Building LGBTQ+ inclusion into your PR and comms campaigns

Building LGBTQ+ inclusion into your PR work and workplace

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We recently caught up with co-chairs of PRCA’s relaunching LGBTQ+ Network Katie Traxton and Emma Franklin-Wright to find out why inclusion initiatives are so important for workplace wellbeing and the evolution of the creative industries.

Watch our previous accessmatters session with ProudFT’s Cassius Naylor on inclusion in the media industry.

Need tips on where to start with launching your own support network, ready to fight media misinformation, or just want to know more about being a better ally to the community? Katie and Emma have extra advice and insight on how to build inclusion into all aspects of work in PR and comms.

With some corners of the UK media industry under fire for their coverage of the transgender community, can the comms industry help to combat misrepresentation?

Katie Traxton: It’s important firstly to remember that while we often speak about the LGBTQ+ community as one group, no one part of that community represents the whole and different groups are on different stages in their journey to being accepted for their true selves.

The first event I did when I took my position running the PRCA’s LGBTQ+ group was with transgender racing driver Charlie Martin. It was important to me for our first event to be with a trans speaker, who is inspirational, was happy to share her story and is bursting with talent. For any of you who don’t know who Charlie is, look her up. She’s become a friend and is a role model for so many people – men and women, trans and cisgender.

In terms of the media; don’t believe everything you read. The press has a responsibility to think to before they speak, but we also have a responsibility to think before we accept or repeat everything we read. Do your research. I know it’s almost impossible on any subject to say something everyone will agree with, but balance and accuracy should be basic principles of all reporting. I’m not sure that at present both sides have their voices shared equally.

It’s also important to remember that while publishers want to sell papers, get viewers or clicks or subscribers or be top in any other metric, they’re discussing real people’s lives. It’s a privilege to be given access into another person’s life and a responsibility to treat that access with care. Not everyone sees it that way, but they should. We’d all be better off. Imagine being the one whose private essence is being interrogated in a public spotlight.

Emma Franklin-Wright: The point around sharing both sides of an argument is interesting. I’ve seen so many trans people say that they decline media opps as they don’t want to put themselves in that position where their identity is being put up for debate in front of the nation. They know the sorts of people they will be put up alongside and just know how it will be for them.

Some things we absolutely should debate, but people’s right to exist isn’t one of them. Impartiality is discussed around trans people like it is a discussion about town centre planning and whether or not you should pedestrianise a town centre. It’s embarrassing and offensive to trans people to say denying their right to exist is a ‘debate’, so maybe the media (and us as communications professionals) can stop making every mention of trans people a ‘debate’. Simple representation – such as the Starbucks ad I mentioned or the character of Elle in Netflix’s brilliant Heartstopper series – humanises trans people in a way that debating them for political point scoring does not.

No support networks and initiatives in place at your organisation yet? There are still many ways to support LGBTQ+ colleagues…

Katie: Don’t make assumptions. Don’t think or speak on behalf of individuals or any group of individuals based on what you believe to be their truth, their perspective or their needs. Talk to your LGBTQ+ employees or colleagues, listen to them and then work together to make sure you’re creating an inclusive environment. Seeing LGBTQ+ role models in leadership is also important. All of us look up to people who for any number of reasons we feel an affinity with and if you don’t see an organisation welcoming people from diverse groups at leadership level, then it’s easy to start questioning the opportunities for you as your career progresses.

Emma: Speak to them – make sure it feels an emotionally safe space for them to come to you with what they need. Also, remember to ask yourselves ‘what if’ questions. What if someone in your team tells you they are changing their pronouns to reflect their gender identity? What if someone asks you about your parental leave policy? What if they need medical time off while transitioning? Are you ready for those things? Try and think proactively and not just reactively about how you create a safe and supportive working environment for LGBTQ+ workers.

Want to start your own inclusion network or group at work? Help is on the way…

Emma: One thing we are very aware of is that different agencies and organisations are at different stages of their journey on LGBTQ+ inclusion. Sometimes that is to do with the size of the agency but not always. One of our big priorities this year is to work with relevant organisations to create a tool kit that any agency can use to help them set up their own ERGs. Stay tuned!

Fancy getting involved with the PRCA’s LGBTQ+ Network? 

‘Email [email protected]! It’s literally that easy. Do it! We want to hear from you!’

Check out our full interview with Katie Traxton and Emma Franklin-Wright and find out more about the relaunch of the PRCA’s LGBTQ+ Network. 

Want more on inclusion in the PR and comms industry? Catch up on our accessmatters sessions, covering topics including social mobility, anti-racism, mentorship and more.  

Jane Latham from Splendid

Supporting mental health in PR beyond Mental Health Awareness Week

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In this guest post, practising therapist and Head of Wellbeing at Splendid Collective Jane Latham shares her advice for agencies, in-house teams and professionals on how to keep a balanced mind in this fast-paced industry.

While calendar moments like Mental Health Awareness Week serve as great reminders, mental wellbeing is a conversation that needs to be sustained above and beyond crunch points and calendar hooks. But for employers and professionals alike, thinking about tackling mental health and wellbeing can be daunting – perhaps now more than ever, given the range of challenges currently being faced in the industry.

As a ‘Human Givens’ therapist, I’m a firm believer that The Human Givens approach is a helpful starting point. This approach is based around the insight that, as humans, we have emotional needs which evolved to support our survival as a species. They can be categorised into eight need states: security, control, status, headspace, inclusion, connection, development and purpose. In the workplace particularly, when our needs for security, control and status are not being met, we will feel stressed, undermining our ability to perform to the best of our ability across all aspects of our life.
On a busy day, it’s easy to ignore the signs of stress building up and continue to plough on, ending the day feeling tired and emotional. However, if we can start to recognise how we are feeling, moment to moment, we can develop an awareness of any emotional arousal, and take action to address it before stress takes hold.

Using a calming technique such as slow breathing can then help. It works because it helps access the rational mind, so we can validate the emotions and put them into perspective as understandable, given the circumstances. With practice we can also learn to override any negative self-talk and be kinder to ourselves, putting us in a better place to address the issue that has arisen.

Identifying which of our three basic emotional needs are being undermined can also help to inform the best course of action. For example, a heavy workload will undermine our need to feel in control of our lives, as well as our needs for status and security, as we start to worry that we can’t do everything. We can restore a sense of control by writing down a schedule for the week and meeting with a manager to discuss priorities. We could also choose as our next task something that makes us feel good about ourselves, or remind ourselves of all the things that went well in the past week, restoring our sense of positive status.

This simple approach can be applied to the people we work with, too. Imagine being let down by a member of your team missing a deadline. Any feelings of anger that arise can be validated as understandable given the situation, but do not need to be expressed strongly to the team member, who is likely to be feeling pretty stressed already. Instead, being kind and understanding towards them will help restore their sense of security and status, lowering their stress levels and therefore enabling them to get on and complete the work. Afterwards, you can review the situation, discuss how to meet future deadlines together and learn from it.

It’s worth recognising that kindness, towards ourselves and others, can be a powerful tool for restoring emotional balance, and it’s a theme I return to throughout all my wellbeing workshops at Splendid.

Fundamentally, the emotional needs framework helps to remind us that everyone is human. Over the longer term, applying this simple approach to all that we do at work will help us to feel better about ourselves and be more understanding of the needs of others, improving performance across the business.

Jane currently divides her time between her Head of Wellbeing role at Splendid and seeing private clients as a Human Givens therapist. Jane will host the free webinar ‘Feel Human at Work: an Introduction’ for all professionals working in the communications industry on Wednesday 18th May from 5-6pm. Learn more and register your place here. Further information on the Human Givens approach can be found at HGI.org.uk

Emma Franklin Wright and Katie Traxton

‘Inclusion isn’t a bolt-on’: Interview with PRCA LGBTQ+ Network co-chairs Katie Traxton and Emma Franklin-Wright

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Pictured: Emma Franklin-Wright (left) and Katie Traxton (right).

‘We need to make sure that the industry understands the work we’re doing is integral to creating an inclusive community that is better for the individual and better for organisations,’ says Katie Traxton, co-chair of the PRCA’s LGBTQ+ Network.

Having relaunched the network in March of this year, Katie and co-chair Emma Franklin-Wright are ready to make real change in the industry. Read on for what’s coming up from the group and which organisations and campaigns are getting it right with representation.

What prompted the relaunch of the LGBTQ+ Network?
Katie Traxton: I took over running the PRCA’s LGBTQ+ group in mid-2019. At the time we were starting from scratch. Since then – including navigating moving online during the pandemic – we’ve built firm foundations, discovering what works well, how we can make the biggest possible impact and assembling a committee who are now raring to go!

Of course, the most important change in that time was Emma joining me as co-chair. We all need allies, in work as in life, and I so value being able to put our heads together on how best to make a positive difference. With all that in place, it seemed like the ideal time to relaunch as a network ready to gather as much momentum as possible over the weeks, months and years to come.

Emma Franklin-Wright: I’ve been involved in the network for about a year, and in that time have realised that to fulfil the potential for positive impact we can have on our industry, we needed to grow. That’s partly about having shared resource and support, but also different points of view both across all identities within the LGBTQ+ community and different types of PR and Communications professionals. A small independent agency has different challenges in inclusion to a global network which is in itself different to an in-house division.

It was obvious Katie and I couldn’t cover everything ourselves so we wanted to relaunch the network, bring in a new committee, and really see how we can make a difference to the industry.

