Brave BBC and the lost world of PR opportunities

The BBC has done a few brave experiments of late.

Question Time from Washington DC last night, ahead of the election, was one of them. I was about to retire with my cocoa, but it made fascinating viewing - basially, America does not seem to do the same type of rational, academic debate that Question Time delivers for British viewers with British studio audiences.

It went like this - Simon Schama would say something wise and worldly (in his slightly condescending, camp, wiggle-headed way) about why America was not necessarily viewed as a bosom buddy by everyone else on the planet. Then half the American audience would boo and hurl verbal abuse. It made Jerry Springer look like John Craven's Newsround.

Hilarious viewing, but it brought home a more serious point: the brief was for the audience to turn up and participate in a debate, but they ignored that and just shouted at each other. So often, the same is true in PR too when agencies try to get clients lined up to fulfil opportunities. People simply don't do what the media needs them to do in order to deliver the package, and it all falls apart.

A few cases in point:

- Opportunity: opinion article. What the agency gets asked to deliver is a piece devoid of any opinion, beyond a certain product being the mutt's nuts

- Paid opportunity: advertorial. Client pays to profess its expertise, then can't supply an expert to help advise on the content. Sally Whittle has been stirred by this one too.

- Opportunity: news story. Client gets to the interview and doesn't deliver any news that the journalist can take away and write same-day, or says "we've actually been doing this for a while so it's not really a story for you"

- Opportunity: feature. Interviewee is asked to talk about the market and customer needs at large but only bangs on about his/her own company. Result, no mention in the feature.


If a journalist from your local paper called and asked for a report on your team's performance last Sunday in the district cricket league, would you start talking to them about winter warmer recipes on a budget or why small businesses need more support from their banks in the current climate?

Anyway, can't wait until the US election is over and we can have Question Time back in Blighty. I hear Russell Brand might be hosting and will call out to experts over the phone rather than sticking with the panel format.

The mother of all apostrophes

It is Hallowe'en.

Respect the apostrophe, love the apostrophe, use the apostrophe correctly. Given how Hallowe'en is spelled (and it is a little tricky to remember), all PRs should make this the one day of the year when they vow to change their ways by learning how use apostrophes correctly rather than continually embarrassing themselves with poor English.

Enough now.

Coque-monsieurs

Rainier PR is this morning the proud ownder of the PR Agency of the Year title from Flackenhacks and an extremely phallic cardboard trophy. Both much coveted.

So time for thank-yous all round, not least to the journalists and industry luminaries who voted for us but the team of people in the agency who have worked really hard all year. And at the risk of sounding like a blubbering brown-noser, respect is also due to the people who have moved on from the agency in the past year but have contributed much to its success. I do mean that.

As for the phallus, a replica is being hastily assembled but probably won't take pride of place in reception. It'll have to be displayed in the office somewhere though. Clients: look very carefully at the loo roll holder next time you're in.

Use Facebook, ban slackers

A great bit of PR today from Demos touting that Facebook should not be banned by British bosses but actively encouraged.

Personally I don't use Facebook because I don't want to interact with any more people than I already do, but that's a flaw in me rather than the technology.

But this Facebook at work flapping is nothing new - it used to be that firms feared email would lead to staff taking the p*ss by spending all day on email. These days I feel like I'm slipping if I spend any time AWAY from email.

With every new invention that helps people communicate come the rumblings about workplace productivity. Just like the humble phone, the issue is whether it's for business or personal use, and the lines blur there anyway.

Bosses would be far better off working out which of their staff are really slacking off (BERR has some useful tips) by spending too much time on personal stuff when they should be working, rather than developing technophobias.

Got the Bug

The way panicked traders have responded to the global financial crisis is partly just human nature, we keep being told. On the evidence of what has happened with Volkswagen over the past few days, human beings must be a bunch of prats.

Hedge fund traders began short-selling VW shares on Monday, having assumed they could make a fast buck but without counting on Porsche's decision on Sunday to hoover up the majority of the shares in the firm, leaving the traders buying from a much smaller pool with no chance of quick gains. That no-one saw this coming is staggering. The frenzy briefly made VW the world's largest company yesterday.

It reminds me of the climactic scene of Trading Places where Dan Ackroyd and Eddie Murphy corner the market in frozen concentrated orange juice.

