Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 9 March 2018

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This week’s five things includes PRWeek’s Power Book, NME’s demise, demands for Leveson, International Women’s Day and three stories that could give you nightmares.

 

1. PR Week Power Book

2018

The who’s who of PR and communications has been released by PRWeek. The Power Book 2018 lists 404 leading players in the industry, and is far too comprehensive for Five Things to list here. Needless to say, if you can think of a leader in PR, they’ve probably made the list. Part of the listing includes a brief interview, with questions ranging from PR campaign of the year (government and charities are particularly praised) to what you’d wish for from a genie (revealing a shocking number of football-related wishes). The publication also includes top 10 lists by sector, an interview with Rachel Friend at Weber Shandwick and Francis Ingham’s take on diversity in PR.

Talking of diversity, and just one day after International Women’s Day, the list is a disappointing 36% female. We’ve been talking about the issues women face in PR with a number of leading individuals for IWD 2018 (many of whom did make the Power Book), and sadly these numbers are not surprising. The fact the list is 96% white may be a harder pill for the PR industry to swallow.

 

2. New Musical Ex-Press

NME

Today marks the release of the final print edition of NME, the iconic music magazine. Publisher Time Inc. UK has announced it is making the title digital-only, intending to expand NME’s online audience. Paul Cheal, MD of music at Time Inc. UK said: ‘We have faced increasing production costs and a very tough print advertising market. Unfortunately, we have now reached a point where the free weekly magazine is no longer financially viable. It is in the digital space where effort and investment will focus to secure a strong future for this famous brand.’

As part of the digital expansion, NME will now include NME Audio, with two digital radio stations, as well as a host of new regular features on NME.com.

Fans were quick to mourn the loss of the print magazine, #RIPNME quickly trended on Twitter following the announcements. Opinions range from whether it actually died years ago or even if it was a decent music mag in the first place, but there is still a sense of loss in the music community:

 

3. Labour demand Leveson inquiry reopens over blagging

Judicial Office

Notorious blagger John Ford gave an explosive interview with the Guardian this week, in which he made allegations about the work he took part in on behalf of the Sunday Times. Ford, who described himself as a ‘common thief’, obtained bank and phone records by deception as part of his work. News UK has said it never sanctioned or encouraged anyone to break the law or carry out illegal activity.

Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, has called for the Leveson inquiry to be reopened, claiming Ford’s actions demonstrated a need for further inquiry. Matt Hancock, who last week officially closed the inquiry, said it was a matter for the police to follow up any evidence of ‘criminal wrongdoing’. He also suggested Labour was trying to undermine the free press, as both parties continue to draw lines over how they want to press to behave.

 

4. International Women’s Day

IWD

 

International Women’s Day was celebrated this week, with a number of marketing stunts from brands making headline news. Adweek rounded up some of the most prominent, from Barbie’s women heroes, to Johnnie Walker’s alternative mascot and McDonald’s upside down arches (it’s a W, for women).

Elsewhere, Vuelio was delighted to talk to nine female leaders in the PR industry, asking what it’s like to work in our industry, how they’d use PR to promote IWD and what advice they had for women just starting their PR careers. You can read part one, part two and part three. We also interviewed our CEO, Joanna Arnold, who, as a female technology leader, is somewhat something of a rarity.

One of the most striking images from IWD 2018, were the staff gathered outside the BBC demanding equal pay. As Five Things readers will know, the BBC has had a difficult 2018 in relation to equal gender pay and the issue refuses to go away.

 

5. Isn’t Halloween in October? A treehouse of horrors this week

Jeff Bezos laughing

Three mini stories that have made us question if Halloween is coming early this year.

1. Amazon Alexa’s creepy laugh

If Terminator taught us anything, it’s that the rise of the machines was inevitable. But who knew it would start with Alexa (yes, you can all put your hands down, thank you). The Amazon ‘smart’ device has been freaking out its customers by laughing, seemingly unprompted. Amazon says the devices think people are asking them to laugh – which seems reasonable (run, run now). Make your own mind up:

2. Frankenstein in The Sun

The Sun published a story this week (lifted straight from The Times), accusing students of being snowflakes for thinking we should pity the monster in Mary Shelley’s classic. People were quick to point out that was the whole point of the story. The Sun then went on the defensive, and suggested they knew what they were doing all along. Here’s the statement:

3. Jeremy Clarkson will present a new series of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

Do diversity quotas work?

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On Monday, we published an article that argued a form of inclusion rider (a quota which has been advocated by Oscar-winner Frances McDormand), would help the PR industry’s diversity problem.

But do quotas actually work?

Specialist recruiter Miramar Global Executive Search points out that while some studies suggest having at least 20% women in leadership teams increases innovation, these successes can’t be linked to quotas.

Miramar has found that studies of companies’ performance, decision making and stock market returns, from multiple countries, have failed to confirm that quotas make a difference.

It argues that workplaces are complex, and suggests those companies with at least 20% female leadership may have recruited from a wider pool of talent, without a quota. This is problematic in and of itself, as Miramar asks: ‘why should the search for female talent have to be more extensive than the search for commercial talent of the opposite gender?’

This is a huge problem, and particularly in PR where women make up the vast majority of the industry but are still underpaid compared to their male counterparts. Within the first three years of their career, women are paid £10,000 less. In PR, it shouldn’t be hard to find qualified and successful women – but due to institutionalised sexism, they’re being left behind.

This is not restricted to the PR industry, or even just the business world, as Miramar points out, ‘there’s a larger societal issue that must be addressed in order to banish gender roles and achieve optimum opportunity for all’.

Joanna Arnold agrees with this. The CEO of Access Intelligence (the parent company of Vuelio) said in an interview for International Women’s Day: ‘Undoubtedly there are early social pressures – gendered toys, that kind of thing – which are reinforced by broader social structures as girls grow up.  And of course, those broader social structures are mirrored in the corporate world.’

If quotas don’t work, what’s the solution?

Miramar says that to truly achieve effective diversity, ‘Organisations need to implement inclusive training programmes to nurture and encourage all staff to rise through the ranks. Likewise, they could consider more flexible working hours and better share of parental leave to alleviate pressure which can discourage women from advancing to roles with more responsibility.’

Filling up numbers in order to hit targets is not good enough; companies need to be encouraging and supporting women so they have the same opportunities – and, more importantly, they also feel they have the same opportunities – as their male counterparts.

Joanna said: ‘I do believe fundamental change is coming. For young girls today, technology is just a normal part of their everyday lives. There are apprenticeships dedicated to helping women get started in the industry and academies to help them progress. And I think of myself as part of a new generation of leaders whose approach marks a challenge to those established corporate structures. All these things are working in concert to create a more diverse, more dynamic, more welcoming workplace.’

Change is coming, but everyone could do more to support it. Educate your staff; encourage, accommodate and understand that not everyone is equal in the workplace. This will allow you to support those who need it and create a fairer environment for every employee on the team, and anyone looking to join you.

CEO Vuelio

International Women’s Day 2018: Joanna Arnold, CEO, Access Intelligence

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Joanna Arnold is the CEO of Access Intelligence, the parent company of Vuelio. On this International Women’s Day, and following our interviews with leading women in PR, we spoke to Jo about working in tech, gender diversity and her advice for other women who are just starting their careers. 

It’s shockingly rare for SaaS chief execs to be female, what’s it like to be a woman working in this industry?
I think it’s an issue for start-ups more broadly – in 2016, just over two per cent of all capital raised went to female-led businesses. That said, I wouldn’t say I felt isolated; on the contrary, with some thankfully rare exceptions I’ve always felt supported. What’s more, I’m very lucky to be surrounded by some fantastic women at Vuelio, where 70% of our management team is female.

What needs to change to increase gender diversity?
This is such a complicated question, there are just so many factors involved. Undoubtedly there are early social pressures – gendered toys, that kind of thing – which are reinforced by broader social structures as girls grow up.  And of course, those broader social structures are mirrored in the corporate world.

But I do believe fundamental change is coming. For young girls today, technology is just a normal part of their everyday lives. There are apprenticeships dedicated to helping women get started in the industry and academies to help them progress. And I think of myself as part of a new generation of leaders whose approach marks a challenge to those established corporate structures. All these things are working in concert to create a more diverse, more dynamic, more welcoming workplace.

We also need to be mindful of our own privilege. In particular, we need to show consideration for other factors that hold people back, such as race, age and class. I consider myself extremely fortunate in many ways, and I think women in similar positions need to examine their privileges too; we have to be sure that diversity initiatives do not focus on gender alone, thereby excluding those people, women or men, who most need support.

What advice would you give women who are just starting their careers?
Being around people who support your career is so important. I’ve seen it so often, when people find themselves boxed in by their accomplishments; they’re good at their job, and their boss wants to keep it that way by not helping them to advance! I think women are more often subject to this because they’re more likely to lack confidence (see above – though of course, it’s perfectly possible for women to be the bosses keeping people back). Don’t let other people’s insecurities and biases stop you growing – make sure you’re surrounded by colleagues with the generosity of spirit to help you succeed.

For me, another key to growth is staying humble. You should always be learning, and I firmly believe you’ll learn a lot more if you’re open to thoughts and ideas from everyone and everywhere. Consciously try to embrace a diverse range of opinions, and in particular be open to those you might otherwise reject instinctively – you’ll learn more and grow fast if you’re consistently challenging yourself.

Most important of all is to find something that in some way inspires you. I’m lucky that I’m able to do something I truly love, in a sector that I find incredibly exciting. Not everyone is so fortunate – they might not love their work, but if you’re building a career it’s essential that you derive pleasure from it in one form or other.

