Strategies and Techniques of Celebrity Public Relations in the ExYu Cultural Scenery

Abstract

The paper analyses celebrity culture in the former Yugoslavia (Ex YU) as well as public relations strategies and techniques that were used by the participants of its cultural scenery in their making and lifelong existence. The research deals with some of the famous singers, actors and sportsmans of the Ex YU celebrity scene, such as Lepa Brena, Severina, Nina Badrić, Edin Džeko, Zana Marjanović, Moamer Kasumović, Halid Beslić, Goran Milić, Saša Lošić, Zdravko Čolić, media that created and obliterated them, and journalists as the main drivers of processes in the celebrity world. The research is based on the analyses of in-depth interviews and case studies. The primary objective of the research is understanding the management of celebrity image and how it is being controlled by the public and the media. The premise of the study is Celebrity, popularity and the impact of individuals in any sphere of the modern world, and in particular, in the field of entertainment and celebrity culture, that is directly related to the publicity in the mass media. Publicity is only partially determined by the qualitative and creative elements, but largely produced, provoked and skillfully guided by the techniques and strategies of the public relations. Based on the pre-eminent classification of celebrities worldwide, the research studies the nature of this phenomenon and the regional, Ex YU, circumstances and links them with concepts, methods, models and tactics as applied to public relations. Stemming from key criteria such as quality in the field of work, ways of communicating with their audience, and the relationship of their image, the paper defines the types of regional (Ex YU) celebrities.