Today’s Political Headlines – 19 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Education review, the visa cap limit being repeatedly met, Labour not compensating PFI investors and the MPs’ report on Carillion.

 

Education review
Theresa May is to claim that too many people go to university and pay too much for their courses The Daily Telegraph says. She will announce a year-long review of tertiary education and university funding, with the paper suggesting that cuts to fees for arts and social science courses and improved vocational education are favoured. The Times warns that May’s plans have already come under attack, with Justine Greening, the former Education Secretary, claiming that they risk damaging social mobility and Mark Leach, chief executive of the think tank Wonkhe saying that the proposals ‘simply don’t add up’.

Visa cap hit for unprecedented third month
The Guardian reports that the UK has hit its cap on visas for skilled non-European workers for an unprecedented third month and that this is deepening the staffing crisis in the NHS. Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, said NHS organisations were ‘increasingly concerned at their inability to obtain permits for essential medical colleagues’.

Labour might not compensate PFI investors
John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor, has suggested that some investors in private finance initiatives might not receive compensation if Labour renationalised contracts, the Financial Times reports. Addressing a meeting of Labour activists, McDonnell said ‘Parliament will determine the value of every industry and sector that we nationalise’ and told the paper that ‘Some of the schemes we know could well be in perilous difficulty, so it’s almost like handing them back rather than us giving compensation’.

MPs publish report on Carillion
A joint report published today by the Commons Work and Pensions and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committees finds that Carillion’s annual reports were ‘worthless’, that investors were fleeing the firm and that one major investor had considered suing the company, the BBC reports.

Corbyn to disappoint Labour MPs by not committing to customs union
According to The Times, Jeremy Corbyn will disappoint Labour MPs today by not making a clearer commitment to remaining in a customs union with the EU following Brexit. The paper said that backbenchers had expected Corbyn to make the commitment following a meeting of the shadow cabinet’s Brexit sub-committee today.

May to resist pressure to abandon plan to reduce the number of MPs
The Times says that Theresa May is to resist calls to abandon plans to cut the number of MPs to 600 from the current 650. Today the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee will call on the Prime Minister to accept that MPs are unlikely to vote for the change and put in place arrangements for a new boundary review. May is apparently confident that she will win the vote in September, as the DUP is no longer opposing it.

James Brokenshire returns to Parliament after lung surgery
James Brokenshire, the former Northern Ireland Secretary, has announced that he is to return to frontline politics, The Daily Telegraph says. He stepped down to have lung surgery, but says that he is ‘recovering strongly’ and will return to Westminster on Tuesday.

Labour MPs paid up to £10,000 to meet spies during Cold War
The Daily Mail reports comments by Jan Sarkocy, a former Czech spy, that Labour MPs were paid up to £10,000 to meet Eastern Bloc agents during the Cold War. Jeremy Corbyn has denied Sarkocy’s claim that he was a paid informant of the Czech secret police.

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Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 16 February 2018

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This week’s five things, includes misconceptions about influencer marketing, Unilever’s digital ads threat, the consolidation of Ogilvy PR, Max Mosley and Google’s adblocker.

The public doesn’t understand influencer marketing

Bloggers and vloggersA survey has found that 71% of people don’t think there are rules for brand collaborations with influencers, and 61% believe influencers don’t have to disclose they’re being paid to talk about a product. The survey, on behalf of Prizeology, also found that 44% of respondents thought influencer marketing was damaging to society.

The problem is a lack of understanding around an industry that is regulated by the ASA and has to comply with the same advertising rules as anyone else receiving money for exposure. This isn’t helped by the spate of recent negative stories, from Elle Darby’s hotel request (not really her fault) to Logan Paul’s suicide video (definitely his fault).

Influencer marketing and brand collaborations will be part of the discussion in Vuelio’s next webinar with top vlogger Lucy Wood. Sign up for Vloggers, YouTube and Brands – who is responsible?

 

Unilever threatens to withdraw digital ads

UnileverThe world’s second biggest marketing spender, Unilever, has threatened to remove digital ads from platforms that fail to deal with negative content. Chief marketing and communications officer, Keith Weed, told a US conference: ‘It is in the digital media industry’s interest to listen and act on this. Before viewers stop viewing, advertisers stop advertising and publishers stop publishing.’

While he didn’t name platforms, Google and Facebook take the lion’s share of digital ad spend and face the most criticism for failing to deal with user content.

Weed’s speech was one year on from a similar speech given to the same conference by Marc Pritchard, of P&G. P&G went on to cut its digital ad spending by $100m and saw no negative effects on the business. Whether Unilever’s call will be heeded is unknown, but businesses are much better placed to force change where governments are currently struggling.

 

Goodbye Ogilvy PR – hello Ogilvy

FrohlichOgilvy PR and other ‘sub brands’ of Ogilvy are likely to disappear in the UK as the company follows the agency’s global approach of consolidating into a single, branded, integrated operating company. In an interview with PRWeek, newly appointed CEO Michael Frohlich [Pictured] made it clear the ‘One Ogilvy’ integrated operating system was a priority.

He said: ‘Ogilvy will be known as Ogilvy; that means the Ogilvy PR, Ogilvy One and the Ogilvy advertising logos will be replaced by one single Ogilvy brand. That’s coming in the next couple of months, we hope.’

 

Max Mosley and the newspaper industry

Max MoseleyMax Mosley’s lawyers are attempting to use data protection laws to stop the press from talking about his past or accusing him of controlling government-back regulator IMPRESS.  The papers, especially The Times and Daily Mail, have run negative stories this week and are concerned about being censored.

If the challenge was successful, papers would have to remove historical stories from their sites and not run future stories if they contained personal information. Mosley has defended his lawyers’ actions in an article for Press Gazette. Check out the full story on the blog here.

 

Google turns on adblocker

ChromeGoogle has started automatically blocking intrusive adverts within Chrome. The update released on Thursday, means that the browser 56% of internet users are on, will block full-page prestitial ads, flashing animated ads and auto-playing video ads with sound. The websites that will be targeted by the blocker are to be decided by the Coalition for Better Ads, a group made of members including Google, Facebook, Microsoft, P&G, Unilever, News Corp and Reuters.

Not only will the blocker select websites that repeatedly show the offending advert formats, but it will also target sites that have an advert density of over 30%. Sites that fall foul of Chrome’s new conditions will first be informed, so they have 30 days to change, before Chrome blocks the ads.

Snapchat

Snapchat petition passes 1 million signatures

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People don’t like change, and nowhere is that truer than on social media. Whenever a platform makes a change, no matter how insignificant, there is a backlash. But for Snapchat, that backlash has come with a petition that’s achieved over one million signatures.

Released on 29 November last year, Snapchat’s ‘new and improved’ format was intended to be organised around the user’s relationships. In a blog post and video, Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel explained how the changes would make the platform more personal to the user.

Snapchat was attempting to get out ahead of a problem that every social network to some extent faces – content from the people users want to follow being overwhelmed by content from external sources, such as publishers and advertisers. Facebook has recently announced changes to its News Feed to tackle this exact issue.

