Marianne Calnan, recently appointed senior reporter at The Grocer, talks to Vuelio about her new role, balancing her time and how you never know where the best stories will come from…
How are you settling into your new role as a senior reporter at The Grocer? Can you describe a typical working day for you? It’s been great so far and very full-on – I really feel like I’ve hit the ground running. The day will usually start with news hunting, followed by writing and interviewing for most of the rest of the day for a wide range of articles. Either that, or I’ll be at meetings with industry contacts or events.
What do you enjoy the most about your job? What are the main challenges you face? I’m really enjoying learning more about the FMCG industry, and my challenges include balancing my time between my writing and event-attending duties.
How do you decide what content to focus on? The editorial team has pretty much constant discussions about what to cover and what to prioritise.
Do you have a good relationship with PRs? What advice would you give to PR professionals who want to work with you? Definitely, and I would say send me anything and everything you think may be relevant to my remit, as you never know where the best stories could come from.
What type of press material are you interested in receiving? Mainly press releases and background info about any new developments or changes.
[testimonial_view id=13] Marianne Calnan and The Grocer and her blog are both listings on the Vuelio Database along with thousands of other leading journalists, editors, bloggers and outlets.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Marianne-Calnan.jpg430760Christina Pirilla/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngChristina Pirilla2018-03-27 14:01:162018-03-27 14:55:00Journalist Spotlight: The Grocer’s Marianne Calnan
London-Unattached is a multi-author blog covering a range of lifestyle topics, with a strong focus on food and travel. Founded by Fiona Maclean, London-Unattached covers topics of interest to Generation X and up. Fiona told us about her best travel experiences, working with PRs and meat fruit.
What makes your blog unique?
London-Unattached is a contributor blog or blogazine – I work with six talented individuals, each with a different focus. So, for example, I have one writer who specialises in theatre reviews – she’s an actress and theatre coach for her day job; another is a university lecturer in music and jazz musician. We are all Generation X upward (over 45) so we address a niche that I believe is under represented but has a high disposable income and wants to explore. We all cover food (restaurant reviews and recipe development) and travel.
What’s your biggest aim with the blog/what would you ideally achieve with it? I’d like to get to the stage where we have, say, a quarterly print magazine to complement the online content.
What’s your favourite location in the UK? The Scilly Isles – I went last year and the islands had a wonderful Enid Blyton feel to them – very unspoilt!
What’s your favourite trip abroad? As always, it’s my most recent trip! I’m just back from Rodrigues, a tiny island the size of Jersey, 150 miles north of Mauritius. Although it lacked the ‘resort luxury’ of some of the other destinations I’ve visited, it made up for it in a big way by having totally empty beaches, coral reefs, a plethora of wildlife and some fantastic food (French Creole with a seafood bias)
What’s the best thing about blogging about your travels? Finding places like Rodrigues that I’ve never heard of but which are astonishingly beautiful – and then having the opportunity to share them with other people. Or finding a special feature that I know will be a hook for my readers – in St Lucia for instance, I’d have to highlight the luxury of the resorts as well as the activities, while in Bruges, for me, it was that the food was more than a match for the heritage and architecture.
Best meal you’ve ever eaten? Last year, at Dinner by Heston (sorry to be so obvious – but I still dream of the Meat Fruit!)
What one thing should PRs know about you? I’m more cautious on paper than I am in real life. Generally, given a bit of encouragement, I’ll have a go at things I’d say no to if you asked me ahead of time.
What are the best PR/brand collaborations you’ve worked on? I love doing recipe development projects. I really enjoy being given a challenge and creating something to use a specific ingredient or to pair with a specific wine. I’ve done one recently with Spanish Sherry and a couple with Grana Padano and Prosciutto di San Daniele including this set of festive canapes.
I also like working with a country destination on a long-term basis. One of my first press trips was to Portugal and I’ve subsequently been back every year and now have a wealth of content about a country I love. Last year, I worked with the Czech Republic for the first time, went on two trips to Prague, Pardubice and Brno, produced six blog posts and won their ‘Blogger of the Year award’. I think it takes time to get to know a destination well – so being given the opportunity to go back really helps.
What do you call yourself (Blogger/influencer/content creator)? Freelance writer (I do work on a number of other writing projects, from website development through to writing newsletters and blogging for other people).
What other blogs do you read? Too many to list. For quirky blogs I wouldn’t normally come across, I love the ‘Big up Your Blog’ group. It’s full of passionate and lovely people like Jill Creighton who writes Midlifesmarts and Suzanne Vickery who writes about her experience travelling the world as a House Sitter.
Fiona and her blog are both listings on the Vuelio Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists, editors and outlets.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Fiona-Maclean.jpg430760Phoebe-Jane Boyd/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngPhoebe-Jane Boyd2018-03-26 15:06:092018-03-26 15:06:09Food and Travel: Fiona Maclean, London-Unattached
Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed this week includes Facebook’s latest woes, political parties using data, Brand Ant & Dec, Count Dankula and Bumble swiping left on Tinder.
1. Facebook’s $50bn comms disaster
The news that Facebook allows companies to collect and use personal data for commercial gain should be surprising to no one; it’s literally the company’s business model. But the story this week that data firm Cambridge Analytica bought data from a Cambridge professor’s Facebook app to create 50 million profiles – which possibly contributed to Trump’s presidential victory – has hit the public like the elephant in the room on a rampage. We’ve explored the ways in which Facebook has suffered, and covered the four crisis comms mistakes it made.
The biggest of these is the initial absence of Zuckerberg and then his eventual explanatory Facebook post, which has been described as ‘totally insufficient’. (Facebook has now published open letters in a number of newspapers, possibly emulating Bumble, story below).
The alleged breach led to Facebook’s share price taking a big, $50bn-dollar hit – but is this the end of the social giant? (Probably not).
2. Political parties exclude themselves from new data laws
Talking of data being used to profile people for political gain without the individual’s knowledge or consent – the Independent has reported that UK political parties are excluding themselves from the new data laws so they can still use personal data ‘to find out how people are likely to vote’. The Independent directly linked this story to the Cambridge Analytica debacle, but the public outrage (obviously via the front pages of national papers) hasn’t followed.
The Independent reports, ‘All the major parties have agreed to the exemption from new data protection laws, arguing it clarifies their widely recognised right to canvas voters in order to target possible supporters.’
If you’re not a political party, and you’re worried about complying with the GDPR law, check out our comprehensive guide (which is a form-free download).
3. Brand Ant & Dec
Ant McPartlin was charged with drink driving this week after he was involved in a multiple-car collision. The troubled star is back in rehab, leaving his significant other, Declan Donnelly, to present the final two episodes of Saturday Night Takeaway alone. This is an historic moment for brand Ant & Dec – the pair that work exclusively as a duo to the point that they always stand the same way (Ant then Dec), are temporarily split up. Brand Saturday Night Takeaway has to continue for the final episodes, as the finale is competition winners in Orlando (Cat Deeley has been mooted to stand in as co-host, but probably not as Prozac the giggle fairy).
Brand Suzuki has ended its contract with the duo, but will continue to sponsor the programme (family friendly automotive brands generally avoid drink driving ambassadors).
Brands Britain’s Got Talent and I’m A Celebrity are later in the year so may continue as normal if Brand Ant & Dec recovers. Which, as long as Ant gets better, is almost a certainty. In terms of crisis comms, Ant has done everything right: he has been honest, admitted he’s struggling, and gone to rehab. Everyone is communicating about the situation and working together for the best outcome. Ant & Dec’s place in the nation’s hearts seems to be secure.
Long live Brand Ant & Dec.
4. Count Dankula and the free speech debate
Ah free speech and social media. This week the endless debate has a bizarre advocate – YouTuber Count Dankula, who was convicted of making a ‘grossly offensive’ video after he taught his girlfriend’s dog to react to phrases such as ‘Sieg Heil’ and ‘gas the Jews’. The UK doesn’t have free speech laws like the US*, but globalisation (spearheaded by the rise of American-based social media sites) has created the illusion that we do. Count Dankula, real name Mark Meecham, was considered to have committed a crime in line with existing UK law on offense. Open and shut case, right?
Wrong. Conservative West Yorkshire MP Philip Davies is now demanding a debate on freedom of speech. Davies said: ‘We guard our freedom of speech in this House very dearly indeed…but we don’t often allow our constituents the same freedoms.
‘Can we have a debate about freedom of speech in this country – something this country has long held dear and is in danger of throwing away needlessly?’
Once again, the responsibility of YouTube as host of such content is being overlooked. Perhaps Logan Paul and Cambridge Analytica didn’t actually happen.
5. Bumble swipes left on Tinder
Tinder and Bumble are at loggerheads, with Tinder’s owner, Match Group, filing a lawsuit for alleged intellectual property theft. In what is partially a PR war, Bumble has come out fighting with a stinging full-page advert in the New York Times titled ‘Bumble swipes left on Match group/Tinder allegations’. The open letter to Match Group continues the Tinder-swipe theme: ‘We swipe left on you. We swipe left on your multiple attempts to buy us, copy us and, now, to intimidate us.’ [bold text as printed]
Bumble has also scored PR points for making their women-first approach (the app’s USP is that women have to make the first move) very clear: ‘We – a woman-founded, women-led company – aren’t scared of aggressive corporate culture’. The letter uses the alleged ‘bullying’ by Tinder to describe how their platform is designed to be safe for women.
This is a master stroke by Bumble, and even using a traditional newspaper ad to run the advert, is a touch of genius – tying this modern tech company with tradition and therefore traditional values (oh hey Facebook). Obviously Match Group is massive, but Bumble has ensured the ball is firmly in their court (hopefully next week’s Five Things will include an incredible response!).
*For example: offensive comments, inciting hatred, inciting someone to commit a crime and legitimate threats are all illegal in the UK.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/23-March-.jpg430760Phoebe-Jane Boyd/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngPhoebe-Jane Boyd2018-03-26 08:40:342018-05-31 11:21:00Five Things: Facebook, the GDPR, Ant & Dec, Count Dankula and Bumble swiping left
On a long enough timeline, the life expectancy of all social media sites drops to zero. Facebook is suffering, but is this the beginning of the end or just another bump in the road?
The Cambridge Analytica story is known to most people now. The large data company bought 50 million data entries from an academic, who had harvested it off Facebook for the purposes of ‘research’. It then used this data to some, as yet, unclear extent (against Facebook’s rules) to help political movements around the world including, according to its own claims, a contribution to President Trump’s victory.
