UK – 25 October 2017

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Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at UK titles including ITV, Marie Claire and PA Life. 

News & Politics

  • Jennifer Cordingley has been appointed on screen journalist at ITV Border.

Lifestyle

  • Sarah Barnes has been appointed beauty assistant at Marie Claire.

Business

  • Jade Burke has been appointed editor at PA Life replacing former editor Molly Dyson. Jade was previously deputy editor at ToyNews and Licensing.biz.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets. Find out more.

Teresa and Belinha

Blogger Spotlight: Teresa Keohane, The Dogvine

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The Dogvine was recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Pet Blogs. Written by Teresa Keohane, the blog is about Belinha, Moleque and Nina – three street dogs rescued by Teresa from Brazil. Here we spoke to Teresa about writing the dog-friendly guide to London, her favourite dog products and working with PRs on successful campaigns.

How would you describe your blog?
I would describe The Dogvine as a community for London dog lovers and owners where they can find out about dog events and dog-friendly businesses e.g. coffee shops & restaurants and pet products. I also work with local charities to help promote pet adoption.

Why did you start your blog?
I’m from the UK but had been living overseas in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil for several years where I adopted my dogs (who were abandoned street dogs). When I moved back to the UK a few years ago with my dogs, I noticed that a lot of the ‘insider’ information was hard to come by and often only talked about between dog owners at the park. So, I decided to create my blog and feature the kind of things I would want to hear about and that other people seemed interested in and would find useful.

What’s it like having a famous pet?
One of my dogs, Belinha is the face of the blog and I have to say it’s her ears that are the most famous – they get commented on wherever she goes! I always say she’s come a long way from the bedraggled dog I found on the streets of Rio and I’m grateful that a little unwanted street dog has had that opportunity.

Rescue dog

How does your pet cope with the pressure?
She gets lots of extra fuss and treats so seems to like it. It’s really important to make sure that anything we do, feature or review for the blog is something that Belinha (or Moleque or Nina) would enjoy.

What’s your favourite pet product?
That’s hard to pick just one! How about one from my perspective and one from Belinha’s? Mine would be the Furbo, which is a treat tossing interactive pet cam. When I do have to leave my dogs at home it means I not only can see what’s going on, but interact also with them.

Belinha’s would be Beautiful Joe’s Ethical Dog Treats which are low fat air-dried liver treats, she goes crazy for them. I also photograph a lot of dogs at events for the blog and have never had a dog turn these down, quite the opposite. Plus, for every bag purchased, Beautiful Joes’s donate a bag to an animal shelter. More on Beautiful Joe’s in my post here.

What’s your favourite post?
Again, hard to pick just one! I recently collaborated with City Paws Club, (the UK’s first activity centre for dogs) and Belinha and I joined one of their Dog & Human Paddle Boarding experiences on the Thames. It was an incredible experience and honestly probably not something I would have known about or done had I not started the blog. Other people that came along had done so after hearing about it on The Dogvine so that was really rewarding too.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I like to understand what the brand is trying to achieve, then I try and find a unique way of presenting this so I can simultaneously deliver value to my audience as well as the brand. As the request has often gone out to several bloggers at the same time, it’s important to find ways to differentiate. I find it works best when PRs take the time to make sure the ethos of the brand is understood as well as what the brand is looking for. That helps me then focus on how I can creatively deliver that in way that is useful and makes sense to for my readers.

Moleque the dog

What’s one thing should PRs know about you?
I’ve spent a lot of my professional life living and working in different countries of which seven years was spent living in Rio de Janeiro. I rescued and brought back three street dogs from Brazil to the UK – two are my dogs Belinha (the face of the blog) and Moleque and the third, Nina, has been adopted by a friend but still helps out with pet product reviews on the blog.

What’s a memorable campaign you’ve worked on?
That would have to be when I was asked to work with Airbnb on creating an Insider’s Guidebook to Dog Friendly London. Not only was creating the guidebook a lot of fun but I got to help raise the profile of some great local businesses and give readers exactly the kind of content I wanted to create when I started the blog.

What other blogs do you read?
Too many to list so here’s a few I read regularly: Dog Milk, Wag Wear Repeat, My Dog Likes, A Beautiful Mess and Woof and Walls (not strictly a blog but they have an amazing instagram feed)!

The Dogvine and Teresa Keohane feature on the leading Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

UK – 24 October 2017

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Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at UK titles including ELLE, Express.co.uk and St Helens Star. 

News & Politics

  • Matt Atherton has been appointed health reporter at Express.co.uk. Matt was previously a senior multimedia reporter at Food Manufacture.
  • The St Helens Star has moved back to the town, taking space in Century House, Hardshaw Street, St Helens, Merseyside.

Lifestyle

  • Felicity Kay has been promoted to junior fashion editor at ELLE. Felicity was previously senior fashion assistant at the title.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets. Learn more.

Basil the blog

Blogger Spotlight: Cathrine Garnell, Basil’s Blog

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Basil’s Blog is a Top 10 UK Pet Blog tracking Basil the cat and his family of eight cats (the B Team). Written by their ‘purrsonal’ assistant Cathrine Garnell, the blog has been running for five years. Here we caught up with the gang to talk the B Team, story posts and PR campaigns.

