Claire Gould and cat

Wedding Blogger Spotlight: Claire Gould, The English Wedding Blog

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Since the fateful November morning when wedding calligrapher Claire Gould found herself with some free time and decided to buy a domain name, The English Wedding Blog has found faithful readers and supportive photographers and vendors across the wedding scene.

In love with the happiness of the industry, Claire is devoted to helping couples plan their dream wedding. As big days were delayed by the pandemic this year, the blogger shares what advice she’d give to those who’ve had to rethink and reorganise their upcoming nuptials and whether she believes marriage will continue to be a constant in the future.

What keeps you passionate about wedding blogging?
There’s a lot of love in weddings (obvs!) and it spills over into my life, I think! I love the happiness of it all, and I’m fiercely proud of the UK wedding industry. I love my role of matchmaking couples with their dream wedding suppliers, and that’s the best thing about this job. Right now, with weddings being postponed and the industry suffering so badly, it’s even more important to me to keep blogging and support everyone as much as I possibly can – and in a positive and uplifting way!

Claire Gould

What originally got you into writing about it?
I have my own wedding business: I write calligraphy when I’m not blogging. So, one November morning when I had no wedding orders to write with my dippy ink pens, I decided to buy a domain name. Things snowballed from there! The support I’ve had from the very beginning from photographers and other vendors has been amazing. My blog has a life of its own now!

How have you had to change your approach to blogging, or your content, during the COVID-19 crisis?
I’ve had to plan way in advance, with the knowledge that there won’t be many weddings this year, so finding content isn’t going to be easy. I’ve been filling my editorial calendar like a demon (we’ve daily posts scheduled now until October, already!) and I now consider my main job role to be ‘emailer’.

What are the main pieces of advice you’d give to couples whose big day has been delayed by lockdown?
I’d just give them a hug. It must be the worst thing, to have such a big, happy (and expensive) event postponed. But that’s the key: postpone, don’t cancel. Think what’s important to you: getting married as soon as you can, or having everyone there to see you get married. A wedding is a party: it’s perfectly fine to get married quietly with a couple of witnesses, and celebrate with a massive wedding (if that’s your thing) months later.

Weirdest/coolest/most unusual wedding theme you’ve seen?
Surprise weddings are my favourite. I’ve featured a few which started out as christenings, then the bride nipped out for a moment and came back into the church with a bunch of flowers and a new dress. The reactions are AMAZING. One time the groom stayed in jeans, and he still looked cool as anything. I love intimate weddings, with close family – the atmosphere just has a zing you don’t see in massive celebrations. Having said that – the Asian weddings we’ve featured, and the Jewish weddings, have the most incredible party atmosphere every single time. It’s all about the joy, and no matter what ’theme’ you choose, ultimately it comes down to off-the-scale happiness, captured beautifully by brilliant photographers!

What’s the most you’ve seen someone spend on their wedding day, and the least?
I don’t like to ask for specifics when it comes to wedding budgets. We’ve featured village hall celebrations, and massive country estate weddings. One had a helicopter – I remember, because a photographer who’s a friend was so excited he got to ride in it with the bride and groom! Creativity is more important than budget for me – and being yourselves. We’ve featured some super stylish registry office and pub weddings which are easily as perfect as the big country hotel ones!

Have you noticed interest in getting married waning or becoming more popular with couples again since you started blogging?
It’s a constant. People will always want to get married – it’s the hows and wheres that change. We see more elopements now (which I love!) and lots of barn weddings. Styles change but folks will always fall in love and want to share it with the world. And weddings are super happy occasions full of fun and love and laughter – they look brilliant and make for amazing blog content!

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I work with UK wedding photographers, planners and stylists, florists, venues, cake designers and stationers… all wedding brands and small businesses. It’s those little independent business owners I love working with most: they’re absolutely passionate about what they do, and it’s really exciting to work together. They’re also really lovely humans and creative souls. I’d rather work with small brands for a smaller advertising fee than with corporates for big money – my heart and soul is with the little guys!

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
Our content has to be unique, inspiring and visually powerful. Wedding blogs are driven by beautiful imagery: that’s key to any feature we publish. And rather than focusing on products, we have a lifestyle focus: so, collaborations with a bunch of wedding businesses (photoshoots for example) are a great way to start! I’m easily swayed by gorgeous photography, though – send me photos of amazing bouquets or modern wedding cake designs and I’m all yours!

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether wedding-related or not)?
I have quite eclectic taste! So – I’ve been a blogger for a LONG time and I’ve always loved reading Wonky Words – Scarlet’s posts are genius. I love the Calligraphy Masters vlog as well. Oh, and Master of Malt (I’m a whisky girl). Rebel Recipes is another fave. Most of the people I follow are wedding photographers, and I read too many of their blogs to name! The best are sprinkled with personal stories as well as work stuff – my favourite thing is finding out people’s weird habits and guilty pleasures. Oh, and seeing photos of their cats!

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When brands take a stand

From sports stars and shirts to supermarkets: when brands take a stand

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‘Go woke, go broke,’ is how a spokesperson from the Laurence Fox-launched Reclaim Party chose to summarise the social media dust-up that followed Sainsbury’s tweet on inclusivity last week. With the reminder to shoppers of their opportunity to shop elsewhere if they so wish, the #BoycottSainsburys hashtag got a lot of use by those happy (though, many don’t sound particularly happy…) to take the store up on its offer. But will the company’s stand on diversity really result in fewer sales?

Whether taking a stand on politics, social justice or who you welcome as customers is too risky a choice, or a good investment for longer-term loyalty, is a decision every brand, big or small, has to make in 2020. While brands wading in on politics may be a step too far for some – 56% of consumers prefer their brands not to, according to the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer – accountability is increasingly being demanded from businesses and politicians, just as it is from family and friends. Accenture’s 2018 Global Consumer Pulse Research tells us that 62% want companies to take a stand on issues they are passionate about. Edelman’s 2018 Earned Brand Study also found that 64% of consumers choose to avoid or boycott brands based on their stance on societal issues that are important to them.

In this climate of accountability, big brands are taking the gamble of going beyond cause-related marketing mainstays like teaming up with favoured charities, and making major business decisions centred on ethics. The Fred Perry clothing brand recently made it very clear that its ‘association’ with the far-right Proud Boys group in the US is a ‘frustrating’ one, asserting that its laurel wreath instead represents ‘inclusivity, diversity and independence’. Ben & Jerry’s has been successfully taking public stances on political and social issues for years, well-known for its long history of social activism and ice-cream flavour launches with celebrity (and, on film, a superhero) namesakes for charitable causes.

Even brands not known for their politics or moral stances are taking the step towards matters of social justice – Gillette’s The Best Men Can Be advert took the harms of toxic masculinity as its focus instead of the effectiveness of its blades, and went viral at the start of the year. Nike’s gamble on its ‘Believe in something’ ad campaign with former NFL player Colin Kaepernick reportedly made the company $6 billion since its launch in 2018.

For Nike co-founder Phil Knight, the threats of boycott that followed the advert from certain sections of the public wasn’t enough for the company to rethink – taking a stand is more important than that: ‘It doesn’t matter how many people hate your brand as long as enough people love it. You can’t be afraid of offending people. You can’t try and go down the middle of the road. You have to take a stand on something.’

And there’s no going back now – brands making their stance on politics and societal issues is more and more important for consumers, particularly among younger demographics. 83% of Millennials (who, arguably, maybe aren’t so young anymore…) say it’s important for the companies they buy from to align with their beliefs and values, according to the 5WPR 2020 Consumer Culture Report. And 76% of actual young people answering the DoSomething Strategic’s 2018 Survey of Young People and Social Change said they have purchased or would consider purchasing a brand or product to show support for the issues it aligns itself with.

Wherever you’ll be choosing to shop for the foreseeable, the ice-cream, shirts, razors and sports stuff you buy have certain values assigned to them now. So, which values do you want your brand to be known for?

Food and drink writers

How to pitch to food and drink writers

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Not just for Christmas (though the lead-up to Christmas feasting is a very busy time for them), food and drink journalists are snowed under all year round with restaurant launches and closures, introducing their audience to emerging food trends, typing up recipes for their readers to try and recommending seasonal ingredients and produce for meals, snacks and all-round sustenance.

