Stuff that PR consultants just do
25th April 2023
PR is the real winner of Rio 2016
There were so many outstanding Team GB performances at the Olympic Games: Mo Farah’s track double-double, Jason Kenny riding in to the record books at the Velodrome, The Brownlee brother’s one-two in the triathlon. The list goes on.
However, for me, the real star of Rio 2016 is somebody that I’ve never heard of – and, […]
Bin backlash for Halifax Top Cat campaign
I bet the marketing team at the Halifax bank thought they were on to a winner with their latest campaign, which features legendary cartoon character Top Cat.
With the antics of the animated 1960s wise-guy hustler, who was always getting one over Officer Dibble with friends Benny the Ball, Choo Choo, Brain and Fancy-Fancy, about to […]
A brilliant marketing hack to measure campaign successes
“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don’t know which half.”
This phrase – attributed to John Wanamaker, considered one of the pioneers of early marketing – is one that has haunted marketing for decades. But a recent marketing campaign I managed using a simple marketing hack has shown EXACTLY […]
Is Facebook the right marketing channel to promote your business?
A school recently approached me and asked my advice about whether it should be on Facebook, as the governing body was looking at ways to improve its communication with parents and the local community.
I said “no”.
It’s not because Facebook isn’t a fantastic communication platform. It is. And there are plenty of schools who do use […]
What nobody tells you about business awards
Any PR expert will tell you that helping their clients to win business awards is part of their daily routine – it improves the client’s reputation and creates many opportunities for positive coverage.
But what they won’t tell you is that entering and winning awards are tricky processes involving jumping through many hoops.
With award hosts receiving […]
Why consumer backlashes can be good for business
“There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
It seems that sections of the marketing community are taking Oscar Wilde’s famous quote to heart – as there seems to be a rise in the number of campaigns that are deliberately designed to stir the […]
Women in bikinis – a guaranteed PR winner
Death and taxes top the list of life’s certainties. Coming a close third it seems is the fact that any marketing or PR campaign featuring women in underwear, bikinis or very little else will be a sure-fire hit.
We can debate the rights and wrongs of this until the cows come home, but never has the […]
Sexism on the buses – PR hit or miss?
A new bus campaign featuring topless models holding signs saying ‘Ride me all day for £3’ has sparked outrage and hit the headlines.
The topless pictures of both a man and a woman were featured on the back of ten of New Adventure Travel Ltd’s (NAT) buses being driven around Cardiff as a ‘tongue-in-cheek way’ to […]
Top five tips for successful PR
University of Derby student Callum Bilton has been working with us to gain valuable work experience and here’s the five things he’s learned about PR.
As my time at university comes to an end, the question of “what next?” looms ominously. Studying Professional Writing at the University of Derby for the past three years has allowed […]
What journalists want, and how they want it
Very few media outlets have the time to spell out what they want and how they want it to PRs and other organisations.
It’s an unwritten rule that good PR people should do their homework on each and every media outlet they are targeting.
The story about the junior PR who rang the Daily Star and asked […]
Planning PR campaigns
This is a guest blog by Tayla Bertans, a second year at the University of Derby studying Professional Writing with Creative Writing who attended a seminar I gave to undergraduates about planning PR campaigns.
I enjoyed an incredibly insightful lecture from Paul Kirby yesterday at the University of Derby on how PR fits into the current working world. He […]
Six top tips for writing winning award submissions
Winning an award is a great way to generate positive news interest and discussion about your business. It can also help your business to establish a reputation as an innovator and industry leader.
Whether you are applying for an industry-specific award or a general business award, there are certain things you can do to increase your […]
PRGripes masterclass – part 2
Derby Telegraph’s business reporter Oliver Astley is back and bashing bad PR again with his hashtag #prgripes. His first few niggles were gems and, once again, his frustrated tweets have become the perfect refresher course for both wannabe and long in-the-tooth PR managers.
Oliver is clearly crying out for someone to come up with a press […]
Is it OK to be unsociable on social media?
I nearly peed myself laughing when I read a tweet by @write_online along the lines of “what do you do if you’re on social media but you’re unsociable?” I’ve known Kevin for years and that question is so typically, acerbically him – which is why it was so hilarious.
When I stopped laughing, I realised he […]
You can always bet on Paddy Power’s PR stunts
Paddy Power has pulled off quite possibly one of the best PR stunts of all time.
The Irish bookmaker placed a case containing a waxwork dummy of Sir Alex Ferguson outside Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground with a branded note on the glass which said ‘In case of Emergency Break Glass’.
The stunt poked fun at the […]