How would you describe your blog?
Completely bonkers! But seriously, my blog is really a lot of fun and jam-packed with cat-themed posts almost daily featuring; Colouring with Cats, Brain Training with Professor Basil, Pet Peeves with Parsley, Book Reviews with Amber, plus other posts including blog hops and fictional stories.

Why did you start your blog?
I began writing novels in 2000 and in 2004 my first children’s novel, Basil the Bionic Cat was published so having a blog was just a natural progression to my repertoire, and slowly it grew and grew until now I don’t have time to write novels, as it’s all about Basil and The ‘B’ Team on the blog.

What’s it like having a famous pet?
It’s wonderful, and it really makes me smile when I think that peeps from all over the world know who Bionic Basil is. That is epic!

How does your pet cope with the pressure?
Basil and The ‘B’ Team take the pressure of being famous in their stride, they’re just supurr chill about it all. They take a few more selfies; post on Instagram, tweet, share stuff on Facebook, you know the usual celebrity social media rounds, it’s just the norm for them now.

What’s your favourite pet product?
My cats have lots of favourite products but the best thing is the Yeowww Catnip Banana, they love it! Though my favourite pet product is the Kitty Observatory I made in my last Crafting with Cats post.

Parsley and HRH

What’s your favourite post?
My favourite posts are the fictional story posts; such as last year’s epic saga called Fast, Furry and Dangerous – Revenge of the P.I.T.H. This year’s saga is called; The Last Big Jolly it’s at the halfway point and will conclude at Christmas. They are absolutely great fun to write and have all the makings of a proper summer blockbuster; cats with guns, tanks, helicopters, secret bunkers, time travelling telephone boxes, explosions, aliens, etc… you name it my cats can do it via photoshop.

How do you like to work with PRs?
Working with PRs is great.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I work to a strict schedule.

What’s a memorable campaign you’ve worked on?
I’ve worked on quite a few campaigns but one of the most memorable was The WHISKAS® Kitten Kollege Dropouts Campaign. Basil had great fun with this one.

What other blogs do you read?
Wow, I read so many blogs each week and the best way for me to answer this is to direct you to my Pawesome Blog Directory and you‘ll see exactly who I visit regularly.

Basil’s Blog features on the leading Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

PRWeek Awards 2017

3 ways to win a PR award

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The PRWeek Awards last week celebrated 33 winners, including 22 awards for amazing campaigns. From the judges’ comments praising the victors, we can see what it takes to win such a prestigious prize.

Vuelio was delighted to partner the PRWeek Awards 2017, which took place on 18 October. Check out our Canvas to see the best content before, during and after the night, from social media and the news.

With hundreds of finalists, each winner had to be exemplary to claim their prize. From the judge’s comments published by PRWeek, we present 3 golden rules to win a PRWeek campaign award:

1. Be brave
Brave is a word used multiple times by the judges across a number of categories, but what does it actually mean? W Enterprise won the Healthcare: Ethical & OTC Consumer award for it’s the Future of Social Care campaign for Cera. Wanting to be the ‘solution’ the the NHS and social care’s major issues of bed blocking and delayed discharges, W Enterprise’s research found every major stakeholder was sceptical change could be made without huge sums of investment. With just a limited budget, W Enterprise managed to battle against this perception using personal pitches to journalists and collaborations with charity and NHS leaders.

Weber Shandwick were described as ‘Brave, clever, disruptive’, for its award-winning Kevin the Carrot Christmas campaign for Aldi. Seen to be taking on the giants of Christmas advertising, John Lewis, the campaign used a similar model to its rival, which had proved successful in the past.

A brave campaign is one that isn’t afraid to take on existing ideas and accepted norms. Winners use what they have in clever ways to challenge perceptions of market-leaders and ‘unchangeable’ circumstances.

 

2. KISS

Keep It Simple, Stupid! The word simple is used by judges more than any other – PR professionals are story tellers and the simpler you can get your message across, the better. Taylor Herring’s The Real Mr Darcy campaign for UKTV’s Jane Austen season was described as a ‘Simple idea, but brilliantly executed’. It created a portrait of what an academic study considered Mr Darcy would have looked like in real life. This simple idea appealed to most national newspapers, leading to significant coverage.

Weber Shandwick’s #BrutalCut campaign for ActionAid UK ‘cut’ videos of Kenyan girls facing female genital mutilation into videos from vloggers, digital publishers, celebrity posts, cinema ads, fesitval screens and outdoor ads. This digital ‘brutal cut’ smashed ActionAid’s targets, and was described by the judges as ‘Brilliantly creative, yet simple’.

Ogilvy PR’s white rhino campaign for Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy put Sudan – the only male of his species and most eligible bachelor in the world (with more than 7,000 female southern white rhinos to choose from) on Tinder. While Sudan can’t mate due to old age, the campaign raised huge funds for the Conservancy’s programmes.

Being simple is making it clear what your message is about from the very beginning. While it may not fit your campaign targets, being simple is the best way to tell a story because it’s likely to resonate with the most people.