Over the last month alone, almost a thousand journalists from national and regional newspapers, consumer and trade magazines, websites and blogs have sent out food and drink-related requests to PRs via the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service. With certain produce hard to get hold of in lockdown, and restaurants under extreme pressure to survive, writers in the sector have had to switch their focus and find new ways to feature food and tempt in their readers.

Here are five recommendations and requests from food and drink writers for how you can help keep them fed with relevant contributions.

1. News of reopenings and seasonal pitches should always be on the menu
‘With everything still a bit up in the air at the moment, I’m very interested to hear about stories of restaurants re-opening/doing different things, ultimately continuing to thrive against all odds. Or at least trying to. The same goes for brands.

‘Given the nature of most of my work being online, I don’t tend to even start thinking about Christmas content until at least mid-October, unless it’s very time crucial, or for a feature that requires lots of planning.’

Jonathan Hatchman is the food and drink editor at The London Economic and covers topics including restaurants openings, reviews, food news and trends.

2. Pitches should be seasoned to individual taste
‘Tailor your approach to each journalist and give up scattergun press releases (unless you’ve got a product launch or similar). I know it’s time consuming, but it’s worth it. 99% of approaches I get are generic emails written by someone who has no idea what I write about. So, for example, I write a lot for The Telegraph, which has a clearly defined demographic and very specific sections – you have to do your research and suggest an idea that might work for one of those sections. Time invested in this is well worth it – and aim it at me. Newspapers love to know they’re the only ones who will have that angle – if I say no, move on.

‘I need a story not a topic. “Woman runs sourdough baking classes” (a press release I received recently) isn’t a story. There has to be an angle, something fresh and ideally newsworthy; why is she interesting? What makes her perfect for my publication? What makes her different to other people giving baking classes?

‘Consider pitching the product/person as part of a broader trend piece and again, do some research. I once wrote a great piece for The Guardian about plant milks (at the time, they were quite new) and their booming popularity. The PR backed up her pitch with statistics, examples of plant milks, and suggested using the person behind ‘her’ brand as an expert commentator for the piece. This pitch worked really well, and gave her brand exposure when they would never have commanded a piece purely devoted to them.’

Sue Quinn is a food writer and journalist regularly contributing to publications including The Daily Telegraph’s Saturday supplement, The Guardian, delicious. and The Washington Post. Find out more about her work on her website penandspoon.com.

3. Emailing first is still a recipe for success
‘I personally find email the best way method of contact, as you can get all the info in one place and it’s much better – DMing on social media is an easy way for me to miss it, which is unfortunate. If a PR has a great idea that they need inspiration for, or they know what they want already, I am up for having a chat to see if it will work!’

Jane Dunn blogs about baking at Jane’s Patisserie – read more about her work in this Blogger Spotlight interview.

4. Like good food, good pitches need time
‘Unless it’s completely irrelevant, I’m open to hearing about most things, but please do bear in mind that journalists receive a huge amount of emails. I do try to reply to all pitches (even those “Hi XXXX/[insert first name]” emails), but it takes time. Unless it’s super urgent, please don’t chase me within 24 hours or so of sending the initial email. Everybody has a different system, but I work backwards[?] so a quick follow up will just push the original email to the back of the queue.

‘Also, quite importantly: on behalf of all journalists and editors, please, please, please refrain from sending passive-aggressive ALL CAPS FOLLOW UPS. It won’t make us reply any quicker. I promise.’

Jonathan Hatchman

5. Ensure your ingredients are right (does this serving need to be vegan, gluten-free, etc.?)
‘PRs can happily contact me via the contact form on my website, which will land straight in my inbox. Of course, the one caveat is that the product has to be gluten-free. I do get emails asking me to collaborate, then I find out that the product isn’t right for me.

‘I’m passionate about food photography, but I love creating recipe tutorial videos over on my YouTube channel, too. So, either works for me!’

Becky Excell is a baking blogger sharing gluten-free food ideas and photography. Read more in her Blogger Spotlight.

Louise-Baltruschat-Hollis

Blogger Spotlight: Louise Baltruschat Hollis, Whimsical Wonderland Weddings

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Louise Baltruschat Hollis started Whimsical Wonderland Weddings after becoming ‘hooked’ on the industry, the community ‘and all the loveliness’ ten years ago and her relationship with blogging is still going strong.

Getting to tell the stories of couples planning their big day and beginning their married lives together is a privilege this blogger loves – read on for her advice to couples who’ve had to delay their day and ideas for whimsical and wonderful wedding themes.

What keeps you passionate about wedding blogging?
The stories. I am such a romantic at heart and love hearing how couples create the beginning of their marriage together by celebrating their wedding. There are always so many personal ideas and heartfelt touches that constantly inspire. The best part has to be when I get to feature WWW reader weddings and they say how the blog has helped them to shape their day. It’s an awesome feeling.

What originally got you into writing about it?
I started WWW ten years ago now, when I was planning my own wedding. I became hooked on the wedding industry, the community and totally fell in love with all the loveliness.

How have you had to change your approach to blogging, or your content, during the COVID-19 crisis?
I had to take a three-month schedule reduction to manage home schooling my little boys. I offered all of our current sponsors free advertising during this time to help support them as many of them are small businesses, too. It’s been tough and I hope that the wedding industry will recover well when the pandemic is over. I have done a few helpful blog features for our readers surrounding COVID-19 and weddings as well as a live Instagram Q+A session, which is now on IGTV, too.

Louise-Baltruschat-Hollis

What are the main pieces of advice you’d give to couples whose big day was delayed by lockdown?
Hang on in there and don’t panic. Your wedding will happen, it just may be delayed, but boy will the wait be worth it. Contact all of your suppliers individually to discuss, also contact your insurer directly to see if you are covered, and how, financially. Also consider having a 30-person ceremony now and partying later; we did something similar for our own wedding and it was magical.

Weirdest/coolest/most unusual wedding theme you’ve seen?
Oh, this is a tough question! I have featured over 3000 real wedding features on our site – I adore each and every one of them and they are all so unique. I always love a Harry Potter-themed wedding, which I have shared a few of (I am a big fan of the books, myself). Oh, and rainbow, colourful celebrations too, with lots of DIY decorations!

Have you noticed interest in getting married waning or becoming more popular with couples again since you started blogging?
To be honest, I don’t think I have noticed any change here, BUT I have definitely noticed how different weddings have become. In 2010, unusual, unique and creative weddings were few and far between. They were much more tradition led. Now, so many more couples are ditching the rule book and making their day personal to them, whether that’s getting married outdoors or eloping. Anything really does go.

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I have collaborated with some amazing sponsors, who I have been so lucky to work with. From small UK indie artisans to large worldwide brands, and they all bring so many different products or services to the wedding industry. I always work with brands who make my heart sing and who I know will resonate with my readers.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
Email is the best way to reach me. Send over your website link, social channel links and your reviews page – if I feel we are a fit to work together, I can send over my media pack and rates card.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether wedding-related or not)?
I follow hundreds of photography blogs, most of which are wedding photographers. I also follow some pro wedding blogs which have great tips for bloggers.

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Lorna Burford

Fashion Blogger Spotlight: Lorna Burford, Raindrops of Sapphire

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Finding happiness and an interest in fashion is what spurred Lorna Burford to start blogging around ten years ago and what keeps her passionate about the subject. Much has changed in the sector since the launch of Raindrops of Sapphire, way beyond the materials, colours and cuts of clothes – Lorna shares how she had to adapt her approach this year, what she thinks of the rise of sustainable fashion and whether the fashion industry is doing enough to be inclusive.

What initially drew you to blogging about fashion and what keeps your interest?
In all honesty, it was my passion and something I found happiness and interest in. It became something I obsessed over and I figured having an online personal space to share that passion with other like-minded people was a good idea. That was ten years ago now! It started more as a personal fashion journal and it grew from there.

Lorna Burford

How have you had to change your approach to blogging, or your content, during the COVID-19 crisis?
It’s been really tough. I actually took a lot of time off from it during the pandemic due to personal reasons too, but I lost a lot of work and wasn’t able to model, so adapting content was tougher. Throwbacks and roundups, and personal entries became more prominent.

