#ViewsOnComms: public relations, places and life in the South West
Predicting what to expect in 2024 is widely seen as a mug’s game, especially after the last few years. I won’t let that hold me back!
Based entirely on gut instinct informed by a sceptical (but optimistic) outlook, here are five comms and reputation-related predictions for the next 12 months.
Continue reading “Five comms predictions for 2024”
This post first appeared on the South West Business Insider blog on 26 March.
Businesses in the South West are in a period of unprecedented change, with challenges and opportunities facing every sector.
The impact of technology, political stability, hiring good people and – yes – Brexit are just some big questions that businesses are facing, with varying degrees of success.
All businesses are different, with their own priorities and stories to tell. But research from KPMG suggests that the issue most troubling CEOs is the risk of reputational damage.
It’s long been said in the PR industry that reputations are hard earned and quickly destroyed. It’s a nice line, which has the benefit of being true. Social media’s ability to accelerate that damage makes this a more pressing concern.
Continue reading “Building trust makes complete business sense”
I blogged recently about a publisher I’d blacklisted for its dubious ad-selling, amongst other things. It was the first time I’d done this since moving to Bristol a couple of years ago.
Just like the proverbial buses which nobody sees until another one has just arrived, a different company has given me reason to repeat the act this week.
The offending firm has approached me unsuccessfully in the past with offers to publish ‘free editorial’ in return for allowing them to contact partners and pressure them to support this with advertising.
It’s a mystery to me why anyone in the sector supports this activity, which is often produced to such a poor quality that it is barely credible. Housing has a great story to tell, and better publications understand this and will help us to do so without charging for it.
After making this point a few times, I thought they had got the message.
Continue reading “How (not) to win customers (and get blacklisted)”
For the first time since moving to Bristol last year, I’ve blacklisted a sector publication for sloppiness. It’s a little-known mag, whose staff sometimes send me annoying emails offering to reproduce a press release ‘for free’ (wow!) if I let them contact partners and pressure them to support this with ad revenue.
This is a dodgy tactic that plays on partners’ goodwill. But it’s supported by some because they are not directly charged for the ad space.
I’ve always been staggered by how attractive this approach appears to be to some in the construction industry or public sector. But, believe me, it works.
Continue reading “Blacklisted: you (may not) know who you are”I am a proud Welshman, but I’ve always supported all the home nations in sporting events. I have an English dad and have spent my adult life in England, so I can’t do tribalism credibly even if I wanted to.
I was gutted by Wales’ defeat in the rugby to France yesterday in one of the most gripping contests I can remember. In many ways, it felt like those sporting failures etched on my memory: heroic performances, outrage at a referee and our boys coming up just short again.
Continue reading “Why Rooney and co could learn PR from the Welsh”Andy Gray’s sacking today after another of his puerile outbursts (this time to colleague Charlotte Jackson last month, above) teaches him a harsh lesson.
Someone with his experience should know that ‘private’ comments are still fair game if someone within earshot finds them offensive enough to share with the media.
In fact, if you utter them in a room full of people, it isn’t very ‘private’ at all, and therefore best kept to yourself.
Continue reading “‘Andy Gray-gate’ highlights slack media practice”