Media Advice

Phil’s experience as editor of the News of the World, editor-in chief at Hello! magazine and editorial director of Trinity Mirror, means he is expertly placed to manage a crisis situation, whether it is keeping a story out of the media, minimising the impact of negative coverage or turning a bad situation around.

As experts in crisis management, they are able to advise you about media relations and brand and reputation protection. They can further integrate this brief into your long term communications strategy for maximum effect.

Working as the editor of one of the largest selling investigative newspapers in the world means Phil has acquired a unique understanding of how journalists work and how newspapers, TV stations and the online community will react to a crisis scenario. His rare insight into both the PR and journalism world, as well as his top table access to the media, means Phil can advise you and your business on how to handle any crisis which may strike.

Phil has developed a reputation as one of the leading experts in crisis management and is often invited to speak on the subject. Being famous has plenty of benefits, but it also holds many pitfalls – not least the exposure and attention of the mass media. And recent history is littered with examples of high profile celebrities having their private lives scrutinised in minute detail when scandal breaks. When that happens, the natural reaction is to hide away, not comment and hope the storm blows over. But one tactic is to embark on crisis management, almost going on the offensive and being proactive in how you could deal with a particular problem.

 

Leading PR consultant Phil Hall has first hand experience of working with some of the biggest names in sport and celebrity, managing their profiles when a scandal has broken. Hall’s previous jobs include editor of News of the World and managing editor of Hello magazine – and there are few major players across the media industry he does not know. And that has enabled him to liaise with newspapers and television on behalf of clients and actually deflect the glare of attention away from the player or celebrity at the centre of the crisis and help rebuild their dented reputations.

There are even occasions when Hall can prevent details of a scandal can even from being published, and a sensible strategy in times of problems can make a massive difference to how a crisis can evolve or pass away relatively calmly.

Hall said: “It is a fact of life that at some stage, celebrities or footballers can find themselves in the centre of a storm over something like problems in their private lives. But what is important is how you manage the response and how you deal with the scrutiny and the questions."