BBC Radio 2

Chris Evans leaves Radio 2 for Virgin Radio

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Chris Evans is leaving Radio 2 after 13 years with the station. The presenter of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show is rejoining Virgin Radio, the broadcaster he left in 2001.

Evans announced on his Monday morning show that he is to depart, with his last broadcast for Radio 2 set for December. However, the news was quickly followed by rumour and then confirmation that the star will be joining Virgin Radio.

The Radio 2 Breakfast Show is the most listened to radio show in the UK, with a weekly audience of over nine million. This compares with the Virgin Radio breakfast show’s 413,000 weekly listeners.

Evans is one of the BBC’s highest-paid stars, earning in excess of £1.6m a year, however the Mirror suggests the move will lead to a significant pay increase.

On leaving Radio 2, Evans said: ‘As Sir Terry said before me, there’s never a right time to leave something you love but there might be a wrong time if you hang on too long. I honestly think The Breakfast Show is currently as positive, useful, sunny and inclusive as it has ever been. In fine shape for its next custodian. Whoever that turns out to be, I wish them all the very best, they are in for an absolute blast.’

And on joining Virgin, he said: ‘In many ways Virgin Radio is my spiritual home. I see nothing but exciting and ground-breaking opportunities ahead. In a medium that is changing so quickly on a daily basis, the potential for growth is unprecedented. Our plan is: to give it all we’ve got, see where we can get to and have the most possible fun along the way. It makes me smile every time I think about it.’

His time at Radio 2 has been marked by many highs, not least a peak audience of 9.91m in 2014. Evans has raised millions of pounds for Children in Need with his annual CarFest events and other fundraising activities, and he launched the 500 Words children’s story-writing competition that, this year, received over 130,000 entries.

Lewis Carnie, head of Radio 2, said: ‘Over the past eight years on Breakfast, Chris has built an incredibly close relationship with the Radio 2 audience. I’d like to thank him, on behalf of them all, for becoming their friend via the airwaves. We look forward to launching a brand-new Radio 2 Breakfast Show early in the New Year.’

His first stint at Virgin Radio was tumultuous at times, with a 2001 Telegraph article quoting Evans as saying: ‘It looks like it’s all over – £600 million has come off the share price of the company and they have to blame someone and it looks like it’s me. I haven’t been sacked yet but it looks like it’s going to happen.’

Now Virgin is welcoming him back with open arms. Scott Taunton, CEO of Wireless, which owns Virgin Radio, said: ‘We are beyond thrilled that Chris has chosen to come back to Virgin Radio. He is the biggest name in radio and is synonymous with the brand. He has the most exciting Breakfast Show in the industry and has an energy that captivates audiences.’

Evans is not the first big name BBC Radio star to join a commercial station. Chris Moyles famously departed his Radio 1 Breakfast Show, which had a regular audience in excess of six million, and joined Radio X, where he has a weekly audience of 859,000.

All eyes will be on listening figures to see if Chris Evans has the star power to draw a significant audience or if his replacement at Radio 2 will be able to keep the audience.

Elton John

What PR did on its holidays – 6 inspirational campaigns from the summer

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Summer is over, the Hogwarts Express has departed Platform 93/4 and it’s time to go back to school. But getting back into the swing of things can be daunting after the holidays, and it is often difficult to find the inspiration for an excellent end to the year.

Not everyone was on holiday this summer and many PRs have been truly outstanding while creating brilliant campaigns. We’ve rounded up 6 of the best to give you the inspiration you need to have a killer year.

1. The celebrity campaign – Snickers and Elton John
Snickers has bagged one of the biggest names in pop (ever) as part of its ‘You’re not you when you’re hungry’ campaign. The video features Elton John in a rap battle, singing his own song, until he eats a Snickers and turns back into the rapper he actually is. It’s simple, it’s consistent with the existing campaign and it’s quite funny. The agency is AMV BBDO – check out the video below:

 

2. The reactive campaign – Kit Kat’s proposal
Back in June, Kit Kat inadvertently became the subject of a viral tweet:

Kit Kat – and its agencies Ketchum and Anomoly – got in touch with the boyfriend and together they planned a Kit Kat-themed marriage proposal using a custom-made Kit Kat ring box. Thankfully, #SheSaidYes, and the campaign was completed less than a month after the original tweet:

 

3. The undercover campaign – Will Smith, JUST water and Boots
Will Smith working in Boots. No, really. Will Smith dressed as a Boots employee and promoted his son’s JUST water brand in the Westfield branch. The campaign generated a heap of public attention within the shopping centre and an amazing video.

Boots has partnered with the eco-friendly water brand for its UK rollout and benefitted hugely from the celebrity connection. Obviously, this campaign is easier if your dad is one of the most famous actors on the planet.

 

4. The stunt – NOW TV’s #JurassicJeff
This campaign was fairly basic in its creation and execution but, as is always the way with communications, simple is best. NOW TV placed a giant statue of seductive Jeff Goldblum next to Tower Bridge to celebrate 25 years of Jurassic Park. The oversized model hit social media during a quiet news spell and managed to generate lots of coverage in the mainstream press. Not bad considering NOW TV were just promoting the fact they stream the film:

 

5. The print campaign – Stabilo’s highlighters
Print campaigns sometimes trend on social media for all the wrong reasons, but Stabilo’s ‘Highlight the remarkable’ campaign went viral for all the right ones. The simple campaign displayed historical photos with a yellow highlighter picking out a significant woman from a massive human achievement. The campaign hit all the right buttons, championing amazing women from history who are so often overlooked, while showing the simplicity of its product. The agency was DDB Germany, and the ads can be seen on PR Examples.

 

6. The political statement campaign – Trump balloon
The campaign from 13 July already has its own Wikipedia page. The ‘Donald Trump baby balloon’ was flown above Parliament Square to protest the visit of the American president in the UK. Paid for through crowd-funding (raising £16,000) the six-metre tall Trump blimp (Trimp?) drew a massive amount of attention online and in print, extended by the fact it followed the President to Scotland as he took a rare break to play golf.

The balloon upset many who believed it was disrespectful. A group crowd funded £58,182 to create a Sadiq Khan in a bikini copycat campaign, possibly expecting it not to be approved.  It was and Sadiq Khan even joked about it, so that campaign fell rather flat.

Whether this is now the new ‘floating something down the Thames’, remains to be seen.

 

How are you planning your campaigns? How are you informing the press, measuring your coverage and results, and presenting this to the board? Whether it’s a PR stunt, political campaign or reactive tweet, Vuelio has everything you need on one platform.  

Boris Johnson

Political Headlines – Tory rebels, Labour antisemitism, sex offenders and trade plans

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Tory rebels joining Stand Up 4 Brexit, Labour figures intervening in the antisemitism dispute, Javid tackling online sex offenders and Barnier’s opposition to British trade plans. 

Tory MPs criticise Government’s Brexit plans
The Times says that 20 Conservative MPs, including Priti Patel and Iain Duncan Smith, have joined the Stand Up 4 Brexit group which opposes Theresa May’s Brexit proposals, while former Brexit Secretary David Davis has also promised to vote against the plans and Remain supporter Nick Boles has voiced opposition to the plans, suggesting a two-stage Brexit with closer initial ties. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson says that the proposals are a ‘victory’ for the EU and a ‘fix’ that will leave ‘the UK lying flat on the canvas’.

Hodge, Brown and Thornberry intervene in antisemitism dispute
The Guardian reports that Margaret Hodge used a speech at the Jewish Labour Movement conference to claim that the party’s antisemitism row would only end if Jeremy Corbyn stepped down, saying that she planned to ‘stand and fight’ in the party. Gordon Brown told the conference that the party needed to ‘unanimously, unequivocally and immediately’ adopt the IHRA antisemitism definition. Speaking to the Financial Times, Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry has also backed the use of the definition, claiming that it did not prevent criticism of Israel.

