Issue spotlight

Making sense of the Carillion Collapse

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The Carillion Collapse sent shockwaves throughout the nation’s infrastructure and establishment. The liquidation of a company with such a diverse portfolio of responsibilities, contracts and employees, was always going to lead to a major national crisis.

Now the dust is beginning to settle (though there’s clearly still some way to go), and Carillion’s stakeholders are fighting to be heard. From the Government, which is both regulator and customer, to the unions representing frontline workers – Carillion’s roots run deep.

Vuelio specialises in managing stakeholder relations, whether that’s building relationships with key influencers or tracking incoming phone calls from members of the public. Using our stakeholder tools and the in-house intelligence of our Political Services Team, we’ve been tackling the Carillion fallout since it collapsed.

We’ve read the reports, monitored the mentions and unravelled the endless relationship ties to create one clear picture of Carillion’s Stakeholders. Our white paper ‘Collapse of Carillion’ brings everything together and answers the big questions:

  • How has the Opposition been capitalising on the firm’s demise?
  • What are the conflicts surrounding financial services companies?
  • How have Carillion’s competitors reacted?
  • In what way is the media covering this?
  • What’s being done to stop this happening again?

The white paper also includes an exclusive diagram of Carillion’s stakeholders and research into the political social media reaction – so you can see which politicians and Lords have been saying what.

No matter if you’re directly or indirectly affected by Carillion, download our whitepaper and see how the biggest story of 2018 has unfolded.

Bloggers and vloggers

5 top tips from the Influencers

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Vuelio recently hosted a Meet the Influencers session at the CIPR’s Influence Live event. Jo Middleton, Slummy Single Mummy, and Jane Cunningham, British Beauty Blogger, sat with PR and comms experts to discuss building relationships and outreach best practice.

At Vuelio, we spend a lot of time talking to bloggers, vloggers and Instagram stars, and we hear the same suggestions, grievances and tips over and over. Jo and Jane also covered these points, so we thought it was high time for a refresher.

The top five tips from influencers:

1. Professional bloggers are running a business
Jane, a journalist by trade, pointed out that journalists and bloggers are not the same. Journalists are generally salaried, being paid by an outlet or publisher no matter how much time they spend writing about any given topic. As such, PRs have rarely, if ever, had to pay journalists directly for coverage – and often a free trip can seem like their ‘treat’ (even though it’s their job to cover such things).

For professional bloggers, if they don’t get paid, they don’t pay bills. Some bloggers still accept freebies in return for coverage, but they’re often hobbyists who don’t depend on their blogging income to live. It may feel like a culture shift, but the outcomes can be different too – which leads nicely on to…

2. You can expect to get more from bloggers
If you don’t pay journalists, you generally can’t demand too much of their time for reports or metrics on the success of your content. Bloggers, on the other hand, should be seen as collaborators – they’re working with you on your project or campaign and you can agree metrics and results up front. Jo loves being part of the campaign, and advocated Iceland’s style of requesting analytics and making her work hard, as she prefers knowing how her part in the campaign is contributing and being used by the brand, rather than being just one post in a huge machine. Which is point three:

3. Collaborations should be more than one post
Again, this isn’t traditional media outreach. While journalists could be called ‘influencers’, their role is fundamentally different and the word ‘influencer’ (though disliked by many bloggers) has only risen to prominence with the digital age. So, if you’re looking for publication of a press release, go traditional, but if you’re looking to positively influence an audience (niche or otherwise) and want to see positive results over a sustained period of time – use influencers.

4. Build relationships
This IS the same across traditional and new media outreach. And for some reason, it comes up again and again and again. Don’t start emails ‘Hi dear’, or ‘Hi NAME OF BLOG’ – Jo isn’t called Slummy Single Mummy and Jane isn’t British Beauty Blogger. If you’re struggling to find the right names and merge your emails professionally, you’re obviously not using Vuelio. We list detailed profiles, with names, PR preferences and bios so you can get to know the influencers before you send that first email. And when you’re ready to contact influencers, spend time building relationships – as with traditional outreach, good relationships lead to better results all round.

5. It’s not all about social
This varies brand to brand, company to company, but social isn’t the be all and end all. You may be working on behalf of a client who wants to be ‘big’ on Instagram. That’s fine. You may be working in-house and think a few well-placed tweets are where it’s at – also fine. Only you know what works for you, but remember that social posts are fleeting, audiences are fickle and ‘longevity’ is a word that no one uses in a hashtag.

Yes, you may want social-only collaborations with influencers (and Jo described a dramatic increase in brands who just want Instagram posts), but if you want true influence, and you want your product/service/brand/concept to reach a loyal audience of engaged readers, then remember the blog. Bloggers spend a long time cultivating their blogs, which are their publications, and it would be foolish to overlook them.

Struggling with Influencer Outreach? Don’t know where to begin with bloggers? Check out the Vuelio Influencer Database – it’s been built for you. 

Halima Khatun

Blogger Spotlight: Halima Khatun, HalimaBobs

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Halima Khatun is author of HalimaBobs, the beauty and lifestyle blog, which is all about positivity, not perfection. A former broadcast journalist, Halima is now the owner of PR agency HK Communications. We spoke to Halima about blogging as a PR pro, being real, working in partnership with PRs and blogging since the birth of her child.

Why did you start your blog?
I started my blog for three reasons: firstly, to satisfy my creative juices and write some light-hearted, frivolous content that was far removed from my day job of a PR consultant. Secondly, I didn’t see a blog out there that offered unfiltered, detailed, beauty-based content; a lot of blogs are quite aspirational and advertorial. Finally, I wanted to read something that was aimed at the everyday beauty novice that doesn’t have hours to create the perfect no-makeup-makeup look!

What makes your blog successful?
I write as I speak, so my content is often a dry, witty stream of consciousness! I believe that in a world of filter, real un-airbrushed content is a refreshing novelty!

Is there a difference in how PRs approach you as a blogger compared to how you were approached as a broadcast journalist?
Most PRs are fantastic. But there has been the odd PR who would treat me differently than they would a journalist. Occasionally, I have been on the receiving end of a PR fail, from the failure to follow through on a collaboration, to trying to overtly control editorial content. But thankfully, the bad PRs experiences are greatly outweighed by the good, with most practitioners really valuing the brand recognition bloggers can bring.

As a blogger, how do you like to work with PRs?
I see my work with PRs as more of a partnership, as bloggers and PRs can’t function without one another. So, whether it’s collaborating on a giveaway, a product/service review or a sponsored post, I always work closely with the PR I’m dealing with to ensure we’re both happy. I also aim to offer a critique of most of the products I’m sent for review, not just the good stuff. Lastly, I’ll always keep the PR in question in the loop with the progress of my articles and send a link once live, rather than expect them to look out for their client mention themselves.

Have you noticed a change in what you write about since having a baby?
Absolutely! As my blog is a small window into my life, inevitably I include articles about my biggest life event! So, as well as blogging about baby and mum-to-be products, I’ve written more in-depth articles about life as a working mum, dealing with mother’s guilt etc. These topics have really struck a chord and have also featured on the Huffington Post, where I also blog.

How did you get from your first PR role to your current position?
With some smart choices and a sprinkle of luck! My career grew very organically as I started as a broadcast journalist with ITV and the BBC, and then joined the dark side – PR(!). From there, I made the transition from agency to in-house. I’ve worked with some of the UK’s largest corporates, and after a decade in the industry, I decided to set up my own consultancy, HK Communications. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and in 2015, I felt I had the right amount of experience to make it happen.

Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database

Having worked as a journalist, do you believe you have a different take on PR and communications to other agencies?
Definitely. I believe in the old school PR of finding a great story and telling it. So, having a nose for a story really helps. Plus being a former journalist adds real credibility and a reassurance for clients. After all, it’s easier to write and pitch a story knowing what would interest the journalist, given that I used to be one. Also, I offer PR training as well as consulting, so a big part of this is helping small business owners think like a journalist. Again, having been one myself helps, as I’ve walked the walk.

As a PR professional, do you work with bloggers? If so, are there differences in how you work with bloggers compared with traditional media journalists?
As my consultancy offers more B2B PR, I haven’t had much scope to work with bloggers, but I would certainly be open to it if the opportunity arose!

What changes are you looking to make to your PR strategy in 2018?
Well I’m expanding my team, having brought on associates in the run up to my maternity leave. I’m also focusing more on my PR training arm which is ideal for micro-businesses that don’t have the budget for a PR agency. 2018 is looking to be very exciting indeed!

Do you have a career mantra or a piece of advice that you follow?
Not a mantra per se, but I always advise networking and nurturing contacts. I’m always of the view that every connection you make can add value in some way. You might generate a business lead, learn something new or simply meet a great person. In fact, this interview came about after networking at the Vuelio Blog Awards!

Halima Khatun and HalimaBobs are both listings on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

2 February 18

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 2 February 2018

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Happy Groundhog Day! This week’s five things includes BBC pay, Matt Hancockers, Facebook’s users, grid girls and a video of the ‘most British resignation ever’.

Happy Groundhog Day! This week’s five things includes BBC pay, Matt Hancockers, Facebook’s users, grid girls and a video of the ‘most British resignation ever’.

1. BBC Pay

Select Committee

Gender inequality in BBC pay remains under the spotlight, dominating the media world. After Carrie Gracie publicly resigned from her China editor role at the beginning of January, and a number of male presenters agreed to pay cuts, the BBC gender pay story continues into its third week under a number of headlines.

The official review by PwC found there was no gender bias at the BBC regarding pay decisions, though the report said the BBC’s approach to setting pay in general ‘has been far from perfect’. PwC also found a 6.8% gender pay gap among on-air staff. The BBC responded saying there would be substantial pay cuts for some men and pay rises for some men and women. Unfortunately this has only made matters worse as more men (98) will receive these pay rises than women (90).

On Wednesday, Carrie Gracie hit the news again when questioned by MPs on the digital, culture, media and sport select committee. In a two-hour session, Gracie accused the BBC of effectively lying as she was told she would be paid the same as her male colleagues. Gracie specifically called out DG Tony Hall for resisting the publication of on-air presenters’ pay; James Harding, former director of news, who previously said the BBC didn’t have an equal pay problem; and Fran Unsworth, the new director of news, who apparently told another BBC journalist that Gracie worked part time – which wasn’t true.

With issues unresolved, this probably isn’t the last time BBC pay will feature in five things.

 

2. Are you on Matt Hancock?

Matt Hancock

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Matt Hancock, has launched his own app this week – called Matt Hancock. The social media-type platform allows people to get updates from Matt Hancock as well as make friends with other users and post messages (a bit like Twitter). The app’s launch gave a lot of journalists something to do yesterday morning, as they all took joy in Matt Hancocking for a few hours, seemingly dominating the system and potentially drowning out Matt Hancock’s constituents who want to use Matt Hancock to Matt Hancock at Matt Hancock (turns out that gets old real fast).

Vuelio Political Updates are also on Matt Hancock if you want to be friends, but, unfortunately, we don’t have ‘full functionality’ because we’re not verified – as that needs you to submit your name and address to prove you live in Matt Hancock’s constituency of West Suffolk. Either way, we’re currently working out our Matt Hancock strategy, as should you be.

While the general consensus is that people on Matt Hancock are generally nicer than people on Twitter, and the whole atmosphere is currently quite pleasant, it’s not been plain sailing for the new app. The ICO is currently investigating Matt Hancock after concerns were raised about its privacy settings and its ability to access photographs after being told it couldn’t (possibly a Matt Hancock-up).

 

3. Facebook users spending less time online

Facebook

Though Mark Zuckerberg suggested that his upcoming string of News Feed tweaks would decrease time spent on the platform, it turns out users were ahead of the game and had spent 5% less time on the platform in the last three months of 2017 anyway. That equates to around 50 million hours a day. Despite the decline, Facebook’s financial results were better than expected – increasing 47% last year to $40bn (£28.2bn), and profits rose 56% to nearly $16bn.

Facebook’s audience also increased, its monthly active users up 14% to 2.13bn in the three months to December.

These stats are not as bad as they could have been. Zuckerberg is trying to fix the platform, and specifically the News Feed, to ensure the long-term survival of the company, which in the coming months may cause reductions in dwell time, third-party content and user growth (not least because we’re all on Matt Hancock now).

 

4. Grid Girls

Formula 1 monza

Formula 1 has announced that ‘grid girls’ will no longer be used by Formula 1, following a similar recent announcement from the Professional Darts Corporation. Sean Bratches, managing director of commercial operations, said: ‘While the practice of employing grid girls has been a staple of Formula 1 grands prix for decades, we feel this custom does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern day societal norms’.

The announcement has been met with mixed reviews, some have questioned the decision – including The Sun, current and former grid girls and Stacey Solomon. Bernie Ecclestone unsurprisingly disagrees with the change, claiming the girls were dressed ‘smartly’, and completely missing the point by saying ‘we might as well say we don’t want people to go to a fashion show’.  Niki Lauda bizarrely suggested the decision was ‘against women’.

As Susie Wolff points out, this decision is a step in the right direction. The issue was never whether the grid girls felt offended – no one was forcing them to do it – but with the representation of women in the sport. Dominated by men, F1’s only regular representation of women has been grid girls. Now women aren’t represented at all, which is a new issue owners Liberty Media will have to tackle.

 

5. Lord Bates and the most amazing resignation ever

Lord Bates, the international development minister, offered his resignation this week after arriving late to the Lords for questions. Though it was rejected, his resignation was an incredibly watchable moment and ‘perhaps the most British political resignation speech ever made’:

 

Happy Groundhog Day!

Influence Live

Meet the Influencers

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Vuelio recently hosted the Meet the Influencers session at the CIPR’s Influence Live event, where we were joined by two top bloggers to discuss working with PRs and they revealed the secrets of influence.

After Ralf Little’s keynote, the Influence Live group broke up into three groups. Vuelio was joined by Jo Middleton – award winning blogger and number one in the parenting rank with Slummy Single Mummy – and Jane Cunningham – author of British Beauty Blogger, the number one beauty blog. Both bloggers have years of experience working on content creation and brand collaboration.

Taking a table of delegates each, the influencers spent time fielding questions and talking about their work. The intimate environment allowed delegates to chat with each blogger, asking how they like to work with PRs, their approach to charities and the differences between journalists and bloggers.

Jane, who explained that she started blogging because it allowed her to talk about products in a way that magazine journalism wouldn’t allow, advocated having good relationships with influencers, and understanding that as it’s their livelihood, professional bloggers should get paid. She also discussed the importance of disclosure, and explained how all paid-for posts on her site were with established brands that she believed in – and clearly labelled with #ad.

Jo (who resisted the urge to only show pictures of her kittens), highlighted the increasing importance of social for brands, particularly Instagram. Brands are approaching her that now want campaigns specifically focused on Instagram posts or Stories – the latter particularly useful for brands since the addition of the swipe-up functionality for external links.  She also advocated brands pushing bloggers for metrics, as Iceland did with her, and enjoys working hard to meet targets and goals.

