Archive for April, 2008

Passion, energy and dynamism – a PR’s essential traits

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

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This Sunday Nick and I were fortunate to spend the afternoon at Elvington airfield outside York watching and driving a host of supercars on a press visit we had arranged with a number of journalists for one of our clients 6th Gear Experience.

While chatting to one of the journalists about our other clients that might have been of interest to him he asked if I had any favourites – and which did I enjoy working on the most. I admitted that there were some of my clients that gave more scope for creativity and ‘exciting’ media relations but highlighted that they all had their own attractions.

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Word of mouth boosts bottom line

Monday, April 21st, 2008

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Bottoms are proving BIG business for savvy entrepreneur Sarah Blakely whose Spanx bum-shrinking/smoothing knickers are adorning the posteriors of a galaxy of stars including Sarah Jessica Parker, Katie Holmes and Gwyneth Paltrow  – the latter  an advocate of safety in numbers who wears two pairs at one time. The idea was fleshed out when the former fax machine sales supremo cut the feet off a pair of control-top tights to compliment pricey see-through white trousers. I highly applaud her hunger for lifelong learning sparked by her father giving her Wayne W Dwyer’s aspirational tapes. For me the ultimate lift came when applauding how Sarah rose from obscurity to a multi-million dollar empire through word of mouth. Discarding advertising, Sarah recognised how powerful PR tactics sucked in her target audiences – sending samples to the queen of chat and tactically wooing the Neiman Marcus hosiery buyer. Initially foregoing the elusive work/life balance (Quest PR’s remedy for this comes from Vistage International), Sara is about to Spanx the male species. And the moral of the story? – keep your sights on PR pulling power which, even on tight budgets, will reveal the ultimate results!

    

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Third parties under scrutiny

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008

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Is a wolf whistle from a third party a sexual irritation or a compliment? An interesting question as we move into the second week of new laws which could cripple employers failing to protect their staff from sexual harassment from customers and suppliers. Apart from an initial burst of publicity from PR companies like ourselves promoting their legal clients and a handful of stories of where it will most severely impact, the media has been relatively quiet. Although laudable, this act undoubtedly increases the stranglehold of red tape on businesses – particularly those who do not have the luxury of a dedicated HR manager or department. It certainly calls for increased vigilance on the part of employers who need to put the personalities and ethics of third party suppliers under the microscope. With no limit on compensation, many small enterprises could go under if employers come unstuck – a very sobering thought indeed.     

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Taking the hump – big style

Tuesday, April 8th, 2008

Humpback whale

When a hump back whale weighing 35,000 kilos is not in the mood for romance, she lets it be known in no uncertain terms as I recently discovered in Lahaina Maui. With competition raging among those touting whale watching expeditions, we selected the most PR savvy and our boat followed the local experts with all eyes peeled for the endangered species which had travelled thousands of miles from Alaska to Maui to breed. With the male population substantially outweighing the female, it’s an age old battle of supremacy. Fitness and dogged determination separate the wheat from the chaff as the expectant males line up behind the female, jockeying for prime position. This endurance test can last up to 24 hours and even those who stay the course are often given sharp shrift when it comes to the crunch as highlighted by this female whose breach left a pool of water the size of a double-decker bus in her wake. Now that’s one helluva way to shake a guy off your tail!

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Does a drugs cheat make a good PR stunt?

Friday, April 4th, 2008

The appointment – albeit temporarily – of ‘disgraced’ sprinter Dwain Chambers to struggling rugby league side Castleford Tigers has raised eyebrows in the sporting world.

Whether or not Chambers, who tested positive for the steroid THG in 2003 and served a two-year suspension, will make a good player remains to be seen – certainly my brother as a referee and touch judge will have a new challenge to match his pace! While the issue may have caused some concern among fans, analysing it from a pure PR point of view I think Castleford may have played a blinder.

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