TwitterForBrands

Getting ready for launch – #TwitterForBrands

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Gone are the days of launching your business, redesign, or new products purely in paper or in a TV spot. Brands have to launch on Twitter to take off, according to the platform’s director of business marketing Carlos Cantu, speaking on #TwitterForBrands at #MarTechFest 2019.  

Cantu came with the statistics to back up the importance of Twitter – citing that three in four people say that their Twitter community are the first people they look to for advice when wanting to learn more about a topic. And the immediacy of the response this social media channel can give isn’t the only advantage. Audience research has also shown that a 31% increase in memory encoding occurs when content is discovered in Twitter versus other online platforms, making it particularly sticky. Launch leaders (brands who are particularly good at this kind of thing) know the importance of using the platform to make things stick – another stat shared during the session was that launch leaders are 2.4 times more likely to use social listening (like Pulsar, which recently joined the Access Intelligence Group) as a guide for their strategies.

So how can the rest of us tap into Twitter as a tool when working on a launch? Research, timing, relevance, and reinforcement is key, advised Cantu. Start with finding the right audience for your product and message, and make sure to connect with what’s already happening. Coming into a conversation halfway is as weird online as in life, so tap into what’s going on in the space you’re entering. Pick the right time (the window for a successful launch has shortened, along with our attention spans) and be ready to adjust your strategy and collateral with all the real-time data at your disposal. And for better brand awareness? Cultural relevance. When Thea Lauryn Chippendale was mocked for her ASOS outfit on Tinder and went viral on Twitter, ASOS smartly invited her to model for the website.

Not every effort on Twitter is going to go viral, but reinforcement will keep the momentum going for your launch. Cantu’s advice was to go big on the reveal (another number to remember – 40% of launch budget was spent by the launch leaders on launch day and the days leading up to it), and then keep the conversation going with good creative that will resonate. Concise and clear copy, good visuals, and clear branding works when you don’t have a Tinder match nightmare to help tell your story.

In summary, it’s tweeting strategic and creative content that can get brands better results for their launches. With only 15% of brands interviewed in a recent Bain & Company study meeting their KPIs for social, there’s ample opportunity to make more use of Twitter as a launching pad. Did we mention we launched our new look this week, by the way?

ICCO logo

ICCO reveals 2019 Global Awards shortlist

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The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) has unveiled a shortlist of world-leading agencies, in-house teams, and professionals for its 2019 Global Awards.

The Global Awards celebrate outstanding of PR practice from across the world. This year, entries for the 27 awards came from more than 30 countries and were judged by an international panel of experts spanning four continents.

Hosted by broadcaster and journalist, Ayesha Hazarika MBE, the prestigious awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, 3 December, at The Savoy, London, uniting PR professionals from a diverse range of cultures and countries for a night of networking and celebration.

Chair of Judges, Loretta Ahmed, CEO, Grayling Middle East: “Once again we’ve had a stellar set of entries into this year’s ICCO awards. Work from so many countries around the world showed the judges time and again the power of storytelling done well in many different contexts. Winning agencies are to be commended on the dedication to stand-out creativity and flawless execution, with campaign measurement in particular improving year on year.  In many categories the winners secured their award by a fraction of a point, proving the quality of all agencies shortlisted. So, to every agency that was shortlisted and made it to the screens of judges around the world we commend you!”

Best of luck so everyone shortlisted and we look forward to hearing who the winners are in December.

Find the full 2019 shortlist here.

We’re all influencers now

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The #FuturePRoof guide to influencer marketing addresses the need for influencer marketing governance in public relations. We’re all influencers now aims to educate practitioners about influencer relations campaigns, highlighting best practice for brands, agencies and influencers.

According to Markets & Markets the global influencer market is currently estimated at £4.5 billion and it’s a challenging area of practice that sits between marketing and PR, and earned and paid media. 

We are delighted that the founder and editor of #FuturePRoof and MD of Astute.Work, Sarah Waddington will be joining our exclusive webinar with the co-author of the publication and MD of Metia, Stephen Waddington. They will be joined by media and IP law specialist and Partner at Evershed Sutherland, Andrew Terry to discuss why PR is in best position to take ownership of influencer marketing, how to stay compliant and why everyone involved in a campaign has a responsibility to adhere to relevant advertising and media law.

Webinar: We’re all influencers now, 7 November 2019 at 11:00 

Join our live webinar to learn:

  • Best practice for working with influencers on paid and earned campaigns 
  • The importance of transparency over any commercial agreements with third parties
  • How to stay compliant when working on campaigns where no money is exchanged

 

Can’t make it? Register and we will send you a recording after the event. 

The Design Sheppard

Interiors Blogger Spotlight: Stacey Sheppard, The Design Sheppard

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Stacey Sheppard is the blogger behind The Design Sheppard – originally created in 2009 as a place to store the content Stacey gathered while researching for articles, and now a space for interior design inspiration and one of the top ten blogs in the sector.

We spoke to Stacey about blogging as a job, the importance of keeping things honest in the blogging industry, and being a self-appointed cork ambassador (it’s totally a thing – you’ll see).

How do you describe what you do to other people?
I always say I’m a freelance writer and blogger. I started my career as a staff journalist on a print publication and worked as a magazine editor for a number of years before I started my blog. I find that the response I get is less confused if I say freelance writer first. There are still a lot of people out there who don’t actually understand blogging and how it can be a job.

How much of a community is there around interiors bloggers?
For me, the community is the best part of being an interiors blogger. I don’t know what it is like in other niches but in interiors it is so open, welcoming and supportive. I’ve made lifelong friends through blogging, some of whom I’ve only actually met once or twice in real life but who I speak to every single day. I find the interiors blogging community to be really uplifting, inspiring and positive and that makes me proud to be part of it.