The delegates were a real mix of agency, in-house and freelance, with each group bringing their own ideas and perspectives to the conversation. Both influencers gave the PR pros plenty to think about, with some even suggesting campaign ideas by the end of the session.

If you’d like to improve your influencer outreach and work with Jo, Jane or any one of the thousands of influencers we know, check out our Influencer Database.

Ralf Little

Ralf Little on Twitter

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At the recent Influence Live event, CIPR President, Sarah Hall, interviewed acting star Ralf Little about his responsibilities on social media. Little was enthusiastic about everything from his high-profile Twitter spat with Jeremy Hunt to the ability to change your mind as you age.

While it was perhaps the former that brought Little to the event, it was the latter that really resonated. He explained how politicians and public figures should feel more able to admit to their mistakes and denounce their views from when they were younger in order to show growth and change. When asked if he would run for political office, Little suggested he had done and said too many controversial things in his twenties, which were too well documented.

This is a big issue for all figures across social media, from Jack Maynard – who left the I’m a Celebrity jungle last year after controversial tweets surfaced from his past – to Toby Young – who deleted his Twitter account after he was appointed to the board for the Office for Students (a role he subsequently resigned from). While Little believes people should be able to explain how they’ve changed since they were younger, he did point out that Toby Young was in his forties when he made the comments and argued that it wasn’t the same thing.

When questioned about his purposes for using Twitter, Little explained that he resisted joining for a long time and now he’s on the platform, he’s found it doesn’t make him happy and he even regrets joining on many days. For public figures in general, he thinks there’s a distinction between self-promotion and highlighting causes. He has considered, for example, doorstepping Jeremy Hunt, but feels that escalation of their argument would make it more about him and less about the issues he perceives within the NHS.

Little suggested the issues with Twitter revolve around the lack of furthering though. He argued that the platform’s brevity made opinions too easy to deliver without thought – and they were too easy to muddle with facts. And if Twitter users are faced with evidence or proof against their position, they dig their heels in more – refusing to be swayed. This is what he feels happened with Jeremy Hunt who initially engaged with Little, before going silent.

Throughout the interview, Little seemed torn between whether Twitter was a good or bad addition to society but he accepts that it’s now a part of life. In fact, after turning off his alarm, Twitter is the first thing he checks in the morning.

You can follow Ralf Little on Twitter.

 

Lorna Burford

Blogger Spotlight: Lorna Burford, Raindrops of Sapphire

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Lorna Burford is the author of Raindrops of Sapphire, one of the top fashion blogs in the UK. With her love of premium denim and iconic countryside shoots, Lorna’s taken the fashion world by storm. After ranking in the Top 20 UK Fashion Blogs, we caught up with Lorna to chat about the importance of Fashion Weeks to the industry, using social media and working with brands.

How would you describe your blog?
I would say it’s a mixture of fashion, personal style, health, and lifestyle. It originally started out over nine years ago as a place online to share my likes in the fashion world, but has since evolved to be an extension of my life as well.

Raindrops of SapphireWhat makes your blog successful?
Thank you for saying it’s successful, I am always appreciative of that! I would say the amount of time and commitment spent on it. I make sure I only publish the best content and create articles that I am proud of, so that goes a long way in making sure it’s visually appealing as well as full of content people want to read. There’s so much time spent behind the scenes though, so a combination of hard work and imagination I think.

How do you use other platforms, and how does that tie back in with your blog?
I mostly use Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Each of them are different though so on Facebook and Twitter I will share my blog posts and occasionally a little random photo, but on Instagram it’s like a separate entity. A mini blog in itself if you were. So, I share all different photos, a lot from my blog, but unique ones too and scenery, but the important thing is to find that balance of unique content and promotional content to your blog. They’re all connected, but separate too. IG stories is really useful with the swipe up link feature too!

How do you work with fashion weeks?
I actually no longer do. I don’t attend any shows and I rarely cover them anymore either. I find it much too stressful and hectic, especially with my health issues, so it wasn’t worth it to me as every other blogger covers fashion week so it was never really unique in a way. I do my own thing now really.

Fashion bloggerWhy are fashion weeks important for the industry?
They’re definitely important as they shape the season. Getting a huge worldwide collection of designers showing their latest pieces amidst everyone else is a huge way to see what trends are going to be big. When I watch the shows online (as I do live streams now instead), I’m taking note of the colour palettes, the cuts and angles, or different things that a few designers are all doing. Once you see a pattern emerging, you know it’s going to be big! Plus, it’s a way for everyone to get their name out there and designers to make it big. It’s pretty much the bi-annual event that fashion itself revolves around.

What should we expect to see for SS18?
I’m actually hoping that it might be different for denim. As I work in the denim area, all I’m seeing lately is crazy, un-wearable jeans as designers run out of ideas and just think of pushing the boundaries instead. Some of the things I have seen this year have seriously left me questioning the industry. I would like to see more skinny and stretchy fits and embroidery to come back – normal and wearable denim. I’m pretty sure SS18 is going to be full of pastels and florals though in terms of clothing.

What brands are you particular excited to see this season?
My usually loves are Valentino, Burberry, Gucci, Chanel and Topshop Unique. However, I was left really disappointed by last year’s Burberry show. Christopher Bailey did his last season and there wasn’t one piece I liked from the collection, which shocked me as I usually love everything. It’s hit or miss for me as I can be excited by a brand but then once they get a new designer or decide to take a different approach, it can make or break the season.

How can brands/PRs best work with you around fashion week?
It does get a bit much when your inbox is constantly swimming with press releases on shows and general cold mail like that, so I would suggest making things a little more unique. Make the emails personal, hold interesting and exclusive events perhaps, or work on campaigns where you model some of the latest collections. Anything a little different might shake things up a bit.

What campaigns have you enjoyed working on previously?
There’s been quite a few and I only select campaigns I love and am happy to be part of, but I would say the ones that have stood out to me are not fashion related, but for a cause instead. I’ve been part of Wear It Wild for WWF where I did a video, but also mental health and illness campaigns too to raise awareness. I think those have the most impact and influence.

Want to work with bloggers? Try the Vuelio Influencer Database and get access to 11,000 UK bloggers and vloggers in fashion, beauty, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

What do you call yourself (blogger/creator/Influencer)?
I call myself a blogger. It’s what I started out as and what I do on a daily basis, so that’s what I always tell someone when they ask. If you become an influencer from that, that’s great, but I’m more comfortable with the term ‘blogger’.

What other blogs do you read?
I read quite a few! I enjoy the fashion blogs that get me thinking and who have a similar style to mine. Cupcakes & Cashmere, Brooklyn Blonde, Fashion Jackson, I Am Chouquette, Fashioned Chic, Mariannan, That New Dress, Not Jess Fashion… There’s a lot that I enjoy!

 

Lorna Burford and Raindrops of Sapphire are just two blogs listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Glam and Glitter

Blogger Spotlight: Tamara Kalinic, Glam and Glitter

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Glam and Glitter is the Top 20 Fashion Blog from Tamara Kalinic. Glam and Glitter has grown into an online diary of Tamara’s lifestyle treasure trove, including the latest fashion finds, top travel destinations and the best beauty products! We spoke to Tamara about the insider’s perspective at Fashion Week, new designers and working with brands.

How would you describe your blog?
It’s a mixture of Fashion, Beauty and Travel. A diary of all of my purchases, best finds, styling tips and favourite lipsticks, from all around the world.

