PRINCE PHILIP LOOKS TO MADISON AVENUE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73-00475R000401850001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 19, 2013
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 22, 1966
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/12/19: CIA-RDP73-00475R000401850001-9
JAN 22 1966
I1APPY PRESS ASSIGNMENT
Prince Philip Looks
To Madison Avenue
By Tony Brenna
His Royal Highness, Prince
Philip, who in England once
turned water sprinklers on
cameramen covering a royal
visit to a flower show and who
is well-known for his "salty"
naval language in dealing with
reporters, will be in the care of
Madison Avenue publicists when
he visits the U.S. in March.
Firm with the "hot potato"
assignment is Rogers and
Cowan, public relations experts
with offices around the world,
specialists in handling VIPs of
the Hollywood kind, soap com-
pany product projectors and pro-
moters of Playboy magazine.
PR man with the prestige task
of protecting_qte Prince's image
is Henry jt,ogotil chairman of
R&G?the.- company recently
handled press _relations for
Brigitte Bardoes visit toAnier-
ica?who willy accompany Philip
throughout his 10,000-mile 11-
day tour as "honorary press
officer." Said Mr. Rogers: "Our
job i9 not to promote the prince.
He is magnetic enough. Our
job will be to make it easy for
the press to meet him."
In actual fact, Mr. Rogers has
been appointed by the Variety
Clubs International, a charitable
show business organization
which invited Prince Philip, a
life member, to the U.S.
The appointment is a real
feather in the R&C cap. The
British Royal family tradition-
ally shuns contact with profes-
sional publicists, press relations
usually being in the dignified
hands of Palace officials. Abroad,
touring "royals" are carefully
guided by the British Informa-
tion Service and embassy diplo-
mats.
British Press Applauds
That Philip had approved the
appointment of professional pr
specialists got bi 'n the
British press.
York bureau ,c _les the ceezdav,?,
Derr-Me/76g put thstoy
His-FOToilui exclusive explained
that Prince Philip would "share
the services of a publicity firm
which once photographed a live
octopus wearing a well-known
watch on one of its tentacles."
The pr assignment for the
Prince was unique, he pointed
out.
In a follow-up story, Mr.
Blyth quoted Mr. Rogers as
saying that he hoped that the
Prince would give American-
style press conferences during
his U.S. tour. The publicist is
flying to London later this month
for an attempt to persuade the
Prince to give press interviews
of the "no questions barred"
variety.
"If he succeeds it will be the
first time a member of the
British royal family has agreed
to give this type of interview,"
reported Mr. Blyth.
The following day, London's
Daily Express picked up the
story, proclaiming in 48pt type:
"Excellent! Just what the
Palace needs," and commenting:
"Three great rousing royal
cheers this morning for Prince
Philip! His decision to accept
a professional American pr firm
to handle publicity for his tour is
the best thing that has happened
to royalty since the invention of
the camera."
`Cadillacs of PR'
Rogers and Cowan were de-
scribed as "the cadillacs of pr"
by a writer who also noted:
"They will see there are no silly
bungles like the ones which so
marred the American trip of
Princess Margaret and Lord
Snowdon."
The British paper also opined:
"They will be of inestimable
value to Prince Philip in his
task of keeping the American
press happy. Of course, if he
wants to launch some Naval
slang at them, nothing will stop
him. But it is less likely to
happen if the Prince and Press
have experts on hand to see
there are no misunderstandings."
Meanwhile, back in New York,
a spokesman for R&C?obvi-
ously delighted with the inter-
national coverage (the story
came back to the U.S. from
London via UPI)?told E&P:
"This is going to be one of the
trickiest pr jobs we've had to
handle; it's like no account
we've ever had. The Bardot as-
signment was difficult in terms
of logistics, press pressure, but
this should beat that."
He explained, however, that
his company would be handling
the visit on a non-fee basis,
merely recouping expenses. But,
as the spokesman said, there is
"quite considerable prestige in- ,
volved ? .."
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/12/19: CIA-RDP73-00475R000401850001-_9 e