What’s the best thing about being a freelance writer and blogger?
The best thing about it is getting to do something that I love every single day. I wake up each morning excited for the day ahead, eager to get to work and see what opportunities will open up for me.

It’s also the freedom of being able to write about anything I’m interested in and sharing those things with my audience. I’ve come across so many talented people since I started blogging and I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing so many great designers. I love being able to give these people a platform to show off their skills.

What does the future of blogging look like?
This is a tough question and I think we’ve all been asking ourselves this recently. The rising popularity of Instagram has obviously sent waves through the blogosphere and left many of us wondering how our blogs can compete. However, we have to remember that we are in complete control of our blogs and no algorithm changes can destroy what we have built or reduce our visibility – that can’t be said for Instagram accounts. In fact, we’ve started to see lots of larger Instagram accounts now creating blogs alongside just to safeguard their future.

Another thing that is changing the industry is the tightening rules and regulations around advertising and brand partnerships. The ASA is continually bringing out new guidelines and regulations in an attempt to create transparency for our audiences and to ensure that they know when they are being advertised to. There was a lot of confusion at first but what is expected of us with regards to disclosure is becoming clearer. There are a lot of bloggers out there who aren’t playing by the rules though. I think it’s a dangerous game to play and in the long run it will be damaging. We gained our followings because people trusted us, they liked our authenticity and they believed that we had their best interests at heart. Those who don’t properly disclose their relationships with brands are disrespecting their readers and in the long run, this can only have a negative outcome.

How do you describe your style?
I hate being asked this question as I really don’t know the answer. Some bloggers have a really distinctive, recognisable style that is instantly identifiable. I don’t have this. I like industrial interiors, I like Scandinavian style, I like mid-century modern. My style also changes from room to room and from week to week. I tend to just go with whatever I’m into at the time. At the moment, that is biophilic design and incorporating lots of natural materials and greenery into my home.

What’s your favourite room in the house?
I’d probably say my bedroom. Now that my kids are mostly sleeping through the night, they aren’t invading that space so much. It’s starting to feel more and more like our own private sanctuary again. It still needs work before I’m totally happy with it, but plans are underway.

How long do you leave a redesign before wanting to do it again?
I’m actually not that big a fan of change. I like consistency at home and a feeling of stability and I couldn’t get that if I was constantly redesigning and redecorating. I tend to spend a really long time working out how I want a room to make me feel and how I want to use the space before making any changes. Then once I do it, I’m in it for the long haul because I’ve put the hours in working out a scheme that I will love. Of course, I make small changes every now again, like changing cushions, adding shelves and expanding my plant gang. But big changes are few and far between.

What’s the best collaboration you’ve worked on with an agency or brand?
I recently worked with The Colour Flooring Company who took me on a trip to Portugal to see the cork harvest and then to the production plant to see it being processed. I’ve loved cork as a material for many years and I’d always wanted to see the harvest. It was such a fun trip and I came back so full of enthusiasm for this remarkable material. I’ve pretty much appointed myself as a cork ambassador.

What advice do you have for PRs looking to get in touch?
Drop me an email and let’s talk.

What other blogs do you read?
Swoon Worthy, Apartment Number 4, Archie & The Rug, fabric of my life, Dear Designer’s Blog, Seasons in Colour, Hello Peagreen, Well I Guess This Is Growing Up, Boreal Abode, In Two Homes, The Interior Editor, Nordic Notes, grillo DESIGNS and new favourite Raspberry Flavoured Windows.

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

Influencer Marketing

Ethics, pivot tables and avoiding the Terminator: 6 lessons from the Influencer Marketing Show

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The panelists at this year’s Influencer Marketing Show had a lot to say about the current state of the influencer industry and how it can be evolved going forward. Most of the advice revolved around brand values, making sure the influencers you’re working with aren’t ‘jokers’ (one speaker’s take on Paul brothers, Aaron and Jake) and keeping things creative.

We attended as many sessions as possible to bring you the best tips from the world of influencer marketing.

1. ‘Avoid the hype cycle’ of AI and ‘get your pivot tables out’
Christian Gladwell from M&C Saatchi Performance
When it comes to the ubiquitous yet amorphous promises of AI for the marketing and influencer industry, the advice during Christian Gladwell’s The Power of People & AI: How Human Supervision Can Drive True Performance was to work towards useful and meaningful automation in what he called the ‘grey industry’ of AI. Unregulated algorithms without human oversight could lead to a dark future (for example, a 2029 Los Angeles with The Terminator walking around kind of future, according to Christian). Christian’s advice for avoiding this – pivot tables galore, and making use of human analysts to find data anomalies as they happen, to keep AI going in the right direction. A direction that isn’t cyborg-Arnold-Schwarzenegger-shaped, ideally.

2. ‘Ignoring ethics is a ticking timebomb in terms of safety’
Scott Guthrie, strategic influencer marketing consultant
Self-regulation of the industry was a big theme with many of the speakers at this year’s event, and something mentioned by Scott Guthrie a few times during his quick rundown of recent influencer controversies in A Question of Ethics: Why Producing Ethical Content is the Right Thing To Do. Future fallout akin to vegan blogger Yovana Mendoza Ayres eating fish or all the things the Paul brothers (yup) have been doing over the last few years can be avoided if brands and agencies focus on ethics alongside exposure.

3. ‘The key to authentic influence is aligning with those key to your brand. Ask yourself the question – why do people follow them?’ 
Adanna David, creator
Authenticity is still what pays off for influencers, despite all the new technologies, virtual avatars and metrics being mooted at this year’s show. Adanna, speaking on the panel for Re-defining Influencer, highlighted an authentic connection as the true tool for producing the best work with brands and agencies. Pick the right influencer, whether macro or micro, for your campaign to make sure you’ll be hitting the right audience.