Do you think the move away from ‘fast fashion’ will continue post-lockdown?
Yeah, I do. I actually think it will continue long into the future and be a thing that’s standard in years to come. More sustainable pieces. But it’s tricky because everyone loves a trend and a bargain.

If you had to pick a character from film/TV/literature who embodies your style, who would it be?
Maybe Ashley Benson in Pretty Little Liars. Or Hilary Duff in Younger.

What’s the least you’ve spent on an item of clothing/an accessory that you love?
I think it might be my western faux leather belt that I got from ASOS for about £12! I wear that a lot!

Top tips for updating/bringing new life to an old outfit?
This can always be tough, so I find it’s usually all about the accessories. A different belt, some jewellery, different bag, etc. and it looks like a brand new outfit! Accessories are key to reviving and giving life to outfits.

Is the fashion industry doing enough to be more inclusive?
Absolutely; I think it’s actually one of the leaders, compared to any other industry.

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I love to work with brands that are close to my style and ethics, as well as brands that are a household name. I enjoy mostly doing modelling collaborations and styling, however, I really enjoy other opportunities, like the Clark’s Village trip I did.
For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
Personalised emails are usually my favourite. The PR needs knowledge on who they’re contacting (blanket emails are cold) and need to show a genuine interest in your work for a relationship to build.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether fashion-related or not)?
Brooklyn Blonde, and I used to check Cupcakes & Cashmere, but the content there changed a lot and went more political, so I’m not as interested. I also like Mariannan, but she rarely posts these days, unfortunately. I don’t tend to follow a lot of bloggers anymore as I’ve found a lot focus mostly on social media and instant content, more than planned blog content.

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The R Word

PRCA UK National Conference 2020: solving the PR industry’s ‘R word’ problem

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This year’s PRCA UK National Conference took place last Thursday as a virtual event and explored topics including Ethnic Equality and Inclusion, Brands Doing Good, and Thrive and Survive – all part of its PR as a Force for Positive Change theme.

PR’s history (and continuing issues) with inequality when it comes to who gets to the top of agency hierarchies, and who makes up the majority of its workforce, was the focus of the panel ‘The “R” Word. Finally, time to tackle racism in PR and Communications’. Chaired by PRCA Race & Ethnicity Equity Chair and Director of Brownstone Communications’ Barbara Phillips, the discussion featured advice for best practice from ENGINE’s Ete Davies, Kantar’s Mandy Rico, John Doe’s Magin Trewhella and BAME Recruitment’s Cynthia Davis. Recent Board of Directors’ appointee Rax Lakhani also followed the panel with a brief update from the PRCA Diversity Network.

‘We know that we can’t tackle the whole thing with one panel. But we can break it down,’ is how Barbara opened the discussion, with data highlighted as a starting point for pinpointing problems and creating benchmarks.

Ete Davies shared how data is only the start of the journey to true inclusion: ‘In truth, we’re still on a journey to be representative within ENGINE. The last seven months, particularly after the exposure the media gave to the systemic issues that ethnic minorities are experiencing, highlighted for us that the data we had wasn’t doing enough. I think there’s a lot more work to do – actually using the data to inform decisions. Driving actions, rather than just monitoring.’

On making meaningful change, Magin Trewhella explained the catalyst for inclusion commitments being made at John Doe: ‘I’ve been frustrated by a lack of diversity for a long time, practically my whole career, so one of the drivers has been to build an agency truly representative of the city where it’s based.

‘We put out a number of commitments, on recruitment, supply chains and representation in campaigns, with numbers behind them so we’re actually accountable to something. That led to us auditing everything we did. It’s provoked cultural change within the business, and that’s the work that needs to be done for something genuinely proactive and sustainable.’

‘It’s going beyond performative allyship,’ agreed Ete. ‘It’s holding yourself publicly accountable. What are you doing about your supply chain, for example? We need more of that.’

‘There’s always a challenge you have as a minority in a position of leadership, an implicit impression people can have that you got the role because of your identity, a diversity agenda, instead of your achievements,’ continued Ete regarding his role and responsibility as CEO of ENGINE.

‘There can be an impression that when you’re trying to drive change, that agenda is tied very much to your identity. Which it is, but in our industry, if we don’t have representation in our companies, we can’t do our jobs, we can’t service our clients or understand our audiences and the communities that we’re supposed to be engaging with. It’s not a political choice, it’s not even a personal choice – it’s a business decision that CEOs should be leaning into. Everyone needs to be onboard with it; it’s a strategic priority.’

BAME Recruitment’s Cynthia Davis was upfront about why she decided to start her own recruitment business: ‘I was so fed up of hearing that excuse, that “we can’t find black talent” or “there aren’t qualified people from ethnic minority backgrounds”. In this day and age, that’s lazy, and an easy excuse to not hold yourself accountable for driving change.

‘For me, the question is “why?” We have to look at the processes and systems that are in place. When people don’t see themselves represented in certain sectors or certain roles, they see it as unattainable and don’t even bother. It’s not a level playing field. This has to go further than targets and to accountability. If you’re bringing talent in, what are you doing to promote them and move them up?’

‘The “pipeline challenge” argument is one I always smile at,’ added Ete. ‘Recruiters are specifically paid to solve recruitment challenges, for businesses. This is the brief that’s given to you; it’s not good enough to come back and say, “we can’t find the people”. Look harder, or don’t claim to have the expertise. If it’s business-critical, you’ll find a way to solve it.’

On tackling systematic racism in hiring, retaining and developing talent, Ete advocated for ‘putting well-established best practice processes on recruitment and benchmarking in place. Setting representation targets that the leadership team are held accountable on. And modelling and demonstrating your values – from meetings, ways of working, and how we recognise and reward each other.’

Barbara finished the panel with a question for the PR industry: ‘Everything we’ve discussed today is valuable, but for me, the one core theme is desire – whether or not organisations want to take the step to be inclusive. You have to have a moment of introspection and think “what’s stopping me from making this work?”.’

Catch up with more from this year’s PRCA UK National Conference on the PRCA website.

PRCA

PRCA welcomes Tanya Joseph and Rax Lakhani onto its Board of Directors

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The PRCA has appointed Hill+Knowlton Strategies managing director Tanya Joseph and digital strategist Rax Lakhani to its Board of Directors.

Tanya brings experience from sectors including policy, public affairs and NGO and has previously served as director of campaigns and public policy for Nationwide as well as spending five years with Sport England leading campaigns including its ‘This Girl Can’ project.

Tanya Joseph

‘I am delighted to be joining the PRCA board at this crucial time for our sector,’ said Tanya of her appointment to the Board. ‘I look forward to working with colleagues to demonstrate how our creativity and ingenuity can play an important role as we recover from the impact of COVID-19. I will also continue to push for our sector to be more representative of the rich diversity of British society where talented people from different backgrounds feel they belong and can thrive.’

Rax has over seventeen years of experience in social media marketing and engaging online audiences, and supports agencies, public sector companies as well as consumer and b2b brands with their digital marketing strategies. He is also the chair of the PRCA Diversity Network.

Rax Lakhani

‘I am thrilled to be joining the PRCA’s Board of Directors at a time when there are so many exciting opportunities for growth in our industry,’ said Rax. ‘The PRCA has been a supportive and guiding beacon to me throughout my career and I feel honoured to sit alongside such formidable members on its Board.’

These latest additions to the PRCA Board follow changes announced in July of this year, where Kamiqua Pearce, Rimmi Shah, Ondine Whittington, Hugh Taggart and Barbara Phillips were officially appointed.

Read more about updates to the PRCA Board of Directors and our Spotlight interview with Board member Barbara Phillips.

Reinventing the office space

3 ways the office space will be reinvented in the age of COVID-19

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This is a guest post by Adam Smith, managing Director of Teamspirit.

Our lives have changed dramatically in the last few months as COVID-19 shook up our personal and working lives. For so many office workers, the home has become the office, the kitchen table the desk, the garden the new meeting room, and the five steps to the living room replacing the daily commute. While we all assumed this would be a temporary change to our lifestyles, as the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, we realised that our working lives may have pivoted for good.

While we all might be tired of hearing the phrase ‘the new normal’, it is the shift in our working patterns which is predicted to be one of the most significant changes. As the Government is now encouraging people to continue working from home where possible through the upcoming winter months, we won’t be returning to normality just yet. Now that we have acclimatised to successfully working from home, the office space has transformed, taking on a new meaning and purpose in an increasingly digital world.