For Snapchat though, the changes have not been welcome. In a short petition on change.org, Australian Nic Rumsey explains the update has made ‘many features more difficult’.

The petition goes on to say: ‘There is a general level of annoyance among users and many have decided to use a VPN app, or are using other risky apps or steps, to go back to the old Snapchat as that’s how annoying this new update has become.

‘Many ‘new features’ are useless or defeats the original purposes Snapchat has had for the past years.

‘This petition aims to help convince Snap Inc. to change the app back to the basics, before the new 2018 update.’

While any petition with a million signatures is a big deal, that number is dwarfed by Snapchat’s daily users of nearly 200 million people. But it’s not just the petition Snapchat has to deal with, celebrities have also complained.

As the BBC reports, Chrissy Teigen (model and social media star), tweeted [take that Snapchat!] that she didn’t like her followers not being ‘friends’ and said ‘How many people have to hate an update for it to be reconsidered?’. Kylie Jenner has also complained on Twitter – and if Kylie Jenner isn’t happy with your social network, you’re probably doing something wrong.

Platforms are infamous for ignoring their users who complain about changes and it’s easy to see why (is anyone still complaining about the star icon changing to a heart on Twitter?).

Snapchat’s official response was: ‘We hope the community will enjoy it once they settle in’.

Considering platforms are built on their user base, it is surprising how little power those users seem to have. But then, a petition isn’t power. If those that have signed really wanted to force change, they’d leave the platform altogether. And we all know how likely that is.

Max Moseley

Max Mosley Vs Newspapers

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Max Mosley is reportedly attempting to use data protection laws to stop the press from talking about his past and accusing him of personally funding the Government-backed press regulator IMPRESS (a charity his family trust supports funds it). The Times reports his lawyers are demanding that papers stop processing data related to their client and block or erase data the legal team believes to be inaccurate.

Data protection laws, which are soon to be updated with GDPR, don’t apply in the same way to journalists, who generally have broad exemptions. If the case was successful, papers would have to remove existing online stories about Mosley and not write further stories about his well-reported past. The case would also likely be challenged again after GDPR comes into force on 25 May.

CONFUSED BY GDPR? FIND OUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW HERE

Mosley has responded to the story, writing in the Press Gazette about his lack of control over IMPRESS and how he has won, in court, the right to privacy. He writes: ‘It seems to me that I should do everything I can to ensure that reporting on the subject of press regulation is accurate and lawful, given that the newspapers’ self-interest prevents any balanced debate.

‘It is simply untrue to assert, as it [The Times] does in its first leader column, that I am seeking to prevent the public from knowing how Impress is funded. The reverse is true: I am seeking to ensure that they report this accurately.

‘Quite clearly we desperately need Impress or, indeed, any other independent Leveson-compliant regulator and the legal mechanisms to facilitate it.

‘No amount of lies and misconduct by sections of the press can conceal that.’

This is a complicated area as IMPRESS is considered largely unpopular and inadequate, while IPSO (the press regulator of choice for the press) is still run by the publishers and is considered unpopular and inadequate.

The press, to some extent, are almost certainly keen to paint Max Mosley – strong advocate of IMPRESS – in a negative light as they are hugely resistant to Government-backed regulation.

The Government is currently running a consultation into whether it should enact Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, which states that any publisher not signed up to a Government-recognised regulator will be liable to pay legal costs of both sides of a complaint, no matter the outcome of the case. IMPRESS is the only recognised regulator and few titles are signed up to it.

While Government-backed regulation for the press is probably not good for free speech, attacking Mosley seems like a counter-productive approach to making this point. Now is the time for the press industry to make clear, sound arguments about why the Government shouldn’t be involved in regulation without resorting to the tactics that everyone wants to see an end of.

Today’s Political Headlines – 16 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include three billboards outside Grenfell Tower, Theresa May meeting Angela Merkel, Sinn Féin proving a power sharing deal could have been reached and the end(?) of UKIP.

Grenfell Tower billboards
Three billboards confronted Londoners with a reminder of the fire at Grenfell Tower yesterday, the Huffington Post has the story of the billboards that read ’71 dead and still no arrests, how come?’. The billboards were driven around with the intention of highlighting the lack of progress that has been made eight months since the fire. The billboards recreated a scene from the film ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’. The campaign appeared at Westminster, St Paul’s Cathedral and the tower itself.

Theresa May to meet Angela Merkel
The BBC reports that Theresa May will travel to Berlin to hold talks with Angela Merkel. Merkel will be a key player in the UK’s attempt to agree the transition that will be in place once the UK leaves the EU. This meeting comes ahead of May making a speech at the Munich Security Conference where it is expected she will signal her intention to maintain the security partnership with the EU.

Sinn Féin provide papers that prove a power sharing deal could have been reached
The Guardian reports on claims made by Sinn Féin that they have documents that prove an agreement was in place for power-sharing in Northern Ireland to resume, only for the DUP to prevent this moving forward. The DUP denies the claims saying that an offer of an Irish language act was never on the table, Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald said that she tried to persuade the DUP leadership to close the deal before any opposition to it was voiced.

The end of UKIP?
Nigel Farage has admitted that UKIP may be on the verge of collapse, the Express runs the story as members of UKIP will vote on whether Henry Bolton should continue as leader this weekend. Farage conceded that the problems the party faces could be worse than the press realised due to branches closing and UKIP councillors choosing to run as independents in upcoming elections. UKIP also faces large legal bills from a libel case involving one of its MEPs.

EU Punishment clause removed
The Sun reports on the EU removing a punishment clause from the draft Brexit transition agreement which could have led to the UK being fined if it broke the EU’s rules. The EU27 agreed that the clause should be replaced with language that was less ‘tough-sounding’, this change comes ahead of the UK and EU beginning negotiations on the terms of the transition next month.

Liverpool prison the worst inspectors have ever seen
The Independent reports on an ‘abject failure’ to improve the prison two years after a warning that it was not safe. A report by the Justice select committee has revealed the Government is not acting on prison inspections and a deterioration in conditions is continuing. MPs on the committee want the prison inspectorate to be given additional resources so they can follow up on the recommendations they make.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 15 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include calls to end rough sleeping, Boris Johnson’s speech on Brexit, and the breakdown of talks to restore a Northern Ireland Executive. 

 

Calls for Government action following the death of a rough sleeper outside Parliament

The Guardian have reported that MPs have expressed sadness after learning that a man believed to have been sleeping rough had died outside the Houses of Parliament. Numerous Labour MPs have responded on twitter, drawing attention to the man’s death and criticise policies they said had contributed to a sharp rise in the number of rough sleepers in the UK.

Boris Johnson’s Policy Exchange speech called for “hope not fear” in the UKs departure from the EU

The BBC reports that the Foreign Secretary has told his fellow Brexiteers they should not “gloat” about the UK’s departure from the EU, which he said was a cause for “hope not fear”. He has urged people to “unite about what we all believe in”, an “outward-looking, confident” UK, and that leaving the EU was not a “great V-sign from the cliffs of Dover”. The Guardian reports that Johnson’s speech struggled to woo remainers, and used his speech to try to simultaneously reach out to remainers while doubling down on his arguments in favour of a hard break from the EU.

