Publicity Hounds are tripping over reach other trying to claim a coveted spot as a guest on “Good Morning America,” a primo publicity hit.
If you can’t get booked as a guest, the next best thing is the chance to tour the set with co-host George Stephanopoulos. And it could be yours for only $10.
Omaze, a company that raises money and awareness for charities by giving people a chance to meet celebrities and have once-in-a-lifetime experiences, has created a campaign to benefit The Mission Continues. The nonprofit awards community service fellowships to post-9/11 veterans. They serve for six months at a local nonprofit, with the goal of a full-time job or going back to school, while still doing public service work.
The “Good Morning America” competition works like a charity raffle. You can buy one entry for $10, five for $8 each, or 10 for $7 each. Every 10 entries provides mission supplies for one veteran’s entire fellowship. Select your entries here.
The Prize Package
Once the May 10 deadline for donations passes, Omaze collects all the entries and selects the winners through a computer-generated random selection process. If you win, you and a friend will get a free flight to New York City, plus hotel, sometime in June, for a tour of “Good Morning America” with Stephanopoulos.
Matt Pohlson, who founded Omaze with Ryan Cummins, said they reached out to Stephanopoulos through a mutual friend, and he said yes.
“He liked the idea that we’re making it available to everyday people and that it’s not just an auction,” Pohlson said.
The company has sponsored similar fund-raisers with Jon Stewart of “The Daily Show”; sportscaster Bob Costas; retired Admiral Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Gen. David Petraeus.
I heard about this from Publicity Hound Danielle Gano, a publicist who has been following me for many years and emailed me a great pitch. I asked her what she would ask Stephanopouls if she were the lucky winner:
“I’d ask personal questions so I’d know what kinds of stories to pitch later, and so I’d know what tugged at his heartstrings, what he likes in his personal life and what he’s passionate about.”
She also said she might ask him to share secrets about getting onto the show or a particular segment.
Meet the Cast of “The Newsroom”
Here’s a similar promotion from Omaze that Publicity Hounds will love.
You can meet the cast and hang out on the set of “The Newsroom.” Producer Aaron Sorkin has donated the opportunity for you to fly to Los Angeles with a friend, including airfare and hotel, and watch the set come to life.
You’ll learn how to conduct an interview with unstable sources, the key to remaining unbiased in the face of extreme emotion, and how Sorkin makes journalism look so sexy.
That trip will occur sometime from May 5-31. Enter “The Newsroom” competition by Thursday, April 25.
If you were one of the lucky winners and visited either of these shows, what kinds of questions would you ask?
I love Omaze for several reasons. It allows people who may not have the time they’d like to “give back,” (think publicly-known clients who spend most of their lives traveling) to make a difference in the lives of our country’s bravest demographic. In turn, it provides the public a chance to chat with professionals with whom they *could* develop a working relationship. For as little as $10, you make a positive contribution and perhaps, get “you never know” face time.