What are your big aims for this year?
Katie: Raising our profile is a must, but we don’t want attention for attention’s sake. It’s important we have something substantive, relevant and actionable to share. We also need to make sure that the industry understands that the work we’re doing isn’t a ‘bolt on’. It doesn’t sit alongside everyone’s day-to-day. It’s integral to creating an inclusive community that is better for the individual and better for organisations.

Emma: Katie and I have created two work streams for this year, one around raising our profile and creating educational and informative external events and blog posts, and one around creating research and resources that help employers in PR and Communications understand how to create inclusive workplaces. I’m leading the latter so obviously I’m going to say I’m most excited about that! We have seen a record number of new agencies start up in the last two years, so creating a tool kit of resources that means it doesn’t matter if you are in a large agency with a dedicated DE+I team, or a small start-up, you can create an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ staff.

Why did you want to get involved with the LGBTQ+ Network? 

Katie: Creating inclusive, welcoming, accessible cultures is important to me and it’s my belief that to be inclusive we all need – and need to be – active allies. It’s so much easier to speak up on someone else’s behalf than on your own. For me, having the chance to work with an incredible group of people to help the PR and communications industry ‘show up’ for the LGBTQ+ community as colleagues and consultants was one I couldn’t pass up. It isn’t an opportunity that only relates to the LGBTQ+ community, either. We should be aware of all under-represented groups in our workplaces, the benefits of having input from diverse minds and championing an environment where everyone can thrive.

Emma: Katie asked me to join a PRCA panel in early 2021 – I’m something of a serial joiner, so afterwards when she asked if I would join the committee I, of course, said yes. The PR and Communications industry has such power to shape the narrative around LGBTQ+ inclusion. I see so much incredibly frustrating reporting and representation – especially around trans and non-binary inclusion – and just think if as an industry we harnessed our potential to impact on this we could make a real difference.

Are the comms and creative industries doing enough to support LGBTQ+ members of their workforce?
Katie: It’s hard to define ‘enough’. The simple answer is ‘no’, but the real question isn’t about where we are now, which we can all judge based on personal experiences, it’s about what the plan for progress is. I’d like to see industry-wide commitments to creating inclusive work and workplaces.

Emma: The workplace advocacy report we ran with YouGov last year suggests things could be better – 20% of respondents said they had been discriminated against based on their gender or sexual identity and 29% of respondents were not aware of any LGBTQ+ colleagues holding senior leadership positions. Really though the only people who can answer this question are those leading the workplaces. They need to ask themselves this question, and not only look at what is happening in their workplaces now, but ask some tough ‘‘what if’if’ questions as well. What if a member of your team comes out as trans or non binary – is your workplace set up for them? What if someone raises an instance of discrimination to you – how will you handle it?

Is the comms industry inclusive enough in its creative and campaign work?
Katie: Again, it’s hard to treat the entire industry as one entity. There will be pockets of great, inclusive work, there will be places where unfortunately work does still tend to be exclusive of under-represented groups, and then there’ll be the times where ‘inclusive’ creative and campaign work is borne from a desire to be perceived as inclusive rather than from an inclusive reality. Work can therefore become tokenistic or guilty of virtue-signalling, which is a step in the wrong direction. It’s easy for all of us to get wrapped up in our own communities and concerns, but it takes the same amount of energy to look out for someone else as it does for yourself, so if we all look out for each other, then we don’t lose anything and we gain a lot.

Emma: I agree with Katie – it varies hugely. Often, we need to communicate a lot in a short space of time so we fall on stereotypes to make sure people ‘get it’. For an industry that talks so much about impact we often forget that crucial element – what is the human impact on the people we are representing?

Which brands/organisations in particular do you think have been doing a good job on inclusion with their campaigns and approaches over the last few years?
Katie: My background before working in wider sport and entertainment was the automotive/motorsport industry and I loved the Renault Clio ad that told the love story of a same-sex couple over multiple decades, showing real depth, emotion and making you care.

The Gillette ads where a father shows his transgender son how to shave are also really powerful, taking the most ordinary of daily activities and infusing them with human connection. Of course, lots of other brands/organisations do great creative work that celebrates other under-represented groups; I love the Maltesers ads featuring disabled actors. They’re brilliant.

Beyond the connection you may feel to a single piece of content or even a campaign that makes you care though, what’s important is – what next? Is the brand recognising its responsibility? Is the content underpinned by a commitment to act and support groups who are often marginalised? I think that the most important lesson you learn when campaigning for inclusivity is what questions to ask yourself and others. No one has all the answers – I definitely don’t – but remembering to ask the important questions and hold yourself to account is a big step in the right direction.

Emma: I think authenticity is key – the Clio ad Katie references made sense as they were celebrating thirty years of the car model. There was a nostalgia and emotion to the story that just made sense.

The one that really gets me is the Starbucks ad where a young trans guy is getting dead named by friends and family then you see their joy and relief in seeing their name written on a Starbucks cup. The ‘what’s your name’ moment, and writing on the cups, is intrinsically linked to Starbucks so as an ad concept it makes sense. What’s as important is they backed it up with in store donations to Mermaids. That’s authentic representation and brave representation.

As a football fan I also loved a really sweet advert by Deutsche Bahn called ‘The Fan’ from a few years ago where you see a football fan follow his team all over the country then at the end you realise the star striker is his boyfriend.

For more on inclusion in the PR, comms and media industries, catch up with our accessmatters sessions here.

B2B Influencer Marketing

The B2B alternative to influencer marketing

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This is a guest post from Jamie Barlow, managing director of Hyped Marketing.

If you’ve ever taken out a traditional print or TV ad, you’ll know how pricey they can be.

Unfortunately, ramped up costs don’t always equal effectiveness. And traditional ads don’t always offer the best return on investment. As such, many businesses are turning to influencer marketing.

But what is influencer marketing exactly?

On a basic level, it’s a type of social media marketing that uses endorsements from influencers who are viewed as experts in their field. Think of it a little bit like PR. Only, instead of getting exposure from publications, you’re getting it through individuals and their social channels.

Why is influencer marketing effective?
Influencer marketing works because of one crucial thing: trust. Think about it — how much do you trust messages from a business compared to those from your friends or colleagues? Or reviews on a company website compared to those from other customers on Google?

Over time, influencers have built up a loyal following of people, who hang on their every word, actively engage with them and trust that the recommendations they make are genuine. So, if you can get these individuals to spread your message, you’ll massively boost persuasiveness.

Plus, since influencers operate independently and create their own content, they are in control of how they portray your message (within reason). This promotes authenticity and can help you reach a specific target audience.

The rise of B2B influencer marketing
When it comes to influencer marketing, there’s no denying that B2B companies were late to the game. While B2C brands were establishing relationships with influencers, the B2B world was only just discovering social media.

But the reality is, influencer marketing is far more important for B2B than B2C. After all, the average purchase prices in B2B completely dwarf those in B2C. People are also less likely to gamble on purchasing B2B products and services as they would with consumer goods. So, word-of-mouth and influencer marketing are essential to drive leads and sales.

How to get into influencer marketing
First and foremost, you need to forget all about going after those big influencer names. They’re out of reach (and way out of budget for SMEs). Plus, people are starting to see through these mega-influencers.

Nothing compromises credibility faster than a tone-deaf endorsement from a high-profile influencer, who everyone knows was paid thousands for a single social post. Instead, you need to be exploring a more niche influencer marketing strategy — looking at respected speakers, authors, podcasters and commentators in your industry.

For one, a micro-influencer will also be a lot easier on your marketing budget. Secondly, even though these micro-influencers have much smaller audiences, their followers will invariably be far more engaged and switched on to what they have to say. Together, this means your cost per post engagement will be much lower.

It’s also worth pointing out that you’ve probably got a whole bunch of potential influencers sitting right next to you — your employees or colleagues! Collectively, your employees and co-workers will have far more connections than your company and appear much more authentic. So, you should never underestimate the value of employee advocacy and influence.

Encouraging employees to share relevant industry and company-related content is a great way to engage this often-overlooked resource. LinkedIn is a fantastic platform for sharing though-led articles and company posts via employees. In fact, employee re-shares of company-posted content often have more than double the click-through rate of the original post!

And a final piece of advice — don’t expect to see results overnight. B2B purchases involve multiple decision-makers, meaning it will often take much longer for the impact of influencer marketing to reach all these people.

For finding the right influencers and media contacts for your campaigns, book a demo of the Vuelio Media Database. To see how other brands are doing it right when it comes to connecting with influencers, check out our previous piece on the topic ‘Seeking: the right brand ambassador for long-term engagement‘.  

You can also find out more about the benefits of influencer marketing in our interview with author Chris Stokel-Walker ‘What next for YouTube and influencer culture?‘

The responsibility of PR in financial services

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From credit to crypto, technology has changed the financial services sector and reshaped the comms challenge for PR practitioners.

Apps, online banking and around-the-clock engagement have created a new immediacy in finance, making it more important to ensure that communication between provider and consumer is both educational and accurate.

In our latest webinar, The responsibility of PR in financial services, we will bring you a live discussion from PR, marketing and FS comms specialist Natalie Orringe; Romney Taylor, VP Marketing at Habito; and Erin Lovett, Account Director at Missive. They will guide us through the new landscape for financial communications.

Fill in the form below to watch the webinar and learn:

  • The role of social activism in consumer decisions
  • How to disrupt traditional practices responsibly
  • The PR opportunity in both fintech and the rise of digital currencies
Sara Hailan Full Fat

PR Interview with Sara Hailan, head of digital at Full Fat

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‘I love the creativity of digital – it’s constantly evolving,’ says Full Fat’s Sara Hailan. Recently promoted to head of digital, Sara oversees the division dedicated to online, which has grown from a team of one to a full department.

