Cocaine

Political Headlines – Gove’s campaign blow and BoJo’s tax cuts

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Today’s political headlines includes Gove battling to save his leadership bid after cocaine revelations, Johnson to cut income tax for three million, Rudd backs Hunt for leader and Corbyn defending Lisa Forbes. 

Gove battles to save campaign after cocaine revelations
The Times reports Michael Gove is in a battle to ‘save his campaign’ after he was accused of hypocrisy over his past use of cocaine. He has insisted that ‘people should be given the chance to redeem themselves and to change’, but leadership rival Sajid Javid said that drug-users ‘should be thinking about the impact they’re having on others’. As Education Secretary he introduced rules saying that teachers should be permanently banned if convicted of using Class A drugs, while as a journalist he condemned drug-using ‘middle-class professionals’.

Johnson to cut income tax for three million
The Daily Telegraph says that Boris Johnson would cut three million people’s income tax if he becomes Prime Minister, increasing the 40p rate threshold to £80,000 from £50,000. This will cost £9.6bn a year, which he intends to fund from the £26.6bn ‘fiscal headroom’ set aside by the Treasury for no-deal Brexit preparations. He claims that this will ‘stimulate’ the economy, allowing ‘for much greater economic growth’.

Rudd backs Hunt for leader as he endorses cutting abortion time limit
The Times says that Amber Rudd is backing Jeremy Hunt’s campaign for the Tory leadership, claiming he would be a ‘serious leader’, adding the UK needs ‘a skilled negotiator and deal-maker, not an instruction for more optimism’. The Guardian adds Hunt has been criticised after he argued in favour of halving the legal time limit for abortions from 24 to 12 weeks.

New Labour MP ‘not a racist’, Corbyn says
The Guardian says Jeremy Corbyn has defended Lisa Forbes, elected for the party in last week’s Peterborough by-election, as ‘not a racist in any way’. The Jewish Labour Movement has called for Forbes to have the whip suspended over antisemitic posts on social media, including liking a Facebook post claiming Theresa May had a ‘Zionist slave masters agenda’ and endorsing a post which claimed that the CIA and Mossad had created Islamic extremists.

Concerns raised about ‘secretive’ Home Office visa algorithm
According to the Financial Times, the Home Office has been criticised for its use of a ‘secretive algorithm’ to process visa applications, grading them prior to forwarding them to caseworkers. It has refused to provide details about the factors the algorithm uses to makes decisions, leading Christina Blacklaws, President of the Law Society, to warn that it ‘may well disadvantage certain groups of people’ on grounds such as age or country of origin.

Corbyn considers reshuffling Thornberry over second referendum support
The Guardian claims Jeremy Corbyn is considering reshuffling his frontbench and moving Emily Thornberry from Shadow Foreign Secretary as punishment for calling for the party to back a second Brexit referendum. Some of Corbyn’s allies are also backing a new contest for Deputy Leader, so that Tom Watson can be replaced after his calls for a referendum.

Godsiff to be rebuked over support for anti-LGBT education campaigners
The Daily Mirror says Labour MP Roger Godsiff is to be rebuked by the party’s chief whip Nick Brown after he told campaigners protesting against the teaching of LGBT relationships at primary schools in Birmingham that they were ‘right’ and had a ‘just cause’. A party spokesperson said that it ‘has long supported and campaigned for LGBT inclusive education’.

Hancock vows to raise National Living Wage while Javid promises schools investment
The Sun says that Matt Hancock is to promise to make the next decade the ‘soaring twenties’ and increase the National Living Wage to £10.21 by 2022, giving millions an extra £3500 a year. The paper also reports that Sajid Javid has promised to end austerity if he becomes Prime Minister, and give ‘a multi-year, multibillion-pound boost’ to schools spending.

Keep up to date with the campaigns for our next PM and the policy areas that matter to you with Vuelio Political Services.  

Chameleon brands

The right blend: how ‘chameleon’ brands do it

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This a guest post by Katy Bloomfield, comms director at TopLine Comms.

Nineteen years ago, an Admap editorial defined ‘chameleon brands’ as organisations with a strong, consistent core that can nevertheless be adapted to different target audiences, different needs, and different media. They retain their ‘shapes’, but the ‘colours’ of what they offer tend to vary; they’re usually multi-product, multi-variant, and if they’re particularly successful, they can even become part of everyday life.

Microsoft started out as a developer of operating systems and grew into a multi-billion-dollar empire covering software, video games, cloud computing, VR and much more. WPP started out making wire baskets (Wire and Plastic Products) before it was acquired and became one of the biggest PR, advertising, and marketing companies globally.

These brands are defined by their ability to change. Preferences, fads and demographics come and go, but these companies endure – even in the wake of controversy and tumultuous market changes.

What makes a ‘chameleonic’ brand?

Chameleon culture
Disney is a classic example. In 1928, it was a humble animation studio experimenting with radical techniques such as synchronized sound.

In 2019, it’s an entertainment juggernaut that plays host to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Star Wars Saga; a number of theme parks; a chain of stores; a major American television network (ABC) and a range of cable networks; a streaming service set to launch later this year; and yes, its own animation studios (as well as those it has acquired, like Pixar). And all that’s before you count all the properties acquired since purchasing 21st century Fox in March.

Disney’s succeeded because it ventured out of its general ballpark – animation and children’s movies – while staying roughly in the same neighbourhood of entertainment. Its scope has expanded, but it’s stayed true to its founder’s famous maxim: ‘Whatever you do, do it well’. Disney’s created a niche, a culture and a reputation for quality that bleeds into everything else.

Disney, of course, came to prominence when cinema was dominant, and television was not yet a fixture of every household. So how might a similar company rise to prominence in the digital-first era?

Chameleons in the age of digital disruption
Its most obvious digital heir is Netflix – a company at the cutting edge of everything new and interesting happening in the world of entertainment.

But 20 years ago, it was a mail-order DVD rental service. In an age where Blockbuster forced you to travel to its physical locations, adhere to its strict one-seven day rental terms, and which punished you with fines if you didn’t, it was quietly revolutionary. But Netflix’s owners realised that the business’ true potential didn’t lie in a waning DVD market – it was in creating its own content.

So mail-order DVD rentals went, the platform was built, and eventually, it invested in its own content, licensing series that weren’t available elsewhere (Breaking Bad was a Netflix exclusive in the UK for its final seasons), launching its own in-house series such as House of Cards and BoJack Horseman, and reaching a point where it spent an estimated $12 billion on original series in 2018. The company’s business model has changed, but the core understanding – that consumer preference is always paramount – has not. That’s why the transition from mail-order DVDs to streaming behemoth makes sense; audiences come by content, the platform logs their preferences, and these preferences inform what they watch next and what gets commissioned.

Netflix and Disney have two very different stories, but they’re successful for the same reasons: they’re all things to all consumers. The former is producing romcoms, action films and thoughtful, Oscar-winning dramas, and the latter has Captain America for the kids and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia for the grownups.

What’s next for chameleon brands?
Facebook has achieved a similar status to Netflix and Disney – and the company’s new direction may be no less dramatic than Netflix’s transition to streaming or Disney’s acquisition of pretty much everything. Following several data protection scandals, it’s moving away from ‘making connections’ and towards a fundamental shift that puts private communications at the centre of everything.

As Mark Zuckerberg said, ‘the future is private’. Small groups and encrypted one-to-one messaging have led to digital ‘living rooms’, rather than ‘virtual town halls’. It’s an acknowledgement that the way we use social media has changed, but it’s also something else: an attempt to become chameleonic – to attune Facebook to the needs of its audience in a world where their preferences are evolving.

Facebook is likely not in any real danger of disappearing like Blockbuster, or receding into irrelevance like MySpace. But it’s showing what it means to become a chameleon brand: to change what it was, while retaining its core appeal – to take part in a future that the audience wants, rather than attempting to create one that it doesn’t.

It’s a lesson all brands, big and small, could take to heart.

Sarah Hall, Sarah Hall Consulting

Sarah Hall named chair of PRCA Borderlands and North East Group

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The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has appointed founder and editor of #FuturePRoof, Sarah Hall FPRCA, as its Borderlands and North East Group Chair. She will be joined by PR and communications consultant, Katy Barden MPRCA, who has been appointed group coordinator.

