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Five Things: The Circle, CIPR, GDPR, Evan Davis & Cathay Paciic

September 24, 2018/0 Comments/in Five Things, PR Pulse, PR, Media and Entertainment, PR News, PR Club Media Analysis, PR, Comms, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Jake O'Neill

This week’s Five Things covers a week of news (see what we did there?). We have a new social media warning, a new President-Elect, a new development in GDPR, a new presenter for Radio 4’s PM and a new job for the plane paint shop.

1. The Circle

Is it another naff reality show or a comprehensive comment on modern society? Possibly both. The Circle sees a group of people isolated in their own flat within a block, only able to communicate through a social network called ‘The Circle’. While the personalities are loud, and some of the interface action quite annoying (the shouting at the ‘voice-recognition’ system, which is clearly an intern typing what’s being said, is quickly grating), there’s definitely an interesting point being made about social media and its role in modern life.

Not everyone is being themselves – for example, there is a gay man pretending to be straight, a man pretending to be a woman using his girlfriend’s pictures and an ad exec pretending to be an oncologist. All of it is being done in the name of being the most popular to win a prize, with regular star-ratings from the other Circle users (oh hi Black Mirror!). It’s hard to watch this without thinking about your own social media use, thinking you ‘know’ people online – and, inevitably, drawing parallels with the frequent ‘scandals’ hitting the influencer marketing industry. In an age of FAKE NEWS, ‘for the Gram’ and catfishing, The Circle may be just what everyone needs as a reminder that we really don’t know who’s behind the avatar.

And if you still doubt whether Channel 4 are using The Circle to troll social media every night for three weeks, check out the retweets of Ian Katz, director of programmes at Channel 4 (including some colourful language):

#TheCircle is fascinating and car crash tv all at the same time. Feels so wrong but I can’t look away.

— Skyler ? (@Georgeeyfs) September 18, 2018

Good sign… https://t.co/Z2QMUX4xMr

— Ian Katz (@iankatz1000) September 18, 2018

This is a fucking low point for society #TheCircle

— SomeoneLK (@lk_someone) September 18, 2018

2. New CIPR President Elect

The CIPR has named its President-Elect for 2019. Jenni Field, director of Redefining Communications and co-founder of The IC Crowd, will become President in 2020 when she takes over from 2018’s President-Elect Emma Leech.

Jenni has been a volunteer with the CIPR for several years and championed the work of volunteers in her candidate statement. She is going to use her tenure to find a way to further utilise volunteers in the organisation and grow membership. Find out more about her appointment and the CIPR’s 2019 Council here.

3. GDPR

The first GDPR notice has been served by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). AggregateIQ (AIQ) – which has been linked to scandal hit Cambridge Analytica – has 30 days to cease processing ‘any personal data of UK or EU citizens obtained from UK political organisations or otherwise for the purposes of data analytics, political campaigning or any other advertising purposes’.

If AIQ fails to comply with this Enforcement Notice, or is unsuccessful in any appeal,

the ICO may serve a penalty notice requiring payment of any amount up to 20 million Euros or 4% of AIQ’s worldwide turnover.

It is the first time a GDPR notice has been served by the ICO, and while AIQ’s activities took place before GDPR came into force, it is still considered to be processing the data after the GDPR. All eyes are now on this story as it unfolds to see how GDPR will shape the future of data processing in the UK.

Vuelio helps its customers to comply with the GDPR – find out more about our extensive GDPR work here.

4. Evan Davis

Evan Davis has left Newsnight to become the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s PM programme. He was at Newsnight for four years and was previously a presenter on the Today programme as well as the BBC economics editor before that. On his appointment, Evan said: ‘Having survived several years of people saying “you’re not as good as Jeremy Paxman”, I now look forward to people saying “you’re not as good as Eddie Mair”.’

Eddie left the BBC earlier this year to join LBC, where he now presents his own afternoon show.

Evan takes up his new role later in the autumn; a Newsnight replacement is yet to be announced.

5. Cathay Paciic

Sack the sub! Cathay Pacific were left with red faces after the livery on one of their planes missed out one of the 13 letters that makes up the company’s name. As any PR knows, you proof, proof and proof again. Then you get someone else to proof, then you proof again – because once it’s done, it’s done.

Cathay Paciic were good sports about the whole thing tweeting:

Oops this special livery won’t last long! She’s going back to the shop!
(Source: HKADB) pic.twitter.com/20SRQpKXET

— Cathay Pacific (@cathaypacific) September 19, 2018

As was pointed out on Twitter, no Fs were given that day.

Did we miss something? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio.

Jenni Field named 2019 President-Elect of the CIPR

September 21, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR News PR, Comms Blog Posts /by Jake O'Neill

Jenni Field, director of Redefining Communications and co-founder of The IC Crowd, has been named President-Elect of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations for 2019, having stood unopposed in the 2018 Election.

Field, who will take over from Emma Leech as President in 2020, is a chartered PR practitioner and former CIPR Inside Chair. She said: ‘I am delighted to have been nominated as the CIPR’s President-Elect for 2019. I have been a volunteer with the CIPR for several years and I’m proud of the work we have achieved to further our profession. I’m excited about working closely with Emma Leech and Sarah Hall, as well as with those who’ve been nominated to serve on Council.

‘I’d like to thank all those who supported my nomination and I hope that with their continued support we are able to make a real difference to the profession and the communications industry as a whole.’

Current President, Sarah Hall said: ‘Volunteers are the lifeblood of the CIPR and my thanks go to all the fantastic professionals who have put themselves forward to ensure the Institute remains ambitious, relevant and forward looking.

‘Jenni is a superb board member who has brought additional internal comms expertise to the table and has always supported the drive to reassert public relations as a strategic management function. I know she’ll bring strong leadership to the role and look forward to seeing all she achieves over the next three years.’

Field was nominated by 10 other members. In her candidate statement, she said: ‘[The CIPR] should be the body for all practitioners at every level – understanding the changing environment practitioners operate in and how PR has a role to play in organisational leadership.’

She has also outlined her commitments, which are:

To grow membership and increase volunteer engagement
To improve the understanding of PR as a strategic function
To have a training and development programme for everyone

Alongside Field’s appointment, the full line-up for the CIPR’s Council in 2019 has been revealed:

Jenifer Stirton
Laurian Hubbard
Hayley James
Chris Taylor
Nicola Brown
Gary Taylor
Andras Sztaniszlav
Alison Tobin
Andrew Bartlett
Michael Blowers
Mandy Pearse
Daniel Gerrella
Peter Holt
Kerry Sheehan
Rachel Royall
Lindsey Collumbell
Clare Parker
Deb Sharratt
Andy Green
Trudy Lewis

Political Headlines: May vs EU, Javid vs gangs & UK vs cyber criminals

September 21, 2018/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Jake O'Neill

Today’s Political Headlines include May left humiliated over Chequers deal, Javid primising to target gangs, UK creates a cyber-force and Williamson pledges more support for Ukrainian military.

May left ‘humiliated’ as EU leaders reject Chequers deal
As The Times says, Theresa May was ‘humiliated’ by EU leaders yesterday as they rejected her Chequers strategy for Brexit. The paper adds that a number of factors led to this outcome, including May’s decision to read out an article she had written for Die Welt, her rejection of revised proposals on Ireland without seeing the text, reports that International Trade Secretary Liam Fox was planning to scrap food regulations to secure a trade deal with the USA, support for May from Hungary’s President Viktor Orban, and her admission that revised Irish backstop proposals wouldn’t be ready by the next summit in October.

Javid promises to target ‘county lines’ gang network
Writing for the Daily Mail, Home Secretary Sajid Javid has promised to combat the ‘county lines’ network, under which drugs gangs use children as couriers to supply drugs in small towns and seaside resorts. He has announced a £3.6m National County Lines Co-ordination Centre, allowing police forces to work together in their efforts to tackle the problem, and that there will be several large-scale raids in the next week.

UK creates £250m cyber-force
The Times reports that the Ministry of Defence and GCHQ are setting-up a £250m cyber-force which will aim to target hostile states, terrorist groups and gangs, with around 2,000 personnel – a quadrupling of the number of people in offensive cyber positions. This follows a review commissioned by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, with the creation of the force due to be officially announced soon.

