This week in PR (19 February)

Covid-19 and comms

Our new 'PR and Parenting in a Pandemic' pack is out today.

It includes articles, advice, support, and even a PR-themed children’s activity pack with competitions and more.

Free for all to download here: https://t.co/VMC6S8ADG0 pic.twitter.com/zWiCC0qoEr

— CIPR (@CIPR_Global) February 16, 2021

• Claire Southeard: “You’re on mute” Five things that marketing in a pandemic can teach us about cutting through noise… (15 February)
  ‘Pandemics are busy. So, how can brands go about cutting through noise?  To find that sliver of space to connect with customers, bond over a shared experience, meet a need or simply remind them they’re there.’
• Adrian Stirrup and Darren Caveney with Sally Northeast and Dawn Reeves: Vaccination comms and finding your narrative [podcast] (15 February)
  ‘People in the NHS are can-do and it’s a privilege to be part of the solution to get us out of this.’
• Dan Slee: Local content is key to successful vaccine comms (12 February)
  ‘The answer is simple. Work out what communities you have. Listen to them. Understand what barriers they have to having a vaccine. Ask them what’s the best way to reach them. Do it. Repeat. Then keep repeating.’

Ethics, purpose and professionalism

As ever with this lot @dontcrywolf @BrownBare @SaraCollinge there is loads to be inspired by here, from putting a client on the board, to carbon reductions, to creative work for brands making social and environmental change. PR agency ESG in action, innit. @BCorporation https://t.co/btfMLKrJqX

— Maja Pawinska Sims (@SparklyPinchy) February 17, 2021

Corporate and financial

Congratulations to my friend @SangeetaWaldron for the launch of her second book ‘Corporate Social Responsibility is not Public Relations’ wish you all the success pic.twitter.com/SQVtuHrl6n

— Siddharth Mukne (@SidMukne1) February 18, 2021

• Adam Lloyd: When should companies tell their shareholders about takeover approaches? (18 February)
  ‘The UK stock market has a strong and justified reputation as a properly regulated and orderly market, especially when it comes to takeovers.’

• Brittany Golob and Stuart Bruce: Iceland puts purpose first by dismissing corporate affairs director (18 February)
  ‘[Iceland] has recently announced that it has dismissed corporate affairs director Keith Hann following Hann’s derogatory statements on Twitter and in blog posts.’
• Danny Rogers: From the editor-in-chief: Teneo’s Deloitte deal shows corporate/financial PR agencies are moving on (18 February)
  ‘Deloitte’s restructuring arm – one of the biggest in the UK – employs 250 people, including 27 partners, who will now be integrated into Teneo’s operation in London. So Teneo’s global headcount will increase to more than 1,100 employees, including 600 in the UK, making it one of the largest such agencies in London.’
• Henry Adefope: Wrong place, wrong time for Woodford (16 February)
  ‘Put simply, [Neil] Woodford shouldn’t have said a word, and particularly not to the audience that still feel mugged off by him.’

Consulting, teams and careers

• Owen Griffiths: Intern to a full time job: what I learnt at WA (18 February)
  ‘Despite just being an intern, there were expectations on me to commit to learning, to be intellectually curious, and to strive to deliver excellent work for clients.’
• Charlotte West: How to be a good client in PR (15 February)
  ‘We hear and read a lot about what makes outstanding agencies, but I struggle to recall the last time I read anything about what makes a good client.’

Wellbeing, gender and diversity

• Si Francis: 21 years on from the Section 2a fight (17 February)
  ‘Section 28 / 2a may be long gone now, but this was a hideous chapter in the history of Scottish life, orchestrated by Souter and his cronies. And whatever the result of a future independence referendum, it is further proof that Scotland will not become a socially-just, liberal paradise without hard work for those who believe in equality.’

• Anonymous: Something told me “don’t give up” (14 February)
  ‘Mental health is just like physical health. It’s good to talk. For everyone else; not for me, that’s not who I am. I don’t need it, I’m an island, I’m strong, resilient, darkness is my friend. I’m different. Only, this time…’

Public and third sectors

• Andy Lambert: What does it take to deliver great social content in the public sector? (16 February)
  ‘There is certainly collective agreement on what good content should be – relatable, funny and ultimately, human.’

• David Ainsworth: The Kids Company judgment reveals some big issues for charities (15 February)
  ‘The decision is probably good news for the wider sector. Trusteeship already comes with very considerable responsibilities, and charities probably don’t want trustees to face potentially career-limiting sanctions any time a charity goes under.’
• Suzie Evans: A time for renewal (12 February)
  ‘The new communication team in the United States’ White House has brought with them their own tone, style, and intent and it has been extremely interesting to watch. It has made me consider my own personal tone, style, and intent. I’ve been thinking a lot about whether I can truly say that I have been living my values.’

Politics, public affairs and public sphere

639 people currently watching Handforth Parish Council's latest meeting on YouTube. The most attended parish council meeting ever? pic.twitter.com/dXf48EcWtm

— Jono Read (@jonoread) February 17, 2021

• Christine Quigley: Electric vehicles: On a road to somewhere? (16 February)
  ‘Over the next few months, governments at a national and devolved level alike will be looking at how to get the economy moving again without sacrificing the environmental gains made in the past year.’
• Stuart Thomson: Why Public Affairs is important in PR (no date)
  ‘At its heart, public affairs is about communication so is no different from other parts of PR.  But the audience that we deal mostly with, politicians, is very different.  Why?  Because they have to be elected.’