Jean-Claude Juncker denies claims by Boris Johnson that he wants to create a European “superstate”

The Independent reports that President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker has said that claims he wants to create a European “superstate” are “total nonsense”. He said that the President of the European Commission should be directly elected by the voters of Europe.

Talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein broken down in attempts to strike a Northern Ireland deal

Sky News are reporting that talks between the leaders of Northern Ireland’s two biggest political parties to re-establish a government in Stormont have broken down. DUP leader Arlene Foster said there was “no prospect” of negotiations leading to a new power sharing agreement with Sinn Fein. The Telegraph have reported on comments made by former Northern Ireland Secretary, Theresa Villiers, saying that Westminster being forced to set Northern Ireland’s budget is “increasingly inevitable”.

British Steel pensions scheme is a victim to a major mis-selling scandal

The Financial Times have reported that British Steel pension savers were “shamelessly” exploited by “dubious financial advisers” after a restructuring of the scheme last year, drawing upon a report by the Work and Pensions Select Committee that sharply criticised the Pensions Regulator and Financial Conduct Authority. The Times have reported that more than 50,000 British workers may be being cheated out of part of their pension each year.

Tories blame the SNP for Scotland’s productivity falling to its lowest level in eight years

The Times have run a story explaining how Scotland’s productivity has fallen to its lowest level in eight years, with opposition politicians have claimed showed that the SNP administration was damaging the economy. The report, published by the Scottish Government, suggested that the financial crisis of 2008 had taken a long time to work its way through and the effects were still being felt within the Scottish economy.

Reports suggesting that Jeremy Corbyn met a communist spy at the height of the Cold War

The Sun have run a story which found that Jeremy Corbyn met a Communist spy during the Cold War and warned the Soviet-backed spies of a clampdown by British intelligence during the height of the war. The Daily Mail have also run a similar story, claiming that  Corbyn met the Czech agent at least three times after being vetted in 1986, with two meetings taking place in the House of Commons.

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GDPR

How to comply with GDPR

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GDPR becomes law on 25 May. That means every business will have to change the way they handle personal data – from getting consent for email newsletters and using information from social media to cold calling and storing contact details.

GDPR can seem confusing, and with fines for getting it wrong reaching £17m or more, the consequences are severe.

Thankfully, compliance is pretty straightforward, and it is easy to make sure your processes follow the new rules.

We’ve put together a simple whitepaper that makes it easy to see what is required and what you need to do to comply. Download the whitepaper here.

GDPR is being implemented to give people more control over their own personal data and knowledge over which companies and businesses are storing what. As it applies to ALL personal data, including employee data collected by an employer, there are few businesses that the new rules won’t apply to.

So, whether your data processing falls under ‘legitimate interests’ or ‘consent’, we’ve got you covered.

You may need to review your current tools to make sure they’re GDPR compliant. Not only is Vuelio’s database GDPR compliant, our tools allow you to be GDPR compliant. Our Stakeholder Management Suite allows you to track (with time stamps) interactions, including when and where data was collected from. So, if the regulator needs to see your compliance, it’s all available in one place.

Find out more about stakeholder management.

Today’s Political Headlines – 14 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include Boris Johnson’s Brexit speech, Labour’s animal welfare plan, McVey’s call for McDonnell to apologise and the Oxfam crisis. 

Boris Johnson to reach out to voters alienated over Brexit in speech today
Boris Johnson is to give a speech on Brexit today, with the BBC reporting that he will try to reach out to voters alienated by Brexit, claiming ‘that Brexit is not grounds for fear but hope’. The Daily Telegraph reports that Johnson will argue that ‘It is only by taking back control of our laws that UK firms and entrepreneurs will have the freedom to innovate’ and that stopping Brexit ‘would be a disastrous mistake’.

Labour to unveil animal welfare plan today
Labour is to unveil a new 50-point animal welfare plan today. The Guardian reports that the party would introduce bans on foie gras and badger culling, further curbs on hunting with dogs, mandatory CCTV at abattoirs, and a ban on the export of live animals for slaughter. Other measures include expanding healthcare for pets with owners on low-incomes and greater rights for tenants to own pets.

McVey calls for McDonnell to apologise over ‘lynching’ comments
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey has called on John McDonnell to apologise for making comments at a comedy night about people in her constituency who wanted her to be lynched. She said that his refusal to apologise had given people ‘permission’ to bully her online.

Oxfam chief executive ‘should go’, says committee member
Nigel Evans, a Conservative member of the International Development Committee, has said that Mark Goldring, Oxfam’s chief executive, ‘should go’, The Times reports. The paper adds that both Lord Hague and Jeremy Corbyn have called for ministers not to cut the aid budget as a result of the scandal surrounding the charity. 

Times tables tests to be introduced
According to The Daily Telegraph, the new Education Secretary Damian Hinds will announce today that children as young as eight will be forced to take times tables tests for the first time in 75 years. Schools Minister Nick Gibb told the paper that this was part of the Government’s drive to make the UK a world leader in mathematics.

Committees criticise delays to immigration plan and disability assessment firms
A report by the Home Affairs Committee finds that delays to the Government’s white paper on the post-Brexit immigration system are causing anxiety for EU citizens and uncertainty for businesses, The Guardian says. Meanwhile, The Sun has details of a report by the Work and Pensions Committee criticising firms which assess disability benefits, whose staff are ‘at best lacking in competence and at worst actively deceitful’.

UK fails to hit defence spending target, report claims
The Financial Times has details of a report by the Institute for Strategic Studies that concludes the UK has missed its target of spending 2% of GDP on defence for the second year in a row. Instead, it calculates the figure as 1.98%. The report is released as Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson meets fellow NATO members in Brussels.

DUP leader says no to a free-standing Irish Language Act
The BBC reports that Arlene Foster, leader of the DUP, has said there will not be a free-standing Irish Language Act. Sinn Fein has said that such an act is ‘essential’ to restoring power sharing at Stormont. Foster refused to comment on reports that a package with three acts on Irish, Ulster Scots and other cultural matters was under discussion.

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Disguise

Bloggers and Brands Beware

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Usually we’re discussing the issue of fake followers, but this week another issue has come to light – fake influencers.

The Blogger Agent, an agency that connects brands and influencers, published a tweet warning about fake influencers:

The issue is not a new one, Em Sheldon of Emtalks has previously written a post about this back in 2015. For the fraudsters, the appeal is simple – pretend to be a top influencer, write to brands and ask for samples, freebies and, in some cases, money. Not only is impersonating someone illegal, but misleading a company or brand for gain is fraud and also illegal.

So, what can be done?

Bloggers
For the most part, for the fraud to ‘work’, the scammers use their own email address and physical address for the items to be sent to. Everything else – website and social handles – will belong to the target blogger.