4. ‘Instagram is not going anywhere soon’
Rob Eades, creator
Also discussing how influence is taking so many different forms, Rob assured the audience that Instagram will continue to be important. Relevance metrics, rather than ad metrics, is his bag to measure the impact and quality of his own work. And it’s not just connecting with a following that makes Instagram important for influencers – artist and visual activist Alice Skinner said that every big job she’s had has been through her DMs (bigger brands she’s worked with include Benefit and Skinnydip), so get in touch.

5. ‘Remember you’re working with real people. It’s not a standardised media buy’
Lisa Targett, UK general manager at TRIBE
During the Creator and Branded Content: The Big Debate panel, Lisa Targett advocated for careful consideration of influencer follower counts and full transparency from both sides when choosing who to work with. Despite some widely-publicised missteps from a few influencers in recent years – bought followers, unethical content, misrepresentation of beliefs – the message from the panel was that influencers, real people, are worth working with and are invaluable when you find the right fit.

6. ‘Sometimes in social you just have to go to your boss and say, “we need to do this”. You have to be brave’
Rachel Kneen, social media lead at Just Eat
Not all successes can be measured or benchmarked – for Rachel, sometimes a good idea at the right time, from the right person, is good enough.

Find the right influencers and make your story matter with the Vuelio Influencer Database.

Welcome to a new look Vuelio!

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Over the last few months, we’ve been busy speaking to our customers to find out what they think about our products and how we better answer what people need. One of the biggest challenges was around how to navigate what we do to find information needed quickly and so we’ve worked on a new (improved) design. The concept is a portal that provides a window into the world of information that our clients need.

We hope with our rebrand to make it easier to understand how we can help your organisation – whether with finding the right journalist, tracking your reputation or gaining the political insight you need. It will be followed by ongoing improvements to our products that we look forward to announcing over the coming months.

As well as updating our brand, we also moved home having outgrown our office space in Moorgate. From Monday 28 October, you can find us in The Johnson Building on Hatton Garden, a brand-new purpose-built space designed so we can better meet the needs of our clients – and our dev team! These changes are all part of our growth within the Access Intelligence portfolio which includes ResponseSource, the network that connects media and influencers to the resources they need fast; and Pulsar, the audience insights and social listening platform.

We’d love to hear what you think of the design and look forward to welcoming you to the new office.

The Vuelio Team

Ronan IMS

Vulnerability is a natural part of being a creative

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With 89% of PR and communications experiencing issues with mental wellbeing, how can we implement change within our own organisations to find a healthier way of working through, and with, our vulnerabilities? Ronan Harrington of Alter Ego and Extinction Rebellion shared some of his ideas for change during ‘New Work Needs Inner Work’ at the Performance In Live, sister show to Influencer Marketing Live.

‘Overwhelmed is the default’, is how Ronan Harrington summed up work in the PR and marketing industry during his keynote speech. Looking out into an audience of communications professionals, Ronan proposed a new way of working based on emotional honesty and growing comfortable with uncertainty.

Marketers and PRs use stories and each of us brings aspects of our own story to our work, whether or not we mean to. Ronan told of childhood experiences being what drives him in his career and the importance of saying ‘Yes, and’ to each challenge that arises.

For him, vulnerability is a natural part of being a creative and shouldn’t be shied away from or hidden. Rerouting this scary aspect of work into honest and healthy office interactions is what will change experiences on this career path for the better.

Pretending traditional office hierarchies are normal ‘isn’t normal’
Hierarchy was pinpointed by Ronan as a ‘way of hiding’ for many workers in the world of PR and marketing – a way to avoid making decisions and staying in a space of self-doubt. A move to circular structures rather than a top-down approach was proposed – a formula Extinction Rebellion has adopted for its own organisation.

Whether the commuters in the audience agreed with the format some of the group’s recent protests took (Ronan himself acknowledged a few of the examples that may have impacted those in the room ‘build a culture where you can acknowledge mistakes and grow through them’), this structure is one that aims to encourage a less-toxic environment and accountability without blame.

Moving towards a ‘culture of wholeness and self-management’
The advocation of self-organisation and regular emotional check-ins with colleagues was met with an anonymous audience question about the importance of funding for these efforts – how can every company afford to bring in consultants for making a happier and mentally healthier environment for their employees, or therapists for regular check-ins during stressful projects?

Surveys and co-counselling within teams was recommended in response – small things that acknowledge the stresses and vulnerabilities of working in this creative sector and enable people to work through and perhaps be inspired by them.

Read practical advice on improving mental wellbeing in PR.

New Environment Bill to ensure we are the first generation to leave the natural environment in a better state than we found it

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Vicky Ford MPThis is a guest post from Vicky Ford, Conservative MP for Chelmsford and a member of the Science and Technology Committee.

As an MP, I have taken particular interest in the damaging impact of plastic waste, particularly on developing countries and the marine environment. I am delighted that the Environment Bill contains a range of ambitious measures that should help to drastically reduce our plastic waste.

In the UK we have already set a world-leading net zero target and supported record levels of investment in renewables, especially offshore wind where we are a world leader. We have decarbonised faster than any other major economy and have already reduced climate emissions by 25% since 2010. The UK is also leading the way in the phase out of coal fired power stations and reducing maritime emissions.

The UK has doubled international climate funding to £11.6 billion, and successfully bid to host the UN Climate summit next year in Glasgow. This Climate Summit provides us with a huge opportunity to accelerate global action on climate change. However, there is always more to do.