Former CIPR president (and current vice president), Sarah is a pioneer of best practice and a champion of increasing diversity in the industry. She has previously been awarded the CIPR’s Sir Stephen Tallents Medal for exceptional achievement in public relations, and the PRCA’s Outstanding Contribution in Digital Award.

The Borderlands and North East Group, announced earlier this year, organises and oversees PRCA activity in the south of Scotland, including the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway, down into Cumbria, and spanning across to Newcastle and the North East area of the UK.

Sarah said: ‘It’s hugely positive to see the PRCA continuing to develop on-the-ground support for its members. Chairing the Borderlands and North East group is a real privilege and I’m looking forward to working with Katy Barden and others to establish something really useful on the patch.

‘The first few months will be spent listening to member needs so we can deliver the greatest value both directly and through events. Katy is already working hard to strengthen relationships and understand views.

‘We’re keen not to duplicate what’s already out there and will be looking to collaborate on issues where the industry needs a more unified voice. If you’re a PRCA member or even if you’re not yet, come and get involved!’

Francis Ingham MPRCA, director general of the PRCA, said: ‘It is a personal and professional honour to welcome Sarah as the chair of our inaugural PRCA Borderlands and North East Group. Sarah’s leadership of #FuturePRoof was truly inspirational, and it was a pleasure to work with her during her term as CIPR President. Her passion and her insight will be very welcome indeed in this new PRCA role as together we drive our industry towards ever higher standards.’

For more information on joining the new Borderlands and North East Group please email Katy Barden at [email protected].

Everyone at Vuelio would also like to congratulate Sarah on her recent marriage to Stephen Waddington – a true industry power couple.

Jeremy Corbyn

Political Headlines – Labour wins Peterborough and the Queen’s terrible conflict

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Today’s political headlines includes Labour winning the Peterborough by-election, Queen could be put in a terrible conflict over suspending Parliament, Hammond and May in row over money and Johnson more likely to win back Brexit Party supporters. 

Labour wins Peterborough by-election
As the BBC reports, Labour’s Lisa Forbes has won the Peterborough by-election, seeing off the Brexit Party’s Mike Greene by 683 votes. She claimed that the electorate had ‘rejected the politics of division’, embracing the ‘politics of hope’, but Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said that his party’s result was ‘very significant. Labour MPs Margaret Hodge and Jess Phillips have raised concerns about Forbes after it emerged that she’d liked a social media post claiming that Theresa May had a ‘Zionist slave masters agenda’.

Queen could be put in ‘a terrible conflict’ over suspending Parliament
The Times says Hannah White of the Institute for Government has warned that suspending Parliament in order to enable a no-deal Brexit would put her in ‘a terrible conflict’, suggesting the palace might delay the process long enough to allow Parliament to prevent itself from being prorogued. Tory leadership candidate Dominic Raab, has refused to rule it out, but rivals including Matt Hancock and Rory Stewart have criticised this stance, with Stewart claiming that such a move would be ‘unlawful, undemocratic and unachievable’.

Hammond and May in row over May’s £10bn leaving announcements
The Financial Times says that Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond are arguing over a number of spending announcements she wants to make before her departure as Prime Minister, including increasing education spending. The Treasury is apparently concerned that May’s plans might cost over £10bn, and Hammond doesn’t want to spend his ‘war chest’ until a no-deal Brexit is ruled out, in case it is needed as a ‘cushion’.

Polling shows Johnson most likely to win back Brexit Party supporters
The Daily Telegraph says that private polling of the Conservatives’ 48 most marginal seats by CTF Partners has found that Boris Johnson is the leadership candidate who is most likely to regain supporters lost since Theresa May became party leader. 59% Brexit Party and UKIP backers said that they were more likely to back the Tories under Johnson’s leadership, with just 31% saying that his nearest rival, Michael Gove, would have the same effect.

Javid in ‘veiled’ attack on Johnson over ‘exploiting division’
The Times says that Sajid Javid has made ‘a thinly veiled attack’ on Boris Johnson, telling an event that the worst thing you can do to ‘get votes is to appeal to division, to exacerbate division, to get angry people to vote for you’, adding that he believes that some of his rivals would ‘try to win a general election’ through ‘exploiting division’. He said that to deliver Brexit, people’s ‘underlying frustrations’ that led them to vote for it need to be dealt with.

Hancock promises business rates cut for small retailers
Interviewed by The Daily Telegraph, Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has promised to axe small retailers’ business rates at a cost of £1.5bn and set the new digital services tax at a higher level in order to fund this, arguing that this would help to ‘level the playing field’ and ‘save the high street’.

DWP extends benefits assessment contracts
The Daily Mirror reveals that the Government has extended its contracts with Atos and Maximus to test people’s eligibility for benefits without going out to tender, giving them an extra £630m. Labour’s Shadow Minister for Disabled People, Marsha De Cordova said the decision was ‘scandalous’ and criticised the firms’ assessments for ‘appalling inaccuracies’.

Badenoch backs Gove
The Sun says that Conservative vice chair and ‘rising star’ Kemi Badenoch has resigned from her post in order to support Michael Gove’s campaign for the Tory leadership. Writing in the paper, she says that she is a ‘realist’ and is ‘suspicious of anyone proposing simple answers’ to Brexit, and praises Gove’s education reforms.

Stay up to date with the political stories that matter to you, get Vuelio Political Services.  

Katy and Nicholas

PR and Journalist ‘Blind Date’: When TopLine Communications met a Tech Freelance Journalist

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Our latest professional pairing were Katy Bloomfield, comms director at TopLine Communications and Nicholas Booth, a freelance journalist specialising in tech. Here’s what happened when they met for their PR and journalist lunch. 

How was your lunch?
Katy: Lunch with Nicholas was great. It was quite fun to not know so little about the journalist I was meeting – and as it turned out, I was already familiar with some of Nicholas’ journalism – so the conversation got off to a very easy start. Over lunch we had a good chat about the industry, and how media consumption habits together with the influence of marketing have changed things for PRs and Journalists alike. The food was tasty too!

Nicholas: The lunch was lovely. It was a beautiful day, the setting was superb and my dinner companion was charming and eloquent.

I wasn’t sure what to order, so I just copied Katy’s choice of starters. It’s an old technique I’ve been using since school – copy the person who looks more confident than you.

As a starter, Katy chose New Season Asparagus, with Hazelnut dressing and rapeseed emulsion. And what a coincidence, that’s exactly what I wanted! For the main course Katy had the fish pie. A good choice I thought, but I thought I’d better get something different or it would look odd, so I chose the free range Chicken Kiev with young carrots. I got a side of chips at the prompting of the waiter. Katy had one of my chips, which I guess was a way of saying, ‘we need to break down the old food ordering paradigms’.

My operation has been cancelled- I was due for major surgery – so I chose to have a drink with our meal. I’ve got a clear diary now, so what the hell. Katy was more conscientious of the fact that this was a Monday lunch time meeting and – unlike some people – she has plenty of work to do. So I just had one glass of red wine.

Did you learn anything new about their role? If so, what?
Katy: I learned that Nick started out in the IT industry – before making the switch to writing – it’s always interesting to hear how someone’s career started. We also spoke about the different types of writing he does – I’ll definitely be looking out for some of Nicholas’ comedy pieces too.

Nicholas: Yes, I was surprised by how much her role has evolved. I had pictured Katy and her team having boisterous banter in the office about the challenges of dealing with the Aggrievance (I believe that is the collective noun) of technology journalists on their radar.

But in fact, hacks seem to be a minor irritation. There seems to be a much broader remit for PRs these days. Getting press coverage is still important, but the role has extended into new areas of marketing responsibility. There is a lot more research into the groundswell of public opinion, which influences the way PRs supply news. And once it has been ‘consumed’ (for want of a better word) Katy and her colleagues take a much more active role in managing the response. I suppose technology companies ultimately hire PRs to help them sell more of their products and services, and these days PRs have a much wider remit in demand creation and managing customer enquiries. They’ve extended their brief on the supply and demand side of the equation.