After months of investigative research by The Observer, an undercover reporter from Channel 4 was able to film CEO Alexander Nix making bold claims that the company led politicians around the world into honey traps and bribing officials. He has since been suspended.
For Facebook, the news was damning. After the report was broadcast, and following work from the Observer and the New York Times, some $50bn was wiped from Facebook’s stock market value.
It has since recovered slightly but at one point was 10% down.
Facebook then made a series of seemingly rookie moves in terms of crisis comms: the company suspended whistleblower Chris Wylie’s Facebook and Instagram accounts; its chief of security Alex Stamos is reportedly leaving the company but nothing has officially acknowledged this; Facebook went into the offices of Cambridge Analytica to ‘investigate’ on the evening of the report, a day before the ICO were able to apply for a warrant; and, perhaps most damaging, Mark Zuckerberg was kept from making a comment until days later.
When a listed company takes a dive on the stock market, with investors and clients threatening to sue, advertisers pulling their ad spend, and governments around the world discussing heavy regulation, a CEO needs to respond swiftly to show someone is in control and the situation is being handled.
Instead, we waited four days for a Facebook post to appear, in which Zuckerberg acknowledged Facebook has ‘a responsibility to protect your data’, and ‘if we can’t then we don’t deserve to serve you’. He explained a timeline of events that led to the crisis, and says that it was a ‘breach of trust between Facebook and the people who share their data with us and expect us to protect it’.
Is this too little, too late though?
This article from MarketWatch certainly thinks so. It quotes Davia Temin, a management consultant who said, ‘This is a totally insufficient response, both operationally and emotionally. Yes, it is prescriptive, yet strangely hollow, limited, unemotional, and lacking any form of apology.’ Temin says that the company should be responding to such a crisis in 15 minutes, because on social media, 15 minutes is an age.
Deleting your Facebook account is now in vogue, thanks in no small part to some big names including the co-founder of WhatsApp, Brian Acton, who tweeted: ‘It is time. #deletefacebook’. WhatsApp, of course, was sold to Facebook in 2014 for $19bn. This issue is damning for the social giant, but as people are pointing out (mostly on Twitter), all the big social companies collect personal data and sell it to advertisers and third parties.
So, if Facebook now fails (and presumably the likes of Twitter, Google and Amazon remain healthy), it will be largely because it didn’t handle its comms correctly to get itself out of this hole.
Obviously, the state of social media, the collection of data and third party access is going to become VERY exciting after the GDPR comes into force. If, for example, the ICO decided Facebook had allowed the data breach through negligence and it was after 25 May – the fine would have been up to $500m.
Imagine.
If you’re unsure about GDPR, and not sure how it’s affecting the comms industry, download out our comprehensive guide.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Mark-Zuckerberg.jpg430760Phoebe-Jane Boyd/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngPhoebe-Jane Boyd2018-03-22 14:16:062018-03-22 14:16:06Is this the end of Facebook, or just a comms disaster?
Karen Beddow writes Mini Travellers, the family travel blog that frequently gets ranked among the best in the UK. We caught up with Karen to talk about the uniqueness of her blog (according to the views of her readers), the best PR and brand collaborations she’s worked on and working with her kids to make the blog amazing.
What makes your blog unique?
I actually asked this question of my readers a few months ago and I got some lovely replies, a couple of my favourites were: ‘Makes people realise that it is possible to do cool and interesting things as a family’, and, ‘I love the fact that you cover everything from Rwanda to Disney and days out at home; something for everyone’. They put it much better than I could do myself.
What’s your biggest aim with the blog/what would you ideally achieve with it?
In fairness it has already done it as the blog has allowed me to work from home, take the children to school and collect them, and have all the school holidays off to travel.
How do you plan your travels? We plan our travel around flight deals, meetings we have had with PRs, reading lots and lots of other travel blogs that inspire me and sometimes just a gut feel that we have to go somewhere!
What’s the best place you’ve ever been to?
This is a really really hard one. Probably for the experience Rwanda – the whole trip was incredible and we’re off to Malawi as a family at easter as it worked out so well. For relaxation, a villa in Sivota, Greece with Simpson Travel as it just worked on every level.
How do your children feel about the blog?
They absolutely love it and are really proud of it. They know that it brings them great opportunities.
What one place haven’t you been that you want to?
Chile and Argentina – I’ve had two trips that I’d booked that had to be cancelled for different reasons so it is very high up the bucket list.
What’s the best day out in the UK? Oh I think that’s a tough one to answer, so many but for so many different reasons. For us, it is usually a day at a beach with a really big picnic, some sun and lots of friends.
What do you call yourself (Blogger/influencer/content creator)?
Blogger
What other blogs do you read?
Lots and lots but I recently met a couple on a trip to Morzine who are travelling the world and I was genuinely inspired by their amazing story. They were a really lovey couple too.
Karen Beddow and Mini Travellers are both listings on the Vuelio Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists, editors and outlets.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Karen-Beddows-mini-travellers-2.jpg430760Phoebe-Jane Boyd/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngPhoebe-Jane Boyd2018-03-22 10:15:282018-03-22 10:17:13Blogger Spotlight: Karen Beddow, Mini Travellers
Craig Landale is the founder and editor-in-chief of Menswear Style, which won the Best Men’s Lifestyle Blog and Best UK Blog at the Vuelio Blog Awards 2017. We caught up with Craig to find out what it takes to make the UK’s best blog, what you need to be a full-time blogger and the best advice he has for PRs and brands.
We also put Craig on the spot with five quickfire questions – full video below!
Tell us about Menswear Style
Menswear Style started as a hobby. I left my job in Leeds as a digital marketing manager for a big clothing company and I wanted to keep writing content. I quickly started receiving emails from PRs and brands asking me to review their clothing. At first, they were just asking me to review and there was no talk of money but then the blog started to get more hits and traffic. I started to give the blog more consistency and was updating it every other day. I’d say six months into its existence I started to get good traffic, and good partnerships were coming through.
How do you feel about going from a hobby blog to a successful professional blog in such a short time? I think today it wouldn’t happen because the industry is saturated – there’s too many influencers and too many bloggers. In 2012, I think I was just in time to enter when the market wasn’t so crowded. Even when I was working in men’s fashion I would only look at a handful of reputable menswear blogs – sites like FashionBeans, Highsnobiety, HYPEBEAST – I couldn’t have counted more than 10 really. So, I was able to get a good share of voice and get my name out there quite easily.
After a year, I quit doing the consultancy completely and the blog became my full-time job.
What was it like going full time? It was rapid growth at the time. I used to be amazed at the analytics, I would watch the real-time traffic and see articles go viral with thousands on the site. I had studied at the Chartered Institute of Marketing and my experience working in digital marketing meant I could put everything into the blog. That was an advantage I had over some other bloggers, because not many had any SEO or digital marketing experience at the time.
Now the industry has been here for a short while, there’s some rules and guidelines you can follow, but at the time it was unknown territory and giving up my full-time job to leap into the unknown was a bit scary.
I don’t think I could do it today; I’m a father, I have a mortgage – I feel like the battle of the mind would weigh towards a secure paying job.
You said you were making the rules, what do you wish you hadn’t done and what are you glad you did do? I used to spend a lot of time on affiliate marketing, which didn’t really go anywhere – it’s really difficult to make money from it (especially nowadays) so I feel like I wasted a lot of time on that.
I also put a lot of emphasis on banners because back then they made a lot of money, but now there are pop-up blockers and ad blockers, and it’s not something that makes as much money anymore. Even with sponsored content, I didn’t know what to charge – I would pluck a figure out of thin air!
Because I didn’t really know what I should be charging, I massively undervalued myself. I didn’t update my media kit for a few years, but a lot of brands were really honest and would say my prices were way too low.
I thought that until demand was more than I could keep up with, I would keep it low. But I have realised that the perception of having a high price can be higher quality as well – if a brand sees that a price for a sponsored article is a higher price, they feel the value they’re going to get back is good traffic, good engagement and good exposure. Low prices would make them feel like you didn’t have the traffic or engagement.
Now I’m not so cheap but I still give good value.
Well you have the Best UK Blog and you can’t beat that! How do you feel about winning twice at the Vuelio Blog Awards? It was amazing. I’ve been going to the Vuelio Blog Awards since the first year and I’ve always been up against women’s fashion bloggers. At times I think I was the only man in the category. I knew I wouldn’t win that award – the womenswear industry is like the Champions League and menswear is the Championship. That’s just because of the size of the industry – the millions spent by women compared to men, it’s much higher and even though menswear is growing at a rapid rate, it’s still nowhere near.
Luckily for 2017, you brought in the men’s lifestyle category and I thought, I’ve got a really good chance. I was hoping I would win it – I had a feeling Ape to Gentleman could take it because that’s a website I use for inspiration and I know they’re good and reputable. And then I won – and it was a huge relief! Finally, I had won an Award at the Vuelio Blog Awards!
When it came to the final award, Best UK Blog, usually my wife and I try to sneak off just after it’s announced because we’re not night owls (we like to sleep). We were getting ready to sneak out and then it was announced.
It was a massive shock.
I thought it would be a women’s fashion blogger, or interiors or politics – I did not expect it to be menswear. My menswear friends and other nominees were amazed as well and so supportive. We’re a close-knit group – we’re always at the same events and know each other – they thought it was amazing for menswear blogging and the industry. The highest accolade has gone to a menswear blogger, so it’s a victory for all of us.
What’s the menswear blogging community like? When you go to events and on press trips, you bump into the same people and everyone’s friendly. I’ve been doing this since 2012, so I’m one of the older guys. Now I don’t go to as many events as the other guys but when I first started, I went to everything. I was at an event every night of the week with my wife. We used it as our way of socialising in this new city we’d just move to, for free. But now I’m a father, I handpick the events I go to because it can be overbearing. I have a team of freelance writers as well, so I usually pass it down to them.
What’s your day to day? I’m writing content, doing social media, I edit every article that comes in from the team and I take care of the commercial side. I deal with all the brand and PR emails – some have great budgets and I’m happy, some aren’t a good fit so I turn them down. There are some who don’t have a good budget but they’re doing work I admire so I do work for free, but it has to be a brand I really really like. If it’s an up-and-coming brand I might be interested in featuring them.