Williamson pledges more support for Ukrainian military
The Daily Telegraph has visited the Ukraine with Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, paying a trip to the frontline of the conflict with Russian-backed separatists. Williamson accuses the Russians of trying to ‘reverse the outcome of the Cold War’ and said that the UK was ‘upping our training and support efforts’ with the Ukrainian armed forces.

60% of public support tax increases to fund public spending
The Guardian reports that the latest British Social Attitudes survey shows that 60% of the British public would now support an increase in taxes to fund higher public spending – the highest level for 15 years. This includes 53% of Conservative supporters. The public’s top public spending priority was revealed to be health, followed by education.

Labour would see surge in support if it backed second referendum
The Independent reveals that two new polls show that backing a second referendum on Brexit would give Labour a boost in support which would ‘carry it to the brink of Government’. A YouGov poll shows that backing the People’s Vote would see the party gain an extra 1.5m voters, while an ICM poll showed that the party would win marginal seats from the Tories – including some that voted to leave the EU.

Nuclear deterrent ‘not fit for purpose’, MPs warn
The Guardian carries details of a new report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee that warns that decisions by the Ministry of Defence to delay maintenance at the department’s 13 sites to support nuclear submarines have left the UK’s nuclear deterrent programme ‘not fit for purpose’.

UKIP to become a ‘radical, populist party’
The BBC says UKIP will release an interim manifesto at its conference, with leader Gerard Batten claiming it should become a ‘radical, populist party’ standing up to the ‘politically-correct thought police’ and helping ‘the people who form the backbone of Britain’.

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Auction for Sky – sold to the highest bidder

September 20, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Media and Entertainment Media Analysis, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Jake O'Neill

The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers has announced that the takeover of Sky will now be settled by auction. Both Fox and Comcast have been attempting to take over the broadcaster for some time, with rival offers driving up the company’s value.

The Panel says all parties have agreed to the terms, which will see a maximum of three rounds of bidding between 5pm on 21 September and the evening of 22 September.

Sky’s share price jumped after the announcement.

The procedure, as laid out by the Panel, will see a first round where two bids are submitted and the lowest may then increase theirs. In the second round, the other bidder is allowed to increase their offer. If there is an increased bid in the second round, a final round will commence where both parties will be able to increase their bids.

Fox first announced it would purchase Sky in December 2016, with an initial offer of £10.75 per share. Throughout the bidding war that has commenced over the last two years, the bid has risen to £14.75 per share. The share price currently sits at £15.80 (at time of writing).

The BBC reports this latest development in the Sky takeover saga with the help of media analyst Alice Enders. Alice describes Sky as a jewel in the crown, thanks to its 23 million pay-TV subscribers. It is these customers that will be hit by the takeover though, Enders suggests whoever wins, it’s likely to lead to higher prices for customers so the winning bidder can recoup its costs.

Comcast is by far the biggest company in the competition with assets nearing $200bn, compared to Fox’s $52bn. Disney, which is going through the process of acquiring Fox, has assets valued at $96bn.

Interior design with Antonia Ludden’s #tidylife

September 20, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Antonia Ludden is the blogger behind #tidylife, which was recently named in the Top 10 Interior Design Blogs. Antonia provides her readers with practical advice on how to keep a clutter-free home without losing their personal style. We spoke to Antonia about her own personal style, how she works with PRs and why bloggers need their own association.

How has your blog changed over time?
Quite a lot, actually. When I started out in 2012 I was more focused on upcycling old furniture and finding good storage solutions for my kids’ toys – I even thought about selling storage boxes through the site (hence the blog’s name), but in the end didn’t pursue that. As time went by the blog evolved more into home design in general and, more recently, occasional lifestyle topics that appear to be popular with readers, such as health, fashion and beauty.

How would you describe your style?
I like a variety of home interior styles, which is reflected in my own home – I’ve embraced both the ‘dark side’ with our moody front room that features industrial lighting, lots of wood and dark walls, but I also appreciate a fresh contemporary interior, which is how I would describe our light and bright family room. I’m also quite drawn to nature in the home, so you’ll often find me styling with plants and different textures.

What makes a great interior design blog?
I think one that delivers plenty of straightforward home improvement ideas and advice along with decorating tips and styling inspiration. I like quick fixes and fun ways to refresh a room, so I enjoy magazine type blogs that feature a mix of emerging trends, shopping guides, real homes etc.

What’s the split between your own creations/designs and featuring others’?
I’ve found it increasingly hard to feature my own home regularly, as blogging takes up so much time – all the ‘back end’ stuff and keeping on top of social media and pitching for work. When I’m busy creating content for brands, I’m not getting the time to do the projects in my own home that I’d like to feature on the blog! But this is my job and paying bills has to take priority over the DIY & decorating. Sadly, I don’t earn enough from my blog to pay for professional decorators!

What’s your favourite room in the house and why?
I think our front room is my favourite, due to the features it has – the exposed floorboards, the large angled bay window and the fireplace. However, I don’t get to spend much time in it as it is mainly used by my sons as their gaming space! I will reclaim it one day… fingers crossed.

How do the seasons affect your content?
I love a seasonal change! It’s a great opportunity to refresh the blog and its content. I’m likely to feature lots of cosy homeware items and warm metallics in autumn-winter and lots of plants in spring-summer!

What’s your favourite household object/item?
Probably my coffee machine as I’m such a coffee addict!

What one thing should PRs/brands know about you?
That I will go the extra mile to deliver what the brand or PR is looking for – I like to give added value and exceed expectations so that they’re happy they chose me to work with and might want to partner with me again in the future.

What are the best campaigns/collaborations you’ve recently worked on?
I’ve loved working with BoConcept Manchester recently as we’ve established a nice, ongoing relationship. Because they’re local, I can call in and meet face to face, see their latest collections up close etc – with so much communication online these days, it’s nice to connect with people in real life and I think it can really enhance a collaboration.

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
Yes, I would like to see that happen as it is a fast-paced, ever-changing industry and working solo, as most of us are, we have to turn our hand to everything and become experts. Even those who have blogged for a long time could use the support and guidance of a professional bloggers association, I’m sure, so I think it could only be a good thing.

What other blogs do you read?
Although I don’t have loads of time to read other blogs regularly, I dip into quite a few when a feature catches my eye or if I’m looking for decorating or blogging advice, or design inspiration. I like to see what my blogging friends are writing about and the different projects they are up to in their own homes. Quite often I’ll stumble upon new blogs by scrolling through Pinterest. The first blog I ever read was IHeart Organizing and I still like to look at that from time to time when I need any home organisation or storage ideas as I’ll admit I’m not the most tidy person in the world!

Political Headlines: Brexit won’t be extended, May will be ‘forced to quit’ in Spring and rail chaos

September 20, 2018/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Thomas Stevenson

Today’s Political Headlines include May’s insistence that Brexit negotiations won’t be extended, the leaked memo suggesting May will be forced to quit next Spring, rail timetable chaos caused by systematic failings and Paisley recall petition fails.

May insists Brexit negotiations won’t be extended
The BBC says that Theresa May used a dinner with her EU counterparts in Salzburg last night to tell them that Brexit negotiations wouldn’t be extended and a deal must be struck in the next two months. She insisted that the bloc rethink its position on the Irish border, but there are also suggestions that the UK will propose new regulatory checks to try to resolve the issue. The Maltese and Czech Prime Ministers told the BBC that they hope the UK will hold another referendum on Brexit. Meanwhile Sir Mike Penning, who helped to run May’s leadership campaign, has told The Daily Telegraph the Chequers plan is as ‘dead as a dodo’.

Leaked memo suggests May will be forced to quit next spring
The Daily Telegraph has obtained an internal memo, originally written in April but shared among Tory MPs recently, which claims that Theresa May will be forced to stand down ‘soon after March 2019’ and assesses potential successors. It claims that Michael Gove is ‘on manoeuvres’, Philip Hammond has ‘not a hope’, Liam Fox is ‘fading’, Boris Johnson won’t win as ‘the front-runner never wins’ and Jacob Rees-Mogg is unlikely to be in the last two.