What makes your blog successful?
I think the fact that I started it out of pure love. There were never monetary calculations involved in the first years of my blogging. I really love what I do and would still do it even if it was unpaid.

Glam and GlitterHow do you use other platforms, and how does that tie back in with your blog?
I have a very clear vision of what each platform is for. Since I come from a different background and I did my masters degree on a topic of branding and strategy thinking, I try to apply the acquired knowledge to my current job. I use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Blog and YouTube for different things, and that is also something I often show to brands. It is very important not to get too comfortable and use these platforms for what you want to use them. You have to give your audience what they want to see.

How do you work with fashion weeks?
For more than four years now I have been attending New York, London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks biannually. This means that I spend 8 weeks out of 52 just looking at new collections, talking to designers, meeting the fashion house CEOs and even learning about brands’ histories. Its truly an incredible way of learning the core about fashion. Imagine throwing yourself as a young pharmacist into this whole world of real fashionistas, could there be a better way to learn? From my experience, I don’t think so.

Why are fashion weeks important for the industry?
Fashion Weeks are what makes it all roll. New collections, new trends, buyers, press – everything in one place. Young designers are making their first big sales, and big fashion houses are preparing a real show for their loyal fan base in the industry. It’s an extremely important financial part of the industry, as well as for visibility and PR.

What should we expect to see for AW18?
I am thinking cowboy boots, tailored suits but oversized, more shearling and the colour teal. That is just me judging from the Men’s collections that I have seen so far.

What brands are you particular excited to see this season?
I always love seeing new designers. That is something that inspires me the most. On the other hand, Milan Fashion Week is where I see most of my favourite designers, so after Milan my brain feels a little bit overwhelmed!

Want to work with bloggers? Try the Vuelio Influencer Database and get access to 11,000 UK bloggers and vloggers in fashion, beauty, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

How can brands/PRs best work with you around fashion week?
This depends on so many factors, but it always helps knowing what their KPI is, that helps me come up with a way I could bring the desired results. I like my jobs to be natural, we are very picky when it comes to brands we work with, and money is not our priority.

What campaigns have you enjoyed working on previously?
My team and I are proud to only accept campaigns with brands we truly love, and with brands we previously worked for free because it was a natural fit. Some of the projects I enjoyed the most are ones with Cartier, Dior, Dolce&Gabbana, Fendi, Louis Vuitton. There is so much I love about my job that it would be hard to name just a few.

What do you call yourself (blogger/creator/Influencer)?
I always go for blogger, because when I starter over seven years ago, that was the only term in circulation.

What other blogs do you read?
I read international blogs and really love supporting my friends from around the globe. Besides the non-fashion ones, such as Career Girl Daily, I love going through feeds of Queen of Jet Lags, Lovely Pepa, Park and Cube, VivaLuxury and The Fashion Fraction. I love their creative input.

Tamara Kalinic and Glam and Glitter are just two blogs listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Paid for followers

Celebrities accused of buying followers

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Celebrities, including Paul Hollywood, Baroness Lane-Fox and James Cracknell, have been accused of buying fake followers after an investigation by The New York Times.

The paper investigated a company called Devumi and discovered that more than 200,000 high-profile figures had purchased fake followers. Its report is particularly damning of Devumi’s practices, which seems, in some instances, to be ‘stealing identities’ of existing social media users to create the fake accounts.

This is illegal, and a New York prosecutor is now investigating the firm. Eric Schneiderman, the state’s attorney general, tweeted twice, first: ‘Impersonation and deception are illegal under New York law’, and then: ‘The growing prevalence of bots means that real voices are too often drowned out in our public conversation. Those who can pay the most for followers can buy their way to apparent influence.’

Buying followers to boost your social presence is, at best, unethical and at worst, fraud. Buying followers itself may not be criminal, and selling them seems to be a grey area, but legal issues arise around the purpose of having fake followers. If you buy followers and then, in any way, stand to gain financially – this could be a serious offence.

Gains could be in the form of paid-for posts, brand collaborations, getting jobs or being called upon as an expert. If your following is not genuine, and you know it, then you might be committing fraud.

Devumi is reported to have offered at least 3.5m automated accounts, which could be bought in packages of 1,000 for $17 (£12). The celebrities that have been called out are generally responding with ignorance, including Baroness Lane-Fox who blamed a ‘rogue employee’ for purchasing the followers. One of her acquisitions, for 25,000 followers, was made at about the time she joined Twitter as a board member in May 2016.

Paul Hollywood, who seems to have the biggest profile of any of the accused, also had the strongest reaction. The master baker deleted his Twitter account entirely (The Guardian’s suggestion that @Hollywoodbaker is his new account seems incorrect).

His spokesperson said: ‘Paul deleted his personal account last week when he was alerted to the fake followers. Like lots of high-profile people he followed advice at the time to build up his social media presence without realising what it involved’.

Paid-for follower is a huge industry-wide problem that until now has received little attention in the press. Social media influencers and digital stars have been accused of purchasing and fraudulently growing their following for some time, but little has been done to tackle the issue. Now traditional celebrities are being dragged into the argument, there might be some action from the platforms to curb this practice.

If you’re looking for genuine influence, check out the Vuelio Influencer Database, where individuals are verified and profiled so you know you’re working with the best.

26 January

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 26 January 2018

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This week, Five Things includes the Creative Shootout, the Trust Barometer, Leeds United, Grumpy Cat, and the Guardian’s paying subscribers in the US.

 

1. The Creative Shootout

agency competition

The Creative Shootout is a unique awards ceremony, where finalists have just four hours to prepare a creative PR pitch. They then have just 10 minutes to present that pitch in front of an audience of hundreds. Raw London were the winners in 2018, read all about the process and their award-winning campaign here.

 

2. Edelman’s Trust Barometer

results

The annual report outlining public trust in the establishment saw a dramatic increase in trust for traditional media and a continuing decline in trust of social media. This compounds problems for social media, and Facebook in particular, with Mark Zuckerberg announcing several recent changes to the platform. Read all about the results here.

 

3. Leeds United

New badge

Every football fan loves a new crest, right? Leeds United found out this week how much that isn’t true, with their new logo (which took ‘6 months of research’, and saw ‘10,000 people consulted’) slated online after its launch. Compared to Pro Evolution and mocked by other football clubs, the new badge is now being reconsidered. Check out PR Week’s round up of ire.

 

4. Grumpy Cat

grumpy cat

Grumpy Cat, the household pet that looks permanently unimpressed, has successfully sued a US coffee company for ‘exceeding an agreement over the cat’s image’. The two parties had agreed usage of Grumpy Cat for a range of drinks (Grumppuccino) but the coffee company sold associated products too. Even though it’s one of the highest earning felines in the world, Grumpy Cat remains grumpy.

 

5. Guardian reaches 300,000 US subscribers

Guardian US

The Guardian, while still free online, has adopted a Wikipedia-style request for donations and financial support. Called ‘subscribers’, over 300,000 have now contributed to the Guardian in the US. Of those, 230,000 were one-time contributors, and 73,000 are recurring. Globally, the paper has 800,000 supporters, with over half a million making recurring monthly payments (as subscribers, members or recurring contributors).

results

Social least trusted source for news

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The 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer has revealed that trust in the UK’s establishment – NGOs, Business, Government and Media – has largely stagnated year on year. While overall trust in the media hasn’t budged, there are huge changes to be found when looking individually at traditional and ‘new’ media.

Trust in traditional media has seen a dramatic rise from 2017, and is now at its highest point since 2012. Conversely, social media has continued its yearly decline to retain the ‘least trusted’ position.