If you could share one top tip from lunch what would it be?
Katy: Nicholas had some great ideas around making more use of online news comment sections – either for gathering insight and opinion, or stoking debate further – which I think has perhaps been a missed opportunity to date.

Nicholas: I think we were both a bit tense. I would have liked to have met on a Friday afternoon and we both got absolutely trollied and shared horror stories about our experiences of the business. That was what it used to be like, back in the golden age of ‘freelunch journalism’.

It was a glorious day too. It’s a shame we didn’t sit outside.

Do you think this lunch will change how you interact with PRs/journalists in the future?
Katy: Meeting Nicholas definitely reinforced a few beliefs on how PRs should communicate with media. The old adage of explaining something as you would to your friends in the pub is so important – but it can become easily tangled up in detail and carefully crafted messaging. There’s definitely a finite balance to achieve!

Nicholas: Well, I do have a greater respect for the wide range of activities they are involved in.

It’s quite humbling in some respect, as you realise how the importance of journalists is diminishing by the day. Mind you, that might just be me.

Did you disagree on anything? If so, what?
Katy: I actually don’t think we did!

Nicholas: Not really. I think we were both being very polite!

If you could change one thing about PRs/journalists what would it be and why?
Katy: I think whether or not it is true, there is a perception that getting journalists out of the office to meet is challenging – particularly if you don’t have an immediate or urgent story to offer. But there’s really no substitute for meeting face to face and getting to know someone on a personal level. So, if I could change one thing, it would be to encourage more casual meetings with PRs.

Nicholas: The strategy for press coverage seems to be very much a numbers game now. Bash out a press release with all the catchphrases that marketing managers expect to see and that netbots and algorithms are looking for. To hell with any human experience. Some press releases are so hard to look at that it’s less painful to rub your eyes on a cheese grater.

Increasing automation hasn’t liberated us at all. It just means the people that we answer to – be they customer or clients – have higher expectations.

Personally, I find very few press releases easy to understand and I’ve had 20 years of experience in trying to translate them from netbot language into English.

If there was one thing I really wish I could change? Some days I wish I could run away from it all and join a circus. Although I’d settle for a nice lunch every Friday with a trusted PR contact. The humanity of the business is being eroded. There are three senses I look for in a good PR contact. Common sense, a sense of humour and a sense of proportion.

Finally, do you think you’ll stay in touch?
Katy: Yes, definitely.

Nicholas: Yes, definitely. It always makes a massive difference if you have met someone and they can talk with you, rather than at you. I think Katy could be a fantastic source of wisdom.

Katy and Nicholas’ ‘blind date’ took place at the Paternoster Chop House aka the First Dates restaurant! If you’re a PR or a journalist and you’d like to be set up on one of Vuelio’s professional ‘blind dates’, please email Rebecca Potts.

Michael Gove

Political Headlines – Gove would delay Brexit to get a deal and Peterborough by-election

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Today’s political headlines includes Gove saying he would delay Brexit to get a deal, the ‘very close’ Peterborough by-election, Hancock comparing Corbyn to Hitler and the £1tn cost of net zero emissions. 

Gove says he would delay Brexit to get a deal
The Daily Telegraph reports that Michael Gove told the One Nation group of centrist Conservative MPs that he would delay Brexit beyond 31 October, if it would deliver a deal, and that, while no-deal should be ‘on the table’, it wasn’t ‘the best option’. However, Dominic Raab told the same group that he would definitely leave by that date, and was prepared to suspend Parliament in order to do so, and Jeremy Hunt warned that a ‘hardline approach’ from the UK would merely lead the EU to respond in kind.

Brexit Party and Labour ‘very, very close’ in Peterborough by-election
The Guardian reports from today’s by-election in Peterborough, with a source in the local Labour party claiming it is ‘very, very close’ between them and the Brexit Party, and warning Labour may find it hard to get its voters to turn out. According to the paper, the Tories, who held the seat from 2005 to 2017, ‘are widely thought to be out of the running’.

Hancock compares Corbyn to Hitler
The Times reports that Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has compared Jeremy Corbyn to Hitler, warning that if the Conservative Party did not pick someone who could beat him, the UK ‘could end up with the first antisemitic leader of a western nation’ since World War Two. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said that the remarks were ‘a disgrace’.

Chancellor warns of cost of net zero emissions
According to the Financial Times, Chancellor Philip Hammond has written to Theresa May to warn that reaching net zero emissions by 2050 will cost the country more than £1tn, meaning that less would be available for other areas of public spending and making some sectors of British industry ‘economically uncompetitive’.

Trump compares Irish border to that between USA and Mexico
The Guardian reports that Donald Trump started his visit to Ireland by comparing its border with Northern Ireland to that between the USA and Mexico, saying that he thought it would ‘all work out very well’ after Brexit ‘with your wall, your border’. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkhar later said that Trump ‘shares our objective to keep the border open’.

Small employers may have to report gender pay gap
The Financial Times reports that Hilary Spencer, Director of the Government Equalities Office told members of the Commons Treasury Committee yesterday that the Government was considering bringing employers with under 250 employees into the scope of gender pay reporting, and increasing enforcement powers.

Grayling confirms HS2 is being reviewed
The Daily Mail says that Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has confirmed that a review is being conducted into the deliverability of HS2, with the new chairman of the rail projects, Allan Cook, assessing whether it can be built within its current £65bn budget. He also indicated that elements could be scaled back, following the problems with Crossrail.

Gibb defends teaching of same-sex relationships
Writing in The Times, schools minister Nick Gibb says that pupils in Birmingham schools, should be taught about British values, including same-sex relationships, despite protests against this by Muslim parents. He also describes Ann Widdecombe’s defence of gay conversion therapy as ‘deeply offensive’ and warned Conservative leadership candidates that members and the public would not be ‘impressed’ if they sided with the protesters.

Don’t miss the results of the by-election and stay up to date with the policy that matters to you. Get Vuelio Political Services.  

boris johnson

Political Headlines – Johnson warns Conservatives face ‘extinction’ if they don’t deliver Brexit

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Today’s political headlines includes a warning from Johnson that the Conservatives face ‘extinction’ if they don’t deliver Brexit, Trump says NHS could be part of future trade deal and Tories change leadership election rules.

Johnson warns Conservatives face ‘extinction’ if they don’t deliver Brexit
The Daily Telegraph says that Boris Johnson told a leadership hustings that the Conservative Party was facing ‘extinction’ if Brexit doesn’t happen by 31 October, adding that ‘delay means defeat’. The Times adds that Johnson has secured the support of three moderate ‘rising stars’, Rishi Sunak, Robert Jenrick and Oliver Dowden, who say that he is a ‘One Nation’ Conservative who can ‘inspire the country and revitalise our party’.

Trump says NHS could be part of future trade deal
The Daily Mirror says that Donald Trump yesterday claimed that ‘everything is on the table’ when asked if the NHS would be part of a ‘phenomenal’ future UK-USA trade deal. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that ‘our NHS is not for sale’, while a number of Conservative leadership contenders weighted in to reject the idea, including Matt Hancock and Dominic Raab. The paper adds that Trump has now rowed back on these remarks, telling Piers Morgan on ITV that he doesn’t ‘see if being on the table’ and ‘that’s not trade’.

Tories change leadership election rules
The Times reports that the Conservative Party has changed the rules of its leadership contest in order to reduce the number of contenders. Candidates will now need eight MPs to nominate them, and will be eliminated if they get 5% or fewer votes in the first round or 10% of fewer votes in the second round, with the ‘working assumption’ being that the new leader will be announced on 23 July. Ahead of the changes being announced, Kit Malthouse and James Cleverly pulled out of the competition.

Over half of Change UK’s MPs quit party
The Guardian reports that six of Change UK’s eleven MPs, including spokesman Chuka Umunna and interim leader Heidi Allen have quit the party, with Anna Soubry becoming the new leader. The departing MPs will initially sit as a group of independents, but some are believed to be considering defecting to the Liberal Democrats.

