3 Mastermind Diversion Moves and Their Potential to Backfire

A few years ago, a pop star named Taylor Swift was dealing with what some would call ‘bad press’. While this situation was nothing new to her, the way in which it was dealt with was notable and, dare I say, genius.

In October 2023, Taylor Swift allegedly followed a strategy shared with her by her publicist, Tree Paine. Ms. Paine is known for guiding Taylor through criticism, rumors, backlash, and scrutiny with seamless precision and ease. To mitigate existing press coverage of Taylor’s frequent usage of private jets, Ms. Paine requested that Taylor attend the New York Jets football game.

While the two topics are not relevant to each other on the surface, something interesting started happening. For example, if I were to type, ‘Taylor Swift jets’ in Google Search, I would see coverage of her attending the New York Jets game – and considerably less coverage of carbon emissions from her frequent use of private jets.

In tandem, Taylor’s private jet usage was quietly bumped down from major headlines, without her team addressing it head-on. This silent diversion tactic can be applied to nearly any public relations crises; however, using it strategically is essential, as it is sensitive to the topic at hand.

Here are a few ways it can backfire.

Media Frenzy

When there is a media firestorm, it is impossible to avoid the need for a media statement. Additionally, making the mistake of not having a media statement ready can make a crisis much worse. In this case, the media statement should address the crisis directly, empathize with anyone involved, and share next steps for mitigating the affected areas and individuals.

Reputation Attack

Especially for political candidates and high-profile figures, reputation attacks are damaging and require mitigation strategies to rebuild public trust. One example of this is former President Bill Clinton’s widely publicized affair with intern Monica Lewinsky. Mr. Clinton had no choice but to address it, and with careful consultation among his PR team. Media statement in hand, he addressed the nation, claiming his innocence and showing stoic surprise that anyone would accuse him of such a thing. As a result, Monica Lewinsky endured media scrutiny that forced her to go into hiding and disappear from public view. She was young, humiliated, traumatized, and dealing with a tidal wave of backlash that came from allegedly having an affair with the leader of the free world. For this reputation attack, the damage to both reputations grew wider with considerable backlash.

Executive Misconduct

In July 2025, Coldplay geared up for their concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts. For the band, the concert was routine laced with excitement and anticipation. For two of the concert’s attendees, it was the foreshadowing of a global scandal. Known for their Kiss Cam, Coldplay randomly put fans on the big screen, especially during slower songs. One couple became an obvious spectacle as they almost immediately turned away from the cameras, which caught their surprised, wide-eyed realization of being caught as they turned away from the crowd.

Within days, the couple was identified as Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and the company’s Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. While neither party issued a media statement, their resignations were quietly accepted. A rumor of the possibility of divorce loomed for both executives, as they were each married to someone else at the time of the incident.

While executive misconduct is obviously high-profile, this scandal went global within hours, with multiple shock waves of outrage, humor, memes, and viral social media posts. Here’s a video discussing how this incident became a cultural moment.

If your organization is caught in a scandal such as this one, Astronomer is a great example of how to handle it. Instead of avoiding scrutiny, they addressed it indirectly with the assistance of actress Gwyneth Paltrow. The approach helped the organization amplify their increasing popularity, essentially turning lemons into lemonade. Here’s the video ad, starring Gwyneth Paltrow.

What strategies does your organization use for these situations?

Jessica has her MBA in Marketing from Saint Leo University, and more than 10 years of experience building communications strategies that resonate with the community while building engagement.