Reputation management has never really been at the core of traders' activities. Just as well, as putting a positive spin on a £13 billion scholboy error in the midst of crisis is something of a challenge.

Perhaps though there is an opportunity for basement stocks wanting a quick valuation boost to prey on the idiocy of short-sighted short-sellers?

Official: Twitter is dead

Twitter seems to be an absolutely fantastic medium for people who really should just be getting on with their work. It has its uses of course, but not really in the workplace in my experience.

But there is a bigger issue lurking - Twalkers, or people who stalk you on Twitter even though they have absolutely no idea who you are. And how to deal with them.


I was talking in the pub about this the other night and we reached a contentious conclusion: the only way to get Twalkers off your back is to Twitter as dead people. Spooky and poor taste perhaps, but it seems some people have already had the same thought. Freddie Mercury is alive and kicking on Twitter, Sid James is back for some bigger laffs. Rod Hull still seems to be available, as do various royals and other celebrities (I bet George Best would be a hoot to keep tabs on beyond the Pearly Gates).


This gives an ideal platform for showing the inane side of Twitter in a new and utterly unremarkable light. But what do deceased Twitterers say to each other? "Bit dark in here"? "Where did everybody go?"

Maybe if people stopped following people they don't know on Twitter for nothing other than some perverse obsession we wouldn't have to sink to such depths.

You can keep your green screen monitor and company ashtray

Anyone remember the last proper recession? Prepare, then, for a rambling blog post.

Thinking back to those dark days prompted a thought, given how much puff we've seen from marketing agencies in recent weeks about specialist 'recession services'. And this also underlines that thought: an eBook on how to use Web 2.0 to survive a recession. Smart, but I fear Web 2.0 alone won't turn a struggling economy on its head.

So the thought is this - when we had the last recession in this country, from late 1989 to somewhere around early 1993 (depending on who you believe), most people in employment were using relatively basic office technology. Few people had email or mobile phones, the web was in its infancy and no-one had really contemplated how the internet would change business. So will the fact we now have all this technology make this recession less prickly? And easier to get another job?

In 1992 I had joined a local newspaper and spent that summer covering stories about unemployment figures, firms going bust and spokespeople saying there was still no clear end in sight to the downturn. The conventional media sector was pretty much on its arse, with ad sales tumbling and an eroded customer base unable to help it recover its former glory. Back then we were still making something of a transition from an economy that had ties to its manufacturing past to one with a stronger services sector. When factories closed, it was sad news but sort of taken on the chin. There are still factories of course, but the impact of pressures there is less widespread.

It's difficult to say how technology will change the playing field this time around, but my guess is businesses should be set up to be better informed on the challenges they face, drive through operational change faster and better ready themselves for the upturn.

Whereas in the early 1990s we'd sit at our desks catching a sneaky glance at the day's papers wondering when it was all going to get better, now we're staring at screens seeing it unfold by the minute. And, arguably, are better tooled up to do something about it.

Plus given that business change will be inevitable over the coming few years, the prospects for the technology sector look healthy, given its role in delivering that change.

I certainly don't miss my green screen monitor and the clouds of smoke (we had ashtrays on our desks back then) that filled the office.

Top 10 tips for how to be a PR in a recession

I've had many conversations with people over the last week or so about what the recession (face it, we're in one to all intents and purposes, f*ck the official figures, we're in one and that's how it is) means for PR people and PR agencies.

PR Week ran its front page story recently about agencies launching recession services. I bet the same agencies are kicking themselves they didn't launch boomtime services. There was more wisdom in the magazine this week about getting in shape for the fight ahead.

Anyway, enough sarcasm. Here's a list of the 10 things that, given what I've been hearing, PR people should focus on to get through a recession:

1. Work harder. I would say that, but if you're a 9am to 5.30pm kinda worker, others around you are working harder and poop hits the fan, guess who your employer is more likely to cut? Actually the hours you work isn't the most important thing - but if you have to work or choose to work the minimum hours, for God's sake make sure people know about how hard you're working. And when you can get in early, do so.

2. Stick to clients like glue. Obvious point, but few agencies really up their game on engagement and networking with client contacts. There are many people involved in budget decisions, so identify them and show them more love.