Javid announces new policy to tackle online sex offenders
The Daily Mail says that Home Secretary Sajid Javid is to use a speech today to reveal what it calls ‘the shocking extent of the threat to children from online sex offenders’. He will says that at least 80,000 paedophiles are active online and announce a change in approach to the issue, calling on tech firms to do more and revealing extra funding for investigators.

Barnier ‘strongly opposed’ to British trade plans
The Guardian reports that the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has claimed the he is ‘strongly opposed’ to Theresa May’s Chequers proposals on trade, warning car manufacturers that they would need to use fewer British components. He warned that British plans were ‘not practical’ and ‘an invitation to fraud’.

Just 100 follow Banks’ call to join Tories
According to The Sun, just 100 UKIP supporters have followed Leave.EU founder Arron Banks’ call for them to join the Conservatives so they can vote in the next leadership election. The party tracked referrals from the link in Banks’ email and vetted those who had followed it.

Falklands call on Gove to make sure that ‘no penguin is left behind’ after Brexit
The Daily Telegraph carries a warning from the Falklands trade minister Teslyn Barkman that the islands will lose millions of euros in funding for penguin conservation projects after Brexit. She has called on Michael Gove to make sure that ‘no penguin is left behind’ and to offer more clarity on the UK’s replacement funding programme.

New figures show Brexit department’s high staff turnover
The Independent reports on data obtained by the Liberal Democrats that shows that 357 staff have left the Department for Exiting the European Union in the last two years, despite it only employing 665 people, giving it a staff turnover of over 50%. Lib Dem MP Tom Brake warned that the high turnover made a no-deal Brexit ‘ever more likely’.

HS2 legislation to be delayed by a year
The Times claims that the Government is to delay legislation for HS2’s link to Manchester and Leeds by a year. It claims that this is necessary in order to integrate the project with other upgrades in the region and will not delay it, but the leader of Leeds City Council, Judith Blake, has expressed concern.

Are you up to date with Brexit? If you’re worried you’re missing something, get Vuelio Political Services.  

Acuitas

Acuitas Communications joins the PRCA

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Acuitas Communications has joined the PRCA as its newest members. The finance and corporate communications agency, founded just three years ago, already has offices in Mayfair, Brussels and Mauritius – the only agency with such a global set-up.

Acuitas has built a client base of corporates, private equity, UNHWI and trade associations, with over a dozen blue-chip clients, including multi-office assignments. The agency specialises in corporate, crisis and financial comms as well as public affairs.

Simon Nayyar MPRCA, managing director of Acuitas Communications, said: ‘As a former member of the PRCA’s Board of Management and Chairman of its Public Affairs Committee, I have known the PRCA over many years and have the highest regard for its commitment to professional standards and development.

‘I could not be more thrilled that our own agency, Acuitas Communications, founded three short years ago, is now joining the pantheon of great names who already share in the PRCA’s benefits.’

Francis Ingham MPRCA, director general of the PRCA, said: ‘It’s a great pleasure to welcome Acuitas Communications as the PRCA’s newest Corporate Member. I admire Simon, whom I have known over many years and has held leadership roles in many large PR agencies, which are themselves PRCA members. Acuitas has made extraordinary progress in a short space of time. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have this forward-looking and increasingly successful business join the PRCA’s fold.’

Five Things

Five Things: Trump vs Google, bullying, WPP, Bake Off and May dance

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This week, Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed includes Trump vs Google, three bullying stories, WPP’s new chief exec, the return of Bake Off and Theresa May, dancing queen.

1. Trump vs Google

TrumpThe President of the United States has attacked Google twice this week for ‘bias’. The first time, Trump said the search engine had rigged results to the search ‘Trump news’, so that they were negative against him. He tweeted: ‘96% of results on “Trump News” are from National Left-Wing Media, very dangerous. Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good. They are controlling what we can & cannot see. This is a very serious situation-will be addressed!’

He also suggested his administration might regulate Google – though this would likely violate the first amendment (free speech).

The second attack came with a tweeted video along with the hashtag #StopTheBias:

The video shows how the Google homepage allegedly linked Obama’s State of the Union address each year on its homepage but stopped when Trump came to power. Google hit back, saying that Trump’s first speech had been to Congress and was therefore not a State of the Union address and also provided evidence that the video was not accurate, as reported by BuzzFeed News.

Trump attacking negative views, opinions and facts against him is nothing new. Trump attacking businesses and companies is nothing new. But the most powerful man in the world attacking the most powerful search engine in the world could change the face of the internet as we know it. Though actually, this will probably go nowhere – with the midterms on the horizon, Trump has bigger fish to fry.

 

2. A trio of bullying

Now MagazineStacey Solomon, Tess Holliday and Kim Woodburn – all three are considered to have been publicly bullied this week.

Stacey Solomon called out Now magazine for its cover, which used tweeted comments to describe her as ‘boring’, ‘desperate’ and ‘cheap’.

Solomon’s response generated huge public support, leading to an apology from the magazine. However, this wasn’t good enough for Solomon, who rejected the magazine’s apology on Loose Women.

In the second bullying story, Kim Woodburn appeared on Loose Women to ‘reconcile’ with Coleen Nolan after the pair fell out on Celebrity Big Brother. With Janet Street Porter playing ‘judge’, the pair argued and Woodburn left the set, leading to over 3,000 complaints of bullying against her to Ofcom.

Finally, Tess Holliday, plus-size model, has appeared on the front cover of Cosmopolitan in what many are calling a huge step forward for body positivity. Tess received a swathe of negative responses, which were widely shared on social media, so Cosmopolitan followed it up with an article titled: ‘Why the feedback to our Tess Holliday shoot proves this is the magazine cover we all needed’.

 

3. WPP to appoint Mark Read as chief executive

WPPThe FT has reported that that WPP is appointing Mark Read, currently co-chief operating officer at WPP, as its new permanent chief executive after deciding against an external appointment. Read has been in charge of WPP since April, when Sir Martin Sorrell resigned. His appointment has not been confirmed by WPP but could come as early as Tuesday when WPP reports its interim results, or later in September.

The FT also reports that Roberto Quarta is expected to move back to a non-executive role, after he became executive chairman following Sorrell’s resignation.

In an April interview, Read said: ‘The key task is to restore growth in the business and that is what we will focus on’, though whether he can stave off competition from Google, Facebook AND Sorrell’s new S4 Capital, while streamlining the unwieldy WPP, remains to be seen.

 

4. Bake Off is back

Bake off

The Great British Bake Off returned on Tuesday with the same judges and hosts, 12 new contestants and overnight viewing figures of 6.1m. Though this is down on last year’s opening of 6.5m viewers, the programme managed to capture 57% of the 16-34 audience, making it the most-watched TV show for this age group in 2018 outside of the World Cup. That means it’s more popular with ‘young adults’ than Love Island.

Full consolidated viewing figures are yet to be released, but as more people now watch TV on demand or via catch-up, it’s very possible the opening show will be more popular than it was in 2017.

In terms of the content, the show stuck to a familiar format, though there was noticeably less innuendo from the days of Mel and Sue.

 

5. Theresa May: Meme-tastic Happy Feet

Prime Minister

Theresa May has been filmed dancing several times this week, while on her whistle stop tour of three African nations. Surprisingly, Twitter redubbed the videos to different music. Enjoy:

You get the idea.

 

Seen something we missed? Let us know on Twitter – unless it’s another version of May dancing. We’ve seen that. We’ve seen a lot of that.

Frank Field

Political Headlines – Frank Field, Poland, Ruth Davidson and Wonga

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Today’s Political Headlines include Frank Field’s resignation, Poland’s Brexit support, Davidson considering a Westminster role and Wonga in administration. 