With the evolution of the PR industry speeding up as the needs of the world change, we catch up with Sara to talk about the benefits of digital, the importance of inclusive campaigns and how to go beyond ‘tick box’ exercises to keep pushing PR forward.

What are you most looking forward to getting stuck into in your new role?
Lots of exciting briefs and new biz! With the digital landscape forever changing, it’s important we always have our finger on the pulse. Reviewing our services will also be a key focus this year as we expand our offering.

Having originally started at Full Fat over two years ago, what do you love most about working with the team there?
It’s by far the most progressive place I’ve worked. Everyone has a lot of autonomy and gets a say in what they want to work on. It’s also really sociable, with an expansive employee programme and lots of wellness and culture experiences. Plus, I sit on the DEI committee which I’m super passionate about, as is the rest of the agency. We’re big on feedback, personal growth and continuously improving in order to make Full Fat the best agency to work at.

How did you originally get into comms, and what keeps you in the industry?
I kickstarted my career post-university as a lifestyle journalist freelancing at titles like Time Out and VICE. I’d always loved writing, so I knew I wanted to work in the comms sector.

I initially fell into PR as my sister worked in it and thought I might quite like it, too. After a few years of working my way up to a senior manager position on big brands at leading agencies, I realised digital was where my heart was at. I love the creativity, the fact it’s constantly evolving, and steering conversation and human behaviour online, which is where we, as consumers, spend most of our time these days. I moved over into digital and haven’t looked back since!

You will also be working on the agency’s DEI Committee – do you think the comms and creative industries are doing enough on DEI?
Definitely not. Unfortunately, many companies merely see DEI as a tick box exercise in a bid to seem ‘woke’. I’m really proud of our commitments which we take seriously and underpin everything we do – from campaigns and clients, to suppliers, recruitment and social activities. The problem is creative industries continue to be dominated by straight white men, which obviously isn’t representative. I would love to see the industry support students and grads from diverse backgrounds to ensure everyone is given an equal opportunity regardless of their background.

Full Fat works with trans-inclusivity charity Not A Phase – how do you ensure that Full Fat’s creative work, across all the brands it works with, is inclusive and representative of marginalised communities?
Not A Phase is just one of the brilliant charities we’ve worked with so far as part of our pro-bono initiative. We have also worked with Compliments of the House (food surplus), I Like Networking (creative mentorship) and The Vavengers (female genital mutilation/cutting).

We ensure that everything we do – whether it’s the media titles we’re pitching to, or influencers we’re working with – are representative of our DEI values and that marginalised communities are always considered and included. We also organise regular training sessions with external experts to ensure we’re always educating ourselves on topics relating to DEI e.g. The Other Box, Deafblind UK.

What are the big trends you see coming up in your sectors over the next few years?
Increased consumer demand for authenticity, especially in influencer marketing. Purpose-led content and brand activations online – people want to know that the brands they love stand for something and align with their values. The creation of more 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection to compete with the metaverse. Augmented reality becoming more commonplace.

How do you form and develop connections with C-suites? Any advice for professionals/teams finding that difficult?
Keep an eye on what they’re up to and show how you can add value to their company. Network, connect with people on LinkedIn and always be personable in your approach. Create a wishlist of brands you’d love to work with then approach and build relationships with their CEOs. Sometimes it takes a few goes, but you’ll hear back eventually!

How much has the measurement and metrics Full Fat uses to gauge success changed since the start of the pandemic?
While we still measure metrics in a similar fashion dependant on brand objectives (e.g. reach, engagement, sentiment, ROI, sales), what’s really important is keeping on top of consumer conversation online, which is where social listening comes into play.

The landscape is changing so much and we’re facing price hikes across the board, so it’s important whatever we’re marketing, especially when it comes to sales driving, is sensitive and relatable in order to be successful.

What are the benefits of a purely digitally-focused team?
Digital is a beast that is forever changing. A purely digitally-focused team is necessary to keep on top of every aspect, whether that’s new social media guidelines, paid advertising testing or the latest content trends. Frequent re-strategising is essential to ensure we’re delivering what our target audiences want to see and keeping up with the times.

What would be your dream campaign to work on?
Twitter’s recent campaign where they took over billboards and infiltrated social feeds, posting celebrities’ historic tweets where they manifested their dreams and it came true. So very inspirational for all ages!

For more from Full Fat PR, check out our previous post on getting through Blue Monday and other tough times at the office for details of the agency’s charity work and other ways to keep motivation high.

For tailored, qualitative metrics on the success of your agency or brand’s campaigns, try Vuelio Insights and our Media Monitoring services.

If digital PR is also a focus for you in your work, book a demo with our sister brand Pulsar to find out more about its social listening solutions.

Annual Perspective 2022 PRCA

Ethics in 2022 – PRCA publishes Annual Perspective

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The PRCA Global Ethics Council has released an overview of the big trends of this year, and the ethical issues they raise, with its 2022 Annual Perspective.

The Perspective considers how PR can help navigate ethical risk for clients and businesses, as well as understanding the opportunity of emerging technology platforms.
Ethical challenges being tackled by comms teams across the world covered in the report include those posed by the metaverse and Web3, NFTs, AI (Artificial Intelligence) and the importance of building safe online experiences for all.

Topics in the report include:
– The relationships between innovation, ethics and risk management
– Opportunities for PR professionals to launch new ways to measure engagement in the metaverse
– Emerging reputational risks, including breaches of user/consumer privacy, deepfakes, misinformation and cybercrime
– Requirements for the PR and communications industry to increase its knowledge on technology

30 industry thought leaders from across the globe contributed their expertise to the examination of ethics, including The Purpose Room’s Sudha Singh, Vero’s Vu Quan Nguyen Masse and M&C Saachi’s Mike Abel.

The 35-page report was spearheaded by PRCA Global Ethics Council co-chairs Mary Beth West, Nitin Mantri and Israel Opayemi.

‘The PRCA Ethics Council urges the whole of the PR industry – at every level of experience and practice – to embrace new areas of learning, awareness, and strategic consideration tied to the ethics of AI and how digital technology might be engaged in ways that potentially risk stakeholder trust and brand reputation,’ said Mary Beth West.

‘Since crafting reputation and advancing trust stand at the core of public relations expertise, this year’s PRCA Ethics Council Annual Perspective offers strategic considerations from many of the global PR industry’s best minds – and the PRCA is proud to offer this publication as a free resource to cross-disciplinary consultancies, C-suites, corporate boardrooms and academia.’

PRCA Global Ethics Council co-chair Nitin Mantri added:

‘The times are calling for bold, brave action, and the pressure on brands to deliver is at an all-time high. Authentic, purpose-led communications is the way forward. Brands will be measured on whether they’re on the right side of social change or not — and they need good communicators to take them on this journey.

‘This year’s PRCA Ethics Council Annual Perspective provides PR professionals with the tools to push their clients to be ethical and use every touch point as an opportunity to tell human stories that truly make an impact and build a deeper connection with the people the industry serves.’

Launched in May 2020, the PRCA Ethics Council was launched with an aim to raise ethical standards across the worldwide PR and communications industry.

The full 2022 Annual Perspective can be downloaded here.

PRmoment Awards 2022

Winners announced for PRmoment Awards for London and The South 2022

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Vuelio were proud to be a sponsor for last night’s PRmoment Awards for London and The South 2022.

Acknowledging great work from over the last year across categories including B2B, Digital, Financial Services, Community Engagement and Corporate Purpose, the Awards’ winners came from in-house teams at big brands as well as agencies long-established and up-and-coming. Winning in multiple categories was MHP Mischief with its campaign for The Kiyan Prince Foundation #longlivetheprince.

Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees! Here are a selection of the winners, below, and check out the full list over on the PRmoment website.

B2B CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR: Fight or Flight for Roland – Dress Release

BEST DIGITAL PR CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR: Golin – Premier Inn, EweTube

CORPORATE PURPOSE AWARD: Fanclub & musicMagpie – Mount Recyclemore

FINANCIAL SERVICES SECTOR CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR: Kindred for FCA – ScamSmart Flip the CONtext

FMCG MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR: Ready10 – McDonald’s Three Fries

HEALTH, BEAUTY, RETAIL & FASHION MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR: Hope&Glory with IKEA – Pre-Loved Labels

HEALTHCARE / PHARMA CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR: SHOOK for Adult CP Hub – Stamp Out The Gap

MEDIA RELATIONS CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Vuelio): MHP Mischief – The Kiyan Prince Foundation, #longlivetheprince

NOT FOR PROFIT CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR: Frank – The Lewis Pugh Foundation & Greenland to Glasgow

PUBLIC SECTOR CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR: Lynn PR & Our Healthier South East London – #DontMissYourVaccine

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Vuelio): Portland for IPPF – #NewSexSlang

B2B PR AGENCY OF THE YEAR: CCgroup

BEST APPROACH TO DIVERSITY & INCLUSION IN PR: Brands2Life

BEST DIGITAL PR AGENCY OF THE YEAR: Coolr

BOUTIQUE AGENCY OF THE YEAR: John Doe Group

ESG CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR: Kindred

IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR – PRIVATE SECTOR: Tideway Communications

IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR – PUBLIC SECTOR: LNER

INDEPENDENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR: Manifest

INTEGRATED AGENCY OF THE YEAR: Manifest

LARGE AGENCY OF THE YEAR: W Communications

MID-SIZED AGENCY OF THE YEAR: Taylor Herring

NEW AGENCY OF THE YEAR: Boldspace

Find the full list of PRmoment Award 2o22 winners here. 