 

IWD

International Women’s Day 2018: PR Women, Part 3

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It’s International Women’s Day.

Women make up the majority of the UK’s PR industry, but get paid significantly less. Sexual harassment is endemic and assault all too common. Women continued to be overlooked, underrepresented and side-lined.

This #IWD2018, we’ve spoken to a number of leading women in comms to find out what it is like for women in this industry, their thoughts on International Women’s Day, and advice for other women who want to enter the world of PR.

This is part three. Read part one and part two. 

Stockbridge PRJenifer Stirton is the Director of Stockbridge PR

The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today?
I have worked in the PR industry for over 30 years and I love it. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t still be working in it. But I did learn early on that I had to do more than my male colleagues if I wanted to progress and there was no room for shrinking violets. I had to speak up and challenge why I couldn’t lead on an issue or apply for a more senior role that was in an ‘all male team’.

But things need to change. The pay gap is totally unacceptable in any industry and all women in PR should be given the same career opportunities and salary increases as our male colleagues, based on ability and achievement not the tap on the shoulder from ‘the boys club’.

We also need to work together to stop sexual harassment wherever we witness it and support each other by calling it out when it happens. If we don’t talk about it and challenge that behaviour then nothing will change.

The first Equal Pay Act was passed in 1970 (thank you Barbara Castle) and while that was a huge milestone for working women we still have a way to go to achieve ‘proper’ equal pay.

How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day?
To shout from the rooftops and every channel what women have achieved against great adversity with lots of everyday examples/role models that everyone can relate to and with a key message that we can and will do more if we all work together to eradicate inequality.

The Time’s up movement is really starting to drive change in the entertainment industry and I think it’s a great example of women coming together to say no more with open and vocal support from male colleagues.

In the anniversary of women getting the vote – against insurmountable odds – we can be a force for positive change in other areas.

What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?
Don’t be put off by recent surveys. Change is coming and we are all pushing hard to achieve that. You will meet some great inspirational people and be inspired by them and learn new things every day.

Work hard, respect each other, don’t accept second best, get a good network you can turn to for support and advice – and always challenge inappropriate behaviour wherever you find it.

 

Taylor Bennett FoundationSarah Stimson is the chief executive of the Taylor Bennett Foundation

The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a women in the PR industry today?
It is grim reading indeed, but I don’t think it’s a huge surprise to women in the industry. There is increasing support for women with returnship programmes, more agile working across agencies, and support from organisations like Women in PR, the CIPR and PRCA. The transparency around harassment can only be a good thing, and more organisations will take steps to tackle it. More women than ever are reaching the top of the profession, although there is still some work to be done, so the future is bright for women entering the industry.

What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?
Network endlessly. Find female PR practitioners you admire and build relationships with them – social media makes that pretty easy these days. Beware of imposter syndrome and take credit where it’s due. As you progress in your career help other women entering the industry – don’t pull the ladder up behind you.

 

Direct Line GroupJennifer Thomas is the Head of Internal Communications, Experience & Sustainability at Direct Line Group

The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today?
There are many positives to working in such a dynamic industry where reputation is key to the success for any business. Women have a real seat at the table and a very important role to play in helping organisations build on their brand and reputation. I believe we see the world through a different lens and can bring a business to life through its customers’ eyes in a unique way. However, the recent survey clearly highlights there is still some way to go to ensure women are not only safe in their working environments, but that they feel truly empowered within the industry… this dynamic must shift.

How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day?
IWD presents an opportunity for us to reflect on how far we have come, but to also re-evaluate what is needed to continue to #PressforProgress. It’s also a day to connect with our male allies and advocates, of which there are many. A PR campaign that not only reflects on our amazing women, but also showcases our male allies would be powerful. We will achieve greater change faster if we work together rather than against each other.

What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?

  1. Shine, fine tune your trade and always be amazing at your job
  2. Be resilient, take risks, but stay true to who you are
  3. Network, network, network – find your allies and cheerleaders!
IWD

International Women’s Day 2018: PR Women, Part 2

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It’s International Women’s Day.

Women make up the majority of the UK’s PR industry, but get paid significantly less. Sexual harassment is endemic and assault all too common. Women continued to be overlooked, underrepresented and side-lined.

This #IWD2018, we’ve spoken to a number of leading women in comms to find out what it is like for women in this industry, their thoughts on International Women’s Day, and advice for other women who want to enter the world of PR.

This is part two. Read part one and part three. 

Ronke LawalRonke Lawal is the founder of Ariatu PR and sits on the board of the CIPR

The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today?
I find it fascinating that the industry which is often labelled as being ‘feminine (there are lots of small agencies run by women and solo PRs) has so many male leaders of major agencies. That says something about the truth behind diversity and gender inclusion. When it comes to the middle management and the so called soft jobs then women are expected to take over but when it comes to the top jobs/leadership/major positions then men take over. This is the same for most industries – the glass ceiling is real within the PR industry and not enough is being done to break that ceiling. I notice that people sometimes diminish what I do as a woman in PR – comparing it to the pop culture examples they have seen in Ab Fab or Sex and the City or Scandal.

How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day?
We need more stories that go against the grain particularly with regards to media coverage. We often see stories that highlight Sheroes that we can aspire to but we need braver features. It would also be great to use PR to really undertake campaigns that make an ongoing impact that goes beyond IWD, this is why hashtags like #MeToo and the movement that it’s based on has stood the test of time and moved into difference spaces, because it encouraged bold calls to action. So, whether it is via media engagement or video content, PR can be used to make Women’s Day lead to the change that we really need to see when it comes to equality.

What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?
Identify a specific area or a niche area of PR that you want to excel in and work on. Seek out a mentor; if you can’t meet with them follow them on social media or LinkedIn, read their blogs and absorb as much information as you can. You can never stop learning so just be open and willing to learning new skills. Find events or associations that will introduce you to the sector and where you can meet people in the industry.

 

Pinch Point CommunicationsSarah Pinch is the managing director of Pinch Point Communications and chair of the Taylor Bennett Foundation

The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today?
My experience of working in PR has been, thankfully, without any incidents of sexual harassment.  I have always been the head of the team and I spoke with a couple of my past deputies about this recently, men and women. They said we had, in the different teams I have managed, a very clear culture in which behaviour that crossed the line (sexual harassment, sexism, racism, homophobia) would not be tolerated.  I was very proud to hear that.

But, as a senior figure within the PR industry, a role I take incredibly seriously, I’m all too often entrusted by women who tell me their experience of being targeted by senior men. They’re experiencing a culture of bullying that includes inappropriate behaviour from men in power to junior women. By calling it out, we are starting to make a difference. But there is much more to do. I want to see action, more senior figures both men and women, must call out bad behaviour and not allow the bullies to thrive.

How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day?
At Pinch Point Communications we are announcing a date for our inaugural Spring Forward conference, on 24 May in Bristol. It is aimed at women who want to run the show. We know from the research published last year by the CIPR and Women in PR that there are many women in middle management, who would love to be in charge; we’ll explore issues of confidence, culture and choice, and will hear from some inspiring women from different sectors and backgrounds talking about what has inspired them. And some great tips on getting on boards, for schools, charities and public appointments.

I’m also taking the opportunity to develop an idea that further explores the 100-year anniversary of some women having the vote. I want IWD 2018 to be about positive steps forward.

What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?
Do it. It’s fantastic! I’m 18 years in and I still love coming to work every day.

Know your worth. Build a strong network of men and women; inside the industry and outside. Do something every day that is different from yesterday, take every opportunity to expand your mind.  And if any behaviour makes you feel uncomfortable, call it out. If you feel, for whatever reason, you cannot, get in touch with someone you trust (see note about a network) and ask for their support. I love PR and I want to be able to recommend it as a career choice, not just to my 17-year-old goddaughter, but also to my own little three year old (when the time comes).

 

Ketchum LondonJo-ann Robertson is CEO of Ketchum London

The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today?
I believe that there has never been a better time to be a woman working in PR. We are seeing more female leaders than ever before, including Ketchum’s own Barri Rafferty being the first global CEO of a top 5 agency. Of course, there are still challenges as we have seen from the recent survey, but I believe women have more permission than ever before to call out bad or inappropriate behaviour, to be themselves, and to be empowered to develop and manage their own careers.

How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day?
I absolutely love what Debbie Wosskow and Anna Jones at AllBright have done around #SisterhoodWorks, so check it out. I’d love to see a campaign that focuses on women being other women’s biggest advocates, with a call to action for women of all levels and from all industries committing to do one thing every day to support the aspirations of other women in their lives and in their organisations. In fact, that might just be my very own commitment in 2018!

What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?
Be confident. Be courageous. Be a force for good for other women.

 

IWD

International Women’s Day 2018: PR Women, Part 1

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It’s International Women’s Day.

Women make up the majority of the UK’s PR industry, but get paid significantly less. Sexual harassment is endemic and assault all too common. Women continued to be overlooked, underrepresented and side-lined.

This #IWD2018, we’ve spoken to a number of leading women in comms to find out what it is like for women in this industry, their thoughts on International Women’s Day, and advice for other women who want to enter the world of PR.

This is part one, read part two and three here. 