Frank Field resigns the Labour Whip
The BBC reports that the Labour MP for Birkenhead Frank Field has resigned the Labour whip. Field said that the party is becoming a force for anti-Semitism in British politics and said a culture of intolerance and nastiness exists in local parties. A month ago, Field lost a confidence vote in his local party after voting with the Government in a vote relating to Brexit. Field criticised the Labour leadership in his resignation letter saying they are doing nothing to address anti-Semitism in the party.

Poland offers Brexit support
The Guardian reports that the Government of Poland will make an attempt to persuade the EU to become more open to the UK’s Brexit plans, this comes as Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he has not seen any progress on the Chequers proposal from Brussels. The Polish Foreign Minister has said Poland wants to maintain their relationship with the UK after Brexit.

Davidson considering Westminster role
The Sun has revealed that leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, may move south of the border to Westminster, abandoning her role as an MSP to take up a ministerial position. The move is allegedly the first step towards a potential Tory leadership bid, with Davidson moving into Government via a peerage and a place in the House of Lords.

Wonga goes into administration
The Guardian is reporting on the collapse of payday lender Wonga, which went into administration yesterday. The downfall follows a sharp increase in compensation claims against the lender, each of which allegedly cost the company £550 to deal with. The Financial Conduct Authority has told roughly 200,000 customers who still owe over £400m to continue repaying their loans.

Raab heads to Brussels for Brexit talks
The Express looks ahead to Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab preparing for six hours of talks with Michel Barnier. It is expecting issues such as the Irish border to be discussed. This comes after Raab recently admitted that a deal may not be reached by October. The extended session is perhaps an indication of the desire of both sides to come to a deal as soon as possible.

Sturgeon praised for handling of Salmond case
The Guardian are reporting on the support given to SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon from senior SNP politicians, praising her handling of harassment allegations against former First Minister Alex Salmond. Senior SNP figures including Westminster leader Ian Blackford have backed Sturgeon. The move comes after a crowdfunding appeal launched by Salmond reached £90,000, which he said would be used to cover his legal fees for taking the SNP Government to court.

Who’s in and who’s out? Vuelio Political Services track all the moves and changes in UK politics, at Westminster and beyond.  

Carl Thompson

Men’s Lifestyle spotlight: Carl Thompson

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Carl Thompson is a face and name known to many throughout the blogging world and recently ranked in the top 10 UK men’s lifestyle blogs. With his eponymous blog, Carl covers a broad range of men’s lifestyle but specialises in fashion following the success of his menswear label. We spoke to Carl about the joys of Brazil, the best grooming products for the men’s market and how he likes to work with PRs.

Carl ThompsonHow many different areas does your blog cover, and do you have a primary focus?
My blog covers quite a range, but all centred around my personal lifestyle and interests that still largely focus on fashion. This past year I’ve spoken more about travel, the drinks industry, e-commerce and the current state of the high-street. I can’t ignore what’s going on with British retail, it’s more addictive than any soap. Above all, I’d say that my interest in the car industry has been the biggest lure. It’s also been my favourite as I get to flex some creative muscles.

What are the main differences between men’s and women’s lifestyle blogs?
I tend to find women are more thorough. When they want to explain what works with an outfit they’ll back it up with proof and 1,000 different pictures. I think guys are more content with looking good, but not necessarily getting in the weeds with why an outfit works, or the qualities of different fabrics.

I generally find women have more hustle in the blogging sphere and perhaps that’s just nature, it’s a far more saturated market. I also feel that the women’s blogs that I read, for example Sophie Milner’s Fashion Slave and Beth Sandland xo, focus on real life emotions and experiences, whereas men’s blogs tend to be more explaining and product focused.

Who is your favourite designer?
Tom Ford. Has been for a long time and still remains tip of the sphere for me. Every outfit exudes luxury.

What’s your favourite grooming product or service?
My favourite grooming product right now is the Panasonic ER-GB86 clipper. I’ve been waiting ages to find one that can tackle a thicker, unruly beard like mine, this comes with a high-torque motor so does the job nicely.

I’m road testing the Lab Series Oil Control and I think they’ve done a great campaign – got a lot of the right influencers onboard. Right now, I’m using the American Crew Boost Cream to control my slightly dry, frizzy hair that I apply on wet hair and blow-dry with my new Dyson hair dryer.

Fragrance-wise I’ve been experimenting a lot lately blending different scents and I’m going to share my two favourite combinations. The first is by Jo Malone: Oud & Bergamot combined with Honeysuckle & Davana; the second is by Tom Ford: Tuscan Leather combined with Plum Japonais.

Carl Thompson

What’s the best night out near you?
These days my best night out is actually a night in with a Deliveroo on order, a tub of Oppo Ice cream in the freezer and a Netflix boxset! Of course, I joke, I’m still partial to a good night out although I’ve left my clubbing days behind me and enjoy bars that serve good spirits and great food more.

Near me, I tend to spend most of my time in a bar called No32, the atmosphere is great, always busy on a weekend and most importantly the music is set at a level where you can still have a conversation. A good night out is always followed by a great roast dinner the next day and there are a few near me namely Trinity in Clapham Old Town, The Nightingale, The Avalon in Clapham South and The Grove in Balham.

What’s your favourite travel destination?
Ibiza is still king, holds a lot of nice memories for me. Although I’ve been to Morocco this year and the hotels and resorts in Marrakech are just sublime. Perfect for decompressing, fine food and most importantly, great Instagram pictures. A few off-the-beaten-track travel destinations that I also love are Los Roques in Venezuela, Fernando de Noronha and Jericoacoara both in Brazil… just google them and you’ll be booking your next trip away.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
They should know I’m very hands on. I like to be involved with every level of the campaign and have a vast amount of experience in what works and what doesn’t. I execute my deliverables to the highest possible quality, hiring the best videographers and photographers, often at my own expense.

I’m sometimes guilty of being quite curt with emails, but that’s only because I want to optimise time for all parties. For example, if there is no budget for a campaign that will monopolise a lot of my time, it’s best to get those discussions out of the way in the first exchange.

I remember a friend once telling me he asked his future wife if she wanted to have kids on the first date. It sounds nuts but his argument was he wanted kids and he didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. You can apply that logic to a lot of things I think.

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on recently?
I have to compliment the team that put together the Menabrea Beer press trip in Milan last week. The itinerary was engaging, the deliverables were clear and transparent, and they really showed off the best parts of Milan. Some bloggers have a myopic view of Milan; complain about the energy, or lack of. It’s really getting to know where the locals hang out.

I’ve also had a lot of fun working with Mazda. I’m really proud of the videos we put together for their marketing campaign and I know it really resonated with some people, which is great.

Mazda

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
I’m not sure. Ultimately, I don’t know what it will achieve. How will it be regulated? I think we could do with some kind of independent body. I had a recent case where an agency owed me, and a lot of other influencers, money. They ghosted a lot of people, stopped returning phone calls, answering emails etc. They eventually released a statement declaring themselves insolvent, which happens in business (all too easily) but hundreds of bloggers were left in no man’s land and out of pocket just because an agency decides to disappear from the face of the earth. That’s where bloggers need help.

What other blogs do you read?
I actually read quite a few. Fashion Beans is a decent hub, Mr Porter Journal is something of an addiction and I like Pete Brooker over at Human Research. He runs his mouth a lot, he’s just given up pampering to brands. If I need grooming advice, I read Man for Himself by Robin James and finally, for the best visuals, I love browsing Fashitects by Toni Tran.

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Dapper Chapper

Talking men’s lifestyle with The Dapper Chapper

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Adam Tanous is The Dapper Chapper, leading men’s lifestyle blogger who recently ranked in the Top 10. Grown from a style blog, Dapper Chapper now covers everything from bars and travel to fitness and interiors. We caught up with Adam who told us about his favourite designers, what PRs should know before they contact him (and not just his favourite tipple), and the evolution of bloggers.