Who is the competition? Other bloggers are definitely competition. When a brand pitches a brief, they’re going to bloggers and publications. I always want to make sure we get a look in, the engagement we get on social media is fantastic and I want to make sure the brands know about that. I also put the last three months of google analytics performance on the blog so it’s clear for PRs to see what we can achieve. I’m not taking it for granted that anyone would know who Menswear Style is, you can spend a long time getting to know PRs and then they could leave the industry and a new wave of PRs could come in who don’t know you anymore. Especially as I’m going to events a lot less – out of sight, out of mind.
What are your dos and don’ts for PRs? The big don’t is when a brand just sends out a blanket email to everyone and you can tell. The worst is when they forget to BCC and then someone replies and you end up getting hundreds of emails.
Also, if the email is too long. It sounds bad, but when you have lots of email pitches to get through, you want to read one paragraph to find out what they’re after. Some brands come through and they know exactly what they want, and they’re up-front about budget – making it clear if they’re willing to pay or not. I always ask about budget to make sure we both know how to work together.
I have a lot of brands coming back year on year. The majority I’m working with now, I’ve worked with before. The competitions we host are really successful; some brands will come back every year or season to do a competition. The entry method also has opt-in forms, so it’s good for their email marketing, and brands keep coming back for those.
The competition from influencers is also strong, but I’m not so worried about them because what I do and where I make my money is through the blog. They’re making money on social, like Instagram. For me, social is not a commercial stream, it’s a chance for people to see ‘behind the scenes’ at Menswear Style and to share our blogs. I add it on as a sweetener, if a brand books a brand-focused article, which means we write about their brand, we add it on but we don’t do Instagram posting for money. I’m not personally an influencer.
What’s an influencer? An individual that’s living the lifestyle that people like to watch. It’s usually on Instagram, the insta-influencer is rising rapidly. They’re the new celebrity, kids nowadays don’t know traditional celebrities, but they know who influencers are.
I call myself a blogger and digital content creator, when I’m trying to explain my job to people. I think the average guy our age, would probably not realise blogging is a full-time job, and think it’s just a hobby. They probably know you can make money but not enough to replace a salary. But I think teenagers today know this is the career they want. You could probably ask a class of 12-year-olds and half would say they want to be a vlogger, blogger or an insta-influencer. They’ve grown up with technology and they’ve seen it work.
What’s next for Menswear Style? People ask me this and I always say I want to continue – when things are going good, don’t fix it. I’m always tweaking the website, but no drastic changes; the categories are great, the streetstyle is great, it’s all just going great. I might get ‘radical’ ideas, but I they’re always little things being added on, nothing major.
I do want the articles to be a bit longer though. When I first started it was about shorter articles (300 words), but I know longform is coming back and they please Google too. I want stories to be a bit more interesting, not just about a new collection but about the person who made the clothes, the area they were made in or the traditions in manufacturing. Just something more engaging than the bare facts.
Quickfire Five – VIDEO
Craig Landale and Menswear Style are listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists, editors and outlets.
DriveWrite Automotive is a leading auto blog written by Geoff Maxted. Including car reviews and features about the driving life, DriveWrite Automotive recently featured on the Top 10 UK Automotive Blogs. We spoke to Geoff about branching out his writing, issues facing the automotive industry and working with brands.
What makes your blog unique?
I don’t follow the motoring journalist herd, avoiding endless car reviews of vehicles that everyone else is reviewing. I am less concerned with the very latest thing. I am very much trying to present things in an original and varied format that responds to the broad topic of ‘automotive’ and always taking care with grammar and spelling. You won’t find any profanity on my blog.
How and why are you now branching out as a writer?
I am certainly broadening the scope of DriveWrite, although non-automotive work will be on separate blogs in due course. My experience of writing has led me to other avenues and I am now very experienced in writing to order and to a brief, regardless of the topic. I welcome commissions.
What’s your favourite car?
Audi R8 V10. That’s me in the mugshot, driving one.
How important is photography to automotive blogging?
Very important. I am a former lecturer in photography so always strive to make my images as good as possible. I have recently upgraded my cameras and this year will be shooting video for the first time. Video is the way to go now for almost any blogger.
How difficult do you find it to convey an experience in a blog post?
I like to write creatively and don’t find conveying a mood or feeling or experience difficult.
What’s the biggest issue facing the automotive industry? Convincing the public to move with the times. The attempt to persuade people into electric cars for example has been half-hearted in my opinion. They really are good vehicles.
We’ve discovered that for many bloggers, social media has become the new comments section. How important is social media to your blog?
Very. There’s a lot of garbage on social media and it is important to rise above it. The popular mediums are vital to getting the good word out there. Word of mouth still has its place too. You need readers talking to others.
What are the best PR/brand collaborations you’ve worked on?
I can’t really name one. It’s always best to be on great terms with collaborators.
What do you call yourself (Blogger/influencer/content creator)?
It’s what other people call me that’s important. I want to be known as a writer of quality first and foremost.
What other blogs do you read? Leisure time? What’s that?
Geoff Maxted and DriveWrite Automotive are listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists, editors and outlets.
This week Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed includes new social media laws, Facebook taking responsibility, the Metro’s moment in the Sun, (Fer)Nando’s and BuzzFeed’s unlikely victory.
1. Matt Hancock to rewrite social media laws
Not content with launching his own social media platform, Matt Hancock, the culture secretary, has now suggested the UK could write ‘world-leading’ regulations for technology companies, thanks to Brexit. No longer bound by EU rules, a post-Brexit Britain would be able to create ‘forward-looking’ legislation appropriate for the 21st century. Hancock said new laws would support ‘the innovation and the freedom that these social media platforms bring but also ensures they mitigate better against harms’.
Areas Hancock has suggested the law could be changed include making a new legal status for social media companies between traditional platforms and publishers, changing competition laws and tackling fake news. Hancock doesn’t actually want to make platform owners responsible for the content they publish as he is a platform owner himself. He said: ‘I can’t be liable for what they publish, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to allow them to publish it, because I can only be liable for what I publish.’
Five Things is very excited to see what Matt Hancock’s next plan is to make his time as culture secretary historic.
2. Facebook bans Britain First
Talking of platform owners becoming responsible, Facebook has removed Britain First and its leaders from the platform. The removal was due to the far-right group ‘repeatedly’ violating community standards. The page had achieved over two million likes at the point of its removal.
In a detailed blog post, Facebook explained that people are allowed ‘different views’ and that they are ‘very careful not to remove posts or Pages just because some people don’t like them’. However, Facebook goes on to say: ‘There are times though when legitimate political speech crosses the line and becomes hate speech designed to stir up hatred against groups in our society.’
Facebook gave the group a ‘final written warning’, which was ignored as the group continued to post content ‘designed to incite animosity and hatred against minority groups’.
This decisive action is huge news, because the social media giant has taken a clear action against a page with millions of followers and published its reasoning. There is now little excuse for it not to take action against other, similar rule breakers.
3. Is The Sun setting?
The Metro now has more printed copies in circulation than The Sun, though both have experienced year-on-year falls. The Press Gazette reports the latest ABC figures, which show the Metro’s 1,472,437 copies in Feb, while down 0.25% on 2017, was greater than The Sun’s 1,465,000 – down 8% on 2017. To make matters worse, The Sun’s number includes its Saturday edition, whereas the Metro only prints Monday-Friday.
Ted Young, editor of the Metro, said: ‘This is a massive Metro moment and one which demonstrates the demand for our trusted and loved product with a young, professional audience on their morning commute in every major city every weekday morning. As long as the appetite is there, we intend to remain the largest distributed newspaper in Britain.’
The Sun is still the UK’s best-selling daily newspaper by some margin. Every priced national paper experienced a fall in circulation, the biggest being The Sunday Mirror (-20.18%), Daily Mirror (-19.04%), The Daily Telegraph (-18.06%) and the Sunday People (-17.93%).
4. Nando’s and Fernando’s
Within weeks of Nando’s proving that a potentially reputation-damaging story (their chips coming from McCain) means nothing to loyal Nando’s fans, its back in the news – now accused of attacking a small business. Due to what appears to be copyright infringement, an independent peri-peri restaurant called ‘Fernando’s’, which has a cockerel logo among other similarities, has been asked by the chilli chicken phenomenon to cease and desist.
Fernando’s struck out, claiming Nando’s is ‘threatened’ by its success. Fernando’s owner Asam Aziz, who claims the inspiration for the name is from TV’s Take Me Out, said he is being bullied by Nando’s (full legal name: Nando’s ChickenLand Limited – which sounds like the best theme park ever!).
A Nando’s spokesman tried to reduce the heat, by saying: ‘We are really proud of our brand and we know it means a lot to our customers. That’s why whenever we think there is trademark infringement we try to sort it out amicably’, which seems balanced from a brand that is seemingly untouchable.
5. BuzzFeed wins News Website of the Year
BuzzFeed (LMAO, ROFL, WOW), a viral site famous for listicles, scooped the biggest digital prize at the Press Awards this week winning News Website of the Year. The achievement is huge for a site that launched in 2013 and is more well known for its ‘Which Friends character are you’ type articles than serious journalism. But in recent years, the site has gained a reputation for ‘proper’ journalism particularly in government and politics – breaking a number of stories in the last 12 months and being an outlet for many leaks. Jim Waterson, outgoing political editor, may be disappointed that the Guardian, his next employer, was only awarded Highly Commended in the same category.
Other notable winners include the Financial Times scooping Newspaper of the Year and News Team of the Year (for The Europopulists); the Daily Mail winning Campaign of the Year for ‘Turn the tide on plastic’; Tom Harper, Jon Ungoed-Thomas and Richard Kerbaj who won ‘Scoop of the Year’ for finding porn on Damian Green’s computer; and Mark Townsend of the Observer, who won News Reporter of the Year.
Congratulations all.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/16-March.jpg430760Phoebe-Jane Boyd/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngPhoebe-Jane Boyd2018-03-16 14:05:572018-03-16 14:05:57Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 16 March 2018
Becky Moore is the owner of Global Grasshopper, a leading travel blog with a small team of writers and photographers. Covering the hottest destinations, coolest hotels and advice for all travellers, Global Grasshopper has created a huge dedicated audience who love the stunning visuals and insider tips.