Shamima Begum GolinShamima Begum is an executive director at Golin

The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today?
I’ve been very fortunate to work at Golin for such as a long time, as diversity and inclusion has always been a top priority for us. Our leadership team at Golin is 64% female, which includes our MD, Deputy MD and Finance Director, who are all strong, inspirational women. This culture has provided the opportunity to lead and not be afraid to do so. Working in the male-dominated technology PR sector has occasionally created challenges as a woman, but we have a strong, diverse team at Golin who work together to tackle any issues.

How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day?
It’s a great opportunity to profile some of the most inspirational women within your business and this should be done at all levels, with people from all different walks of life who have achieved or made an impact despite any adversity or obstacles they faced. People are inspirational for different reasons and we need to use IWD to tell their stories.

What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?
Don’t be afraid to be yourself. When I entered the world of PR nearly 15 years ago it felt daunting. For many years I never came across a woman in a leadership position from a BAME background, never mind someone who was born and grew up in East London. By being myself and speaking my mind, I’ve found that the right people are receptive and value my opinion. Personally, it’s got me to where I am today.

 

 

FuturePRoof CIPRSarah Hall is a PR and marketing agency owner, founder of #FuturePRoof and President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) for 2018

The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today?
I’ve had some bad experiences in the past but right now it feels like a great time to be a woman in public relations. Change is definitely in the air. It’s long overdue but we’ve seen a series of high profile female appointments to senior roles and there are all kinds of support networks now in place designed to support female talent, such as the Women in PR and PR Week mentoring scheme.

Culturally we are seeing a huge shift within the world of business where there is finally a recognition that certain behaviours are no longer acceptable. But while the Government now requires organisations with more than 250 employees to publish their salary data, this still doesn’t go far enough to close the pay gap.

Businesses should all have to carry out gender and diversity audits and as per this #FuturePRoof blog, there are steps we can all take to pay the workplace a fairer place to be.

How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day?
International Women’s Day is designed to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women.

The challenge is that while there is a crescendo of voices, they tend to be mainly female.

I’d embark on an influencer relations campaign recruiting senior male leaders to promote and encourage female talent. If the C-Suite recognises and communicates the value of so called ‘softer skills’ in the boardroom and workplace, we can finally stop this nonsense about women needing to be more assertive, which actually just reinforces the status quo.

We are different to men and difference is good. We need to focus on harnessing our complementary skillsets and then ensure there is equal access to opportunities, which is where the discrepancy lies right now.

What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?
Here’s a few ideas to help both men and women:

  • Find your own path and choose your own measures of success
  • Outside hobbies are good for your mental health so don’t give them up – PR can be a very demanding business
  • Don’t be afraid to try different things. Public relations is a diverse career and continues to evolve. Explore your options until you find what you love
  • Think long-term. Don’t just build a tactical skillset. You need strategic, ethical and leadership competencies too
  • Identify role models and mentors who can provide inspiration and help you on your career journey
  • Find like-minded people and collaborate on new projects. It’s hugely rewarding and a fantastic way to continue your professional development
  • If you’re coming back from maternity leave, be firm in needing flexibility. If your employer isn’t prepared to consider agile working, even in this world of 24/7 media and community management, it might not be the right workplace for you so move on
  • Get involved with an industry body like the CIPR. You’ll build your knowledge and networks and enhance your employability for sure

 

 

Women in PR GolinBibi Hilton is the president of Women in PR and MD of Golin London

The recent PRWeek/PRCA/Women in PR sexual harassment survey makes for grim reading. What’s it like working as a woman in the PR industry today?
I think, as with most things, the experiences of women working in the PR industry today are incredibly varied. That a gender pay gap exists, and sexual harassment is prevalent, is unfortunately a shock to no one. But it is shocking that as an industry we are not yet effectively and consistently addressing the harassment and unacceptable behaviour towards women that does exist. Women make up the majority in our industry and every one of those women has the right to do her job without being harassed, to have access to fair and clear channels to report unacceptable behaviour, and to feel confident it will be properly addressed and not swept under the carpet.

How would you use public relations to promote International Women’s Day?
One of the most important things about International Women’s Day is that it brings so many groups of people together who are focused on driving change. There is a lot of noise around International Women’s Day, but for us on the committee and our members, every day is Women’s Day. We have decided not to create our own events this year but instead to use our network and profile to support existing IWD events. We are supporting the Media Trust’s breakfast panel debate and some of our members are volunteering as mentors. We have also shared discount codes as one of our member benefits to numerous events being held in London.

What advice would you give women who want to enter the PR industry?
Young people today have more paths of communication between themselves and potential employers, recruiters and career champions than ever before, and they should make the most of it – network like hell, on and offline! With sites like LinkedIn it is so easy to build your own network and profile with potential employers.

I think my main advice would be to be brave. Be brave enough to ask senior professionals for guidance where you can, so that you can learn from their experience and open up new opportunities. Be brave in the content you create to showcase your creativity and skills. Create a blog or Instagram feed that you can show to a potential employer to demonstrate your writing and imagination. And finally, be brave in asking for what you want. Research shows that the gender pay gap opens for women so early on in their career, and this is often because they don’t negotiate their first salary. So, I would say go for it and negotiate – you may not get it but they will definitely respect you for asking.

Jen Walshaw

Blogger Spotlight: Jen Walshaw, Mum in the Madhouse

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Jen Walshaw is the author of the number one mummy blog in the UK – Mum in the Madhouse. Covering family fun and creative crafts. Mum in the Madhouse has become a must-read for anyone after some creative inspiration and content. We spoke to Jen about being creative, finding her audience and working with brands.

What makes your blog successful?
I think my blog is successful as my family is relatable and authentic. We are just your average family with our ups and downs. Over the years, it has gone from strength to strength, some readers have been with us from the beginning, others found us while looking for a specific solution. It has stood the test of time and remains a trusted voice in a saturated market.

Why did you start your blog?
My blog started out as a diary after a health scare. I had two boys under three with 14 months between them. It was my way of recording our day to day life while reclaiming time for me. I had always wanted to be one of those people that had a batch of journals to look back on but never found pen and paper that appealing long term. I loved being able to create my own digital photo album with words!

How are mummy blogs different from dad blogs?
I am not sure that they are all that different, but I do love that fact that people feel they provide a different perspective. I also love that they are much more prolific than they ever were. I would much prefer to just be pigeonholed as a parent blogger rather than a mummy blogger, however, like every aspect of my life, being a parent is just part of it.

What’s it like to be part of the mummy blogging community?
I have to say that I adore the whole blogging and online community. There will always be someone that has experienced what you have and able to offer insight and advice. Whether it be dealing with the death of a loved one or how to get the tween off the XBox! We relocated (or boomeranged) back to our native North East when I was pregnant with Mini, and the mummy blogging community has enabled me to have an online village to support me while I raise my children. Some of my closest friends have come from blogging.

How do you plan content with the kids?
We talk about things we would like to blog about as a family and then schedule it in. When it comes to cooking and crafting, that is very much just part of our everyday lives so as long as they are happy for me to document it then I will. I want to be respectful of their stories and privacy. As they get older, then they are starting to provide their own content with recipes and reviews.

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

How do you feel about your kids growing up and reading the blog?
I have no issues with the boys’ reading the blog or any of the posts. I have always been conscious of their privacy and always check with them before posting images of them online. I know a lot of their friends follow me on Instagram and read the blog. Some of them even send me pictures of crafts they have made or recipes they have used.

What’s your favourite collaboration with a brand or PR?
It is so hard to pin it down to just one collaboration. We are big fans of family experiences and have been lucky enough to work with some fantastic brands and have lots of fun at the same time. There have been different favourites depending on the stages of our family life. The man of the house loves car or holiday collaborations, the boys are particularly keen on theme parks, technology and festivals, while for me, like most mums, am happy when the rest of the family is. However, I do love going to concerts, visiting new places and experiencing new things. I am also partial to tea and fabric!

What should PRs know when contacting you?
I am a proud Northerner, so invites to events in the capital mean quite a chunk of travel! I want PRs to understand what I can offer them and their clients, and to develop long-term relationships. Things really need to be relevant to me and my readers. More and more it is about being a trusted voice. It is great to connect with people that understand what you do and see how you can work together for the benefit of their client. I like to provide unique relevant evergreen content that will meet their needs and appeal to my readers and new readers.

What do you call yourself (blogger/content creator/influencer)?
Jack of all trades! It depends on who I am talking to. So, blogger, freelance writer, content creator or that I run a website. I wear many hats, but I do not think that I fit the influencer mould or class myself as an influencer especially as I am all about communication, discussion and engagement with my readers; it is certainly a two-way relationship and I do not set out to influence them. Personally, I am thinking of myself more and more as a maker and creator.

What other blogs do you read?
I am an avid blog reader and love being part of such a wide-ranging and diverse community. I turn to blogs for pretty much everything, looking for a recipe then there is a great blog for that, planning a party, again I turn to a blog.

Jen Walshaw and Mum in the Madhouse are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Mudpie Fridays

Blogger Spotlight: Clare Minall, Mudpie Fridays

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Mudpie Fridays is a new addition to the Top 10 Mummy Blog ranking. Written by Clare Minall, Mudpie Fridays features the adventures of Clare’s family featuring her two boys, Monkey and Kipper, as she strives to find a harmonious work/life balance. We spoke to Clare about the differences between mummy and dad blogs, being in the community and working productively with PRs and brands.  

What makes your blog successful?
First and foremost, hard work! If I had realised how much work goes into running a blog and associated social media following, I probably would never have started. I spend most evenings working on Mudpie Fridays in some capacity. Don’t get me wrong, if I didn’t totally love it then I wouldn’t. I am also very blessed that my husband picks up a fair amount of the slack.