Baker to unveil hard Brexit plan
The Sun claims that Steve Baker is to unveil a plan for a ‘hard Brexit’, backed by 16 fellow Conservative MPs, and will call on leadership candidates to back it. If they fail to do so, he is expected to say that he will stand. Another candidate claimed that Baker ‘is setting the bar too high purposely, so he can run himself’ but allies claimed that he had yet to decide.

Gauke goes ahead with plan to axe short prison sentences
The Daily Telegraph reports that Justice Secretary David Gauke is to go ahead with plans to abolish prison sentences of less than six months, promising to bring forward ‘firm’ proposals by the summer, although violent and sexual offences would have some exceptions. He added that there would be ‘robust’ measures to stop re-offending and protect the public.

Leadsom promises monthly phone-ins if she becomes PM
The Daily Telegraph has interviewed Andrea Leadsom, who promises that she would host a monthly phone-in should she become Prime Minister, saying that she would be ‘more accessible’, both to the public and to backbenchers. She also attacks Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab, claiming that by resigning from the Cabinet they ‘made Brexit harder’

Hancock says UK needs home-grown rival to Huawei
According to The Sun, Matt Hancock will today use a speech on foreign policy to say the UK should develop ‘a British champion’ to replace Huawei, claiming that the country cannot follow the lead of the US and ban the Chinese firm until there is a ‘viable replacement’.

Stay up to date with the latest political news with instant alerts from Vuelio Political Services.  

nigel higgins

Daddy Blog Spotlight: Nigel Higgins, DIY Daddy

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Nigel Higgins is the brains behind DIY Daddy, recently included in our Top 10 UK Daddy Blogs. DIY Daddy combines Nigel’s years of experience in decorating and DIY with tips and advice on parenting as he brings up 5 kids.

We caught up with Nigel to talk about what makes the perfect father’s day, how the role of dad is changing and the best collaborations he’s worked on.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
This is a great question! Whenever somebody asks me what I do for a living I either say I’m a blogger or an influencer. It definitely gets a varied selection of responses from people, but they mainly ask what that means, followed by asking what my blog is called. Trying to explain to somebody who has no idea what a blog is can be difficult. I usually resort to saying that I write a website and then they appear to understand. When you try to explain that you review products or work with large brands most people instantly think you just get lots of freebies which of course you don’t, you have to work for it.

How do social channels work with your blog – are any more important than others?
Social channels are where you promote your latest blog post and there is no doubt I use them extensively to promote my blog. There is no point in writing something and hoping people will read it without some sort of promotion.

I think they all have a place and are important. Over the years I have seen the popularity change dramatically between social media channels. Without question Instagram is definitely the most popular social media channel at the moment, I probably use that more than the others. While they may be flavour of the day at the moment, but not so long ago Twitter was the one, so I’m sure something will come along and knock Instagram off its perch at some point.

What’s the perfect father’s day?  
The perfect father’s day for me is having all my children around me, even if it’s only for a couple of hours. The icing on the cake would be to have Sunday lunch all together.

How much does father’s day affect your content?
Leading up to father’s day I am offered many opportunities to collaborate with brands so there will always be more blog and social posts relating to father’s day, but I always try to be careful that there are not too many father’s day posts and that I also continue with my normal posts.

How is the role of dad changing in society?
The role of dad in society has changed dramatically over the years. We now see so many more dads becoming the main carer for their children and the reason for this is that mums could be continuing with their careers, or they could be the higher earner. This of course means that dads will become the main carer. I think it’s great that dads are more involved with their children’s lives. It is a positive move to have dads as a major influence on their kid’s lives daily. In my opinion, society has finally realised that dads having family time is vital for their children. It’s early days but it’s moving in the right direction.

What’s the best balance between visual and written content?
I have always considered written content to be the most important. That’s probably because it was what I started out as. Of course, blogging has changed and evolved, and part of your content has to be visual. I write approximately 5 blog posts a week, but nowadays I include a number of Instagram posts with a photo per week.

Video has become a large part of my content this year and I usually do a couple of IGTV videos a week.

Do you accept press releases?
I will accept press releases if they are relevant to the theme of my blog, otherwise I generally don’t accept them.

What are the best collaborations you’ve worked on?
The most incredible part of blogging for me has been the incredible opportunities that it has given us as a family and there have been plenty of them. I will always try to collaborate with people that fit in around our family and our family values.

I have to say that possibly the best collaboration that I have done is literally just the weekend gone. We were invited to Bluestone National Park by Persil UK for a weekend of adventure and fun to celebrate their ‘Dirt Is Good’ campaign. It was all about getting outdoors and just getting muddy and enjoying ourselves as a family. It involved a nature trail, cooking marshmallows on an open fire etc and it was just a magical moment being outdoors as a family. The PR team and Persil looked after us brilliantly and made it an awesome weekend.

What advice would you give to PRs/brands reaching out to you?
I get a lot of enquiries from PR’s and many I will just skim read and delete. You may ask why and it’s really simple; they aren’t saying exactly what they want.

If you are a PR or a brand I would like to know exactly what you want, and if a fee is involved what deliverables do you want from me. That way I can then make an informed decision if we are suited for a collaboration.

Thankfully most of the PRs and brands I deal with are very up front from the beginning about what they want from me.

What other blogs do you read?
John Adams who writes Dad Blog UK. I have always read John’s blog. It is always fresh and very interesting.

Tayla who writes Motherhood: The Real Deal. I was on the radio with Tayla this year and we instantly hit off, I started reading her blog and just love her insightful look into parenting.

Finally, I have always, and always will, read my wife Emily’s blog, Twin Mummy and Daddy. I love her incredibly positive outlook on life, and her writing is always so engaging.

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Daddy Blog Spotlight: John Adams, Dad Blog UK

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John Adams is the creator of top Daddy blog, Dad Blog UK, taking the number one spot in our Top 10 UK Daddy Blogs. Dad Blog UK has great advice for parents and John shares the milestones in his children’s lives with his readers alongside offering insight into what it’s like to be a stay-at-home dad in 2019. 

We caught up with John to talk about life as a blogger, the importance of social channels and how father’s day impacts his content.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
Until 18 months ago, I would have described myself as a stay-at-home dad. Blogging was more of a side hustle. With both my daughters having been in the education system for a little while now, I happily describe myself as a “fatherhood, parenting and lifestyle blogger.”

I’m still the kids’ main carer because my wife is out the house 12 hours a day. During school hours, however, I work on the blog.

Generally speaking, younger people, those in their thirties and below, get what I do. For older people, I have to explain what a blogger is and how I earn money. No matter who I am speaking to, I often find I’m an object of curiosity!

How do social channels work with your blog – are any more important than others?
My social channels revolve around Dadbloguk. I own the blog and parent company so it’s my channel. You’re at the whim of algorithms with social channels and they can be de-activated (think Vine and Google+).

Twitter and Facebook are my main channels for promoting blog posts. Pinterest also works well for me, although I only really embraced it properly earlier this year.

That said, I am producing increasing amounts of stand-alone content, especially on Instagram where I have experienced more engagement over the past 12 months. I’ve increased my output on Stories and I am ever so slightly in love with IGTV.

A brand-new venture for me is TikTok. I posted my fourth video to TikTok seven days ago. It was in support of a motoring-themed campaign and at the time of writing, the video had 56,500 views with no paid-for promotion whatsoever. I appreciate many people think it’s a channel for young people, but that, to me, is a sign TikTok has huge potential.

As an aside, short-form video is ideal for the mummy or daddy content creator. We’re often juggling kids and work so pushed-for time and don’t have gangs of friends to help with shooting and editing footage. It’s quick, easier to produce than long-form and is better for authentically portraying the messy nature of family life.

What’s the perfect father’s day?  
I was asked this the other day and I said something about lying a beach in the Seychelles. That’ll never happen, so I’ll settle for a sunny day, a barbecue with the family and a bike ride with the kids.

How much does father’s day affect your content?
The build-up to father’s day is often one of the busiest times of year. I get a lot of requests to write about possible father’s day gifts. There’s also a lot of interest in the media about the role of fathers, so I often find myself giving comment to print and broadcast media about life as a dad. That brings me on nicely to the next question…

How is the role of dad changing in society?
In the decade I’ve been a dad, fathers’ roles have changed hugely. When I became a dad, it was kind-of a question as to whether a man would be a hands-on dad. Now it’s more of a question how hands on a man is going to be.

