Blue Origin’s performative space stunt last month was an embarrassment.It was an embarrassment to the concept of female empowerment, to those of us in the PR profession (who should have known better), and to the women who allowed themselves to be used as clickbait.The event included a group of high-profile women — such as pop […]
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Blue Origin’s performative space stunt last month was an embarrassment.
It was an embarrassment to the concept of female empowerment, to those of us in the PR profession (who should have known better), and to the women who allowed themselves to be used as clickbait.
The event included a group of high-profile women — such as pop singer Katy Perry, CBS News host Gayle King and Jeff Bezos’ fiance, Lauren Sanchez — taking a 10-minute Blue Origin rocket ride to just above the Kármán line, the invisible border between the Earth’s atmosphere and outer space.
The ride promoted space tourism for Bezos’ company and, supposedly, women’s empowerment.
As a lifelong space nerd, women’s advocate and PR pro, I’m appalled that anyone in the company believed this was a good idea. I really thought my profession had moved beyond the “All publicity is good publicity” of the 1950s.
Did someone get Don Draper out of retirement? I suspect even he would have shuddered at the crassness of this stunt.
Nicole Schuman said it so well in her recent column in PRNews: “While empowerment campaigns might be created with genuine intentions and missions in mind … they also need to include substantive actions. Performative approaches can backfire, leading to public cynicism. Organizations should ensure that their messaging aligns with tangible commitments to the causes they champion.”
Here are the lessons that every brand can take from this PR fail:
- Staging performative-only events leads to distrust of your brand.
- Stuffing a bunch of Instagram clickbait-worthy celebs into one place does not make for a substantive event.
- Dressing up a publicity stunt with the words of a trendy social issue — in this case, female empowerment — comes across as insincere.
- Using the power of your brand to advance a big idea is admirable, but only if you put substantive resources into making something happen afterwards.
- Spending millions of dollars on a very public event without testing it on your target audience is folly.
The bottom line is this: A stunt is just a stunt unless there’s substance behind it.
Before a brand commits to something like this, they need to ask themselves if they are willing to see it as a beginning — to see it as a way to attract attention to a big issue.
And then they have to be willing to back it up with resources and action.
A good stunt can blow up on social media and spark momentum. It can open the door to change, as long as those behind it understand it’s only the first step.
Where it went wrong
The inclusion of high-profile figures like Perry and King brought significant media attention to the mission.
However, it also sparked criticism, with some perceiving the flight as a publicity stunt rather than a genuine scientific endeavor.
Blue Origin promoted the mission as a milestone for female empowerment in space exploration. Besides the celebrities, the crew also included former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn.
However, some critics viewed this messaging as superficial, arguing that it lacked depth and failed to address broader issues of gender equality in STEM fields.
It also cost a whole lot of money during a time when a majority of the public is concerned about rising prices from tariffs and staying employed.
Backlash on social media ensued.
Organizations should carefully consider the implications of involving celebrities in scientific or technical projects.
While celebrity participation can increase visibility, it can also lead to skepticism about a project’s seriousness.
While empowerment campaigns might be created with genuine intentions and missions in mind — in this case female inspiration in regards to STEM education and careers — they also need to include substantive actions.
Clear communication about a project’s objectives and the roles of all participants is crucial to maintain credibility.
Andrea Obston is the president of Andrea Obston Marketing Communications, a reputation management firm in Avon. She is also an adjunct professor at Quinnipiac University, teaching public relations and crisis communications.