Rail timetable chaos caused by ‘systematic’ failings, inquiry finds
The Times reports that an inquiry into this summer’s rail timetable chaos has found that it could happen again owing to ‘systematic’ failings. Companies knew that there would be disruption, but did not warn passengers, the Department for Transport didn’t ask them enough questions, and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling signed-off a key change to services. Grayling announced a ‘root-and-branch’ review of the rail system yesterday, to be led by John Lewis’s deputy chairman Keith Williams.

Paisley recall petition fails
The BBC reports that DUP MP Ian Paisley has held onto his seat after a recall petition against him gained the support of 9.4% of the electorate, rather than the 10% needed to trigger his recall. The petition, the first of its kind, was caused by Paisley’s suspension from Westminster for failing to declare holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government.

Labour plans to speed up handling of antisemitism cases
According to The Guardian, Labour’s National Executive Committee has endorsed plans to double the parties disciplinary body in order to expedite the processing of antisemitism allegations. The plans, which the party’s conference will need to vote on, would see the National Constitutional Committee gain 14 more members, amongst other changes.

Law changes to make it easier for leaseholders to buy freeholds
The Times says that plans to be announced today by the Law Commission, at the request of the Government, will make it easier for leaseholders to buy their property’s freehold by abolishing the minimum period before a purchase is possible. Additionally leases will be able to extended for longer, multiple times, and at lesser cost.

Watson announces plans for £140m tax on gambling operators
The Sun reports Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson has announced plans to introduce a 1% compulsory levy on gambling operators’ gross yield, which would raise £140m each year. The money would be used to fund treatment for problem gamblers. Other policies include banning gambling promotions during live sport events and on using credit cards to gamble.

Number of new social rent houses cut by over 200,000
The Daily Mirror claims that the number of new social rent homes per year has been cut by over 200,000 since 2010, according to statistics it says are ‘buried’ in a Government report. Labour’s John Healey has accused the Conservatives of ‘making the housing crisis worse’.

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Fashion Weeks with the Number 1 Fashion Blog – Inthefrow

September 19, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Inthefrow is the number one fashion blog in the UK. Written by Victoria Magrath, the blog has twice been named Best Fashion Blog at the Vuelio Blog Awards and boasts a huge audience both at inthefrow.com and across social media, including 850K followers on Instagram and over 600K subscribers on YouTube. Victoria has also worked with huge number of international brands, whether it’s as the face of Hugo Boss Watches and Ted Baker or signing as a Beauty Ambassador with L’Oreal Paris.

With a recent site relaunch, engagement and book announcement – Victoria is at the top of her game and the excitement shows no sign of stopping. We caught up with the blogger in the front row, who told us how she works with brands during fashion weeks, the best campaigns she’s worked on and the bloggers that inspire her.

How has your blog changed over time?
When I first created Inthefrow it was simply a space to share my love and passion for fashion and beauty. Yes, there was imagery and a design layout but as time went on I started to develop a love for a more editorial style. Fast forward over five years and Inthefrow.com is my most favourite channel. It’s the platform that I own and that if Instagram, Twitter and Facebook all disappeared tomorrow, it’s the platform I would be glad I put so much love into. Each element is individually designed and brought to life to encompass a full brand experience and a much closer insight than ever before, into the things that make up my life in a magazine-esque platform.

When do you start and finish conversations with brands/PRs about fashion weeks?
In all honesty the conversations never really end. The relationships with PRs/brands are ongoing throughout the seasons but for the intimate details such as dressing and invites to the shows themselves, the conversations start weeks or usually days before, and lead right up to the day of the presentations.

How do Autumn fashion weeks affect your blog?
I’d say they impact my blog in two different ways. Firstly, and most importantly, when I arrive back from fashion weeks/month I feel a renewed sense of love for what I do. I adore fashion every day of the year but after fashion month, the inspiration to create, to style and to push boundaries is never more heightened. I feel invigorated and ready to celebrate this industry I’m proudly a part of on all my channels and signal the style transition into Fall.

Secondly, it takes a lot of self-discipline and organisation to continue with content as consistently, because I’m suddenly trying to multitask even more than usual. The three blog posts a week are now intertwined with international travel, multiple shows a day and still finding time to think ahead and shoot quality content for the blog. I definitely feel a lot more pressure to be consistent during fashion month than any other time of the year.

Who is your favourite designer?
Oh this is such a hard question! Dior as you know is by far my favourite luxury brand, I covet almost every item they create and they have a huge piece of my fashion loving heart…

What are the main differences between men’s and women’s lifestyle blogs?
Oh another tough one. I guess apart from their audience being unique, I suppose their style and voice is also different to cater to the way their audience want to hear their messages.

What’s the written/video/picture split for your content?
I try not to weight my content in a particular way and I try, as hard as it may be, to spread my content evenly over all my platforms. I consistently try to create three blog posts per week, two (sometimes three) YouTube videos per week and four or five Instagrams too – as well as time spent on Twitter and Facebook. I find that although my largest following is over on Instagram where people like to consume bite size content in the shape of imagery and short videos, inthefrow.com has the largest engagement growth right now in terms of unique users and those readers are consuming long form content in the shape of lengthy lifestyle text and editorial imagery. All in all, I’d like to think it’s a pretty even split between imagery, video and written content in both consumption and creation.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I like to be straight forward wherever possible. It’s great to get a friendly introductory email where you can discover a new agency, brand or designer but there’s nothing that stands out more to me, than someone who is professional and forthcoming with how they can see us working together and what the both of us can gain from partnering. That way as a team we can instantly work out if our brands are well suited and if working together successfully is a possibility for all parties. Efficiency is a big priority for me, and most, with everyone’s schedules being so hectic.

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on recently?
Another hard question because, as you know, I flat out refuse to take on any collaborations that don’t thoroughly excite me and make me proud to be a part of them, so I would have to say the best campaigns recently have been my Thomas Sabo ambassadorship that was just announced and my partnership with Bvlgari for their new luxury sunglasses collection. Both of them were an immediate yes for me because of how much I already adore each brand and how similar our visions were for each campaign. And I know it isn’t a collaboration but am I allowed to say my new book The New Fashion Rules? It’s been two years in the making and I can’t believe it’s finally here – a dream come true!

Do bloggers need their own industry association?
I think it massively helps, to meet people and to network and get your name out there. But I’m sure there are bloggers out there who are killing it without pressuring themselves to be stuck head first into the industry.

What other blogs do you read?
I don’t get nearly enough time to catch up on my favourite blogs, I wish I could set aside a couple of hours each week to really delve into what I’ve missed but in reality that will never happen as there’s always more work to be done. However, I always try to keep up with Chriselle for all things fashion, Estee for all things lifestyle and Carly for all things self love. All three keep me inspired and ready to take on the next big thing.

#PRPays – Why PR is vital to business

September 19, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR News PR Blog Posts /by Jake O'Neill

The CIPR has launched a new campaign to highlight the importance of public relations to the business community. #PRPays will feature video interviews with leading chief executives, discussing the benefits of strategic public relations.

The first interview is with John Holland-Kaye, CEO of Heathrow Airport, who champions the role of PR, describing it as ‘vital to managing our reputation’. He also reveals the major role PR played in securing the airport’s third runway approval.

On Monday, we wrote about the presentation Nigel Milton, Heathrow’s director of communications, gave at Influence Live. Milton went into granular detail about its integrated third-runway campaign and why it took multiple communication disciplines to be successful.

In his video interview, Holland-Kaye explains that the communications team regularly hone and reinforce the airport’s position on a number of key issues for all stakeholders, whether they’re public, business or Government.

The campaign seeks to shift perceptions of PR from a tactical offering to a strategic discipline.

Sarah Hall, President of the CIPR, said: ‘Public relations is widely misunderstood and undervalued by businesses leaders. It shouldn’t be – our ability to manage the interests of multiple stakeholders, while speaking truth to power is an invaluable business asset.

‘I’d like to thank John Holland-Kaye for sharing his thoughts on our practice. We have a fantastic opportunity to grow the business of public relations and – through #PRPays – we will shine a light on best practice to encourage a broader shift in the way public relations is viewed by the business community.’

