Trending PR Campaigns
Smear: A Midterms Benefit Reading
Ahead of the US midterms, actor Clark Gregg brought together George Clooney, Betty Gilpin, Adam Scott, Laverne Cox and others for a one-off reading of his political comedy *Smear*. The election-timed performance turned a star-studded theatre event into a fundraiser for organisations working on state-level politics, with tickets priced from $500.
Why it worked: It tied a one-night, celebrity-packed theatre event to an exact election-date storyline, converting urgency into high-dollar, measurable fundraising news.
The lesson: Consider staging a one-off, date-specific performance or demo that mirrors a looming real-world deadline and channels proceeds to a clear cause.
Coverage over time
How this story spread across the media
| Publication | Headline | Date |
|---|---|---|
| deadline.com | ‘Smear’ Campaign: George Clooney, Betty Gilpin, Adam Scott & Laverne Cox Unite For Midterms Fundraiser Of Clark Gregg Penned Political Play | Monday 26th October, 2026 |
| playbill.com | George Clooney, Adam Scott, Betty Gilpin, Laverne Cox, More Set for NYC Smear Reading | Playbill | Tuesday 27th October, 2026 |