 

3. Know your channels

Knowing where a campaign can be most successful – in line with a client’s brief – is vital for it to be triumphant. Vodafone’s winning ReConnect campaign showed, according to the judges, ‘how media relations can have a big impact’. Commissioning research and analysis from KPMG, Vodafone created complete news stories about the benefits of women going back to work after a career break – which led to wide-reaching coverage across multiple publications. It is a basic of good PR, but we sometimes forget that press releases are more likely to be published if its already a news story, rather than a sales pitch.

Unity’s Yours, Mrs Claus blog for ActionAid won the Most Innovative Use of Digital & Social Media award. The blog was designed to highlight women’s stories, as well as the women and girls ActionAid helps around the world. It was penned by ‘Mrs Claus’, and according to the agency ‘accessible to all, but delivered in such a way that only women would really see it’. Celebrities also contributed to the blog, driving up its traction with the target audience. The judges said: ‘A campaign that demonstrated a thorough understanding of the mechanics of the internet and the way different media channels play out across it’.

One Green Bean’s Best Use of Technology award for the relaunch of Nokia Snake on Facebook Messenger praised a retro game reaching a new, younger audience. While nostalgia seemed to play a huge part in its success, the game has now been played over 74 million times.

Working with clients to identify target channels, as well as knowing what will work for your campaign, is a must for modern PR professionals in the face of so many choices. And if you’re struggling, Vuelio can help you reach all of the right influencers, no matter what channel they’re on.

What do you think it takes to make a great PR campaign? Let us know in the comments below.

UK – 23 October 2017

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Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at UK titles including the Financial Times, Evening Standard and Dazed. 

News & Politics

  • David Bond has been appointed security and defence editor at the Financial Times. David was previously the European media correspondent at the title.
  • Ella Wills has been appointed online news reporter at the Evening Standard.
  • Crimewatch has been axed after 33 years on air. Read more about it.

Lifestyle

  • Anna Cafolla has been appointed news and features editor at Dazed. Anna was previously a staff writer at the title.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets. Want to know more about the Media Database?

Stephanie Walton

Blogger Spotlight: Stephanie Walton, Steph and the Spaniels

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Stephanie Walton writes Steph and the Spaniels, which recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Pet Blogs. The dog blog features dog-friendly adventures and travel with Sev (Severus) and Lily. We caught up with Stephanie to talk about the dogs, working with independent brands and dog-friendly adventures.

How would you describe your blog?
Our blog is a lifestyle blog, following our life including our two spaniels, Severus and Lily. We’re all about ‘never leaving the dogs behind’ and that is showcased in the blog.

Why did you start your blog?
It started so long ago, with a very different topic, however over the eight years it’s slowly changed into a lifestyle blog. Having an online diary and somewhere to showcase my photography is a large part of why I blog.

What’s it like having a famous pet?
I’m not so sure they’re famous yet, I’ll let you know if that happens.

How do Sev and Lily cope with the pressure?
Sev and Lily obviously have no pressure, they like to pose because it means getting treats. Getting to explore, adventures in new places and new walks are just fun to them.

What’s your favourite pet product?
We love our Equafleeces.

What’s your favourite post?
Of my own? I don’t think I have one, but I love that. There’s always something new and something different. We love travel posts though and sharing true dog-friendly adventures with our readers.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I think the relationship between brand and blogger is important, as long as PRs know how to work with bloggers. It’s so important that it’s always a professional collaboration.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
That they’d get high quality content, as long as they offer something high quality and dog friendly within our life.

What’s a memorable campaign you’ve worked on?
So many, although we tend to deal with independent brands so ‘campaigns’ aren’t so common. We loved working with Bayer on the Lungworm Campaign as it’s such an important topic and it was great. Also working with Barbour on a few different campaigns and blog posts has no doubt been amazing, and something we’re all very proud of.

What other blogs do you read?
Lots, from dog friendly to lifestyle. I love high quality images and everyday life topics.

Steph and the Spaniels feature on the market-leading Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 20 October 2017

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This week’s big stories of the week from the world of PR, media and communications, including PRWeek Awards, Crimewatch, a white paper, McDonald’s and parenting bloggers.

1. 30 years of PRWeek Awards

PRWeek Awards

Vuelio were delighted to join the 80s-themed celebrations for 30 years of the PRWeek Awards. With Alan Edwards’ induction into PRWeek’s Hall of Fame presented by The Who’s Roger Daltrey; Katherine Ryan delighting the 1,000-strong crowd with her hosting; and 32 awards given to the PR industry’s brightest and best, the PRWeek Awards proved themselves a highlight of 2017. Vuelio has created a Canvas of all the best posts from the night – check it out here.

 

2. Crimewatch axed after 33 years

Jeremy Vine presenter

One of the UK’s longest continuously running TV programmes has been cancelled, after 33 years on air. Crimewatch, seen by many as a public service for solving crime, has suffered from dwindling ratings even after it was revamped with Jeremy Vine and Tina Deheley at the helm.

Former presenter Nick Ross explained the demise: ‘If you get 15 million people watching a programme and you have an appeal, the chance of finding somebody, that one witness who saw something they had no idea was connected with the crime… they can ring in. Once your audience starts plummeting, you go back to two million, one million, your chances of finding that person are so remote.’

The show is famous for helping to solve high-profile cases including the murder of James Bulger. It also featured the murder of Jill Dando, a presenter on the programme up until her death in 1999.