Demonstrate the value of your media relations with Vuelio

September 19, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR News Blog Posts /by Jake O'Neill

Here, Becky Trotman, senior media relations office at Thames Water, tells us how Vuelio is demonstrating value internally and why an integrated solution is necessary to meet the demands of a busy newsroom.

Thames Water
Thames Water is the UK’s biggest water and wastewater services provider. We have invested over £1 billion every year, on average, for the past 12 years improving service for our 15 million customers across London and the Thames Valley. For an average of just over £1 a day for our households, we provide 2.6 billion litres of clean drinking water and safely remove 4.6 billion litres of wastewater – every day, 365 days a year. We are regulated by Ofwat, the Environment Agency and Drinking Water Inspectorate, and our customers will benefit from our nearly £5 billion investment programme between 2015 and 2020, the largest in the UK water industry.

Here in Thames Water’s Newsroom we respond to up to 100 incoming media enquiries a month and pro-actively share the company’s good news with national, trade and regional media. Through our pro-active approach we aim to tell Thames Water’s story through the media including how we work to protect the environment and provide a resilient service for our customers using the latest innovative technology. When things go wrong we also use the media to keep our customers up-to-date on matters that may affect their water supply, waste service or daily commute and provide reassurance the issue is in hand.

The Challenge
Before we employed the services of Vuelio, our media monitoring and media database were provided by two separate companies, which was more costly and time consuming. By having a one-stop-shop we can easily link our media coverage to the relevant outlets and journalists, and quickly track who has said what about Thames Water. Vuelio also enables us to produce regular and ad-hoc reports quickly and easily to demonstrate to internal colleagues the value of good media relations.

The Solution
We opted for Vuelio as they offer good value for money and a platform that enables us to easily find contacts and track our media coverage. Help to get to grips with upgrades of the platform and resolve problems has always been on hand through the support team and our account managers. Being able to store copies of all our press releases in the system and link coverage to them has been a huge benefit along with the ability to produce ad-hoc reports ourselves.

Benefits and Results
Key benefits are being able to quickly find contacts, track media coverage and see how well received our press releases have been.

Vuelio is a valuable tool which enables us to monitor our media coverage closely, measure our successes and ensure we’re always contacting the right journalists and outlets with the right stories.

Find out how other clients are benefitting from Vuelio, and book a complimentary demo here.

Political Headlines – May’s pitch, People’s Vote, immigration limits and council house pride

September 19, 2018/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Jake O'Neill

Today’s Political Headlines include May pitching her Chequers deal to EU27, People’s Vote’s plans for a second referendum, new immigration limits and May says take pride in living in a council house.

May set to pitch Chequers deal to EU27
Prime Minister Theresa May flies to Salzburg today to meet with leaders of the EU27, with The Guardian reporting that chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier has rejected calls for the EU to soften their stance on the Irish border. The FT reports that May is planning to appeal directly to other EU leaders in order to reach a compromise on the issue.

People’s Vote publishes plan for second EU referendum
The BBC have reported on a document released by the People’s Vote campaign, which sets out the route towards securing another public vote on Brexit. The Daily Express have splashed on an exclusive with Theresa May, who has heavily criticised the calls, saying that ‘we’ve had the people’s vote – it was the referendum’.

Plans for new immigration limits given boost
The Times are reporting that Government plans for new restrictions on low-skilled migration have been bolstered by a report released by the Migration Advisory Committee. The committee called for an end to low-skilled migration from the EU, with a move towards a global system whereby EU citizens are treated the same as those from non-EU countries. The Guardian have led with the response from business groups, who have reacted with anger, saying that major industries may collapse due to labour shortages.

Take pride in living in a council house, says May
The Telegraph are reporting on a speech set to be made by Theresa May later today, in which she will indicate a major shift in Conservative housing policy and commit to spending an extra £2bn on social housing. In the speech, May will say people should feel ‘proud’ of living in council housing, and both politicians and society should stop ‘looking down’ on council housing residents.

Hunt impresses on visit to Japan
Sky News have reported on praise for Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who became the first UK minister to give a speech in Japanese. Hunt is visiting Japan to strengthen UK relations with the country and took the opportunity in his speech to pledge a ‘new era of friendship’.

Watson furious at conference snub
The Sun have details of a row between Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson and leader Jeremy Corbyn, after Watson was unhappy with his speaking slot at the upcoming Labour conference. Watson is said to have directly challenged Corbyn in a shadow cabinet meeting, and is alleged to have criticised a member of Corbyn’s staff for leaking discussions.

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Fashion interview with Raindrops Of Sapphire’s Lorna Burford

September 19, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Lorna Burford is the fashion blogger extraordinaire behind Raindrops of Sapphire. Covering fashion tips, outfit posts and denim – of course denim! – Randrops of Sapphire was recently ranked in the Top 10 Women’s Fashion Blogs. We spoke to Lorna about the evolution of her blogging style, working around fashion weeks and collaborating with PRs and brands.

How has your blog changed over time?
It started out as just a place to share my loves and interests in fashion, as a hobby, then over time it grew into my full-time career and with a lot of hard work and effort, a place that I am really proud of. I’ve also been open and honest about health issues and everyone has been incredibly supportive, so I would say it’s changed greatly. It’s an extension of me and a community at the same time. I actually recently did a post looking back over the years to see how things have changed.

When do you start and finish conversations with brands/PRs about fashion weeks?
I would say the emails start rolling in for fashion week four to six weeks prior to it starting. There’s usually a lot of things to cover and time is needed if you have to plan ahead for the shows. After the shows are done, it’s probably a week or so until you receive the info/photos post show, and at that point it’s usually finished.

How do autumn fashion weeks affect your blog?
I don’t notice much of an increase or decrease in traffic, but I notice a lot more sales. Autumn fashion in general is huge and it’s the biggest season for spending money, plus it’s my favourite season, so it’s always a good time of year for clothes in general. The AW season shows are far better than SS!

Who is your favourite designer?
That’s a really tough question as I have different favourite designers for different areas of clothing. As jeans are a huge part of my life, Citizens of Humanity or FRAME take that lead. For bags it would be Celine or Mulberry. For shoes it’s Stuart Weitzman and Louboutin etc. My go to brand for most things though would most likely be Gucci as an allrounder!

What are the main differences between men’s and women’s lifestyle blogs?
I would say men’s are definitely more geared towards street and casual style, whereas women’s are a lot more fashion forward. I think women tend to take a lot more risks compared to men when it comes to trends. I think the blogging industry has to be around 90% women though, so there’s that as a difference too; the women have to stand out more to get noticed.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I like to take pride in my work, so I’m incredibly picky about the content I put out. It has to fit with my voice/theme of my blog, and the photos have to be of a high standard too so we always shoot with a Nikon DSLR and I’m always using Light Room/Photoshop to edit my photos. I’m my own worst critic, but it means I only put out the content I am proud of. I’m always open to communication though, so never be afraid to email and get in touch. I don’t often attend events that are far away anymore due to my health, but I haven’t found that that hinders me or my blog in any way.

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on recently?
Picking just one, this year would be House of Fraser, which was one of my best ones for 2018… so far.

Do bloggers need their own industry association?
I’m going to say 100% yes. As this industry is getting bigger and bigger, there’s not enough support and protection for bloggers regarding the work and collaborations that occur. Often there’s issues with people screwing you over, not paying, constantly chasing payments etc as it’s still a relatively new industry, so I think there needs to be something more for sure.

What other blogs do you read?
I have three that I checkout often: Cupcakes & Cashmere, Fashion Jackson, and Brooklyn Blonde.

The Discerning Man: men’s lifestyle and working with brands

September 18, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Jake O'Neill

The Discerning Man is the men’s lifestyle blog written by Ed Lemont. Ed has huge experience of working with brands and PRs and recently spoke to us about best practice and how to get the most from collaborations. Ed also gave advice for new bloggers and revealed the secrets to his success.