What will the office look like for comms and creative professionals when it’s okay to return to the workplace? This is how we at Teamspirit expect the workplace to be reinvented…

1) Safety will come first, but efficiency is a close second
From the very start, the most important thing has been the safety of employees. This is why the workplace will look very different to what we are all used to, in order to minimise the risk of transmission and keep everyone feeling safe. Smart technology means that offices are able to better control the virus; from scanning QR codes to register when you enter the office, to temperature checks at the door. Keeping the workplace clean and clutter-free will take on a new importance. But the while the new processes may take some getting used to, it won’t compromise efficiency thanks to clever technology and clear rules.

2) Collaboration will be king
An overwhelming lesson from recent months is that, by and large, we can all get our work done efficiently and successfully from home, provided we have the right technology to support. But one of the biggest holes left from the mass exodus from the office is collaboration, which underpins everything we do. We’ve set up a group on Teams to replicate our group brainstorms, and we regularly share ideas over Zoom meetings, but it’s not quite the same as being shoulder to shoulder with peers.

Recent months have emphasised how important collaboration is in the comms and creative industry. When eventually returning to the office, we can expect to see more ‘break out’ spaces and meetings away from the desk to encourage working together more effectively when we’re in the same room. We’ll once again be able to bounce ideas off each other without dodgy WiFi and building work upsetting the flow.

3) The office will be a hub of creativity
For many of us, the kitchen table might not inspire the same creativity as being around colleagues in a busy office, despite the growing collection of house plants to keep you inspired. For the PR team, being in a newsroom means sharing headlines and jumping on opportunities the minute they’re hot off the press. When we are back in the office, this atmosphere should be cultivated with regular newspaper meetings, brainstorms and discussions to inspire work and keep us thinking imaginatively on the days that we are at home.

Concerned about an eventual move away from home working? Check out our previous post 11 ways to mentally prepare for an eventual return to the office.

GWPR Annual Index

GWPR Annual Index Survey 2020: will the progression of women PRs be slowed down by COVID-19?

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GWPR (Global Women in PR) has extended its deadline for taking part in this year’s GWPR Annual Index to 30 September. Believing that the progress of women working in the PR industry is likely to be slower as a result of the pandemic, GWPR hopes the results of the survey, the second edition of a five-year initiative, will help to identify the main barriers to progression and career development.

GWPR co-founder Susan Hardwick shares the inspiration for the index, what she’s expecting to see in the results and how agencies can better support their employees and ensure opportunities are available to all.

What originally inspired the launch of the GWPR Annual Index?
The need to benchmark changes in our global industry over a five-year period – there is no other in-depth global research of its type that highlights the role of women working in PR and communications.

Are there any particular themes/trends you’re expecting to see in the results of the 2020 Annual Index Survey?
Yes – sadly, the effect of COVID-19 has not been good for women in business.

Our recent GWPR research during the COVID-19 crisis highlighted the belief that the progress of women in the global PR and Communications industry will be significantly slower as a direct result of the pandemic.

Two in three (65%) of those surveyed believe it will take longer to close the gender pay gap, over half (52%) believe progression will slow for women reaching leadership positions and 45% feel that with the looming economic downturn, job security is a real issue.

What can every agency do to ensure women in their organisation have fair opportunities to progress?
Be aware of the need to provide the right level of training and support to avoid women leaving at mid-career level – all too often having children becomes too difficult to manage while maintaining long working hours in the office. Leadership and mentoring programmes are key to help women rise to the top roles.

What do you see as the main barriers to gender equality in the PR and comms industry?
Not having flexible work practices, lack of effective training and mentoring and agency heads not accepting that such barriers still exist in 2020!

What difficulties have you personally faced as a woman working in PR?
Luckily, I have not had any really poor experiences – some sexism in the early stages of my career but, overall, my experiences have been positive, with great leaders giving me advice and a determination to succeed!

Who are some of your PR heroines?
One of the women I have admired hugely is Barri Rafferty, for her career successes while championing, supporting and helping women reach their potential. As CEO and President of Ketchum, Barri transformed a top-five global PR firm into a leading marketing communications consultancy. Disrupting the industry with a visionary approach to business, she helped Ketchum adapt to meet the needs of the global marketplace and learn how to be successful in a new world of clicks, reviews and likes. She was the founder of the women’s leadership network at Omnicom and continues to champion women through her external directorships of mentoring and support programmes in the US.

Other women I admire are the four ladies who established Women in PR over 50 years ago without the advantage of laptops, mobile phones or the internet! They were ahead of their time in establishing one of the few professional networks for business women. As a result of their foresight, the dynamic networking organisation for senior women in the industry remains, and WPR UK continues to go from strength to strength… and it was, of course, the inspiration for establishing Global Women in PR!

Take part in the 2020 GWPR Annual Index Survey here. Results from this report will be available in the Autumn. Findings from the 2019 Annual Index can be found here.

Just Nadiene

Beauty Blogger Spotlight: Nadiene Francis, Just Nadiene

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If video chatting to friends and colleagues while sporting pjs and puffy eyes is starting to lose its appeal for you, get some tips for putting on a good face (and looking after yourself) super-quick with Nadiene Francis of Just Nadiene.

One of our top 10 UK beauty bloggers, Nadiene – ‘Although my name is spelt Nadiene, if you ever ask how to pronounce it then I will explain that it’s “just Nadine”’ – attracts readers from over 95 countries looking for selfcare and beauty advice. Learn more about this top blogger as well as her thoughts on gimmicks, cruelty-free brands and the best things about beauty.

What attracted you to beauty/grooming blogging and what keeps you passionate about it?
The thing I love about blogs is their ability to be read on-the-go and you always learn a new perspective. As a qualified Makeup Artist, I was keen to share my perspective around beauty, routines and taking care both inside and out. So JustNadiene incorporates all of these elements, including the physical and mental wellness. The main focus is always to write about things that educate around selfcare while inspiring and bringing joy.

What’s your favourite thing to post about?
Overall, my personal favourites have to be the educational posts. It’s where I will take a detailed look into something and provide a 360 review on it. A couple of examples are ones I’ve done on Vitamin C and another on blue light. Regular readers have also told me that they love the mental wellbeing educational posts. These include topics like ‘The truth about the martyr complex’ and more detailed reads.

How did you change your approach and content during lockdown?
Since the lockdown, I think we have all naturally gravitated towards the home and, for me, this is wellbeing and skincare. This is reflected in my topics which come with a refreshed variety of content.

Nadiene Francis

What selfcare or beauty advice would you give people who are unable to get out and access the new releases?
I have been converted to online shopping which is probably the same as many since lockdown. Delivery services have dramatically improved this year plus they are contact free and if you preorder, you can get new releases before anyone gets to the shops.

What tips do you have for looking good on cam during video chats for work and keeping up with friends?
First and foremost is getting natural lighting, so sitting in front of a window, where you can, is key. If it’s last minute, then consider focusing on a good base, set of brows and refreshed eyes. Going for a nice tinted moisturiser, filling in your brows and popping on some mascara as a minimum. I’d also add some tinted lip balm to complete the look.

Do you think the big beauty/grooming brands are open enough about their cruelty-free status?
It’s really nice to see that the majority of brands are really beginning to embrace the importance for us, as consumers, to have cruelty-free beauty. As a result, I feel we are seeing more celebrate their cruelty-free status in a more obvious and overt way.

What have been some of the worst ‘gimmick’ products or trends over the last few years in the sector?
The unnaturally plump lip trend is probably one I’d consider the worse. I recall a suction tool gained popularity, which looked painful to use. We’re seeing a more naturally full looks now, which is much more complimentary.

How do you collaborate with brands, and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
A key consideration when collaborating with a brand is whether I use them currently or whether it is something of significant interest to my readers. Brands I love working with have some good strong and shared values. Also, I consider their customer experience and as a collaborator, how keen they are to build long-term relationships.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
If a PR has a beauty or selfcare related product or experience which they would like featured, then feel free to send an email.

What other blogs do you check out regularly?
I love reading a range of blogs. Here’s just a selection of what I love: Memoirs & Musings for travel, Whitney’s Wonderland for fashion, This Well Planned Life for planning and organising, Brown Beauty Talk for beauty and Curiously Conscious for conscious consuming.