For more from winners Lynn PR, check out Shayoni Lynn’s predictions on trends in PR in our round-up from industry thought leaders. For more from Manifest, catch up with our accessmatters’ session with Julian Obubu on antiracism in the PR industry. 

What responsibilities do financial service PRs have to their customers?

What responsibilities does financial services PR have to its customers?

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Disruption of traditional and long-established practices, the rise of digital currencies and an increasing demand for accountability – the financial services sector is undergoing rapid change.

With these changes comes new responsibilities for comms teams – how should the finance PR sector fulfil its increasing obligation to the public and its stakeholders?

In our webinar ‘The responsibility of PR in financial services,’ FS comms specialist Natalie Orringe, Habito VP Marketing Romney Taylor and Missive Account Director Erin Lovett discussed this new landscape of accessibility and accountability. Here’s how successful financial services brands and agencies are building trust and education into their comms.

Download the white paper Communicating the new immediacy of finance here.

Generalists are out-of-touch
In an ideal world, a sophisticated understanding of the possible risks of financial services would come alongside their increased accessibility to consumers. We are not in an ideal world. Communicating risk falls to the sector’s PR and comms pros, and we need to be ready with the knowledge required.

‘The pace of change has accelerated,’ said Erin. ‘Even during my career, training used to be very skewed to PR skills as opposed to industry knowledge – that’s not the case anymore. We’ve got to be able to explain sophisticated processes, like open banking and crypto transactions.’

‘We can’t be generalists in the financial PR sector anymore,’ added Natalie.

Agencies have a responsibility to their clients’ customers
The responsibility of communicating risk is great even when working on behalf of a client – perhaps even more so. Gut feel on this can be as important as knowledge of a potential client’s services – are possible risks to consumers ones you’re comfortable aligning with and communicating? If you wouldn’t recommend a service or product to your friends and family, think before signing them on as a client, advised Erin.
‘It’s just about being careful. You have to do due diligence and then make sure consumers fully understand the risks of that service, as well as the positives.’

Beware of ‘woke washing’
If your organisation, or client, has nothing of substance to add to an issue, think before releasing statements or planning campaigns around what’s happening in the wider world. Romney, whose organisation Habito has B Corp status, used brand responses to the war in Ukraine as an example:

‘A lot of businesses have responded in ways that are relevant, and not. When the Government came out with the Homes for Ukraine initiative – it was then that we spoke out on what’s going on. We shared how the scheme would impact renters and owners, whether you’d need to notify your lender if planning to open your home.

‘Woke washing would have been changing our logo to blue and yellow on LinkedIn in response to the war in Ukraine – we didn’t jump into that until we had something to say.’

Which finance brands are doing it right?
When it comes to blending education, awareness and approachability into campaigns, Erin mentioned the work of a financial services company you may have seen advertising on YouTube:

‘One brand doing really well with their comms is PensionBee,’ said Erin. ‘The ultimate goals haven’t changed in their sector – pensioners haven’t changed, nothing is new – but their technology is making managing pensions easier for customers. They’ve made this more accessible.’

How can brands and agencies fulfil their responsibilities to consumers?
Just as finance impacts almost every area of modern life, PR for financial services has to tie into wider world issues. No communication can happen in a vacuum – comms must speak to the realities potential clients are living with.

‘Be immediate and authentic and responsible,’ advised Natalie.

‘ESG is a big topic framing how comms is changing – what this means for financial services is a need for hyper-transparency. Organisations have to distil their brand narrative across various challenges.

‘Ethics have been merged into software and technology for a long time, but this increased blurring is really exciting. However, it comes with a heavy burden. PR can be operationalised into the wider business.’

With no firm regulations across modern financial options like crypto, PR and comms teams have to be their own regulators and fully accept their responsibility to the public:

‘It’s a really interesting role to be in,’ said Erin. ‘This has parallels with ESG because there are no formal global standards. The line for me is, what can we justify and prove? At Missive, we’re very careful with who we work with – that personal gut feeling is really useful.’

For more on the accessibility of financial services, download our white paper Communicating the new immediacy of finance.

Want to understand how your brand is being discussed in the media and impacting your clients? Check out Vuelio Media Monitoring. And for pitching to finance journalists, check out our guide.  

Emmanuel Ofosu-Appiah

Making change in our industry: Emmanuel Ofosu-Appiah, Vice Chair of PRCA’s Race & Ethnicity Equity Board (REEB)

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Since its launch in July 2020, the PRCA’s Race & Ethnicity Equity Board (REEB) has been working to make real change in the PR and communications industry for the progression of Black and ethnic minority professionals.

We caught up with its Vice Chair Emmanuel Ofosu-Appiah to talk about the challenges to true equity that still exist in our sector and the importance of mentoring and support.

Congratulations on your Vice Chair appointment – what are you most excited about?
Being able to work with our Chair Barbara Phillips and the rest of the Race & Ethnicity Equity Board (REEB) to create even greater change in our industry. We are also looking to make further progress with our PRISM mentoring scheme and continue to advocate for more diverse junior talent entering the industry. I am also excited to support the wider industry effort and I am keen to work with like-minded people and organisations.

What do you see as your main challenges to overcome in the role?
Not being a talking shop but actually taking action and pushing for results so we have some evidence to point back to in a few years’ time.

What are you most proud of having accomplished with REEB so far?
I am most proud of our Ethnicity Pay Gap Guide and how we have taken the lead of creating more noise around this. The guide is authored by a former Equalities and Human Rights Commission pay equality specialist – it is freely available exclusively to PRCA members. Our guide features advice on how to overcome challenges in ethnic pay reporting, including how to improve salary disclosure among Black, Asian and ethnically diverse professionals.

Can you give us an insight into some of the projects REEB are planning this year?
Well… we are working on a few initiatives and projects, but do watch this space! Ideas are in motion and hopefully things can come together on our end.

You’ve mentored others in their own PR careers – how would you advise practitioners wanting to get into mentoring to start?
Mentoring is a passion of mine and it is one of the most authentic ways to give back to new talent entering our industry. I would advise practitioners to not overload themselves with commitments and think about how to add value by nurturing just a few relationships rather than taking on lots of mentees.

There are also other ways to give back via partnering with organisations such as the Taylor Bennett Foundation and offering masterclasses to new trainees on the programme.

How should a person early in their career go about finding the right mentor for them?
Figure out which specific elements of communications you enjoy – that can always narrow it down a bit more. Lots of PR leaders are on LinkedIn, and many are looking for people to mentor, so it is about having the courage to be bold and approach someone that inspires you. I have always never been shy to ask for support or guidance – it is the best way to learn and build a network at the same time.

Who are some of your own heroes (in life and/or work)?
One of my heroes has to be my mentor Lord Dr Michael Hastings – he was in the communications industry as a senior public affairs leader for the BBC. Lord Hastings has always guided me in my career choices and supported me during difficult or challenging moments in my career.

Which other initiatives to improve equity within the industry should everyone be more aware of?
I am a big fan on the UK Black Comms Network and People Like Us and they are led by some inspirational individuals. I am also a part of the CIPR and Taylor Bennett Reverse mentorship programme and have been so impressed by the whole experience.

Last time we caught up, you shared your aims for the year ahead – are you happy with what you’ve achieved, and what will your aims be over the coming year?
I am proud of what I have achieved on a professional level, and I have learned a lot in my current role at Mercer as UK PR Manager. I have developed better working relationships with my key stakeholders and I am also grateful to my team and line managers over the years who have also shown confidence in my ability. I like to think of myself as a work in progress – there is still so much more to learn and achieve!

As you know, our goal is to see visible representation of Black and ethnic employees in the industry – we still have some way to go so in terms of our work we feel there is still more to be done.

For more on the work on PRCA’s REEB, check out our previous interview with Vice Chair Emmanuel Ofosu-Appiah as well as our interview with Chair Barbara Phillips.

Find out more about PRCA’s PRISM initiative, as well as other groups mentioned in this piece:

accessmatters with Melissa Lawrence, Taylor Bennett Foundation

UK Black Comms Network event: One Step Forward Two Steps Black

Earth Day 2022 COP26 comms

Earth Day 2022 – did COP26 comms make a change?

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This year’s Earth Day has a lot to live up to. Coming after the highly-anticipated and high-pressure COP26, today brings opportunity for those who made big promises in October 2021 to hold themselves to account. Did the global event make real change to how organisations operate and communicate their purpose to the public?

One impact COP26 made in the minds of those paying attention to its message of climate change was the installation of a growing impatience; a need for accountability from those with the power and influence to drive action.

‘COP26 and many other political events within the last six months have highlighted the public’s growing lack of tolerance for hypocrisy,’ says Propel Technology’s lead communications consultant Claire Dumbreck.

‘For many, COP26 will be remembered for the rich elite jamming up Prestwick Airport with their private jets and then preaching to the masses about how they should give things up for the greater good.’

Perception of the global event – the success of which was predicted by Sir Vince Cable beforehand to be 60:40: ‘my heart is with the 60%; my head with the 40%’ – wasn’t 100% positive. While its failures ultimately fall on political promises that were short of expectations, the PR and comms sector had a part, too:

‘Some businesses and comms teams could have been more considered in their approaches – there were a lot of campaigns with fairly (very) loose connections to COP26!’ believes One Nine Nine managing director Barnaby Patchett.

