Publicity Problem with Big Client

Publicist Jaan Vare, owner of Vare & Jaakkola, recently asked folks on LinkedIn what he should do with a "client problem." Specifically, Jaan shared:

"We have a relatively big client from finance sector. Their image in past was terrible and we have done great job to make it better. Most of recent publications (interviews, articles, news stories etc) have been neutral or positive.
We wanted to carry on with this strategy (lots of positive publicity in dailies and mags) but client is in now telling us, that there has been too much publicity and he is too famous. He wants to cut most of planned media activities and keep low profile.
The reason for that is that he is too famous, good media coverage is not helping the business and he is afraid that when things go bad, he’ll look stupid.
I have told him that company’s good image is built through client relations, positive coverage in media, opinion articles etc. He fully understands that, but still does not want to be in media. I tried to explain that it’s hard to be only reactive if you’re not even a little bit proactive. Still no change. He is on retainer fee (since June this year) and that’s very convenient for us, because we have to do less for them. But at the same time it’s very risky (but the client does not understand that).
Have you encountered this kind of problem? How have you solved it? Any other brilliant thoughts how to deal with this kind of client?"

Click here for the marketing misfit response…