If you display your email address on your blog, then it should be easy for brands to spot fraudulent requests. But this requires a lot of additional work on the part of the brand – and if they’re set up to receive requests, the chances are their blogger outreach is based on incoming communications rather than external research.

Therefore, keep up to date on the leading blogger database, so brands know you’re the real deal – update your details here and a Vuelio researcher will be in touch to verify.

Also think about making your practices clear on your blog – including your email and how you work with people. If you get ANY notifications about working with brands you don’t think you’ve instigated (and they think you did), take it seriously and ask to see the request the brand received.

Blog about it, so other brands can be made aware that you’ve fallen victim to a fraudster, and also report it to Action Fraud.

Brands
Due diligence and extra research steps should help stamp this out. If you accept requests from bloggers, you should double check every single one. Check their website, align details and make sure the person is who they say they are.

Obviously, an easy way to do this is to use the Vuelio Influencer Database – our human research team verifies every listing and does all the complicated research for you – so you can contact (and quickly check incoming contacts from) bloggers, without concern.

If you do get requests that seem fraudulent, tell the genuine influencer. They’ll want to know if someone is pretending to be them, and you can work together to report it.

Bloggers should be seen as collaborating partners and that partnership should be based on a strong relationship. Influencers prefer long term collaborations – it gives them a better sense of your brand and aims, and allows creativity to flourish. As such, sending free samples to bloggers may seem like a quick win in the short term, but it is those that work together on building something truly excellent that will benefit in the long term.

If your brand wants to improve influencer outreach, and reach the right people in the right way, talk to one of our experts here.

Unilever

Unilever threatens to withdraw digital adverts

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Unilever, the giant multinational with brands including Marmite, Persil, PG Tips and Dove, has threatened to remove its digital advertising from platforms that fail to appropriately deal with content that ‘creates division in society and promotes anger and hate’.

Keith Weed, chief marketing and communications officer at Unilever, has told the IAB Annual Leadership Meeting: ‘As one of the largest advertisers in the world, we cannot have an environment where our consumers don’t trust what they see online.

‘We cannot continue to prop up a digital supply chain – one that delivers over a quarter of our advertising to our consumers – which at times is little better than a swamp in terms of its transparency.

‘It is in the digital media industry’s interest to listen and act on this. Before viewers stop viewing, advertisers stop advertising and publishers stop publishing.’

As Campaign points out, this speech is one year on from Marc Pritchard’s at the same event. The Procter & Gamble chief brand officer told the industry to clean up the ‘murky, at best, and fraudulent, at worst’ digital ecosystem. P&G then went on to slash its digital ad spend by $100m – and saw no negative impact on its business.

Unilever is second only to P&G in terms of global marketing budget – last year spending €7.7bn on advertising.

While Weed stopped short of specifically naming a platform or service, it’s easy to make the links to Facebook and Google, which between them account for 60% of digital ad spend and 90% of all new digital spend.

Both platforms continue to face pressure across the world for the content they host and allow to spread, from extremist propaganda to inappropriate videos for children.

This content is reflected in Weed’s speech – he went on to say: ‘Fake news, racism, sexism, terrorists spreading messages of hate, toxic content directed at children – parts of the internet we have ended up with is a million miles from where we thought it would take us.’

While the government investigations in the US, UK and other EU countries are problematic for the tech giants, it is unhappy advertisers that have the power to hit these companies where it hurts – their revenues and, subsequently, their market values.

And with the looming threat of GDPR – which means platforms will have to make it clear that user data is for sale – change is now a necessity.

Today’s Political Headlines – 13 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the continuing Oxfam fallout, Philip Hammond’s Brexit charm offensive, Boris Johnson’s call for regulatory divergence and UK and US in dispute over ISIS ‘Beatles’. 

Oxfam fallout continues, with threats to funding
The response to Oxfam’s handling of a sex scandal in Haiti in 2011 has continued, as the BBC reports. Penny Lawrence (the charity’s deputy chief executive) has quit, Helen Evans (the charity’s former global head of safeguarding) has made further allegations, and the Charity Commission is to launch an investigation. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt has given Oxfam until the end of the week to explain how it will handle any future allegations or it will lose funding from the Government.

Philip Hammond starts Brexit charm offensive
The Daily Telegraph says that Philip Hammond is today embarking on a Brexit charm offensive, amid concerns that France is deliberately stalling negotiations. He is scheduled to visit Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal, while David Davis will visit other European allies. The Sun reports that the UK is set to concede that the transition period will end on 31 December 2020.

Boris Johnson to call for regulatory divergence from EU
The Guardian reports that Boris Johnson is to use his speech on Brexit tomorrow to set out a ‘liberal vision’ for Brexit. He will call on leave and remain voters to unite and use Brexit for economic advantage by diverging on regulations from the EU. The paper warns that this ‘could raise fears about plans for deregulation after Brexit’.

UK and US in dispute over ISIS ‘Beatles’
According to The Times, the US and the UK are in a diplomatic row over the fate of two captured ISIS members suspected of being members of ‘The Beatles’, suspected of involvement in the beheading of over 27 people. The United States has ruled out detaining the men at Guantanamo Bay, but Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, does not want the men, who have been stripped of their British citizenship, to stand trial in the UK.

New tool to block extremist content
The BBC says that the Government has unveiled a tool that can accurately detect jihadist content and prevent it from being viewed. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said that she would not rule out forcing technology companies to use it by law.

May calls for ‘one final push’ in Northern Ireland
According to The Daily Telegraph, Theresa May has called on the leaders of Northern Ireland’s main political parties to make ‘one final push’ to restore power sharing at Stormont. The Prime Minister said there was the ‘basis of an agreement’ and that the executive could be ‘up and running very soon’.

Committee calls for energy price cap to be introduced urgently
A report by the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee concludes that the Government’s proposed cap on energy bills should be introduced urgently, the BBC reports. According to the committee, the legislation should be passed by the summer recess, allowing it to come into force before the end of the year.

Nursing bursary cuts discourage students, Government report says
An article in The Mirror reveals that a Government impact assessment published yesterday admits that cutting more nursing bursaries risks discouraging women and mature students. The paper reports that this follows the Government’s decision on Friday to cut further bursaries.

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Politics on Sunday – 11 February 2018

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This Sunday, the political shows offered up guests from across the political spectrum and yet one of the biggest headlines was that Andrew Marr – a man who has been interviewing and reassuring guests for over 10 years – was caught on mic saying that Penny Mordaunt gave a good interview.

Guests who featured on yesterday’s political shows included Penny Mordaunt, Andrew Gwynne, Chuka Umunna, Anna Soubry, Henry Bolton, Alastair Campbell, John McDonnell, Neale Richmond and David Gauke.