Secondly, honesty on all levels. My readers know that what they see is what they get. The house may be a mess. There are days when, as much as my kids are my universe, between them they have pushed every conceivable button and all I want to do is have some time alone. By writing about the good, the bad and the downright ugly elements of parenting, I hope to connect with other parents on this emotional rollercoaster that we are on.

Why did you start your blog?
After falling pregnant easily with Monkey, second time round we really struggled. Losing several babies in-between. Mudpie Fridays gave me an element of control in a time when I was struggling to come to terms with the fact we would probably not have any more children. The miscarriages made me want to document my days with Monkey even more. It started with an online diary of our adventures and has become so much more. Including documenting my final pregnancy with Kipper.

How are mummy blogs different from dad blogs?
I love dad blogs as much as I love mummy blogs. Often reading along smiling as I imagine my husband thinking and doing similar. Yet they are different to mummy blogs. In my experience mummy blogs are a lot more emotional and empathetic. And as a result, they connect with their readers at this level. They tend to share more craft ideas, sensory play, recipe posts and emotional ramblings. We should embrace the differences between the two. After all, we are all one big parenting community that should support each other on our individual journeys.

What’s it like to be part of the mummy blogging community?
When I first discovered the community, it was like someone turning on a light. I had no idea that such a community existed and it’s still a little surreal. Being part of it is like being in a private club. Many of my non-blogger friends don’t really get why I may get excited by the reach of a social post. Or how proud you feel when someone reaches out to you to tell you that your post has helped them. Or when the brand of your dreams gets in contact about a potential collaboration. The community gets it, they live it with you. I can honestly say I have met some wonderful friends through the community. But my story is no different to many other bloggers who have made the same friendships.

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How do you plan content with the kids?
Monkey is now almost six so he will get asked if he wants to be involved in collaborations, day trips and even holidays. Ultimately, he gets the choice. Although he’s not planning content yet he does like to have his say on little videos. He often tells me how he thinks I should take the picture too.

How do you feel about your kids growing up and reading the blog? (Are there any posts you DON’T want them reading?)
No, there is nothing in the blog that I wouldn’t want the kids to read. I have been consciously aware of this from day one. I expect as they get older they will want to be less involved. Thankfully, at almost 6 and almost 2 there are hopefully many years ahead. Yet when they hit their tweens this may start to change. I have already had the discussion with Monkey around taking photos. He decides if he wants me to take it or if he’s having a day when he doesn’t want to be in front of the camera. I have no plans to change this. By being involved early I hope they will feel an element of control around the content and love recording our family memories as much as I do.

What’s your favourite collaboration with a brand or PR?
This is a tough one! We have been fortunate enough to have some fantastic opportunities and holidays. Although if I can only choose one then it would have to be working on the Discovery Adventures with Land Rover. We were gifted a Land Rover Discovery for a weekend adventuring in Cheddar Gorge. The reason it’s my favourite is that I will never forget my husband’s sense of satisfaction driving said car and Monkey’s pure excitement about being able to see over the hedges. It was the moment my husband finally ‘got it’.

Having never visited Cheddar Gorge before, we were blown away by the scenery and had a brilliant weekend exploring the caves in the lap of luxury. We would never had done this if it wasn’t for the blog. The special memories created by time together as a family are what I hold dearest and the collaborations that mean the most.

What should PRs know when contacting you?
I much prefer to work in partnership for a common goal rather than a relationship of provider/supplier. I would like the PR to have read my blog and understand a bit of what we are about. I have worked with some wonderfully professional PRs who genuinely care about the boys. For me it’s also about the relationship. As well as the blog I also work in the corporate world, as a strategic account manager in the finance sector. My job is all about helping small businesses reach their goals. With my skill set I can help the PR companies meet theirs.

What do you call yourself (blogger/content creator/influencer)?
Micro Influencer because that’s what we do. We create content which ultimately is aimed at influencing the reader in one way or another. Predominately looking for an emotional response or physical response to a blog post or social media message. That response is either to ‘feel’ or ‘do’ something. Something that is likely already in mind when writing the content.

What other blogs do you read?
There are so many that I read now it’s hard to pick only a couple. I couldn’t tell you the last time I read a fiction book! My favourites have got to be Laura at Five Little Doves, her posts quite often move me to tears! Laura at Dear Bear and Beany, whose girls are a similar age to my boys. Having always wanted a little girl I love to read about their adventures and draw similarities between our kids. And in case that sounds a little stalker-ish we are good friends too! Finally, Bridget at Bridie By The Sea, based in Brighton; she is an inspiration to all who want to embark on a new career!

Clare Minall and Mudpie Fridays are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Amanda Coleman

Blogger Spotlight: Amanda Coleman, Amandacomms’s Blog

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Amanda Coleman is the author of Amandacomms’s Blog, which was recently ranked one of the top 10 UK PR blogs. Amanda is the head of corporate communication at Greater Manchester Police and uses her blog to talk about communications across all types of businesses and organisations. She also provides a unique perspective on the public sector.

We spoke to Amanda about the changes she’s experienced in the PR industry, advice she’d give for people looking to work in comms and the PR/influencer relationship.

What makes your blog successful?
I am not sure but I am pleased that people enjoy what I write and I love getting feedback on my thoughts.

What has writing a blog taught you about the way bloggers see the PR/influencer relationship?
Writing a blog has been an eye-opening experience. Bloggers come in all shapes and sizes and it is vital that those in PR and communication recognise the impact they can have on brands and reputation. We need to take a new look at communication.

What’s the biggest issue facing PR today?
Demonstrating results that will breed credibility within businesses or industry.

What are the biggest changes to the PR industry you’ve seen over your career?
The biggest change over more than 20 years is the ability for anyone to become their own publisher. The technology developments have brought big opportunities as well as many risks.

Will print die out altogether?
No, if it was going to then it would have done by now. It has a place at the moment.

What’s the best social platform?
I like many of them as they do different things. Twitter is the way I get breaking news and signposts to interesting things, Facebook is for personal updates with close friends, Instagram brings visual updates, Pinterest provides a way to corral information and LinkedIn is all about professional updates. I use them all for different reasons.

What’s better, agency or in-house?
I would say in-house as that is where I am at the moment. It provides an opportunity to get into the DNA of an organisation.

What advice would you give someone looking to work in comms?
Get as much work experience as you can to make sure it is what you want to do. The reality may be different to your idealised view of the role. But despite that, it is a great profession for someone with creativity, drive and commitment.

What’s your favourite PR campaign from the last year?
Looking at campaigns is a very narrow view of PR I think there are many organisations that have been producing results through communication including London Fire Brigade who have had a challenging year.

What other blogs do you read?
I tried to read as much as I can from many people including Stephen Waddington, Sarah Hall and others in the Top Ten. But I also try to find new things through Twitter.

Amanda Coleman and Amandacomms’s Blog are listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.

AI robot

Artificial Intelligence making PR smarter

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The CIPR artificial intelligence (AI) panel has published an initial list of 95 tools that are helping to make PRs work smarter. Is anything missing?

The AI panel was founded in February to explore the impact of AI on public relations and the wider business community. Stephen Waddington, chief engagement office at Ketchum, is on the panel and said: ‘The conversation around the impact of #AIinPR on culture and society is getting louder. The new CIPR panel will aim to characterise its impact on public relations practice, workforce and conversation in the public sphere.’

The full AI panel is made up of 12 leading PR experts from a variety of backgrounds and is tasked with three projects in 2018:

  1. A crowdsourcing exercise to characterise technology and tools that are helping public relations practitioners work smarter and more efficiently
  2. A skills framework that will seek to estimate the likely impact of artificial intelligence on the public relations workforce. It will aim to produce a paper for the World PR Forum in April
  3. A literature and content review to explore the impact of artificial intelligence on the public sphere. This project will aim to produce a discussion paper for practitioners

The first project has created the initial list of 95 tools, but the CIPR believes there are plenty missing and is calling for submissions to be made through the website.

If you can think of a digital tool that can help PRs work smarter, take a minute to complete the short form here

The list is broken down into 22 broad categories, including those that Vuelio clients will be familiar with – media monitoring, media distribution, campaign management, stakeholder identification and management, and media relations workflow platforms – as well as platforms that manage audio content, written content and utilities like WeTransfer and Open Library.

The full list is likely to reveal new resources for even the most tech-savvy PRs, and includes hidden gems like PNG Mart, a library of images with transparent backgrounds; Readable.io, which helps make writing more readable; and GoAnimate, which allows anyone to create professional animated videos.

The AI panel is aiming to complete a full list of 150 tools for all PR professionals to easily access by April.

The next step will be benchmarking these tools against the skills and competences for public relations set out in the Global Alliance competency framework. Waddington said: ‘The overall goal is to start a meaningful conversation about the impact of tech on practice’.

For more information about the project, visit the CIPR website.

Do you find collaborations and ad disclosure confusing?

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Blogging collaborations and advertisement disclosure is a huge topic in the influencer industry, with many still confused about best practice and how to get it right. With penalties for getting it wrong, now is the time to refresh or learn best practice for all digital collaborations.

The rise of social media advertising, influencer marketing and ease of self-publishing, has led the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) to release refreshed guidelines to help all those in digital advertising understand their responsibilities for online advertising.

The guidelines cover three main areas of content and native advertising: brand-owned advertising; publisher hosted and/or made content (either advertiser controlled or joint advertiser/publisher controlled); and native distribution ad units (formatted ads that are populated with different types of content across the web).