I’m delighted to see more discussion and debate about flexible working and men. Volvo, Aviva, British Land etc. are among employers who have equalised parental policies. It’s happening slowly, but employers seem to be accepting that men are central figures in their family’s lives. All the evidence shows millennial men and women expect to have their needs as parents respected by their employers and to be treated equally. Flexible working and childcare should not be treated solely as a women’s issues because they aren’t, they impact on men and children too. If you don’t have equal workplace policies in place, you effectively force women out of the workplace and trap men in it.

Okay, I’ll get off my high-horse. Moving on. . .

What’s the best balance between visual and written content?
You need some visual content on a blog. I tend to post a photographic, image-led blog post at the weekends. At the beginning of 2019 I completely revamped Dadbloguk and I considered doing away with this feature. Truth is, I enjoy photography and my visitor stats prove that weekly post is phenomenally popular so it ain’t going anywhere!

I think of myself as a writer so there will always be long-form, written content on my blog. For commercial clients, I would say well-written, long-form content is very valuable because of its evergreen nature. I keep a very close eye on what visitors to my blog are reading and it never ceases to amaze me:
a) How popular review posts are
b) The length of time people spend reading review posts and
c) How much traffic such posts receive months and years after they are written.

It’s a healthy reminder that us bloggers have a responsibility to produce well written, honest, detailed reviews.

Video content I tend to keep on my social channels. This is becoming more important on Instagram and you can expect me to do more on TikTok as well!

Do you accept press releases?
I am very happy to receive media releases and approaches from PR people.

What are the best collaborations you’ve worked on?
Just recently I’ve worked on a few campaigns with tech companies to highlight the parental controls their products have, working with Apple was a highlight and I did a similar with Xbox also.  I’m passionate about online safety so these campaigns were a great fit for me.

Thinking of road safety, I’ve just worked on a fun campaign with Peugeot in which I had to reverse a van around an obstacle course to test its Surround Rear Vision reversing system. The TikTok video I mentioned was part of this campaign.

What advice would you give to PRs/brands reaching out to you?
I am always happy to hear from PR representatives and brands. If you are inviting me to an event, I need as much notice as possible (us mummy and daddy bloggers often have to arrange childcare).

Ultimately, however, if you have an idea, run it past me.

What other blogs do you read?
This question always makes me feel uncomfortable because I feel like I’m going to miss someone really important off the list!

Believe it or not, I do visit Inthefrow. The fashion and styles on display don’t interest me, but I like to read blogs that operate in completely different spheres to see what other people are doing. It challenges you to think differently and Victoria produces an exceptionally well-designed blog and you can see why the content appeals to her core readership. Time and again I return to Diary of the Dad because I love Tom’s writing. He can also be very funny and witty. I think Daddy and Dad offers a great insight into adoption and life as a same-sex couple. Jamie and Tom are going places I think. I’m a huge fan of Grey Fox because of the way David promotes classic British style. He also deserves recognition for pioneering online style for older guys

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Maz BBC feature

How a Vuelio ‘blind date’ led to featuring on the BBC

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Vuelio continues to connect journalists and PRs with its increasingly popular ‘blind dates’ series. These face-to-face meetings prove the power of building professional media relationships in the right way. A recent Vuelio ‘blind date’ between Maz Halima and Farhad Ahmad has already led to the pair working on a video project for the BBC.

The chat flowed from the start as Farhad, a press officer and Imam at Ahmadiyaa Muslim Community discussed with Maz, a freelance journalist, about the challenges he faces promoting a positive message about Islam and the Ahmadiyaa Muslim Community. As a freelance journalist, focusing on the social issues she encounters as a Muslim woman, Maz took away plenty of great advice from Farhad, promising to get more involved in her local community.

Fast forward to the end of May, and Maz is working on a short film for the BBC about Ramadan. She needed a spokesperson from the local Muslim community, and, luckily, Maz now knew someone she could call upon for just such an occasion – Farhad.

My Ramadan Diary: Fasting for 18 hours with depression and anxiety is now live on the BBC website and follows Maz throughout her day of fasting, including a visit to Farhad at the mosque.

Thanks to the Vuelio ‘blind date’, Maz was able to put her recent comms connection into action, ensuring her powerful film got made and provided coverage for the Ahmadiyaa Muslim Community on the BBC, one of the most respected media outlets in the world.

Maz is now an advocate of the ‘blind date’ process, she said: ‘When I went on my Vuelio ‘blind date’, I thought it would be great to get some insight into the world of PR and have some delicious food – but I have to say, I didn’t imagine the experience would come in handy so quickly.

‘But just weeks later, the BBC wanted me to interview someone in the local Islamic community who could provide a light on the importance of compassion when it comes to mental health during Ramadan – and I knew Farhad would be a good person to have that conversation with. I’m glad I met him via Vuelio, as it saved me from all the man hours of finding someone to speak to that I’d probably have never met before.’

Are you looking to grow your network? Maz and Farhad had a ‘blind date’ at the First Dates restaurant – the Paternoster Chop House. We’re always looking for PRs and journalists to take part so if you’d like to have a success story like Maz and Farhad get in touch!

Michael Gove

Political Headlines – Rivals warn against Gove while Hunt and Javid raise concerns about Huawei

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Today’s political headlines includes warnings against Gove, Hunt and Javid raise concerns about Huawei, Widdecombe in gay cure row and Brokenshire’s suggestions that young people could use pensions to buy houses. 

Rivals warn that Gove would hand keys of Number 10 to Corbyn
The Times says that leadership rivals have said that electing Michael Gove would help to ensure that Jeremy Corbyn becomes Prime Minister, after it emerged that Gove was thinking about extending the Brexit process as the UK is not prepared enough for a no-deal Brexit. Priti Patel warned that the ‘longer we delay Brexit the more oxygen we give to alternative political parties’. It has also been suggested that he may win the backing of Amber Rudd after talks between her and Boris Johnson collapsed over Johnson’s support for no-deal.

Hunt and Javid raise concerns about Huawei ahead of Trump visit
The Daily Telegraph reports that Jeremy Hunt has said that the UK would ‘never take a decision that would affect our intelligence-sharing capabilities with the US’ while Sajid Javid also raised concerns as the US Ambassador to the UK, Woody Johnson, described the UK’s intention to let Huawei bid for 5G contracts as a ‘big risk’, ahead of President Trump’s visit today. The Daily Mirror says that Trump’s visit will be the most expensive in history, costing around £40m in security provision, with 10,000 police officers brought into central London.

Widdecombe in gay cure row
The Daily Mirror says that there has been a backlash against Ann Widdecombe, the former Tory minister and newly-elected Brexit Party MEP after she suggested that ‘science may produce an answer’ to homosexuality and defended her support for ‘gay cure’ treatments. Labour MP Wes Streeting called her ‘a relic from a bygone era’.

Brokenshire to say young should use pensions to buy houses
The Daily Telegraph reports that Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary James Brokenshire will today say that young people should be able to take money out of their pensions to fund a deposit on their first home, but former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb warned that this would force prices up and leave people working longer. The BBC adds that Brokenshire will also call on the least popular Tory leadership contenders to withdraw.

Labour MPs call for independent complaints procedure after Prescott allegations
The Guardian says that Labour MPs Jess Phillips and Stella Creasy are urging the party to adopt an independent complains procedure, after e-mails leaked to The Sunday Timesshowed that the suspension of staff member David Prescott from the party over harassment allegations was blocked after the intervention of members of Jeremy Corbyn’s office.

Gyimah enters leadership election and pledges second referendum
The Times reports that a thirteenth candidate, Sam Gyimah, has entered the Conservative leadership election, becoming the first one to back a second Brexit referendum, but pledging that if he became Prime Minister he would not campaign for either side, but would vote to remain in the EU.