 

3. Disruptive business and destructive PR

Disruptive PR

When isn’t a bad reputation bad for business? Traditional media often has a less than favourable relationship with the big disruptors of this world, but does that matter? After Uber’s licensing issues with TFL, it became apparent how different their reputation with their customers was from their reputation with the press. Our latest whitepaper – The Filth and the Fury: Disruptive Businesses & Destructive PR – explores how to rip up the rulebook and still come out on top.

 

4. Szechuan Sauce and the great PR “disaster”

JustinRoiland on twitter

McDonald’s made headlines around the world for a “botched” limited edition dipping sauce. Made famous by cult cartoon series Rick & Morty, the 1998 Mulan-linked Szechuan sauce was released by McDonald’s for one day only. When it didn’t provide enough, the media picked it up as PR fail – but with international headlines and thousands of fans desperate to get their hands on a McDonald’s product, it’s clear this PR strategy was nothing short of genius. Maybe even Rick-level genius.

McDonald’s wasn’t the only fast-food restaurant winning on social media this week – KFC has impressed Twitter for only following eleven people – the five Spice Girls and six guys named herb. That’s right, 11 herbs and spices.

 

5. The UK’s top parenting blogs

Parenting blogs

One of the most influential rankings Vuelio compiles, the Top 10 UK Parenting Blogs has this week been topped by Jo Middleton of Slummy Single Mummy. Jo has regained the top spot from Mum in the Mad House’s Jen Walshaw, who fell to second. The top three was completed by Donna Wishart’s What the Redhead said – one of a whopping six new entries to this ranking. Parenting bloggers famously have one of the most engaged communities in the blogosphere and the best relationship with PR professionals.

 

Think we’ve missed something? Let us know in the comment below.

Disruptive PR

Disruptive business and destructive PR

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Our latest white paper, The Filth and the Fury, explores how innovative disruptors – from Uber to Amazon – are managing their reputations in a media world built for traditional businesses.

After Uber’s recent licence issue with Transport for London, a new spotlight is on the reputationally-troubled company for its practices and position in society. While Uber’s fans are legion, it hasn’t publically received the support a successful business might expect to enjoy.

Our whitepaper looks at why the mainstream media often targets disruptors and in turn what they’re doing to defend themselves. Though negative stories are sometimes deserved, there’s mounting evidence that the press has it in for the new kids on the block.

But does it matter?

The white paper also explores whether having a bad reputation in the media is bad for the whole company or if the right strategy is to look after your customers first.

If you’d like to learn more the benefits of disruptive PR, download our whitepaper by clicking here.

And if you think you’re ready to embrace disruptive PR, find out more about what Vuelio can do for you.

UK – 20 October 2017

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Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at UK titles including The Telegraph, Scratch and siliconrepublic. 

News & Politics

  • Edward Malnick has been appointed Whitehall editor at The Telegraph. Edward was previously deputy investigations editor at the titles.

Lifestyle

  • Sophie Nutt has been appointed editorial assistant at Scratch Magazine, the publication focused on nails.

Business 

  • Eva Short has been appointed junior careers reporter at siliconrepublic. Eva was previously a broadcast assistant at Newstalk.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets. Find out more more.

Clare Nicholas

Blogger Spotlight: Emmy’s Mummy and Harry’s Too!

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Clare Nicholas is the author of Emmy’s Mummy and Harry’s Too!, which recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Parenting Blogs. Clare was a nanny for 14 years and she draws on her wealth of childcare knowledge to provide expert advice and suggest child-friendly activities. We spoke to Clare about her regular nanny feature, finding your own voice and collaborating with brands to give the children an experience. 

How would you describe your blog?
A parenting and lifestyle blog which shares helpful tips using my nanny experience to help other parents under the popular ‘Top Tips from a Former Nanny’ series.

Why did you start your blog?
As a way to share Emmy’s milestones with family members who didn’t get to see her often as they would have liked. The idea was to print off into a book for her when she was older, six years down the road the book idea may now not be possible but both children have EVERY milestone recorded so they can read for themselves when they are older.

What’s the best thing about being a parent?
Every single moment. It may sound cheesy but having spent many years believing I would never fulfil my dream I really do cherish every moment. Having children of my own was always my dream but after three miscarriages I almost gave up hope of that ever happening. Emmy was my miracle baby as was Harry after suffering another two miscarriages before he came along.

What advice would you give new parents?
Take ALL the help offered. Sleep when you can and housework really can wait for another day – you are no good to anyone if you are sleep deprived and too frazzled to do anything.

What advice would you give new bloggers?
Be yourself, don’t try to copy your favourite bloggers as you need to find your own voice. You are at the beginning of your journey so don’t worry about their stats and following, just do what works for you.

What makes your blog successful?
I’m not sure I would say it’s successful, what is success anyway? My most popular posts are ones written from the heart, my personal posts and of course those rants where I’ve written about something/someone who’s annoyed me, and my Top Tips from a Former Nanny are rather popular and I really love writing those.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I like to mix it up, I am happy to have a brief to follow but prefer to put my own unique spin on these projects.

What’s one of your favourite collaborations?
That would have to be working with Merlin Annual Pass, it was a year of family fun which we could all enjoy!