The guidelines do not set out the rules, but help individuals and organisations comply with the CAP Code, which is enforced by the ASA.

The IAB has created a flow chart to help everyone understand if disclosure is needed:

Flowchart

The key guidelines are all about making advertising clear and obvious to consumers:

  • Provide consumers with visual cues, or verbal brand mentions in audio formats, so consumers immediately know that they’re engaging with marketing content
  • Brand logos and design features (such as fonts or shading) should be used for native ad units that clearly distinguish them from surrounding editorial content
  • Use a clear, up front label and/or verbal descriptor (as appropriate) to show there’s a commercial arrangement in place and identify the content as marketing (One option where space is limited (e.g. in social media) is the label #ad)
  • Take visibility into account and design disclosures so that they are clear and prominent in different formats and devices (e.g. on mobile and in-app as well as desktop)
  • Ensure the content of the advertising adheres to the CAP Code and all other relevant legislation

When paying for content and adverts, no brand should be trying to hide the true nature of the relationship. Sneaky advertising creates a reputation of distrust among consumers, which in turn leads to confusion and misinterpretations of the influencer industry – and also punishes earned media from hardworking PRs.

Christie Dennehy-Neil, Senior Public Policy Manager at the IAB, said: ‘Transparency is vital, not just because it’s required by the advertising rules, but because it is key to audience trust, which is so important for brands and anyone they partner with to create or publish advertising content.’

The IAB’s guidelines, therefore, not only allow everyone to follow the proper legal requirements, but also help improve the industry for all stakeholders, including the brands and businesses that advertise.

You can download the full guidelines here.

Time's Up

Time’s Up for PR

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At last night’s Oscars, #MeToo and Time’s Up were both recognised; host Jimmy Kimmel highlighted the movements in his opening; and Frances McDormand used her acceptance speech to urge every nominated woman to stand, drawing attention to successful women that STILL need the industry’s support.

McDormand also used her speech to promote ‘inclusion riders’ – but what are these and how can the PR industry use them?

An inclusion rider is a clause in an actor’s contract that insists on 50% diversity in the film’s cast and crew. Backstage, McDormand said that ‘trends’ were not good enough – whether it’s African Americans ‘trending’ or women ‘trending’, it misses the point. The industry doesn’t need trends, the industry needs real change that lasts.

Sexual harassment in PR
The PR industry was last week rocked by the sexual harassment survey from PRWeek, the PRCA and Women in PR, which revealed that one in six women in PR has been sexually assaulted at work, and a quarter said they had experienced sexual harassment.

This is disgusting.

In nearly 45% of the sexual harassment incidents, the offending behaviour was from a line manager or senior member of staff. No one should ever be made to feel unsafe, uncomfortable or lesser in any way at work, and no one deserves their place in management if they abuse it.

The industry is making moves to improve diversity – the PRCA includes it as a feature in their audits, the sexual harassment survey was commissioned by three leading PR groups and the Taylor Bennett Foundation is growing after recently celebrating its tenth anniversary. But it’s not enough – more needs to be done.

Do we need an inclusion rider?
In PR in the UK, 67% of PR professionals are female but a recent study showed that just three years into their careers, women are already earning £10,000 less than men at the same point – and for the most experienced in-house practitioners, this number becomes £75,000.

More diversity doesn’t mean more women in the company or more female faces in the industry, it means more encouragement, support and opportunities for women to rise to the top. It means women at every level, in every department, making all types of decisions. More women in senior roles make “boys’ clubs” harder to exist and start a change in the PR industry that is long overdue.

Ethnic diversity is also struggling in the industry. White people make up 91% of the industry – though this figure is changing with future generations, dropping to 79% among 18-24 year olds. FuturePRoof has pointed out that while 13% of the population is from BME or mixed background (suggesting the PR figures are not too awful), 58% of PR businesses are based in London and 40% of London’s population is BME or mixed background.

An inclusion rider for the PR industry should not just focus on increasing broad numbers but on encouraging people from all backgrounds, genders, cultures and races to have the same opportunities as the homogenous mass.

The ironic thing about privilege is that if you have it, you rarely notice it. You may see women or colleagues from BME or mixed backgrounds in your office and think that’s enough. But do they have the same opportunities to advance as you? Are they being paid the same for the same work as you? Are they woefully lacking among the senior management team and board meetings?

Well time’s up. Enough. No more.

Don’t put it on the agenda, don’t wait until International Women’s Day this Thursday to make a ‘statement’, don’t schedule a meeting for tomorrow. Start today. Start now. Make the changes we need, and make PR the amazing industry it deserves to be.

Shouldn't have missed

5 Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 2 March 2018

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This week’s five things includes the sexual harassment survey from PRWeek, the cancellation of Leveson II, Max Mosley’s bad week, Comcast’s attempt to oust the Murdochs and TWO national newspaper editors departing.

And there’s a sneaky sixth for all you PR fans out there.

1. Time’s Up

Time's Up

A survey from PRWeek, the PRCA and Women in PR has made for grim reading this week, after it was revealed that a quarter of women in the industry had faced harassment in the last year and one in six had been sexually assaulted. The shocking report also revealed that in nearly 45% of sexual harassment cases, it was a line manager or senior person within the organisation that carried out the offending behaviour, and in over two thirds of all incidents, the organisation took no action.

Bibi Hilton, president of Women in PR said: ‘We need employers to review policies and ensure there is a clear course of action for cases of sexual harassment: to train and empower men and women across their organisations in how to report and respond to cases, and to put in place clear codes of conduct for relationships between PROs, clients, journalists and influencers. Above all we need to drive real behaviour change. Failing to act is not acceptable.’

 

2. Leveson II cancelled

Matt Hancock

Matt Hancock, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport has officially closed the Leveson inquiry, quashing the hopes of some that the second part would be enacted. Hancock, speaking for the Government, believes the first part of the Inquiry was sufficient in bringing criminal convictions against wrongdoers and creating change within the newspaper industry due to the creation of IPSO (and to a lesser extent IMPRESS).

This a huge win for the press, as the Government has effectively endorsed the none state-backed regulator IPSO, and Hancock even revealed he is going to repeal Section 40 – a controversial piece of legislation that would have seen publishers pay legal fees for accusers in court cases, win or lose. For those that feel they have been victims of press intrusion and corruption, this is disappointing – but with the Government currently waging a publicity war over Brexit, having good relations with the press is a must.

 

3. Max Mosley’s bad week

Only partially related to the above, Max Mosley is having a bad week as he continues his war against the press, and they continue their war against him. Evidence of a racist leaflet Mosley published on behalf of Walter Hesketh (who was running in a by-election for Mosley’s father Oswald Mosley’s Union Movement) was found by the Daily Mail in archives in Manchester. The disputed leaflet reads ‘colour immigration threatens your children’s health’. The story led to this excruciating interview with Channel 4’s Cathy Newman:

Over the rest of the week, the Mail continued its attack on Mosley, discussing right wing links he allegedly had in the past – inadvertently drawing attention to the paper’s own right-wing links from the past.

The row is ongoing, with some members of IMPRESS – which is funded indirectly by Mosley through two charities – saying the revelations have made them reconsider their membership, as the Press Gazette reports.

 

4. Comcast aims to ruin Murdoch family fun

21st Century Fox

Completely unrelated to any of the above, the Murdoch family’s control over their share of the UK media landscape came under threat this week. Giant US corporation Comcast, stomped all over 21st Century Fox’s bid to take over the entirety of Sky, with their own, significantly higher, bid. The Murdochs have been attempting to secure Sky since 2016, but have hit multiple snags including the CMA’s uneasiness at the level of control over the UK media it would give them and the recent takeover of Fox by Disney.

Comcast’s bid may be favourable to the regulators, and a UK Government keen to be seen as open for business post-Brexit, but the Murdoch tradition in UK media is strong so it really could go either way.

 

5. Two National Newspaper editors quit

Express and Star

In a shock announcement, two national newspaper editors quit their roles this week, after their papers were acquired by Trinity Mirror. Dawn Neesom, the longest-serving female national newspaper editor (after 15 years in charge) has left her role of editor of the Daily Star to pursue a career as a freelance writer and broadcaster. Hugh Whittow has also left his role of editor of the Daily Express.

The moves led to a raft of changes at the papers, with senior Mirror staff now at the helm of each paper. How this will affect the political independence of each paper remains to be seen, but Mirror CEO Simon Fox remains adamant that his papers will stay on their respective political paths.

 

6. A sneaky sixth – Top 10 PR Blogs

Where do you go to read the best PR and communications content (other than Vuelio, of course)? If you don’t read them already, check out these leading blogs.

commenting decline

Why does nobody comment on my blog?

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In this digital age where social media engagement decides what’s hot or not, and likes, emojis and retweets are the new way of expressing yourself, we look at the decline of commenting on blogs and what it means for you.

In the early days of blogging, and even as recently as a few years ago, blog posts received a lot of comments, and communities were created on the blogs themselves. There were link-ups and Follow Friday (#ff), which allowed a growing community of bloggers to not only drive traffic to their websites but also make connections with fellow bloggers covering the same topics. The higher the comments on a post, the more influential the post became, promoting the blog itself.

In recent years, although many blogs continue to use linkys and community sharing, there has been a strong increase in the use of social media to promote blogs. This has caused a notable decrease in the comments that bloggers receive on their individual blog posts.

Becky Wiggins, author of English Mum, says: ‘As my blog became more popular, I really enjoyed receiving comments from my readers and loved it when they chatted in my comments section. With the rise of social media, the days of receiving 50 plus comments are now gone.’

