Statistics lesson for Sheila’s Wheels

The latest release from Sheila’s wheels, that old favourite of dodgy extrapolation (and patronising women) is QUALITY TIME TO GO – and I’m afraid it’s time for another PR lesson in statistics. To be interesting and relevant, it helps to have a majority of respondents supporting the point you are making. In this case, research [...]

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PR for 4×4 & MPVs loses out to CO2

Although the release announcing the demise of 4×4 & MPV driver magazine claims it is “the recession’s latest victim”, it is interesting to note that its editor and art director are planning to pursue “new motoring publishing ventures together, including a magazine dedicated to low CO2 cars.” I am supervising two dissertations of BA PR [...]

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Why PR is the real key to a top brand

According to the Telegraph‘s report on the annual Business Superbrands survey, the decline in respect for the BA and BBC brands is caused by poor crisis handling in the past year. This fits well with the idea that a brand is a promise – normally made by marketing – and its reputation is how well [...]

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Social media experts and PR

I’ve just read Jalopnik‘s post: Scott Monty: Ford Social Media “Expert” A Bit Of A Twit – which contains a great point in relation to Monty’s role: But at the end of the day, Ford will have to ask itself — did that money spent sell any more cars? Our best guess is no — [...]

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Social media PR advice for newbies

There seems to be a somewhat belated Eureka moment for many PR practitioners regarding online and social media – perhaps stimulated by tougher economic times.  Looking at some comments on a survey that I created for MIPAA, this area is identified as both a key concern and a development need by many at least in [...]

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No degrees of separation – PR’s small world

Marc Wright of simply-communicate.com has written an interesting profile of Toni Muzi Falconi.  This is a small world moment for me as Marc is one of the speakers at a forthcoming MIPAA workshop: The New Influencers – and Toni of course, is the originator of PR Conversations, which is my second blogging home.  In PR [...]

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Jade Goody, PR and the media

Am I alone in feeling increasingly uncomfortable at the way Max Clifford is using his considerable skills as a publicist to help Jade Goody secure her children’s financial future before she sadly dies of cancer? Jade has never been shy of the media since she was evicted from the Big Brother house in 2002 – [...]

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Council press officer is "what is wrong with this country" or is he a PR twunk?

The case of Royal Marine Joe Townsend vs Wealdon council has become a classic media tale of hero and villains – with one press officer, Jim Van den Bos,  foolishly putting himself in the role as chief villain according to television’s Noel Edmunds (a client of PR consultant, Mark Borkowski): The Guardian’s James Donaghy sort [...]

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When there’s no love between PR and journalists – a sorry Twitter tale

Last night I attended Meet the Professionals, an annual event at Bournemouth University where 1st year PR students get a chance to talk with local CIPR members.  One of the conversations I had related to being helpful to media and the value of the relationships being built, on both sides. I’ve always made it a [...]

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Friday 13th – deja vu?

I’ve just spotted the press release: Will Friday 13th be unlucky for you? from Green Flag (a vehicle breakdown service that is now part of Royal Bank of Scotland). This gave me a sense of deja vu – not least because I wrote a blog post on the topic in April 2007 – when Norwich [...]

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