Take 5 with Lori Lenz of Biscuit PR

Even though she’s only been a full-time publicist for seven years, Lori Lenz, founder of Biscuit PR, has done it all!  A resident of the Music City, Lori divides her time between working with FrontGate Media (CreationFest, ConversantLife.com),  projects like talking about the movie To Save a Life (due out this fall), and even grassroots promotion for the Jonas Brothers movie.  In the past, Lori has been a part of movie campaigns for Charlotte’s Web, Ratatouille, Amazing Grace: The William Wilberforce Story as well as a publicist for bands such as The Myriad (read BSW’s interview), Farewell Flight, Lovedrug, and The Smoking Popes.

When she’s not working, she serves on the board of the non-profit Faceless International, a group that seeks to end human trafficking through action and education.  Working with Lori is a pleasure, not only because she has a lot of different types of media to promote, but because she’s always available for a little back-and-forth e-mail banter as well (off-the-clock, of course!)  Therefore, I knew that Lori would be a perfect candidate for a perfectly candid Take 5.

Why did you decide on a career in publicity?

I didn’t.  It just sort of happened.

What is unique about publicity in the Christian music industry as opposed to other areas of promotion?

I think that most of the people I work with I would actually consider my friends.  And unlike most of my friends who do regular music/film publicity, I rarely have to deal with “damage control” press and I’ve never bailed a band out of jail.

How do you go about promoting an artist that you don’t like personally or musically?

Typically I don’t take on artists that I don’t personally/musically like. I have had to in the past, and I really just do the same thing.  There are a few writers who I will immediately tell that they need to write about the project based on the merit of the project, not its coolness.  I hope my media list can tell that I am very picky about who I choose to work with!

What’s on your desk at this moment? (Don’t clean it to answer this question!)

Honestly?   Wow…a French Press of Drews Brews Ridgetop Roast Coffee, Lonely Planet Guide on Ukraine for a Faceless International trip next month, my iPod, some flowers that I bought myself, Paste Magazine, The Week, receipts to add to my taxes box, a Ben Clark CD, a Fleet Foxes CD, a list of people who write for Variety, an extra hard drive and a spool of blank CDs to back up my iTunes….I need to clean my desk obviously.

What is one misconception that people have about your job that drives you crazy?

Publicists don’t do publishing and they don’t book concerts.  This one fact boggles many.  If you want a concert booked, call a booking agent.  If you need publishing, go to a publisher.  If you want publicity, go to a publicist.  🙂