‘The issue here was that the press was flooded with transparent attempts to ‘cash in’ on COP26 – with no real connection to the goals and aims of the conference. The best campaigns were underpinned with a clear, authentic link to COP26, from organisations making tangible, significant progress on sustainability.’

Consumers and stakeholders increasingly expect integrity from organisations, not greenwashing, and PR and comms teams are being tasked with the practicalities of that responsibility.

‘As an industry, comms was both part of the post-COP26 climate change discussion and has since had to respond to it,’ says senior PR consultant Katy Barney, who heads up Ambitious PR’s ESG & Sustainability PR services.

‘Agency-side, this has meant more clients coming to us and asking for advice on how to communicate around sustainability, meaning an imperative to upskill rapidly and get to grips with the issues.’

Accessibility of language around climate change is a must-have skill for PRs in the wake of COP26, but as an industry we’re not quite there yet, according to research conducted by the Hanover Group Strategy & Insights unit, which targeted the general public in the UK and Ireland, and business leaders across Europe:

‘Only 1 in 4 people (25%) were comfortable defining “net zero” and much less so with terms like “carbon trading” and “climate refugees”,’ says Hanover Group’s strategy & insights director Teodora Coste.

‘23% were uncomfortable defining any of the terms most often used at COP26.’

The obfuscating and grand-standing that reverberated around October’s summit isn’t necessary, or useful, for building climate considerations into campaign work. For Earth Day 2022, here are more practical steps:

‘Wind the sanctimoniousness right down!’ says Claire Dumbreck. ‘Address any perception of “us and them” before more scepticism takes hold. Demonstrate genuine short-term human benefits of acting with the environment in mind (beyond the luxury of just feeling good about it).’

‘Start at home and focus on reducing your own carbon emissions and environmental impacts,’ says Lexington’s director and head of responsible business Andrew Wilson. ‘Do you really need to fly to that client meeting? Second, be critical friends to clients, provide constructive challenge on their own operations. Do agencies have the in-house expertise to advise on Net Zero strategies and approaches to reduce environmental impacts? Third, work with brands to produce communications that help to change consumer attitudes and bring about a shift in behaviour.’

Ultimately, use your skill as a PR; if you’re part of the comms industry, you already have the tools to get the message out there:

‘Zero and environmental change are so much more than a single-issue topic – there are lots of opportunities for PR teams to get creative,’ says Katy Barney.

‘There will always be another story or angle if you’re committed to making change.’

For more on climate change and how the communications sector can help make a difference, check out this post on what PR and comms teams should know about sustainability, a reflection on the success of COP26 from the Vuelio political team, and this guest post from Sir Vince Cable featuring his predictions ahead of the summit. 

 

How to communicate in the metaverse

How to communicate in the metaverse… also, what is the metaverse?

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If you’re up on your PR and comms trends for 2022 and the years ahead, you will have read about the metaverse and just how important it is going to be for the industry. But… do you actually know what that word means? Do you understand how you and your team might use it for upcoming campaigns? How to talk about it to clients and other brands?

To help prevent you from any out-of-touch floundering in future stakeholder presentations and competitive pitches, here’s how the industry is already making great use of the metaverse and how you can join, too.

What is the metaverse?
To cut through all the jargon: it’s a virtual space for interacting. With other people, with places, with items.

‘The way I try to explain it to friends is, it’s like a hybrid of The Sims, Rollercoaster Tycoon & GTA (without the crime),’ said The Playbook’s senior sport and brand communications executive Rob Baney.

‘Creating your own The Sims-like dream world, building your entertainment offering Rollercoaster Tycoon-style, and then having you and your mates explore this world in the best clothes and with the coolest car, like your character in GTA.’

If you aren’t a gamer, the concept of a metaverse has long been established in science fiction and regularly features in film (Ready Player One and The Matrix, for some dystopian examples), and even portrayed quite poorly in 90s thrillers you may have seen, like The Lawnmower Man and Disclosure. In the latter, for example, it’s shown as already being a part of work tech. Michael Douglas needs to hack a computer – instead of sitting down to type, he dons a VR headset and gloves for his search and walks through a Virtual Reality Database.

You could say that’s a prediction of how the metaverse may shape up in the next few years – full integration into our lives, even office documents. You could also say ‘why did Michael bother when Ctrl + F is right there – who has the time for that’. But that would be overlooking the allure of realistic interactions with surroundings otherwise closed off, and plenty of us want that.

Why is the metaverse so popular right now?
While a metaverse is not a new concept – not even to the comms industry, who had the opportunity to explore it in ‘Second Life Marketing Safaris’ as far back as 2007 – it’s resonating strongly now, particularly in the wake of Facebook’s widely-publicised rebrand to Meta and new strategy to build ‘the’ metaverse, as we search for new ways to connect in our day-to-day.

When people wanted to be with those they couldn’t see in the flesh in the early days of the pandemic, downloads of applications like Zoom, Teams and Houseparty boomed. Games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons broke records, with advertising from Nintendo showing family members and friends using their Switch consoles to fly out for quality time on each other’s virtual islands.

Conversations while fishing for bass couldn’t happen in reality during lockdown, but it could online. Connection is the value of digital spaces – that’s the value a presence in the metaverse can provide to your audience.

How are brands and businesses already using the metaverse?
Using Animal Crossing: New Horizons as an example, businesses, charities and even US politicians quickly realised its potential for engaging with consumers and integrated their branding and messages into the pre-existing world of the game. But many brands and agencies have since gone further into the metaverse – this isn’t something to get ready for in the future, this is happening now.

Recreating reality: VCCP built virtual offices in gaming and social platform Roblox, using its London Victoria office as a base design, but building in extras impossible in real life, such as an enclosure for meerkats.

Connection in virtual spaces: A Roblox-based ceremony and gig was held as part of the Brit Awards this year, with a virtual version of PinkPantheress booked to perform. Artists including Lil Nas X have also teamed up with the platform for performances.

In-metaverse living: Nike invested in the possibility of virtual footwear with its December 2021 purchase of digital collectable creators RTFKT. ‘This acquisition is another step that accelerates Nike’s digital transformation […] and extend[s] Nike’s digital footprint and capabilities,’ said Nike president and chief executive John Donahoe.

Comms and campaigns: To publicise the new series of I’m A Celebrity… late last year, ITV launched a virtual version of the show’s castle with Fortnite Creative for viewers to explore. In fact, ITV has created a number of new ways for viewers to connect with its programming via the metaverse in this way, including an in-game Fortnite version of its entertainment show The Void.

So, should you care?
In summary – yes. At its most simple, the metaverse can be a recreation of what we know, but it can also be a fantastic version of what we want, or an overlay of extras to make life easier.

While data from We Are Social’s latest Think Forward report found that 90% of social users were ‘clueless’ about the metaverse, its quick adoption across the industry in real ways is meaningful. Current excitement about these virtual spaces may dim, but applications of them will embed into our culture and lives, long-term.

Virtual influencers are already here, and NLP (Natural Language Processing)/virtual avatars are an accepted part of online customer service. For those who need other ways to access events and experiences beyond getting on a train to a crowded gathering at a city centre, the metaverse opens up a whole world of possibility and connection. For business, it offers new ways to engage consumers continuously bombarded with images and messages in ways that will stick.

In a real world that has become increasingly unpredictable, filled with situations we can’t control, it’s unsurprising that the possibility to create others we can is appealing. And at the very least, what’s on the way should be a lot cooler than that scene in Disclosure. The metaverse can be whatever we want to make it.

If you’re ready to enter the metaverse, visit our visit to those brands setting up in Animal Crossing: New Horizons and check out our look at the influence of virtual influencers. 

Want more on ways to engage the minds of  your audience? Here’s a write-up of our webinar on Neuro PR with Harvey & Hugo PR’s managing director and Leader of the Pack Charlotte Nichols 

The Value of Chartership Report

Just how important is chartership in marketing and PR?

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A study from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) – The Value of Chartership report – has found that while respect for chartership within the marketing and PR industries has improved over the last ten years, it is still significantly lower than in other professions.

Featuring the viewpoints and experiences of over 300 chartered members, the report finds that around two-fifths (39%) feel respect for chartership has increased, though? 72% believe it is higher in other sectors such as engineering or accountancy. However, respondents felt that the value that comes with being chartered in PR and marketing is worth it, regardless, giving them a competitive edge in their professional lives.

Other findings from the report:
• Over four in ten (43%) argue it is very important for careers to be chartered
• Three in ten (31%) believe being chartered provides them with an edge to win new business
• 15% have been able to achieve a higher salary or increase rates due to their chartership status

Just as important as chartership to the study respondents – Continuing Professional Development; 72% believe regular upskilling and knowledge refreshment is vital for progressing within the industries.

CIPR CEO Alastair McCapra said: ‘Compared to other sectors, our industries have the advantage of low barriers of entry into the profession but a disadvantage in the number of qualified and professionally accredited professionals. We know what we do delivers value and so do our clients, but research shows a continued lack of collective confidence.

‘This research highlights how chartered status overcomes this by providing pride, status and confidence to individual practitioners. When compared to other professionals, or as seen by other professionals, our status is low but improving. Chartered status is an essential tool in increasing this further and faster.’

