you have some free time and a Hulu account, I highly recommend you get to know these bold ladies a little more. And if you find any other public relations tips in the show, let me know in the comments!