You refer to The Discerning Man as both a lifestyle blog and online magazine – how do you see the split between the two or are they one and the same?
I initially created The Discerning Man anonymously because I always knew I wanted to create a collaborative platform. My plan, both then and now, is to work with other amazing food, fitness and travel bloggers to contribute and guest post in the niches they are passionate about and educated in. I was thinking in five or 10 years, if blogs ever crossed over to online magazines, then The Discerning Man would already be an established and recognised title to adapt to such a shift.

In terms of it being a blog, that’s where you get the ‘Ed Lemont’ part coming in and the crossover with Instagram, where I’m speaking directly with my audience. Essentially, I am The Discerning Man but I feel the whole blogging industry is about collaboration and I wanted to celebrate that, which is why it took a long time for me to put my name to the blog.

How has the blog changed from when you first started to today?
Initially, it was very much product-led and I started as a grooming blogger. But the blog wasn’t with my face or under my name, it was anonymous. Gradually I realised, after attending events, that as much as it’s your content people are interested in – it’s you too, which was kind of nice in a way. I did my first big feature back in 2016 where I underwent a hair transplant and was even commissioned by GQ to write this up for their grooming section. That’s when I really started to get to know my audience and the kind of guys following and interacting with me.

So now the blog has changed because it’s a little less product-based and a little more me.

Has this changed the way you work with brands and PRs?
Yes. What I like about the brands I collaborate with is they understand me and The Discerning Man and its audience. So, they know my audience is more aligned with my age, as it’s mainly built up from 25-40-year olds.

One of my clients is Just For Men, who do hair dye that covers greys. I love that because leading on from my hair transplant, anything to do with hair and hair insecurity continues that journey, so I can share my experience and educate people along the way. Even though I wrote my hair transplant posts and feature over two years ago, I still get emails and DMs daily as it’s the most searched-for hair transplant article ever!

What’s a typical collaboration?
I’m at the stage where I’m one of those blogs that has management, so everything goes through them and they run it past me. I went through a phase early on of working with brands because the work was there. Recently I’ve taken it back to what The Discerning Man was originally about – ‘to have good taste’.

I never want to work with brands that I feel don’t represent The Discerning Man and that audience. I have a filter now: is this right for my audience, am I going to be passionate about it and will I enjoy my time creating content for them? Anything to do with fee is the last consideration because I’m so keen on getting the right brand first.

As with your work with Just For Men, do you see a trend towards multi-content, long term collaborations, rather than one-offs?
Yes – I think the ambassador thing is really taking off. The Just For Men collaboration began at the start of the year, with a few projects taking place throughout 2018: we collaborated a few months ago on their moustache colouring launch; I created content with research about which area of the UK is the most well-groomed; I’ve just collaborated about their NFL sponsorship; and we’ll do the Gentleman’s Grooming Show in November.

The ambassador thing is working well – I’ve also been an ambassador for Primark in the past and have a long running relationship with ASOS.

And initial contact goes through your management?
It does. I’m with The Blogger Programme and they manage a bespoke email address that’s linked from my Instagram. Obviously because I’m listed in Vuelio – which is great – I also get some emails directly from PRs, which gives me a foot in the door and keeps those relationships going.

What advice would you give someone that wants to work with you?
I think just having all of the information up front: what they want me to do for them, the type of content they want me to produce and if there’s an option for me to pitch some ideas for their campaign.

Travel is an area I would love to grow but you have to self-fund that or be lucky enough to be invited on press trips. I love any events-based opportunities because it gives me an opportunity to create content, probably more than if it’s a product-based campaign. For example, I’m going to the Seychelles with Hilton and I’m really excited because I get to produce a wide range of content when I’m there.

What advice would you give bloggers who have just started?
Try to attend as many events as possible but don’t bring a friend or another blogger because going alone makes you talk to people and brands. When I first started blogging, I didn’t get invited to any events so I went on Eventbrite found panel discussions with bloggers and chatted to them afterwards to get a few tips.

Create content for brands you’re interested in. If you’re passionate about a product you’ve bought, write a post about it, post it on Instagram and send the content to them. I’ve done this before – I included ASOS in a blog post about what to wear for Valentine’s day; I sent it to them just to let them know, and now I work with ASOS.

The Primark ambassador role happened because they invited me to a dinner launching the Harris Tweed range. It was such a beautiful dinner that I took photos on the night, wrote a blog post and I sent it to them. I created the blog post for free as a bit of a thank you, which clearly went a long way!

How do you use different social platforms and how do they work with your blog?
Obviously, Instagram is nearly everyone’s main platform. On Instagram I post a lot of outfit shots, which work well for me and get good engagement based on the community I’ve built up over the last couple of years. I use stories as a diary to tell the story of an event where I’ve taken pictures throughout. I also use the swipe-up link on my stories, so I’ll promote blog posts through that and any kind of links to demo the products.

Twitter is a sharing platform for me, so I share my blog posts and retweet any brands I’m working with. I’ve got a YouTube channel too but it’s mainly to host my branded video content and so I can also offer YouTube to brands as an added extra if we’ve collaborated on video content.

Do brands ask for just Instagram collaborations?
Yes – a lot of start-up or fashion brands see the value in the ‘click and shop’ Instagram element and some collaborations will ask for one Instagram post and one or two Stories. When I’m creating content on my blog, it’s very much about giving advice, which may not work as well on Instagram. When I go to the Seychelles, Hilton want a blog post about the hotels I’m staying in as opposed to just an Instagram post. The blog is the right place for anything to do with travel or advice and allows you to elaborate on your experiences without being restricted by a caption.

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Ed Lemont and The Discerning Gent is listed in the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other blogs, vlogs, outlets and opportunities.

Conference Headlines – Electable Lib Dems feeling sorry for May

September 18, 2018/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Daniel Loman

Today’s Lib Dem Party Conference Headlines include Vince Cable’s claims that the party is electable, the leader feeling sorry for May, liberalism but not by the Lib Dems and Clegg’s claims that the EU could extend the Brexit period.

The Liberal Democrats are electable
ITV reports its interview with leader of the Liberal Democrats, Vince Cable where he said a revival is taking place and the Lib Dems have a lot to be positive about. Cable acknowledged the results in the last two general elections have not been good enough but saw positives in the local elections.

Cable feels sorry for May
The Express reports speculates on Cable’s speech where it is expected he will tell Theresa May to stop delivering a Brexit she is not fully behind. Cable is expected to call on May to show true leadership and back a second referendum; he will also criticise those who want to leave the EU but are not considering the costs of it.

Liberalism but not by the Lib Dems
The Guardian has published an opinion piece where the Lib Dems are not seen as up to the job of representing Liberalism. The article points out that with Labour going further left and Theresa May facing opposition from those on the right of her party the Lib Dems should be making more progress.

Clegg says the EU could extend Brexit period
The BBC reports on remarks made by Nick Clegg suggesting European leaders are looking to find a way to give the UK more time to negotiate Brexit so a no-deal can be avoided. Clegg rejects the suggestion that has come from the Prime Minister that it is either the Chequers Plan or no-deal.

Cancel Brexit with no new referendum
The Sun reports on a policy that was voted on at the Lib Dem conference. The article says the Lib Dems will call on the Government to extend the article 50 process, so a referendum can be held. If the EU rejects the extension then they want the UK to revoke article 50, meaning the UK remains in the EU indefinitely.

The Lib Dems Conference is coming to a close but there’s plenty more to come from the other parties. Get complimentary bulletins straight to your inbox, sign up here.

How Heathrow used an integrated campaign to win its third runway

September 17, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR Club, Public Affairs Media Database, Media Monitoring, Media Analysis, Stakeholder Engagement, Political Services, PR, Comms, Political Database Blog Posts /by Jake O'Neill

Nigel Milton, director of communications at Heathrow Airport, recently spoke at the CIPR’s Influence Live event and explained how the airport went from being called ‘Heathrow Hassle’ to having its third runway approved by Government.

Heathrow airport is the busiest in Europe, with some 78 million passengers passing through it in 2017. It’s also recently had plans for a third runway approved – fulfilling the UK’s need for increased air traffic capacity.

But getting to this point wasn’t an easy journey; while a third runway was initially supported by Gordon Brown’s Government in 2009, the policy and politics all changed when the coalition Government came to power and immediately scrapped it.