We spoke to Becky about conquering the world (in travel blogging terms), beautiful holidays and working with brands.
What makes your blog unique?
We try to steer away from writing about all the major tourist resorts and focus on the world’s most beautiful, unique and under-the-radar places instead. We also strive to create our posts with a lot of care and love, using only very high-quality photography and video footage (produced by our team’s professional videographer Gary Nunn).
What’s your biggest aim with the blog?
To continue making content that people want to read and watch and to maintain and increase our rankings in Google. We have a very popular category of the most beautiful places to visit in each country, which we always get great feedback on! And although we already feature the most popular travel destinations, I’d eventually love to cover every country in the world. One day!
What’s the best place you’ve ever been to? Havana. Havana is a city that it’s impossible not to be happy in. I first visited a few years ago when I was going through a particularly bad time in my life and it instantly lifted me. Aside from the music, architecture, dancing, sunshine, cocktails and unique way of life, Cuba’s biggest asset is its people. It’s a place where you will be greeted with warmth that is unrivalled in any other places I’ve visited, and it’s a country you’ll leave with far more friends than when you arrived!
Where haven’t you been that you’re desperate to go to? I’m a huge Scandinavia fan and although I’ve been to many places in the region I’m still longing to explore the fjords in Norway. The UNESCO-protected fjords cut into a series of towering mountains and is a place where waterfalls cascade down mountainsides, and where glaciers never melt. The area is said to offer some of the most unspoilt and spectacular scenery in the world.
Hotel of self-catering (or camping, hostels or air bnb)? If I visit a city, I always seek out the most unique hotel I can find, whether its artistic, designer or just something very different like our collection of cool and unusual hotels in London for example. It always makes a trip far more interesting and also makes great content for the blog too!
If you could only holiday in one style for the rest of your life and had to choose between luxury and shoe string – which would you do? That’s actually a tough choice because I love a beautiful, plush hotel (who doesn’t?) but backpacking on a budget can ensure you meet lots more like-minded people and enable you to see a much more local way of life. At a push though, I’d probably opt for the luxury!
How important is social media to you when you’re away? A big part of running a blog professionally is keeping up with social media so it’s very important to me, although I do like to give myself digital detoxes now and again too. I think it is really important for your health!
What are the best PR/brand collaborations you’ve worked on? We’ve been lucky enough to work on some really fantastic campaigns including Borneo, Chernobyl and Montreal (to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Canada) but a campaign that recently stands out was working with Vauxhall to help promote their new Mokka X car. We were challenged by Vauxhall to see how much fun we can have in 48 hours in their newly launched mini SUV so accompanied with Gary (the team videographer) I took a road trip to the surfer’s paradise Newquay in Cornwall. We were really lucky with the weather and the scenery was so beautiful and, combined with Gary’s drone footage and creative talents, the video instantly took off on Facebook and YouTube, going viral.
What do you call yourself (Blogger/influencer/content creator)? A blogger, travel website owner or content creator usually (depending on the day)!
What other blogs do you read? I’m a bit of science and health geek so one of my favourite blogs is SelfHacked.com which is a great site full of really interesting health hacks and tips.
Becky Moore and Global Grasshopper are listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Becky-Moore.jpg430760Holly Hodges/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngHolly Hodges2018-03-15 14:34:342018-03-15 14:34:34Blogger Spotlight: Becky Moore, Global Grasshopper
Sarah Anguish is the author of Boo Roo and Tigger Too, which recently appeared in the Top 10 UK Mummy Blogs. Sarah is Boo, the mother of the family and features the life and adventures of her family including Roo, 10, Tigger, 6, and Piglet, 1.
We spoke to Sarah about the dad blogs, the mummy blogger community and working with PRs (and a big tip of what NOT to ask!).
What makes your blog successful? Success is all relative to the individual. Some will say it is landing a major campaign or receiving a high paying collaboration, but to me, a successful blog is one that people want to read, although I’m sure my friends and family make up a large proportion of my visitor stats! It is for the mum who stumbles across my blog at 2am searching for advice on how to deal with night terrors for her child; the mum who is returning to work following maternity leave and wants to know how to manage family life and a career. They are what I quantify as success, I have assisted them in some small part and hopefully managed to let them know that they have this and that others have gone through the same thing.
Why did you start your blog? While on maternity leave with my second child I read lots of parenting blogs. With no friends who were also at the baby stage, I found comfort in their tales of teething, sleepless nights etc. However, the majority of blogs that I read were all about stay at home mums. As I was due to return to work following maternity leave, I decided to start a blog to showcase what family life is like when you have to juggle children, childcare and working life. Spoiler alert – it was difficult, very difficult at times, especially when my son was ill.
How are mummy blogs different from dad blogs? Dads tend to get the rough end of the stick when it comes to parenting, with it often said that dad is babysitting the children while mum is out. That is not the case, with dads being just as much a parent as the mum. The rise of dad blogs has helped showcase that dads aren’t the stereotypical breadwinner there to kiss little ones goodnight like we see in Mary Poppins. Times have changed, dads are very much part of family life and dad bloggers are challenging ‘traditional’ perceptions.
What’s it like to be part of the mummy blogging community? The mummy blogging community is very much like having an extended family, affectionately referred to as the friends in my computer. Over the years I have gained some wonderful blogging friends who have been on the other end of a tweet, a Facebook message or an email whenever I have needed them. There is always someone ready to answer a question, advise you about plugins and what Instagram hashtags you need to use.
How do you plan content with the kids? There are aspects of my blog which the children are very much part of, reviewing items that we have been sent to try out for example. The older two children are now at the age where I leave them with a new toy or game to unpack, assemble and play with before I get involved and ask them questions. I find that they are much more honest in what they think of something if they have been part of the process.
When it comes to days out, I usually tell them ahead of time that there will be parts of the day where Mummy needs to get some photographs. Explaining that once this is completed the rest of the day is all about fun. My eldest will often take photos while we are out and will point out ‘Mummy, do you think you should get a photo of that?’.
How do you feel about your kids growing up and reading the blog? (Are there any posts you DON’T want them reading?) My eldest daughter is very much aware of my blog! She is very proud of the ‘work’ that I do and is happy to tell anyone who asks her (including her school teachers). There isn’t any content on my site that I would be unhappy with her reading. This was something I was always conscious of when I started blogging. That being said, posts regarding having post natal depression may stir up further questions from her that I might be uncomfortable with.
What’s your favourite collaboration with a brand or PR? Over the past year I have been working with AVIVA alongside the AVIVA Community Fund, having the opportunity to witness first-hand what the funding will do for community projects and causes within in my local area. Budget cuts and lack of available grants mean that a large number of much needed community services are struggling. The community fund offers these groups the opportunity to submit a bid for funding, which if successful will enable them to provide a bereavement room in the local hospital linked to the delivery suite. This is a place to offer families in need of a quiet space required to start their grieving process.
What should PRs know when contacting you? Please don’t ask me to tell you what makes me unique. If there is one question that makes me shudder it is that one. I am me, a wife, a mum, a friend – nothing that I would say is special and certainly not unique. Like most people, I am just taking each day as it comes and fantasising about the days when I got more sleep.
What do you call yourself (blogger/content creator/influencer)? I would class myself as a blogger, someone who is journaling life online. I’m sharing the mix of family life, home, travel and everything in between.
What other blogs do you read? In the good old days of Google Reader I would often scroll through my feed while I was up for night feeds or one of the children was sick; reading new posts from all the blogs I had subscribed to and waiting for the latest installment of family life. Thankfully my Bloglovin feed still allows me the same service, so whenever I get five minutes down time I really love flicking through the mixture of content published.
I like to think of blog reading like my eclectic music collection – it depends on what mood I am in as to which blogs I turn to. So I’ll share three different ones from various genres:
A Beautiful Space
Becky inspires me to make the most of my home. Whether I am looking for a complete overhaul or just looking to freshen up a room or two. With some great tips and ideas on how this can be achieved on a budget, A Beautiful Space is always a winner.
An Organised Mess
Debbie shares life on the south coast of Wales with her three children. Her amazing party planning ideas make me want to hire her as my own personal party planner! Alongside this, she shares the highs and lows of family life with the juggling act of working away in London.
Mum in the Madhouse
Jen offers the perfect mix of crafts that I can actually achieve with the children, a dose of family life and some beautiful recipes – everyone needs to make her carrot cake, it is truly amazing!
Sarah and Boo Roo and Tigger Too are listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Boo-Roo-and-Tigger-Too.jpg430760Merryn Williams/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngMerryn Williams2018-03-13 11:19:572018-03-13 11:23:05Blogger Spotlight: Sarah Anguish, Boo Roo and Tigger Too
Rachel Miller is the author of the hugely popular All Things IC, which was recently ranked in the Top 10 UK PR Blogs. Specialising in internal comms, Rachel is a consultant and trainer and has worked with some of the biggest brands in the UK.
We caught up with Rachel after she featured in the ranking to talk relationships between influencers and PRs, issues facing the PR industry and her advice for people wanting a career in comms.
What makes your blog successful? I’m proud my All Things IC blog has helped thousands of practitioners learn about communication, PR and social media through the 1,200 articles I’ve published.
What makes it successful? Readers tell me it’s the fact I’ve been consistently publishing articles since 2009 to help solve their problems. I take time to listen to what the gaps are in their knowledge and ensure I have content to help them develop professionally. This is now at the core of my consultancy and readers know I save the really good stuff for my clients. However, anyone can access internal communication ideas and inspiration daily.
What has writing a blog taught you about the way bloggers see the PR/influencer relationship? I started my career as a journalist in 1999, but it wasn’t until 10 years into my career that I started to work out loud via my blog to share my thinking. Blogging has underlined the importance of relationships and professional networks.
Forming effective relationships was critical to my success as a journalist and, over the years, those same skills have been amplified and enhanced by my work as a consultant and blogger.
My work has taught me the most powerful influencers an organisation has are its people. Peer-to-peer communication from employees can transform a company from the inside out.
My blogging strategy from day one has been to be fiercely independent. I’ve never accepted payment to blog or had a sponsored post. The only adverts you’ll find on my website are the latest comms vacancies on my jobs board. I know my readers value my independence and I’m transparent about the way I work. For example, if I receive a guest pass for an event, I always declare it and take the trust my readers place in me seriously.
