Jargon PR CEO Simon Corbett

British Library appoints Jargon PR CEO as growth mentor

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The British Library has selected Jargon PR CEO Simon Corbett to be one of its “Innovating for Growth” mentors.

Having benefitted from The British Library’s business resources himself over the past seven years, Corbett will offer advice, guidance and one-to-one support to small business owners, entrepreneurs and investors.

The mentoring scheme forms part of the UK Business and IP Centre’s Innovating for Growth programme, which supports businesses that have been identified as “ready to grow”.

The programme has supported over 250 businesses in the past four years, with 70% of them increasing turnover or taking on extra staff within 12 months of completing it.

Corbett said: “When starting a new business venture, the most valuable support you receive is from other business owners who have been in the same position as you. I’m really looking forward to working with new entrepreneurs and providing the same much-needed support and guidance I received when I was on the programme.”

  • Pictured: Simon Corbett
Clarion Communications

Clarion Comms appoints Jeremy Blackburn to advisory board

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Clarion Communications has appointed tobacco industry veteran Jeremy Blackburn to its advisory board of “Very Clever People”.

The corporate communications specialist has dealt with a wide range of tobacco industry changes, from advertising, labelling and display bans to the rollout of plain packaging.

Clarion said his knowledge will provide unique insights on how to engage in a changing and potentially more restrictive environment for clients in the UK convenience retailing sector.

“Having worked with Clarion for a number of years I am excited to be joining their advisory board,” said Blackburn. “UK convenience retailing business and the companies which service them are experiencing increasing pressure and their adaptability to these changing environments will be tested to the full.”

Amanda Meyrick, Clarion CEO, added: “We are delighted to recruit Jeremy to our advisory board. His project management of media campaigns including national positioning campaigns, knowledge of trade media engagement and his strategic creativity will deliver extensive added value to our trade marketing clients.”

CIPR president-elect 2018

CIPR names Emma Leech 2018 president-elect

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Following her unopposed run in the 2017 CIPR election, Emma Leech has been confirmed as the CIPR’s president-elect for 2018.

In her candidate statement she vowed to “bring more pace, focus and creativity” to the role as she pursues the institute’s strategic plans during what is “a crucial tipping point” for the PR industry.

Leech is Loughborough University’s director of marketing and advancement, and has held similar roles at the Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Nottingham.

She joined the CIPR in 1996, becoming one of the UK’s first accredited PR practitioners in 2005 and receiving her fellowship in 2009. She was named CIPR/IOD PR Director of the Year in 2012.

Leech said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been nominated as the next president-elect and am looking forward to working with board and council colleagues in driving forward CIPR’s vision and strategy. I am grateful to those who nominated me and for the many positive messages I’ve received from colleagues across the industry.”

Leech will succeed Sarah Hall as president of the CIPR in 2019. Hall will take over from the current president, Jason MacKenzie, next year.

Opinion: Fake news is good news for communicators

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James Staunton, partner at Instinctif Partners, argues that fake news could actually breathe new life into media relations and communications in general.

Fake news has been a huge topic in the media ever since the use of the term exploded in the last quarter of 2016, courtesy of US Pumpkin-In-Chief Donald Trump.  But a new white paper from Instinctif Partners – available for download here – suggests that fake news is not necessarily bad news for communications professionals.

To paraphrase Don Draper, fake news has created an itch.  People are worried about reputational threats to their organisations.  Communications professionals are that itch’s calamine lotion.

Additionally, the threat of fake news makes it even more important for brands to leverage their own websites and social media channels to the fullest to ensure they are putting their best foot forward with their core audiences.

Our research shows the websites or social media feeds of companies, government departments and even political parties are trusted more than partisan blogs.

Mainstream news organisations may have suffered at the hands of internet platforms with low overheads – and especially social media giants like Facebook, which have been eating their advertising budgets for breakfast. But fake news has highlighted the value of professional news brands and their ability to create quality, fact-checked, well-regulated journalism – rather than automated clickbait.

The era of fake news, therefore, represents a tipping point for traditional media.