Milton told Influence Live that when he joined in 2010, the airport already had the reputation of a ‘national embarrassment’, with ‘Heathrow Hassle’ in the lexicon. This made finding political supporters almost impossible.

So, how did they manage to turn it around? With the help of an international event, the London Mayor and an integrated campaign like no other.

In 2012, London hosted the Olympics and Heathrow became the official airport of the games. For Milton, it was an opportunity to reset the dial as the Games could effectively make or break the airport’s fortunes. In Milton’s own words, they ‘nailed it’.

Part of the success was leaving nothing to chance. Not only did Heathrow prepare for the oddly-shaped luggage carried by international athletes (oars, bikes, racquets etc), it also increased spending on toilet maintenance because, bizarrely, the number one factor that makes a difference to someone’s opinion of an airport is the cleanliness of the toilets.

Major incident-free, the London Olympics were a huge success for Heathrow and, what’s more, the Government had changed its position on the need to expand UK airport capacity. This policy reversal was, in no small part, thanks to the London Mayor at the time, Boris Johnson.

While Johnson may have more recently been elected as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip with the promise there would be no third runway at Heathrow, he was at the time considered the airport’s champion politician – Milton said, ‘Without Boris, we wouldn’t have secured a third runway’. Johnson had argued that London needed more airport capacity, favouring the creation of an island in the Thames. While this wasn’t realised – his desire for more capacity was and so the long road to an extra runway began again for Heathrow.

The success of the Olympics put Heathrow in a strong position for its runway plans, as it could now trade on its national and international reputation of excellence, making it the frontrunner for expansion.

Milton’s approach was two-fold, a public relations campaign was designed to bring everyone, from its staff and local residents to Scottish businesses, on board and a public affairs campaign to gain political support.

The airport’s four business priorities were at the centre of its PR campaign:

Mojo – getting staff onside by making the airport a great place to work and risk-free when increasing staff numbers
Service transformation – proving it can deliver the best service for passengers and airlines
Beating the business plan – staying ahead of its plans so it could meet deadlines and expectations
Sustainable growth – working with local communities to impact them negatively as little as possible and positively as much as possible

The campaign was complex, with thousands of stakeholders to be considered, influenced and managed. It required a national strategy, and the airport reviewed both passenger and freight journeys, so it could prove that it wasn’t just London’s airport, but Britain’s airport. It got Scottish business to back the plans, explaining the benefits locally because, Milton explained, ‘My accent saying Heathrow expansion is good for Scotland, in Scotland, means nothing compared to a Scottish accent saying it’.

The PR fed into the public affairs, Heathrow using the wins up and down the country to gain additional political support. It also polled politicians to show MPs they were not alone in their support. With a comprehensive integrated campaign that took everything into consideration, Heathrow was successful and a third runway has now been approved.

But the challenge isn’t over yet, as Milton is all too aware. When Vuelio asked if he was planning for a change in Government, Milton responded that yes – administrations and policies change and Heathrow was still preparing for every eventuality.

Do you want to run successful campaigns that combine public relations and public affairs? With Vuelio, everything you need is in one place, on one platform. Find out more.

Conference Headlines – plastic ban, citizen’s fund, Gina Miller and Charlie Mullins

September 17, 2018/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Daniel Loman

Today’s Lib Dem Party Conference Headlines include the call for a ban on all single-use plastic, Vince Cable’s citizen’s fund, Gina Miller rules herself out of becoming Lib Dem leader and the founder of Pimlico Plumbers now backing the Lib Dems.

Lib Dems call for a ban on all single-use plastics within three years
The Metro reports that senior Liberal Democrats are to discuss a move to ban all single-use plastics, not just plastic straws. The party conference is set to discuss this move, along with similar measures including the charge on hot drink cups known as the ‘latte levy’. Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael has claimed that the Tories are ‘full of hot air and no credible action’ in their attempt to reduce the amount of plastic in our oceans.

Vince Cable calls for a new £100bn ‘citizen’s fund’ to spread wealth more evenly
According to the BBC, Vince Cable is proposing a £100bn citizen’s fund should be created and built up through taxes on the richest and the sale of assets, such as the UK stake in Royal Bank of Scotland. Explaining the policy on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, he said he wanted to scrap inheritance tax and replace it with ‘a tax on people’s gifts through their lifetime’.

Gina Miller rules herself out of becoming Lib Dem leader
The Mirror reports that anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller will end the speculation that she would want to be leader of the Liberal Democrats. Miller will today give a speech from the main stage at the Lib Dem Conference in Brighton where she will present the case for a new EU referendum.

Former Conservative donor and founder of Pimlico Plumbers now backing the Lib Dems
Sky News reports the founder of Pimlico Plumbers, Charlie Mullins, has declared his support for the Liberal Democrats and has said that Theresa May is the worst person to negotiate Brexit. Mullins was previously a high-profile donor to the Conservative Party but earlier this year his firm gave £25,000 to the Liberal Democrats. Mullins has backed Jo Swinson, Gina Miller or co-founder of Innocent Drinks, Richard Reed as possible future party leaders.

Liberal Democrats must own failures of the past
The Guardian reports on Jo Swinson’s speech where she has called on her party to own their failures and accept they should have done more to stop policies when in coalition. Swinson accepted that too much of a burden was put on the poorest in society when trying to cut the deficit. It is reported that not all of Swinson’s colleagues were happy with the criticism, with Ed Davey highlighted as someone who bristled at the remarks.

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Political Headlines – Bank of England’s Brexit warning and ‘insulting’ Russian claims

September 14, 2018/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Thomas Stevenson

Today’s Political Headlines include the Bank of England’s warning, Russia accused of insulting the public’s intelligence, Conservative MEPs criticised for not voting against Hungary and the union head’s claims against Israel.

Bank of England warns house prices call fall by a third in no-deal Brexit scenario
The Times reports that the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has warned the Cabinet that a chaotic no-deal Brexit would cause house prices to fall by 35% and force mortgage rates up. A source told the paper that no Cabinet Brexiteers had challenged Carney’s vision. The Daily Telegraph has details of the no-deal papers published yesterday, including the news that travellers will need to have six months left on their passport when visiting the EU, driving licences may no longer by valid in the EU and that manufacturers in sectors such as furniture and bicycles would have to comply with different national regulations in order to continue exporting to the EU.

Russia accused of ‘insulting the public’s intelligence’ over Salisbury claims
The Daily Telegraph reports that Theresa May has accused Russia of ‘insulting the public’s intelligence’ after the two Salisbury poisoning suspects appeared on the state TV channel RT to claim that they went to the ‘wonderful’ city in order to visit the ‘beautiful’ cathedral. The Government claimed that their story consisted of ‘lies and blatant fabrications’.

Conservative MEPs criticised for not voting against Hungary
The Guardian says that Conservative MEPs have been criticised by Jewish and Muslim leaders for voting against censuring Hungary over reduced judicial and media independence, as well as corruption. The Board of Deputies of British Jews described the move as ‘very concerning’, while the Muslim Council of Britain said it was ‘deeply disappointing’.

Union head claims that Israel concocted antisemitism row to distract from ‘atrocities’
The Independent reports that Mark Serwotka, the leader of the Public and Commercial Services Union, has suggested that Israel created the antisemitism row into order to distract attention from its ‘atrocities’. He said that he was ‘not a conspiracy theorist’ but there had been a ‘systematic attempt to shut down all those advocating justice for the Palestinians’.

Duffield says Labour tensions have left her considering quitting
In an exclusive, The Guardian claims that Canterbury’s Labour MP Rosie Duffield, who faced a motion against her by her local party has said that the tensions have left her considering quitting Parliament. She said that it would be ‘nice if Jeremy could help each MP going through this with a personal statement’ so that it was clear people ‘don’t do it in his name.’

Union calls for immediate walkout by prison officers
The Daily Mirror reports that the Prison Officers Association has called for its members to walk out today as an immediate ‘protest’, the union having been banned from striking after legal action last year. The move follows the release of an urgent report into the ‘dangerous’ conditions at HMP Bedford by the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Peter Clarke.