CIM chief executive Chris Daly added: ‘The past few years have underlined the critical role marketing and PR professionals have had in supporting and guiding businesses through a turbulent time. Rising consumer expectations for organisations to act ethically and communicate effectively, coupled with ‘the great resignation’ has put a greater emphasis than ever on the development of skilled PR and marketing practitioners.

‘There has always been a concern that investing in the development of staff may just accelerate their departure, but this joint research shows that chartered practitioners can provide a real financial boost for businesses – something that is crucial as we look to recover from the pandemic.’

Read ‘The Value of Chartership’ in full here.

For more on getting access to support and opportunities for upskilled in PR, comms and marketing, check out our round-up of six industry bodies to link up with.

Is the food and drink sector ready for HFSS restrictions

Is the food and drink sector ready for upcoming HFSS regulations?

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If asked to hum your favourite advertising jingles, how many of them would be for food and drink products that would likely fall foul of the Government’s upcoming restrictions on HFSS ads?

For those in comms in the food and drink sector, the rules on HFSS (foods High in Fat, Sugar and Salt) coming into place in October will change work drastically. The advertising landscape in the UK will be completely different. Those old mainstays of traditional TV advertising that are yoghurt, chocolate and spreadable cheese adverts featuring happy celebrities will be gone, and with them, the UK obesity crisis. At least, that’s the thinking laid out in the Government’s ‘Introducing a total online advertising restriction for products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS)’ consultation findings.

‘While the evidence is not conclusive, it’s possible that restricting HFSS advertising exposure could […] influence adult purchases and consumption […] Further restrictions on HFSS advertising could therefore help reduce overconsumption and generate significant additional health benefits,’ say the Government’s conclusions.

Whether or not this will work to help people (and the companies they buy from) make ‘healthier’ choices, or draw criticism equal to that received by recent mandates on calorie inclusion in menus across England, change is coming. What this means in practice – a 9pm watershed on television for HFSS adverts and a complete ban on digital HFSS advertising from 22 October 2022.

Considering the impact these restrictions will have – potentially ‘the most significant in-store changes seen in decades,’ according to Barclays analyst James Anstead – are food and drink comms practioners ready?

There’s a lot of opportunity here. That 9pm watershed and the restrictions on HFSS paid-for ads online doesn’t explicitly include earned media. That means for HFSS brands and clients, the comms function potentially becomes much more valuable. But with that opportunity comes responsibility to share the right message, with the right people.

‘Being part of the discussion is key to getting your voice heard,’ says Vhari Russell, managing director at The Food Marketing Experts.

‘We’ve been working hard to drive collaborations to increase the following for the brands we work with and increase the data they have to enable them to sell directly to consumers. It is about ensuring all the bases are covered in terms of driving traffic to store, both online and bricks and mortar, and then creating standout to establish a brand of choice positioning.

‘Grow your tribe, so that you have a key and engaged customer base that will champion products outside of advertising. Working with influencers is critical to a brand’s success, however, you need to ensure you comply with best practice.’

One organisation that moved ahead of the regulations was TfL, whose policy on junk food advertising has been estimated to have decreased weekly junk food purchases by 1,000 calories. But which other companies are already approaching the regulations in the right way?

‘Dr Wills – we loved their campaign to help drive sales in Tesco to keep their listings,’ says Vhari. ‘Pip & Nut, too – many of the team now subscribe to get their nut butter deliveries since the pandemic.

‘TfL has already reported a significant change, and I think it is a great opportunity for brands to get creative and return to grassroots tactics. The guidelines have been put in place to help the nation eat better and make healthier choices. For brands that are high in salt and sugar, it is key to communicate in an honest and engaging way. Very few brands state you should eat their product all day every day, so it’s about consciously conveying the occasions to consume.’

With the cost of living crisis in the UK impacting purchasing decisions, and food High in Fat, Sugar and Salt often a cheaper and more convenient choice, HFSS products will continue to have a place on shelves.

PR teams working in the food and drink sector have an opportunity to make a difference with their campaigns, just as brands do with their approach – comms can help consumers mix HFSS foods into as balanced a lifestyle as they can manage within their means.

‘Brands need to drive the occasions when their products fit into the customer’s life so that they remain in the basket week in week out,’ says Vhari. ‘When consumers’ budgets are being hit harder it is vital that brands share the purpose, values, and credentials to retain customer loyalty.

‘I think that disruptive marketing combined with engaging and mouth-watering content is here to stay.’

For more on food and drink, check out these 10 top UK food bloggers. To track how the media is covering HFSS restrictions, try Vuelio’s Media Monitoring services – book a demo here. 

How to build your following on LinkedIn

How PR agencies can unlock the ‘Holy Grail’ of LinkedIn

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This is a guest post from Vicky Stoakes, communications director at Red Setter.

‘Can you double our followers in a year?’

As a PR company, we’re used to focusing all our efforts on building our clients’ reputations and profiles. Putting time aside to build your own company profile feels akin to a builder deciding to build their own house first – it’s simply not a priority – but it should be because we know it works. A focus on social media – especially LinkedIn – can support new business, recruitment and most importantly, boost company morale.

So, last year we took our own advice and put a proactive social media plan in place. And yes, we did double our followers in a year. This is how we did it.

Strategise to win

It’s so obvious it almost goes without saying, but you need a plan. You wouldn’t skip the strategy stage for your clients, so why would you skip it for your company page?

We mapped out three clear goals – to attract new business; engage talent; and to grow followers from our target audiences (design and PR).

The right kind of posts

With clear goals and a target audience in mind, next steps are deciding what to post. As a PR agency, it’s easy to fall back on sharing client news and coverage, but it’s a limiting – and dull – approach to social media.

Instead, ask yourself, what do your audiences want to see? Often, you’ll find there are two answers. They want to see more of your team and company culture, and evidence of your company’s expertise. Feed these insights into your content plan.

Share the love

CEOs beware! Content creation shouldn’t fall exclusively on your shoulders – though we know from experience it often does for smaller organisations – but neither should responsibility rest solely with your social media, marketing, or comms lead. It’s important to create a culture where everyone, from top to bottom, has a voice and feel they have something to say.

But make it easy. As a PR agency, words are almost second nature to us, but busy people, no matter the industry, can need help. Alongside ideas gathering as a team, we have a guide to our content, with clarity on the purpose of each piece and where it’s likely to appear, and covering basics, like word count.

A culture of content

When we began our new LinkedIn approach only a handful of team members had proactively written any blog posts for us. By the end of the first year, with the new campaign firmly in place, over 80 per cent of the team had written posts (some of these appearing beyond the blog in media titles).

Of course, it’s a big deal to have team members write blogs outside of their normal day jobs, so we’ve dialled up the value of this internally. It’s now so embedded in our culture that people regularly come up with ideas and offer to contribute. The joy of this as a comms director is immense.

With a steady stream of content agreed and forthcoming across the team, we can post around once a week, sometimes more. And even better, 90% of our posts work across LinkedIn and Instagram.

Is the plan working?

The only way to know if your strategy is working is checking analytics – and bracing yourself to play the long game. Social success doesn’t happen overnight. It was a slow burn that really seemed to catch fire around the 10–12-month phase.

We regularly check our engagement, allowing us to know what resonates with our audiences and, just as importantly, what doesn’t (stopping anything that’s falling into the virtual void).

Using LinkedIn itself as a barometer is helpful: it suggests that 2% is good engagement and anything above is smashing it out of the park. With our average at 10%, we’ll take that.

Use the ‘secret sauce’

As the admin to a company page, you have access to a feature that allows you to invite your personal connections to follow your company page. Use it and do it wisely. Get your agency leaders involved.

By doing this, we noticed a snowball effect. We got our connections following us by asking. Then by posting content with relevant hashtags – never forget the hashtags! – we noticed a regular stream of new followers from our target audiences following us because they were interested in our content. Start with those you know, and others will find you.

Find the fun

Finally, have fun with it. Make people want to read your posts. Tell your company story, empower the team and enjoy the journey. Remember, there’s no shame in asking people to engage with your posts, so don’t forget to ask your own team and thank them when they do engage!

Interested in building your organisation’s social media profile? Check out how Tiny Tickers and The Wildlife Trusts amplified their campaigns and message using their social channels (in the absence of bit budgets) here. 

For more from Red Setter, read this guest post from Alex Blyth on how to tackle the PR recruitment crisis by growing your team from the ground up.

How to become a journalist's favourite PR person

How to be a journalist’s favourite PR person

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If you follow enough of your fellow PR people on social media, you’ve probably seen the occasional gripe about rude responses they’ve received from journalists. If you follow journalists, complaints about irrelevant emails they’ve received from PRs might have shown up on your feed a time or two.

Nobody wants to be on either side of those media vs comms clashes, so how can you make sure yours is a name any journalist will be happy to see in their inbox?

Signing up the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service to receive media requests straight to your inbox is a good starting point, naturally, but for guidance on the next steps, we asked three more journalists regularly using the service what makes a good PR.

Rob Waugh, freelance journalist regularly writing for outlets including The Daily Telegraph, Metro and the Daily Mail
‘Ensure the name of your expert is kept very close to their comment if you’re sending text. Journalists using this service are often dealing with large amounts of text, and if the name isn’t right next to the comment, it’s easy to misattribute.

‘The best way to reply is in plain text NOT in a document headed with company logos. This just adds another stage to the work of a journalist who’s probably dealing with dozens, or even hundreds of comments and means that your comment is less likely to be used in any finished piece.’

Nick Booth, freelance writer currently covering mobile networking infrastructure for Mobile Europe
‘Keep your response short. The shorter your email, the easier it is to deal with! If it’s really short and sweet, the other person will act on it right away.