Johnson campaign foils Gove’s attempt at spying
The Sun claims that an attempt by Michael Gove’s leadership campaign team to spy on Boris Johnson’s campaign and find out when he was holding his launch event to avoid a clash has been foiled. Johnson is expected to announce his plans to reform education today, and may reveal his ‘army’ of supporters tomorrow

Hancock to promise no immigration restrictions on medics
The Guardian reports that Matt Hancock, the Health and Social Care Secretary, will today promise to lift all immigration restrictions on qualified doctors and nurses, should he become Prime Minister. He will say the NHS was ‘the best health service in the world’ and under his leadership he would ‘make sure it has access to the very best talent in the world’.

Need meaningful political intelligence? Get Vuelio Political Services.  

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A long time coming: The Augar Review

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After over a year of speculation, delays, Brexit and leaks, the highly anticipated Review of Post-18 Education was finally published on Thursday.

Prior to publication, momentum on the Review had reached an all-time low, with WonkHE dubbing it a “delayed, unwinnable and unanswerable” search for an answer to a question that was never really posed in the first place. The headline leak of lowering tuition fees to £7,500 had already been digested by sector stakeholders, and the main expectation was that the plan for topping up this lost income would come through boosted teaching grants.

In short, the sector was not wrong. The Review’s approach to Higher Education funding is ambiguous. Differential treatment has been given to subjects in line with the Industrial Strategy, and the proposal to extend student loans to benefit the taxpayer has gone down like a led balloon with both trade unions and university associations due to its preferential treatment of higher-earning graduates.

A key focus on improving social mobility is evident throughout the Review, though some recommendations, such as the removal of popular foundation years, could be seen to miss the mark. If implemented, Augar’s advocacy for better investment in Further Education alongside its endorsement of a flexible student finance system would likely encourage a more diverse range of students to pursue lifelong learning and ‘upskill’ later in life.

Augar’s vision for the future imagines a post-18 education landscape where education leads to employment. School careers hubs will be vital for enabling fair choice for prospective students, FE colleges will provide community learning leading to sustainable career opportunities, and apprenticeships will become viable degree alternatives.  If these recommendations are taken on board, the sector landscape could be set to change, with industry playing a key part in career-based schemes and the future automation of work setting the technical education agenda.

In line with the trend of overshadowing that Augar followers will be used to by now, the Review’s publication comes in the wake of a Tory leadership battle. The next Prime Minister is unlikely to have the exact same priorities as Theresa May, leaving a question mark over when, how and indeed if the recommendations will be implemented. Casting all doubts to the side, we’re glad it’s finally out.

Find out more about in our Issue Spotlight: Augar Review which summarises all the key findings, recommendations and stakeholder reactions.

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Football Blog Spotlight: Neil Vaughan, The Spurs Web

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Neil Vaughan is the man behind The Spurs Web, recently included in the Top 10 UK Football Blogs. The Spurs Web is the main source for everything Tottenham Hotspur, from match days to transfer talk and even has an app who need the latest news instantly. We caught up with Neil to talk about his player of the season, how football fandom has changed how we consume football content and the power of social media.

How do you describe what you do to other people?  
I would describe it as providing football fans with a platform to have their opinions heard and read by their fellow supporters from all around the world.

How important are the different social channels when they feed into your blog? 
Social channels are critical to driving visitors to the website. It depends on the demographic of the supporter, some like to hang out on Twitter as the game unfolds, whereas some on Facebook prefer to see the build-up for a match via the Live facility. It also gives the supporter the chance to interact with fan-generated content which we often feature, such as goal celebrations from the stands recorded by fans. This is content which official channels tend not to offer.

Who’s your player of the season?  
Heung-min Son. The South Korean has performed fantastically well in the absence of the injured Harry Kane and has opened a completely new market of supporter to the club with his cult-like following in his homeland of South Korea.

How is football fandom changing the way we consume football content?  
The rise of the ‘vlogger’ is something which is definitely something to watch. You only have to look around any Premier League stadium and you will see vloggers filming themselves watching a match.

What’s your view on esports and the likes of teams having their own esports players/teams? 
The rise of esports has been nothing short of stratospheric over the past ten years and it has been a surprise that it has taken professional football clubs up until only recently to start to embrace the new market. If it means that clubs can generate increased revenue, awareness and attract a new type of supporter then it can only be good.

How important is the community to your blog? Do you accept press releases? 
Critical. Without the football community there is no website. They are the lifeblood of our content and this is how it will remain. Our mantra is ‘for the fans, by the fans’. We are in a unique position where unlike official club websites or major publications, we can provide a level of coverage and passion that you just cannot generate from a paid journalist.

Do you accept press releases?
Yes, we certainly welcome press releases.

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on with PRs/brands? 
Surprisingly, given our vast social media following and website which attracts over three million page views per month, we haven’t really had many PRs/brands collaborating with us. This is something which we hope to change given the fact that they would be engaging with a passionate and bespoke audience that we have built over many years.

What other blogs do you read? 
eConsultancy is a big favourite to try to keep on top of digital trends in order to further improve the service which we offer our visitors.

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Political Headlines – Lib Dems top poll as Swinson launches leadership campaign

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Today’s political headlines includes the Lib Dems are top of the polls as Swinson launches leadership campaign, Trump indicates support for Johnson and a record number of patients are forced to change surgery as GPs close.

Lib Dems top poll as Swinson launches leadership campaign
A new poll by YouGov for The Times shows that the Liberal Democrats have taken the lead, with 24% of the vote, followed by the Brexit Party on 22%. The Conservatives and Labour are each on 19%. The unprecedented finding appears to reflect the electorate dividing between those who want a no-deal Brexit and those who’d rather remain in the EU. The Guardian says that Lib Dem deputy leader Jo Swinson has confirmed that she is standing for the leadership, saying that the ‘country is crying out for a liberal movement that will challenge the forces of nationalism and populism’.

Trump indicates support for Johnson
According to The Daily Telegraph, Donald Trump has indicated that Boris Johnson is his preferred leader of the Conservative Party. While he hasn’t formally endorsed him, yesterday he said that Johnson was a ‘friend’ and that he had ‘a lot of respect’ for him. The two men are expected to hold private talks when Trump visits the UK next week, which would be a breach of convention, while Nigel Farage could also be invited.

Record number of patients forced to change surgery as GPs close
The Daily Mirror reports that last year 519,000 patients had to change GP because their clinic closed, which is a record high. According to the Patients Association, this is because of ‘long-term failures in workforce planning and shortage of funding for the NHS in the face of rising patient need’. The number of surgeries closing has increased sevenfold since 2013.

Harper joins Tory race
The Daily Telegraph reports that Mark Harper, the former Chief Whip, has announced his candidacy for the Conservative leadership. He is the twelfth MP to do so, and admits that he is an ‘underdog’. However, he claims that he has an advantage over ministers who ‘shared the responsibility’ for failing to deliver Brexit with Theresa May, telling the paper ‘we’ve seen basically the same faces saying the same things that they’ve been saying for the last three years’.

Labour peer claimed £50,000 in expenses but didn’t speak
An investigation by The Guardian reveals that Labour peer David Brockman claimed almost £50,000 in expenses from the House of Lords despite not speaking or asking questions. Other findings include that 88 peers didn’t speak, hold posts or take part in committees, and that 46 didn’t vote, sit on committees or hold posts.

Trump to confront May over Huawei
The Times says that Donald Trump will confront Theresa May about the security risk posed by Huawei when he visits next week. His national security advisor, John Bolton, said that the USA would only be happy with ‘zero’ risk in its federal telecoms network, suggesting that it was trying to convince its intelligence partners to follow its lead.

Most Tory leadership contenders say they’re feminists
The Guardian says that eight of the Tory leadership contenders, including frontrunner Boris Johnson, have said that they are feminists. This follows Dominic Raab saying that he ‘probably’ wasn’t one, choosing to defend a claim he made in 2011 that feminists were ‘obnoxious bigots’.

Candidates endorse report calling for increased public spending
The Daily Mail reports that five Conservative leadership candidates, including Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt, have backed a report from the think tank Onward calling on the Government to ‘turn on all the taps’ and boost spending on schools, hire more police officers and cut corporation tax. However, Chancellor Philip Hammond has warned that radical tax cuts could be unaffordable.

Stay up to date with the latest political news with instant alerts from Vuelio Political Services.  

