Is PR struggling to effectively communicate tech trends in retail?

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Bringing together consumers’ online and offline experiences will be a key theme at WIRED RETAIL 2016 next week, according to the event’s curator Nick Compton. But how well are communicators keeping consumers abreast of change and challenges in retail?

The event, which starts on 16 November, will touch on the potential changes Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and new payment technologies could bring to the retail sector. Compton says: “But I think the big trend will be this alignment of online and offline; they will become less and less distinct experiences and processes.”

When it comes to PR and communications around these technologies and their benefits, Compton adds that he does not think messages are being effectively communicated to consumers. In fact, he explains that they are – most likely – not even effectively communicated within the companies that use them.

Overcoming the comms challenge

This presents a particular comms challenge. Chris Gilmour, director at Beattie Communications, says that trying to communicate new technologies such as AR to the mass market is difficult because it’s seen as very niche.

“The best way to approach it is to aim for those niche guys as early adopters. Once they’re on board as ambassadors, they’ll be able to espouse the benefits to the mass market, and you and I will become much more interested in trying out something that’s then seen as tried and tested,” he explains.

Gilmour says that comms professionals have a duty of care to communicate changes with clarity and to ensure that change is clearly explained. Recent developments in payment technology show how this can work.

“Payment has advanced more in the past year than in the previous 20. The idea of carrying a cheque book today is arcane but it’s important not to get carried away. Early trials of ‘contactless only’ outlets have not been a resounding success (although this is invariably where we’re headed),” he says.

“For consumers when it comes to payment, there’s one key message that counts – security. It has taken a huge push to get widespread adoption of contactless. Transparency is one way to combat fears over security, but this week’s Tesco Bank issue will have an undoubted effect on consumer confidence.”

To ensure confidence develops in new tech, Compton says comms pros must focus on the everyday experience.

He adds: “It’s been a year when there has been a lot of hype around and interest in technologies, from VR and AR to AI and bots and even the blockchain. And you end up using a shorthand which a lot of people don’t understand. All you can do is keep in mind how people will actually experience this stuff and work backwards from there.”

PR could be more creative with new technology

Technologies such as AR and VR within the retail space could also be used for PR, according to Gilmour.

“The creative uses for augmented reality or VR are limitless – imagine pitching a client an experience they can have via VR whilst they’re actually in the boardroom? Or launching the concept for a product that can pop out of the table.

“Technology and communication have always been intrinsically linked and that won’t change, but the real opportunity is in helping developers to communicate why they’re changing the experience. If consumers can understand why they’re using new technology, the explanation of what it is and where to find it will follow naturally.”

  • WIRED RETAIL takes place on Wednesday November 16 at the British Museum in London.

2016 Suzy Spirit Award winner Henry Playfoot joins 2017 judging panel

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Henry Playfoot, the winner of the 2016 Suzy Spirit Award, has joined the panel of judges in their quest to find two exceptional PR and comms professionals for 2017.

Now in its fourth year, The Suzy Ferguson Spirit Award recognises those unsung heroes who have made a difference in the industry and bring out the best in other people, without expecting anything in return.

Launched by Gorkana, in partnership with LEWIS, the award is run in memory of the PR agency’s former employee, Suzy Ferguson, who passed in 2012.

Nominations for the revamped 2017 Suzy Spirit Awards officially opened last month. Judges will look to honour a rising star who may only be at the beginning of their career, but already demonstrates Suzy’s qualities and characteristics in their everyday work.

There is also the option to honour an established industry professional –  someone who sets a shining example through mentoring and championing others.

Playfoot, who is currently consulting at Claremont, was named the winner of the third Suzy Spirit Award in March, with judges praising him for his ‘strong integrity, principles and ethics’.

He started his career in multi-platform campaigns for the Department of Health and the BBC, before he co-founded his own digital comms firm in 2000. He joined Claremont in 2014 as strategy director, and has now set up his own consultancy, Pitch Doctor.