International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, was the guest who faced the most pressing questions in the wake of the scandal surrounding Oxfam. Mordaunt sent a strong message to the charity saying that funding will be withdrawn if it does not comply fully with the authorities. This was also a wider warning to aid charities that if they don’t protect vulnerable people they face the risk of losing Government funding. Mordaunt confirmed she is still chipper about the prospects for Brexit and rejected Marr’s suggestion that she and her fellow pro-Brexit MPs misled the public into thinking it would be an easy process. Mordaunt also said that in the coming week more meat will be put on the Brexit bone. At the end of the interview Marr told her the interview was ‘very good’ – which inevitably led to people voicing concerns at the political standpoint of the BBC.

Supporters of the EU, Anna Soubry and Chuka Umunna appeared together on Andrew Marr’s sofa to show a united cross-party image for Remain. Soubry went as far to say that she thinks there is a majority in the House of Commons who are against the UK leaving the Customs Union and the single market. Soubry also welcomed the fact that ideologically she was closer to Labour MP Umunna than her fellow Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg. This was not the last mention of Jacob Rees-Mogg as Umunna said he cannot imagine Jeremy Corbyn instructing Labour MPs to vote the same way as some of the Brexiteers.

UKIP leader Henry Bolton also took questions from Marr. Bolton unsurprisingly does not want UKIP to have a leadership election. His reasoning was that if another leadership election took place then UKIP would not be able to shape the Brexit deal.

Appearing on Peston, Alastair Campbell raised concerns for the aid budget saying that due to the scandal surrounding Oxfam, figures on the right of British politics will use the scandal to further their aims and attempt to reduce aid spending. Campbell had his advice on Brexit rejected by John McDonnell, with the Shadow Chancellor accusing Campbell of ‘threatening politics’. James Cleverley suggested this was hypocritical, on Twitter.

Work and Pensions Secretary, David Gauke, represented the Government on Peston and he faced questions on whether Philip Hammond has been silenced by Theresa May after it was revealed that he would not be one of the Ministers ‘putting meat on the Brexit bone’. Gauke said the Chancellor not giving a speech ‘doesn’t mean the Chancellor is not expressing his views internally in the Cabinet’.

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5 Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed

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Trinity Mirror buying the Express, Theresa May’s press review, Facebook’s age issue, Poundland’s banned ads and John Humphreys – are you up-to-date with everything that’s happened from the world of PR, media and communications? Here’s five things you shouldn’t have missed.

1. Trinity Mirror buys Daily Express publisher

Trinity and Northern and ShellTrinity Mirror has paid £126.7m for Northern & Shell’s publishing assets, including the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, OK! And New!. That means the owner of the (left-wing) Daily Mirror now owns the (right-wing) Daily Express.

It hopes to make £20m savings on the deal – the biggest cost-cutting coming from overlapping editorial skills; for example, having just one journalist at a sporting event. This pooling of talent won’t extend to politics though, as each paper Trinity Mirror owns will keep its current stance.

Trinity Mirror now also boasts 234m global unique readers online – a huge asset the company will now be looking to capitalise on.

 

2. Theresa May launches sustainability of the press review

Prime ministerThe Prime Minister has announced a review into the sustainability of the press. A panel of experts will be looking at the health of the newspaper industry, how it is being affected by a decline in print circulations, funding models for printing, and how the industry is being impacted by Google and Facebook. The review will also investigate ‘clickbait’ and attempt to ‘tackle’ and ‘undermine’ it.

May said the closure of titles was a ‘danger to our democracy’. Her speech announcing the review focused on local titles, but the investigation will take in every level of the press industry to determine if the Government needs to implement measures or if the industry can sort itself out.

 

3. Out with young, in with the old

Facebook no notificationsFacebook has a youth problem. The platform isn’t cool anymore (anymore?), and a new survey from eMarketer has found that teens and young adults are leaving the platform in favour of Instagram (which Facebook owns) and increasingly Snapchat (which it doesn’t). The survey predicts 700,000 fewer 12-24 year olds will use Facebook in 2018.

On the plus side, 500,000 new over-55s are expected to join Facebook this year, making it the second-biggest demographic on the network (behind 16-34 year olds). While this group is lucrative for some advertisers (who are chasing the grey pound), eMarketer believes they’re on the platform to keep up with their children and grandchildren. If the kids go, parents might follow.

This is the latest of Facebook’s problems, which have recently included the News Feed and Fake News.

 

4. ASA bans Poundland’s Elf on the Shelf ads

Elf behaving badlyPoundland’s risqué Christmas social media ads, that featured the popular children’s character Elf on the Shelf in a variety of poses (some sexual, some demeaning to women), have been banned from appearing again by the Advertising Standards Authority. Poundland argued the adverts were based on humour and double entendres, were made so as not to be understood by children and suggested Twitter and Facebook’s minimum age of 13 for users stopped children accessing them.

The ASA ruled the ads could still be seen by children, they were not on age-gated pages and in at least two instances were demeaning to women. For Poundland’s part, the ban may have been worth it, as the very low-budget campaign yielded great financial results. Poundland has also launched a campaign to reverse the decision so their naughty Elf ads can appear again next year.

 

5. John Humphreys flustered by Jo Swinson
John Humphreys was caught out last week when interviewing Jo Swinson, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats. In an interview about sexual harassment and conduct in parliament, Swinson blindsided Humphreys by asking if he had apologised to Carrie Gracie (after audio emerged of he and John Sopel making light of the gender pay gap). Humphreys, said he had, but was clearly annoyed by the question and said it was irrelevant to the discussion. Watch the exchange below:

Today’s Political Headlines – 12 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the immigration systems post-Brexit, allegations against Oxfam, Boris’ Brexit speech outgunned and George Soros pledging a further £100,000 to anti-Brexit campaign. 

Home Office may not have new systems ready for Brexit and whistleblowers reveal the asylum ‘lottery’
According to The Times, Theresa May has overruled the Home Office to insist that EU citizens who arrive during the Brexit transition period will not have the automatic right to remain in the UK, despite warnings from senior officials that they would struggle to create separate systems to register existing EU citizens and new arrivals in time. Separately, Home Office whistleblowers have told The Guardian that the asylum process is a ‘lottery’, with interviews ‘rushed, biased and resolved by “cut and paste” decisions by overworked Home Office staff’.

Oxfam to meet International Development Secretary over abuse allegations
The BBC reports that senior managers at Oxfam are to meet International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt later today to tell her more about allegations that the charity’s staff used prostitutes in Haiti in 2011. Mordaunt’s predecessor, Priti Patel, tells The Sun that officials ‘at the highest levels’ knew about abuse claims but tried to keep them hushed up.

Cabinet ministers to ‘outgun’ Boris Johnson’s Brexit speech
The Times says that Boris Johnson’s Cabinet colleagues are planning to ‘outgun’ his speech on Brexit this week, by following it up with five further speeches. These include two from the Prime Minister on security and the future partnership, one from David Davis on business, one from Liam Fox on global deals, and one from David Lidington on the devolved nations. May will say that the UK wishes to keep the European arrest warrant and stay in Europol.