What’s the biggest issue facing PR today? So many! I think trust, or lack thereof, is a huge one. With fake news on the rise, we need to be smarter when it comes to ensuring our organisations are honest, credible and truthful in their communications. Professional communicators need to take accountability and champion authenticity at every opportunity.
What are the biggest changes to the PR industry you’ve seen over your career?
The way we work and where we work has changed dramatically. The smoke-filled newsroom I stepped into the week before my 19th birthday as a trainee journalist – with faxes, a dark room, a microfiche machine and one computer able to access the internet – is in stark contrast to the way I work today.
That accessibility to content, ideas and ability to share from devices that fit in the palm of our hand has increased the ‘always-on’ mentality. However, it’s also created opportunities for practitioners to design and deliver workflows and patterns that suits them.
We’ve also shifted from content creators to content curators and that opens organisations up to a vibrancy and reality we’ve not experienced before.
Will print die out altogether? No. Print is thriving in many organisations as the most appropriate way to get information to the right people at the right time. There’s a booming business in internal communication for print.
I always want to see how employee voice is amplified and how it is coupled with opportunities for two-way communication. You need to combine print with two-way channels and chances for your workforce to play an active part in shaping your company’s ideas, conversations and culture.
What’s the best social platform? A medium is only social if it allows for interaction and I interact in different ways across various platforms. For example, LinkedIn is how I share content and promote the work practitioners are doing, I work out loud and network via Twitter, I use Pinterest to spark visual inspiration before creating a talk and use closed Facebook groups to connect with other entrepreneurs in my professional life and fellow parents in my personal life.
What’s better, agency or in-house? I spent a decade working in-house and loved it. I’ve been running All Things IC consultancy for five years and cannot imagine doing anything else. One of the many joys of my role is the opportunity to work closely with in-house practitioners and teams. I run monthly masterclasses to train them and offer 1-2-1 mentoring and team days. So, I’m fortunate to have the best of both worlds through the way I’ve designed my business.
What advice would you give someone looking to work in comms? Do it! Learn as much as you can and be constantly curious. Ask questions and join networks to discover other practitioners. I’ve featured 200 comms pros on my blog over the years and love learning from their stories.
How do you work with PRs as a blogger? I rarely have good experiences! It’s so frustrating to be subjected to pitches that start: ‘Dear blogger’ – if you clearly haven’t taken the time to discover my name or understand my niche, that’s a relationship which is a non-starter.
My readers love peer-to-peer communication and learning from each other. They want to read articles from other professional communicators and how they are solving their organisation’s problems.
If I’m pitched a product or service I say no the majority of the time. However, if a tech provider comes to me with a brilliant client story, written by the client, I’m more likely to consider it. I’m protective of my blog and want to uphold its quality rather than dilute it with inappropriate content. In short: my blog, my rules.
What’s your favourite PR campaign from the last year? I don’t have a particular favourite, but enjoy reading the number one blog on the PR ranking, PR Examples to discover who’s doing what.
What other blogs do you read? I read so many blogs! I’m a regular reader of the ones on the top 10 list, which I’m honoured to be part of. I’ve also been trying to uncover new voices and bloggers within the IC world and offer them a platform over the past few months.
Rachel Miller and All Things IC are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Rachel-Miller.jpg430760Holly Hodges/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngHolly Hodges2018-03-12 14:48:312018-03-12 14:48:31Blogger Spotlight: Rachel Miller, All Things IC
Scott Guthrie is a Top 10 PR Blogger who bases his eponymous blog on his varied and detailed experience. We caught up with Scott to talk about the power of influencer marketing, the advantages of different social platforms and his advice for PRs.
What makes your blog successful? I write a lot about influence; specifically influencer marketing. Here, I’ve identified a sustainable niche in which both clients and industry peers are interested and are actively seeking fresh information which helps get their collective heads around the subject.
Consistency is key to a successful blog. I aim to publish two to three times each week. The content is a blend of tactical how-to pieces and longer thought pieces about best practice and where the industry is headed.
What has writing a blog taught you about the way bloggers see the PR/influencer relationship? I’m surprised by the lazy blogger outreach by some PR practitioners.
What’s the biggest issue facing PR today? Public relations shouldn’t be compartmentalised. It shouldn’t be about being the publicity arm of the company. Rather it should be about helping firms do and be what they say they do and who they say they are.
Technology has enabled several disciplines to blur. This will continue at pace, further blurring where PR, marketing, SEO, advertising, HR, customer service start and stop. The industry must accelerate its reinvention if it hopes to access marketing spend. I see this as a colossal opportunity rather than an issue.
What are the biggest changes to the PR industry you’ve seen over your career? The media landscape has fragmented over the last decade or so. The PR industry has matured to embrace that change. Public relations is evolving from media relations to influencer relations, and then from community management to social business. The new model of public relations is no longer obsessed with publicity via Earned media. The PR discipline is blurring into other roles formerly the preserve of marketing and advertising. Today’s PR practitioners must be fully conversant in the skills required to activate communication programmes which utilise Shared media, Owned media and Paid media as well as Earned media.
Will print die out altogether? I have online subscriptions to the Financial Times and the Australian Financial Review. I also read the Guardian online. Newsprint is both so old fashioned and a sustainability issue waiting to happen. Will print die out altogether, though? No, there will always be a special place reserved for print. Monocle, the high-production international affairs, culture and design magazine is a good example of the power of print. Monocle knows its readers and tailors its product both in terms of content and collateral to that audience, beautifully.
What’s the best social platform? Ha! The best social platforms are where your customers and your peers hang out. They are places where you can listen to customers and prospects express their pain points and suggest solutions. Where you can further discussions and share ideas about best practice with your peers. For me, that’s predominantly Twitter and LinkedIn – and Facebook for private groups.
What’s better, agency or in-house? From an influencer marketing perspective it can’t be a binary answer. The role that in-house and agency play is evolving as the discipline matures and brands become more knowledgeable about the subject matter. When you’re trying something out, testing the water, it makes sense to de-risk it as far as possible and outsource the function to an agency. Once proof of concept has been made it’s time to bring facets in-house. But both agency and in-house teams have valuable roles to play.
In-house teams are best placed to nurture relationships. And to maintain these relationships between influencer marketing campaign ‘spikes’. They’re boundary spanners linking networks both internally and externally. Internally to build alignment with other departments – it might be product development, marketing, social, SEO, customer services, however the firm is organised. Linking networks externally – to work better with agencies.
Agencies can add value by:
Making data-driven recommendations on new and rising influencer talent.
Looking over the brow of the hill to what’s likely to happen next in the influencer marketing space. Then counselling their clients accordingly to grab opportunity and swerve issues.
Advising on best practice
Helping marry communication goals with corporate goals
Providing an extra pair of hands in campaign execution
What advice would you give someone looking to work in comms? Read widely. Write often. Start a blog. Have a point of view. Tap into a community. Be useful to that community. Put yourself in the way of every new opportunity. Always say ‘yes’ when asked to contribute.
How do you work with PRs as a blogger? As a fellow PR practitioner, and member of both the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), I work with PRs as peers. Through my blog I try to articulate current best practice and look to the future, anticipating how the industry will evolve.
What’s your favourite PR campaign from the last year? In terms of success rate, you’d have to go a long way to better watch maker, Daniel Wellington’s influencer marketing always-on campaign. While many brands are still testing the water with influencer marketing, DW ascribes to the Australian sporting aphorism: ‘Go hard or go home’.
DW has put influencer marketing front and centre of its communications efforts. The brand pays celebrities for sponsored posts and gifts watches to lesser-known micro-influencers. In exchange, they post photos of themselves wearing the watch, often accompanied by a unique money-off code for followers. The images are high quality and display an attainable luxury lifestyle.
Is their approach innovative? Scale of operation aside; not really. Does it work? You bettcha. Last year, DW grew its social media follower base by a third (31%) to 3.7m. It generated 137k brand mentions in 2017. In 2016 the company posted profits of around £100m. Not bad for a start-up, today entering its seventh year.
What other blogs do you read? I’m an avid reader of professional and personal blogs. There will be loads that I’ve overlooked in my quick list but the few that instantly come to mind are: Spin Sucks, Ste Davies, Stephen Waddington, PR Place, Influence and Ella Minty.
Scott Guthrie is listed alongside his blogon the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Scott-Guthrie.jpg430760Holly Hodges/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngHolly Hodges2018-03-12 13:30:292018-03-14 12:27:54Blogger Spotlight: Scott Guthrie
This week’s five things includes PRWeek’s Power Book, NME’s demise, demands for Leveson, International Women’s Day and three stories that could give you nightmares.
1. PR Week Power Book
The who’s who of PR and communications has been released by PRWeek. The Power Book 2018 lists 404 leading players in the industry, and is far too comprehensive for Five Things to list here. Needless to say, if you can think of a leader in PR, they’ve probably made the list. Part of the listing includes a brief interview, with questions ranging from PR campaign of the year (government and charities are particularly praised) to what you’d wish for from a genie (revealing a shocking number of football-related wishes). The publication also includes top 10 lists by sector, an interview with Rachel Friend at Weber Shandwick and Francis Ingham’s take on diversity in PR.
Talking of diversity, and just one day after International Women’s Day, the list is a disappointing 36% female. We’ve been talking about the issues women face in PR with a number of leading individuals for IWD 2018 (many of whom did make the Power Book), and sadly these numbers are not surprising. The fact the list is 96% white may be a harder pill for the PR industry to swallow.
2. New Musical Ex-Press
Today marks the release of the final print edition of NME, the iconic music magazine. Publisher Time Inc. UK has announced it is making the title digital-only, intending to expand NME’s online audience. Paul Cheal, MD of music at Time Inc. UK said: ‘We have faced increasing production costs and a very tough print advertising market. Unfortunately, we have now reached a point where the free weekly magazine is no longer financially viable. It is in the digital space where effort and investment will focus to secure a strong future for this famous brand.’
As part of the digital expansion, NME will now include NME Audio, with two digital radio stations, as well as a host of new regular features on NME.com.
Fans were quick to mourn the loss of the print magazine, #RIPNME quickly trended on Twitter following the announcements. Opinions range from whether it actually died years ago or even if it was a decent music mag in the first place, but there is still a sense of loss in the music community:
3. Labour demand Leveson inquiry reopens over blagging
Notorious blagger John Ford gave an explosive interview with the Guardian this week, in which he made allegations about the work he took part in on behalf of the Sunday Times. Ford, who described himself as a ‘common thief’, obtained bank and phone records by deception as part of his work. News UK has said it never sanctioned or encouraged anyone to break the law or carry out illegal activity.
Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, has called for the Leveson inquiry to be reopened, claiming Ford’s actions demonstrated a need for further inquiry. Matt Hancock, who last week officially closed the inquiry, said it was a matter for the police to follow up any evidence of ‘criminal wrongdoing’. He also suggested Labour was trying to undermine the free press, as both parties continue to draw lines over how they want to press to behave.
4. International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day was celebrated this week, with a number of marketing stunts from brands making headline news. Adweek rounded up some of the most prominent, from Barbie’s women heroes, to Johnnie Walker’s alternative mascot and McDonald’s upside down arches (it’s a W, for women).
Elsewhere, Vuelio was delighted to talk to nine female leaders in the PR industry, asking what it’s like to work in our industry, how they’d use PR to promote IWD and what advice they had for women just starting their PR careers. You can read part one, part two and part three. We also interviewed our CEO, Joanna Arnold, who, as a female technology leader, is somewhat something of a rarity.
One of the most striking images from IWD 2018, were the staff gathered outside the BBC demanding equal pay. As Five Things readers will know, the BBC has had a difficult 2018 in relation to equal gender pay and the issue refuses to go away.
5. Isn’t Halloween in October? A treehouse of horrors this week
Three mini stories that have made us question if Halloween is coming early this year.
1. Amazon Alexa’s creepy laugh
If Terminator taught us anything, it’s that the rise of the machines was inevitable. But who knew it would start with Alexa (yes, you can all put your hands down, thank you). The Amazon ‘smart’ device has been freaking out its customers by laughing, seemingly unprompted. Amazon says the devices think people are asking them to laugh – which seems reasonable (run, run now). Make your own mind up:
So Alexa decided to laugh randomly while I was in the kitchen. Freaked @SnootyJuicer and I out. I thought a kid was laughing behind me. pic.twitter.com/6dblzkiQHp
The Sun published a story this week (lifted straight from The Times), accusing students of being snowflakes for thinking we should pity the monster in Mary Shelley’s classic. People were quick to point out that was the whole point of the story. The Sun then went on the defensive, and suggested they knew what they were doing all along. Here’s the statement:
Our full statement is below, though I can’t *quite believe* I’m having to defend a story which WAS IN THE TIMES THE DAY BEFORE AND NOBODY CARED pic.twitter.com/uFVGaimWfV
3. Jeremy Clarkson will present a new series of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Five-things-9-March.jpg430760Phoebe-Jane Boyd/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngPhoebe-Jane Boyd2018-03-09 15:32:172018-03-09 15:32:17Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 9 March 2018
On Monday, we published an article that argued a form of inclusion rider (a quota which has been advocated by Oscar-winner Frances McDormand), would help the PR industry’s diversity problem.
But do quotas actually work?
Specialist recruiter Miramar Global Executive Search points out that while some studies suggest having at least 20% women in leadership teams increases innovation, these successes can’t be linked to quotas.
Miramar has found that studies of companies’ performance, decision making and stock market returns, from multiple countries, have failed to confirm that quotas make a difference.
It argues that workplaces are complex, and suggests those companies with at least 20% female leadership may have recruited from a wider pool of talent, without a quota. This is problematic in and of itself, as Miramar asks: ‘why should the search for female talent have to be more extensive than the search for commercial talent of the opposite gender?’
This is a huge problem, and particularly in PR where women make up the vast majority of the industry but are still underpaid compared to their male counterparts. Within the first three years of their career, women are paid £10,000 less. In PR, it shouldn’t be hard to find qualified and successful women – but due to institutionalised sexism, they’re being left behind.
This is not restricted to the PR industry, or even just the business world, as Miramar points out, ‘there’s a larger societal issue that must be addressed in order to banish gender roles and achieve optimum opportunity for all’.
Joanna Arnold agrees with this. The CEO of Access Intelligence (the parent company of Vuelio) said in an interview for International Women’s Day: ‘Undoubtedly there are early social pressures – gendered toys, that kind of thing – which are reinforced by broader social structures as girls grow up. And of course, those broader social structures are mirrored in the corporate world.’
If quotas don’t work, what’s the solution?
Miramar says that to truly achieve effective diversity, ‘Organisations need to implement inclusive training programmes to nurture and encourage all staff to rise through the ranks. Likewise, they could consider more flexible working hours and better share of parental leave to alleviate pressure which can discourage women from advancing to roles with more responsibility.’
Filling up numbers in order to hit targets is not good enough; companies need to be encouraging and supporting women so they have the same opportunities – and, more importantly, they also feel they have the same opportunities – as their male counterparts.
Joanna said: ‘I do believe fundamental change is coming. For young girls today, technology is just a normal part of their everyday lives. There are apprenticeships dedicated to helping women get started in the industry and academies to help them progress. And I think of myself as part of a new generation of leaders whose approach marks a challenge to those established corporate structures. All these things are working in concert to create a more diverse, more dynamic, more welcoming workplace.’
Change is coming, but everyone could do more to support it. Educate your staff; encourage, accommodate and understand that not everyone is equal in the workplace. This will allow you to support those who need it and create a fairer environment for every employee on the team, and anyone looking to join you.
Joanna Arnold is the CEO of Access Intelligence, the parent company of Vuelio. On this International Women’s Day, and following our interviews with leading women in PR, we spoke to Jo about working in tech, gender diversity and her advice for other women who are just starting their careers.
It’s shockingly rare for SaaS chief execs to be female, what’s it like to be a woman working in this industry? I think it’s an issue for start-ups more broadly – in 2016, just over two per cent of all capital raised went to female-led businesses. That said, I wouldn’t say I felt isolated; on the contrary, with some thankfully rare exceptions I’ve always felt supported. What’s more, I’m very lucky to be surrounded by some fantastic women at Vuelio, where 70% of our management team is female.
What needs to change to increase gender diversity? This is such a complicated question, there are just so many factors involved. Undoubtedly there are early social pressures – gendered toys, that kind of thing – which are reinforced by broader social structures as girls grow up. And of course, those broader social structures are mirrored in the corporate world.
But I do believe fundamental change is coming. For young girls today, technology is just a normal part of their everyday lives. There are apprenticeships dedicated to helping women get started in the industry and academies to help them progress. And I think of myself as part of a new generation of leaders whose approach marks a challenge to those established corporate structures. All these things are working in concert to create a more diverse, more dynamic, more welcoming workplace.
We also need to be mindful of our own privilege. In particular, we need to show consideration for other factors that hold people back, such as race, age and class. I consider myself extremely fortunate in many ways, and I think women in similar positions need to examine their privileges too; we have to be sure that diversity initiatives do not focus on gender alone, thereby excluding those people, women or men, who most need support.
What advice would you give women who are just starting their careers? Being around people who support your career is so important. I’ve seen it so often, when people find themselves boxed in by their accomplishments; they’re good at their job, and their boss wants to keep it that way by not helping them to advance! I think women are more often subject to this because they’re more likely to lack confidence (see above – though of course, it’s perfectly possible for women to be the bosses keeping people back). Don’t let other people’s insecurities and biases stop you growing – make sure you’re surrounded by colleagues with the generosity of spirit to help you succeed.
For me, another key to growth is staying humble. You should always be learning, and I firmly believe you’ll learn a lot more if you’re open to thoughts and ideas from everyone and everywhere. Consciously try to embrace a diverse range of opinions, and in particular be open to those you might otherwise reject instinctively – you’ll learn more and grow fast if you’re consistently challenging yourself.
Most important of all is to find something that in some way inspires you. I’m lucky that I’m able to do something I truly love, in a sector that I find incredibly exciting. Not everyone is so fortunate – they might not love their work, but if you’re building a career it’s essential that you derive pleasure from it in one form or other.
Women make up the majority of the UK’s PR industry, but get paid significantly less. Sexual harassment is endemic and assault all too common. Women continued to be overlooked, underrepresented and side-lined.
This #IWD2018, we’ve spoken to a number of leading women in comms to find out what it is like for women in this industry, their thoughts on International Women’s Day, and advice for other women who want to enter the world of PR.
The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today? I have worked in the PR industry for over 30 years and I love it. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t still be working in it. But I did learn early on that I had to do more than my male colleagues if I wanted to progress and there was no room for shrinking violets. I had to speak up and challenge why I couldn’t lead on an issue or apply for a more senior role that was in an ‘all male team’.
But things need to change. The pay gap is totally unacceptable in any industry and all women in PR should be given the same career opportunities and salary increases as our male colleagues, based on ability and achievement not the tap on the shoulder from ‘the boys club’.
We also need to work together to stop sexual harassment wherever we witness it and support each other by calling it out when it happens. If we don’t talk about it and challenge that behaviour then nothing will change.
The first Equal Pay Act was passed in 1970 (thank you Barbara Castle) and while that was a huge milestone for working women we still have a way to go to achieve ‘proper’ equal pay.
How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day? To shout from the rooftops and every channel what women have achieved against great adversity with lots of everyday examples/role models that everyone can relate to and with a key message that we can and will do more if we all work together to eradicate inequality.
The Time’s up movement is really starting to drive change in the entertainment industry and I think it’s a great example of women coming together to say no more with open and vocal support from male colleagues.
In the anniversary of women getting the vote – against insurmountable odds – we can be a force for positive change in other areas.
What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry? Don’t be put off by recent surveys. Change is coming and we are all pushing hard to achieve that. You will meet some great inspirational people and be inspired by them and learn new things every day.
Work hard, respect each other, don’t accept second best, get a good network you can turn to for support and advice – and always challenge inappropriate behaviour wherever you find it.
Sarah Stimson is the chief executive of the Taylor Bennett Foundation
The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a women in the PR industry today? It is grim reading indeed, but I don’t think it’s a huge surprise to women in the industry. There is increasing support for women with returnship programmes, more agile working across agencies, and support from organisations like Women in PR, the CIPR and PRCA. The transparency around harassment can only be a good thing, and more organisations will take steps to tackle it. More women than ever are reaching the top of the profession, although there is still some work to be done, so the future is bright for women entering the industry.
What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?
Network endlessly. Find female PR practitioners you admire and build relationships with them – social media makes that pretty easy these days. Beware of imposter syndrome and take credit where it’s due. As you progress in your career help other women entering the industry – don’t pull the ladder up behind you.
