Jesse Ventura and Ricky Martin Top PRWeek's List of Celebrities Garnering the
Best Publicity in 1999
Business Editors
--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 1999--
Bill Clinton and Bill Gates Top List
of Individuals Generating the Worst PR
First Lady Hillary Clinton, Talk Show Host Kathie Lee Gifford and
Shock Rocker Marilyn Manson Also Included on the Ten "Worst" List
Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura and Latin pop idol Ricky Martin
top the list of ten celebrities receiving "The Best Publicity" this
past year, according to the PRWeek's second annual year-end round-up
of "The Best And Worst Publicity of 1999," appearing today in the
magazine's December 13th issue.
Ventura and Martin are followed by Texas Governor and Republican
Presidential contender George W. Bush, Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly
Fiorina, writer/actor Roberto Benigni, Democratic and Republican
presidential contenders Bill Bradley and John McCain, along with
entertainers Britney Spears, Cher and Pamela Anderson Lee.
In addition to making the ten "Best" list, George W. Bush was
also eighth on the magazine's list of people receiving the worst
publicity.
President Bill Clinton tops the "Worst Publicity" list for the
second year in a row. Following him are Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates,
First Lady Hillary Clinton, talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford, New
York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, presidential paramour Monica Lewinsky, Vice
President Al Gore, Bush, singer Marilyn Manson and political gadfly
Pat Buchanan.
A total of nine top-ten lists for best and worst publicity were
selected by a PRWeek panel from nominations by readers responding to a
PRWeek/Impulse Research Poll. Participants were asked for their best
and worst picks in the categories of "individual publicity,"
"company/group publicity," "publicity stunts," and crisis management.
They were also asked to name products they felt generated the best PR.
"Despite the contentiousness of pre-2000 campaign politics,
politicians generated far better PR in 1999 than they did last year,"
said PRWeek Editor Adam Leyland. He noted that the only politician
making last year's Best Publicity list was Senator John Glenn, because
of positive press resulting from his space shuttle voyage.
Leyland continued: "As for other trends, Hillary Clinton is no
longer reaping PR benefits from her husband's travails. She has
slipped off the "Best" list this year and is among those generating
the "Worst" publicity - in part because of her involvement in the
political fray as a New York senatorial candidate."
The following lists also appear in the PRWeek round-up:
Best Publicity Stunt:
1. Blair Witch web site
2. Ron Harris' Angels' Eggs Online
3. Beanie Babies' retirement
4. Brandi Chastain's revealing her Nike bra at the U.S.
Women's Soccer tournament
5. CarOrder.com proposes to pay Golden Gate Bridge Tolls
in exchange for a bridge ad banner
6. Brooklyn Museum "Sensation" show
7. Gates Foundation philanthropy
8. Metabolife web site
9. Beyond.com CEO Mark Breier appearing on CNBC in boxer shorts
10. Pamela Anderson Lee's implant removal
Worst Publicity Stunt
1. BASE-jumping death of Jan Davis at Yosemite
2. Hillary Clinton's Yankee Cap
3. Marketing "Eyes Wide Shut" as a sexy movie
4. Jesse Ventura refereeing a wrestling match
5. Pizza Hut's Hillary Clinton commercial
6. Impeachment trial of Bill Clinton
7. Monica Lewinsky's interview with Barbara Walters
8. Garth Brooks as Chris Gaines
9. Grand Rapids, MI police "behavior" cards
10. Celine Dion's semi-retirement
Best company/group publicity
1. Cisco
2. Intel
3. U.S. Women's National Soccer Team
4. Apple
5. Hewlett Packard
6. Gap
7. IBM
8. eBay
9. General Electric
10. World Wrestling Federation
Worst company/group publicity
1. Microsoft
2. National Rifle Association
3. Coca-Cola
4. Republican Party
5. International Olympic Committee
6. Mattel
7. Yosemite National Park
8. Monsanto
9. American Bankers Association
10. Brown & Williamson
Best job by company/group in overcoming difficult situation
1. Microsoft
2. New Piper Aircraft
3. Democratic Party
4. Metabolife
5. General Electric
6. Webvan
7. Sega of America
8. Oxygen.com
9. eBay
10. Republican Party
Worst job by company/group in overcoming difficult situation
1. National Rifle Association
2. Coca-Cola
3. Microsoft
4. FBI
5. The Los Angeles Times
6. Bank of America
7. EgyptAir
8. Boeing
9. Carnival Cruise Lines
10. Daimler-Chrysler
Best product publicity
1. Pokemon
2. Blair Witch
3. Apple (G4, iBook, iMac)
4. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
5. Palm V
6. Sega Dreamcast
7. Pashmina shawls
8. Game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire"
9. Dr. Atkins Diet
10. MP3 Internet recording software
PRWeek, the first and only weekly newsmagazine about public
relations, is celebrating its first anniversary. The magazine is based
in New York City and is published by The Haymarket Group, the largest
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