What one thing should PRs know about you?
That’s a really hard one, I think it would be that family is everything to me – they were the reason for starting this blog in the first place and I like to ensure they have lots of fun… and mummy at home to enjoy that fun with them.

What other blogs do you read?
There are loads I regularly read, a few favourites are PODcast, Mum in the Mad House, The Oliver’s Madhouse, Five Little Doves and Eats Amazing. 

Clare Nicholas and Emmy’s Mummy and Harry’s Too! feature on the market-leading Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

PRWeek Awards 2017

PRWeek Awards 2017: all you need to know

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The PRWeek Awards celebrated its 30th anniversary last night in true 80s’ style. Vuelio were delighted to partner this historic event and celebrate alongside 1,000 guests and 33 winners.

PRWeek’s editor Danny Rogers then introduced the evening’s event, explaining how the nature of PR has changed as we’ve entered the age of stakeholder marketing. He then introduced a very special presentation.

Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who, took everyone by surprise when he arrived to induct his friend and colleague Alan Edwards into PR Week’s Hall of Fame. Edwards is the founder and chairman of Outside Organisation, and has over 40 years’ experience working with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Prince and David Bowie.

Edwards’ was the first of many awards on the night, which were presented by Katherine Ryan. The Canadian comedian kept the audience entertained with a hilarious routine, outrageous comments and the occasional sing song.

The biggest prizes on the night, two Gold Awards for Consultancy of the Year and In-House Team of the Year, were won by Weber Shandwick and English Heritage respectively. There’s also a special mention for Iris, who won the Vuelio-sponsored Best Influencer Marketing Campaign award for its Adidas Glitch launch.

Social media was ablaze throughout the evening, with #PRWeekAwards quickly shooting to the top of Twitter’s trending topics in the UK, such was the reach of a room of the best PR professionals in the business. We’ve gathered the our favourite posts from across all forms of social media and online stories to make a dedicated Vuelio Canvas, the simple tool that easily tells your PR story.

Click here to see the full PRWeek Canvas.

PRWeek canvas

 

UK – 19 October 2017

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Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at UK titles including BBC World News, MailOnline, GQ Style and The Caterer. 

News & Politics

  • Ellis Palmer has been appointed senior broadcast journalist at BBC World News. Ellis was previously a production junior at Sky.
  • Matt Porter has been appointed Esports journalist at the MailOnline.
  • Suzanne Breen has been appointed political editor at the Belfast Telegraph. Suzanne is the former northern editor of the Sunday Tribune and former senior northern correspondent of the Irish Times.

Lifestyle

  • Sophie Clark has been promoted to fashion editor at GQ Style. Sophie was previously junior fashion editor at the title.
  • Angelo Mitakos has been promoted to senior fashion assistant at GQ Style, having previously been fashion assistant.

Business 

  • There have been a number of changes announced at The Caterer:
    • Chris Gumm has been appointed editor. Chris is the current publisher of Better Wholesaling and editor of RN will be joining the team in the New Year.
    • Outgoing editor Amanda Afiya, who leaves at the end of October, has been retained part-time to support the group in an advisory and ambassadorial role
    • Hotels editor Janet Harmer has been promoted to the role of associate editor and will take over from Neil Gerrard who leaves The Caterer at the end of the year to join an online residential property title.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets. Find out more more.

Slummy Single Mummy

Blogger Spotlight: Jo Middleton, Slummy Single Mummy

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Jo Middleton is the multi-award-winning influencer behind the UK’s biggest parenting blog Slummy Single Mummy. Jo has been writing about family life since 2009 and is also now an expert in social media, marketing and copywriting. Slummy Single Mummy is the number one blog in the Top 10 UK Parenting Blogs, and we caught up with Jo to discuss the importance of not comparing, her advice for new bloggers and working with brands.

How would you describe your blog?
That’s a tricky one, because it has changed a lot over the years as my kids have grown up. I think in a way that’s the beauty of ‘parenting’ as a theme though – pretty much anything can fall under that umbrella if you try hard enough! I like to think my blog doesn’t take itself too seriously, it’s just a bit of light entertainment – like a friendly chat with a friend.

Why did you start your blog?
I actually started it as a way to promote the freelance journalism and copywriting I was doing, way back before brands had really started engaging with bloggers meaningfully, so I never imagined it would evolve into my main source of income.

What’s the best thing about being a parent?
Wow, that’s a big question?? Aside from the unconditional love, joy of seeing your kids grow etc?? Probably that you get to watch Disney films at the cinema and go to theme parks and eat Big Macs and pretend it’s all just because you have to.

What advice would you give new parents?
I think just do your best. Accept that at some point in the future they are going to blame you for ruining their lives in some way – it’s how parenting works – so just do your best from day to day and don’t compare your child to others.

What advice would you give new bloggers?
This is such a tough one, because I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to come into the market place now with so much competition. I think I’d say firstly to just go for it – don’t spend too much time over-thinking things, as you can always grow and develop as you go along. Secondly though I’d say you have to be prepared to work hard and be professional at all times. You can’t expect big brand partnerships to fall into your lap from day one – it takes a while to build up a readership and a reputation. Also, a bit like parenting, don’t compare your blog to other blogs. Comparison really IS the thief of joy.

