Redeeming The Unredeemable

Apple TV Plus’ new movie Spirited, starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, offers a new look at Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

Reynolds plays Clint Briggs, the current-day Ebenezer Scrooge, the mastermind of Briggs Media Group, considered by him to be the ultimate PR consultant.

Ferrell is the Ghost of Christmas Present.

The entertaining musical casts light on why PR firms and communications teams can serve at the conscious of a company.

Similar to what we would share with our clients, in counseling his client, Briggs says he insists on authenticity from them.  He also cites the importance of influencers and social media.

But then, unlike what we would do for our clients, Briggs did some unethical things like fabricating a scandal related to a grade school student council election.  He showed how dirty politics (even a student council election) can be and demonstrated what working to destroy one’s reputation rather than build-up your own can look like.

Another example of his lack of scruples, he had also previously violated a non-compete agreement.

Every year during “the haunt,” The Ghost of Christmas Present’s job is to try to change someone’s reputation.  Briggs certainly needs it.

The Ghost’s challenge is to “change him to a more positive force for humanity.”  Briggs was selected with the goal of “redeeming the unredeemable.”

Sounds a lot like why companies, through their community relations efforts, send a message through their actions to “do what you can to help your fellow man.”

It is emphasized by Spirited’s closing song and dance production, “Do A Little-Good!”

Rebuilding a reputation is not nearly as fun as this movie, but often essential to a company’s survival.