George Soros pledges extra £100,000 to anti-Brexit campaign
George Soros’ Open Society Foundation is to pledge an extra £100,000 to the pro-EU group Best for Britain, The Guardian says. He linked the increased donation to the campaign against him in the right-wing press, saying ‘I am happy to take the fight to those who have tried to use a smear campaign, not arguments, to prop up their failing case’.

Theresa May flies to Northern Ireland amid hopes of power-sharing deal
The Guardian reports that Theresa May is to fly to Belfast today, amid hopes that Northern Ireland’s main political parties are close to reaching a deal to restore power-sharing in the executive. She will be joined by Leo Varadkar, the Taoiseach, who has cancelled a meeting with the Welsh First Minister.

Diesel trains to be scrapped by 2040
Rail Minister Jo Johnson, is to announce today that every diesel train in the country should be scrapped by 2040, The Daily Telegraph says. This forms part of plans to cut pollution on the rail network, but the Government has not specified how this will be paid for.

DWP spends over £100m on disability benefit appeals over two years
According to The Guardian, the Department for Work and Pensions spent over £100m on administering reviews and appeals against disability benefits in just over two years. The Ministry of Justice also spends tens of millions on the reviews. Neil Heslop, chief executive of Leonard Cheshire, described the amounts as ‘staggering’.

Transport for London’s operational deficit expected to reach £1bn
The Financial Times reports that Transport for London is expecting an operational deficit of nearly £1bn next year. This has been caused by the Government removing a revenue grant, Sadiq Khan’s decision to freeze fares, and falling passenger numbers, attributed to increased working from home, use of ride-hailing apps, and safety concerns.

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Relevance International

New Global Client for Relevance International

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Relevance International has been named the global public relations agency for The Royal Atlantis Residences in Dubai. The pitch win followed months of a strategic, global public relations pitch, culminating in a three-day presentation in Dubai.

The property, opening in late 2019, will be the first ‘super prime’ branded residences in the Dubai residential market and is the first opportunity for residential ownership within the existing Atlantis portfolio.

Located on the crescent of The Palm, the luxe 43-story building will offer 231 residences, with a hotel in the west wing providing a further 795 guest rooms and suites. The property offers more than 90 swimming pools as well as several design ‘firsts.’

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) of New York designed the exterior, while interiors of each deluxe residence have been designed by Paris-based Sybille de Margerie. Hotel guest room and suite interiors are being designed by London-based GA Design. David Mexico Design Group has created Dubai’s newest icon, a sky-high infinity Sky Pool, elevated at 295-feet. The property includes another ground-level water feature with jaw-dropping fire and water elements by Californian master creators, WET Design.

Maria Morris, partner at Knight Frank Middle East said, ‘We selected Relevance International as our public relations firm for The Royal Atlantis Residences knowing they will be an invaluable strategic and creative global communications partner for us, positioning Dubai as the global destination of choice for luxurious lifestyles. This project will not only be best-in-class for Dubai but will certainly elevate the standard for luxury residences worldwide, and we know Relevance is the right firm to support us with its proven track record of representing high end real estate around the world.’

Suzanne Rosnowski, CEO and founder of Relevance International said, ‘Winning The Royal Atlantis Residences project is a dream come true. Not only is the property truly a global game-changer, but the caliber of its management, developer and sales and marketing team are truly in a league of their own. From our offices in New York and London, along with our carefully curated worldwide affiliate network, we are delighted to bring The Royal Atlantis Residences the attention it deserves globally.’

Formerly known as Relevance New York, Relevance International’s team has over a century of PR experience representing the very best in real estate, luxury goods, hospitality, design and corporate clients. With a dedicated social media strategist on staff, the firm offers a seamless boutique level of client service on a global scale.

Relevance International

Trinity and Northern and Shell

Trinity Mirror buys Daily Express, Daily Star and OK!

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Trinity Mirror has agreed a deal worth £126.7m for the publishing assets of Northern & Shell. The purchase includes the titles the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, OK!, New! And Star.

The sale brings Richard Desmond’s 18-years in charge of the titles to an end, and follows the sale of his other assets including Channel 5 in 2015 and the adult television network Portland in 2016. He still owns the Health Lottery and is rumoured to be contemplating a bid for a licence to run the National Lottery.

Desmond paid £125m for the Express titles in 2000, and the lack of price rise reflects the struggles the print industry faces. Simon Fox, chief executive of Trinity Mirror, defies this viewpoint though and told the Today programme: ‘It’s a very wise investment. We’ve had plenty of time to think about this carefully.’

Northern & Shell did report a £34m profit last year, but as Press Gazette points out, traditional media is a dying business model, as the group has only sold for five times profit, whereas Twitter – which made losses of £2bn since launch – has a market capitalisation of over £20bn.

Fox also suggested cost-cutting measures, which may include a number of job losses: ‘For example, [instead of] sending two reporters to a football game, we can send one.’ The savings are expected to be around £20m a year (which does make the deal look like a very wise investment).

And for those concerned about the editorial output of the titles, the cost-cutting, single-reporter-at-an-event measures won’t stretch to politics. Fox explained that allegiances of the papers wouldn’t change: ‘The Daily Express is not going to become left-wing and the Mirror is not going to become right-wing.’

Nationally, Trinity Mirror is now responsible for a daily circulation of over 1.3m across three titles (though this still falls short of The Sun’s circulation). It also has hundreds of other regional and local titles, including the Manchester Evening News and Birmingham Post, and is the UK’s biggest regional newspaper group.

Online, the group will now boast 234m global uniques, which is massive. But turning those numbers into profit (and a reliable part of the business model) is something every publisher is still struggling with, and there is no agreement on what will work. Now the merger has been agreed, expect months of turmoil and changes across the UK’s media industry.

Mummy in Manolos

Blogger Spotlight: Lizzie Owen, Mummy in Manolos

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This is the second part of our interview with Lizzie Owen, who is both a freelance PR and blogger. You can read her PR Spotlight here. Lizzie started blogging out of a necessity to understand how bloggers work and their needs from a PR perspective.

In this Blogger Spotlight, Lizzie talks to us about being a Progger (we’re making it a thing), working with PR as a blogger and the joy of Frozen.

Why did you start your blog?
While I was working with Portrait Communications, they were handling John Lewis toys and Steiff Teddies. I was contacting parent bloggers for reviews, and found it a totally different type of approach than for press. For a start, they didn’t work the same hours, so response was normally a day later, as they have jobs to go to, lived outside of London and had their own terms and conditions. It was a completely new world.

I met an awesome blogger during this time (2010) called Sian To, who was running a blogging conference called Cybermummy, which she invited me to. I accepted and fell into the world of blogging and set up Mummy in Manolos as a way of understanding it all, almost like some sort of experiment. Then I became one of the bloggers I was approaching, while networking and becoming friends with some of the UK’s top influencers from the other side of the fence. This led to helping Sian with Cybher, collaborating with Molly Makes and my client Home Barn, organising blogger workshops and becoming familiar within this world because I was a blogger too! So I was the PR AND the Blogger….Progger !?!