3. Review activities and tailor. PR Week has covered this, but commercial requirements will be very different so understand the value of what you're doing and change it to suit what the client needs.

4. Understand broader marketing. PR needs to fit harder for its place in a recession, so understand the buying factors and issues for other marketing disciplines and you'll be better placed for budget discussions.

5. Dress better. I am dressed like a scruff from time to time, but clients need to feel you're trying harder. They may be casual themselves, but a little bit of extra formality for meetings (smart jeans not tired jeans, 'proper' shirt not casual shirt, for example) will get noticed and probably be appreciated.

6. Move fast. Decisions that can help to safeguard client relationships, manage costs when required or make the agency more competitive need to be undertaken straight away, not mulled over while things crumble around you.

7. Understand the billing process like it's your best friend. Regardless of how responsibility for issuing bills and getting them paid is split on your agency, understand how it's done and take an interest in it. You might have great clients and be getting great results, but if they aren't paying then guess where that leaves you?

8. Sharpen your work. Again, I would say this, but sloppy errors and poor attention to detail are not going to be overlooked as they might be when things are busier. Never make it looks like you're not so fussed about your work.

9. Consider it part of your training. Think hard about what skills you can gain from the difficulties and how you will use that experience when times are brighter. Team management, motivation and client management skills tend to be highly prized in a recession.

10. Most importantly, show no fear. Wadds has long touted the virtues of showing fur coat confidence in a recession. Have guts, understand what you're involved in and you'll come through it far stronger.

Monarchy PR 2.0

HM The Queen features in a Google doodle for the first time today. As royal watchers (of which I am not one, admittedly) have observed, she's getting very tech-savvy of late, with podcasts, a YouTube channel and alleged iPod ownership.

But the modern, media-shrewd Monarchy is not just to be praised for embracing web services and gadgets. Its PR has been teaching industry a thing or two, albeit with vastly differing tactics.

Take the Dancing Queen incident, and my favourite, the brilliant Scouse of Windsor claim.


The Palace is even doing its SEO well. Google her and she has an iron grip on the rankings, and is even encroaching on the late Freddie Mercury et al with 'Queen' searches.

What's next? Media training and crisis management consultancy for the FTSE 100?

Present and correct

So, a busy day yesterday of reviewing 10 pitches at the National Business Awards, which was a really interesting insight again into how companies pitch themselves so very differently. I've been on loads of PR pitches and also got sneaky peeks of how other PR firms do it, but witnessing 10 UK SMEs do it for an award was an eye opener.

I'm gagged from giving details of the winner, but here are four obvious/less obvious tips about presenting that struck home:

1. Less text is more: stick a load of words on your slides and you'll bore the audience, or get them reading rather than listening

2. Gabble and people will not listen. Why would you? Fast talkers tend to try to cram things in because they haven't thought before opening their mouths. Better to use; stalls: for greater impact.

3. Cheesey sales talk is about as welcome as a fart in a lift. You may think you're slick and clever, but sell it like Delboy and you'll look like Delboy. Bless 'im.

4. Interrupting colleagues is not only rude, it undermines the other person, makes you look like you lack trust and makes it a pain in the a&se to follow the conversation. Got a point to make? Keep your gob shut until the coast it clear, and then time it well.

But all this said, one thing did come through loud and clear: there is some great innovation in the UK SME sector and many have taken a clever approach to tackling recession challenges. It's pleasing for a sector that apparently is going to suffer most from the downturn, so keep your peckers up.

Jury service

I'm really looking forward to judging the SME category at the National Business Awards tomorrow. In these strange times, when the pressure seems to be mounting daily on small firms, there's a strong list of entrants, many of which have pulled off really rapid growth in the past year. Once we'e chosen the winners, a full report will appear in the Telegraph in due course.

There's no better tonic for the economic meltdown than spending a day with people who are doing it right and gaving great success with their businesses.

Hang on, was that a wholly positive post, with zero sarcasm? I did say these are strange times.

Pizza Hut: yank our chain

Brand makeovers are a tricky PR challenge.

And Pizza Hut seems to know this. Or is it now Pasta Hut? Or will it be Pizza Hut again soon? Is it indeed at all Hut-like?