How many different areas does your blog cover, and do you have a primary focus?
We initially started as a style blog but have since diversified to add other sections including Grooming, Lifestyle, The Dapper Chapper Bar and Places to go. Lifestyle is again quite broad and within it we cover things for the home, interior design, fitness, and cars.

What are the main differences between men’s and women’s lifestyle blogs?
Regarding content and aesthetics, I’m not sure there is much difference these days as boundaries are constantly being blurred. What is clear is that there are far fewer active men’s lifestyle blogs compared to women’s, which is probably why we’ve had access to so many amazing collaborations.

Dapper Chapper

Who is your favourite designer?
Tough one because different designers tick different boxes for me. For Summer probably Orlebar Brown and Autumn maybe Private White V.C but easily my most blogged about brand is Clements and Church, who are a bespoke tailoring label. They have a high-profile client list and most of the tailoring that I wear now is by them – tailoring’s best-kept secret.

What’s your favourite grooming product or service?
Perhaps a bit obvious but Aventus by Creed is perhaps the fragrance that I get most comments on when I’m wearing it but that said, all of these are good too.

We’re also a big supporter of BEAST in Covent Garden which is a male-focused grooming destination. They are fantastic curators of interesting male grooming products and worth visiting.

What’s the best night out near you?
I’m a few miles from Stamford Bridge, so I’d probably say an evening watching Chelsea. Team colours aside, these days we spend most of our time socialising at either The Hospital Club in Covent Garden or one of the Soho House venues.

The Ned is also a good shout because you’re likely to find whatever you’re looking for there.

What’s your favourite travel destination?
Tough one, but Costa Rica still just about leads the way. It has everything; tropical climates, the rainforest, wildlife, unbelievable beaches and interesting cultures.

I’ve also had two European trips recently that I’ve been raving about. Firstly, driving around the lakes and the north of Italy and secondly, to Northern Ireland. Both produced great food and spectacular scenery if you’re looking for something a little closer to home.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
If you email me (or anyone at TDC for that matter) without writing our first name at the start of the email, it won’t be read. If you’re too busy to look up who we are then we’re too busy to open your email.

More crucially, I like whisky and gin – this is good to know.

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on recently?
We’re lucky to regularly work on interesting campaigns. We’re collaborating with the Crown Estate to showcase everything that’s going on around St James’s which presents some fun activities.

One of the most interesting trips I’ve been on since I started blogging was out to the fabric mills in Biela, Italy with Clements and Church. It was incredible to see what goes into the fabrics and something I want to write more about.

Dapper Chapper

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
Blogging is going through an interesting time at the moment. For us, the blog is still the heart of The Dapper Chapper brand and every piece of content we put out on social links back to something we’ve written for the blog.

Now, online influencers can create content for social channels without necessarily writing a blog post but to remain at the forefront I believe it’s important to be active on various channels.

I think an industry association would be helpful to provide a place to guide bloggers through the continued evolution within the world of blogging.

That said, Vuelio does a great job of creating blogging debate along with championing the blogger, particularly at the annual awards!

What other blogs do you read?
We work a bit with the guys at Menswear Style so I’m always checking in with them. I also appreciate the content by Robin James. I like the way it helps people practically, which is something we want to work towards.

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Raab

Political Headlines – Raab, Macron, Timothy and energy drinks

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Today’s Political Headlines include Raab’s admittance that Brexit talks are unlikely to be completed by October, Macron’s fears that a no-deal scenario would poison European relations, Nick Timothy criticising May’s Chequers plan and energy drinks ban for children.  

Brexit talks unlikely to achieve October deadline – Raab
The FT has splashed on the latest admission by Brexit secretary Dominic Raab that the October deadline for UK-EU talks is unlikely to be met, with both sides struggling to reach agreement over the Irish border and future trade relationship. Raab conceded that there would be ‘leeway’ over the signing of a deal, with many Brexit analysts viewing the Irish border as the main obstacle to agreement.

Macron fears that a no-deal scenario would ‘poison’ European relations
The Times reports that French President Emmanuel Macron is calling on the EU to push for a close relationship with Britain. The French president will use next month’s EU summit in Salzburg to call for a new structure for European alliances based on ‘concentric circles’, with the EU and the euro at its core, and Britain in a second ring.

May’s former chief-of-staff criticises May’s Chequers plan
Writing in The Telegraph, the Prime Minister’s former chief of staff Nick Timothy has said that the PM is set to compromise even further on her Chequers proposal and agree to a ‘worst of all worlds’ Brexit deal, that would be worse than no deal at all. Nick has called upon the PM to revive David Davis’ discarded white paper for a post-Brexit trade deal.

Energy Drinks to be banned for children
The Daily Mail reports that school children will be banned from purchasing energy drinks such as Red Bull and Monster Energy. The drinks’ high level of caffeine and sugar have been blamed for disruptive behaviour in classroom, and health campaigner Jamie Oliver has backed the campaign. No. 10 has said that it has not yet decided whether the ban should apply to under-16s or under-18s.

Corbynites plan to lobby Labours NEC meeting to stop U-turn on antisemitism
The Times reports that pro-Corbyn supporters in the Camden branch of Momentum are now planning a ‘mass lobby’ of next Tuesday’s meeting of Labour’s ruling executive, when the party is expected to finally adopt its new code on anti-Semitism.

Farage considers bid for Mayor of London
The FT has revealed that former UKIP leader Nigel Farage is considering running in the London mayoral election, in an attempt to push the Conservatives into third place. A senior Conservative official has said that Number 10 was braced for embarrassment if Farage decided to run, fearing electoral defeat despite not having selected a candidate yet.

Salmond resigns from SNP
The Telegraph is reporting on Alex Salmond’s resignation from the SNP. The former leader has quit the party following two sexual harassment allegations, saying he did not want to ‘facilitate opposition attacks on the SNP’. Salmond announced his resignation alongside a crowdfunding appeal, set up to raise money for his upcoming legal challenge against the SNP Government for their handling of the allegations.

Police and Crime Commissioners call for Spice to be reclassified as Class A
The Independent reports that a group of more than 20 Tory police and crime commissioners have written to the home secretary calling for the synthetic ‘zombie drug’ known as Spice to be reclassified as Class A. In an open letter, the crime czars warn the Class B substance poses the ‘most severe’ threat to public health in decades.

Ready by October or still more to negotiate? Don’t miss out on the latest political updates, get Vuelio Political Services.  

ape to gentleman

Interview with Ape to Gentleman’s Chris Beastall

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Ape to Gentleman recently ranked second in the Top 10 UK Men’s Lifestyle blogs. Written by Chris Beastall and his team of experts, Ape to Gentleman primarily focuses on grooming and style but also covers cars, tech and drink.

We caught up with Chris to chat about the best travel destination, the need to stay on brand and his recent whisky trip.

What are the main differences between men’s and women’s lifestyle blogs?
I feel as though the men’s blogs are more factual and educational, whereas the women’s blogs tend to be more inspirational. For example, we wrote an article on the best aftershave balms. Whereas the women’s blogs I follow might focus more on the influencer editor, and how to get her look. Very much a sweeping generalisation here!

Who is your favourite designer?
Currently, Alexandre Mattiussi of AMI for modern classics. For all-time, it’s Ralph Lauren.

Ape to gentleman

What’s your favourite grooming product or service?
Favourite grooming product would have to be my Philips beard trimmer. Great build quality and keeps my stubble the right length.

What’s the best night out near you?
Sheffield – mainly because everyone’s so friendly. It’s a big enough city, but with a small-town feel.

What’s your favourite travel destination?
The South of France. A bit cliched but it’s sophisticated, has good weather and is old school chic.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
Everything has to be on brand for Ape.