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CIPR Presidency

What makes a good CIPR President?

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What makes for a good CIPR President? ‘You definitely need resilience and patience and a bit of humour, too,’ says current President Jenni Field who, alongside the community she represents, has been working through a particularly challenging year. Yet alongside all the struggles of serving an industry that has been under increasing pressure, Jenni has been involved in the launch of several game-changing CIPR services and initiatives, including its Race in PR and AI in PR reports.

Now serving on the Board alongside President Elect Mandy Pearse, Jenni takes us through what goes into selecting a successor and the skills needed for the role. And for getting to know the President Elect a little better, Mandy shares why she put herself forward for the Presidency and what her aims are for the CIPR and its members through the remainder of 2020 and beyond.

What’s involved in the process of selecting a new President?
Jenni: It’s an election process at CIPR so we ask people to put themselves forward with ten nominations and a statement around what they will stand for. Sometimes there are several candidates and sometimes just one. If there are several, there is an election period and a chance for members to chat to the nominees. I’m hoping there will be a few people standing for the role for 2022!

Mandy: You need to have a passion for the profession to stand and you need to be prepared to campaign and have a clear vision. It can be challenging because there will be robust debate but that is good as long as it is conducted in a respectful manner.

Mandy, what went into deciding to put yourself forward for the Presidency?
When I was thinking about standing, I worked out how much time I could devote to the role if I was successful. I’m lucky as a business owner and freelance consultant/trainer that I can flex my business to devote enough time to the institute. I also wanted to be sure I could do a good job representing my profession to the wider world as well as delivering what members need. Former presidents have set a high bar in their commitment of time and energy to live up to.

What skills and approach make for a good CIPR President?
Jenni: I have volunteered for CIPR for a few years, so I have worked with several presidents, all of whom have brought different visions and strengths to the Institute. For me, it has been about a core focus on our members and ensuring we are doing things aligned to their needs, so I think having an approach that allows for focused activity is important. You definitely need resilience and patience and I always do things with a bit of humour, too. Empowering the team at HQ and the volunteers is also important – I’m a big fan of leading that way and it has served me well so far!

Jenni, what have you been most proud of accomplishing during your time in the role?
Well, it has been a difficult year! I’m most proud of the work we have done to come together as a team. It’s something that was important to me when I stood for the role and at our last Group Chair’s meeting it really showed me how much has changed over the years. We have launched some fantastic services for our members this year: iprovision mental health hotline, mentoring, employability hub, to name a few and we have also created more insight and support with reports into Race in PR and AI in PR. These are all things achieved by volunteers and the team at HQ so I’m just proud of what we have done together under such difficult circumstances.

What would you most like to accomplish as CIPR President, Mandy?
Three things: first, position PR with the C-suite as a strategic discipline; second, make progress on increasing diversity in the profession; and third, make CIPR more accessible to its members.

CIPR President Jenni Fields is the Director of Redefining Communications and can be found tweeting @mrsjennifield.

CIPR President Elect Mandy Pearse is the Director of Seashell Communications and can be found on Twitter @MandyPearse.

Find out more about the 2020 CIPR Board of Directors on the website here.

Besma Whayeb Curiously Conscious

Green Fashion Blogger Spotlight: Besma Whayeb, Curiously Conscious

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Sustainability is what fuels Besma Whayeb, who blogs about green issues and sustainable fashion at Curiously Conscious. If you’re curious to know how to dump fast fashion in favour of cool second-hand and vintage finds, or some small changes you can start making to become a more sustainable citizen, read more from Besma below…

What initially drew you to blogging about fashion and what keeps your interest?
I initially started blogging after moving to Paris as part of my degree, where I recognised more sustainable ways to eat and live. From my interest in food sustainability, I grew more aware of sustainability in fashion, from natural fabrics through to supporting ethical supply chains.

What’s your favourite thing to post about and why?
My current focus is on sustainable fashion, as clothes can be both visual, expressive, and also tell a story about people and planet.

How have you had to change your approach to blogging, or your content, during the COVID-19 crisis?
I feel fortunate that so much of my work is digitally-focused, so my work hasn’t changed drastically. There was certainly a change in the number of small, independent businesses I’ve been able to work with, so a lot of my focus has been on supporting those, as well as staying positive and sharing my platform with voices educating on subjects like intersectional environmentalism and Black Lives Matter.

What are some of the environmental stories/issues happening at the moment that you’d wish more people knew about? 
For a long time, I’ve focused on inspiring people to start thinking about making more sustainable choices, but I’d like to add another layer to it by thinking about being a more sustainable citizen. How we can make collective change, in the economy and politics.

Besma Whayeb

Do you think the move away from ‘fast fashion’ will continue?
I think the move away from fast fashion started prior to lockdown, and the movement grows stronger every day. I recently published a guide to 70+ fast fashion brands and reasons to avoid them, so my hope is that this kind of content will enable more people to see why it’s an issue, and discover more sustainable fashion – be it second-hand, vintage, small designers, or innovative materials.

If you had to pick a character from film/TV/literature who embodies your style, who would it be?
I have to say Hermione Granger, as I’ve always been something of a goody-two-shoes, and Emma Watson is a brilliant role model in the sustainable fashion space, too.

What’s the least you’ve spent on an item of clothing/an accessory that you love?
I spent just £4 on my black leather belt with oval buckle, and I absolutely love it. I wear it with jeans, as well as garments to cinch in my waist. It’s so well made, and I’m glad I didn’t contribute to the leather industry when buying it, either.

Top tips for updating/bringing new life to an old outfit?
Look up any item of clothing on Pinterest! I love using Pinterest to see how other people style their clothes and go about re-working my wardrobe that way.

For those who are just getting into greener living, what are three small changes you would recommend people start with? 
Start by focusing on your habits and see what you can make marginal improvements on. You can make a sustained positive impact by simply shifting a few things you do. I recommend switching to a renewable energy provider, changing to a more ethical bank account and shopping for second-hand fashion.

Will the growth of veganism continue? 
I don’t tend to advocate for or against veganism. Personally, I don’t eat meat and avoid dairy, but diet choices have many other factors (intolerances, religion, etc.) and food is very social, too. Instead, I think we should start focusing on supporting local agriculture, regenerative farming, and eating seasonably, to really be more sustainable with food.

Is the fashion industry doing enough to be more inclusive?
No. There’s been a lot of performative inclusion – for example, posting ‘Black Lives Matter’ on Instagram, or working with diverse models – but many brands are still hiding and exploiting their supply chains (the majority of which are women of colour). Even in the sustainable fashion space, there’s a need for more work, such as increasing the range of sizes available to purchase.

Do you think the ‘VSCO girl’ trend has ultimately been a good or bad thing for the awareness of green issues? 
Hey, anything that raises awareness of the climate crisis is good. What’s harder to measure is whether there’s any action being taken off the back of it!

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I tend to work with one to two brands per month in creating sponsored blog posts and Instagram posts. I like working with brands who have sustainable values, especially small independents who are revolutionising their industries. My favourite posts have to be my sustainable shopping guides (which outperform most of my content too).

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
Most PRs pitch really well now, highlighting the benefits of the product/campaign, as well as the values of the brand as a whole. If you’re a really savvy PR, you’ll also know what content you’d like created, and outline a budget – I can tailor my work to what you’re looking for.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether fashion-related or not)?
Ah, I can’t have too much bias as I run EthicalInfluencers.co.uk, a free community platform with 700+ fellow influencers and creatives. So, all of them!

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Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act turns 20: 3 tips for PRs

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This is a guest post from Luke Budka, Head of Digital PR and SEO for TopLine Comms.

‘You idiot. You naive, foolish, irresponsible nincompoop. There is really no description of stupidity, no matter how vivid, that is adequate. I quake at the imbecility of it.’

That’s how Tony Blair described the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in his memoirs. He subsequently described it as ‘the worst mistake’ of his career. However, it introduced a level of government transparency that became the envy of citizens around the world.

The FOIA was passed on 30 November 2000 in the UK and since then has laid bare, among other things, a parliamentary expenses scandal, the sale of 20 tonnes of nuclear materials to Israel in 1958 and a plan to search for the Loch Ness monster using a team of dolphins. It’s been reviewed, and restrictions such as charges for access to info have been considered (£10 per request back in 2015), but it has survived, almost unaltered, for 20 years come November.