He joins Suzy’s husband, Alex Ferguson, Suzy’s father, John Carter, Sally O’Neill, VP International at LEWIS and Jeremy Thompson, CEO (EMEA & India) Cision/PR Newswire, on this year’s judging panel.

In an interview with Gorkana today on being named a judge for the 2017 Suzy Spirit Awards, Playfoot said: “It’s a privilege to hear stories about people who make a difference in the lives of those around them, and seeing the respect and affection that people have for their nominees is very uplifting.”

In 2015, the Suzy Spirit Award went to Nicola Green, director of comms and reputation at O2. The first winner of the award in 2014 was Rosie Warin, who worked at Forster Communications at the time, is now the CEO of Kin&Co.

For more information on the awards and how to nominate, click here.

Colliers International appoints new UK PR manager

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Commercial real estate company Colliers International has hired Hannah Zitren as UK PR manager.

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Hannah Zitren

Zitren, who previously worked at Ash Communications, will focus on media relations, and will work across a range of Colliers’ UK & Pan-EMEA business lines, advising on communications strategy.

Charlotte Williams, director of PR and communications for UK/EMEA, said: “PR and communications are an important part of Colliers International’s content strategy as we continue to strive to increase our share of voice within the property sector. Coming from an agency background, Hannah has a broad understanding of the PR landscape and brings another dynamic to our already talented and ambitious in-house team.”

Zitren’s experience has largely been in the property sector, and she has worked with UK and global clients encompassing B2C and B2B.

Earlier this year, Colliers hired Otis Sakyi as a PR executive, and Helen O’Reilly as a comms and marketing manager in its Dublin office.

APS Financial hires Launch PR

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Digital banking services provider APS financial, the trading name of Advanced Payment Solutions Ltd. (APS), has appointed Launch PR to raise its profile in the UK’s SME and freelance communities.

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Johnny Pitt

The Launch PR team, led by director Niki Wheeler, will run a six-month integrated activation programme for APS Financial, and will report to marketing director Najlaa Taqi-Eddin.

Taqi-Eddin said: “We work in a fast moving and innovative area of finance and saw in Launch PR’s thinking exactly the kind of big buzz campaigning we’ve been looking for”.

Johnny Pitt, Launch PR founder, added: “The APS financial story is stunning – From zero to SME hero in a decade, they’re on a continued massive upwards trajectory. We love working with both big brands and entrepreneurial ones at Launch, so this is a great fit.”

Coffee brand The New Black appoints Redleaf

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Coffee brand The New Black has appointed Redleaf Communications to manage its UK launch and raise awareness.

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The New Black coffee bar

Redleaf Communication’s senior account manager Rishi Banerjee and account manager Helena Shadbolt will manage the account.

Banerjee said: “The New Black is a unique coffee experience designed to bring the best artisan coffee from the world’s most renowned coffee roasters to city corporates with a penchant for fine coffee. We are working with Phoa Kia Boon and his team to help build its profile through a targeted media campaign.”

The New Black coffee bars serve speciality coffee from renowned roasters around the world. The company was first launched in Singapore by Malaysian-born British entrepreneur Phoa Kia Boon.

Opinion: Did Trump create the perfect PR campaign?

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Back in July, Lord Sugar’s former publicist, David Fraser, said Trump’s campaign for the US presidency was arguably one of the greatest PR campaigns in recent years. Fraser, who is now MD of PR and SEO agency Ready10, said that when it came to communications, Trump’s campaign was “poetry in motion”. What do you think?