Latte levy to be extended to takeaway soft drinks
The Sun reveals that the Treasury is planning to extend the so-called ‘latte levy’ on coffee cups to also cover soft drinks and shakes served in containers with a plastic lining. Conservative MP Robert Halfon criticised the plan, claiming that the Government ‘shouldn’t be charging people more for a milkshake at Burger King’.

Freeman calls for May to step down
Speaking at an event organised by The Times, George Freeman, the former chair of Theresa May’s policy board, has called on her to step down after Brexit so that a new leader can be elected to shape the UK’s future relationship with the EU, ‘liberated from the poisonous politics of the EU referendum and the shambles that has followed.’

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Talking top interiors with The Design Sheppard

September 13, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

The Design Sheppard is written by Stacey Sheppard and was recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Interior Design Blogs. Originally a personal scrapbook, The Design Sheppard has since grown into one of the most recognisable interior design blogs in the country. We caught up with Stacey, who told us how her blog has evolved over time, why she’s a writer not a designer and how she likes to collaborate with PR and brands.

How has your blog changed over time?
My blog has been through a couple of redesigns over time and each time I’ve rebranded it has taken on a more professional look. To start with, I was pretty clueless when it came to the visual side of creating a blog and I’ve learnt so much over the years.

The Design Sheppard started out purely as a kind of personal scrapbook where I would document all the design finds that I was discovering. I wasn’t really blogging for anyone other than myself and even today, if everyone stopped reading, I’d probably still keep writing as I see my blog as a place to record all the lessons that I am learning about interiors and all the tips and advice that I have picked up along my journey when it comes to home design. So that hasn’t really changed, despite the fact that I have amassed a rather large readership. But I always try to make sure that my readers can learn something from my posts.

One thing that has changed though is that my blog has now become a business. I resisted this for so long. Coming from a magazine background it always seemed a bit wrong to accept payment for what I considered to be editorial content. So, for the first five years I point-blank turned down every kind of brand collaboration that I was offered, and there were many!

I was really quite late to the monetisation game and I probably missed out on a lot of opportunities. But I wanted to wait until I had worked out how I could make this work for me in a way that I knew wouldn’t damage my integrity and break the trust of my readers. I’m now in a place where I feel more comfortable taking on brand collaborations and I have more confidence in my own decisions.

How would you describe your style?
I find this really hard to answer as I’m not really sure I have one distinctive style. When it comes to my own home I prefer a more contemporary look. I’m a big fan of industrial style interiors and I suppose that’s quite a masculine look. I like the minimalism of Scandinavian interiors but I am also starting to appreciate a more glamorous approach to interiors. My style tends to change depending on the room and what the function of that room is.

What makes a great interior design blog?
For me, my favourite interior design blogs are inspirational, aspirational, well written, easy to navigate and beautiful to look at. They are also full of the author’s personality. I like to feel like I am getting to know someone when I read their blog. I also think it’s important to share, whether that is knowledge, advice, tips, or resources. I like blogs where I feel like I’m learning something new.

What’s the split between your own creations/designs and featuring others’?
My blog is different to a lot of other interior design blogs today. As I mentioned, I came from a magazine background, so when I started The Design Sheppard, I wanted it to be like my own magazine. So, I solely featured the work of other people. And this was pretty standard back when I started in 2009. However, it became increasingly popular to feature your own home and makeover projects. I first started to share my own projects after we bought our flat. I felt quite uncomfortable doing this to begin with as I felt a lot of pressure from social media to have an amazing home. But I try not to compare myself to others and I have to constantly remind myself that I am a writer not an interior designer or stylist. I’d say the split is probably 20/80 today.

What’s your favourite room in the house and why?
My favourite room at home would have to be my living room. I love the colour of it, which is Moss Blanket by Dulux. This shade of green is very popular now and was in abundance at Maison & Objet this month, but we’ve lived with it since 2013 and I love it. I find it very calming and balancing. There are a lot of natural materials in our living room like wood, cork, leather and terracotta and it is packed full of plants. I’ve also used a lot of copper which contrasts really well against the green. This room is my happy place.

How do the seasons affect your content?
I’ve never really been a big one for seasonal content. I know it’s a great way to increase your traffic, but writing about Christmas months in advance just doesn’t fill me with joy. I only write about things that excite me and make me happy and I just don’t enjoy forcing myself to write content because it’s the right season. Maybe this is a foolish decision, but at the end of the day I want to enjoy writing my blog.

What one thing should PRs/brands know about you?
I’m not an interior designer and I’m not a stylist. I’m a writer who is passionate about interior design. People constantly assume that I am a designer and I’m always having to point out that I’m not.

What are the best campaigns/collaborations you’ve recently worked on?
I think it was probably one I worked on with Black & Blum for their #DesignForHealth campaign. I was helping to promote their BOX APPETIT range of stainless steel food storage containers. I was very apprehensive about doing this campaign as my styling and photography skills aren’t exactly to a professional standard and food photography is notoriously difficult. My husband gave me a hand and I was so proud of the results. I was also able to put it into the wider context of the environmental damage that is being done by single use plastics. This was definitely a great collaboration for me and the feedback I got on the post just confirmed that.

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
Absolutely! Since the rise of “influencers”, the blogosphere has become extremely difficult to navigate. There are rules and regulations surrounding disclosure but these seem to be very open to interpretation. The language that bloggers use to describe their collaborations is pretty vague and confusing. It is extremely difficult for bloggers to make out what commercial relationships are in place on blogs, so it must be near on impossible for readers to tell what involvement the brands have in these posts. This lack of clarity is creating a lot of mistrust and negativity towards bloggers at the moment.

Having an industry association would go a long way to improving the influencer marketing industry for bloggers and would help to ensure ethical conduct, provide clear best practices and create greater transparency. This can only be a good thing, for bloggers, for readers and for brands.

What other blogs do you read?
I read a lot of blogs but some of my favorites are Dear Designer, Mad About The House, Swoon Worthy, Well I Guess This is Growing Up, Making Spaces, Seasons in Colour, Hello Pea Green, Boreal Abode, The Interior Editor, Style Squeeze, In Two Homes and so many others.

PRCA says: prove you’re ethical

September 13, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR News PR Blog Posts /by Jake O'Neill

The PRCA has unveiled a new membership campaign, which challenges practitioners to prove their ethical professionalism by joining the industry’s professional body.

Launched at the midpoint of the industry’s global Ethics Month, and running from 12 September to 12 October, the campaign highlights reasons to join the PRCA as an Individual Member, and challenges practitioners to ‘do the right thing’.

The campaign lists 26 reasons to join the PRCA as an individual member, equating to £3.85 per reason for an annual membership.

‘Participate in member-led discussions and events by joining any number of our 51 Sectoral Groups’ – Reason #1 of 26 to join the PRCA as an Individual Member. Join today using the code ‘trialmember’ for a free 30-day trial! https://t.co/6Ofi3NAumG #WhyPRCA pic.twitter.com/LEb2bRFxa0

— PRCA (@PRCA_UK) September 12, 2018

The campaign also offers non-members the chance to sign up to a free 30-day trial Membership, foregoing the usual annual fee of £100+VAT. Non-members are being invited to join using the discount code ‘trialmember’ when signing up here.

The campaign has already appeared across social media, under the hashtag #WhyPRCA.

The PRCA represents and regulates well in excess of 24,000 practitioners from the public, private, and charitable sectors, and has offices in the UK, Dubai, and Singapore.

Francis Ingham MPRCA, director general of the PRCA, said: ‘This is our global industry’s ethics month, and every PR practitioner should be a PRCA member, held accountable to strong Codes of Conduct, that is enforced rigorously. Our challenge to the industry is this – do the right thing, and join.

‘Membership is £100 a year – £3.85 for each of the 26 benefits of membership; under £2 a week to prove that you are serious about your career. And your first 30 days can be taken as a free trial period. So, if you are an ethical practitioner, there really is nothing to lose. It’s time to join the world’s most dynamic and ethical PR professional body.’

Political Headlines – Raab, Welby, May and Brown

September 13, 2018/0 Comments/in Political Headlines, Government, Public Affairs Political Services, Political Database Blog Posts /by Thomas Stevenson

Today’s Political Headlines include Raab’ and Brown’s warnings, Welby’s attack and May’s announcement.