The Government has published a 25-year Environment Plan, which is being enshrined in the Environment Bill. This landmark Bill was published as part of the Queen’s Speech. It is a central part in the Government delivering a step-change in environmental protection and recovery. It will also support the legislation to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by minimising our waste, cleaning our air and water, and restoring habitats to allow plants and wildlife to thrive. The Bill has been warmly welcomed by Environmental campaigners.

The Bill will establish a new system of green governance and accountability, creating a world-leading environmental watchdog in the Office of Environmental Protection (OEP), and enshrining Environmental Principles in law, which will embed environmental values at the heart of Government policy making. To ensure the UK continues to drive forward ambitious action to tackle climate change, legislation will be brought within the enforcement remit of the OEP. The Bill will also implement a new statutory cycle of target setting, monitoring, planning and reporting to help deliver significant, long-term environmental improvement. This will include Environmental Improvement Plans (EIPs), the first being the 25-year Environment Plan.

The Bill will drive a major shift in minimising waste and moving towards a more circular economic model. It will introduce measures based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle, create a simplified approach to recycling, and tackle waste crime. Producers will be responsible for the full net costs of managing their products at end of life, encouraging them to design their products with re-use and recycling in mind. This will result in more durable, repairable and recyclable products. To tackle plastic pollution, the Environment Bill will enable the creation of new charges for other single-use plastic items, similar to the carrier bag charge, which will incentivise a shift towards the use of more reusable items. The Government is also taking powers to establish deposit return schemes that will further incentivise consumers to reduce litter and recycle more.

The Bill will enable greater local action on air pollution, better enabling us to tackle emissions from burning coal and wood; and bring forward powers for Government to mandate recalls of vehicles and machinery when they do not meet relevant legal emission standards. The Environment Bill makes a clear commitment to set a legally binding target for the pollutant with the most significant impact on human health, fine particulate matter.

The Bill will introduce additional requirements for water company planning for future water supply and wastewater and drainage networks, enabling more resilient solutions to drought and flooding. In a changing climate, these measures will ensure the water regulator has the powers it needs to respond to changing priorities. The Bill enhances flood and coastal erosion risk management, allowing for the expansion of existing internal drainage boards or the creation of new ones where there is local appetite to do so. The Government is also reforming elements of abstraction licensing to link it more tightly to our goal of restoring water bodies to as close to natural state as possible and reducing substances which are potentially harmful to surface waters and groundwater. The Environment Bill will also make it possible to keep the legislation up to date on chemicals.

The Environment Bill supports and enables action to create or restore wildlife rich habitats to enable wildlife to recover and thrive. It will ensure that new developments enhance biodiversity and help deliver thriving natural spaces for communities. This will also support certainty in the planning system and therefore the delivery of new housing, while retaining and providing habitats that can enhance biodiversity.

Alongside the Bill, the Government response will publish the consultation on protecting and enhancing England’s trees and woodland, covering measures to increase the transparency and accountability in the process of felling street trees.

The Environment Bill will enable our country to make big steps towards delivering the goal that this will be the first generation to leave the natural environment in a better state than we found it. It is a tremendous opportunity and I hope that you will agree that we should grasp it with both hands.

We're all influencers now

#FuturePRoof guide tackles influencer marketing governance for public relations

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#FuturePRoof has published a guide that addresses the need for influencer marketing governance in public relations, with clear guidance for practitioners and influencers. 

According to Markets & Markets the global influencer market is currently estimated to £4.5 billion in 2019.

The #FuturePRoof guide aims to give public relations a voice around the critical area of governance for influencer marketing. It’s a challenging area of practice that sits between marketing and public relations, and earned and paid media.

Click here to read the guide: We’re all influencers now. 

Sarah Waddington, founder and editor of #FuturePRoof said: ‘The #FuturePRoof guide highlights best practice for brands, agencies and influencers. Everyone involved in a campaign has a responsibility to adhere to relevant advertising and media law’.

In the UK influencer campaigns are governed by existing Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) laws. Chartered Institute or Public Relations (CIPR) and Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) members are also covered by their own codes of conduct.

Francis Ingham, Director General of the PRCA said: ‘Influencer marketing is a burgeoning area of our practice, but the number of cases brought by the ASA and CMA proves that too many influencers and practitioners are falling foul of the standards we expect. All PR professionals working with influencers have an ethical duty to ensure they – and those they work with – comply with the law. The PRCA Code of Conduct compels professionals to deal honestly with the public – that includes being transparent over any commercial agreements with third parties. Failure to uphold these standards damages trust in our industry.’

The #FuturePRoof guide characterises the market, includes applicable media law and guidance from advertising, marketing and public relations. It covers guidance for campaigns where no money is exchanged, gifts in kind such as accommodation or travel, and financial payment.

The tension between earned and paid campaigns isn’t only a challenge for marketing and public relations practitioners, it has also led to influencers breaching advertising and trading standards law.

#FuturePRoof says that there is a growing need and opportunity for formal representation for influencers. What’s clear from the guide is that PR is in the best position to take ownership of influencer marketing, giving it both structure and clear standards for the benefit of business, influencers and the public.

Scott Guthrie, independent influencer marketing consultant and co-author of the guide, said: ‘The public relations industry has been slow to offer leadership on influencer marketing to practitioners and influencers. We’ve been here before with search engine optimisation (SEO), social media, and content marketing. It’s important that PR doesn’t miss out again’.

The guide has been written by Scott Guthrie, and independent influencer marketing consultant, and Stephen Waddington, managing director, Metia, and Visiting Professor, Newcastle University.