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Donald Trump in congress with the media

22 JULY 2016: OK, first up let’s not get bogged down in the credibility or otherwise of him as President – you will have your opinion and I will have mine. That’s for a different piece (for the record, he’s not my cup of tea/can of soda). But in terms of an effective communications campaign, I think “Donald Trump” is poetry in motion. Here’s why:

Consistency of Message

If you’re British, you won’t be able to vote in November, but I’ll bet that you still know his key campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again” (which Trump apparently applied to trademark as early as 2012). You’ll also likely be familiar with his proclamations that the US is “going to win” and also his key policy pledge to build a wall on the Mexican border. You don’t know this by accident, it’s because Trump repeats, and repeats, and repeats his key messages in every speech and every interview, on his website and on his social media platforms.

He hammers the message home with unparalleled discipline, never deviating, until it’s burned in your consciousness. Can anyone tell me Hillary’s campaign slogan? Thought not.

The use of simple language

A recent analysis of the discourse of the two presidential candidates showed that Trump speaks in language that is approximately 4th grade level (primary school), while Hillary’s is around 8th grade. The same study showed that in a typical 220 word answer Trump gave, 172 of his words had just one syllable. It’s easy to be snooty about this, but it’s to Trump’s credit – he makes his argument simple for his audience, speaking in terms and language they can engage with. As a result he has cut-through (with Republican members, so far).

He has a nose for news

Trump’s campaign has been a steady stream of moments where he has formed the narrative by saying something that generates reams of discussion and column inches – his controversial proclamations about Muslims entering the US and walls with Mexico are the obvious ones but there are others. Many others.

The king of earned media

Trump has spent less money on his campaign than any candidate in recent history. In February alone, he ‘only’ spent $10 million on media whilst his then-opponent Jeb Bush spent $82 million. Why? Because Trump creates and generates enough stories of his own to earn media and for the news networks to do his own free advertising. As he says himself, “a lot of the programmes are 100% Trump, so why do you need more Trump during the commercial breaks?”

He is brilliant at social media

In this day and age there isn’t going to be a political candidate who isn’t on social media, but there’s a difference between being present and being engaging. Trump is the latter, generating honest, genuine and shareable content via a plethora of outlets including Facebook, Instagram, Periscope and Twitter. Like him or loathe him, you cannot deny he is authentic.

We don’t know whether Trump can convince the wider American electorate of his credentials. Can he go that last step? Three years ago not many would have bet that this businessman/reality star would be anywhere near the ticket this November.

The fact that he is comes in no small way down to what is, arguably, a perfectly executed PR campaign. I certainly wouldn’t bet against him.

  • The original version of this article was published on 22 July 2016
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David Fraser

 

David Fraser is MD of Ready10, a London-based PR and SEO agency that launched in June. Before Ready10, Fraser spent 12 years at Frank and was named deputy MD in 2013. While there, he spent 10 years as the personal publicist to Lord Sugar, alongside Frank MD Andrew Bloch. 

W offers job to creator of fake John Lewis Christmas ad

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Nick Jablonka, the 18-year-old A-Level student whose online Christmas video made thousands of internet users believe it was this year’s official John Lewis Christmas advert, has been offered a newly-created role by W Communications on its digital and social team.

Jablonka created the video, entitled ‘The Snowglobe’,  as part of his media coursework back in June (when he was aged 17 at the time), and it has since clocked up nearly 800,000 views.

Following the mass of interest in the video, W tweeted Jablonka on Monday (7 November) saying they were keen to talk to him about a role at W “for when your exams are over”.

Sophie Raine, director at W, has since spoken to Jablonka about the offer, who said the last 24 hours has been “absolutely crazy,” and he is due to visit W’s offices later this week to discuss the role, which W has said would focus on “creating content for household brands”.

Raine said: “Advertising agencies are paid billions by brands to try and replicate exactly what Nick, aged 18, has managed to do with his fake John Lewis ad. Nick’s work captured our attention – we were all inspired by his ingenuity and creativity, especially given his age.

“It was a no brainer to create a bespoke role for him within our digital content team, offering him the chance to create content and emotive stories for huge household brands.”

She continued: “Nick was both excited and overwhelmed by our proposition and we are arranging a meeting for later in the week to flesh out his package and what the role will involve.”