A simple search on Google shows 20 stories on the BBC in the last 12 months related to FoI requests either made or reported by the institution and it continues to be used by news organisations everywhere.

The best PR stories (in our experience) are based on data. That’s why the FOIA is one of the most powerful weapons in a PR’s armoury.

Our latest FoI requests, for example, were in reaction to news that hackers had extorted $1.14m from the University of California. On hearing this, we sent requests to every UK university asking if they’d been targeted: within 30-odd working days (COVID-19 is slowing things down) we found out that one third of UK universities have been subjected to ransomware attacks. The story was covered by leading cyber outlets.

If you’ve never submitted an FoI request before and you’re wondering how to develop a story using the Act, here are a few tips.

1) Generating FoI request ideas and sense checking
As with any story you’ll work on, research into a seedling of an idea, combined with one of the core emotions required for a story to be shareable, will ultimately lead to your angle. Be sure to Google your hypothesised headline to see if it’s been done before. If it has, then great, you’ve hit upon a newsworthy idea, but if it’s been covered recently, then it may be hard to put a new spin on it. Having said that, in this topsy-turvy world we’re currently living in, normal behaviours have changed; a request made today may reveal drastically different information to a request that was made in January.

It’s definitely also worth checking WhatDoTheyKnow and the government’s own FoI repository to see if the request you’re considering has already been made. Responses recorded on these sites will help you craft your questions. You’ll, hopefully, be able to avoid the most common FoI refusals: too much time and expense required to answer the request (£600 for central government or £450 for all other public authorities) or the information simply not being held.

If, for example, you see a public authority has refused five years’ worth of data because it’ll take too long to extract, then you know if you ask for a year’s worth you’ll have a higher chance of success. Section 16 of the FOIA stipulates a public authority has to provide ‘advice and assistance’, so you can state in your request that you’re prepared to take a shorter time period’s worth of data, and they should do their best to provide the info/work with you on a successful request. Section 16 also helps if you approach the wrong authority – they should advise on who you should ask instead (you can call the authority in advance if you want to find out if they hold the data you’re interested in).

2) Submission, data collection and analysis
This is a pain. There are professionals tools out there that you can use to manage the process but we’ve always used good old fashioned email and spreadsheets. You can also submit via the aforementioned WhatDoTheyKnow website (however, the request and any subsequent response will then be in the public domain forever). Ultimately, spreadsheets are what you’ll need to analyse the data, so it makes sense to use them to collect it.

Requests can be sent en masse to multiple authorities using the blind copy function in a single email, which means you can send requests to every university in the country, for example, in one fell swoop. You’ll then receive an emailed receipt from every authority you’ve emailed explaining that they’ll aim to respond in 20 working days (COVID-19, as mentioned, is slowing things down). File the receipts in one folder in your email client and file the actual responses containing the data in another. Whenever a response comes in, add it to your spreadsheet and start analysing. Worth pointing out: you don’t need to send requests to multiple authorities to generate a newsworthy headline – you could be interested in a single body, for example – it’s going to come down to the questions you’re asking and the headline you’re looking to generate.

A few notes:
• Be polite – real people will be responding to your request. It’s always nice to be nice – you don’t need to be demanding or rude. Strike up a dialogue; it’s more likely they’ll help you get what you want then anyway.
• Be specific – research the exact terminology related to your request. Do not leave any ambiguity in your questions; get a colleague to check your questions before you send.
• Collection of FoI addresses takes time. Thankfully, journalist Matt Burgess has compiled spreadsheets of addresses that you can use (though I don’t know if he maintains them) – find them here.
• Don’t send unnecessary requests – it costs the government a lot of money to respond to FoI requests and it’s a privilege that should not be abused. This doesn’t mean don’t use it, but if you submit requests, I personally feel that you have an obligation to do something with them.

3) Story creation
You’ve sent your requests and you’ve collected the data – now what? Does the data prove your hypothesis? If so, then you’ve already got your headline. Draft your press release, prepare your pitch and package the data up and host it on your site – it will always be useful to use as a source (and invaluable for link building purposes) plus it saves the media having to ask you for it (as they’ll normally want to double check your analysis). Worth noting: you don’t need every authority to respond for you to have a decent story. You’ll almost always see news organisations caveat their FoI stories by making the point that only a certain number of authorities responded. Ultimately, it’s your call as to whether you’ve got the data required for your story to work.

Books have been written on the FOIA (and they’re well worth reading if you’re interested in the topic) and it’s impossible to do it justice in a single blog. It’s an amazing tool that PRs can use for the benefit of their clients. But, with great power comes great responsibility – don’t abuse it, or you’ll ruin it for everyone.

Happy birthday, FOIA – long may you continue to inform the public and keep the watchmen accountable.

FuturePRoof 4

#FuturePRoof 4 launches with a look at BME talent

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#FuturePRoof’s fourth edition, published today, centres on BAME talent in the public relations industry and features advice from in-house and agency practitioners, academics, journalists and recruiters.

Aiming to highlight the role of PR in strategic management and to share best practice, crowdsourced content covers subjects including social media, partnerships, managing reputation, pitching, internal communication, leadership, coaching and public relations in the time of COVID-19. Media diversity is the topic for a piece on the importance of journalists representing the communities they serve, and there are chapters on hiring and developing team members from diverse backgrounds.

#FuturePRoof founder and editor Sarah Waddington said: ‘This was never meant to be a book about ‘black issues’, which are in fact cultural and societal issues, not black or BME – just like pay inequality isn’t a women’s issue. This was always to be a forward-thinking look at best practice within public relations, with the purpose of reasserting PR’s value to business.

‘Where contributors asked if they could write from a racial diversity and inclusivity standpoint, that was in their gift. And I’m glad some of the amazing authors took that decision. Every single contributor has done a brilliant job and I’m grateful to them for sharing their expertise.’

PRCA Diversity Network Chair Rax Lakhani believes the focus of #FuturePRoof 4 is particular timely, aiming attention ‘on the stark reality of our industry’s poor record on racial and ethnic diversity.

‘This anthology of essays demonstrates beyond any doubt the abundance of BAME talent that is prevalent within our profession and it is reassuring to see issues of race, ethnicity and cultural diversity being given the prominence and urgency they clearly deserve.’

For Chair of the CIPR’s Diversity and Inclusion Network Avril Lee, now ‘is the time to celebrate BAME talent – and more importantly, now is the time to progress and reward it equally.’

#FuturePRoof’s fourth edition is dedicated to Elizabeth Bananuka for her work on BME PR Pros and The Blueprint diversity mark. Contributions come from Advita Patel, Alicia Solanki, Andrea Ttofa, Annique Simpson, Anouchka Burton, Arvind Hickman, Asif Choudry, Evadney Campbell, Harriet Small Okot, Joanna Abeyie, Julian Obubo, Katrina Marshall, Katy Howell, Koray Camgöz, Mita Dhullipala, Nathalie Abiodun, Rohan Shah, Trudy Lewis and Zaiba Malik.

To read #FuturePRoof 4, copies can be purchased via Blurb and Kindle, and a chapter a day will be released on the #FuturePRoof blog and on Twitter @weareproofed.

Red Ted Art Maggy Woodley

Craft Blogger Spotlight: Maggy Woodley, Red Ted Art

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‘Once you have the knack of a new craft and the confidence to persevere, you will most definitely do more,’ believes Red Ted Art’s Maggy Woodley, who happens to have the knack for both crafting and blogging about it. Read on for what keeps Maggy passionate about creativity and what you can try crafting the next time you find yourself in a period of ‘meh’.

What keeps you passionate about craft and blogging about it?
As everyone knows (or should know), you should blog about something that you are passionate about. That way, the passion keeps you going, naturally. Of course, even with a topic that I love, there are moments of writer’s block (or in my case, craft block). That is only natural. The key thing is not to be put off by those days or weeks, but to persevere… you always come back out at the other end.

On my blog, I have always shared at least one or two new crafts per week (if not more), so even in periods of ‘meh’, I just stick to my schedule. Yes, I may have made something I am not that excited about that week, but usually it leads to something new and wonderful eventually. So, the passion and love for crafts came well before the blogging started.