‘Try to make every technology-related contribution about one thing: how is this going to save anyone any time or money? After all, the only reason we use computers at work is to save time or money. So how does it do that?

‘Always use your own words when describing what your client does. Use short simple words. If you use jargon you don’t understand, it just sounds like you’re copying someone’s homework. Don’t assume the other person knows what all these acronyms mean!

‘And if you’re responding to Nick Booth, send him some sort of bribe…’

Martina Mercer, editor of Sunday Woman and The Consumer Voice, freelance journalist, PR and author
‘Always use the journalist’s name and make sure you get it right.

‘Another tip I have that is quite controversial (but is the way I run my business on the PR and marketing side of things, due to having insight from a journalist perspective) is DON’T copy and paste press releases, emails, etc. The journalist knows you’re doing this. They want someone to take the time to respond – to read the entire journalist alert and to construct a bespoke reply. Pasting may seem like a good idea, and a way to respond to many at a time, but for the bigger newspapers and magazines, it’ll just come across as a little insulting. I like to construct a bespoke pitch for every journalist I talk to. I know most of them now, and usually have conversations with them about life and events anyhow, so a copy paste affair would seem a little strange, too.

‘Always offer more, my one rule – go beyond the book. They’d like images, offer a sample, too.

‘Always be grateful. It astounds me how many PR companies will cut contact with the journalist once they have their client featured. Don’t have an attitude or think you have the power in this situation, as you don’t. The journalist holds all the cards and should be treated as such. They are the ones that will make sure you get paid and will make sure you get results. You don’t have to brown nose, but you do have to appreciate this fact. I once had a PR company who scolded me for writing just two lines about their product and for it being at the end of an article. I wasn’t even keen on the product but included it as she badgered. She saw the article then sent an email to say. “It’s not worth it, forget it, you just added it at the end.” I blocked her email, blocked the company and anyone she represented and made a point of never ever recommending them again.

‘I’d like to say try not to nag, but in all seriousness, I receive so many responses to journalist alerts, hundreds at a time, that sometimes I need a good nagging. The phone can ring while I’m reading a pitch and it’s lost forever, so do follow up with me; do ask.

‘If I can name names of great PRs, I’d like to say that those representing Ritter Sport (who sent me the most wonderful Christmas gift and didn’t expect anything in return), Haribo (who keep us stocked on their latest releases) and Lush do it right.’

Sign up for a demo of the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service here.

For more on forming lasting connections with the UK media, here is more advice on responding to enquiries, reasons to give the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service a try before delving into #JournoRequest on Twitter, and even more tips from journalists.

Rob Baney

PR Interview: Rob Baney, senior sport & brand communications executive for The Playbook

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One of Vuelio’s main objectives is to help comms professionals and teams streamline processes to allow them to focus their time and efforts on key priorities and projects. In a highly demanding industry, it’s not solely a case of time management that creates a successful environment but a line-up of multiple factors. We caught up with Rob Baney, senior sport & brand communications executive at The Playbook, a leading communications agency working with a range of global brands, to discuss life as an agency PR professional in 2022.

What have you been working on lately?

It’s been a busy start to 2022 at The Playbook… A couple of highlights: helping NFL UK fans celebrate Super Bowl the British way, including Greg James’ hilarious Superb Owl segment on Radio 1 with The NFL Show pundits Jason Bell and Osi Umenyiora – nothing beats British humour. And heading out to Abu Dhabi in January to support the DP World Tour on the ground with local comms for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, where Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny swapped Warner Bros. World for the first Rolex Series event of the year.

Has this project been typical of the last 6-12 months?

In the past 12 months, I wouldn’t say anything has been ‘typical’ – projects have changed, and continually change… I felt like I became an expert on UK covid testing and entry requirements ahead of a LaLigaTV press trip to Barcelona last autumn, but that’s all redundant now. Since the turn of the year and even in the past month I’d say it’s become more ‘normal’ and its exciting to be doing events again. One good example of this was our Sunday with LaLiga where we packed out the Sports Bar & Grill for an ElClasico watch party – it was great to see the passions of fans back in person.

How important is maintaining a good work/outside-work balance for employee wellbeing?

It’s vital. I recently managed to get away to the Cheltenham Festival for a couple of days and had a great time. I went to university in Cheltenham and I always enjoy going back there to catch up with old mates. There are few better places than Cheltenham in race week.

I’d say a good work/life balance is now more important than ever, with everything work-related being an app click away. When you enjoy your work, checking emails and Teams can actually get quite addictive, so it’s very important to force yourself to switch off. Although you might trick yourself otherwise, you do need the break.

How has the pandemic impacted your work?

It’s impacted us massively. In all aspects of our job. Obviously, there were times where in-person activations weren’t feasible and while virtual calls served a purpose, there are some opportunities that are far more effective face-to-face, so we’ve had to adapt throughout to service our clients. Having said that, it’s also streamlined a lot of processes and there are a lot of benefits to Zoom (aside from the Hawaiian beach backgrounds).

As we look ahead to the rest of 2022, what trends do you see coming up?

The world is already opening up, and physical activations will come back in full. But it’s virtually we’ll see the most innovation. We recently had a workshop with an expert on all things Crypto, NFTs and the Metaverse. And it’s the latter of these I see real potential for brands activating in this year… Lots have already jumped in to the ‘Metaverse’ and I expect more and more to do the same. I’m no way the expert but the way I try to explain it to friends is it’s like a hybrid of The Sims, Rollercoaster Tycoon & GTA (without the crime); creating your own The Sims-like dream world like, building your entertainment offering Rollercoaster Tycoon-style, and then having you and your mates explore this world in the best clothes and with the coolest car, like your character in GTA. Pardon the pun, but there’s literally a whole other world out there…

How do you plan to handle extra demand as business grows?

We’re an agile agency and we’ve got a wider group who can support immediate needs. We take pride in our very successful always-on internship programme where we give on-the-job training to anyone with a willingness to learn, no experience or degree needed. We often have exciting projects come in and have a whole roster of experienced and trusted freelancers to call upon. When we need someone senior in permanent role, we have a thorough recruitment process to choose through the talented applicants. We are always on the lookout for the best talent.

Within your specific role, what have been your major learnings over the last few years?

One of our core values at The Playbook is to ‘Never Settle’ and I think this is something I consider on a daily basis. There’s a lot of excellent projects we work on, but I’m always thinking: how could we make it better, could we have been more efficient, was the messaging strong enough, could we have had better imagery. There’s lots of different ways to tell a story, and our job is always to tell that in the most compelling way possible.

What are the greatest day-to-day challenges for agency PRs? 

Time – isn’t it for everyone? Managing your time is so important, we’re always working to tight deadlines, so you need to have a good handle on your time and your colleague’s time so we can achieve everything we want.

With such a large and varied client base, how do you manage multiple relationships and campaigns?

It sounds cheesy but communication is key. If we’ve got an event on for one client on a certain day and we’ve a clash with another client deadline, then being upfront and honest is the best approach. They trust us to do our job, and they know we have other clients to service.

PR is playing a more important role in the wider conversation around ESG and CSR – how will this impact your clients?

If there are compelling and interesting ESG or CSR stories to tell, then we’ll be the first to consult our clients and help tell them in the best way possible. I can’t stress enough the importance of doing something purposeful, without this it’s opening yourself up for criticism. Brands should want to help society, and without getting to deep, in a capitalist world where profits rule, there’s plenty of value for clients to put resources towards helping people.

How are client strategies changing with regards to the current climate?

Usually I’d say strategies are often based off performance, so if performances are strong the strategy will remain similar but ‘let’s do that bigger and better’. Having said that, I’ve noticed a lot more clients including influencer activation in their briefs. Previously, this was always a proactive suggestion from PRs, and some clients didn’t have the capacity to truly consider how content creators could fit in to their existing strategies and help them achieve their business objectives. It’s refreshing that influencers are central to business strategy, and it’s good to see the agile influencer tool we’ve developed over several years getting more and more use. As the influencer space continues to morph and change with creators becoming established outlets our tool anticipates this, so we can identify the best creators for different projects, and we continue to grow relationships in this space to help us forge the strongest content and achieve the client’s desired outcomes.

And finally… there have been some mixed England performances out in the West Indies over the last few weeks. What do you think is the most important change that needs to be made to ensure the team are capable of regaining The Ashes next year?

Fundamentally, we need a team that’s going to bat for time (the runs will come), which they have in the West Indies, albeit on flat pitches. We need to learn to grit it out when the going gets tough… too often has that batting order folded like a pack of cards. I never thought two of the world’s all-time best Test bowlers in Broad and Anderson were the issue, but that’s a debate for another day. If we’re to regain the Ashes, we need four or five established batters to support Root, and if a quality spinner were to emerge, that would be the icing on the cake.

Connect with Rob Baney via Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Omkar Khot sits in Vuelio’s new business team, specialising in PR & Public Affairs across enterprises. Connect here. 

For more on trends in PR and comms this year, check out our round-up of insight from industry thought leaders to help with your content and campaign planning. 

How business comms can help fight fake news

How business comms can help with the fight against fake news

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This is a guest post from Laura Morelli, UK Head of media at Semrush.

Trust is rapidly becoming a vanishing commodity. So says this year’s Edelman Trust Barometer, a long running gauge of belief in government, media and other prominent societal markers. The decline in media trust in particular is especially striking, dropping 13 percentage points over the last year to just over one in five people believing in the credibility of media brands.