What makes your blog successful?
I like to think that I have a very consistent, approachable tone of voice, that makes it easy to read and makes people feel like they want to come back and read it again. Commercially, I think honesty is a big part of my success, and professionalism. I always do everything on time, I try to make even the dullest subject interesting – all that stuff that brands love!

How do you like to work with PRs?
I’m pretty open to any kind of approach as long as it’s well researched, friendly and honest. I’m not saying I end up working with everyone who gets in touch, but I try to read most things. I like it best when I’m given plenty of rein creatively, but with clear goals too – I want the brand to be able to measure whether or not they’ve got what they want from working with me, so they come back!

What’s one of your favourite collaborations?
Thinking long term, I really loved working with Bailey of Bristol, who make motorhomes. For a couple of summers they leant us a motorhome so that we could go off on adventures around the UK and Ireland – what’s not to love about that??

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I am NOT interested in reviewing potty training apps. Yes I have children, but they are 15 and 22.

What other blogs do you read?
I have to admit that when I’m not working I prefer to be away from screens if I possibly can, so although I dabble, I’m much more of an old fashioned magazine or book kind of girl.

Jo Middleton and Slummy Single Mummy feature on the market-leading Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

Mum in the Madhouse

Blogger Spotlight: Jen Walshaw, Mum in the Mad House

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Jen Walshaw recently ranked on the Top 10 UK Parenting Blogs with her award-winning Mum in the Mad House. Chronicling the life of a family of four, Jen also uses her blog to share creative makes and recipe ideas. We caught up with Jen to talk about the rewards of family life, working with PRs and being creative!

How would you describe your blog?
Mum in the Mad House is a one-stop shop for people trying to live a creative family life in the digital age on a budget. I am passionate about raising creative children whilst instilling them with skills that will last a lifetime, which can be quite a challenge in this digital age!

So, my blog is filled with crafting, art, cooking with kids, realistic parenting tips and screen-free activities to encourage people to try and live a creative family life.

Why did you start your blog?
My blog started out as a dairy 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 whilst 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!

What’s the best thing about being a parent?
Parenting is the hardest thing that I have ever done, but it is also the most rewarding. I adore watching my children develop and grow and seeing their potential. Each stage of parenting has been different and amazing in its own way. Now we are entering the teen years and it will be interesting to see what they bring!

What advice would you give new parents?
The best advice I ever received was not to listen to what other people said you have to do but to trust your own instincts. For me, parenting confidence came with experience and it took time to learn that I had to do what was right for my family and that wasn’t necessarily the same as someone else’s.

What advice would you give new bloggers?
Starting a blog was one of the best things I did, I would encourage anyone thinking about it to just do it. But you do need to have a thick skin. I am aware that by putting myself out into the public eye I am inviting comments and opinions that I might not necessarily get in real life. Think about why you want to blog and what you want to get out of it. I started as an online diary and it has developed organically over the years. I think it has become much harder to be heard since I started as the market is much more saturated. There are some great communities out there so get involved, have fun and connect with people.

What makes your blog successful?
I think that Mum in the Mad House is so successful as it is relevant and I am relatable to people. Over the years it has gone from strength to strength, some readers have been with us from the beginning, others found us whilst looking for a specific solution. It has stood the test of time and remains a trusted voice in a saturated market.

Jen Walshaw

How do you like to work with PRs?
I love working with brands and companies. I prefer to produce unique quality content based on their needs. Over the years we have produced and featured in videos, attended events and press trips, featured on company websites, offered competitions and much, much more. For us, it is about thinking creatively and finding an angle that connects with our readers. I am more than happy to chat to a PR about what they are looking to do and come up with something that meets both our needs.

What’s one of your favourite collaborations?
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 and festivals, whilst me, like most mums, are happy when the rest of the family is, however, I do love going to concerts, visiting new places and experiencing new things.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
That 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. Also, I think that it is time for brands to understand just how much impact working with a blogger can have. I can reach so much more people than the traditional press, but often they are still not willing to pay a commensurate fee.

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 feature on the market-leading Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

UK – 18 October 2017

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Media-Updates-New-Featured

Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at UK titles including The Scottish Sun, Daily Express, HELLO and Drapers. 

News & Politics

  • Craig Jackson has been appointed news editor at The Scottish Sun. Craig was previously news editor at the Sunday Post.
  • Adam Miller has been promoted to TV editor at the Daily Express Online. Adam was previously senior TV reporter at the site.

Lifestyle

  • Elle Sixsmith has been appointed beauty writer across HELLO Fashion Monthly and Hello Fashion. Elle was previously a beauty assistant at Marie Claire.
  • Colm Ahern has been promoted to deputy editor at VIDEOGAMER.com. Colm was previously content editor at the site.

Business 

  • Incisive Media has moved to a new office at New London House at 172 Drury Lane, close to both Holborn and Covent Garden tube stations. This follows a management buyout in April this year. The company has also refreshed its logo and corporate design.
  • Alice Sholl has been appointed senior reporter at Drapers.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets. Learn more about the database.