W - John Lewis spoof ad

Sauce Communications appoints Sarah Canet to international director role

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Spoon PR founder Sarah Canet has joined lifestyle comms agency Sauce Communications to build its international division and brought four new clients onto its books.

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Sarah Canet

Canet, who has more than 20 years’ experience, brings three of her long-standing clients to Sauce: Italian restaurateur and chef Massimo Bottura from Osteria Francescana, Swedish chef Niklas Ekstedt from Ekstedt in Stockholm and Seattle chef and polymath Nathan Myhrvold and his modernist cuisine series of books.

She also brings with her a recent signing, chef Ben Shewry from Attica in Melbourne.

They join global restaurateur Jason Atherton, D&D London, Thomson & Scott Skinny Champagne and Prosecco, and Relais & Chateaux as Sauce clients.

In her new role, Canet will report to Sauce co-founders Nicky Hancock and Jo Barnes.

Hancock said: “Sarah brings a wealth of experience and clients with her to Sauce at a very exciting time as we build our International division.”

Canet said: “I have always admired the results that Sauce Communications achieve and so I am excited to be joining them.”

Clarity PR wins Captify

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Clarity PR, which specialises in working with fast-growing tech businesses, has won the account for London search intelligence company Captify.

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Captify co-founders, Dominic Joseph (left) and Adam Ludwin

Clarity’s team has been briefed to raise Captify’s profile, and will work alongside its marketing team to execute a programme in Europe and North America. The strategy will involve media relations, content marketing activities and event management.

Founded in 2011, Captify has worked with major brands such as BMW, Nike and M&S. It specialises in search intelligence and uses semantic technology to analyse 15bn monthly searches to interpret the intent and interests of over a billion users to power advertising campaigns.

Dominic Joseph, co-founder and CEO at Captify, said: “Having opened an office in New York earlier in the year, we’re at a pivotal and exciting stage of the company’s growth. We really wanted an agency who knew our business and had a sound understanding of the market. Clarity’s team have both the experience and energy to support our ambitious expansion plans.”

Sara Collinge, UK MD at Clarity PR, added: “Captify is experiencing an exciting period of growth with cutting-edge products that are already a pivotal part in the evolution of search intelligence that powers brand, video and mobile. We’re delighted to have the opportunity to design a communications programme that will capitalise on Captify’s market-leading offering to create a standout position for the organisation with its key audiences.”

Taylor Herring promotes UK’s “fastest growing” children’s magazine

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The Week Junior, which claims to be the UK’s fastest growing children’s subscription magazine, has hired creative PR agency Taylor Herring to promote the brand in its debut year.

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The Week Junior

The Week Junior is aimed at “curious and smart” 8-14-year-olds, who “want to make sense of the world around them”.

Content includes information on topics including the latest news, nature, science, geography and film, all explained from a child’s perspective, and encourages them to form and share their own ideas and opinions.

Launched by Dennis Publishing in November 2015, it reached 10000 subscribers in its first three months, and over 25000 in under a year, making it the fastest growing subscriptions magazine in the publisher’s history.

Taylor Herring will create a campaign to highlight Britain’s ‘Knowledge Gap’ on current affairs and will see the promotion of short form video content fronted by children explaining complex news topics including the Middle East, the devaluation of Sterling and the Grammar Schools debate.

The account will be led by Taylor Herring’s managing partner, James Herring, and account director, Katie Fox, who will report to The Week Junior’s editor, Anna Bassi, and Dennis Publishing’s PR and comms director, Jerina Hardy.

Bassi said: “The Week Junior has had an incredible year; subscriptions have surpassed our expectations and the sheer appetite for the publication is massive. We’re looking forward to an even better year in 2017 with the help of Taylor Herring.”

Herring added: “Working on content for a generation that have grown up with unlimited access to information will be extremely challenging, but a load of fun!”