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

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on recently?
A recent trip to the Isle of Jura for Jura whisky was great – full of interesting creative types, and great whisky of course. And ‘Barbershops of America – Then and Now’; Rob Hammer, a photographer, documented barbershops old and new across the US and his images just ‘feel’ emotional. They conjure thoughts of all the stories shared in these places.

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
Probably. It would legitimise the category. There’s a lot of bloggers creating some seriously good and original content out there.

What other blogs do you read?
Honestly, I don’t. We have an extensive editorial schedule which we stick to and therefore, don’t need inspiration from others. I tend to read or view photographers stories and work. And, of course, scroll through Instagram to check in on the people I follow.

Chris Beastall and Ape to Gentleman are both listings in the Vuelio Media Database along with thousands of other blogs, vlogs, outlets and opportunities.

The Everyday Man

Spotlight on leading men’s lifestyle blog: The Everyday Man

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John Robertson is The Everyday Man, and recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Men’s Lifestyle blogs. Covering a huge range of topics, from travel to cars, The Everyday Man has been supplying readers with the latest men’s lifestyle content since 2012.

We caught up with John, who told us about premium high street brands, the lovely people of Glasgow and working with PRs and brands.

How many different areas does your blog cover and do you have a primary focus?
I have eight subsections from Art & Design to Travel but my main focus is lifestyle, which more or less can encompass anything really.

What are the main differences between men’s and women’s lifestyle blogs?
I don’t think there is a massive difference if I’m honest, in fact about a third of my readers are female. I guess some of the experiences and products may be geared more directly towards men but with lifestyle topics they are generally relevant to everyone.

Who is your favourite designer?
I prefer premium high street brands to high level designers. My favourite shops that make up the bulk of my wardrobe are Reiss, Cos and H&M.

What’s your favourite grooming product or service?
I love getting my hair cut and struggle to go more than two weeks without having the sides trimmed. It’s a tad OCD I know, but I always feel great after a fresh trim!

What’s the best night out near you?
I live in Glasgow, which is a great city for a night out. The people are the friendliest probably anywhere, so you can always be guaranteed to have a fun night no matter what you decide to get up to. My ideal night out would probably be a nice meal while catching up with mates followed by a refreshment or two.

What’s your favourite travel destination?
I love Amsterdam as a city break destination. I’ve been there lots and never tire of it. I love that it’s small enough to wander around and has lots of cool and quirky shops and bars to have a nosey around.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I hate phone calls. I’d much rather just communicate over email as I find it easier to manage and keep on top of things when I have it all written down.

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

What are the best campaigns you’ve recently collaborated on?
I worked on a design focused campaign with AC Hotels recently and really enjoyed it as I had lots of freedom to interpret the brief on my own and create content that worked well for my channels.

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
Yes, it would be great for the industry. I hear horror stories about people not getting paid for jobs or people being ripped off all the time. A collective to support people would be a great thing.

What other blogs do you read?
I don’t read that many nowadays to be honest as I struggle to find the time. I try to keep an eye on Hypebeast (is that a blog?) as they always share the coolest sneaker releases and I’m a bit of a sneakerhead.

John Robertson and The Everyday Man are both listings in the Vuelio Media Database along with thousands of other blogs, vlogs, outlets and opportunities.

PM

Political Headlines – May vs Boris, Tories vs UKIP, Sacks vs Corbyn

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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s vow to fight any leadership bids, pro-EU Tories fear entryism from UKIP voters, the former chief Rabbi who says Corbyn’s remarks are most offensive since rivers of blood, and tackling modern slavery. 

May would fight Boris Johnson leadership bid
The Guardian reports that Prime Minister Theresa May has said she would fight any leadership bid from Boris Johnson and she is planning to take the Conservatives into the next general election. She signalled her intention to deliver for the country despite the unhappiness at her Chequers deal. May also stated her intention to address the big issues at the upcoming Conservative Party conference, specifically mentioning her ambition to tackle housing.

Pro-EU Tories fear entryism from UKIP voters
The Times are reporting that pro-EU Conservative MPs are seeing an increase in applications to join their local parties, leading to concerns that UKIP voters are seeking to unseat them in favour of pro-Brexit candidates. This comes after key Leave.EU donor Arron Banks called for members of the Brexit campaign group to join the Conservatives and help select candidates sympathetic to Brexit.

Former chief Rabbi says reported Corbyn remarks most offensive since Enoch Powell
The New Statesman has an interview with the former Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, who says reported remarks made by Jeremy Corbyn on ‘Zionists’ are the most offensive remarks by a senior politician since Enoch Powell’s rivers of blood speech. Sacks called the remarks hateful, divisive and undermining to an entire group of British citizens. Sacks was also asked about Israel’s new nationality law, he said he is not a legal expert but as far as he understands it, there is nothing apartheid about it.

Crackdown on illegal and unsafe migration as part of attempts to tackle modern slavery
The Express reports that Theresa May will announce further measures on modern slavery today. A partnership with Nigeria will see the two nations work together to combat modern slavery. The plans will see support given to victims of modern slavery returning to Nigeria, this support will consist of counselling to deal with their distress and training to get them into jobs.

Scrap tax relief for entrepreneurs, says thinktank
The Guardian are reporting on research carried out by the Resolution Foundation, which has urged Chancellor Philip Hammond to abolish entrepreneur’s relief in the autumn budget. In a report released today, the thinktank has claimed scrapping the tax break would save roughly £2.7bn, which could then be spent on the NHS.

If there’s a leadership bid, some political stories move out the spotlight. Keep up to date with everything that matters to you with Vuelio Political Services.  

Ethics in PR and comms

Global PR associations agree new ethics code

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A task force of public relations and communication management organisations has identified 16 principles for ethical practice that they deem to be universal and fundamental to the practice of PR and comms.

The organisations, which includes the UK’s PRCA, based the principles on an analysis of the most prominent codes of ethics in public relations and communication management to build on the 2003 global protocol on ethics, the recent Helsinki principles and the IABC code.

Francis Ingham, of the ICCO and PRCA, said: ‘Less than a year ago, we expelled one of our most high-profile members from the UK Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) because of a breach of ethics. Building on that decision, the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) developed the Helsinki Declaration – our global principles of ethical practice. We warmly welcome these complementary principles from the Global Alliance. Seen together, our collective work represents the new gold standards of ethical public relations practice.’

The principles are split into two parts – guiding principles and principles of professional practice:

Guiding principles

  1. Working in the public interest
  2. Obeying laws and respect diversity and local customs
  3. Freedom of speech
  4. Freedom of assembly
  5. Freedom of media
  6. Honesty, truth and fact-based communication
  7. Integrity
  8. Transparency and disclosure
  9. Privacy

Principles of professional practice

  1. Commitment to continuous learning and training
  2. Avoiding conflict of interest
  3. Advocating for the profession
  4. Respect and fairness in dealing with publics
  5. Expertise without guarantee of results beyond capacity
  6. Behaviours that enhance the profession
  7. Professional conduct

Jose Manuel Velasco, chair of the Global Alliance, which represents more than sixty organisations, said: ‘We are happy to announce that the members of the Global Alliance and IABC have agreed on sixteen principles that should be covered in every code of ethics for our profession. We are also happy to announce that these principles have the support of ICCO, the PRCA UK and PRCA MENA.

‘Our combined efforts will help elevate the profession and promote ethics from a position of strength.’

Project lead, and GA past chair Jean Valin said: ‘As communicators and public relations professionals, we have the potential to influence economies and individuals. This carries obligations and responsibilities to society and to organisations. Ethics must be at the core of our activity. In our world of fake news and concerns over privacy as artificial intelligence ramps up, we are at an ethical crossroads. There is no public relations/communication profession without ethics.’

