Ketchum establishes Global Leadership Council

/in /by

Ketchum has changed its global leadership structure by appointing a new Global Leadership Council (GLC) in place of its existing Executive Committee.

flahertyrob 1

Rob Flaherty

The GLC is comprised of Ketchum senior leaders; those responsible for the agency’s largest “geographies”, business units and key client relationships, as well as other areas of high strategic importance, such as corporate functions.

As a group, the GLC reports to Rob Flaherty, Ketchum CEO and president. He said: “Ketchum’s Global Leadership Council will enhance our value to clients by broadening our leadership group to include leaders who have tremendous experience spearheading our biggest and most successful client engagements, building entrepreneurial ventures, innovating new products and services for clients and fostering a deeply rooted culture of collaboration that has long distinguished us.

He added: “The GLC will propel the agency forward with a focus on what our clients need to be successful in their businesses, what our people need to build fulfilling careers and which innovations we should initiate as together we reimagine the future of communications.”

Ketchum, which has operations in more than 70 countries across six continents, also announced a new group focusing on innovation and transformation, the Break Through Advisory Board. This eight-person board will report to the GLC, and is tasked with bringing fresh perspectives and disruptive thinking to both the agency and its clients.

 

Gorkana meets… DadblogUK

/in /by

Ahead of Father’s Day on Sunday, Gorkana’s Ebunola Adenipekun caught up with John Adams, founder of one of the UK’s most influential dad blogs, DadblogUK, to find out about what’s made him stand out in such a crowded parenting market, his successful move into vlogging this year, why PRs should pay more attention to YouTube subscribers, and his top tips for how PRs can help with content.

DadblogUK

John Adams

How did DadblogUK come about and what do you think is key to its success?

My blog started in 2012 as a place for me to write about life as a stay-at-home dad. Over time I have diversified my content. I write about all aspects of parenting – education, childcare, SATS tests, clothes, schooling etc. I also cover a lot of lifestyle issues, including men’s fashion and grooming, days out and product reviews.

Fatherhood and parenting remain at the core of what I do. I think the key to my success is that I write about parenting from a male perspective. I’m a different voice in a world largely inhabited by mum bloggers.

Earlier this year I branched out and started vlogging. To my amazement, I now get as many monthly views of my YouTube video as I do page views of my blog!

What does a typical day look like for you?

Blogging has now become an occupation for me that I fit around family life. Seven days a week, I will be out of bed at 5am. This gives me two hours to work before getting my eldest daughter to school and my youngest to pre-school (she goes four mornings a week).

If my youngest is at pre-school, the next few hours will be spent writing, producing videos or on admin. Basically, I will be dodging housework!

Afternoons are spent looking after the kids. I may squeeze in an hour or so of work in the evenings but I try to keep these clear so my wife and I can spend time together.

Tell us about DadblogUK readers.

My readership is almost 50/50 men/women. My core readership is people aged 25 to 44. That makes up about 65% of all readers.

My YouTube stats are similar. It’s fractionally more men (56%) than women (44%) watching my videos. The main age group watching are 25 to 34-years-olds, with 35 to 44-year-olds being the next most likely age group to watch my channel.

Talk us through the categories on your site.

I have a total of six categories:

  • family life
  • fathers issues / men’s interests
  • humour
  • home improvement
  • family finances
  • days out

My YouTube channel contains similar content to the blog. I try to make sure they are complementary.

Describe your relationship with PRs.

I used to work in PR so I am generally very happy to hear from PRs and SEO agencies. I’m always happy to receive an email or phone call. I won’t always say yes to your ideas, but I have no problem with you asking. We all have a job to do.

How can PRs help with content for the site?

I do always want to hear from you so don’t be shy of getting in touch. Secondly, I am incredibly busy. If you want me to get involved with a campaign or attend and event, please give me as much notice as you possibly can.

Also, content should be relevant to my readership. I do write blog posts about my sedate hobby of home brewing real ale. I am not, however, going to publish your infographic about drinking games you can play during Eurovision.

Do you invite guest bloggers to contribute to the site?

Yes, I do invite guest bloggers to write for my site. A hint for you – the summer holidays are on the horizon and I am especially keen to host guest content during this period so I can spend more time outside with my kids.

You still contribute to different forms of media: TV, online, print. What can PRs do to help with this?

I can regularly be found in the media commenting on parenting issues. I’ve appeared on everything from the Victoria Derbyshire programme to The Times Magazine. With my background, I enjoy working with the media.

In terms of PRs approaching me, my message would be thus; do not underestimate the value of a blog post backed up with a corresponding YouTube video. As I’ve got more and more into YouTube and seen my visitor stats rise, I’ve come to appreciate its true value.

Believe it or not, however, I have never been asked by a PR what my YouTube visitor numbers are. I’m going to leave that thought hanging…

What’s the best way for PRs to get in touch?

It’s probably best to email me in the first instance, but do call if you wish. I will always consider reviews, guest posts and competitions. I think I may have dropped enough hints; I also want to record YouTube videos!

For some content I will request payment of an admin fee. It all depends what is involved.

What are your three top tips for PRs when pitching ideas?

  • Make sure the idea is relevant to my readership
  • Please give me as much notice as possible
  • For fashion pieces, I think a post needs three or four items from a collection for a post to be worth the effort.

And finally, what are you most looking forward to for Father’s Day?

