1. The Power of PR

Given The Golden Globes’ recent rocky history, one gleaming lesson from this years’ event comeback is to never overestimate the power of PR. 

In our climate of social awareness, it has become difficult to bypass allegations within the sector - something The Golden Globes has struggled with - including actor Brendan Fraser’s claim that former HFPA president Philip Berk groped him at an industry event. Experts had postulated whether it was the end of the road for the tacky but once-treasured Hollywood institution.

However, this year’s Golden Globes showed what a difference a pedantic PR makeover makes. After a timid return to television last year (boycotted by some nominees) the globes are sincerely declaring themselves entirely different: with new voters, new categories and a new attitude. 

Donned with glittering Hollywood stars in all their finery, the proficient PR proved you can’t keep a praise-inducing ceremony down. So, rather spuriously, planner’s should focus on the good, the glitz and the glam. If The Golden Globes’ PR team taught us anything, it’s how the allure of a feel-good back-patting ceremony will always pull back audiences. 

2. Be heedful with your host

The uneasy jokes of the host comedian, Jo Koy, incited lukewarm ripples of applause from the crowd. In comparison to the Globes’ old host, Ricky Gervais, Koy was desperately ingratiating, toe-curlingly waving his own jokes in an attempt to win favour, “I wrote some of these and they’re the ones you’re laughing at,” he said, before returning to berate Meryl Streep and Robert DeNiro. 

Koy’s anxious energy was cringingly infectious. Consequently, each speaker that came to the stage seemed out of sync and on edge, with each joke more atrocious than the next. 

The key takeaway here is to cherry pick your host with heed. Having an under confident or overzealous host produces a ripple effect, creating tension among attendees, and an overall awkward atmosphere. The purpose of a host is to put attendees at ease and relieve nervousness; so if Koy did anything for the industry; he told planners what not to book.

3. Branch out beyond tradition

Where the Oscars’ viewership has been on a slow decline in accordance with diminishing cinema-trip numbers, The Golden Globes has their additional television awards to entice small screen-inclined audiences. 

Branching out beyond the exclusive screening, The Golden Globes draws new and young audiences, only competing with the prestigious TV prize, the Emmys.

Furthermore, this years’ Golden Globes introduced a brand new category for best performance in standup comedy on television (being ironically won by former host Ricky Gervais). Introducing current and unique awards gives the Golden Globes a USP as no other major ceremonies have an equivalent.

The lesson here is to keep your event hot through annual changes. Despite having a star-studded legacy, the Golden Globes attracted new audiences by integrating interests beyond cinema: TV. A key takeaway for planners here is to think beyond the structures of your event: include creative extracurriculars to keep attendees on their toes.