All members of the Global Alliance (sixty plus organisations) will be reviewing their codes of ethics to determine if they align with the new global principles within six months. The Global Alliance has updated its own 2003 code to reflect the new global principles.

Members of the task force included representatives from:

  • Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
  • Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS)
  • Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ)
  • Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA)
  • International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO)
  • International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
  • Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) United Kingdom and Middle East North Africa

Recognising the importance of putting principles and codes into practice, the task force has also assembled a repository of critical resources such as case studies, podcasts, newsletters and advisories culled from the members of the Alliance and other organisations, which is available here.

If you’d like to add anything to the resource list, please contact Jean Valin directly.  

Africa

Political Headlines – May in Africa, Macron on Brexit and plastic bag tax

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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s plan to increase investment via the private sector in Africa, Macron turning down the appeal for Brexit help, Treasury opposes plan to double plastic bag charge and Corbyn distances himself from plan to punish vexatious antisemitism complaints. 

May to announce plans to increase investment in Africa
The BBC says that Theresa May will use a visit to South Africa today to reveal plans to increase the UK’s investment in Africa following Brexit. She will set a target of becoming the G7’s largest investor in the continent by 2022, adopting an ‘ambitious new approach’ to aid by ‘unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit’ of the private sector. Her three-day trade mission will also see her visit Nigeria and Kenya.

Macron turns down appeal for Brexit help
The Times reports that French President Emmanuel Macron has turned down an appeal for help to break the deadlock in Brexit negotiations from Theresa May. He used a speech to warn that Brexit ‘cannot come at the expense of the European Union’s integrity’, although France does want ‘to maintain a strong, special relationship’ with the UK. The Guardian adds that Theresa May has said that a no-deal Brexit ‘wouldn’t be the end of the world’ and that the Government ‘can make a success of it’.

Treasury opposes plan to double plastic bag charge
According to The Daily Telegraph, the Treasury is opposing Theresa May’s plan to increase the tax on plastic bags to 10p, with a senior source telling the paper that it ‘looks like profiteering’ and that ‘consumers don’t want to feel like they are being hammered with more taxes on the cost of everyday living’.

Corbyn distances himself from plan to punish ‘vexatious’ antisemitism complaints
The Times says that Jeremy Corbyn is distancing himself from claims that Labour would penalise those it thinks have made ‘vexatious’ antisemitism allegations for ‘factional’ reasons. The claim was made by The Skwawkbox, a website with close ties to Corbyn’s team, but a party spokesman described it as ‘inaccurate’.

Immigration rules doubled in length since 2010
The Guardian reports that over 5,700 changes have been made to immigration rules since 2010, causing them to double in length to almost 375,000 words. Lord Justice Irwin has described this as ‘something of a disgrace’ and the Law Commission is currently working on a review of the rules.

Thinktank calls for more use of stop and search
The Daily Mail carries details of a new report by Iain Duncan Smith’s Centre for Social Justice, which calls for a dramatic increase in the use of stop and search in order to tackle increasing violence driven by drugs gangs. Duncan Smith claims that this would help ‘the poorest communities in our country’.

Taxpayers funded non-disclosure agreement between MP and his aide
The Daily Telegraph says that the taxpayer has funded the cost of a non-disclosure agreement between Khalid Mahmood and his parliamentary assistant and former lover Elaina Cohen, who is Jewish, after she accused him of religious discrimination at an employment tribunal. The cost was covered by insurance funded as part of the expenses system.

Watson calls for investigation into Russian interference during Brexit vote
The Guardian reports that Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Tom Watson has called on the Government to confirm where the National Crime Agency is investigating Russian interference with the leave campaign during the EU membership referendum. He suggested that the vote may have been ‘stolen’ and called for a full public inquiry.

Is more investment an opportunity for you? See the bigger picture with Vuelio Political Services.  

Five Things: BDC, Netflix, Dec, Brexit and Fabricant

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This week’s five things includes the Corbyn’s proposal for a BDC, Netflix acquiring the rights to the Bake Off, the new Ant, pick your own Brexit and Michael Fabricant in a whipping.

1. BDC

Corbyn

The Edinburgh International Television Festival is on at the moment, which always throws up a multitude of gems. For example, Ian Katz, director of programmes at Channel 4, today revealed that Sacha Baron Cohen’s Who Is America? is the first Channel 4 series to have a bigger audience on All4 than live TV.

However, the story from the festival that has grabbed all the headlines is Jeremy Corbyn’s Alternative McTaggart lecture. The leader of the opposition used his speech to propose a British Digital Corporation (BDC), that would, as reported by The Guardian, ‘commission online TV, offer easy access to archive material held by public sector institutions and operate a social networking arm that could play a role in direct democracy’.

While his full speech explains some of the functions of the BDC, it’s unclear how it would be funded to compete with the likes of Facebook, Google, Amazon or Netflix (all would be direct competitors), nor how it would be different from the BBC (which presumably it would be sharing the licence fee with, or perhaps the aim is to replace the broadcaster).

The BDC is not Labour policy but the leadership is committed to the proposals as part of its plans to reform the media.

 

2. The Great British Baking Show

GBBO

Netflix has acquired the rights to air the Great British Bake Off in the US. The streaming giant will show last year’s series (the first from Channel 4) on 31 August, with this year’s series showing later this year. It has also secured the rights to a third future series, which will stream next year.

The show will be streamed under the title ‘The Great British Baking Show’, which is what it is known as in the US. The previous BBC series aired on PBS.

Let’s be honest, this story is included so I can remind everyone that this year’s Bake Off starts on Tuesday. Exciting.

 

3. ? and Dec

Ant and dec

Ant McPartlin will not feature on the next series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, as he is recovering from his addiction to prescription drugs. While it had been assumed Dec would be presenting the show alone, Kevin Lygo – director of programmes at ITV – has revealed at the Edinburgh TV festival that Ant will be replaced.

Different outlets are suggesting different presenters are favourite to fill the space, with Scarlett Moffat and Holly Willoughby the most likely frontrunners and David Walliams, Vicky Pattinson, Philip Scofield and Cat Deeley also in the mix.

 

4. Bloomberg’s Pick Your own Brexit game

Brexit

It’s hard to write a great deal about this, you really have to play it. Bloomberg has created a choose your own adventure game with two options for each round. Your aim? To get a Brexit outcome, whether that’s hard, soft or not at all.

 

5. Michael Fabricant’s whipping

Michael Fabricant

Michael Fabricant MP ‘hit’ the headlines after publishing a video explaining what the Government Whips are and do. Above is a picture of him whipping someone with a shoe horn. Below is the full video:

SocialBookshelves.com

Spotlight with leading literature blogger Dane Cobain of SocialBookshelves.com

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Dane Cobain is the blogger behind SocialBookshelves.com, the book review blog with a difference. Recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Literature Blogs, SocialBookshelves.com posts reviews where the word counts are determined by the number of pages in the book. We caught up with Dane to talk about his favourite authors and books, being a writer himself and why PRs need to cut through the noise.

What makes your blog unique?
SocialBookshelves.com is unique because each of my reviews has the same word count as the number of pages that the book has. On top of that, it’s a log of my personal reading and includes a review for every book that I can ever remember reading, as well as reviews for each book that I’ve read since starting it.

What’s your favourite book ever?
I get asked this a lot and I usually say Northern Lights by Philip Pullman, which is also known as The Golden Compass in the United States. It was my ‘gateway drug’ and the book that really cemented my love for reading as a kid. And the ending of The Amber Spyglass, the third book in the trilogy, is the only time a book has ever made me cry.