Jennifer Thomas is the Head of Internal Communications, Experience & Sustainability at Direct Line Group
The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today? There are many positives to working in such a dynamic industry where reputation is key to the success for any business. Women have a real seat at the table and a very important role to play in helping organisations build on their brand and reputation. I believe we see the world through a different lens and can bring a business to life through its customers’ eyes in a unique way. However, the recent survey clearly highlights there is still some way to go to ensure women are not only safe in their working environments, but that they feel truly empowered within the industry… this dynamic must shift.
How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day? IWD presents an opportunity for us to reflect on how far we have come, but to also re-evaluate what is needed to continue to #PressforProgress. It’s also a day to connect with our male allies and advocates, of which there are many. A PR campaign that not only reflects on our amazing women, but also showcases our male allies would be powerful. We will achieve greater change faster if we work together rather than against each other.
What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?
Shine, fine tune your trade and always be amazing at your job
Be resilient, take risks, but stay true to who you are
Network, network, network – find your allies and cheerleaders!
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/International-Womens-Day-part-3-1.jpg430760Phoebe-Jane Boyd/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngPhoebe-Jane Boyd2018-03-08 11:28:552018-03-08 14:37:39International Women's Day 2018: PR Women, Part 3
Women make up the majority of the UK’s PR industry, but get paid significantly less. Sexual harassment is endemic and assault all too common. Women continued to be overlooked, underrepresented and side-lined.
This #IWD2018, we’ve spoken to a number of leading women in comms to find out what it is like for women in this industry, their thoughts on International Women’s Day, and advice for other women who want to enter the world of PR.
Ronke Lawal is the founder of Ariatu PR and sits on the board of the CIPR
The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today? I find it fascinating that the industry which is often labelled as being ‘feminine (there are lots of small agencies run by women and solo PRs) has so many male leaders of major agencies. That says something about the truth behind diversity and gender inclusion. When it comes to the middle management and the so called soft jobs then women are expected to take over but when it comes to the top jobs/leadership/major positions then men take over. This is the same for most industries – the glass ceiling is real within the PR industry and not enough is being done to break that ceiling. I notice that people sometimes diminish what I do as a woman in PR – comparing it to the pop culture examples they have seen in Ab Fab or Sex and the City or Scandal.
How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day?
We need more stories that go against the grain particularly with regards to media coverage. We often see stories that highlight Sheroes that we can aspire to but we need braver features. It would also be great to use PR to really undertake campaigns that make an ongoing impact that goes beyond IWD, this is why hashtags like #MeToo and the movement that it’s based on has stood the test of time and moved into difference spaces, because it encouraged bold calls to action. So, whether it is via media engagement or video content, PR can be used to make Women’s Day lead to the change that we really need to see when it comes to equality.
What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?
Identify a specific area or a niche area of PR that you want to excel in and work on. Seek out a mentor; if you can’t meet with them follow them on social media or LinkedIn, read their blogs and absorb as much information as you can. You can never stop learning so just be open and willing to learning new skills. Find events or associations that will introduce you to the sector and where you can meet people in the industry.
Sarah Pinch is the managing director of Pinch Point Communications and chair of the Taylor Bennett Foundation
The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today? My experience of working in PR has been, thankfully, without any incidents of sexual harassment. I have always been the head of the team and I spoke with a couple of my past deputies about this recently, men and women. They said we had, in the different teams I have managed, a very clear culture in which behaviour that crossed the line (sexual harassment, sexism, racism, homophobia) would not be tolerated. I was very proud to hear that.
But, as a senior figure within the PR industry, a role I take incredibly seriously, I’m all too often entrusted by women who tell me their experience of being targeted by senior men. They’re experiencing a culture of bullying that includes inappropriate behaviour from men in power to junior women. By calling it out, we are starting to make a difference. But there is much more to do. I want to see action, more senior figures both men and women, must call out bad behaviour and not allow the bullies to thrive.
How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day? At Pinch Point Communications we are announcing a date for our inaugural Spring Forward conference, on 24 May in Bristol. It is aimed at women who want to run the show. We know from the research published last year by the CIPR and Women in PR that there are many women in middle management, who would love to be in charge; we’ll explore issues of confidence, culture and choice, and will hear from some inspiring women from different sectors and backgrounds talking about what has inspired them. And some great tips on getting on boards, for schools, charities and public appointments.
I’m also taking the opportunity to develop an idea that further explores the 100-year anniversary of some women having the vote. I want IWD 2018 to be about positive steps forward.
What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry? Do it. It’s fantastic! I’m 18 years in and I still love coming to work every day.
Know your worth. Build a strong network of men and women; inside the industry and outside. Do something every day that is different from yesterday, take every opportunity to expand your mind. And if any behaviour makes you feel uncomfortable, call it out. If you feel, for whatever reason, you cannot, get in touch with someone you trust (see note about a network) and ask for their support. I love PR and I want to be able to recommend it as a career choice, not just to my 17-year-old goddaughter, but also to my own little three year old (when the time comes).
Jo-ann Robertson is CEO of Ketchum London
The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today? I believe that there has never been a better time to be a woman working in PR. We are seeing more female leaders than ever before, including Ketchum’s own Barri Rafferty being the first global CEO of a top 5 agency. Of course, there are still challenges as we have seen from the recent survey, but I believe women have more permission than ever before to call out bad or inappropriate behaviour, to be themselves, and to be empowered to develop and manage their own careers.
How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day? I absolutely love what Debbie Wosskow and Anna Jones at AllBright have done around #SisterhoodWorks, so check it out. I’d love to see a campaign that focuses on women being other women’s biggest advocates, with a call to action for women of all levels and from all industries committing to do one thing every day to support the aspirations of other women in their lives and in their organisations. In fact, that might just be my very own commitment in 2018!
What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry? Be confident. Be courageous. Be a force for good for other women.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/International-Womens-Day-part-2-1.jpg430760Phoebe-Jane Boyd/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngPhoebe-Jane Boyd2018-03-08 11:09:042018-03-08 14:36:32International Women's Day 2018: PR Women, Part 2
Women make up the majority of the UK’s PR industry, but get paid significantly less. Sexual harassment is endemic and assault all too common. Women continued to be overlooked, underrepresented and side-lined.
This #IWD2018, we’ve spoken to a number of leading women in comms to find out what it is like for women in this industry, their thoughts on International Women’s Day, and advice for other women who want to enter the world of PR.
The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today? I’ve been very fortunate to work at Golin for such as a long time, as diversity and inclusion has always been a top priority for us. Our leadership team at Golin is 64% female, which includes our MD, Deputy MD and Finance Director, who are all strong, inspirational women. This culture has provided the opportunity to lead and not be afraid to do so. Working in the male-dominated technology PR sector has occasionally created challenges as a woman, but we have a strong, diverse team at Golin who work together to tackle any issues.
How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day? It’s a great opportunity to profile some of the most inspirational women within your business and this should be done at all levels, with people from all different walks of life who have achieved or made an impact despite any adversity or obstacles they faced. People are inspirational for different reasons and we need to use IWD to tell their stories.
What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry? Don’t be afraid to be yourself. When I entered the world of PR nearly 15 years ago it felt daunting. For many years I never came across a woman in a leadership position from a BAME background, never mind someone who was born and grew up in East London. By being myself and speaking my mind, I’ve found that the right people are receptive and value my opinion. Personally, it’s got me to where I am today.
Sarah Hall is a PR and marketing agency owner, founder of #FuturePRoof and President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) for 2018
The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today? I’ve had some bad experiences in the past but right now it feels like a great time to be a woman in public relations. Change is definitely in the air. It’s long overdue but we’ve seen a series of high profile female appointments to senior roles and there are all kinds of support networks now in place designed to support female talent, such as the Women in PR and PR Week mentoring scheme.
Culturally we are seeing a huge shift within the world of business where there is finally a recognition that certain behaviours are no longer acceptable. But while the Government now requires organisations with more than 250 employees to publish their salary data, this still doesn’t go far enough to close the pay gap.
Businesses should all have to carry out gender and diversity audits and as per this #FuturePRoof blog, there are steps we can all take to pay the workplace a fairer place to be.
How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day? International Women’s Day is designed to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women.
The challenge is that while there is a crescendo of voices, they tend to be mainly female.
I’d embark on an influencer relations campaign recruiting senior male leaders to promote and encourage female talent. If the C-Suite recognises and communicates the value of so called ‘softer skills’ in the boardroom and workplace, we can finally stop this nonsense about women needing to be more assertive, which actually just reinforces the status quo.
We are different to men and difference is good. We need to focus on harnessing our complementary skillsets and then ensure there is equal access to opportunities, which is where the discrepancy lies right now.
What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry? Here’s a few ideas to help both men and women:
Find your own path and choose your own measures of success
Outside hobbies are good for your mental health so don’t give them up – PR can be a very demanding business
Don’t be afraid to try different things. Public relations is a diverse career and continues to evolve. Explore your options until you find what you love
Think long-term. Don’t just build a tactical skillset. You need strategic, ethical and leadership competencies too
Identify role models and mentors who can provide inspiration and help you on your career journey
Find like-minded people and collaborate on new projects. It’s hugely rewarding and a fantastic way to continue your professional development
If you’re coming back from maternity leave, be firm in needing flexibility. If your employer isn’t prepared to consider agile working, even in this world of 24/7 media and community management, it might not be the right workplace for you so move on
Get involved with an industry body like the CIPR. You’ll build your knowledge and networks and enhance your employability for sure
Bibi Hilton is the president of Women in PR and MD of Golin London
The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today? I think, as with most things, the experiences of women working in the PR industry today are incredibly varied. That a gender pay gap exists, and sexual harassment is prevalent, is unfortunately a shock to no one. But it is shocking that as an industry we are not yet effectively and consistently addressing the harassment and unacceptable behaviour towards women that does exist. Women make up the majority in our industry and every one of those women has the right to do her job without being harassed, to have access to fair and clear channels to report unacceptable behaviour, and to feel confident it will be properly addressed and not swept under the carpet.
How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day?