Raab warns UK won’t pay divorce bill without a Brexit deal
The Daily Telegraph reports that Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has warned that the UK will not pay its divorce bill if it leaves the EU without a deal, using a meeting today to tell the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier ‘There’s no deal without the whole deal.’ Writing in prior to the release of 28 new no-deal technical notices, he dismisses ‘scaremongering nonsense’. The Sun adds that the Government has reached agreement with the four largest mobile phone providers to continue to offer free roaming in Europe after Brexit.

Welby attacks online giants who ‘leech off the taxpayer’
The Times says that Justin Welby has been criticised by Conservative MPs after he used a speech to the TUC to claim that online giants such as Amazon ‘leech off the taxpayer’ and called for a ‘new unionisation’ of the UK. He also called on the Government to scrap Universal Credit and to end the need for food banks and night shelters.

May to announce strict new immigration policy at conference
The Times claims that Theresa May is planning to announce strict post-Brexit immigration controls at her party’s conference in a bid to win over Brexiteers, with the Cabinet to agree a policy at a meeting less than a week before. Today, Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott will put forward Labour’s proposed new immigration system, including a simplified visa structure, The Guardian says.

‘Leaderless’ world ‘in danger of sleepwalking’ into financial crisis, Brown warns
Speaking to The Guardian, Gordon Brown said that the world is ‘in danger of sleepwalking’ into another financial crisis and was now ‘leaderless’, so the co-operation which tackled the crisis in 2008 ‘would not be possible’. He warned that lessons from that crisis had not been learnt and ‘the penalties for wrong-doing have not been increased sufficiently’.

Hancock says all patients should be able to Skype their GP
The Daily Telegraph reports that Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock will today say that every patients ought to be able to Skype their GP and accuse the NHS of trying to block innovation. Speaking at the HQ of Babylon, the firm behind the GP at Hand app, he will promise to ‘change the rules so we can harness new technology’.

Labour peers plot to give MPs option to think again on Brexiteer amendments
The Guardian reveals that Labour’s Lords leader, Angela Smith, plans to give MPs a chance to think again on amendments to the Taxation (Cross-Border Trade) Bill originally tabled by Conservative Brexiteers. While peers are unable to amend this bill, following advice, they will try to attach the amendments to the Trade Bill, giving MPs the chance to reject them.

Investigation launched into Corbyn’s aides
According to The Daily Telegraph, an investigation has been launched into Jeremy Corbyn’s private secretary Iram Awan, after she was accused of entering Parliament for nine months despite delays with her pass being vetted by the security services. A former Left Unity member, she is believed to have donated to a charity endorsed by Islamic extremists. Another aide, Andrew Murray, who used to belong to the Communist Party of Britain, is also alleged to have broken rules by entering the estate despite an eleven-month pass delay.

Brexit uncertainty to lead to ‘extremely challenging’ spending negotiations
The Financial Times carries details of a new report by the Institute for Government, which warns that negotiations between the Treasury and other departments ahead of the 2019 public spending review will be ‘extremely challenging’ owing to Brexit-induced uncertainty, with the Treasury struggling to meet higher spending demands

Brexit too complicated? Vuelio Political Services make it seem simple.

Interior Design spotlight: Kimberly Duran, Swoon Worthy

September 12, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Kimberly Duran is the creator and author of Swoon Worthy, which has recently been ranked in the top 10 UK interior design blogs. With her love of bright colours, textures and animal print, Kimberly spoke to us about how she brings her style to her blog, her favourite room in her house and how she likes to work with PRs.

How has your blog changed over time?
I’ve been blogging since 2010 so both my blog and the landscape has changed dramatically – almost unrecognisably – over those eight years. In that time, the quality of my posts has certainly improved. I cringe at some of my early photography! There were also so many posts that where I was simply rambling about life with no real objective to why I was posting but, I suppose, it was a great way to get into it. I had time to find my writing voice, to understand who it was I was actually talking to. Over the years, my photography has come on leaps and bounds but also my design skills have really improved – years of practice definitely helped! I also know my audience much better now and so I try to have an objective every time I post – what are my readers getting out of this? Are they learning something new? Are they being inspired? Are they simply being entertained? I now consider my audience so much more in my content than what I did when I first started.

How would you describe your style?
I always describe my style as ‘Eclectic Boho Glam’! I am an unashamed maximalist who loves interiors with personality: I love to mix contemporary with vintage, glamorous gold luxe finishes, cheeky animal prints, touchable textural fabrics, bold pattern mixing and a touch of vintage and bohemian-style comfort.

What makes a great interior design blog?
My favourite blogs are ones where I not only leave feeling inspired and like I’ve learned something new but those where the personality of the writer really shines through. Most of my favourite blogs are those where I feel like I ‘know’ the person writing, where I can get a sense of who they are as a person and how they express themselves through interiors. It makes me far more invested in what I’m reading and ensures I’ll be back for more.

What’s the split between your own creations/designs and featuring others’?
It’s probably about a 90%/10% split. Almost everything I show is my own photography and my own spaces. It hasn’t always been like that, but I do think as a content creator, it’s important to share my own vision and my personal style to my readers as that’s what they come to my blog for.

What’s your favourite room in the house and why?
At the moment, it’s my bedroom but that’s really because it’s the only room in the house we’ve actually been able to redesign so far! We moved into our home in March so it’s all a long and slow-going process. More spaces will be completed over time and my favourite room always tends to be the one I completed last so that answer will probably change! But for now, it’s fantastic to be able to settle down and wake up in a room that truly feels like a reflection of my tastes right now.

How do the seasons affect your content?
Over the year, my content tends to be about whatever it is that I or my readers are probably thinking about and a lot of that is weather or season-related! In the summer months, it might be entertaining at home, sprucing up the garden or travelling. Over the colder months, it’s all about creating a cosy and warm nest in your home and getting the most out of the space you have.

What’s your favourite household object/item?
Oh, that’s a really hard one – it’s like choosing from my children! But I think it would have to be the vintage 1970’s Pierre Vandel brass and glass shelving unit that I have in my living room. I wanted one for years and a blogger friend had picked up one from Paris. She’d had it for years herself and I’d always admired it and when she was moving house and realised she no longer had the space for it, she gave it to me. I may have actually cried when she did that. It really means the world to me – it’s a beautiful piece and just represents how thoughtful and kind the community really is.

What one thing should PRs/brands know about you?
That I’m incredibly picky about who I work with – it really must be the right fit for my blog, my aesthetic and my readers for me to agree to a collaboration and that’s only because I want any collaboration to be a huge success across the board. And if it is the right fit, I’ll work my socks off to make sure everyone is happy!

What are the best campaigns/collaborations you’ve recently worked on?
I worked with Made.com recently where they provided a desk and some accessories and then I and a few other bloggers styled up the spaces accordingly. We then photographed them and Made sent them to a psychologist to have them analysed! It was all about ‘what your desk says about you’. It was a light-hearted piece and lots of fun and it was great to see how different all our styles really were as well as a little scary how spot on the psychologist was about our personalities!

I also recently supported the #GoGreener campaign by Push Doctor where they were highlighting the benefits that nature has on our wellbeing. For that one, I took my readers houseplant shopping with me where I shared my tips on what to choose, how to pot plants and how to ensure they thrive. It was a monster of a post but so fun to create. I really enjoyed that one.

Do you think bloggers need their own industry association?
I think it would be an amazing idea. There are so many experienced and knowledgeable people out there that coming together can only be a good thing. Individually, we are all just trying to work things out on our own and learning from our mistakes. The power of community is an incredible one and I know how much I appreciate the blogger groups that I’m a part of. That kind of support is invaluable.

What other blogs do you read?
Oh, there are so many although my blog keeps me very busy so I don’t always get the chance to read as much as I’d like to! Some favourites include: Mad About The House because Kate is so knowledgeable and has such a great writing style, Making Spaces because I always learn something new from Karen, Dear Designer’s Blog because Carole finds the most gorgeous spaces to show off, Apartment Number 4 because Victoria is a such an inspiring entrepreneur, French for Pineapple for Bianca’s amazing style and energy and Forever Amber because she always makes me laugh.

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