Edelman Trust Barometer

It is social media companies’ inaction on key issues that has driven the decline in trust, with 70% agreeing that, ‘social media companies don’t do enough to stop illegal or unethical behaviour on their platforms’.

The report has followed weeks of announcements from Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, who is aiming to change the platform back into a ‘friends and families’ sharing space and away from a hotbed of ‘fake news’ and misinformation.

The lack of trust in social media as a news source (perhaps driven by the 42% who say they only skim headlines on platforms without reading stories, or the 64% who can’t tell good journalism from rumours or falsehoods) is only the beginning of the technology’s problems.

While 56% of Edelman’s respondents believe social media helps them to stay in touch with loved ones, only 38% think social media is a force for good and, more concerningly for the big platforms, 57% believe social media companies take advantage of people’s loneliness.

The report goes on, and is at every stage damning for social media – most don’t think social media companies are regulated enough, most don’t think they’re transparent enough and most think the companies will secretly sell their personal data.

It may be easy to think that people are now seeking their news out in traditional formats, but worryingly the truth seems to be that the public is abandoning the news altogether. While 33% of are consuming less news, 19% are avoiding it altogether, citing the fact it’s ‘too depressing’ as the main reason.

Social media’s established role in increasing depression (see here, here and here) in users, and therefore society, can only be negatively contributing to people’s views that the news is too depressing.

As people switch off from the news, and the world around them, they become less informed and the establishments that should be held to account have more power and control to do as they please. The election and presidency of Donald Trump is one such example, the recent Presidents Club scandal is another*. This is highlighted in the Barometer, which has found the lowest level of ‘informed publics’ among the British Population.

Defined as being aged 25-64, university-educated, with a household income in the top quartile for their age in their country, reading or watching business/news media several times a week and following public policy, informed publics are now at just 6% of the population.

It is unclear how this age of apathy will end, but if you’re still reading, maybe there’s hope for us yet.

 

*Yes, the Presidents Club has now closed down thanks to the FT’s investigative reporting, but it has been running since 1985 with similar behaviours alleged each year. And though the meeting place has gone, have the behaviours? Who is holding these men to account?

Island love heart

The power of influence

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We talk a lot about the importance of reaching the right audience in the right way, often through ‘influencers’. But what happens when you manage to get your product or service in the hands of an influencer?

New research from Whistl has identified top trends in 2017 and the impact of influence throughout the year. Television programmes and celebrities dominate the power of influence, which has struck in some surprising ways.

An incredible example is the water bottles on Love Island. The ITV reality dating programme caused an increase in online searches for ‘Love Island water bottles’ of 300,000. Not bad considering the programme’s viewing figures were between two and three million.

Melanie Darvall, director of marketing and communications at Whistl, said: ‘We were surprised to see just how influential shows such as Love Island can be – to increase the searches for water bottles by 300,000 in the space of a month is quite staggering.

‘It’s important for retailers to be aware of these events and what is attracting the interest of the UK public, so they can prepare for any sudden demand.’

Other TV programmes who influenced their audience in unexpected ways include the Bake Off, which increased the sales of baking tools and products by 50%, and Peaky Blinders, which is being credited with an 83% increase in sales of flat caps.

On the celebrity front, royalty rules (as it always has). Meghan Markle’s white coat, which she wore when she her announced engagement to a man named ‘Harry’, sold out instantly – and then crashed the retailer’s website.

Liam Gallagher also created a sell-out. Searches for the orange parka he wore at the One Love Manchester concert increased by 666% and the item sold out nationally a few hours after the concert finished.

Sometimes the effect of influence is less direct – Whistl has attributed a 45% rise in searches for holidays to Puerto Rico to the popularity of the song Despacito. And, social media hasn’t been left out of the expansive research, an Instagram post in which Rihanna wore thigh high boots caused a jump in online searches – a 600% increase.

These stats should encourage everyone whose working with influence to consider their strategy, and capitalise on the power of influence when they can. This doesn’t just mean creating the initial interest (by getting a product or service to be used by an influencer) but also reacting quickly to trends and ensuring you’re geared towards what people want, right now.

Richard Ellie, the director of paid media at digital agency IDHL Group, explained: ‘Marketers must be extremely savvy and reactive, allowing them to harness the plethora of opportunities that open up in places you could not predict – and with extremely limited planning time to allow them to do so.

‘Any marketer worth their salt is well aware that failure to react can result in your brand falling under the category of ‘doom, gloom and failed sales’, something that is especially prevalent when it comes to areas of retail such as fashion, where the must-have item of today is no longer in vogue in a weeks’ time.’

 

If you want to find out more about reaching influencers that can help you, check out our database. 

Dublin Hotel

Dublin hotel bans bloggers

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In the latest ‘most people don’t understand blogging’ news, The White Moose Café in Dublin, which has a reported reputation for controversy on social media, has banned all bloggers after an online spat with a vlogger.

Elle Darby, a beauty and fitness influencer with 89K YouTube subscribers and 80K Instagram followers, asked The White Moose Café for a free stay in return for some publicity across her channels. The hotel’s owner, Paul Stenson, responded – not via email – but on Facebook. Including her original email, he replied saying:

‘Thank you for your email looking for free accommodation in return for exposure. It takes a lot of balls to send an email like that, if not much self-respect and dignity.

‘If I let you stay here in return for a feature in your video, who is going to pay the staff who look after you? Who is going to pay the housekeepers who clean your room? The waiters who serve you breakfast? The receptionist who checks you in? Who is going to pay for the light and heat you use during your stay? The laundering of your bed sheets? The water rates? Maybe I should tell my staff they will be featured in your video in lieu of receiving payment for work carried out while you’re in residence?’

He went on to describe his own social following (as Darby had in her request), and saying though he had tens or hundreds of thousands of followers, he would never ‘in a million years ask anyone for anything for free’.

He continued to attack the blogging profession, saying:

‘The above stats do not make me any better than anyone else or afford me the right to not pay for something everyone else has to pay for.

‘In future, I’d advise you to offer to pay your way like everyone else, and if the hotel in question believes your coverage will help them, maybe they’ll give you a complimentary upgrade to a suite. This would show more self-respect on your part and, let’s face it, it would be less embarrassing for you.’

In his post, he had seemingly tried to disguise Darby’s details but did a poor job. People quickly found her and the trolling began. Some people believed she was a freeloader and she started receiving a lot of abuse, while others have supported her, as she is following a common practice for her chosen profession.

Darby published a vlog, explaining how she was embarrassed that she had been ‘exposed’:

The support she received, and in turn the abuse Stenson received for his approach, led the hotelier to post another message on Facebook, banning all bloggers:

‘The sense of entitlement is just too strong in the blogging community and the nastiness, hissy fits and general hate displayed after one of your members was not granted her request for a freebie is giving your whole industry a bad name. I never thought we would be inundated with negative reviews for the simple reason that somebody was required to pay for goods received or services rendered.’

The controversy was compounded when Stenson created another post, ‘apologising’ to the blogging community for not mobilising their numbers with such controversy before. He calls the debacle good publicity and thanks the bloggers for all their ‘hard work’ and asks them to ‘continue to spread the word’ about the hotel.

This whole situation has arisen because a business, which knows how to drive publicity, called out a blogger, who was just doing her job. It worked because a large portion of the population doesn’t understand blogging as a profession or community; they don’t understand that these people are professional influencers and are amazing resources for publicity and promotion.