It includes contributions from Rupa Shah, Founder and Director of Hashtag Ad Consulting; Andrew Terry, Partner and Head of Intellectual Property & Media, Eversheds Sutherland; and Vuelio’s Jake O’Neill.

Vuelio is delighted to support the publication and will be hosting an exclusive webinar with Sarah Waddington, Stephen Waddington and Andrew Terry on 7 November. It is free to sign up, and if you can’t join us live a recording will be sent to all registrants after. Register here. 

Frequent-Flyer

Is it time to ban frequent flyer schemes to tackle the climate emergency?

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This is a guest post from Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Jenny Jones) a Green Party member of the House of Lords, who has written about her parliamentary question in the House of Lords on ‘Plans to ban or restrict frequent flyer “airmiles” schemes’.

Reducing aviation emissions is one of the big political headaches. People will recycle; catch the train rather than drive; eat less meat and turn the thermostat down a notch, but ask them to stop flying and they don’t want to do it. I haven’t flown for years and have taken a pledge not to fly for the coming year. This meant I had to shelve my plans for a big US road trip. It has not been an easy decision, but given the climate emergency, it seems like the right one.

Given the melting ice caps and record-breaking temperatures around the globe, it is shocking that companies like Virgin are still offering a frequent flyer loyalty scheme that encourages more flights. This has caused the Government’s Committee on Climate Change to recommend that the practice is banned. I will be asking the Minister in the Lords whether they will act on this mildest of reforms.

Instead of giving incentives to fly more often, we should be reducing demand by introducing a frequent flyer tax where we target the rich 15% of the population who take 70% of the flights. Every year people would get an allowance of a single flight and the tax on subsequent flights would increase rapidly the more trips people took. As frequent flyers tend to be the wealthier members of our society, this seems the most egalitarian way of reducing emissions while allowing people to attend those special family events and get togethers that can be so precious.

This would inevitably mean that the Heathrow expansion is cancelled, along with a lot of other airport schemes designed to generate an increased demand for flights. If we are aiming for zero emissions by 2035, then we have to act urgently to curb aviation demand. I know that the Government target is 2050 and that many are still hopeful that the technological solutions of bio-fuels and electric planes can be developed, but we can’t plan on that basis. If the aviation industry is confident it can reduce emissions then get on with it. We can discuss any plans for expansion once they have got the technology working.

Nor can we continue with the illusion that the emissions from planes taking off, or landing, at Heathrow, are not our (UK) emissions. The lack of an international agreement means that greenhouse gases from aviation are not fully counted as part of the Government’s zero emission target. This sleight of hand has got to stop. Climate change could end our entire way of life. We either change rapidly now, or have change forced upon us.

PR difficult conversations with journalists

How to manage difficult conversations with journalists

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A guest post written by Jodie Brazier, Comms Consultant at Topline Comms

Promised you’d get something over to a journalist before their deadline but can’t? Need to ask a contact to pull an article about a client? Conversations like these are best avoided, but sometimes you don’t have a choice. Jodie Brazier from Topline Comms shares some tips to help prevent awkward moments before they happen, and how to approach these conversations when you can’t.

Conversations with journalists are a daily occurrence in my work at Topline Comms – I work on the STEM team and I’m lucky enough to deal with loads of amazing science and engineering journalists. One of my favourite parts of the job is sharing exciting new stories from clients with them, but not every conversation with a journalist is a smooth one.

Here are some tips on how to avoid difficult journalist conversations.

What to do if you can’t meet a journalist’s deadline:

To prevent this from happening:

  • Always check with your client that they are happy to commit to a deadline before you confirm it with a journalist
  • Be realistic. It’s much better to be upfront and say you won’t be able to meet the deadline and negotiate an extension than to commit to something which you know you’ll be unlikely to fulfil and leave the journalist hanging

What to do if it still happens:

  • Let the journalist know as soon as possible. The sooner you tell them (especially if it’s for a print publication) the more time they have to find something to fill the vacant space
  • Be honest and apologetic. Don’t try to make up an elaborate excuse; if the content is stuck in approvals, let them know that and make it clear that you know it’s an issue
  • Have an idea of when it will be ready. It’s likely the first thing a journalist will want to know once you’ve told them it won’t be ready in time for their deadline

If you need to pull an article at the last minute:

To prevent this happening:

  • Pulling content is a big no-no and a PR nightmare, so prevention is vital!
  • Make sure that all content is signed off by your client (and by all the key client stakeholders that need to see it) before it goes to the journalist. Or, if it’s an interview, be very clear with your spokesperson that they shouldn’t say anything that they wouldn’t want to see published

What to do if it still happens:

  • Unfortunately, sometimes there are circumstances that are beyond your control. It’s best to let the journalist know asap so they can arrange something to fill the space
  • You could also offer the journalist another story they could use instead
  • Be honest and tell them why the article is being withdrawn. Understanding the reasoning will make getting the bad news a bit more bearable

All in all, when it comes to breaking bad news to journalists, clear and frequent communication is key. Keep them informed of content status and if there are any issues, notify them as soon as possible. Think about if someone was to break this news to you, how best would you want to be told?

Build relationships with journalists in your sector – find them with the Vuelio Media Database and find out what they need with the Journalist Enquiry Service.

Vuelio Product Update – October

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We are constantly improving Vuelio for our clients, this month we’ve used machine learning to enhance journalist profiles.

Top topics displayed on journalist profiles

Knowing what a journalist has recently written about can help you to decide who is most likely to cover your story.

To enable you to better select media contacts for your campaigns, we’ve added the top 10 topics, names and places journalists have covered so far this year (2019) on their profiles in the Vuelio Media Database.