Who is your favourite author?
This one’s a harder one to answer and so I’m going to go for Terry Pratchett because he’s my most-read. Here’s the list:

  1. Terry Pratchett: 59 books
  2. R.L. Stine: 51 books
  3. Agatha Christie: 43 books
  4. Graham Greene: 41 books
  5. Stephen King: 40 books

Which new authors should we all be aware of?
Me! I’m a writer as well as a reader and have seven books out including my latest, a quirky cosy detective novel called Driven. I’ve also been really enjoying the Doris books by fellow indie author Charles Heathcote. They’re inspired by old comedies like Keeping Up Appearances and they’re hilarious.

What’s the best book you read in the last year?
So far, it’s The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I think it’s going to be tricky for anything else to top it, but we’ll see.

Have you ever judged a book by its cover?
I think we all do to some extent. It’s certainly a factor when I’m skimming through dozens of pitches from PR agents, but I also buy a lot of my books from charity shops and with those, I don’t really look at the cover. I just have a long list of books that I want to buy, and charity shops help me to find them.

What one thing should PRs/brands know about you?
I’ve been blogging for years now and also have a reasonably successful BookTube channel, which means I get a lot of requests for review. I don’t respond to pitches because I get so many of them, so please don’t take it personally if you don’t hear back from me. I also don’t accept many of the pitches (maybe around 1% of them), which means that if I do agree to accept your book, you managed to cut through the noise and attract my attention.

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

What are the best campaigns/collaborations you’ve had with PRs?
Well the most recent highlights for me included a press trip to Latvia (with Abegail Morley from The Poetry Shed and some others) and sitting in the shadow panel for the Young Writer of the Year Award (with Clare Rowland from A Little Blog of Books and others). It was too to see both of their blogs on this year’s Vuelio list, too.

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
Probably not. I think it’s becoming more accepted as a subgenre of journalism these days and bloggers tend to be more informal etc. anyway. I personally wouldn’t join an association unless there were obvious benefits to it purely because I think I do okay without. But I’m sure it’s just personal taste.

What other blogs do you read?
Honestly, these days I tend to get most of my book news from BookTubers and there are too many to mention there, although one of them is Savidge Reads who was also in this year’s Vuelio list of bloggers. I also use Goodreads a lot and follow most of my blogger friends there as they usually cross-post their reviews. I know I do!

 

Dane Cobain and SocialBookshelves.com are both listed in the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other blogs, vlogs, outlets and opportunities.

Hammond

Political Headlines – Hammond, Salmond, Brexit and Berger

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Today’s Political Headlines include Hammond’s no-deal warnings, Salmond accused of sexual assault, the no-deal Brexit papers and Luciana Berger feeling unwelcome in Labour as a Jew. 

Hammond warns of ‘large fiscal consequences’ of no-deal
According to The Daily Telegraph, Philip Hammond has been accused of undermining the Government’s Brexit strategy by warning that a no-deal Brexit would have ‘large fiscal consequences’ for the UK in a letter which he wrote to the Commons Treasury Committee. The letter did not receive approval from Downing Street and the paper claims that it has been ‘infuriated’ by Hammond’s intervention.

Salmond accused of sexual assault
The Daily Record says that former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has been reported to police over historic allegations of sexual assault, dating from his time in the role. Salmond denies the allegations and has launched legal action against the Scottish Government, claiming that its Permanent Secretary ‘is behaving unlawfully in the application of a complaints procedure, introduced by her more than three years after I left office.’

Government publishes no-deal Brexit papers
The Times reports that the 24 technical papers outlining what would happen in the event of a no-deal Brexit published by the Government yesterday would increase bureaucracy, impede access to medicines and increase credit and debit card charges for holidaymakers.

Berger claims that Corbyn comments make her feel ‘unwelcome’ in Labour as a Jew
The Daily Mail reports that Labour MP Luciana Berger has attacked Jeremy Corbyn after footage emerged of him claiming that British Zionists ‘don’t understand English irony’ despite ‘having lived in this country for a long time, probably all their lives’. Berger said that the comments made her ‘as a proud British Jew feel unwelcome in my own party’. Jewish Chronicle editor Stephen Pollard said that the recording showed that Corbyn thought Jews were ‘somehow a breed apart from ‘normal’ English people’.

Tories block Arron Banks from joining party
The Guardian reports that the Conservatives have blocked an attempt by Leave.EU founder Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore, his business partner, to join the party. They claimed that they had joined the party to have their say in a leadership contest which they believe will happen shortly, arguing ‘that the battle for Brexit is now within the Conservative party’.

Corbyn accused of ‘hypocrisy’ over BBC class plans
According to The Daily Telegraph, Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of hypocrisy after he urged the BBC to publish data on its journalists’ class, despite the fact that much of his team went to independent schools. The Daily Mirror lists Corbyn’s seven ‘most radical ideas to shake up the media’, including a digital licence fee, journalists electing editors and a state-owned version of Facebook.

Starmer slaps down Gardiner over second referendum claims
The Daily Mirror claims that Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer has ‘slapped down’ Shadow International Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner for suggesting that a second referendum on Brexit might cause ‘civil disobedience’ and give ‘succour to the extreme right’. While he refused to back another referendum, Starmer said that ‘all options should be on the table’.

Gibb fails to explain new GCSE grading system
The Sun reports that Schools Minister Nick Gibb failed to explain the new GCSE grading system in an interview yesterday, telling LBC’s Nick Ferrari that grade 8 is the ‘midway point between grades 7 and 9’. Later, he refused to answer a maths question posed to him by TalkRadio’s James Max, claiming that he’d been told ‘not to answer them’.

Worried what the future holds for Brexit? Vuelio Political Services can keep you in the know.  

Party Conference

How to make the most of Party Conferences

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Party Conference Season is just around the corner, and with Brexit looming large over every major party, we’re in for an explosive autumn. If you’re gearing up for Conference, don’t miss our next webinar.

ZetterParty Conferences give MPs and party leaders the chance to announce new policies and strategies, and debate key issues that matter to their members and the country as a whole. They also give you an unrivalled opportunity to lobby MPs and the party’s constituents directly.

But with so much activity packed into just four days – not including the long nights – how do you know where to start? How can you get the most out of the Conferences without missing anything that matters to you?

Our next webinar – hosted by political and communications supremo Lionel Zetter, author of Lobbying, the Art of Political Persuasion – will guide you through Party Conference season, revealing how you can get the most out of every day and the biggest return on your time.

Webinar: Making the most of Party Conferences
Date: Wednesday 12 September 2018
Time: 11:00 – 11:30 BST   

Lionel is a former President of the CIPR and former Chairman of the Government Affairs Group. He is the current Chair of the PRCA Public Affairs Group and has been attending Conservative Party Conferences since 1974. Lionel is also a regular attender of Labour, Lib Dem and SNP conferences.

Altogether he has attended over 100 party conferences and when we asked for his top tip for conference, he said: ‘It is all about pacing yourself. If you are going to do morning events, and stay late in the bar in the evening, it is important to have some down time in the middle of the day – even if that means sneaking back to your hotel for a siesta!’

Lionel will be joined by Jonathan Isaby, editor of BrexitCentral and Sabine Tyldesley, account manager at PLMR.

Jonathan has been editor of BrexitCentral since its founding in September 2016. His journalistic career has seen him working for the full range of broadcast, print and online media, having initially joined the BBC as a political analyst in the corporation’s busy Westminster newsroom in 1999. Four years later he was recruited by the Daily Telegraph, where he spent five years, latterly writing his own political column, as well as blogging about politics on its website.

In 2008 he became co-editor of ConservativeHome.com, making him the first journalist from a British national newspaper to leave the mainstream media to become a full-time professional blogger.

Sabine specialises in immigration and home affairs, rights, justice and employment. She is part of PLMR’s Brexit Unit, has extensive knowledge in parliamentary processes and tracking legislation. At PLMR she primarily advises on integrated public affairs campaigns, political engagement and journalist engagement but also supports PR campaigns and crisis work across different sectors.