Darby is likely to be contacted by PR pros and brands on a regular basis, offering her exactly this sort of deal. In fact, many bloggers value their influence over freebies and require payment on top of the work they do. As genuine influence can make or break a business, it seems mad that anyone thinks a professional blogger is just freeloading.

Stenson was well within his rights to refuse the offer, of course, but it’s the manner in which he has refused – so publicly, that has caused the problem.

Both sides have benefitted to some extent, deserving or otherwise, with Stenson getting his publicity and Darby increasing her social following. But, hopefully, the blogging community will be the biggest benefactor, as more people are exposed to the amazing blogging industry, understanding how bloggers operate and seeing blogging as a valid career path.

 

Want to know more about bloggers in the UK? Find out more here.

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 19 January 2017

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This week’s Five Things includes YouTube’s new payment rules, Tesco’s Clubcard criticism, the Fake News Award, a Dublin hotel that’s banned bloggers and Big Narstie presenting the weather.

1. YouTube payment rules

YouTubeThe Logan Paul scandal that originally hit at the beginning of January, and led to an unprecedented YouTube apology, has now made it into a third week of Five Things. Last week, the platform promised ‘more steps’ to ensure videos like Logan’s never appeared again. That has been revealed as a manual review system, where YouTube staff will review all clips before they are added to a premium service that pairs the top creators with leading brands (a service Logan Paul was removed from last week).

This follows a previous announcement that YouTube would have over 10,000 workers reviewing clips on the platform anyway, by the end of 2018. With manual review in place, YouTube will be taking on more responsible for offensive videos and controversial content.

The platform is also making it harder for creators to make money off their videos, with no videos including adverts unless the creator has at least 1,000 subscribers and more than 4,000 hours of their content has been viewed in the past 12 months. This is likely to hit niche creators and those that consider YouTube a supplementary income, but generally shouldn’t hit the bulk of the platform too hard. If someone is making enough money from YouTube that they consider it a viable income, they probably already meet YouTube’s new requirements.

 

2. Tesco Clubcard changes and the backlash

chrisdorney / Shutterstock.comThis week, Tesco changed its Clubcard rewards offer overnight. Instead of some deals being worth four times the value of the Clubcard points and some being worth two, everything became three times the value of the points. The backlash was immediate, with customers who were saving up points claiming they had been robbed of the additional value. This led to another change, as Tesco then decided to delay the new system until 10 June.

It is unclear what motivated the initial immediate change, but what became very obvious was how customers feel about their Clubcard points. As the points are promoting ‘loyalty’ in visiting the store – something that has hit the supermarket industry hard in recent years – making the unannounced change was always going to be a big risk. Now it’s been delayed, expect hundreds of deals to be cashed in at all associated businesses before June.

 

3. Fake News Awards

FakiesDonald Trump announced his Fake News Awards for 2017 on the GOP’s blog. The 11 winners were dominated by CNN and the New York Times, who managed six between them. While the announcement has provoked mirth and bemusement from many, a political leader attacking his nation’s free press should be concerning for us all. That it’s expected of Donald Trump makes it no less alarming.

 

4. Dublin hotel bans bloggers

Dublin Hotel
Beauty and fitness influencer Elle Darby asked a hotel in Dublin for a free stay in return for some coverage on her YouTube and Instagram channels. Unfortunately, the hotel was The White Moose Café in Dublin, and owner Paul Stenson already has a reputation for his controversial attitudes to some groups of people, including vegans and breastfeeders. He published her request on Facebook with a big ‘no’ and things quickly blew up.

The issue has raised questions over how much influence is understood in the wider community and the validity of blogging as both a career and an industry.

 

5. Big Narstie presents the weather
Grime star Big Narstie fulfilled a ‘big dream’ by presenting the weather on Good Morning Britain this week. Starting with ‘Aight, boom. The streets of England’, and taking in pets, ‘a bag of snow’ and Lemsip, you know it’s worth a watch:

 

Have WE missed something? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio.

agency competition

Influence at Creative Shootout

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We are delighted to be supporting this year’s Creative Shootout and providing finalists with an ‘Influencer Hotline’ during their creative process.

The Creative Shootout is an annual competition that presents a charity brief to the finalists, who then have four hours create a ten-minute pitch. The ‘Live’ Final is just that, with the audience voting on each pitch to decide the top three, including a winner whose pitch will be supported by £250,000 media prize fund from 1XL, and £30,000 worth of agency fees from this year’s Charity FareShare.

Vuelio is known for its influencer relations, from the world-famous blog rankings to the Vuelio Awards – ‘the Oscars of the blogging world’. And we also publish a range of surveys and reports with unique insight into all types of influencers and their relationships with PR and brands. The Vuelio Influencer Database lists thousands of both new and traditional influencers from newspaper editors and politicians to the hottest Instagram stars.

Our in-house research team spend hundreds of hours identifying these influencers, understanding how they work and discussing what topics they like to cover. We create profiles and write biographies so our clients know the best ways to engage with each influencer on an individual level. Good influencer outreach is about identifying the people that can reach your audience and getting to know them, inside out.

We’ll be using our in-house expertise for the Creative Shootout with our dedicated ‘Influencer Hotline’. Our unique intelligence service will be just a phone call away for all the finalists when planning their pitches.

Whether it’s identifying the influencers that can unlock campaign success or revealing which social platforms are best for engagement, our team will be on hand for all the finalists’ influencer needs.

And if the finalists need to know anything about media outreach, monitoring or analysis – well we can help with that too. In fact, Vuelio prides itself on its diverse offering and is always happy to help people looking to engage their audience, whether it’s the public, media or government. Our integrated software can help you build and maintain relationships with, quite literally, anyone.

Fakies

Fake News Awards: and the winner is…

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Donald Trump has been promising the ‘Fake News Awards’ for a couple of weeks, and after it was postponed once, excitement reached fever pitch last night as the anticipated time finally arrived.

Rather anticlimactically, the Fake News Awards were not revealed at a black tie gala dinner but in a blog post on the GOP’s official website (yes, really). Tweeted by Donald Trump, ‘The Highly-Anticipated 2017 Fake News Awards’ named 11 ‘winners’.

Despite their campaigning, there weren’t prizes for either Stephen Colbert (who campaigned with a billboard in Times Square) or Trevor Noah (who ran a full page ad in the New York Times).

Unsurprisingly, CNN were the big winners from the night, bagging four #Fakies. The New York Times managed two, while Newsweek, The Washington Post, Time and ABC took one each. The final award was aimed at the mainstream media for reporting ‘Russia Collusion’.

When Trump announced the award winners, the GOP site crashed, showing the huge level of interest there is in another strange moment in a presidency of strange moments.

When the site was back up and running, readers were not only greeted with the 11 award winners, but also 10 ‘results’ Trump has achieved, from ‘recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel’ to ‘African Americans and Hispanics are enjoying the lowest unemployment rate in recorded history’.

What’s most concerning about the Fake News Awards, is not that they’re clearly a promotional tool for Trump’s ‘good’ work, but that they’re being widely mocked. The world has now reached a level of apathy for ethics that the President of the most powerful nation in the world can openly attack the media, and by extension the freedom of the press, and it be considered a joke.

The Fakies should concern everyone.

Trump has spent a long time undermining the validity of the press, and for the most part, the press has played along. The more this happens, the more Trump will be able to act or behave however he likes without being held accountable.

There was once a time when a front page could topple a government, but in the age of Trump, that power has gone. Everyone, from the media to the public, are now just helpless bystanders to the Trump show – and who knows what will be next.