As an online monitoring provider, we already scan millions of articles from across the web to deliver your media coverage. We’ve used this data to build a machine learning algorithm that can identify if a word/phrase – also known as an ‘entity’ – falls into one of three categories: a name of a person or organisation, a place or a topic. This process is called ‘Named Entity Extraction’. It then collates this information and counts the number of mentions for each word, which is displayed on a contact profile.

 

We will continue to use this technology to improve how you search for information in Vuelio and it will contribute to other innovations. Watch this space.

Brexit

Boris Johnson: ‘A very good deal both for the EU and the UK’

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A new Brexit deal has been agreed with the European Union only hours before the start of the EU Council meeting in Brussels.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker tweeted:

President Juncker added: ‘We now have a newly agreed Protocol that protects peace and stability on the island of Ireland and fully protects our Single Market. I hope that we can now bring this over the line and provide the certainty our citizens and businesses so deserve.’

The new Withdrawal Agreement says in specific relation to Northern Ireland that both sides are:
‘Determined that the application of this Protocol should impact as little as possible on the everyday life of communities in both Ireland and Northern Ireland’

It also underlined ‘the firm commitment to no customs and regulatory checks or controls and related physical infrastructure at the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland’.

There is a clear view from the EU that while many key figures in Brussels might regret the UK’s referendum decision in 2016, the time has now come to pass a Withdrawal Agreement and to move forward to the second stage of negotiating the UK’s future partnership with the EU.

In a joint press conference with President Juncker, Boris Johnson said: ‘I do think that this deal represents a very good deal both for the EU and the UK. It represents a reasonable, fair outcome and reflects the large amount of work that’s been undertaken by both sides.’

The PM was also keen to stress that today’s agreement does protect the peace process in Northern Ireland.

Johnson called on his fellow MPs in Westminster to: ‘come together to get Brexit done, to get this excellent deal over the line and to deliver Brexit without any more delay so that we can focus on the priorities of the British people.’

He added that the UK was keen to leave the EU on good terms: ‘We are a quintessential European country. Solid European friends, neighbours and supporters.’

For many, the risk of the EU lowering environmental standards and workers’ rights has been a concern addressed by the ‘Level playing field for open and fair competition’. This is crucial to securing the votes of as many Labour MPs as possible, who will presumably have to vote against their party whip in order to support the deal.

This aspect has been moved from the legally binding withdrawal agreement to the non-legally binding political declaration. This might be a major stumbling block to securing the votes of Labour MPs in leave-voting seats, who have expressed a desire to leave the EU with a deal swiftly. Labour’s Seb Dance MEP said moving the level playing field measures is ‘as sure a sign as any, Johnson has no intention of honouring them’.

After days of intense talks, the Conservative Party’s confidence and supply partners, the Democratic Unionist Party, have not actually signed up to this latest deal. Some wonder if they will change their view before Saturday’s crucial votes or if the PM feels he has sufficient MPs on side, not to need the ten DUP votes. Equally will they abstain or vote against the deal? This will have a significant impact on the final result. On 30 March 2019 in Theresa May’s final attempt to get her Brexit deal passed by MPs, only four MPs abstained, as well as the MPs who never take part in votes like the Speaker, his deputies and the seven Sinn Fein MPs.

It is also worth reflecting on where the UK is heading if MPs reject a deal for the fourth time on Saturday. It seems the EU is minded not to offer the UK a further extension so in reality the votes on Saturday will be all the more crucial if voting against the deal will mean MPs are bring a no-deal exit a step closer. Equally MPs have voted for the motion on Saturday to be amendable, so it is expected that there will be another opportunity for MPs to vote on whether or not to have a second EU referendum.

Jeremy Corbyn said: ‘As it stands we cannot support this deal and we will oppose it in parliament on Saturday’, and there are reports that Labour will whip its MPs to back a second referendum option on Saturday.

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson has said that the PM is in a ‘desperate situation’ and that this new deal is similar to Theresa May’s Brexit deal but that it is ‘going to be worse for the economy’.

Nigel Farage is not supporting this new deal, he said: ‘It’s just not Brexit. We will never be able to properly break free of the EU if we sign up to this’.

Equally with a Queen’s Speech vote looming next week, which without a majority the Government is likely to lose, it is unclear how close the country could be to a general election campaign starting and whether this deal is actually an attempt to bring about a general election, according to the Guardian’s Brexit correspondent Lisa O’Carroll.

influencer marketing and the law

Influencer marketing and the law

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Influencer marketing is an industry worth today some £4.5bn, expected to reach £18.4bn by 2024. It has grown fast, driven by an exponential take up of social media and explosion in online publishing across multiple channels.

From Facebook to Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Medium, we’re in an age where seemingly anyone can be an influencer – whether an 18-year-old producing makeup tutorials in their bedroom or the 98-year-old Iris Apfel who was signed this year to IMG.

Inextricably linked to the rise of the internet and social media, influencer marketing is built on processes and ways of working that are themselves relatively new. We’re at the birth of an industry where influencers, from bloggers and vloggers to podcasters and Instagrammers, and the PRs, brands and marketers collaborating with them are still working out the rules and determining best practice.

To help you understand your responsibilities and how you can comply with the law, Vuelio and the CMA have put together an exclusive guide: Influencer Marketing and the Law, which outlines best practice for influencers, PRs and marketers.

It is full of practical guidance around consumer protection law, terms of contract, social media posts and disclosure tools, and can improve how you approach brand partnerships and help you to achieve best practice.

We’re also indebted to John Adams from Dad Blog UK, the guys at Daddy & Dad, Kate Everall from LesBeMums, Hayley Hall, Elle Linton from Keep it simpElle and Jo Middleton from Slummy Single Mummy, who have each contributed their own experiences of disclosure and compliance.

You can download the white paper here.