I loved it, but because my PR business was becoming so busy, my blogging took a bit of a backseat, and I didn’t keep up with it. I wish I had now, as I see so many of my friends doing so well, like the lovely Kate Watson-Smyth and Will Taylor!

How do you work with PRs as a blogger?
Because I’m a PR, I like to approach the brands personally. I know never expect to be given anything in return, especially at this stage, as I’ve only just really got back on it again. I’m not that keen to re-write a brand’s SEO key words though, as it really doesn’t suit my style of writing, and it looks like a sponsored post as it’s not in my voice (I’d hate to ruin my blog by allowing brands to use it just as an SEO platform). Hence why I make that move and approach brands who create products and events I am personally passionate about. I like a PR to approach me with something that fits my brand, because they’ve noticed my Instagram posts, (@mummyinmanolos you lovely lot), or have checked old posts and are familiar with my style. And clearly, I’m quite empathetic when I’m approached, as I do what they do. In fact, they inspire me, and I gain invaluable insight when I am approached. I’m always fascinated by the new and exciting ways to engage bloggers with fun and interactive events.
Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database

What’s your favourite thing to blog about?
Originally, this all started out as something to do while I was on Mat Leave, and I absolutely adore Vivienne Westwood and Manolo Blahnik, so you’d think it would be all about fashion and shoes. But actually, I’ve found that as I’ve matured, so many things have become much more of a passion, and I’m hugely into holistic healing, but with a twist. Whatever I talk about has to have cool branding and a beautiful aesthetic with genuine soul to it. I go on a bit about yoga, holistic healing, interiors, fitness, art, food, festivals – so life and style!

What collaborations have you enjoyed working on?
As a blogger, it had to be the private screening of the film Frozen when it first launched in the UK. Disney had organised for the producers of Frozen to fly over from LA for the BAFTAs, Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck who had just won an award, then attended the Soho Hotel cinema screening, with a Q&A session at the end. My little girls just curled into complete shyness when it came to that part, bless them. In fact, so did I! But, it was such an honour considering little ones are still singing ‘Let it go’ to this day! I’ll never forget my smallest Poppy giving Chris Buck a picture of Elsa she’d drawn for him as a thank you.

What other blogs do you read?
So many have come and gone, but my absolute favourites are: Mad About The House; Dear Designer; Arianna’s Daily; Bright Bazaar; The Brand Stylist; Design Sheppherd; Coco’s Tea Party; and Poppy Loves. There are so many incredible blogs out there, it’s fantastic so many are now giving it a go. I love the community!

 

Lizzie Owen and Mummy in Manolos are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Today’s Political Headlines – 9 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the crackdown on unpaid internships, Barnier’s Labour memo, a riled David Davis and donors paying to meet ministers at the Conservative Black and White Ball.   

Crackdown on unpaid internships launched
In an exclusive, The Guardian reveals that the Government has launched a crackdown on unpaid internships. Companies have been sent more than 550 warning letters, and enforcement teams have been created to tackle repeat offenders. HMRC is expected to target sectors with a track record of using unpaid interns, including the media, performing arts, law and accountancy.

Barnier memo raises questions about Labour’s Brexit policy
The Daily Telegraph reports that a memo circulated by EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier after meeting Jeremy Corbyn raises questions about Labour’s Brexit policy. According to the memo, Corbyn said that he was open to remaining in the customs union and said that he would run negotiations ‘very differently’. Labour, however, claim Corbyn instead said ‘a customs union was a viable end point’. Separately, The Guardian says that 30 pro-EU MPs and campaigners have written to the party’s national executive committee calling for a membership consultation on the party’s Brexit policy.

EU being ‘discourteous’ says David Davis
The Times says that Brexit Secretary David Davis has criticised the EU for being ‘discourteous’, with a source close to him telling the paper that the draft legal text of the transition period published by the EU was ‘deliberately inflammatory and designed to provoke a reaction’. The source also described this week’s talks as frustrating. The Sun claims that the UK is to reject the EU’s demand that Brussels sets fishing quotas during the transition period.

Donors pay to meet ministers at Conservative Black and White Ball
The Mirror reports on the Conservative Party’s Black and White Ball, which was held on Tuesday. It says that the Prime Minister told guests that she wanted to ‘defeat socialism’. For the last two years there has been a ban on auctioning access to cabinet ministers, but that was lifted this year and The Times reveals that a donor paid £55,000 to spend a day with Theresa May.

Gina Miller accuses group she founded of being ‘undemocratic’
The Daily Telegraph has spoken to the founder of the pro-EU campaign group Best for Britain, Gina Miller, who accuses it of being ‘undemocratic’. Miller said the public had the ‘right to know’ who was backing the organisation and that it should not aim to bring down the Government.

Draft EU agreement would see Northern Ireland effectively stay in single market and customs union
According to The Guardian, EU negotiators have warned that the draft withdrawal agreement will see Northern Ireland effectively remain in the single market and customs union, in order to avoid a hard border. The paper suggests that this is likely to cause a ‘major row’.

Committee report proposes housing strategy for the elderly
A report by the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee recommends that the Government develops a strategy to deal with older people’s housing needs. The BBC says that proposals include a handyman service, age-proofing new-build homes and a national helpline.

Tech firms questioned about fake news
As the Financial Times reports, MPs on the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee visited Washington yesterday to hear from firms including Google, Facebook and Twitter. The committee’s chair, Damian Collins, said that the firms had a level of ‘disconnect’ about their responsibility for combating fake news and disinformation.

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PR Spotlight: Lizzie Owen

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Lizzie Owen is a freelance PR and blogger, responsible for Mummy in Manolos. Lizzie started blogging out of a necessity to understand how bloggers work and their needs from a PR perspective. She now has seven years’ experience blogging, and can confidently approach bloggers on behalf of clients and understands influencer outreach form a unique perspective.

In the first of our two part interview, Lizzie talks to us about her PR career, how starting a blog has made her better at influencer outreach and the tips she’d give other PR professionals.

Can you tell us about your career as a PR?
Pure chance. After leaving Fashion College (Ravensbourne) during a recession in 1992 and working for a wax jacket company near our farm in Staffordshire called John Partridge. They didn’t have a design job, but there was a new role as the CEO’s PA, which quickly became an ‘everything’ sort of role, and it turned out I quite enjoyed organising country pursuit events (Aston Martin Historic Racing being my favourite), fashion shoots in the Cotswolds and Devon, and organising trade shows all over Europe.

I then turned my hand to writing. My mentor Nigel Calladine was brutal at making me learn the secrets to a successful release. To this day, I still use his technique. After the company relocated me to their Dover Street showroom, I soon started to relive my London life and drifted from there to PR agencies, Events Companies, dot.coms (when they first appeared in 1996) and onto an advertising agency. All of this was great fun, but meant ultimately, I was missing the role as an in-house PR.

Then in 2004 I joined Laura Ashley, and climbed the ladder to Head of PR during a successful run with the business. One marriage and two babies later, in 2008 we moved from Battersea to Marlow in the Buckinghamshire countryside, and found the commute challenging, so set up my own PR thing here in Marlow, working for brands such as: Home Barn; ACHICA.com; Indian Ocean Outdoor Furniture; Lisa Stickley; London Fashion Week; V V Rouleaux; Smink Things; Danetti.com; and Portrait Communications.

After a year of taking time out to assess what I really love doing, I’ve set up my own PR thing again, including Sales and Social Media into the mix, as I do feel they all relate so closely to each other for brands trying to launch themselves.

PR professionalWhat have you learnt about blogging that’s made you better as a PR?
Mainly approach and trust. Everyone prefers a tailored experience rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach, especially with an exclusive. As a blogger, I’m not keen on PRs of brands assuming I can attend their event within two days of it actually happening. To me, that looks like I’ve been put on a secondary list because their prioritised invitees have not accepted. I also know about this from the other side of the fence, and I like to warn my clients that they may have to pay for posts for appropriate reach, and to never expect bloggers with amazing reach to cover their brand in return for product, or worse still, exposure! If you want your brand to fall flat on its face, and be totally ripped to pieces by secret blogger groups, mention the word ‘exposure’. That’ll get them right up there with the last-minute invite brigade!

It’s taken years to work out what each blogger loves, what they write about, their voice, their humour, which Social Media platforms they like to chat on the most, supporting them where possible and offering appropriate releases. There are some bloggers out there who haven’t heard from me for a while as a PR, because I’ve felt my clients may not interest them due to their style.

It’s all about the research, taking a genuine interest in their blog and loving what they do and interacting with them as a fellow blogger. I’m so thrilled when a PR approaches me after finding out what I do, becoming familiar with my posts, and offering me something that fits my style. I realise this is hugely time consuming, but once the tribe is created, the more trust is given. Also, as with the press, I pick up the phone and talk to them. I avoid the 3pm to 6pm slot, as that’s normally pick-up/work/supper/clubs/homework time for me too, and I never expect an immediate response, although, one of my clients is an absolute minx and throws things at me very last minute, and I know exactly who to go to for those types of emergencies – my nearest and dearest usually help me out there!

What do PRs get wrong?
Not warning their clients what to expect from bloggers, and how much more powerful their reach is than traditional hard media. Throwing out a large blogging fishing net and seeing what will be dragged back in. Some find it an insult to receive a release given to thousands of others who may not be suitable to a certain brand. Inboxes are filled with this kind of approach, and it’s really quite damaging to an agency’s reputation when this happens, especially if it’s a young PR intern, thrown into the lion’s den after just graduating, because the more seasoned PRs who prefer not to do the direct blogger relations feel it’s not their duty. It’s a hard way to learn a career lesson.

What collaborations have you enjoyed working on?
As a PR, I loved it when I forced Home Barn to make ENORMOUS efforts to pull together a creative space for Mollie Makes Magazine at Cybher’s conference way back in 2012. It was a huge success, as they’d created a beautiful space, full of their vintage pieces with rustic tables and benches, perfect for Instagrammers and bloggers resting between sessions and networking, while crocheting or learning how to, by the then editor Lara Watson. It was awesome! Sarah and Sally who founded Home Barn back in 2010, also gave away fab little goodie bags containing a release and tiny vintage glass bottles. Needless to say, they were hugely appreciated! It was such a meeting of likeminded souls who loved to blog, appreciated all things vintage and loved a spot of makery while chatting away with fellow bloggers!

What are the biggest differences between traditional media outreach and working with digital influencers?
I definitely think it’s very much the same approach, ensuring a carefully selected and appropriate blogs for the brand, but with a far more creative angle to ensure the right influencers are kept engaged. There is far more creative license with a blogger than a member of printed press. They’re mostly not employed by an editor who ultimately controls the content. You know that the final edit will be with the person you first contacted, and if it’s great content with beautiful imagery, that will be online forever, not just for that one magazine or print run up to 6 months down the line.

Plus, serious bloggers make sure they interact with their readers to ensure they return. Personal touches like that ensure loyalty, so feedback from an article is also the added benefit of what people think of your product or service. You get so much more from a blog post than printed media, and it can be taken so much further. The more creative the approach, the more engagement there’s going to be. Sadly, press now have smaller teams, and often find it challenging to return calls or emails due to time and staff restrictions and deadlines, rarely finding the time to leave their desks for events.

 

Lizzie Owen is listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Today’s Political Headlines – 8 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include details of the Brexit economic impact, the Nick Timothy/George Soros story, council tax increases and Michael Gove’s plan to ban pet shops from selling puppies.   

Further details of Brexit economic impact leaked
Further details of the Government’s leaked Brexit economic assessments have been published. According to The Guardian, in the event of ‘no deal’, the Government will need to borrow £120bn more over 15 years, while the North East would be the worst affected region with GDP growth 16% less. Sky News adds details of the expected impact on individual sectors, with retail expected to suffer a 20% increase in costs, and car manufacturing to experience a 13% increase.

Best for Britain campaign funder revealed
The Daily Telegraph leads with an article carrying the byline (alongside others) of Nick Timothy, the Prime Minister’s former chief of staff. The story reveals that the billionaire George Soros, who it claims is known as ‘the man who broke the Bank of England’, is one of three senior figures backing Best for Britain, a group campaigning to remain in the EU.

Council tax to increase as councils suffer budget shortfalls
Council tax is the subject of the main story of both The Times and the Daily Mail. The Times reports that Surrey County Council has one of the largest budget shortfalls in the country, while nine out of ten councils will end the year millions of pounds over budget. The Daily Mail says that a study by the Local Government Information Unit shows that average council tax bills are due to increase by £100.

Michael Gove to ban pet shops from selling puppies
The Sun says that the Government is planning to ban pet shops from selling puppies, forcing buyers to deal directly with breeders or rehousing centres. Other changes being examined by Michael Gove include enhanced licensing conditions for breeders and online sales being made in person.

One in five Westminster staff sexually harassed in last twelve months
A report by a cross-party working group shown to The Independent has found that one in five people working in Westminster has experienced sexual harassment in the last twelve months. The study is to be published by House of Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom alongside recommendations for a new staff grievance procedure.

Universal Credit programme criticised by new report
According to The Guardian, a report by the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee warns that the Government is expecting the public to ‘take it on faith’ that Universal Credit will deliver an improved service to claimants. According to the committee no business case has been produced for the programme, which started seven years ago.

Hospital bosses caught up in scandals to be banned from working for the NHS
The Daily Telegraph says that two former managers at Liverpool Community Health, which was found to have caused ‘significant unnecessary harm’ to patients are still working in the NHS. According to the paper, ministers will today announce plans to ban managers caught up in care scandals from working for the NHS again.

Minister says pupils should take more exams to reduce stress
Schools minister Nick Gibb claimed yesterday that students should sit more exams so that they find GCSEs less stressful, The Times reports. Gibbs was criticised by members of the education and health select committees, who claimed that there was a link between exam pressures and mental health.

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