Keep it SimpElle

Blogger Spotlight: Elle Linton, Keep it SimpElle

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Elle Linton is the author behind Keep it SimpElle, the top 10 Fitness and Exercise blog. A health and fitness professional, Elle teaches fitness as well as writing about it and has worked with a number of brands in the fitness sector. We spoke to her about fitness at the beginning of the year, owning her blog and working with PR. 

How would you describe your blog?
I like to think of my blog as an online CV so everyone can get to know a little about me but also as a place to connect and create a community of people interested and passionate about health, fitness and food. It’s a space for me to share things and have real conversations about topics that are maybe a little more in-depth than social media platforms can handle.

How important is the beginning of the year for you and your content?
I think January is renowned for being all about fitness and eating well after the indulgences of the celebratory season. Personally, I’ve tried not to add to all the ‘noise’ out there but this is a time to utilise where I can connect with new people and grow my community by inspiring others.

How did you get into fitness?
I was always into sport when growing up, however during adolescence I struggled with anemia and motivation. I only got back into sport and fitness when I combined my love for science with P.E (because it was more theory than practical) and chose to study Exercise Science at university. I’d say I was pretty inactive during my years studying but the little activity I did do had huge physiological and physical benefits for me, mostly helping me to cope with stress and very uncomfortable menstrual cycles. When I started working after my degree I met my friend Lex, who inspired me to learn more about eating well, got me started on my running journey and encouraged me to teach fitness classes!

Keep it SimpElle

What advice would you give someone that wants to start getting fit and healthy?
I’d tell them to make it their goal to try as many different activities as they need to until they find one that they really enjoy. The options feel almost limitless…

Reach out to friends and family to support you or encourage someone else to get started with you for moral support and accountability. Set yourself some goals and don’t forget to ensure your progress; there are lots of free apps out, wearable tech or just simple body measurement using a tape measure. When it comes to food, make small changes like eating out less, cutting down on alcohol, switch up your snacks for healthier versions or just add more colour to your plate in the form of vegetables!

What would you say to someone who says they’ve given up the gym (already!)?
I’d ask them to re-evaluate why they started in the first place; what were their goals? Did they seem unachievable? What has stopped them and how can they remove any barriers? Fitness really isn’t something someone else can do for you or make you do… you have to do it for yourself and be really clear on your why.

What’s your favourite exercise?
Right now I’m loving barbell work especially in classes. Learning the back lifts is also empowering and gives you a little more confidence to walk into the weights room in any gym and know what you’re doing. I particularly love exercises that target my lower body like front squats and deadlifts.

Is there any fitness challenge you’ve planned to conquer?
I’m hoping to complete the Tough Mudder series this year. I had my first taste last year completing the half and I enjoyed it so much more than I ever expected. I’m also keen to get back on my bike for another challenge after cycling from London to Paris in 2017 with some of my blogging buddies. I love a little spontaneity too so who knows what other opportunities might find themselves on my radar for 2018!

What’s the best way for PRs to work with you at the beginning of the year?
It’s a really busy time for those in health and fitness so I love it when I get contacted with a clear brief for projects that are mutually beneficial to both the brand and myself. I know it’s hard to come up with great ideas too but original themes, something a little outside the box of what we’re all expecting, makes it interesting for content creators and then our audience.

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in Fitness, fashion, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

What PR campaigns have you enjoyed working on?
It’s hard to pick but a few definitely spring to mind… There was the Suunto campaign when they launched their new Spartan Trainer watch, which is perfect for obstacle races and outdoor fun, in addition to everything a regular gps watch has to offer. I got to test it out at Tough Mudder and also for the first ever Barbados Cycling Festival, which was also another favourite of mine. I was born in Barbados and was at home at the time of the event so I organised a bike for myself and took part in the sportive. It was amazing to be involved in such an event and to be doing something that’s new to me in Barbados (usually just sun, sea and sand!). Then there was the RideLondon – Surrey 46 sportive in the summer, which was my first time taking part in the event and a good introduction to the 100-mile event that I hope to take part in one day.

What do you call yourself? [eg. Blogger/influencer/content creator]
First and foremost I call myself a Fitness Professional. Then I’d say Blogger as that was the platform that got me started and allowed me to be creative. It’s also the only platform that is mine – I think we sometimes forget that platforms like Instagram are not owned by us and could be taken away without notice! So everything I do, I see as supplementary to my blog.

What other blogs do you read?
I’m always reading a huge variety of blogs but a few of my current faves include Hues of Delahaye for travel and photography inspiration, A Pretty Place to Play for running inspo and mental health topics, That’s My Mum for fitness and girl boss inspiration and The Girl Outdoors to inspire some outdoor adventures!

 

Elle and Keep it SimpElle are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other amazing bloggers, journalists and editors. 

The Ambient – a new publication for smart homes

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Paul Lamkin and James Stables have launched The Ambient, a new site dedicated to smart homes. A sister publication to Wareable, which covers wearable tech and the ‘connected self’, The Ambient will focus on smart home news and product reviews.

With lighting, speakers, thermostats and security now all part of the smart home, Lamkin and Stables believe now is the perfect time for a dedicated publication. And as 154 million European and American homes are expected to be smart by 2021, there’s a huge untapped market for smart home news.

We caught up with Paul Lamkin to talk about the launch and how The Ambient will work with PR and brands.

James Stables and Paul LamkinJames Stables and Paul Lamkin

Why have you decided to launch The Ambient now?
When we launched Wareable, we noticed that wearable tech wasn’t a clear focus for any of the other mainstream tech sites, so we decided to try and fill that gap and become the voice of authority for an emerging consumer-tech genre. It’s the same idea behind The Ambient – no one is giving the smart home the justice it deserves; it should be much more than just a note on the site.

How long will it take for smart homes to become the norm? 
I think they are already becoming the norm. The rise of smart speakers and assistants such as Amazon Alexa, Siri through Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant have proven themselves to be the missing link to truly smart homes.

What’s The Ambient’s relationship with Wareable?
For now, we’re keeping it pretty flexible. James (Stables), Sophie (Charara) and I are pretty much ‘full-time’ on The Ambient (while keeping an eye on Wareable), and the Wareable team will also be contributing to The Ambient (Michael Sawh and Connor Allison in the UK and Hugh Langley and Husain Sumra in the US). In a few months’ time, we’ll take stock and structure the teams a bit more formally.

What’s the editorial structure of The Ambient?
Sophie, as associate editor, is essentially running the show editorially, with James and I going back to being ‘writers’ for the first time in a few years.

What’s the expected audience of The Ambient?
We’re certainly looking at tech enthusiasts and early adopters but also users focused on outcomes and driven by design. Yes, they’re passionate about their home but no-one gets excited about a thermostat or a light bulb. This readership will be passionate about their home more so than the tech.

Our readers want to enjoy a smarter home and an easier life without compromises. They want to benefit from better and more enjoyable experiences in the home and impress their friends, without having to ruin the aesthetics of their home. Tech now goes hand-in-hand with great design.

Do you have any targets for traffic?
We grew Wareable from zero to a site that had a record month of almost five million unique users, so we certainly have a standard we want to achieve.

What content/pitches are you looking for from PRs/brands? 
We’re here to test and review the best gear on the market, explain how to get your smart home up and running and show you how to get the most from it. Therefore, we need to know, and be able to test, all the new devices hitting the market.

What’s the best way for PRs and brands to work with you?
Pitches over email work best and face-to-face briefings are also great. Also, take us out for beers. We like beers.

 

The Ambient and its editorial team are listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other publications, journalists and influencers. 