SocialBookshelves.com

Literature blog spotlight: Dane Cobain, SocialBookshelves.com

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Dane Cobain is the author of SocialBookshelves.com, a top 10 UK Literature Blog. A record of all the books Dane reads, SocialBookshelves.com covers every genre and each review is the same number of words as the number of pages in the book.

We spoke to Dane about the book community online, the future of blogging, his favourite new authors and how he likes to work with PRs.  

How do you describe what you do to other people?
This is a great question because I do quite a lot and different people know me for different things. For example, in my local open mic scene, I’m known as a singer/songwriter. First and foremost, I consider myself to be a writer, and so I tell people that I write books and blog posts for a living. Sometimes I’m writing for myself and sometimes I’m being paid to write for other people. So while I am a blogger, that’s not the only thing that I do. I wear a lot of hats!

How much of a community is there around literary bloggers?
For me, I think that it’s more that there’s an overall ‘bookish’ community. Most of the activity takes place on social networking platforms, so there’s a thriving ‘Bookstagram’ community and I myself make ‘BookTube’ videos and take part in the community there. Book Twitter is also thriving but I tend to avoid it as there can be a lot of negativity and there’s a tendency for people to go on witch hunts. At least from what I’ve seen of people talking about it on BookTube, even the people who take part in Book Twitter recognise that it’s kind of toxic at times, although it does of course have plenty of plus sides too. For bloggers, there might not necessarily be a community around blogging, but they’ll typically take part on another platform. For example, perhaps their blog also has a Bookstagram account and they drive traffic and engagement to their blog through that.

What’s the best thing about being a professional blogger?
I consider myself to be a professional writer, of which blogging probably makes up somewhere between 30-50% of my work. My own personal blogs etc. do bring in some income, but only a small proportion. But they do allow me to charge a premium for my services when I write blogs for other people. I’d have to say that the best thing is that I have a flexible job where I’m my own boss, I control my own destiny and I’m doing what I love. It feels as though everything is aligned, so whether I’m writing for myself or I’m writing for a client, I’m pushing my career in the right direction.

What does the future of blogging look like?
This is another good question and it’s a tough one to answer. I suppose that arguably the most important trend will be the diversification of the blogosphere. What I mean by that is that people of all walks of life and with all sorts of different interests will continue to be attracted to blogging, while new platforms will keep coming along to help power those blogs. Other than that, I don’t think anyone can really know what the future of blogging will look like.

What’s your favourite book of all time?
Every time I’m asked this question, I say that it’s Northern Lights by Philip Pullman. That’s because it’s the book that made me fall in love with reading in the first place.

If you could only read in one genre ever again, which one would you choose?
That’s a tricky one because I read across pretty much every genre. I’d probably have to go for the nebulous genre of ‘modern classics’.

Which new author should we be aware of?
How long have you got? I read quite a lot of indie authors and there are some fantastic up-and-coming writers who have far fewer readers than they deserve. One of my favourites at the moment is an author called Charles Heathcote, who’s written the Our Doris series. They’re basically humorous novels following an old northern couple called Doris and ‘Arold a little bit in the vein of Keeping Up Appearances. I very rarely actually laugh out loud when I read a book, but I did with the Doris books.

How do you work with PRs and brands?
I have a PR details page on my site and I’m listed on various media databases. I read all of the emails that I receive but I get so many pitches that I don’t reply to unless I’m actually interested, and these days I probably only accept maybe 2% of pitches. But I’m up for all sorts of things, from basic book reviews to author interviews, giveaways etc. I’ve also been lucky enough to go on some press trips including to York for York Literature Festival and to Latvia on behalf of the British Council to spread the word about Latvian Literature ahead of London Book Fair.

What advice do you have for PRs looking to get in touch?
The best thing to do is to email me. Bear in mind that I get a lot of requests, too. In fact, unless a book is super relevant to my interests then there’s not much chance that I’ll read it, so it helps to get a feel for the kind of stuff I like. It can also help if there’s something above and beyond just a book on the line – for example, I still have fond memories of a PR from several years ago who sent me a hot water bottle to go with the book so I could get cosy while reading it.

What other blogs do you read?
I actually don’t tend to read many blogs myself, but I follow a lot of people on Goodreads and watch a lot of BookTube channels. In fact, I think quite a lot of people who follow my blog actually mostly get updates from my Goodreads account, because I cross-post all of my reviews both there and on Amazon.

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

PRCA

2020 PR and Communications Council: elections are open

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The PRCA has announced that elections are open for the 2020 PR and Communications Council.

The PR and Communications Council provides a formal mechanism for the industry’s most senior practitioners to consult on the key issues impacting PR and communications. The Council – which acts as a think-tank for the industry – informs the PRCA’s strategic priorities and delivers best-practice guidance for professionals.

Elections are open to all PRCA Members, including those who have sat on the council previously. Members are eligible to nominate themselves, as well as other practitioners.

Elections will close October 30th, 2019.

Following the election, a new Chair and Vice Chair will also be chosen. Please inform Isobel Arrowsmith if you’re interested in nominating yourself for Chair/Vice-Chair, and submit a manifesto detailing your plans for the Council (no more than 200 words).

Amanda Coleman FPRCA, head of corporate communications at Greater Manchester Police, and current Chair of the PR and Communications Council, said: ‘I have enjoyed every minute as Chair of the PRCA Council this year. It has given me an opportunity to discuss the PR and communication issues of the day and the future with fellow practitioners from across the industry. It has been personally eye opening and very rewarding to see both the similarities and the differences in what we all deliver.”

To nominate yourself for the 2020 PR and Communications Council please email Isobel Arrowsmith at [email protected].