What originally got you into creating things?
Crafting is something that I have enjoyed ever since I was a child. I have many fond memories of crafting with my grandmother and in the classroom and over the years continued with being creative and crafty (e.g. sending homemade birthday cards to friends). When my kids where born, I wanted to recreate this love for crafts with them… which naturally went on to starting the blog!

How have you had to change your approach to blogging, or your content, during the COVID-19 crisis?
Not particularly. I think the only thing I did differently was to take care to craft with items that I thought most people should have around the house and to focus on crafts that are really accessible to all (i.e. easy and don’t take too long to make!). I did, however, republish a lot of old content that I felt was suited to the being-stuck-at-home period, as well as encouraging kids to try something new – like sewing or knitting.

Do you think those who took up knitting/sewing/other traditional crafts during lockdown will continue?
Oh yes; I am certain of it. Once you have the knack of a new craft and the confidence to persevere, you will most definitely do more. Maybe not as much as during lockdown, as you have less time, but I can see it being picked up time and again.

One craft you’d love to master but haven’t quite managed it yet?
Needle felting – mainly because I haven’t had much time for it (yet).

Favourite crafty ideas you’ve shared on your blog?
Oh, there are so, so many from over the years. But I do love ‘useful’ crafts or crafts you can play with afterwards. Our Corner Bookmark Design collection is something I am proud of. Or fun crafts, like these Toilet Paper Roll Dancing Giraffes. Or these super-easy finger puppets (we actually used paper from the recycling bin for these!).

How important is it for people to pay crafters and artists for what they create?
Like in all industries, though we are passionate about what we create, this is also our job. And because crafting is my job, payment is very important – if I had to go back to traditional employment, there would be no time for crafting – be it on Red Ted Art or a third party. If third parties want to continue getting great content, they have to pay the artists and crafters! It is as simple as – we are providing time and energy to create something special and we also have mortgages to pay! Similarly, when it comes to our online presence, our social media profiles have taken years to grow, and third parties are paying for access to a loyal audience that we have built and nurtured over time!

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
Most brand work I have had in the past was creating bespoke crafts related to a campaign – this could be a craft to go with a new movie release or a craft making something out of recycled packaging. Though, of course, I work with many craft brands too, my clients are usually ‘not creative’ industries, but industries in the family sector.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
An email outlining the campaign and budget available is perfect. I love creating crafts bespoke to a campaign that is family orientated.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether craft-related or not)?
Oh, it is probably my fellow craft community that I am connected with on Facebook or Instagram! There are so many and we often do projects together.

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Christmas Gift Guide Requests

‘Tis the season (for contributing to Christmas gift guides)

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While the start of Christmas 2020 feels both too far away and yet too soon, we’re already firmly into Christmas gift guide compilation season in the world of magazines, newspapers, blogs, websites and TV shows. Journalists from outlets spanning national press and television, trade titles, regional magazines and more are busy arranging contributions from PRs for their Xmas 2020 product round-ups and festive features via the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service.

Here are just some of the requests sent out so far for filling up features and readers’ stockings this year…

Pricey and budget product round-ups
– Boutique-y fashion, tech and homeware accessories available for retailers to start stocking.
– Pet gifts (cat beds, dog baskets, fish tanks, bird boxes, those fancy hamster cages that have the fluorescent tunnels/look like a holiday park).
– Healthy foods for those on a SmartPoint saver plan who still want to indulge in the stickiest and sweetest of stuff.
– Top toys and tech, decorations and boardgames for a series of on-air Christmas gift guides.
– Finds for foodies, yoga-lovers, outdoorsy people, hikers and sports fans who’d rather watch from home and stay sitting down, thank you.
– Must-have hair products and treatments for shiny blinged-out tresses.
– The best artificial trees, mirror balls and special selection spirit gift packs.

Advice for making Christmas 2020 the best ever
– Ethical Christmas ideas (reducing waste while ripping open reindeer-themed wrapping, alternatives to plastic decorations, where to regift unwanted presents).
– Catering for Christmas in Care homes – how to safely cater for the elderly and the vulnerable concerning dietary needs, food intolerance, religious and cultural requirements and entertaining while distancing.
– Recommendations from celebrity chefs on how to get the perfect glazed ham and potatoes for Christmas Day.

Snazzy spokespeople or comment
– Women over the age of 35 who are planning to volunteer for charity over Christmas in soup kitchens, on the streets or with animals.
– Experts to comment on the best time to do your Christmas food shop (early and easy vs. last minute deal hunting).
– Real-life stories with a Christmas hook (cheaters, false friends, shenanigans with saving companies, etc.)
– Christmas cooking and eating anecdotes from British chefs and cooks.
– Advice on the best kinds of kitchen-diner set ups for hosting festive dinners, including entertainment zones, storage, surfaces and finding enough seating for extra uncles and grandmas.

Do you have Christmas-related products ready for review, access to celebrity spokespeople, expert commentary or clients with real-life stories involving Santa to share? Get journalist requests and coverage opportunities delivered straight to your inbox with the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service.

Online Influence Awards 2020

Nomination process overhaul for Online Influence Awards 2020

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Since the launch of its first incarnation back in 2014, Vuelio’s Online Influence Awards have been celebrating the good work of influencers, bloggers, vloggers and social media professionals across all channels and a variety of niches. Just as the industry we hope to hype-up and highlight has expanded, developed and grown, so too must the awards process and ceremony.

This year, we’re inviting more influencers than ever to take part in the run up to our fully-online awards night on Friday 20 November to reflect the true diversity and breadth of experience being shared across this burgeoning community.

For the first time, influencers themselves, as well as their peers, followers and fans, can nominate (for free) with this quick online form. All we need is the name, social media handles, why it’s a winning entry, and five picks for the top skills you, or your nominee, have as an influencer. These skills have been weighted by industry experts to give us a final score for whittling down eventual shortlists. This is not a popularity contest, so you can be shortlisted as a finalist with just one nomination or 100.

Deadline for entries is Friday 9 October and the 14 categories for this years’ awards span Arts & Entertainment, Beauty, Current Affairs, Disruptor/Changemaker, Fashion, Food & Drink, Health & Fitness, Interior Design, LGBTQ+, Lifestyle, Parenting, PR & Comms, Travel & Leisure and Best Newcomer.

We’re hoping this approach will create a more inclusive awards night, with influencers from across all channels and backgrounds highlighted and celebrated.
PR, comms and influencer marketing professionals are also invited to enter for their own categories – Best Campaign and Best Cause-Led Influencer Campaign – with dedicated entry forms.

Long-overdue conversations and actions are happening regarding inclusion across all industries, including the influencer, communications and journalism communities Vuelio works with. We’re listening, learning and working to do better, which is why the Online Influence Awards will this year be more reflective of the community they celebrate.

We want to hear all about the great work you and those you follow are doing – nominate, encourage others and join us on 20 November from 5 to 7pm for the extravaganza (black tie/ballgown/bedazzled tux or pyjamas fully optional).

Find out more about the Online Influence Awards nomination process, awards night and the winners from previous years here.

Groups supporting PRs

6 industry bodies supporting people in PR and communications

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Here’s our round-up of industry bodies, associations, institutes, platforms and networks supporting PR, marketing and communications professionals in their career development and lives outside of work. This list includes many initialisms but more importantly, supportive places to turn to for networking, training, and a community for everyone in the industry. In no particular order…

BME PR Pros
Originally founded by senior comms consultant Elizabeth Bananuka as ‘a side-hussle and hobby that’s got a little out of control,’ BME PR Pros works to promote black, Asian and ethnic minority diversity in PR and comms. The platform offers a mentoring scheme, which has included mentors working at agencies and associations like Edelman, Ketchum, Transport for London, LinkedIn, PA Media Group and MoneySuperMarket – and has a ‘Pros We Love’ section bigging up people making waves in public relations. Elizabeth is also one of the people behind The Blueprint mark, helping organisations to attract, welcome, retain and nurture diverse talent groups. And for how you can help the BME PR Pros platform? As Elizabeth says, ‘Simple, do what you can to promote diversity in your organisation and the sector. The more initiatives? The better. More voices calling out the diversity problem? Even better.’

