Blue Origin's highly anticipated all-female space launch, intended to inspire and celebrate women in STEM, instead became a lightning rod for criticism.
Why only tech PR pros?!
This happens quite often in our startup industry– the tone-deaf, arrogant campaigns: Airbnb, Apple, Uber, and of course, much of what comes out of Musk’s mouth these days.
Where did things go wrong with Blue Origin? Several missteps converged, creating a public relations nightmare that overshadowed what should have been a moment of triumph.
No coalition building or community outreach:
Firstly, the apparent lack of coalition-building was glaring. While the crew was all-female, the narrative seemed solely focused on Blue Origin's achievement. Little visible collaboration or spotlight was sharing with established women in aerospace organizations, STEM advocacy groups, or educational institutions. This created an impression of self-congratulation rather than a genuine celebration of achievement in the space tourism field.
Lesson learned: Meaningful impact requires partnership. Engage relevant communities, public institutions, industry opinion-makers early and authentically.
If this was indeed a promo about commercial space travel, then make it so. Own it!
No shared talking points
The absence of aligned talking points was laughable. Katy is promoting her upcoming tour. Gayle is talking about dumping trash to space. Huh?!
Lessons learned: All campaigns must have a meticulous message alignment across all communication channels and stakeholders.
Not giving back to the community
The third misstep highlighted the critical importance of giving back to the community. A more robust PR strategy would have proactively highlighted Blue Origin's tangible contributions to STEM education, local communities, or environmental sustainability initiatives. Symbolic gestures alone are insufficient; demonstrable impact is paramount.
Not to mention Jeff Bezo’s Earth Fund ended its support for Science Based Targets initiative, which monitors companies’ decarbonization earlier this year. The organization is an international body that assesses if companies are decarbonising in line with the Paris agreement.
Again, this was a huge PR stunt for a commercial space travel company. Own it. Don’t disguise the mission as some good-for-earth BS.
Ignoring reality
As criticisms regarding the mission's purpose mounted online, Blue Origin's response appeared convoluted. Blue Origin team failed to address hot topics like climate change, women’s rights, access to higher education, the current state of this planet, and much much more.
Finally, take us on a journey!
To truly resonate with the general public, Blue Origin needs to pull back the curtain and take us on a ride – a journey that begins long before the countdown clock starts. Imagine a series of engaging content pieces that delve into the meticulous engineering and passionate individuals behind the New Shepard vehicle. Instead of simply announcing a launch, showcase the "why" and the "how."
Take us inside Blue Origin's design process, showcasing the engineers' ingenuity and the creation of the vehicle. Feature the rigorous engine testing and the capsule's safety-focused design. Introduce the crew intimately, sharing their personal journeys, motivations, and the significance of their mission. Show their training and interactions, humanizing the technology and fostering connection.
But perhaps, we were not the target audience… this whole mission was really for the ultra-rich.
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