As it is for digital news sites, social media is now responsible for a much larger portion of a blog’s audience, with the audience interaction more heavily based on likes, retweets and pins. These often outnumber the comments that would have been left on a single blog post, but commenting still exists – it’s now on social.

Navaz Batliwalla

Navaz Batliwalla of Disneyrollergirl [pictured], another long-running blog, agrees that although comments on blogs have decreased, in her experience they have migrated to social media, which is an easier platform for commenters: ‘Like most bloggers, I will also share my latest post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and quite often someone will tweet their comment rather than commenting on the blog. They’re still commenting, just in a faster interface.’

As the lives of younger generations are now dominated by social media, promoting blog posts through tweets, pins and Instagram posts is an effective way of reaching new people and expanding an audience. Nowadays, almost everyone has at least one form of social media, which makes it much easier for non-bloggers to interact with blog content.

This change has meant that bloggers now share everything from their blog on at least one social media channel. Wiggins explains how her approach to interacting with her audience has shifted since the rise of social media: ‘I feel that I get a similar sense of community from talking to my readers on Facebook or Twitter. I confess, I’m also guilty of not commenting on blogs any more but will often RT a post I liked on Twitter.’

It’s clear that although bloggers may have enjoyed receiving comments and interacting with followers on the original blog post, most have adapted and now use social media to maintain these relationships with their audience. Wiggins mentions Facebook and Twitter, but for a lot of bloggers, there is often one social media platform on which they have the biggest following.

Batliwalla explains how important it is to prioritise a platform: ‘It makes sense to spend time where the most engagement is and right now, that’s on social media. If you have a strong community on Instagram, you are going to spend most of the time engaging with followers there.’

Instagram has been one of the fastest growing social sharing platforms, reaching eight hundred million users in September 2017. As a photo sharing tool, it proves most popular for bloggers who cover visually appealing content, which are often lifestyle subjects such as food, fashion, beauty and travel. There are many features, including the comments and likes, which allow bloggers and their audiences to interact. But it is another feature that is perhaps a factor behind its popularity with the blogging community.

For professional bloggers, who need to make money through their blogs, Instagram’s ‘Paid Partnership’ feature is a big hit. And this has created its own niche communities, as Batliwalla explains: ‘As Instagram has become the main platform for monetising, we’re also seeing bloggers forming comment pods to increase the engagement on each other’s accounts to beat the algorithms.’

The blogging communities in the comment sections may be gone, but comment pods are a reminder that bloggers can still support each other when sharing a new post. In this instance, comment pods are formed by Instagrammers or bloggers who share content around similar topic; they will share a link to their most recent post and then the fellow users will follow the link, like and comment on the post. This is believed to promote the post within Instagram’s algorithm.

Instagram stats

Bloggers are divided on the rise of social media. On one hand, there are bloggers who are happy with engagement being spread across several platforms. Batliwalla explains the positives in relation to Disneyrollergirl: ‘Even if there are fewer comments on the blog post itself, the level of engagement from Disneyrollergirl followers (clicks on links, social media comments/likes) is the same if not higher than ever.’

Wiggins, on the other hand, has experienced some frustrations with the impact that social media is beginning to have on bloggers: ‘I do sometimes feel that I’m judged by brands for not having a huge amount of Instagram followers, and I often find myself explaining that my blog is my main outlet. I have a loyal following, and get frustrated when Instagram followers are ranked over unique visitors.’

While some bloggers have adapted their style of blogging to include social media, creating more image or video heavy posts and content that is easier to interact with on a social platform, those that include a large amount of written content or who cover less Insta-friendly topics, may struggle to create social content that acts as an extension of their blog.

Those with an existing loyal following can continue growing their community on social media. But without a strong presence on social platforms, it seems that in an attention-economy, it will become increasingly difficult for bloggers to gain new followers.

Do you miss comments on blogs? Let us know, leave a comment below!

Sarah Stimson

Blogger Spotlight: Sarah Stimson

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Sarah Stimson is a Top 10 UK PR Blogger and chief executive of the Taylor Bennett Foundation. A champion of diversity and making the PR industry accessible, Sarah is a prominent figure in the PR industry. We caught up with Sarah to talk about diversity, the changes in PR and advice for newbies.

What makes your blog successful?
I have two blogs with slightly different perspectives. Sarah Stimson is my personal blog and it’s where I tend to give my opinion on PR and recruitment of comms talent. PRcareers.co.uk is mostly other people’s opinions and is related to career development in the industry. The latter gets a lot of traffic on the 150 PR internships and graduate schemes I publish each year. There’s a real lack of information on PR as a career choice out there, so I have tried to bring together perspectives from practitioners, students and academics

What has writing a blog taught you about the way bloggers see the PR/influencer relationship?
I often see bloggers saying they’re frustrated at the lack of understanding of their blogs from PR practitioners; that they get pitched irrelevant content all the time. It happens to me too and I have a new sympathy for bloggers and journalists who must get far more pitches than I do. I have never published a sponsored post or been paid to write content for my blog – I’m not saying I’d rule that out forever but at the moment I’m very selective about what I publish and it’d have to be super relevant for me to consider it.

What’s the biggest issue facing PR today?
As CEO of the Taylor Bennett Foundation, my working life is dedicated to addressing the lack of diversity in PR and it’s definitely one of the issues the industry is struggling to deal with. There is huge appetite from employers to find solutions and to make PR workplaces more inclusive and diverse so the intention is there, but there is still some way to go in taking practical steps to make a real difference.

What are the biggest changes to the PR industry you’ve seen over your career?
I remember speaking to a financial PR agency about ten years ago who told me they don’t talk to their entry-level hires about digital because it’s not relevant in financial PR. That has changed completely. No matter what sector or discipline you operate in as a comms person, digital is integral to everything you do these days.

Will print die out altogether?
Not in the foreseeable future. Print will always have a place. The way people consume their news has changed in the last twenty years and the move to online media has reflected that, but some people will always prefer to hold an actual paper or magazine in their hand.

What’s the best social platform?
I’m a fan of Twitter, for work. I’ve met lots of interesting industry people having first built a relationship with them on Twitter and it’s possible to contact people who might otherwise be difficult to reach. For personal use, I like Facebook. I have very few industry people on my Facebook so if you’re one of them you should feel special – although photos of my children and cats are not everyone’s cup of tea.

What’s better, agency or in-house?
Both. I often get asked this question by young people looking to start out in the industry and I honestly think both have pros and cons. In agency you’re likely to be able to learn from a range of PR practitioners, work on a multitude of different clients, and get new business experience. In-house you can really get under the skin of one organisation, might get experience of managing an agency relationship, and quite often will end up doing more senior level work very quickly because the teams can be smaller.

What advice would you give someone looking to work in comms?
Set up a blog. Blogging gives you the opportunity to showcase your writing skills and to ask established PR practitioners for their opinions to include in blog posts. It’s a way to get your personal brand established before you’ve even started your career. It costs next to nothing to do and writing regularly is a good discipline.

How do you work with PRs as a blogger?
I very rarely work with PRs for Sarah Stimson but for PRcareers I’m always looking for new, interesting content related to career development, specifically focused on the comms industry. I also feature PR practitioners at all levels and I’m keen to shine a spotlight on people who have trod a less traditional path into a comms career and those who are breaking barriers – particularly women at the top, BAME, LGBT, and PR folk with disabilities.

What’s your favourite PR campaign from the last year?
I like firms which make the most of the news agenda and piggyback on that – for example, when Madame Tussaud’s put Donald Trumps’ waxwork in London after he cancelled his trip, and Iceland trolling KFC with billboards during their chicken crisis. It takes smart, creative people to recognise opportunities and they’re usually very amusing stunts.

What other blogs do you read?
Loads! Richard Bailey at PR Place does a good round up of industry blogs each week so I tend to head there to see what’s new. It also features PR students and their blogs are an interesting insight into emerging talent in the sector.

Sarah Stimson and both her blogs are listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Relevance PR

PR Interview: Suzanne Rosnowski, CEO, Relevance International

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Suzanne Rosnowski is the founder and CEO of Relevance International. Originally launching in 2012, Relevance New York (as it was then) quickly expanded and the company opened its second location in London last year, and rebranded to Relevance International. The agency now boasts a clientele that includes some of the world’s most prestigious luxury brands in real estate, hospitality, travel, luxury goods and corporate PR.

Before independently launching Relevance, Suzanne was a partner at a lifestyle PR agency and has also worked in government and healthcare PR in Washington DC. She began her career doing PR in Hong Kong. Suzanne went to the Scripps School of Journalism at OU, is a mother of three, wife and CEO who believes in encouraging other female entrepreneurs.  

We spoke to Suzanne about how she’s growing a global agency, reaching a lucrative luxury audience and the ethical dilemmas facing PR in relation to the blurring lines between earned and paid media.

Why is a UK office important in the global market?
Like New York, London will always be a global city and also contains some of the most luxurious lifestyle brands in the World. The time zone is perfect to work alongside New York and cover more of the key media targets, and the prevalence of English is always helpful when identifying a global target that will work well with headquarters.

Can you tell us about the team in the UK?
The team in London is growing and we are hiring at various levels. We have just hired two very talented staff members, one specialising in hospitality and the other in property. We want to make sure the UK office retains the core values of the Relevance International brand and consistency in quality, but has a zeal all of its own. As we add offices, we want to maintain strong brand standards but embrace uniqueness from the personalities who join each location.