No deal Brexit

PR Industry prepares for no deal Brexit

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Both the PRCA and CIPR have been awarded grants from the Government’s Business Readiness Fund to help the PR industry prepare for the potential of a no deal Brexit.

The PRCA plans to use its grant to deliver a programme of events and resources before the current Brexit deadline, 31 October. It will include legal guidance to ensure PR professionals remain compliant with the law after the UK’s exit.

Renna Markson, engagement director at the PRCA, said: ‘The prospect of a No Deal Brexit presents Public Relations businesses with an extensive list of logistical challenges. These include the management of personal data across borders to issues facing EU nationals employed by UK agencies. The PRCA will deliver practical information in a clear and digestible format to ensure the industry is as prepared as possible by October 31st.’

The CIPR will use its grant to launch a series of video shorts advising businesses on communicating effectively in advance of a no deal Brexit. Designed for a range of small businesses, the videos will feature PRs providing advice on general preparation related to comms activities, covering specific sectors such as Transport, Health and Construction as well as small and medium-sized PR agencies.

Alastair McCapra, chief executive of the CIPR said: ‘Most businesses in the UK are SMEs and many have not yet prepared for a no deal Brexit. How they communicate with their stakeholders in the final days before we leave the EU may be crucial to their future success. Our role at the CIPR is to help SMEs communicate effectively in these uncertain times; these videos will provide some certainty.’

The CIPR videos are being developed and delivered by Launch PR. They will be shared in paid promotion campaigns on social media between 16 October and 31 October.

Further information on the PRCA’s programme will be announced shortly.

Mental health 2019

3 ways to improve mental wellbeing in PR

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Last week, to coincide with World Mental Health Day, the PRCA and Opinium published research into mental health in our industry. The study found that 89% of PR and comms practitioners have struggled with their mental wellbeing and that overall levels of wellbeing in PR are lower than the UK average.

There are many ways to contribute to better mental health in the workplace, from buddy systems and mental health first aiders to no-evening-email policies and encouraging digital switch offs.

These generally focus on two of the biggest problem areas: not being able to open up, which ultimately leads to more pressure and stress, and the stress of workload creating a bad work/life balance.

The PRCA and Opinium research, Opening the Conversation: Mental Wellbeing in Public Relations, helps to define these main areas with three takeaways for employers to help their employees thrive:

  1. Recognising the impact of workload on mental health and introducing effective workload management techniques
  2. Offer mental wellbeing initiatives that enhance mental wellbeing and encourage their usage
  3. Embrace mental wellbeing throughout the whole organisation

All three foster company cultures that promote positive mental wellbeing and help to create a space where employees and colleagues feel comfortable to talk about their mental health.

What is clear is that more needs to be done to help improve mental health in the industry and give it a bigger focus. Studies like this help to shine a light on issues and provide practical advice but ultimately, it’s up to the agencies and in-house teams to adopt these for the benefit of all.

Victoria Del Rico relevance LA

New York, London, Los Angeles: Relevance International expands its global offering

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Relevance International has opened its third office in Los Angeles, California. The new location is the third for the leading real estate, hospitality and luxury goods PR agency, with offices also in New York and London.  

The new office is strategically located between West Hollywood and Beverly Hills and will be led by director Victoria Del Rico. Del Rico is an experienced lifestyle PR specialist whose previous work includes press and social media campaigns for brands such a Piero Lissoni Associati, Acqua di Parma, Verono Homes and The Four Seasons in Florence.

Del Rico is fluent in Spanish and Italian, which brings the agency’s spoken languages up to seven, and specializes in foreign luxury companies looking to enter the US market.

Suzanne Rosnowski, founder and CEO of Relevance International, said: ‘With an undeniable synergy between the New York, London and Los Angeles markets, opening an office on the west coast has been an integral part of the global vision from the start.

‘As our client list has expanded to include projects and companies in the region, being on the ground in LA was a natural next step to further establish Relevance International as a premier global agency spanning reach into even more time zones – because media never sleeps.’

Consistently ranked in the Observer’s PR Power List as one of New York’s Top Specialty PR Agencies, Relevance International has a unique combination of boutique sensibility and international reach. The LA opening also marks the second anniversary of the UK office, which is now headed up by Fiona Harris.

It’s clear Relevance International is looking to continue with its current momentum, Rosnowski said: ‘Next, we’ll be exploring opportunities in the east – perhaps fairly far east.’

PRCA

9 out 10 practitioners struggle with mental wellbeing

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The PRCA and Opinium has conducted the industry’s largest piece of research on mental health, which has found that 89% of PR and communications practitioners have struggled with their mental wellbeing.

Launched today, on World Mental Health Day, Opening the Conversation: Mental Wellbeing in Public Relations highlights the pressures facing PR practitioners and that overall levels of wellbeing in PR are lower than the UK average.

The report also reveals that 31% of PR professionals say they find their job very stressful and 59% says this stress is caused by their workload.

The report reflects the findings of this year’s Mental Wellbeing Audit, which gathered the views of more than 400 practitioners. The Audit incorporates The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, which is recognised as a best practice mechanism for gathering data on mental health and wellbeing.

Francis Ingham, Director General of the PRCA said: ‘The time for our industry to take action on mental health is now. And this is the latest in the PRCA’s concerted effort to do just that. While it’s encouraging to see more practitioners discussing mental health with colleagues, far too many of our colleagues are still suffering. For too long, our industry has tip-toed around this issue but we now have an opportunity to take action and create meaningful change. Attitudes are changing. Conversations are starting. Let’s now enact the recommendations of this report to create tangible change for the future of our workforce.’

If you would like to get involved in the PRCA’s campaigning work on mental health, please contact [email protected].