Great Monday

5 ways to combat Blue Monday

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Today is apparently the most depressing day of the year. Don’t let this Monday’s bad PR get you down, take a few minutes to work through our tip list and defeat Blue Monday.

Created by Sky Travel in a 2005, Blue Monday is the result of a pseudo equation that draws on factors such as weather (DON’T LOOK OUTSIDE), debt level, time since Christmas, time since failing New Year’s resolutions, motivational levels and the need to take action.

It’s obviously not true (unless you work in public comms in Hawaii and then it might), but to really stick it to Blue Monday, here are five things you can do now, to ensure an excellent day:

1. Contact PR pros you don’t work with
Plan a meet up, even if it’s just a quick coffee, with someone you normally ‘don’t have time’ to see. Spreading creativity, talking about the industry and sharing success stories is a great way to feel refreshed and invigorated.

 

2. Learn something new
Are you great at pitching but struggle with analysis? Maybe you love the high pressure world of fire-fighting issues but think writing press releases is mundane? Pick something you know you could improve and learn more about it. Whether you talk to a colleague who has more experience or book a full training course to become expert, finish the day smarter than you started.

 

3. Agency? Research new clients
You do this anyway, but why not take 10 minutes as a team to quickly find potential clients. When the 10 minutes are up, pitch them to each other and decide if any of them deserve more work. The short time limit will boost your energy and sharpen your focus for other projects.

 

4. In house? Create a new campaign
As a team, spend 10 minutes creating new ideas for campaigns – and no idea is a bad idea. At the end of the 10 minutes, agree on the best and whether it needs more work. It’s a great way to bond with your team and get the creative juices flowing.

 

5. Build one new relationship
You have your media contacts, you know which journalists and bloggers are most receptive to your brand and message – but there are always more. The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of potential media partners for you; search, find someone new, check their contact preferences and strike up a conversation. Maybe you can pitch them a new campaign or maybe they can cover an existing project, either way it’s time to grow your network.

How are you going to combat Blue Monday? Got any tips? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio.

12 January

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 12 January 2018

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This week’s Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed from the world of media, PR and comms includes YouTube’s response to Logan Paul, Facebook’s news feed changing, Steve Bannon, the Daily Mail and Virgin Trains argument, and Carrie Gracie’s BBC pay row. 

 

1. YouTube and Logan Paul

YouTube has apologised for taking so long to officially respond to the Logan Paul controversy of last week. The video-sharing platform posted an explanation on Twitter, claiming it was upset with the video Logan Paul had posted. It finished the thread with:

 

The ‘further consequences’ were later revealed, when YouTube announced it had cut some business ties with the viral star. This includes removing Logan Paul from its Google Preferred programme, the platform that allows brands to sell ads to the top 5% of content creators – which is likely to severely damage Logan Paul’s sizeable income. They’ve also put original projects with Logan Paul, including a proposed film, on hold.

Further details about the steps YouTube is taking to ensure ‘videos like this’ never circulate again are yet to materialise, but the YouTube community will be keeping a close eye on any policy or algorithm changes.

 

2. Facebook to change news feed

Facebook news feed changes

Mark Zuckerberg has announced the news feed algorithm is to change, with more focus on friends and family posts and less on those from businesses, brands and media. This is after feedback that the latter group is ‘crowding out the personal moments that leads us to connect more with each other’.

In Zuckerberg’s lengthy post on the decision, he says: ‘We feel a responsibility to make sure our services aren’t just fun to use, but also good for people’s well-being. So we’ve studied this trend carefully by looking at the academic research and doing our own research with leading experts at universities. The research shows that when we use social media to connect with people we care about, it can be good for our well-being.’

The move from ‘focusing on helping you find relevant content’, to ‘helping you have more meaningful social interactions’ is very much going back to Facebook’s roots. The social platform was, for many years, primarily focused on posts from people you knew rather than promoting itself as one of the biggest content delivery platforms in the world. This change is likely to hit thousands of publishers very hard, as for many sites, Facebook is the biggest single source of traffic. The announcement has led to a drop in Facebook’s share price when markets opened. If the plan is properly followed through, expect corporate backlash, businesses closing down and huge changes to the media landscape.

 

3. Sloppy Steve

Perhaps it’s a rite of passage for all of Trump’s ‘enemies’ – once they get a nickname, they know they’ve really riled him. Trump’s former White House Chief Strategist, “Sloppy” Steve Bannon, was this week fired from his role at the helm of Breitbart News. It is the latest part of his tumultuous relationship with Trump and his supporters, from genius insider to detractor and traitor. After his comments about Donald Trump Jnr’s ‘treasonous’ meeting with Russian contacts appeared in Michael Wolff’s explosive book, Bannon’s departure from Breitbart seemed inevitable. Trump was quick to distance himself from his former ally, before laying into him:

 

 

4. Daily Mail attacks Virgin

Daily mail row

It was revealed this week that Virgin Trains has stopped selling the Daily Mail due to its incompatibility with the Virgin Trains brand. The company stopped carrying the paper back in November, but at the time it told the Daily Mail it was ‘saving space’ by selling only three papers: the Mirror, FT and Times.

Drew McMillan, head of colleague communication and engagement at Virgin, sent internal staff a memo that said: ‘Thousands of people choose to read the Daily Mail every day. But they will no longer be reading it courtesy of VT. There’s been considerable concern raised by colleagues about the Mail’s editorial position on issues such as immigration, LGBT rights and unemployment.

‘We’ve decided that this paper is not compatible with the VT brand and our beliefs.’

The Daily Mail struck back; a spokesman said: ‘It is disgraceful that, at a time of massive customer dissatisfaction over ever-increasing rail fares, and after the taxpayer was forced to bail out Virgin’s East Coast mainline franchise, a decision strongly criticised by the Mail, that Virgin Trains should now announce that for political reasons it is censoring the choice of newspapers it offers to passengers.

‘It is equally rich that Virgin chose to launch this attack on free speech in the Aslef trade union journal. For the record Virgin used to sell only 70 Daily Mails a day.’

They then made the issue about Brexit, as the spokesman continued with: ‘They informed us last November that to save space, they were restricting sales to just three newspapers: the Mirror, FT and Times. They gave no other reason, but it may be no coincidence that all those titles, like Virgin owner Sir Richard Branson, are pro-Remain.’

Critics of Virgin’s move suggest the company is censoring ‘free press’ whereas supporters believe the company is well within its rights to choose which publications it sells to its customers.

 

5. Carrie Gracie and the BBC pay row

BBC

Carrie Gracie stepped down from her role as China editor at the BBC this week, after accusing the public broadcaster of ‘breaking equality law’ and ‘resisting pressure for a fair and transparent pay structure’. She highlights an ongoing struggle to be paid equally to the other international editors, particularly John Sopel, US editor, and Jeremy Bowen, Middle East editor. Her struggles proved fruitless so she’s quit her post and will return to the UK newsroom.

Gracie made the announcement hours before she was due to host the Today programme, which she has done all week. In a plot worthy of W1A, Gracie was unable to talk about her own news story, due to impartiality rules, and so couldn’t cover the biggest story of the day. Other journalists who had expressed support for Gracie were also banned from discussing the issue on air.

In a further twist, it has now been revealed that John Humphreys and John Sopel were recorded discussing the story off air, and Humphreys made several derogatory remarks including: ‘I could save you the trouble as I could volunteer that I’ve handed over already more than you f***ing earn but I’m still left with more than anybody else and that seems to me to be entirely just – something like that would do it?’

This might not be the last time we see Mr Humphreys in Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed.