Vuelio General Election Briefing 22nd May

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This week saw the three main UK-wide parties launch their manifestos, and the first votes being cast, as postal voters receive their ballot papers. It’s also seen a surprising turn around in the opinion polling, with Labour seemingly narrowing the gap on the Conservatives. Today has also seen a dramatic U-turn from the Conservatives on the so called ”dementia tax”. 

Here’s a quick summary of what happened last week:

  • The Conservatives, Lib-Dems and Labour launched their manifestos and postal voting began
  • The Conservatives saw a drop in support in opinion polls, something party figures are attributing to policies such as the  ‘’dementia tax’’
  • The first leader’s debate was held – with notable absences from Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn
  • As the graph below shows, the ”dementia tax” has started picking up traction on social media after a weekend where the phrase was used across the Sunday political shows by opposition parties.

dementia tac

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Vuelio General Election Briefing 15th May

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It’s always the case with election campaigns that the parties’ plans will be disrupted by events outside of their control. This weekend, for example, the opposition parties have been using the cyber-attack which affected the NHS as a means of highlighting funding problems. Labour have been suggesting that Conservative funding cuts led to the use of outdated and insecure technology,  whilst the Conservatives have been defending their record on cyber-security and blaming individual NHS trusts.

Here’s a quick summary of what else happened last week:

  • The Conservatives continue their journey into Labour territory with policy announcements on an energy cap, social housing and worker’s rights
  • Speculation continues over both the source and motivation of the Labour manifesto leak, which overshadowed all policy announcements last week
  • The Conservatives maintain their lead in the polls, currently sitting at 47%
  • Both Labour and the Lib-Dems made education announcements, with Labour’s making significantly more traction on social media. The graph below shows the increase in online conversation over its announcements, although this coincides with Angela Rayner’s LBC appearance where she failed to answer simple questions on the policy

Labour manifesto

 

For all the latest election news, policy announcements and social media reaction, sign up to Vuelio Political Updates here 

 

Vuelio General Election Briefing 8th May

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As the general election gets underway, we’ve compiled all the news, policy announcements, stakeholder reaction and social media analysis to keep you up to date. Arriving in your inbox on Monday, you’ll have a round-up of the Sunday political shows as well as media analysis, so you can get the full flavour of how the campaigns are going. 

Here’s a quick summary of what happened last week:

  • The Conservatives made gains in local elections, while UKIP was left with only one councillor
  • Theresa May gave a disastrous performance on Marr, only to be overshadowed by Diane Abbott on LBC
  • Both Labour and the Lib-Dems made tax policy announcements, while the Conservatives announced their first manifesto promise, relating to mental health
  • The Conservatives have 47% of the vote share based on the most recent polls
  • The British Chambers of Commerce, British Medical Association and Institute for Government have all released their own manifestos
  • As we can see below, Labour’s pledge to increase police numbers gained the most traction online out of the manifesto announcements so far – although this is most likely in response to Diane Abbott’s LBC performance

Reaction

 

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How PRs Can Stop Wasting Time At Work

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Do you feel as if you’re wasting vital time at your job?

How much time do you spend on tasks without knowing just how, exactly, they contribute to your work?

Our new tipsheet “How PRs Can Stop Wasting Time at Work” looks at some of the clever ways in which PRs can eliminate time-wasting tasks from their day-to-day activities and focus on what matters most in their job – connecting with their audience.

Download our tipsheet now and discover how you can get rid of the biggest time-wasters at work and become more efficient through the use of technology and automation.

Are you struggling with public affairs?

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If you want to ensure your organisation influences the political agenda, a public affairs strategy will be crucial to your wider stakeholder engagement. And if you’re struggling to identify who to engage with and how, our upcoming webinar ‘’Influencing Public Affairs’’ will give you the full toolkit for success.

InfluencingPublicAffairs_Lionel Zetter

Our guest speaker, Lionel Zetter, is the former President of the CIPR and the CIPR Government Affairs Group, and is the current Chairman of the PRCA Public Affairs Group. Lionel will explore the fundamentals of public affairs and show you how to achieve tangible results from your political engagement.

Save your spot to see how our public affairs tools can help you:

  • Target your outreach by tracking your open rates and logging engagements with MPs and their staff
  • Stay on top of your team’s external interactions with a searchable, real-time overview of conversations
  • Measure the impact of your activities and see ROI from your public affairs by organising, sharing, tracking and evaluating all your stakeholder activity

The webinar will take place on Tuesday 25th April at 11:00. Make sure you Register now! 

How Live Video Can Help You Grow Your Brand

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Brands such as BMW, Nestle and Starbucks have all used live video to connect with their audiences, as part of brand-building, recruitment and breaking down barriers to better interact with customers and potential customers.

Our new guide, How Live Video Can Help You Grow Your Brand, breaks down the key elements you need to consider when planning live video as part of your comms strategy – from the technology required, to content planning, to measuring success.

Download our guide ‘How Live Video Can Help You Grow Your Brand’ now.
 

Supercharge your public affairs strategy- engage with MPs

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Engaging with MPs is a vital part of any public affairs strategy, but it’s also one of the biggest challenges that public affairs professionals will face. Identifying who to approach is one thing, but getting your voice heard is another. How do you stand out, given the huge number of emails landing in MPs’ inboxes every day?

  • Be clever with contact. Once you’ve identified the parliamentarians you want to engage with, it may be tempting to jump straight in and email the MP directly. However it’s rare that they will be the first to read their emails, and the high volume of correspondence that is sent to their main address may limit the impact that yours has. A far more effective way of getting to MPs is through contacting their staff – an event invitation sent directly to a parliamentary assistant will have far greater chance of being seen by the right person.
  • Do your research. A successful public affairs strategy will have a foundation of engaged MPs who you can work with to inform the political debate. To build this base, you need to identify the right MPs to engage with based on which select committees they sit on, which APPGs they’re part of, and which issues they speak out on during debates. Social media is also a great way to keep track of interests which MPs may not necessarily list officially, but which could be a key part of your engagement strategy. This could be which sports team they support, their favourite charity or recent events they’ve attended.
  • Never lose track of your interactions. This is crucial, as the last thing you want to do is duplicate efforts across your team or engage with a new staff member when your organisation already has strong relationships with another. By tracking and saving all communications taking place across your team, you can rest assured that no one is left out of the loop.

Find out more or request a demo of the Vuelio political database here.

Social and online media react to #Budget2017

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Philip Hammond’s first (and last) Spring Budget pulled few punches, with the main surprises coming in the form of tax increases for the self-employed and a notable absence of Brexit. The online press, social media and blogger-sphere were quick to respond – how did they react to the policy announcements?

While it certainly wasn’t a groundbreaking Budget, Hammond’s tax hike for self-employed earners overshadowed all other policy announcements online. The NIC increase came as a surprise to many given the dominance of self-employed workers in Conservative constituencies, and the more conservative press has today rounded on the Chancellor for betraying the ‘typical’ conservative value of entrepreneurism.

There have been suggestions that social care funding, which Hammond was criticised for supposedly ignoring in the Autumn Statement, has been allocated at the expense of the NHS. While sentiment analysis of “social care” mentions suggests that the increase in funding was generally well received online, corresponding mentions of the NHS were far more negative – indicating that the public saw the social care investment as part of a zero-sum game for UK health.

 

Social media response to budget issues graph (002)-1489069465413

 

For more analysis and reaction from journalists, opposition MPs and stakeholder organisations, download Vuelio’s 2017 Budget Summary here.

 

Spring Budget 2017 | Summary, Media Analysis & Stakeholder Reaction

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While it certainly wasn’t a ground breaking Budget, Hammond’s tax hike for self-employed earners overshadowed all other policy announcements on social media.

So, what were the other main takeaways from the budget according to the media and stakeholders?

Spring Statement 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve included a full summary of the Spring Budget and analysis of the media reaction, as well as an overview of assessments and key takeaways from experts. See what issues grabbed the media’s attention with our analysis of the media and stakeholder reaction to the Budget.

Fill out the form to download it now.

The 3 Steps to Building Influencer Relationships

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Building relationships is not easy.

Whether you are looking to connect with journalists, bloggers or other influencers, we can show you how to increase your chances of being heard, create lasting partnerships and get great results in 3 easy steps.

Our tipsheet will help you:

  • Increase your chances of being heard
  • Create lasting partnerships
  • Improve your influencer campaign results

 

Download ‘The 3 Steps to Building Influencer Relationships’ tipsheet now.
 

Influencers react to the #HousingWhitePaper

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Sajid Javid has promised that today’s white paper will ”set out serious, lasting, long-term reforms that will boost housing supply immediately and for many years to come”. Strong words from the Secretary of State, but will these reforms go far enough, and will they be any different than what has come before?

There are a few issues which have certainly stood out on social media. In a move which many are viewing as appeasement towards the Conservative core electorate, the white paper reaffirms current constraints on building on the Green Belt, unless local authorities find themselves in ‘’exceptional circumstances’.  The Government is also proposing ‘family friendly’ tenancies of three years or more, and is promising to move forward with plans to ban letting agents’ fees – although there is no confirmation as to when that will be.

Take a look at the Vuelio Canvas for a roundup of the latest reaction to the white paper, from influencers across the political and media spectrum.

housing white paper canvas

 

Brexit White Paper Summary

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How will Brexit impact your organisation?

With the White Paper published and a vote in favour of triggering Article 50, the Government is one step closer to beginning negotiations with the EU.

And with future trade and policy agreements up for grabs, now’s the time to engage with decision makers and ensure the final deal reflects your organisation’s needs.

As the Government gets stuck into negotiations, you need to keep track of conversations taking place in Parliament, your stakeholder community and on social media and – to give you the best chance to prepare for what’s next.

Our Brexit White Paper Summary will provide you with all the key points you need to know from today’s release.

Download the Brexit White Paper Summary now.
 

PR in the Post-Truth Era

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How will the post-truth era impact on the PR industry?

In this era dominated by Brexit, the Trump presidency and the rise of the alt-right and the alt-left, post-truth news is very much (and rather ironically) fact rather than fiction. 

After all, we know the truth will never get in the way of a good story.

One thing is for sure, a post-truth approach can get results. But it’s not without its risks and potential to backfire.

Our new white paper ‘PR in the Post-Truth Era’ explores how PRs should engage with media in this new age, the opportunities and threats in this fast changing world and how to explore the potential and survive the pitfalls of post-truth.

Download our survival guide, PR in the Post-Truth Era now.
 

Top Tips and Trends for PR & Marketing in 2017

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In the past year we spoke to many high profile PR and comms practitioners, who shared their thoughts and insights about the future of the industry.

In this tipsheet, Top Tips and Trends for PR & Marketing in 2017, we have compiled predictions from industry expects to give you a head start when it comes to the hottest trends in 2017.

 

Ranging from influencer marketing, the rise in content-led campaigns, the growing importance of reputation management, to the integration between SEO and PR, our top tips will give you all of the inside information you need to prepare the the new year.

 

 
 
Download our Top Tips and Trends for PR & Marketing in 2017 now.
 
 

Public Affairs Awards: who were the big winners?

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Last night 430 of the country’s leading figures in public affairs came together to celebrate the industry’s best and brightest at the 2016 Public Affairs Awards. The awards were presented by Vuelio and hosted by PRCA, GovKnow and Zetter’s Political Services, and winners were chosen from 22 categories ranging from Consultancy Campaign to Party Fringe Event of the Year.

The Outstanding Contribution award, which was sponsored by Vuelio, went to Iain Anderson, and the Douglas Smith Prize 2016 was awarded to Liz Laurence of Weber Shandwick. EEF walked away with both In-house Team of the Year and Trade Body Campaign of the Year.

Other big winners include the Royal Mail’s ‎Public Affairs Manager Michael Hogg, who won In-house Professional of the Year, and Consultant of the Year Chris White from Newington Communications.

The Enterprise Forum was handed Party Conference Reception of the Year for ‘The Enterprise Forum’s Business Reception’ campaign, while Party Fringe Event of the Year went to Connect Public Affairs. Royal Mail won Party Conference Stand of the Year for its ‘Royal Mail 500 Years’ stand. H+K Strategies won the Social Media Campaign of the Year award for its work and the Planning Campaign of the Year was awarded to Alpaca Communications for its work on ‘Bridge the Gap’.

A big congratulations to all of the night’s winners, and here’s to another fantastic year in public affairs.

Measuring PR Return on Investment

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As the lines between PR, marketing, customer services and sales continue to blur, it’s never been more important for PR professionals to accurately monitor and measure the success of their campaigns and activities.

 

Measuring PR Return on Invest, examines how the PR industry currently measures success, the challenges it faces in order to remain relevant and the various steps it now needs to take to provide greater transparency and accountability.

 

From Barcelone Principles to proper use of AVE, this essential guide lays down the law on measuring the success of PR campaigns to help you demonstrate the value of your work.

 

Our new tipsheet tells you how to:

 

  • Evaluate the current PR industry metrics, from Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE) to the Barcelona Principles
  • Tackle the main challenges when measuring the results and success of your PR activities
  • Properly define objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to effectively measure ROI

 

Download the tipsheet and find out how you can effectively measure ROI.

Autumn Statement

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Phillip Hammond has delivered his first (and last) Autumn Statement as Chancellor.

With the shadow of Brexit looming large over the country’s economy, who were the winners and losers in yesterday’s outline of cuts and funding?
We’ve summarised all the key information and rounded up opinion from stakeholders, journalists and social media – to give you the best chance to prepare for what’s next.

Fill out the form to download it now.

Trump & Brexit: Why are PR Pros so out of touch with “real” people?

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Donald Trump’s victory in the US elections has shocked many people and there probably isn’t a group of people who are more shocked than the PR/Comms community.

According to a recent article in PR Week, nearly two-thirds of PR professionals expected Hilary Clinton to win a landslide victory in the presidential race.

The keyword here is “expected” – this article is definitely not about PR/Comms professionals’ personal political opinions or the right or wrongs with any political argument. It’s about understanding our understanding of what the wider general public believe in and want.

PRs and pollsters have to ask, why do we get it wrong?

There are of course many comparisons here with Brexit with the vocal majority of PR and Comms professionals backing the losing side.

The demographics of the PR industry (young, female, educated, metropolitan, etc.) all point to a more liberal view of politics and the world.  I have to wonder if this, some would argue “charmed” position, puts many PR pros at a disadvantage when trying to shape the opinion of the wider public.

As PR pros, we are all focused on the everyday conversation across traditional and social media channels but how tuned in are we to conversations beyond this space?

If we are to continue to shape opinion and remember, many “disaffected” voters view the media and PR industries with a huge degree of cynicism and mistrust, we need to get more granular and learn more about what the man on the street (who doesn’t post his every political thought to the social web or even read the newspapers beyond the sports pages) wants from life (whether we agree with it or not).

Is it time to leave our Ivory towers and start engaging beyond our traditional realms of influence.

We might not always like the outcome of political events – but isn’t it time we had a better understanding of what influences certain political events and wider life in general?

Political communication: when emotion trumps fact

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As the world comes to terms with a Trump Presidency, we come to the end of one of the most bitterly fought and divisive campaigns in recent history. In much the same way as the EU referendum, it’s been a campaign where social media played a major role on both sides: it’s also been one where emotion has trumped fact and where the polls were very, very far off the mark in predicting the outcome. How did Trump defy all odds and make it to the White House?

Trump was touted as the ‘king of Twitter’ during this campaign, something which played a huge role in getting his message out in a way his funds wouldn’t have otherwise allowed. He mastered the art of using the platform for publicity, and dominated the presidential election with an antagonistic style that journalists and public alike found hard to resist. This was a smart move from someone without the financial backing that US presidential hopefuls generally need: what he lacked in funds, he made up for in the publicity he generated through his posts.

Furthermore, by tapping into the disillusionment that voters felt towards the political establishment, Trump gave himself plenty of room to bend the truth and push the boundaries in terms of what he promised voters. He framed debate by appealing to emotion rather than details of policy: not only will he build a wall, but he’ll make Mexico pay for it. It has huge appeal to Americans who feel that their immigration concerns aren’t taken seriously but little realistic consideration of the cost or efficacy of the final result.

This isn’t a problem, because these factors don’t really matter. Peter Thiel, PayPal co-founder and Trump supporter, summed it up nicely when he said ‘’the media always is taking Trump literally. It never takes him seriously, but it always takes him literally. I think a lot of the voters who vote for Trump take Trump seriously, but not literally.”

Like Vote.Leave’s “£350 million to the NHS” claim, this election has shown us that political communication doesn’t need a factual basis if it hits the right spot emotionally. Politicians have always been dishonest: the defining factor of a successful one is that they’re trusted despite this. In the US, Edelman’s Trust Barometer shows a negative correlation between income and trust in government: the lower the income, the less trust exists. As we’ve seen this year, as the political establishment and global institutions have become less representative of lower income voters, the Trump/Farage brand of politician has stepped in to fill the void.

Twitter reacts to Donald Trump’s Victory

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Donald Trump’s election as the new president of the free world has created a political earthquake and sent shockwaves through the social media. Here’s how people responded on Twitter.