One of the most important things about International Women’s Day is that it brings so many groups of people together who are focused on driving change. There is a lot of noise around International Women’s Day, but for us on the committee and our members, every day is Women’s Day. We have decided not to create our own events this year but instead to use our network and profile to support existing IWD events. We are supporting the Media Trust’s breakfast panel debate and some of our members are volunteering as mentors. We have also shared discount codes as one of our member benefits to numerous events being held in London.
What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry? Young people today have more paths of communication between themselves and potential employers, recruiters and career champions than ever before, and they should make the most of it – network like hell, on and offline! With sites like LinkedIn it is so easy to build your own network and profile with potential employers.
I think my main advice would be to be brave. Be brave enough to ask senior professionals for guidance where you can, so that you can learn from their experience and open up new opportunities. Be brave in the content you create to showcase your creativity and skills. Create a blog or Instagram feed that you can show to a potential employer to demonstrate your writing and imagination. And finally, be brave in asking for what you want. Research shows that the gender pay gap opens for women so early on in their career, and this is often because they don’t negotiate their first salary. So, I would say go for it and negotiate – you may not get it but they will definitely respect you for asking.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/International-Womens-Day-part-1-1.jpg430760Phoebe-Jane Boyd/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngPhoebe-Jane Boyd2018-03-08 10:46:532018-03-08 14:35:40International Women's Day 2018: PR Women, Part 1
Jen Walshaw is the author of the number one mummy blog in the UK – Mum in the Madhouse. Covering family fun and creative crafts. Mum in the Madhouse has become a must-read for anyone after some creative inspiration and content. We spoke to Jen about being creative, finding her audience and working with brands.
What makes your blog successful? I think my blog is successful as my family is relatable and authentic. We are just your average family with our ups and downs. Over the years, it has gone from strength to strength, some readers have been with us from the beginning, others found us while looking for a specific solution. It has stood the test of time and remains a trusted voice in a saturated market.
Why did you start your blog? My blog started out as a diary after a health scare. I had two boys under three with 14 months between them. It was my way of recording our day to day life while reclaiming time for me. I had always wanted to be one of those people that had a batch of journals to look back on but never found pen and paper that appealing long term. I loved being able to create my own digital photo album with words!
How are mummy blogs different from dad blogs? I am not sure that they are all that different, but I do love that fact that people feel they provide a different perspective. I also love that they are much more prolific than they ever were. I would much prefer to just be pigeonholed as a parent blogger rather than a mummy blogger, however, like every aspect of my life, being a parent is just part of it.
What’s it like to be part of the mummy blogging community? I have to say that I adore the whole blogging and online community. There will always be someone that has experienced what you have and able to offer insight and advice. Whether it be dealing with the death of a loved one or how to get the tween off the XBox! We relocated (or boomeranged) back to our native North East when I was pregnant with Mini, and the mummy blogging community has enabled me to have an online village to support me while I raise my children. Some of my closest friends have come from blogging.
How do you plan content with the kids? We talk about things we would like to blog about as a family and then schedule it in. When it comes to cooking and crafting, that is very much just part of our everyday lives so as long as they are happy for me to document it then I will. I want to be respectful of their stories and privacy. As they get older, then they are starting to provide their own content with recipes and reviews.
How do you feel about your kids growing up and reading the blog? I have no issues with the boys’ reading the blog or any of the posts. I have always been conscious of their privacy and always check with them before posting images of them online. I know a lot of their friends follow me on Instagram and read the blog. Some of them even send me pictures of crafts they have made or recipes they have used.
What’s your favourite collaboration with a brand or PR? It is so hard to pin it down to just one collaboration. We are big fans of family experiences and have been lucky enough to work with some fantastic brands and have lots of fun at the same time. There have been different favourites depending on the stages of our family life. The man of the house loves car or holiday collaborations, the boys are particularly keen on theme parks, technology and festivals, while for me, like most mums, am happy when the rest of the family is. However, I do love going to concerts, visiting new places and experiencing new things. I am also partial to tea and fabric!
What should PRs know when contacting you? I am a proud Northerner, so invites to events in the capital mean quite a chunk of travel! I want PRs to understand what I can offer them and their clients, and to develop long-term relationships. Things really need to be relevant to me and my readers. More and more it is about being a trusted voice. It is great to connect with people that understand what you do and see how you can work together for the benefit of their client. I like to provide unique relevant evergreen content that will meet their needs and appeal to my readers and new readers.
What do you call yourself (blogger/content creator/influencer)? Jack of all trades! It depends on who I am talking to. So, blogger, freelance writer, content creator or that I run a website. I wear many hats, but I do not think that I fit the influencer mould or class myself as an influencer especially as I am all about communication, discussion and engagement with my readers; it is certainly a two-way relationship and I do not set out to influence them. Personally, I am thinking of myself more and more as a maker and creator.
What other blogs do you read? I am an avid blog reader and love being part of such a wide-ranging and diverse community. I turn to blogs for pretty much everything, looking for a recipe then there is a great blog for that, planning a party, again I turn to a blog.
Jen Walshaw and Mum in the Madhouse are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.
https://www.vuelio.com/uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Mum-in-the-madhouse.jpg430760Merryn Williams/uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Vuelio-PR-Comms-Public-Affairs-Logo.pngMerryn Williams2018-03-07 10:30:352018-03-07 13:02:27Blogger Spotlight: Jen Walshaw, Mum in the Madhouse
Mudpie Fridays is a new addition to the Top 10 Mummy Blog ranking. Written by Clare Minall, Mudpie Fridays features the adventures of Clare’s family featuring her two boys, Monkey and Kipper, as she strives to find a harmonious work/life balance. We spoke to Clare about the differences between mummy and dad blogs, being in the community and working productively with PRs and brands.
What makes your blog successful?
First and foremost, hard work! If I had realised how much work goes into running a blog and associated social media following, I probably would never have started. I spend most evenings working on Mudpie Fridays in some capacity. Don’t get me wrong, if I didn’t totally love it then I wouldn’t. I am also very blessed that my husband picks up a fair amount of the slack.
Secondly, honesty on all levels. My readers know that what they see is what they get. The house may be a mess. There are days when, as much as my kids are my universe, between them they have pushed every conceivable button and all I want to do is have some time alone. By writing about the good, the bad and the downright ugly elements of parenting, I hope to connect with other parents on this emotional rollercoaster that we are on.
Why did you start your blog? After falling pregnant easily with Monkey, second time round we really struggled. Losing several babies in-between. Mudpie Fridays gave me an element of control in a time when I was struggling to come to terms with the fact we would probably not have any more children. The miscarriages made me want to document my days with Monkey even more. It started with an online diary of our adventures and has become so much more. Including documenting my final pregnancy with Kipper.
How are mummy blogs different from dad blogs? I love dad blogs as much as I love mummy blogs. Often reading along smiling as I imagine my husband thinking and doing similar. Yet they are different to mummy blogs. In my experience mummy blogs are a lot more emotional and empathetic. And as a result, they connect with their readers at this level. They tend to share more craft ideas, sensory play, recipe posts and emotional ramblings. We should embrace the differences between the two. After all, we are all one big parenting community that should support each other on our individual journeys.
What’s it like to be part of the mummy blogging community?
When I first discovered the community, it was like someone turning on a light. I had no idea that such a community existed and it’s still a little surreal. Being part of it is like being in a private club. Many of my non-blogger friends don’t really get why I may get excited by the reach of a social post. Or how proud you feel when someone reaches out to you to tell you that your post has helped them. Or when the brand of your dreams gets in contact about a potential collaboration. The community gets it, they live it with you. I can honestly say I have met some wonderful friends through the community. But my story is no different to many other bloggers who have made the same friendships.
How do you plan content with the kids? Monkey is now almost six so he will get asked if he wants to be involved in collaborations, day trips and even holidays. Ultimately, he gets the choice. Although he’s not planning content yet he does like to have his say on little videos. He often tells me how he thinks I should take the picture too.
How do you feel about your kids growing up and reading the blog? (Are there any posts you DON’T want them reading?)
No, there is nothing in the blog that I wouldn’t want the kids to read. I have been consciously aware of this from day one. I expect as they get older they will want to be less involved. Thankfully, at almost 6 and almost 2 there are hopefully many years ahead. Yet when they hit their tweens this may start to change. I have already had the discussion with Monkey around taking photos. He decides if he wants me to take it or if he’s having a day when he doesn’t want to be in front of the camera. I have no plans to change this. By being involved early I hope they will feel an element of control around the content and love recording our family memories as much as I do.
What’s your favourite collaboration with a brand or PR? This is a tough one! We have been fortunate enough to have some fantastic opportunities and holidays. Although if I can only choose one then it would have to be working on the Discovery Adventures with Land Rover. We were gifted a Land Rover Discovery for a weekend adventuring in Cheddar Gorge. The reason it’s my favourite is that I will never forget my husband’s sense of satisfaction driving said car and Monkey’s pure excitement about being able to see over the hedges. It was the moment my husband finally ‘got it’.
Having never visited Cheddar Gorge before, we were blown away by the scenery and had a brilliant weekend exploring the caves in the lap of luxury. We would never had done this if it wasn’t for the blog. The special memories created by time together as a family are what I hold dearest and the collaborations that mean the most.
What should PRs know when contacting you? I much prefer to work in partnership for a common goal rather than a relationship of provider/supplier. I would like the PR to have read my blog and understand a bit of what we are about. I have worked with some wonderfully professional PRs who genuinely care about the boys. For me it’s also about the relationship. As well as the blog I also work in the corporate world, as a strategic account manager in the finance sector. My job is all about helping small businesses reach their goals. With my skill set I can help the PR companies meet theirs.
What do you call yourself (blogger/content creator/influencer)? Micro Influencer because that’s what we do. We create content which ultimately is aimed at influencing the reader in one way or another. Predominately looking for an emotional response or physical response to a blog post or social media message. That response is either to ‘feel’ or ‘do’ something. Something that is likely already in mind when writing the content.
What other blogs do you read? There are so many that I read now it’s hard to pick only a couple. I couldn’t tell you the last time I read a fiction book! My favourites have got to be Laura at Five Little Doves, her posts quite often move me to tears! Laura at Dear Bear and Beany, whose girls are a similar age to my boys. Having always wanted a little girl I love to read about their adventures and draw similarities between our kids. And in case that sounds a little stalker-ish we are good friends too! Finally, Bridget at Bridie By The Sea, based in Brighton; she is an inspiration to all who want to embark on a new career!
Clare Minall and Mudpie Fridays are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.