Bianca Derhy

Blogger Spotlight: Bianca Derhy, Bibi Goes Chic

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Bianca Derhy is the international digital influencer behind Bibi Goes Chic. Covering a range of topics from fashion to travel, Bianca has a significant social media presence and is a rising Instagram star. We spoke to Bianca about her blog, making it big on Instagram and working with a network of PRs around the world.

How would you describe your blog?
My blog is a combination of what I love most: fashion, beauty, travel and luxury lifestyle. Specialising in the best of both, premium luxury and high-street fashion, Bibi Goes Chic aims to inspire women to style fashion-forward looks for different occasions through a combination of personal fashion posts, product reviews and trend tips – with professional photography to accompany each story.

What took your Instagram account to the next level in terms of followers?
Back in 2014, when I started blogging, growing on Instagram was definitely easier as public accounts gained more visibility. I think what worked best for me, and what continued to do so, was when I would get reposted on a popular accounts’ page. For example, if I would wear an outfit from Missguided and tag them, that picture could get shared on their page, driving a couple of hundred or even thousands over to mine. I definitely think interacting and collaborating with others on Instagram is a tool that works!

Bianca DerhyWhat advice would you give someone trying to make it big on Instagram?
I think nowadays, with Instagram’s algorithm having affected a lot of us in terms of reach and growth, big numbers isn’t everything. Rather, focus on creating amazing quality content, interacting with your followers, using the Stories and Live feature to get more personal, and the rest will follow!

How do your other social channels work with Instagram and your blog?
My main social media is definitely Instagram at the moment, as it serves as the main storyteller where I keep my viewers most up to date about what goes on in my life. I do love to blog when I feel like I have a lot to say about a particular topic, and feel like my readers would enjoy that depth a bit more. I’ve recently started YouTube where I film more about my university studies, lookbook and style tips, vlogs etc, so my readers can get to know me better.

What’s your favourite topic to blog about?
At the moment I’m loving writing about travel, as it’s been a passion of mine since I was young. I’m so grateful for each opportunity that comes my way, and having the ability to travel, see the world and immerse myself in a new culture is certainly an unforgettable feeling! I hope to capture that sensation as much as possible in my content on social media and my blog.

Who takes your pictures and what’s your process uploading content?
It definitely varies – if I’m collaborating with a brand or writing a blog post I would work with a photographer, yet I mostly use my iPhone 7 Plus for shooting daily content on the go (the quality is certainly up there and it’s the easiest tool we have!).

My process when it comes to shooting and uploading content is always to first brainstorm for new and exciting ideas I can share with my readers, whether that be for a blog post, Instagram photo or YouTube video. Once the content is created, I will use several editing tools such as Lightroom, and plan a schedule for when each post should go live. However, I always keep my content current and so most of what I post will have been shot that same week so my readers are most up to date!

What’s the next big trend going to be for influencers?
That’s a tough one! Instagram has just launched a polling tool, where viewers on Insta Stories can click which option they prefer between two things (say, do you prefer this Valentino bag or this Chanel clutch?) and see voting results live. I think surveys and testing is huge for both brands and influencers, and can help get a better insight into what our readers want to see from us in order to create more tailored experiences.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I love working with PRs and have a global network with them so that whenever I’m traveling, I’m still able to attend events and work with international brands. They also have loads of connections already built within the industry, and serve as a great introduction should you want to build a relationship with someone. Networking is definitely key!

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I would introduce myself as an international digital influencer, having grown up in the fashion capital of Paris and now living in another major fashion city, London. I’m also very passionate about what I do, and certainly motivated!

What other blogs do you read or vlogs do you watch?
I love to read, and am a big fan of popular blogs such as Chiara Ferragni (now turned into an e-commerce/digital magazine), but I am loving YouTube and regularly watch Kane and Pia, Jon Olsson and Clothes Encounters to name a few.

P.S. I also recently started a YouTube channel as well!

Bianca and her blog feature on the market-leading Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

Aurelie Four

Blogger Spotlight: Aurélie Four, Marcel Le Corgi

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Marcel Le Corgi is the fluffy Pembroke Welsh Corgi that features on the eponymous blog written by Aurélie Four. Recently ranked in the top 10 UK pet blogs, we caught with Aurélie to talk about Marcel’s fame, favourite pet products and working directly with brands.

How would you describe your blog?
Our blog is all about sharing what we love (and sharing the love), Marcel and having him as part of our family, travelling (which we do with him when reasonable), good food and nice things… in a fun and pawsitive tone which reflects what Marcel is and what he has brought to our lives.

Why did you start your blog?
A friend of ours suggested I did. We were enjoying running Marcel’s social media so much and his audience loves the travelling and London life part! It can be a struggle to find information on dog-friendly things and posts on social media only stay visible for a few hours, so I thought why not use and share all the pictures I would never have released otherwise, and the information I gather whilst researching trips, food (etc) on a blog where they can be found more easily!

Marcel

What’s it like having a famous pet?
Fun! We get to do so many amazing things and go to places where I never thought he’d be able to go! We’re now used to him being recognized in the streets, but the first few times it was very overwhelming (for us; he loves the attention). We get a lot of love and it’s great being able to share it with charities.

