Parting shots – as Sir Elton John and his publicist say their goodbyes, is...
Many a moon ago I was forced to part company with a rather fragrant client who was hell-bent on career suicide. Don't ask – it's one for the memoir. At the time, a PR sage offered up a morsel of...
View ArticleListen up marketing folk. I need to LEI something on the line for you
Have you heard of the LEI principle yet (pronounced lay)?It's a fairly simple communications framework designed to ensure your marketing or public relations strategy is based on actionable insights,...
View ArticleDavid Bowie – the reclusive master of self-promotion
It was this time three years ago when the release of a song sent shockwaves around the world, from Ibiza to the Norfolk broads. David Bowie marked his 66th birthday by giving his fans 'Where are we...
View ArticleMarketing and PR's 'always on' culture is a mental health issue
Public relations been named as the sixth most stressful job in the world.This rating was assigned by job site CareerCast after calculating 11 stress factors, including travel, deadlines, working under...
View ArticleFT columnist Lucy Kellaway was right to call out Hewlett Packard...
Anybody who has been around the media scene for a while will have laughed out loud if they read Lucy Kellaway’s piece in the FT today. In it she calls out Henry Gomez, head of marketing and...
View ArticleA PR's perspective on the Hewlett Packard Enterprise/Financial Times...
I can think of many reasons to be cross at journalists. Breaking promises. Typos. Misusing quotes. Unnecessary rudeness.But voicing their opinion on one of our clients? Um … nope, that’s fine by me....
View ArticleIn defence of PR bullshit
I've always felt bad for anyone working in comms making cold calls to pitch a 'story' they know no one wants to run and no journalist will be overly nice when answering the phone to something that both...
View ArticleWant your agency to give you training? Then know your learning and...
I’ve been talking to people about learning and development during interviews at Ketchum this week.Three times I’ve been asked by candidates about what kind of training our business offers...
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Puppy love: A Valentine's date at Dogs Trust's MicroChippy pop-up
Valentine's Day is all about sharing the love and they say there is no greater love than that of dog and owner.With the Dogs Trust’s MicroChippy offering pet owners an alternative to the traditional...
View ArticleCrisis? What crisis? Why setting up shop on your own is a whole different...
This week I launched my own business. I'd loosely describe it as a consultancy, albeit it is just me at this stage.I'm not only the managing director of What Crisis Ltd (the one and only name check I...
View ArticleLike it or loathe it, the press release ain't dying
10 years on from media and tech writer Tom Foremski's polemic against the press release Die! Press release! Die! Die! Die! the format shows no signs of giving up.Foremski lamented the abuse of this...
View ArticleThe consumer doesn’t draw a distinction between advertising and PR – so why...
Last week’s news of ad agency Brooklyn Brothers’ acquisition by PR firm Golin was another reminder of the so-called convergence of the two disciplines in today’s always-on world. As the narrative...
View ArticleOnce you embrace the power of SCARF, collaborative marketing will succeed,...
Many people have tried to get into the minds of consumers, but few have managed. However at a recent breakfast event held by trnd, the agency engaged a psychologist to speak about what marketers need...
View ArticleWhat brands should do in a crisis: 'Go further now than you think...
At what point does an issue morph into a crisis? And once it's hit you as a brand what on earth do you do about it?During my stint at Asda I was involved in and handled a number of reputational...
View ArticleBreak point for Brand Sharapova
Nike, Tag Heuer and Porsche are some of the brands who have called time on their sponsorship deals and affiliation with tennis superstar Maria Sharapova, following her failed drugs test announced on...
View ArticleProduct recall pressure hits all time high as brands move quickly to do the...
The number of product recalls in the UK has reached an all-time high as brands fear threats to safety, public health and lasting damage to their reputation sales.High-profile cases have rocked the food...
View ArticleTrumped up charges: How every PR crisis becomes an opportunity for Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s campaign manager was charged yesterday for allegedly assaulting reporter Michelle Fields in the media scrum following a press conference in Florida. In the last 24 hours, Team Trump has...
View ArticleWhy supporting your local community is good for business
Throughout the agency’s 25 year history, Cuckoo has always been very engaged with its local area of Salford. In the past decade, we’ve played a key role in the on-going £650m regeneration of Salford...
View ArticleSo you think you’re a marketing or public relations professional? Think again
Marketing and public relations can have qualities of professionalism but they’re a long way from being professions.Sky’s chief marketing officer Stephen van Rooyen has recently been promoted to chief...
View ArticleFormer PR man David Cameron has delivered a masterclass in how not to handle...
For a former professional PR man, David Cameron is fast becoming the PM whose ultimate legacy could turn out to be a monumental and self-inflicted PR disaster.If the prime minister's (mis)handling of...
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