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PRCA announces five new fellows

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The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has announced today that they have appointed five new Fellows. Congratulations to everyone, we look forward to seeing your ideas for the PR industry in action.

Joining the esteemed list are Paul Bristow FPRCA, managing director, PB Consulting; Mark Glover FPRCA, chief executive, Newington; Richard Millar FPRCA, global president, H+K Strategies; Warwick Smith FPRCA, managing partner, Instinctif Partners; Donna Zurcher FPRCA, former managing partner, Instinctif Partners.

Three of the newly appointed Fellows (Paul Bristow, Mark Glover and Warwick Smith) have all been recognised for the work they have done to integrate the PRCA and APPC into the Public Affairs Board. Bristow says, ‘I’m proud to have worked as a public affairs practitioner and to have played my part in creating the Public Affairs Board.’

Glover praised the PRCA describing it as, ‘the pre-eminent organisation for representing the interests of public affairs practitioners’ and Smith echoed these comments stating, ‘It is humbling to be recognised by the industry which has given me so much satisfaction over the years’.

Both Richard Millar and Donna Zurcher have been recognised as an outgoing member of the PRCA Board of Management. Millar says, ‘Working on the PRCA Board of Management has been very rewarding and I look forward to further working for the good of the industry as a member of the PRCA Fellows’ and Zurcher heartily agrees saying, ‘I am absolutely delighted to have been selected. It is a great honour’.

David Gallagher FPRCA, President, Growth and Development, International, Omnicom Public Relations Group, and Chairman, PRCA Fellows, said: ‘The Fellows have become an essential sounding board for the PRCA and the 2019 class join at an especially exciting time for the association and discipline. Congratulations and welcome.’

On behalf of everyone at Vuelio congratulations to the newly appointed Fellows, we look forward to seeing your ideas for the PR industry in action!

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Luxury travel spotlight: Angie Silver, SilverSpoon London

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Angie Silver, luxury travel blogger and mum to be, is the brains behind SilverSpoon London. Sharing her travels to incredible destinations across the globe, SilverSpoon London couples detailed reviews and travel stories with beautiful photography, and as a London local, Angie also covers the best things to see and do in the capital. 

We spoke to Angie about out how she uses social channels and what works best, her favourite hotel in the world and the best collaboration she’s worked on.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
I’m a luxury travel blogger with a focus on beautiful destinations, hotels and food. I also cover my home town of London with restaurant reviews, events and other fun things to do.  

How do social channels work with your blog? Are any more important than others?
Social channels are vital for my blog. Twitter is great for promoting my latest posts and for having conversations with like-minded people. I love Instagram as a highlights reel or ‘shop window’ to show off my best photography and I use Instagram Stories for closer interaction with my readers and followers. Pinterest is great for driving traffic. 

Do you feel travel blogging is segmented (luxury/standard/local/family/budget etc)?
It can be, but I think blogs should reflect real life and that means fluidity. A budget traveller for example may stay at a luxury hotel for a special occasion and choose to review it. I don’t think that jars with regular content as their readers may find this useful too. As I’m about to have a baby I’m planning a slight shift in focus. I’ll always write about luxury travel but I’m going to introduce a family angle to my content. Many of my readers have been there since I start my blog over five years ago and I’m hoping for them to grow along with me.

What’s the best balance between visual and written content?
I think it depends on your angle and readership. More and more blogs are becoming curated and photography-led but I started my blog because I loved writing so that is what came first for me. My love of photography came next and I found myself enjoying learning how to create beautiful images too. Part of a blog is showing your personal experience through photography and your own voice, so both will always be important.

What’s your favourite hotel in the world?
Tough question as there are so many that I love! The best I’ve stayed in is Singita Boulders, a safari hotel is South Africa. Not only did I enjoy the magic of safari but the décor of the hotel, service and food were just second to none! I love hotels that are different, unique and special and offer a very personal service.

Which airline is the best (and why)?
I don’t know about them being the best but British Airways are the airline that I travel with most frequently. I have loyalty points with them so it makes sense, plus I find them reliable and the planes are comfortable with good service.

How conscious are you of political upheaval and local issues when travelling?
I’m very conscious. I’ll only travel to places that I feel are safe and would recommend my readers to travel to.

Do you accept press releases?
I would never write a blog post on the basis of a press release as my blog is wholly experiential. However, I do like receiving press releases in order to keep up to date with the latest news in the luxury travel sector.

What’s the best PR campaign/collaboration you’ve worked on?
For me my favourite collaborations also provide rich and unique experiences for me personally. Last September I worked with Original Travel in order to promote their travel planning and bespoke itinerary creation. This saw me saw me travel to Morocco to stay in Richard Branson’s hotel in the Atlas Mountains, as well as enjoy local experiences in Marrakech.

What other blogs do you read?
I love Adventures of a London Kiwi and Binny’s Food and Travel Diaries to read about fun things to do in London and the rest of the world.

The Curious Pixie, Follow Your Sunshine and The Travel Hack are great for family travel. I’ve read The Travelista, Lux Life London, Heroine in Heels, Twins That Travel and Kalanchoe for years. I know all these bloggers personally too, I love reading posts by friends and seeing what they get up to.

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Jessica and john 'blind date'

PR and Journalist ‘Blind Date’: When Stir PR met a daddy blogger

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Our latest professional pairing were Jessica Bottomley, account manager at Stir PR and John Adams, a daddy blogger at Dad Blog UK. Here’s what happened when they met for their PR and content creator lunch. 

How was your lunch?
Jessica: I had a lovely lunch with John and it was exciting to arrive ‘blind’, not knowing who I was meeting. In PR, I often arrange breakfast or drinks with journalists, many of whom I haven’t met before, so it felt quite natural and I was looking forward to learning about this person’s role.

John: This was a superb opportunity to engage directly with someone from the PR world and find out how they work, what they need from bloggers and so on. It was great to get feedback from Jessica on all these issues.

The food was great and Paternoster Chop House is an awesome venue. Conversation really did flow, possibly a bit too freely as we somehow got on to discussing how I talk to my daughters about periods! Not the kind of thing you expect to discuss over lunch, but that was an authentic insight into life as a dad blogger! Anyway, moving swiftly on. . .

Did you learn anything new about their role? If so, what?
Jessica: We work with parenting influencers and content creators regularly at Stir, so I felt like I had a good understanding of John’s role. However, my experience has been primarily with ‘mummy’ bloggers, so it was interesting to get the perspective of a ‘daddy’. I also found it really interesting to discuss John’s views on an appropriate level of exposure for children in the blogging world – the type of images to share and not to share, fair remuneration, borderline exploitation, etc.

John: My little secret is that I have worked in PR, but not for a good few years so my knowledge is a bit 2010 as opposed to 2019. What surprised me was the amount of effort Jessica puts into selecting which content creators to work with. This seems to be 90% of the role when working on online campaigns. It was also good to hear that the value bloggers and content creators bring to campaigns is widely recognised these days. That’s not always been the case.

Were you surprised by anything they told you about their job?
Jessica: I wasn’t surprised by anything John said about his role specifically, but it’s worth saying that for content creators, this is usually their full-time job, and I think a lot of people don’t realise this when hoping to work with them. We also spoke about the need for a hard-working code of conduct; yes, the ASA plays a part in policing things like disclosure (#ad), but there’s a lot more that can be done to guide influencers and those working with them.

John: If I were to be totally honest, not really. That’s possibly because of my background having worked in PR and communications myself. That said, it was great to hear that, as an account manager, Jessica seems to have a lot of autonomy as to how she runs her campaigns.

If you could share one top tip from lunch what would it be?
Jessica: Top tip – embrace every opportunity to meet new people and learn about different career paths and attitudes; in this day and age, we get so caught up in our own lives (and mobiles!) that speaking to those outside of our inner circle, e.g. on the morning commute, doesn’t happen very often.

John: If an agency approaches you with a good idea, but it doesn’t quite work, don’t be afraid to go back with your own suggestions. Jessica was quite clear she encourages this kind of engagement. At the end of the day, if something is more likely to work for the content creator and agency then it works for the client as well.

Do you think this lunch will change how you interact with PRs/journalists in the future?
Jessica: While I don’t think this meeting will necessarily change how I interact with content creators, I think it’s reinforced my appreciation of their job.

