Olivia Pope is a fictional crisis manager and public relations expert from the TV show Scandal. The document outlines 10 PR lessons that can be learned from Olivia Pope's practices on the show. These include building a strong team, staying informed on current events, developing connections, preparing spokespeople for media interactions, maintaining high ethical standards, and finding time to decompress from stressful work. Overall, Olivia handles crises with grace and thinks creatively to solve problems, serving as an inspirational figure for crisis communications professionals.

1. 10 PR LESSONS FROM OLIVIA POPE’S SCANDAL
A Presentation by Busola Olujemisin | January 2017

2. Content
Background
Who is Olivia Pope?
What does she do?
How does she win?
Conclusion
Questions?

3. Background
One of my favourite TV shows is Scandal and over 5 seasons of watching it, I
couldn’t help but notice and admire the main protagonist, Olivia Pope and how
she practices PR and manages her client’s crises.
PR a’la Olivia is unique and at the same time it isn’t. My presentation today shows
how we can learn and apply some of the few realistic public relations tips that
are practiced in the hit show.
To set the ball rolling, I’ll like to introduce you to Olivia Carolyn Pope…

4. WHO IS OLIVIA POPE?
Olivia Carolyn Pope is a fictional character
created by Shonda Rhimes (TV writing god)
and portrayed by the awesome Kerry
Washington.
The character is partially based on a real life
crisis and PR manager, Judy Smith, for the
political drama television series Scandal.
Based in Washington, D.C. USA, Olivia is
a crisis manager who runs her own firm, Pope &
Associates. The firm specializes in repairing and
managing political crisis situations.
The character has become a widely watched
fashion and style trendsetter.

5. WHAT DOES
SHE DO?
Olivia is the ultimate fixer. She does anything and everything within and without her power to
remedy a crisis. – from hiding bodies to erasing evidence to rigging elections, etc. the list is endless!
Now this is not necessarily a true representation of something that would happen in the PR world
(there are plenty bobos!) but murders and adultery aside, there are indeed several ways that
Olivia embodies a true PR professional when it comes to crafting a client’s image and messaging.

6. SO HOW DOES
SHE WIN?
WHAT CAN WE LEARN
FROM HER PRACTICE?

7. OLIVIA has a dream team (Gladiators)
Each member of any communications team is an important piece to
the puzzle. Everyone will have different strengths or weaknesses
but together you should make up one killer group.
It’s also important that you get to know your teammates – not only
their skills but also their personalities.
Be there to support each other – whether that’s stepping in for
someone who is sick or who is overwhelmed with a long to-do list.
At the end of the day, you win as a team and you lose as a team.
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8. She is ALWAYS in the know.
If you’re a public relations or marketing professional and you don’t have your finger on the
pulse of what’s happening in the world, you’re already behind. It’s PR 101 to be up to speed
on the news. This means not only being immersed in what your clients do and what’s
happening in their industries, but also what’s going on in the news in general.
Whether it’s creating Twitter lists to monitor real-time, or setting up a Google alert account
to keep yourself up to date on client news, find something that works for you and stick with it.
Not only will your knowledge improve, you’ll start to feel out how to capitalize on trends and
fit your client into stories. In Olivia’s case, her knowledge of what’s going on in the political
sphere enables her to build smarter client strategies.
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9. She inspires TEAMWORK
It’s called Olivia Pope & Associates for a reason. Olivia is the star of
the show, but she wouldn’t be able to “handle it” without her
gladiators in suits next to her. A well-rounded team is important in PR.
We all bring our own unique set of experiences and background to
the table, and that helps when brainstorming different ideas and
tactics. Plus, none of us are perfect. We will need someone to
proofread that byline before we send it out to the media.
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10. Olivia knows her team’s
strengths and delegates well
Olivia is confident and, most of the time, relies on her gut to make
decisions. That being said, she knows when to ask for help from her
team and how to play to their individual strengths.
She communicates her vision clearly and delegates when necessary, with
clear expectations of what’s expected from her staff members. A clear
communication of vision and delegation is key to any successful PR firm.
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11. Olivia is a Connection MAMA
Olivia’s networking skills are off the charts! Though we can’t all know the president as
personally as OP does, but we can establish connections with reporters and people
relevant to our line of work.
Gaining and maintaining the respect of different media channels will go a long way in
supporting our PR efforts. If a journalist trusts you, they will be more likely to use your
story (even without compensation) or cover the story from the angle you want them to.
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12. Olivia always dresses for success.
Whether she’s lounging at home or leading a presidential campaign meeting,
Olivia is always dressed like she’s ready to take on the world. In the realm
of public relations, you never know when you’ll run into a client or meet a
potential new one. Olivia’s wardrobe is full of staples: statement dresses,
pants and killer heels—something every PR woman needs
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13. Olivia always has a Plan B…and a
Plan C and D. Maybe a Plan E, too
If there’s anything I’ve learnt from Scandal, it’s that Olivia is never out of
options. She always has a backup plan and isn’t opposed to thinking outside
of the box, whether it’s to help a client or save the President of the United
States. Granted, we’ll most likely never have to do the latter, but her creative
problem-solving and confidence while doing so is inspirational.
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14. She is a master at media training.
Olivia’s media training skills are impressive. She prepares her clients for any and all
media interactions, so they are confident answering even the toughest questions,
succinctly and on message.
Think about preparing your spokesperson the same way, regardless of whether or
not they’re currently in a crisis. Run them through a sample of potential questions they
could run into – good and bad. Coach them to give a response that’s genuine to
them but still on message. Encourage them to control their emotions when they
respond to tough questions and be as clear as possible.
If you can enable your spokesperson to understand more about the media and what
their tendencies are when it comes to writing stories, it will help them be ready to
face their next reporter.
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15. She always tries to wear her white hat
Olivia Pope is constantly struggling to decide if she wants to wear her white hat or do
what is best for her client.
This is something PR professionals deal with on a daily basis, and it’s why it is so
important to have a moral code of ethics.
The PR industry has its own code of ethics, determined by the country’s relevant Public
Relations Association, but it’s important to have your own personal moral code as well.
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16. Olivia always takes time to enjoy a good glass of wine.
No matter how long or how hectic of a day she’s had, Olivia always manages to find time to
unwind and appreciate a big glass of red wine.
Whether your “big glass of wine” is reading, running, or a glass of wine in the literal sense
(Olivia’s way of relaxing after a long day), it’s important to make time for yourself and relax.
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17. CONCLUSION
At the end of the day, Scandal is a fictional TV show that
certainly takes some “artistic” liberties. But Olivia Pope’s
grace under pressure and her ability to “fix” most things
thrown her way is something that any PR professional would
be envious of.
So I challenge you to take time and study Ms. Pope, identify
the qualities you admire most about her and apply it to
your PR practice. You’ll definitely be better for it!

18. Any Questions?
THANK
YOU!