The survey cites a widespread and growing concern about the dissemination of fake news and false information as reasons for this shift. Despite major media outlets investing significantly in fact checking functions and seeking to redress the inaccurate spread of information, it seems the public feels this isn’t enough to stem the tide. Of course, if media outlets cannot address these concerns, public trust in their output may never recover.

Businesses face the same challenge. While few would expect corporate entities to hold impartial views, consumer purchase power rests increasingly in their ability to demonstrate a matching set of values. The same study found that some 52% of people in the UK buy or advocate for brands which mirror their values, a metric rooted in belief that those values are being translated into positive action.

Communications professionals are then placed into a similar situation as the media – how to keep their narratives rooted in fact. This is particularly key when targeting younger demographics who have grown up under the shadow of fake news and risk essentially being trained to question all information from sources, both official and otherwise. We live in a time where we will continue to see a flood of opinion, false theories and fake news spread so easily online. According to new research from Semrush, UK online searches for ‘fake news’ regularly occur an average of over 12,000 times per month. We are also seeing the wider public become increasingly aware of what they are consuming. The term ‘How to spot a fake news story’ increased by 50% over the last 4 years. Searches for ‘fake news examples’ are up by 60% during the same period.

While fake news is insidious, one of the best tools to fight its spread is clear and irrefutable proof points and sources. Indicators of online misinformation or disinformation are often discovered in poor, single source references, or unsubstantiated platforms. Fake news counts on time poor readers being unwilling (potentially because the content plays into their own beliefs or opinions) or unable to sense check efficiently. This is also why reputable news organisations have invested so significantly in data journalism – a technique which comms providers should highly encourage.

Businesses may not recognise that they have access to a bigger data toolkit now than ever before to help substantiate their claims. While citations about business efficiencies and product efficacy must come from within R&D departments and internal data, there are well known external sources on offer for building consumer confidences. The internet is one of the most powerful research tools ever, and just a peek into search data can lend greater insights into consumer motivations, trends, and opinions. This can not only be used strategically to support business direction and decision making, but tactically to support content marketing initiatives too.

Fake news and misinformation online may be hard to stop – but it’s not impossible to keep fighting. And the tools you use to do so may just help improve consumer perceptions of your business and its purpose still further. Trust may seem at times to be a vanishing commodity, but savvy businesses can stop the slide, and potentially boost their brands in the process. It is increasingly essential that businesses deploy similar journalistic rigour to their branded storytelling. This is just as applicable to citing reputable sources and using data to shape narratives as much as it is for gaining those backlinks.

For more on the impact comms can have on the fight against fake news, check out this guest post from Sidekick PR’s Charlotte Dimond on how PR can stop the spread of misinformation. and well as our previous ResponseSource webinar with Polis, FactCheckNI and The Ferret, Facts, fakes and fast news. 

PRCA LGBTQ+ Network

PRCA relaunches its LGBTQ+ Network

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The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has relaunched its LGBTQ+ Network with a focus on supporting the PR and comms industry to ‘show up’ for the LGBTQ+ community.

Originally launched two and a half years ago in partnership with YouGov, the PRCA’s LGBTQ+ group has held events, conducted cross-industry research into how sexual identity can impact work and highlighted LGBTQ+ role models in PR and comms. The group’s relaunch as a network includes the introduction of volunteers to boost positive impact across the industry when it comes to inclusivity.

Plans for the network include the sharing of resources and learning materials for reference, accessible events, commentary and discussion of important LGBTQ+ matters and new Role Models blogs.

The LGBTQ+ Network is led by Hill+Knowlton Strategies senior associate director Emma Franklin-Wright and Good Vibes Only Talent founder Katie Traxton.

PRCA LGBTQ+ Network Co-Chair Emma Franklin-Wright said:

‘As communications professionals we can have so much influence on the public narratives around LGBTQ+ people. At a time when we are increasingly under attack from the media it is so important for us to give as many people in our industry as possible the tools to create positive representation in our work, and to give agency leaders the resources to create inclusive workplaces. Having a refreshed network to deliver on those goals is vital and having so many new volunteers coming together to deliver this important work is truly energising.’

PRCA LGBTQ+ Network Co-Chair Katie Traxton added:

‘Having the backing of the PRCA to relaunch the group means a lot. Over the last two and half years, we’ve learnt about the ongoing challenges of equality, opportunity and representation that the LGBTQ+ community still face both in workplaces and the work we do. Now it’s time for us to invest our energy in catalysing real change. We know that progress is likely to be gradual, but we have a great group of people working with us and we want PRCA members to get involved, share their thoughts, and ultimately join us on our mission. The more of us who work together, both members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies, the more impact we will make.’

Committee members for the PRCA LGBTQ+ Network are:

Gian Marco Candolo (Senior Account Executive, Cicero)
Nina Eadie (Head of Lifestyle PR, Keko London)
Stephanie Ensten (Partner Manager, Mercedes EQ Formula E Team)
Sinead McGeever (Account Director, FleishmanHillard)
Will Richardson (Associate Director, TEAM LEWIS)
Lex Rosenthal (Account Manager, TALA)
Michela Siuni (Marketing and Communications Manager, I.G. Advisors)
Myles Storey (Campaigns Manager – Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, O2)
Jonathan Sullivan (Account Executive, Brazil)
James Treacy (Senior PR and Communications Manager, Abercrombie & Kent)
Josh Wheeler (Broadcast PR Specialist)

For more information on the network and how to get in touch, check out the PRCA website.

Check out our previous accessmatters sessions on inclusion in the media, PR and comms industries with Proud FT’s Cassius Naylor, the Social Mobility Foundation’s Sarah Atkinson and The Unmistakable’s Asad Dhunna. 

Are PR and marketing a comms power couple?

Do PR and marketing make a perfect comms couple?

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Public relations and marketing – two interlinked comms functions whose connection has been under debate for years. Since at least the 1970s, in fact, according to Stephen Waddington, who led our latest webinar on the subject, ‘PR & Marketing: The Ultimate Power Couple?’.

Sign up to watch the webinar. 

‘In researching our ‘Trends in the integration of marketing and public relations’ white paper, I found a piece from 1978 highlighting how the two functions should work together. That relationship in the headline is always going to be situational depending on size and scale, but there’s one thing that’s certain; this debate has been going on for 50 years and will keep going.’

Download the white paper ‘Trends in the integration of marketing and public relations’.

If this is a conversation that hasn’t yet started at your organisation, whether you’re working in-house or agency-side, take advice from Stephen, Mastercard‘s Suman Hughes and Hotwire Global‘s Tara O’Donnell shared during the webinar to consider the benefits of bringing your PR and marketing functions closer together.

Is this a debate for everyone?
As pointed out by Stephen, the CEOs, customers and celebrities that PR and marketing teams serve won’t really care so much about what is integrated and what isn’t – what matters is that the results are good. Who it is important for is those working towards the results, who have had to weave key messaging and strategy, such as ESG, into every aspect of their planning and actions over the last few years.

‘The pandemic has led to a reappraisal of organisations,’ believes Stephen. ‘Teams need to work together to understand their business’ place in the market and in wider society.’

‘An idea can start from anywhere’ – Mastercard’s Suman Hughes on the in-house perspective
On taking on her current role as Mastercard’s director of communications, UK, Suman Hughes joined a comms team already integrated. PR and marketing work closely together to communicate the brand’s message to its global audience and worldwide workforce and this connection aids every part of their strategy and execution.

‘Working as one team means offering a single unified voice. Whether it’s marketing, comms, public policy, HR, accounts, it all comes back to our employees and them as brand ambassadors – we talk as one, as Mastercard.

‘Integration means we can pool our resources and break down silos to make the most of what we have, making the biggest impact for our stakeholder groups and audiences.

‘It’s a global model that we run – not just across our international team, but across all our agency groups, too – we approach every piece of work this way, from paid, owned and earned. An idea can start from anywhere and become a campaign that’s holistic. It’s a level playing field and it makes it super-interesting for me to do my job.’

‘It’s all about business impact’ – Hotwire Global’s Tara O’Donnell on the agency perspective
‘In teams that have integrated marketing and PR, it’s all about business impact and how you measure it. When companies work in this way, it is more efficient, but depends on the organisation.

‘When companies had to go into ‘protect revenue’ mode in 2020, we realised that many were struggling because traditional marketing channels had shut down. Our comms clients, maybe for the first time, were tasked with having business impact – everyone in their organisations were tasked with improving business results. That’s what led us to look at what we do and evolve it to impact reputation along with revenue.

‘We’ve found it’s an incredible marriage; reputation to revenue resonates across the board. If you’re talking to a comms client about thought leadership – you’ve based it on insight about an audience they’re trying to reach; you should do that with your marketing anyway. You can use that insight all the way through the pipeline.

Is integrating PR and marketing for you?
‘It’s a really natural progression of using what you’re already creating to have different impact,’ says Tara.

‘The value to clients is really simple to show; our comms clients will understand it and our marketing teams do, too. It’s not necessary that they always work together, but we can show that there will be business impact when they do.

‘From a comms point-of-view, to be able to go to the business and show how you’ve impacted revenue… that ability to show value is incredible.’

‘Give it a go!’ says Suman. ‘If you’re really clear on your business objectives, you’ll all be pulling in the same direction’.

Watch the fullPR & Marketing: The Ultimate Power Couple? webinar here for more on integrating your comms functions.

The white paper, ‘Trends in the integration of marketing and public relations’ , can be downloaded here.