dont Look up: The dark side of public Relations.
What happens when public relations abandons ethics for public perception? Don’t Look Up is an unsettling reflection on contemporary society.
Don’t Look Up (2021), a satirical dark comedy directed by Adam McKay, explores the lives of astronomers who discover a comet capable of mass destruction hurtling toward the Earth's surface. As the astronomers warn of the impending doom, they are met with public indifference, political greed, political incompetence, and media sensationalism. The film is a sharp critique of modern society, our value for material and financial gain, and how the media can sway everyday people to support policies that do not align with their interests. The film is jam-packed with stars, with big names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Jennifer Lawrence, Timothée Chalamet, and Meryl Streep. The veteran cast makes the movie an engaging and eye-opening reflection.
In this blog, we'll expose the line where PR becomes manipulation and how to avoid unethical practices.
The Daily Rip… Morning Show manipulation.
During the movie, after the comet is announced, the scientists (Leonardo DiCaprio & Jennifer Lawrence) are forced onto a morning talk show, The Daily RIP. They are coached by a PR team who instructs them to keep calm and entertaining, rather than convey the real danger. While the news anchors trivialise the event to maintain audience engagement, the media is more interested in sensationalising the scientists’ personal lives than reporting the facts of the imminent danger. This is an important lesson in communication, where honesty and transparency are fundamental for trust in the media.
Referring to the Australian PR Code of Ethics on honesty and responsibility, there is a clear violation of professional integrity in PR. During this scene, PR is used to manipulate public perception and suppress scientific evidence, prioritising political interest over public safety. PR should be used appropriately in crisis communication to gain stakeholder trust.
Here are some examples of Ethical communication stratgies that could have made a difference.
- Addressing the potential crisis instead of pacifying the audience.
- Prioritise public safety over engagement.
- Establish a credible scientific spokesperson to maintain composure while informing the public. The appropriate scientific institution would be NASA.
- Create forums and Q&A sessions to gain public and stakeholder trust.
Throughout the movie, you’ll see a plethora of PR techniques used, from framing theory (Entman), agenda-setting (McCombs & Shaw, 1972), and even corporate astroturfing (Walker, 2014), where companies create fake grassroots foundations for the public to endorse. A prime example of this “astroturfing” is the phrase Don’t Look Up, championed by BASH, the fictional billion-dollar tech company owned by Peter Isherwell in the movie. The slogan’s creation mimics unethical corporate PR strategies. An example of this practice being used in real life would be the slogan “Clean Coal”, created by fossil fuel companies trying to convince policymakers that coal could be environmentally friendly. This slogan/quip has been used in political speeches and media campaigns since the early 2000s; the effects of these hashtags or slogans meant the public overlooked scientific research despite documented environmental impact.
Ethical PR: Patagonia
We have seen what unethical PR looks like, now let’s look at a real world example of ethical PR and business.
Here is a real-world example of ethical PR: Patagonia, the popular outdoor activewear brand, has long been a champion of ethical practice and PR. In 2011 they ran a campaign on Black Friday, running a full-page ad in the New York Times saying, “Don’t buy this jacket”, a message against consumerism. In 2016 they donated the profits from Black Friday sales to grassroots organisations, grossing over 10 million USD. In 2022, the founder, Yvon Chouinard, transferred his company's ownership to a trust, ensuring his company's profits go toward fighting climate change.
By having a consistent message, this has been a great PR campaign. It has created authenticity, brand loyalty, and trust, and it has shaped global conservation movements with its message.
While the consequences at the movie's end were extreme, we can take a lot away from it. Why is ethical practice paramount, and why should we hold those in power accountable?
Stakeholder trust
Media Accountability
political transparency
corperate accountabiltiy ‘
informed public
factual media and conscise communication
The PR team in the newsroom actively withheld vital information from the public and pushed their agenda, resulting in a misinformed public. Without media clarity, politicians, media outlets and corporations were about to create campaigns and profit from fear. While Don't Look Up is satire, it portrays an eerie representation of media spin and PR. Staying informed from multiple reliable sources, questioning opinions and being critical of new information are easy steps to make sure you don’t fall victim to your own world altering comet. We cannot stop unethical PR strategies, but we can set a higher standard for those who hold the information. By supporting independent, unbiased journalism and PR companies, we as consumers can oppose those who wish to abuse their power.
So, take this movie’s message with a grain of salt, but remember the consequences of unethical PR and the effect it can have on the world around you.
This is a message from Connections PR, written by Michael Parfitt.