CIPR – Chartered Institute of Public Relations
As the world’s only Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners, the CIPR’s mission is a grand one: ‘we work with and for our members to set, maintain and advance standards… Moreover, through our ethical Code of Conduct and searchable PR registers, we make our members accountable to their employers, clients and the wider public’. To help develop and support its members, both in terms of their careers and wellbeing, the institute offers qualifications including its Continuing Professional Development scheme and Accreditation and Chartership programmes, in-house and bespoke training as well as industry research, conferences and best practice and skills guidance. Check out its Diversity & Inclusion hub for reports and resources highlighting the work that still needs to be done to open the industry to everybody.

PRCA – Public Relations and Communications Association
Representing PR professionals across 70 countries globally – with offices in London, Singapore, Dubai and Buenos Aires – the PRCA aims to advocate for those working in public relations across the world. Championing professional standards with their Professional Charter and Code of Conduct, the association offers its members training as well as networking and personal development opportunities. The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) and LGComms (Local Government Communications), are also managed by the PRCA. Working to make meaningful change in the industry, the association recently shook up its Board of Directors to welcome in wider experience and knowledge of the sector it serves, and has a dedicated Diversity Network in place.

Taylor Bennett Foundation
The Taylor Bennett Foundation charity was founded by communications executive search firm Taylor Bennett with the University of East London and founding agency Brunswick in 2008 to ‘encourage black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) graduates to pursue a career in communications’. Its award-winning PR, mentoring and internship programmes have enabled participants to enter the PR industry with the skillsets, knowledge and networking group to pursue successful careers. Employers can host visits for the Foundation’s trainees – 2019 hosts included Hope & Glory, Just Eat and Bupa – and live opportunities from agencies and in-house comms teams are available on the Jobs Board. For more about the work of the Taylor Bennett Foundation, read our interview with its chief executive Melissa Lawrence.

UK Black Comms Network
Gearing up for a full launch this Winter, the UK Black Comms Network’s mission is to increase the seniority of Black PR and communications professionals of African or Caribbean heritage in the UK to the point of true ‘equalityin the UK PR industry, with Black people authentically represented, in full colour and shade, in the UK media’. Join them on Wednesday, 16 September, to hear the full vision for the UK Black Comms Network and a conversation with its wellbeing consultant, and digital creator and found of wellbeing brand thy.self Chloe Pierre on Self Care September and why looking after yourself isn’t selfish – go sign up.

Women in PR
‘The PR & communications industry is female dominated (67%) overall. However, at senior levels, it becomes male dominated… Women in PR exists to address this imbalance.’ Aiming to increase the number of women in leadership roles across the PR and communications industry, Women in PR focuses on four key methods: inspiring, enabling, empowering and advocating. This includes speakers and knowledge-sharing events, the opportunity to network with other female leaders, mentoring and training, and fighting for change in work practices, policy and company culture. You can find updates from the group on the Blog channel as well as advice and think pieces from Women in PR members – including those from agency, in-house, public, and third sector and freelancers – with know-how to share.

If there are associations, unions or groups you’ve found supportive during your career in PR that we can highlight, please do get in touch and let us know.

Kat Buckley

Baking Blogger Spotlight: Kat Buckley, Baking Explorer

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Ready for the upcoming return of The Great British Bake Off later this month? To help get you in the baking mood, we catch up with Baking Explorer Kat Buckley to find out the best recipes to seek out in September as well as which ones are less likely to get a Paul Hollywood Handshake.

What keeps you passionate about baking and blogging about it?
All the wonderful comments and kind feedback from my readers, seeing how much joy and happiness it brings them to make my recipes – that’s the stuff that makes what I do worthwhile.

How have you had to change your approach to blogging, or your content, during the COVID-19 crisis?
I asked my followers and they were happy for me to carry on as normal, even if they couldn’t get the ingredients to bake my recipes they said that they liked seeing nice photos of cakes as it made them happy. I’ve shared lots of my recipes that use pantry staples, or don’t need a common ingredient like eggs for example, to try and help people struggling to bake with few ingredients.

Have you tried any of the recipes that have gone viral/been popular during lockdown?
I made some dalgona coffee for my boyfriend (I don’t drink coffee) and he loved it!

What the worst bake you’ve ever attempted to make?
A tarte tatin, I’ve tried to make it a few times, although not for a while. I’ve burnt it, made the caramel hard as rock and messed up the pastry!!

Best tasting thing you’ve ever made?
My favourite cake of all time is my Chocolate Guinness Cake with Baileys Buttercream, but I also love anything chocolate orange!

For those who haven’t yet started baking, which basic tools would you suggest they stock the kitchen up with?
Digital kitchen scales, silicone spatulas and a decorating turntable.

Favourite TV chefs?
Mary Berry will forever be the queen of baking!

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I love working with brands that have a passion for baking! I most often do sponsored blog posts as I love to create new recipes the showcase all the fabulous baking products and ingredients out there.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
By email, and with anything to do with baking!

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether baking-related or not)?
I love Easy Cheesy Vegetarian for meal inspiration and ideas.

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Grey fox by Tom Edwards

Fashion Blogger Spotlight: David Evans, Grey Fox

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Writing about the challenges of finding fashionable fits as an older man, David Evans at Grey Fox knows what works when it comes to staying comfortable and casual while keeping things suave and stylish.

In today’s Spotlight, we talk the evils of sneaker/suits combos, the move to sustainable fashion and what to wear for the steadily approaching Autumn/Winter season.

What keeps you passionate about fashion blogging?
The creativity of working with words and images to reflect my tastes and interests. I also love meeting people though my media – brands, PRs and, in particular, my audience with whom I share so many enthusiasms.

What originally got you into writing about it?
I wanted to write and thought a blog would be a good outlet for this. I hadn’t a clue what to write about at first. After a few weeks thought, I decided to write, as an older man, about the difficulties and challenges of finding clothes, establishing a personal style and knowing what to buy. I thought I’d find something more interesting to write about eventually, but after nearly nine years of blogging, I’m still writing about a search for style.

How have you had to change your approach to blogging, or your content, during the COVID-19 crisis?
The lockdown encouraged me to focus on improving engagement with my audience. I was already working on this, but the common shared experience of COVID-19 encouraged communication and I worked hard on this aspect. I didn’t change content particularly; although I still aim to improve the quality of my content, I’m not keen to do that at the expense of authenticity. Being too polished can look too promotional.

Best lockdown fits you can recommend?
Lockdown was all about combining comfort and style. This is hard to do in the era of ugly and shapeless athleisure wear, but classic casual styles came to the fore.

Worst fashion trend in men’s fashion over the last few years?
Trainers and sneakers with suits. A few fashion journalists tried to make this something, but it was never going to work!

What trends can we watch out for in Autumn/Winter?
In menswear, quality knits with bright but natural colours, tailored trousers with pleats and higher waists, and a move towards a slightly vintage vibe.

What are some of the favourite pieces of clothing/accessories you own and why?
Tweed is always a favourite. I love its robustness, practicality, heritage and the kaleidoscope of colours that hide within the weave. Classic British-made footwear, such as brogues and suede derbies.

Do you think the move away from fast fashion to sustainable clothing/long-term wear will continue?
Without any doubt at all. Consumers are beginning to understand the link between cheap clothes and unethical and unsustainable manufacturing, and the related issues of waste and environmental damage. They see the advantages of buying fewer and better, and this trend is set to continue.

How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?
I like to work with small and brands and those that make high quality products – often, but not exclusively manufacturing in the UK. I wear clothes from my favourite brands and only feature those I can try myself. I rarely do paid collaborations, but do so from time to time as I have to manage the costs of running the blog. I only collaborate with brands whose products I like or think will suit my audience.

For PRs looking to work with you and your blog/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?
I like to work with PRs who understand what Grey Fox stands for and have looked at my media before contacting me. I like to present well-made and sustainably produced and stylish products to my following in a way that is authentic. I do not take part in affiliate arrangements and do not expect payment or product in return for my work, although I appreciate it when brands and their PRs recognise that I have costs to cover in running my blog. I prefer personal contact and am rarely impressed with the impersonal ‘Hi, How’s your day been? Here are some cool products for you to feature on your blog’ sort of approach.

What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether fashion-related or not)?
I don’t have time to check out specific blogs but follow many menswear style influencers and creatives on Instagram.

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