Sabine has been leading on organising PLMR’s Conservative Party Conference exclusive events and meeting space, the Business Hub.

 

Join this webinar to learn:

  • Why Party Conference is your best opportunity to make a difference
  • How to maximise your time at Conference to get the most from every session
  • The secrets of successful conference networking
  • How to avoid the pitfalls and the pratfalls!

Interview with Aaron Mark, editor-in-chief of Boyfriend Magazine

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We recently spoke to Aaron Mark, a fashion stylist and editor-in-chief at the recently launched Boyfriend Magazine. Aaron discusses the motivation behind launching the magazine, what sets it apart from other fashion magazines, why no two days are ever the same, and dancing for Atomic Kitten at Wembley Arena…

Boyfriend Magazine launched its first print issue in August. Can you tell us a bit about the publication and how it came about?
Boyfriend Magazine is a fashion forward publication that explores themes of masculinity and femininity. We pride ourselves on celebrating the works of successful creatives, while also showcasing emerging ones, and we believe this concept to be unique within the publication market.

I initially thought of the magazine and its concept when I was submitting my own work to publications, and I felt so frustrated at the lengthy process, which felt like a lot of work for little to no reward at times. I wanted to create a magazine that didn’t base its published works criteria on the CVs of the creatives, we simply wanted to publish works based on talent and creativity.

Boyfriend MagazineWhat sets it apart from other fashion magazines? Who is the target audience?
We believe our submissions criteria sets us apart from other magazines, getting us to focus on the stories themselves and not the individuals creating them, and that gives us some of the strongest content out there. Our target audience is anyone with a passion for fashion, and appreciation for editorial works, but we ensure we remain commercial in our approach by also including some great beauty product reviews, celebrity and industry interviews and features.

What are the main challenges when launching a new magazine?
I think the most challenging thing for us has been getting our name out there. We have been very lucky with the brands and PRs that have approached us who love what we’re doing and embrace working with us with open arms, and the press exposure we have received to date has been amazing – but marketing to a wider audience of people outside the industry is difficult, and is something we know will continue to challenge us.

I understand that you are also a stylist. Can you tell us a bit about your work as a stylist? How do you juggle your various roles? Does your work as a stylist give you a different perspective when creating content for the magazine?
I think my work as a stylist gives me a different perspective as an editor – I look at the wardrobe first and that’s a typical stylist trait – whereas my Beauty Editor will go straight for the make-up – and ultimately you need that balance on the editing panel to really build a beautiful product. It’s my understanding of future trends and commercial opportunities within retail that help me build the magazine into something that not only tells a beautiful story, but ensures it’s supporting the industry in its endeavours.

I have worked with various industry professionals and seen all the aspects of how the industry works, from photoshoots to runway shows and working with brands on their route to market. That gives me a well-rounded approach to my work.

I would certainly say that the word ‘juggling’ is appropriate when describing how I manoeuvre my way around my various roles, but I wouldn’t change it for the world and I think that’s what makes me appreciate my down time even more.

Boyfriend magazineCan you describe a typical working day for you? What do you enjoy the most about your job, and what are some of the more difficult aspects of your work?
A typical working day for me starts at about 6am. I usually spend the first half hour of my day answering emails before getting myself ready for the day. I then find my days to be very diverse, some can be spent working with retailers operationally as this has been a strength of mine even before I was styling, or I could be on a photoshoot, or even running around the city between PR appointments and editors meetings – no two days are ever the same and that makes it even more exciting!

I do, however, have a routine of getting home and for the last hour or two of the day, I will go over the graphic design elements and layouts of the upcoming issue and any online exclusives we’re releasing, and I’ll make notes of any amendments etc. I find this is the best time of the day for me to do this for some reason.

Do you have a good relationship with PRs? What top tips would you give to PR professionals who want to work with you?
We have some great relationships with some fab PRs, but we know there are even more relationships to build and we look forward to expanding our network even further.

I would simply ask any PRs that want to work with us, to really consider our magazine’s concept, and be open to collaborations that you normally wouldn’t have thought of, because that’s the beauty of our focus on talent and not credits.

What type of press material are you interested in receiving?
We are currently receiving a variety of press materials to create some diverse content for our readers, which includes but is not limited to beauty and hair products, fashion products, lookbooks, news and updates including fashion, beauty, lifestyle and entertainment, and anything else that you feel may be relevant to our zine – we will always strive to get back to you and let you know if it’s something we feel will work for us so get in touch!

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Aaron Mark and his new magazine are both listings in the Vuelio Media Database along with thousands of other blogs, vlogs, outlets and opportunities.

Raab

Political Headlines – Raab, Corbyn, Williamson and Rees-Mogg

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Today’s Political Headlines include Raab’s blame game, Corbyn’s tech giants plan to subsidise the licence fee, Williamson’s crackpot ideas and Rees-Mogg urging the PM to chuck Chequers. 

Raab to ask the EU to do more to prepare for no-deal Brexit
The Times reports that Dominic Raab is to use his first major speech as Brexit Secretary to start a ‘blame game’ with the EU. He will accuse the bloc of failing to do enough to keep data and goods moving in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The first batch of UK plans for a no-deal Brexit will be published today, including a commitment to fund EU aid projects carried out by British organisations. The Sun adds that the 25 notes show that UK citizens who work or have worked in the EU may lose access to their pensions, the City could face ‘turmoil’ and that borders will be opened ‘unilaterally’ for goods by the Government.

Corbyn to make tech giants subsidise licence fee
The Guardian says that Jeremy Corbyn is to propose taxing large technology firms in order to subsidise the BBC licence fee. Other ideas to be outlined by the Labour leader in a speech today include having representatives elected by licence fee payers on the BBC’s board and making the corporation publish equality data, including social class, for all content creators.

Williamson attacked over ‘crackpot ideas’
According to The Sun, the Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has ‘stunned military chiefs with crackpot ideas’, such as mounting guns on tractors, converting old ferries into beach assault craft and disguising missile systems as Coca-Cola lorries. A source told the paper that ‘The man is out of his mind. No one knows what to do.’ Military leaders are now said to fear that Williamson’s behaviour will prevent them from receiving extra Treasury funding.

Rees-Mogg uses letter to urge Prime Minister to ‘chuck Chequers’
The Daily Telegraph says that Jacob Rees-Mogg and over 60 other Conservative Eurosceptics have written to Conservative Associations, with a point-by-point analysis of Theresa may’s Chequers plan, which claims that it is the ‘wrong deal for Britain’. The letter insists that the Prime Minister should ‘believe in Britain’ and ‘chuck Chequers’, claiming that the EU needs a deal with the UK but the UK does not need a deal with the EU.

Founders of ‘pioneering’ free school hand it over to academy chain
The Guardian reports that the Greenwich Free School, which was one of the first to be approved by Michael Gove, and whose founders include a former Department for Education head of strategy, have decided to hand it over to a larger academy trust as the governors did not have the ‘capacity’ to provide the level of oversight needed.

Poll shows May would perform better in election than rivals
The Daily Mail carries the findings of an ICM poll which shows that the Conservatives would do better at a general election if they were led by Theresa May than by any of five named alternatives, including Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg. The only scenario in which may would do worse was if the party was led by someone ‘quite young and able’ and ‘not currently in Government’.

Labour raised £10m more than the Conservatives last year
The Financial Times reports that the Labour Party’s membership surge led to it raising £10m more than the Conservative Party last year, according to figures released by the Electoral Commission. The party’s revenue from subscriptions rose from £6m in 2014 to £16m in 2017.

Government asked to take action against ‘essay mills’
The Times claims that the Government is being urged by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education to ban so-called ‘essay mills’ which enable cheating by students. The Government has previously pressed the agency to tackle the problem without legislation but the QAA now believes further action is needed.

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