London

How does having a global presence affect your pitching process and client representation?
Having international offices and local experts adds a great deal of strength to our pitching and client representation. We have our two offices now and plan to grow across more time zones. We also have an affiliate network around the world, which we formed through proven relationships with other likeminded and successful publicists.

What are the biggest challenges of working with prestige and luxury brands?
The biggest challenge is that their audience could be anywhere in the world. Reaching the high net worth buying power globally is in increasing demand, whether it be for property, hospitality, luxury goods or corporate PR. It is an art form for which we have unwavering passion.

In a world of digital and social media, how important is traditional media to you?
The credibility gained by the traditional media is not going anywhere. The clients still want print placements in the major global glossy magazines and significant newspapers. We would be remiss, however, to ignore the rising prominence of blogs and social media and the key role they play in visibility and influence. Ideally, traditional and social media relations go hand in hand and that is why we also often handle clients’ social media as well as traditional PR. It is simply another channel key to communicating to the potential customer.

New York

What are the biggest challenges facing the PR industry?
As we go global, we are finding that much of the world still has a pay-for-play mentality on news stories and we have had to navigate this carefully. We do not blend the advertising/PR world, because much of our staff have journalism degrees and still believe in earning our PR placements and not buying the coverage. Influencers on social media often want to be paid as well and this presents an ethical question that didn’t really exist when I was in journalism school.

The key for PR to maintain credibility as a profession is to stay on the earned media side and outsource advertising. Some people argue that a one-stop-shop is ideal for clients, but we have found it really blurs the lines between acting in support of the media and acting as an ad agent, which is not what we do.

What advice would you give someone who wants to start their own agency?
I would advise them to be a partner in another agency first. Much of what I learned was honed as part owner of a previous agency, where I got to learn the inner workings of the business side of the job. You can’t learn that as an PR account professional very easily.

What’s next for Relevance International?
Up next is an increasing ability to service international clientele and reach international media targets. We will add future offices in various time zones, but right now the priority is to continue to grow the London office.  It is exciting to be in-demand in this new marketplace and to be hiring. We look forward to winning more clients throughout Europe as a result of our London team.

 

Work in PR and want to be featured on the Vuelio Blog? Get in touch with Jake O’Neill.

npower

npower passes PRCA audit

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The PRCA’s Communications Management Standard (CMS) is an industry mark of quality and excellence, which can now be used by npower after passing the audit.

Focusing on standards and best practice, the CMS was originally designed for consultants but has expanded to include in-house teams. For Steve Miller, memberships and partnerships director at the PRCA, in-house teams are effectively internal consultants, so the same standards can be used. One such team is from npower, who are one of the first to complete the online version of the CMS, which launched late last year.

Teams generally pass the audit, but that’s because of the work that goes into the process before the audit day. Miller also thinks being a member of the PRCA helps, he said: ‘Because they all have to be PRCA members, they’re at the sophisticated end of agencies and in-house teams, and mostly have the right systems and processes in place. With new members I’ve spoken to, they’re 80% there already, they just need to tweak things.’

npowerThe CMS also develops over time, so when it comes to re-auditing, there may be new elements to consider in order to maintain high standards. One such area that is likely to be grown upon in future years is ethics; Miller said: ‘Ethics is now a huge focus for the whole industry, as it should be, and we’re very aware of that at the PRCA. We’ll be talking a lot about ethical professionalism in our messaging in the coming years in order to continue promoting best practice and standards.’

Passing such an audit is a huge achievement and a serious justification of the professionalism of a comms team. Zoe Melarkey, head of public relations at npower [pictured], said: ‘Being awarded the PRCA’s Communications Management Standard is external recognition of the professionalism and rigour of the PR team. The audit was challenging and demanding and really made us think about how we do things; we had to interrogate and map all our processes and information management. It’s been an extremely useful exercise.’

We caught up with Saskia James, PR graduate at npower, who was tasked with project managing the process and implementing many of the criteria that were required to pass the audit. She found the whole process brought out the best in the team.

npowerHow prepared were you when you started the CMS procedure?
When we started reviewing the PRCA criteria, we were worried we would have to start from scratch. The assessment is a list of eight units, with sub units covering the things you have to be able to evidence. It’s a big document and a big task. Zoe recognised that my skill set is very process-orientated and that I like to work quite independently. She said: ‘This would be an ideal challenge for you – and would mean you could deliver something very meaningful during your time in the PR team, so why don’t you give it a go?’

I started with the non-PR requirements, which focus on suppliers and diversity. It was easy to talk to the procurement team or HR and get those requirements ticked off. Being a big company, we have to have policies for those processes anyway, it’s just how it works.

So, after that, you tackled the PR requirements?
Yes. I picked a couple that I thought would be easy to get started on and organised a full-day team meeting to discuss. For example, we discussed what our vision might be, what our mission was, what we wanted to achieve, and worked through a training needs analysis. To help, I’d identified all the competencies that a PR professional might need, and we worked through these, dividing these up according to which we felt we had, which were irrelevant and which we wanted more training on. It was very interactive, which I think the team liked.

But at that stage, passing still seemed like a pipe dream.

I carried on working, doing a lot of organising and categorising material and processes.  At the time, I had to work from home a lot so didn’t have a lot of contact with the team. When I came back, I asked Zoe for some extra time to go through the main outstanding areas.

How close were you to finishing?
By going through this process, we discovered that a lot of the required processes and details already existed – they were just in people’s heads, as opposed to being mapped out and written down. A lot of the team have been at npower for several years – they know exactly what they’re doing and how to run a project and a campaign, but it had never been formally documented. The PRCA audit forced us to do just that.

We went from thinking we had very little to work with, to realising that we all simply had to be a bit more mindful when we acted, and develop a suite of management documents.

Zoe and I drafted a really comprehensive communications plan by reviewing a lot of pre-existing material and smashed one out in a day. The dynamics of it worked well because Zoe is hugely experienced, very capable and very knowledgeable, but hadn’t stopped to examine or record how the team works. Whereas I could bring a real fresh perspective – I didn’t know how it worked so I asked a lot of questions and interrogated everything. That combination worked really well.

After I had prepared or compiled all the required material, I spoke to the team, showed them all the main documents, the self-assessment scores we had to send to the auditor and I explained the requirements of the audit. They sat there and were like, ‘Wow – we’ve done it: everything is in one place’.

Now we’ve developed a really thorough suite of PR management documents that the whole team uses. Going forward it’s going to make our lives much easier. We now have a checklist to go through the requirements of any process without worrying about forgetting things or having to rush back to do extra pieces.

Communications Management StandardWhat does it mean to the team?
It was about proving ourselves as a team. We know we’re excellent at what we do – but it means much more to have independent, external recognition for it. Now we’ve passed the audit, we have the PRCA saying: these guys are pretty good, they know what they’re doing; they can evidence this, this and this, and they’re doing a damn good job. And the team is.

What have you learnt?
Primarily, what a great team I’m in. At the start, we were all worried that we had a mountain to climb. But it was all there, it turned out we had everything, just not in one central place.

More widely, I’ve learnt about the importance of constantly interacting with the stakeholders on this sort of project, so that I’m not just writing something that will be forgotten; I’m making changes that will make a long-term and positive difference to people’s jobs.

Now we’ve passed, we can say that we’re accredited by the PRCA, that we’re experts in our field, and prove it, to ourselves, our board, and our company.

And, how do you feel?
I was absolutely ecstatic to find out that the PRCA had accredited us for the systems and processes we’ve put in place over the past few months. It’s been a long journey, but well worth it, and one which I hope will leave a legacy long after I’ve left the team.

Congratulations to npower for an excellent audit and achievement.

Find out more about the PRCA’s Communications Management Standard here.

Relevance International

Relevance International announces London hires

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Relevance International has made two London-based appointments as it continues to grow around the world. Anita Gryson has been appointed associate director and Alice Lacey has been appointed account director.

Relevance International

Relevance International specialises in luxury brands and goods, real estate, hospitality projects and corporate PR. Headquartered in New York City, the company recently rebranded from Relevance New York as it sets its sights on a global clientele who are hungry for joined-up communications across every market.

The Soho-based office launched in October 2017 and its client portfolio already includes: The Royal Atlantis, Dubai; Leading Real Estate Companies of the World; Real Asset Partners; Concierge Auctions and Spector Group. Relevance International was founded by CEO Suzanne Rosnowski in 2012, who last week spoke to Vuelio about growing a global business. She said: ‘Having international offices and local experts adds a great deal of strength to our pitching and client representation’.

Of the new appointments, Suzanne said: ‘The opening of our new London office has given Relevance International a firm foothold in Europe working in tandem with the NYC team and our global affiliates. As we add offices, we want to maintain strong brand standards but embrace uniqueness from the personalities who join each location.

‘With a dedicated social media strategist and crisis communications expert on staff, our firm offers a seamless boutique level of client service on a global scale.’

Relevance InternationalAnita Gryson is a luxury communications specialist with over ten years of experience working with the world’s most respected brands in hospitality and design. During her career, she has worked with high profile clients such as Raffles Hotels & Resorts, The Leading Hotels of the World, The Lanesborough London, The Chatwal New York, AccorHotels Luxury Brands, Technogym and Design Haus Liberty.

In her most recent role at LUCHFORD APM Anita brought Beverly Hills to the forefront of the luxury market and strategically launched The Future of Luxury global trend report. Also experienced in corporate client work, Anita directed marketing partnerships with London Design Festival and the Royal College of Art to raise FTSE 100 property developer British Land’s credentials in the design sphere.