Risk, crisis and reputation

• Paul Blanchard with Andy Coulson: Media Masters podcast (10 February)
  ‘The subject I am fascinated by – partly because I lived it myself for a while – is crisis. And in the situation we’re all in now, I guess it resonates more widely.’

Brands, storytelling, and influence

• Scott Guthrie: Profile of Dominic Smales & the future of social talent [podcast] (17 February)
  ‘Back in 2010 [when Gleam Futures was founded] nobody was earning a living being a creator on social media and it was before the flood of influencers that are present today. What I was interested in was social media, and the revolution in reaching audiences.’
• Orlagh Shanks: Five Ways We Are All Influencers (12 February)
  ‘An influencer isn’t always someone who promotes beauty products and the latest fashion trends and isn’t always someone who has millions of followers on social media.’

Internal communication

• Rachel Miller: Podcast: How to work well with HR (15 February)
  ‘[In IC] you might be part of HR, report into HR, work alongside HR. I don’t have a preference for which one works well because it depends on the culture.’

Technology, media and digital

There are a lot of comms/PR podcasts out there. I feel like a new one appears every day. Want to know how many I listen to regularly? Not many. Why? Because they're mostly very samey. Or the production quality isn't very good. Or both! The irony, eh?

— Rebecca Zeitlin (@rfzeitlin) February 15, 2021

• Claire Hall: How to write a business blog that Google will love (17 February)
  ‘When you choose your blog topic you want something to make people linger. Google gives the highest spots in its search results to blog posts and webpages that people take time to read (among other reasons, like whether your website is mobile-ready and the pages load fast).’
• Daniel Lowther: The 10 Dos and Don’ts of B2B fintech PR (no date)
  ‘I spent some time canvassing clients, colleagues and friends in the industry to draw up a shortlist of the 10 Dos & Don’ts of fintech PR.’

• Emma Rogers: Four Tips for a Successful Start to Instagram! (17 February)
  ‘DO NOT be that person who follows an account, then unfollows them as soon as they follow you back. Instagram is all about relationships, and that is not a good way to start your reputation.’
• Chris Norton: Is this the beginning of the end of journalism as we know it? (17 February)
  ‘I firmly believe we still need strong journalism from a brilliant set of newspapers with plugged-in local journalists to get those stories we all crave. How important has the media been during the last twelve months? I would argue probably more important than ever and against Trump even more so.’

• Paul Sutton with Vikki Chowney: The evolution of content marketing [podcast] (17 February)
  ‘The way we produce and plan content has changed dramatically, and for me it’s a breath of fresh air. When you look at the quality that’s being produced by people using their phones, working from home – that type of content is the future. It’s not necessarily lower in quality, but it’s not a million dollar ad that’s taken 18 months in planning.’
• Neville Hobson: Civilising Wikipedia (14 February)
  ‘Behind the open system that defines Wikipedia lies a labyrinthine framework of rules, policies and unwritten customs that must be followed if you want to add or edit content.’

#prstudent #bestPRblogs

• Megan Laura Harris (Liverpool John Moores): Content in lockdown – what have I posted on Abergele Golf Club’s social media accounts? (18 February)
  ‘Normally, I would post competition updates, pictures of the course, weather updates ect. However, as we are in lockdown, I have had to shake up the social media content that would go out to our followers on social media.’
• Piotr Boiwka (Newcastle): Sports PR – Interview with David Alexander (no date)
  ‘I wanted to move to a positive, fresh environment and also challenge myself. That’s why I moved into PR.’
• Eloise Newman (Solent): How Will The Changing High Street Affect Our Personal Ethics? (18 February)
  ‘Despite the ethical issues that Boohoo have faced, which may concern existing customers of Debenhams, overall the change in ownership can be seen as positive.’

• Cassie Nunn-Price (Leeds Beckett): Living in our Laptops – are we relying too much on social media? (18 February)
  ‘The majority of humans live for face-to-face communication, to be able to read body language, to share a laugh, and to not have to worry if they’re on mute or not.’

• Eyula Koroma (Ulster): How medical racism has informed vaccine hesitancy (18 February)
  ‘Mistrust from some Black people in Black communities towards the COVID-19 vaccine results from a history of medical racism that isn’t being talked about nearly enough. Instead, we are scapegoated, blamed for holding up the overall vaccination progress without anyone asking the question ‘why?’
• Holly Hamill (Ulster): Activism or Opportunism? (18 February)
  ‘In an age where taking no stance is a stance in and of itself, how can companies show that they’re worth our time and money without alienating publics?’

• Annie Hilditch (Leeds Beckett): Broadening your Horizons (17 February)
  ‘I decided to study PR in order to retrain and to become more employable. Undoubtedly, I have gained these skills over the course of my studies, but I’ve also gained so much more. I am now part of a vibrant, current and constantly evolving community.’
• Niamh Magee (Ulster): How many times can we reinvent the wheel? (16 February)
  ‘Stories are now featuring on Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and Linked In. So, the question would be how many stories can one person tell?’

• Katie Hull (Sunderland): Tourism New Zealand x Social Influence (13 February)
  ‘Tourism New Zealand perfectly executed the campaign. The tone of the key message was a mixture of seriousness and humour with comedian, Tom Sainsbury featuring in the video message.’

• Sophie Smith (Newcastle): Would You Try Baked Beans on Weetabix? (14 February)
  ‘Whether or not you agree with the combination isn’t the point in this social media post. The post was meant to be controversial and to encourage people to engage in debates about it.’