John: If I am approached to work on a campaign, I will have a greater appreciation as to the effort that has gone into selecting me. Not that I am shy of putting forward my own ideas, but if I have a suggestion for improving or amending a campaign so it could work better, I will be more confident in saying so.

Did you disagree on anything? If so, what?
Jessica: No disagreements!

John: No, although Jessica is probably going to reply to his question saying yes, which will make me look very daft!

If you could change one thing about PRs/journalists what would it be and why?
Jessica: I’m lucky to have had a good experience working with content creators, but sometimes I’ve found that agents can slow down the process. I acknowledge their role in filtering requests and managing the work, but it can be frustrating for PRs when things seem to take twice as long…

John: When asked this by Jessica, I put forward one, practical point. When I or my agent are approached to work on a campaign, very rarely does the agency state what the deadline is for producing content. I appreciate these things move with the whim of the client, but if I can have a rough indication in the earliest stages, it’s enormously helpful.

Finally, do you think you’ll stay in touch?
Jessica: Yes, I’d like to stay in touch with John – perhaps he’ll work with us for a future campaign!

John: I hope so, yes. Lunch was great and it was wonderful to engage with someone from the PR world in this way. We did talk about one or two clients Jessica represents so watch this space!

Jessica and John’s ‘blind date’ took place at the Paternoster Chop House aka the First Dates restaurant! If you’re a PR or a journalist and you’d like to be set up on one of Vuelio’s professional ‘blind dates’, please email Rebecca Potts.

Amec 2019

AMEC Global Summit 2019: Data, algorithms and analytics

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In its eleventh year, the Amec Global summit last week in Prague was focussed on data, algorithms and analytics. Panels discussed the future of measurement and the need to link PR and communications to audience behaviour. Conversations were inspiring and reminded the team there from Vuelio of the importance for ongoing development in media measurement.

A core theme of the presentations and workshops across the two days was audience. As the media landscape changes to reflect the dynamics of consumer behaviour, measurement and analysis must do the same. We need models that are flexible so that we can measure what matters to the business.

Fundamentally, this means that rather than working in silos, a more holistic approach is taken to how we consider every aspect of evaluation and how we incorporate data; such as demographic data, internal and external stakeholder surveys and call-to-action engagement. We have to work towards measuring beyond outputs to outcomes of the entire communications input. For too long measurement has concentrated heavily on outputs that do not link to business objectives and don’t provide PR functions with the tools they need to bring to the table which prove the worth of PR.

While media measurement and analysis has certainly come a long way, such as the transition away from AVEs, it is crucial that we continue to develop. In the future, this could mean that evaluation frameworks include:

  • Clever data collection techniques to link influencers to audiences with the goal of linking communications to business objectives
  • Development of algorithms to understand audience behaviour and increase efficiency and accuracy of NLP techniques
  • Continue to use best practice analytics methods, such as the tools and frameworks available from AMEC, to prove the worth and credibility of PR, moving away from vanity metrics.

Find out more about measuring your value with Vuelio. 

Suze Renner, Luxury Columnist

Luxury travel spotlight: Suze Renner, Luxury Columnist

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Suze Renner is one half of the team behind Luxury Columnist. Discovering hidden gems around the world, the luxury loving pair review hotels, restaurants and share the most interesting things to do, making Luxury Columnist a must-visit for anyone looking to have a holiday with a difference and a touch of luxury. 

We spoke to Suze about out the segmentation of travel blogging, how local issues impact their travel and their favourite travel blogs.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
We describe ourselves as content creators and multi-channel marketers who feature the latest luxury travel trends and destinations.

How do social channels work with your blog? Are any more important than others?
In terms of social channels, the two that work best for us are Instagram, which is great for immediate visibility, and Pinterest, which drives long term traffic to our website. Pinterest users are generally in a purchasing mindset when browsing the platform, so they’re highly valuable to luxury brands. Twitter is great for connecting with ultra-high net worth consumers and Facebook continues to be popular in many countries.

Do you feel travel blogging is segmented (luxury/standard/local/family/budget etc)?
Yes, although these days the lines between luxury and budget have become more blurred. Glamping and back-to-nature accommodation are increasingly popular, with some people choosing to splurge on a luxury hotel for a few nights at the end of their stay while staying somewhere more low-key for the rest. We focus on bespoke experiences and high quality, whatever the price range

What’s the best balance between visual and written content?
Visual content draws the reader in, but detailed written content is key to keeping them interested long term. We focus on writing in-depth articles that will be ranked higher by search engines; increasingly, those search engines are prioritising quality edited photos highly in their rankings, as they recognise that these are important to readers.

What’s your favourite hotel in the world?
It’s hard to choose just one, but a favourite is Monastero Santa Rosa, which is a former convent on the Amalfi Coast in Italy with an amazing infinity pool.

Which airline is the best (and why)?
Again, there are many great airlines, but we like Emirates for the friendly staff and quality of the food and beverage offering.

How conscious are you of political upheaval and local issues when travelling?
We always research our destination in detail before travelling, and check with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website that it is advisable to travel to the region. We like to speak to as many locals as possible while on the ground, in order to get a full picture of current events.

Do you accept press releases?
We can’t use press releases as we write about our personal experiences.

What’s the best PR campaign/collaboration you’ve worked on?
One of the best ones was a recent campaign for Visit Tokyo. They were clear about project deliverables, yet they listened to our input about activities that we knew readers would be interested in. We suggested to them that we integrated Tokyo’s plum blossom season into the campaign, as it is much less well known than cherry season. The best campaigns are those where we establish a long-term collaboration, and where the destination or hotel brand shares our content on their own site and social channels.

What other blogs do you read?
We like blogs and websites that give detailed information on the places that we are travelling to. For Japan, Travels with Nano was helpful and for Paris, we love the photography by Paris in Four Months.

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boris johnson

Political Headlines – Boris ordered to court over Brexit campaign

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Today’s political headlines includes Boris ordered to court over Brexit campaign, review of post-18 education and funding published and Corbyn pledges Labour will back referendum on any Brexit deal.

Boris ordered to court over Brexit campaign
The Daily Mirror leads on Boris Johnson being ordered to appear in court over claims he lied during the EU referendum campaign. Johnson, who said the UK gave the EU £350m a week has been accused of misconduct in public office. His lawyers have called the private prosecution ‘politically motivated’ and ‘a stunt’.

Review of post-18 education and funding is published
The Daily Telegraph reports on the findings of the Augar review, a new report into further education. The review calls for the current cap on university tuition fees in England to be reduced from £9,250 to £7,500 a year. The paper claims May is aiming to create a ‘domestic legacy’, before she steps down in July, and says it is likely her successor will follow through with the plans, in the aim of winning over younger voters.

Corbyn pledges Labour will back referendum on any Brexit deal
The Guardian has published a story Jeremy Corbyn’s promise that Labour will back a second referendum on any Brexit deal put before Parliament. Corbyn, who is today on a visit to Dublin to meet with Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar, said his party would ‘do whatever is necessary to stop a disastrous no-deal outcome’.

Government has spent £97m on Brexit advisers
The Guardian reports that according to a leaked National Audit Office draft report, the UK Government has spent £97m of public money on private consultants to advise on Brexit, including no-deal planning. The report criticises Government departments for failing to comply to transparency standards. The paper warns the costs could reach £240m by 2020.

Esther McVey sets out her vision for leadership
The Daily Express has published an article written by Conservative leadership candidate Esther McVey on her vision for the UK. McVey says that a decade of police cuts has ‘broken’ the relationship between the Tories and police officers and that she wants funding for a new police covenant. She also says that more money needs to be spent on education.

EU market regulator scraps plans for no-deal block on UK stocks
The Financial Times reports that the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has dropped plans to prevent EU banks and investors from trading some of the UK’s largest listed companies in London in the event of a no-deal Brexit. ESMA had identified around more than 6,000 stocks, including Vodafone and BP, that EU investors would have to trade on European exchanges if the UK were to leave the single market without a deal.

Stay up to date with the latest political news with instant alerts from Vuelio Political Services.