Alice Lacey is a property PR expert with over five years’ experience working with both UK and international real estate clients. Most recently, Alice held the position of Account Director on the Property PR team at Four Communications, working on an account portfolio encapsulating estate agencies, developers, specialist housing providers and international destinations. Previous clients include London Square, Jackson-Stops, Dexters, JOHNS&CO, Henley Space, Martin Grant Homes, Anchor, Renaissance Villages and Limassol Marina.

An events specialist, Alice is an expert in organising partnerships to support clients’ placemaking activity. Alice begun her career at Accommodation for Students, a property portal based in Manchester.

Five things You shouldn't have missed

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 23 February 2018

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This week’s Five Things includes the billion-dollar power of Kylie Jenner’s tweets, Corbyn’s media attack, the Westminster council lobbying story, KFC’s chicken crises and the Guardian’s new media editor.

 

1. Kylie Jenner wields the sword of influence

Snapchat

Last week’s Five Things, included a report that revealed 44% of the public think influencer marketing is damaging to society. This week, we’ve learnt that 100% of Snapchat’s shareholders think influencer marketing is damaging to their company.

On Wednesday, Kylie Jenner tweeted: ‘sooo does anyone else not open Snapchat anymore? Or is it just me… ugh this is so sad’, and promptly wiped $1.3bn off Snap’s stock market value. Within ten minutes she said she still loved snap, her ‘first love’, but the damage was done.

The biggest issue facing Snapchat is its recent update, which prompted a petition that’s achieved over a million signatures. While Snapchat bullishly said people would get used to it, this recent dip may cause them to change their minds. And for what it’s worth, a member of the Vuelio Political Services team has stopped using Snapchat because of the update too (though we think the share price is safe from him).

 

2. The name’s Corbyn, I-love-and-hate-the-press Corbyn

Corbyn

By now we’ve all heard the ‘Corbyn was a Czech spy’ allegations that seem to have little to no evidence as support, as pointed out by Andrew Neil on Daily Politics:

While at first, the Labour Party and Corbyn ignored the allegations, the remarks from the press and Conservatives reached fever-pitch this week and Corbyn addressed the accusations in a video. But his focus was less on how ridiculous the accusations were and more an attack on the press – Corbyn outlined (in a little bit of a passive aggressive/threatening kind of way) that if Labour gets into power, ‘change is coming’. Needless to say, his video rubbed the press up the wrong way.

Watch the full video below:

 

3. Westminster councillor schmoozed

Westminster from above

Robert Davis, Conservative deputy leader of Westminster city council, has been described as the ‘most schmoozed politician in Britain’ this week, after details of 514 gifts and hospitality events came to light.

Labour has called the register of interests, evidence of a ‘broken culture at Westminster council’, and said there was a ‘clear perception that senior Conservatives councillors have a very close relationship with developers’. The concerns are around the property developers on the list of ‘schmoozers’, as the district has failed to meet affordable housing targets, and Davis chairs the council’s planning committee, which is responsible for approving deals with developers over affordable housing levels.

A Westminster city council spokesman said ‘the idea that any councillor has been ‘bought’ by the property lobby is demonstrably untrue’. Davis further defended his meetings, saying: ‘These meetings were all properly declared and open to anyone to examine. Their sole purpose was to ensure and encourage the right kind of development in Westminster and ensure that anything put before the council was going to benefit the city as a whole.’

 

4. OMG, WTF KFC

FCK

KFC hit the headlines this week for all the wrong reasons, when the UK’s branches ran out of chicken. Due to teething problems with the company’s new delivery partner, chicken wasn’t reaching stores. Outrage has hit the nation, with one woman furious with the closure, complaining: ‘I had to go to Burger King’ (This woman became the focus of escalating offers from KFC and Burger King, including a year’s supply of fresh ‘King Boxes’ from Burger King.

KFC’s initial response was relatively low key, and as a business that’s mostly made up of franchisees, the company is in a tricky position to resolve a branch-by-branch issue. That didn’t stop it from today launching a full-page newspaper apology with the letters ‘FCK’. [We’re shocked it didn’t go with any of the three alternative crisis plans we suggested].

 

5. Jim Waterson appointed media editor at the Guardian

Media editor

BuzzFeed UK’s political editor has been appointed media editor at the Guardian. The role is prestigious within the industry, as regardless of one’s political leanings, the Guardian’s media pages are read widely by journalists and media professionals.

Waterson has been the political editor at BuzzFeed UK since he helped launched news coverage for the site. Before that, he was a politics and business reporter at City AM. Waterson is likely to shift the section’s focus onto digital media, something both Waterson and Guardian editor Katharine Viner have mentioned about his new role.

Many people on Twitter have suggested stories for Waterson, which led to our BuzzFeed-inspired ‘10 Story Leads for the Guardian’s New Media Editor’.

The news comes off the back of BuzzFeed’s recently announced staff cuts – and the company has yet to name a replacement for Waterson. Media fans will be keen to note that Waterson went from traditional media to a digital start-up, dragging the latter towards traditional media status, and is now joining a traditional media company that’s arguably going in the other direction.

 

1 video you shouldn’t have missed:

The Car Expert

Blog Spotlight: Stuart Masson, The Car Expert

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Stuart Masson is The Car Expert. Featuring in the Top 10 UK Automotive Blogs, The Car Expert covers car news and reviews as well as focusing on financing and buying new cars. We spoke to Stuart about developing his blog, the issues in the automotive industry and being honest with products and services from brands.

What makes your blog successful?
Independence and authenticity. We don’t pander to anyone or offer opinions in exchange for free stuff. We provide plain-English advice and information to car buyers without catches; no commissions and no compromises.

I also take time every day to answer reader questions, and The Car Expert has become a powerful resource for confused car buyers and owners.

How has your blog developed from when you first started?
The Car Expert started off with me writing articles that answered a lot of questions that I used to get when selling cars (like ‘Should I buy a diesel car or a petrol car?’ and ‘How does car finance work?’).

It is now part of a larger company, and employs freelance journalists to provide specialist reporting. We’ve had to upgrade server hosting numerous times to accommodate continually growing traffic, and have had to deal with ever-increasing demands on our time to keep producing quality news and advice articles, weekly newsletters, fulfil media opportunities and other things I was never expecting.

We are now more rigorous about producing content to deadlines and on a regular basis, whereas it used to be very much an ad hoc thing where I would write articles as and when inspiration struck and time allowed.

Alfa Romeo 8C Supercar

What’s the best car you’ve ever driven?
Certainly the most memorable was an Alfa Romeo 8C supercar. It was a very rare limited-edition model, in left-hand drive and very noisy, and I had to navigate it across south-west London in peak hour traffic, through Hyde Park and out onto the Westway. 80% of the drive was at about 20mph and I was terrified of damaging a £150,000 car that was for sale! It was like being a celebrity, as people were taking photos of the car every time I stopped.

What’s your dream car to own?
A classic 1960s Ferrari. Entirely analogue, beautiful to look at and (apparently) beautiful to drive.

Ferrari California
What do you drive at the moment?
My day-to-day car is currently a MINI Cooper hatch, and I also have a 1973 Jaguar XJ6 Series 1 [pictured below] that only comes out on weekends and sunny days.

Can you predict what year autonomous cars will become ubiquitous?
Ubiquity is still a long way away – probably sometime in the 2040s. It’s not about when the first truly autonomous cars will arrive (probably the mid-2020s), but when the majority of used cars are autonomous. It will take decades to eventually replace the 35 million cars currently on UK roads with autonomous versions.

What’s the biggest issue facing the automotive industry at the moment?
Cheap credit propping up sales figures. The car industry is totally reliant on people buying cars they don’t need with money they don’t have. It can’t be a sustainable business model to force your customers into ever-increasing debt to afford new cars every three to four years, and that bubble is going to burst sooner or later.

How do you like to work with PRs?
When they have taken the time to understand who we are and what we do, rather than simply trying to shoehorn mentions, links and ‘brand messages’ for whatever they’re promoting into our content. Unfortunately, that’s becoming the exception rather than the rule these days, and we end up swerving a lot of PR ‘opportunities’ because they involve compromising our values for the benefit of a large, rich company that can frankly afford to behave better.

What’s the best campaign you’ve worked on and why?
There have been a load of highlights along the journey so far, but the common thread – whether huge and elaborate or small and simple – is where brands or agencies don’t try and place expectations, and welcome constructive criticism rather than trying to spin their way out of it. We don’t bash brands or products for sensationalist purposes, but we will criticise where we think it’s fair. Some brands are fine with that, others seem to have dropped us off their Christmas card lists…

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator etc)?
I actually don’t know anymore. It feels like these titles have all become blurred and rather meaningless. I’m not a trained journalist, although we do employ journalists for specialist reporting. I suppose when I write, I’m a blogger, but I tend to think of bloggers as people writing about their own personal life stories, whereas I write advice articles based on professional experience.

I’m also an editor, a sub-editor, a publisher and a director, but those roles are all much more easily defined!

What other blogs do you read?
All sorts – I tend to read by topic, rather than following specific authors or bloggers. While I’m following a topic, I’ll zero in on particular authors, but then once I’ve moved on to another topic I tend to leave them behind. That’s probably a reflection of how my own website has always been structured, which is topic-based rather than the story of my personal adventures (or anyone else’s).
Jaguar XJ6

Stuart and The Car Expert are listed in the Vuelio Blogger Database, alongside thousands of other influencers including journalists and editors.