Having people leap in front of us to take photos without asking makes me understand why some human celebrities ‘snap’ – just ask and I will happily make him pose! There is an element of responsibility too – I want to make sure people understand what having a dog means and always make sure people do not get a corgi pup because ‘Marcel’s pictures are so cute’. We also make sure we are not encouraging anything that might impact all other dogs and owners, for example, picturing him on seats on public transport, in uncomfortable situations, taking him to places where he is nervous or endorsing a product we would not use.

Registered trademarkHow does Marcel cope with the pressure?
He does not, because I make sure that he never gets pressured to do anything. Photo sessions are kept fun, short, and rewards are key. We ask for regular breaks when filming/shooting and I have cut short or refused jobs when I knew he would not be comfortable or has had enough. At the end of the day, he is a dog and I fully intend to allow him to enjoy being a dog. As for the attention, he loves it and again I just remove him from the situation if it ever gets too much.

What’s your favourite pet product?
We’re lucky enough to get many amazing products to try, including prototypes, so picking one is impossible. His travel essentials are DogRobes drying coats (which doubled as a life-saving cooling coat when we were stuck with extreme temperatures during our summer road trip), Hindquarters leads and dog beds (practical yet super stylish), Hownd’s on the go wipes, Hiro+Wolf’s hands-free lead when I’m on my own with Marcel and the Fish4Dogs squid and salmon treats.

What’s your favourite post?
I only post about things we love (I have a policy to forget about things I would not recommend and always disclose those paid or where we received a free product to feature – I think we owe that to our amazing audience) so all of them really, the travel ones especially.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I like to work directly rather than with too many people in between, where communication can get lost. Being honest (both ways) and knowing exactly what is expected and agreeing on that before any campaign or shoot is key. I also like to feel like we and our work are respected, be it the dog’s welfare, our time, or my photography.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
We’re a team that comprises of an adorable and super friendly, well-trained and camera-ready dog, a semi-pro photographer and pet industry specialist, and a Michelin-star-trained chef. We won’t compromise Marcel’s welfare for anything. Working with us will mean we bring our fun, positivity and experience to selected brands or campaigns we will be dedicated to.

What’s a memorable campaign you’ve worked on?
There are many but this year’s highlights were helping raise awareness for the amazing work of volunteers at the Therapaws programme (by visiting a hospital’s dementia ward with Marcel for Alzheimer’s month – we ourselves regularly visit hospitals as volunteers), and Marcel being invited to the Chelsea Flower Show by RHS (a first for a dog and a dream come true for me) – his photo [above] ended up on the front page of The Times!

What other blogs do you read?
Most of the other blogs I read are fellow dog-friendly travel and lifestyle blogs (mostly UK or France based) or human travel and food blogs.

 

Aurélie Four and Marcel Le Corgi feature on the market-leading Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

Jeremy Vine presenter

Crimewatch axed after 33 years

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One of the UK’s longest continuously airing programmes has been cancelled by the BBC. The announcement was originally reported by the Sun, which claims BBC bosses want to ‘spend more on dramas’.

Crimewatch is currently hosted by Jeremy Vine and Tina Deheley, who took over in September 2016. The companion daytime programme Crimewatch Roadshow will continue to air, and will actually increase its number of episodes.

The BBC said: ‘We believe the successful Crimewatch Roadshow format in daytime is the best fit for the brand going forward and we will increase the number of episodes to make two series a year’.

The show has a history of helping in famous cases, including the murders of James Bulger and the schoolgirl Sarah Payne. It also featured the murder of Jill Dando, who co-presented Crimewatch until her death in 1999.

While the Sun has claimed the move will anger police, the show’s dwindling ratings have somewhat diminished its function as a ‘public service’ for solving crimes.

Nick Ross, who was a presenter from Crimewatch’s launch in 1984 until 2007, told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: ‘If you get 15 million people watching a programme and you have an appeal, the chance of finding somebody, that one witness who saw something they had no idea was connected with the crime… they can ring in.

‘Once your audience starts plummeting, you go back to two million, one million, your chances of finding that person are so remote.’

On Twitter, Crimewatch’s demise has upset and amused fans alike:

Do you think Crimewatch was more than its ratings? Or do you think it had lost its crime-solving powers? Let us know in the comments below.

UK – 17 October 2017

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Media-Updates-New-Featured

Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at UK titles including the James Harding, Glamour, Question Time, Healthy.

News & Politics

  • James Harding, director of News and Current Affairs at the BBC, will stand down at the beginning of the new year. James is leaving the BBC to set up his own news media venture.
  • Hilary O’Neill has been appointed editor of BBC One’s Question Time. She has worked in senior editorial positions at the BBC for 20 years, most recently as deputy editor of the BBC News at Six and Ten bulletins. Hilary will take up her new role in coming weeks and will be based in Mentorn Scotland’s Glasgow office.

Lifestyle

  • Glamour magazine has announced a new ‘digital first’ strategy that will see it’s monthly print edition become biannual. The final monthly issue of Glamour will be December’s.
  • Hattie Parish has been appointed lifestyle writer at Healthy, the magazine for Holland & Barrett. Hattie was previously editorial assistant at WI Life.

Business 

  • Katie McQuater has been appointed deputy editor across Research Live and IMPACT. Katie was previously magazine editor at The Drum.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets. Get the database here.