On Monday, the restaurant chain announced it was changing its name to Pasta Hut to reflect a changing market and menu. But it had a strange people's choice feature on its web site, inviting visitors to pull a rope that changes the brand to either Pizza Hut or Pasta Hut depending on their preference.

And it made it clear that if Pasta Hut was unpopular, it'd probably change the name back to Pizza Hut. Last night it ran full page ads in the free London papers proclaiming the arrival of Pasta Hut. So at least it's all crystal.

Online, it has registered pastahut.co.uk but not pastahut.com. Perhaps this is driven by a rebel faction of UK pizza/pasta bosses, flying below the radar of US brandmeisters?

Mine's a Marathon, washed down by a few Opal Fruits. Or is it?

Wave of change

I've been meaning to pick up on this for ages. The newbie regional TV newscaster syndrome of an unnatural level of gesticulation (firm swiping movements with a hand to convey action, clasping of hands for sincerity, manic pointing at the studio screen to illustrate something of little significance) seems to have gripped experienced national broadcast journalists too.

Without naming names, one senior business journalist in particular, who has been hogging his/her fair share of airtime given the current economic news, seems to have taken it to new depths. I do fear the individual concerned is going to do themself an injury if it carries on. Or be awarded an honorary GCSE in Drama.

Can't we get back to words and the incisiveness of reporting being what matters to the story, rather than the accompanying antics taking centre stage? If I wanted that much action, I'd go to a Joe Kinnear press conference.

Back to the future (him, not us I mean)

A few short points:

1. Rainier PR held its 10th birthday party this week.

2. Our very first bit of national press coverage was this corker, front page of The Sun. We gently arranged for the then Rt Hon Peter Mandelson MP to open a tech lab in Cambridge dressed in 'strange attire', at a time when tabloid speculation about his personal life was rife. That's how to make a tech product launch dominate P1 of a national.

3. 10 years on, Mandy is now back in the Cabinet, as opposed to the closet.

Funny old world.

A good Sport

Much as I support them as articles and it's an issue that needs as much exposure as possible, I do get bored of the 'percentage of women in the boardroom' articles in the press. They rarely have much new to say.

So here's something to fuel the debate hopefully - Pam McVitie has been made the Daily Sport's first female editor. If that job can be given to a lady, anything can.

Will PRs need a different, cleaner, approach to pitching Sport stories in future? Doubt it. It has already started banging on about a whole team of girl editors though.

Spells like lean spirit

At the risk of being crucified for every future error on this blog, I was indignant this morning at Metro's story on schoolchildren being made to abandon spelling tests in case they find them distressing.

Perhaps we should not interview people for jobs any more because they might cry, and perhaps I should tell people their work is amazing when it's below par.

Competitiveness is part of life and certainly part of the world of work. And spelling (plus, er, a basic grasp of English) is fundamental to a PR or journalistic career. We don't want kids turning out like Rambos of punctuation or arithmetic, but the ability to spell well is driven, I think, by being tested at school and wanting to do well at those tests.

School should help you to identify what you're good at and where you can improve - areas where you'd be wise to invest more effort to compensate for any lack of natural talent. My own experience was no different - perennial girly swot at English, typically bottom of the class at needlecraft (remember the evil-looking patchwork turtle do you, teacher with the big hair and thick glasses?).

If British children are going to come into the business world devoid of the ability to compete and the ability to spell well, we'll have a labour market like football clubs - flooded with talent from elsewhere, where the desire to win and succeed is questionably greater. Not that that would necessarily be a bad thing in itself. But as a taxpayer I'd be distressed (I might even weep uncontrollably, bless me) at the thought of what I'm shelling out for educating a generation who risk being sod all use to industry.

Desperately seeking: brighter shade of bail(out)

In a move more predictable than Newcastle United changing its manager, the US Senate has approved the financial bail-out plan. And in doing so made the country's management look more than a little daft.

In handling a situation that the whole world was scrutinising, its PR strategy was pretty woeful. I'll spare you the analysis, but suffice to say posturing over an inevitable decision, one-way communication and a visible undercurrent of fear were not the way to come through it shining. Richard Edelman has a very sensible and pragmatic precis.

If things are hitting the fan, doing PR right is even more critical and should be front of mind at the highest level. It might well have been for the powers that be in recent days, but they made pretty bad decisions and consequently a real hash of it.