Seeing as the film has just released to the general public, I promise you that I will not include any spoilers. Thanks to perks of one of my many jobs, I was able to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Wednesday night and WOW, was it good! Although I was captured by the story, action, and Captain America’s great looks, I found myself over thinking.
Well, like any superhero movie the good guy is fighting the bad guy. If you’ve seen any of the Avengers movies, you’ll know that these fights are of epic proportions and they tend to happen right smack dab in the middle of a city. Guns are being fired. Cars are crashing and flipping into each other. People are running like the world is ending. Police are shooting at people. Aircrafts are flying into buildings and they begin to crumble and set on fire.
I sat with my eyes fixated on the screen but my mind wandered into the world of public relations and communications. I began to think…
-Is anyone addressing the public and informing them of what’s going on or what actions they should take?
-This city AND the government needs to hire a Crisis Manager, STAT!
-I wonder if Captain America and the other Avengers have publicists? Do they really need one? What would they do?
After leaving the movie, I pondered a bit more. In a real life scenario, there would be someone addressing the public, a Crisis Manager or someone of a similar position probably would be hired, and Superheroes most likely would have publicists. However, not everyone is interested in that piece of the story and so it’s not uncovered in the movies.
Let’s address my first two thoughts… In any crisis, like an invasion or gun fight in the middle of downtown, someone of authority or power would address the public, whether it was a Crisis Manager, a Governer, Mayor, President, etc. They would then instruct the people on what actions to take next.
Whether it’s just an announcement or a time to give instruction, it’s important to be as transparent as you possibly can in times of crises. The public will pose a handful of questions, so don’t give them a reason to ask even more. They will be in search of guidance in times of doubt. This is where your previous work comes into play and you can put your plan of action into place. Those working with you should be aware of these plans. After the events that occurred in Captain America, I’d say that the Government would need to inform the public on the current events and safety actions to take.
Do Superheroes need publicists? Yes! Well, at least Iron Man and Hulk do with their conceited and heated traits. These men AND women are public figures who must strive to sustain their positive brand. Captain America is a kind man with a strong love for his country. He fought for America and people visited a museum to soak in his legacy. There was never a doubt whether he was a good or bad guy. However, there is another member of the Avengers besides Iron Man and Hulk who could use some assistance from a publicist. The Black Widow. She has a bit of a shady past. A publicist would and could help showcase the Black Widows path away from evil and establish her good intent. Just because they’re super, doesn’t mean they don’t need assistance.
Now, I have to ask one thing…Do you find yourself asking similar questions when watching movies or television?
Rebecca Potzner 