Ha ha, maybe I’ll get up an hour or two later? No doubt my eldest daughter will bring me breakfast in bed with some help from little sister. I always look forward to this as the creative selection of foods is quite an experience!

John was talking to Gorkana’s Ebunola Adenipekun

AMEC 2016: Highlights from day two

/in /by

Here are some of the highlights from day two of the AMEC International Summit 2016, including notes and comments from the speakers and the community.

Top Tweets from day two:

AMEC 2016: AMEC launches Integrated Evaluation Framework

/in /by


At the AMEC International Summit 2016, AMEC launched its Integrated Evaluation Framework with an interactive tool to promote effective measurement and bring The Barcelona Principles to a wider audience.

The online tool, which is available at amec.org/amecframework, takes comms professionals through seven steps encouraging the adoption of the framework.

Users can submit objectives, inputs, activity, outputs, out-takes, outcomes and impact into the tool and create a PDF for download. It also features explanations alongside each step highlighting definitions and how the terms relate to business objectives.

Giles Peddy, group MD UK at LEWIS Global, and a member of the AMEC group that helped develop the tool, described it as ’tiled, easily mapped and visual’. He said: “We wanted a tool that anyone could use through any form of communication, whether it’s stakeholder engagement, or brand, or crisis communications. No matter what you were doing in your communications we needed that to work.

“We also needed a tool that anyone could use – from a graduate to a director – in-house, or whatever is required. The tool shows a journey between organisational objectives to communications objectives – all the way through to impact.”

 

 

 

AMEC 2016: Hotwire’s top measurement tips for a mid-sized agency

/in /by

During day two of the AMEC summit, Hotwire’s group chief development officer, Andy West, discussed what his business needs for aligning measurement practice.

West said that Hotwire is a “mid-sized company” despite its international reach, with the largest office consisting of 60 people and five staff in its smallest. So, measurement sits “within” the organisation and Hotwire often has to run its own training.

He noted three main reasons for people being “afraid” of getting to grips with measurement; they are afraid of numbers, they lack knowledge and there is a lack of leadership in this area.

Here are his quick tips for overcoming these issues:

Hire graduates who are comfortable with numbers

West said PR has a problem in this area – it has been hiring graduates from the arts for a long time, who pride themselves on being creative and are great communicators. He argues that the industry needs a ‘new breed’ of graduate that can also understand “the numbers”.

“We are starting to look at different sorts of entrants in our organisation that bring different skills. One of the things that excites me is the possible ability for our business to attract graduates who would have gone into management consulting or accounting, data scientists or behavioural psychologists. With the size of our business, we don’t have those specialities.”

Champion the importance of measurement education

Hotwire hires around 10 graduates every year. However, West said he fails to see many graduates coming into the industry who are passionate about data, despite being reassured that it’s part of university curriculums.

He said: “One of the things I’ve spoken about previously at conferences is education within universities, that are churning out these PR graduates. I still haven’t necessarily seen [knowledge of data] with the intakes that we have and the professionals we are hiring. That’s got to change.

“I’d love to see a higher number of graduates coming into the organisation and really challenging us as managers and really testing us with the latest academic techniques that they’ve been taught.”

Use the leadership messages from AMEC and share them

West said he would like to see the leadership that has been shown at this year’s AMEC summit reflected in the industry.

He added: “One of the things that’s struck me over the last 36 hours is the amazing leadership that the panels have shown in driving forward measurement and inside agenda with organisations. I think they are truly inspirational. If we can go out and share that message as agencies and PR professionals show that leadership, I’m certain we can take this topic forward and truly make metrics matter.”

 

AMEC 2016: Tina McCorkindale, president and CEO at Institute for Public Relations

/in /by

Tina McCorkindale, president and CEO at Institute for Public Relations, calls the networking opportunities at the AMEC summit a personal highlight. She says, “stale” conversations around measurement need a shake-up.

The Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) is holding its annual International Summit in London this week (15-16 June). You can follow highlights from the AMEC summit on Gorkana’s Youtube channel, as well as Gorkana News. 

AMEC 2016: Michelle Vangel, VP of insight solutions at Cision

/in /by

Michelle Vangel, VP of insight solutions at Cision, says that this year’s summit is about more than just measurement. She says: “We’re using metrics to inform strategy, as well as measure results; it’s an ongoing holistic cycle.”

The Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) is holding its annual International Summit in London this week (15-16 June). You can follow highlights from the AMEC summit on Gorkana’s Youtube channel, as well as Gorkana News.

AMEC 2016: Barry Leggetter, CEO at AMEC

/in , /by

As the second day of the AMEC summit gets underway, Barry Leggetter, CEO at AMEC, says: “It’s up to us to make measurement matter,” and calls this year’s event a, “breakthrough summit.”

 

The Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) is holding its annual International Summit in London this week (15-16 June). You can follow highlights from the AMEC summit on Gorkana’s Youtube channel, as well as Gorkana News.

 

 

AMEC 2016: Shonali Burke, ABC, president & CEO at Shonali Burke Consulting Inc

/in /by

At her first AMEC summit event, Shonali Burke, ABC, president & CEO at Shonali Burke Consulting Inc, praises a focus on strategic, integrated communications. She says that metrics matter, but only if there’s insight.

The Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) is holding its annual International Summit in London this week (15-16 June). You can follow highlights from the AMEC summit on Gorkana’s Youtube channel, as well as Gorkana News.