Thanks to fake news, media relations matters more than ever

We can already see this in the numbers. Circulation at the New Yorker is now the highest it’s ever been. Radio 4’s Today programme increased its weekly listeners to reach a record high recently.  Prospect has just experienced a 37% increase in its circulation.

The CEO of the New York Times says there is such a thirst for objective information that the paper is putting on subscribers.  LBC’s audience is at an all-time high.  And the Spectator is now selling more print copies than at any time in its 189-year history.

In the era of fake news, where you get your analysis from has never been more important.

Our research also shows it’s critical to engage with the mainstream media.  Radio, TV, and newspapers (both online and print) are trusted more than the social media feeds of independent users not associated with the traditional media.  Partisan blogs are trusted even less.

This puts media relations right back in the thick of things.  For too long, media relations has looked like the diesel-engined relation to social’s hybrid power plant.  But relationships with the traditional, mainstream media are now set to become more important – not less.

Meg Powell-Chandler, Burson-Marsteller

Government special adviser joins Burson-Marsteller

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Burson-Marsteller UK has hired former Downing Street adviser Meg Powell-Chandler as a director in its public affairs team.

Powell-Chandler ran as the Conservative candidate in Birmingham Northfield in the 2017 General Election. She has also been special adviser to business secretary Greg Clark and former Prime Minister David Cameron.

“Meg joins at a really exciting time for Burson-Marsteller and for British politics,” said Stephen Day, Burson-Marsteller’s UK CEO. “Meg’s insights and experience from working in the heart of the government will be an invaluable asset to our clients.”

Powell-Chandler added: “I’m thrilled to be joining the excellent team at Burson-Marsteller at such an interesting time for public affairs and public relations more widely. With ongoing challenges and opportunities, I look forward to bringing my insights from Westminster into the realm of PR.”

Orchard PR management buyout sees Chris Chilton and Brooke Kenyon take the helm

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Orchard PR’s Brooke Kenyon and Chris Chilton have acquired the communications agency from founders Steve and Lois Falla.

Kenyon is now client services director and Chilton is operations director. Steve Falla will remain in the business as executive consultant.

“Lois and I know that this transition will sustain Orchard’s passion, energy and focus to enable it to build on 21 years of success and continue to thrive in the future,” said Falla. “Brooke and Chris have made an enormous contribution to the development of the company in recent years and it is now time for them to take control.”

Kenyon added: “Chris and I are excited about this opportunity and are looking forward to working alongside our brilliant team to produce high quality and creative work for our clients.”

Chilton concluded: “Steve has built a team of brilliant PR professionals who can deliver across the communications spectrum. We’re committed to maintaining this high standard and using it as a launch pad to develop the expertise of the team further.”

Chilton has completed the CIPR post-graduate diploma in public relations and is a chartered PR practitioner.  Before joining Orchard, he worked in London’s media, public sector and finance industry.

Kenyon has a degree in public relations and is a CIPR accredited practitioner. She is also a committee member of the CIPR Channel Islands group.

  • Pictured: (left to right) Lois Falla, Chris Chilton, Brooke Kenyon and Steve Falla
markettiers

Mercedes-Benz Vans UK retains markettiers for broadcast PR

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Mercedes-Benz Vans UK has appointed markettiers Manchester to handle its broadcast communications on a retained basis.

The consultancy will work with the Mercedes-Benz Vans press office to create proactive campaigns, advise on reactive opportunities and strengthen the brand’s voice across broadcast programming.

It will also provide a broadcast media listening service to help Mercedes-Benz Vans identify competitive media and messaging opportunities.

Markettiers’ initial work includes a campaign around Mental Health Awareness Week 2017, where Mercedes-Benz Vans commissioned research exploring the issue of mental health within the nation’s van driving community.

Caroline Burnell, PR and internal communications manager at Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, said: “Championing the van driver, owner, and operator is something that we are passionate about. So to work with an agency to help bring this to life across broadcast media is very exciting.”

Andy Gallacher, director of strategy and insight at markettiers, added: “Mercedes-Benz actually invented the van in 1896 so it comes with an incredible history and has some fantastic stories to tell. Our role is to help Caroline shine a light on the crucial role vans play in our economy and make sure Mercedes-Benz Vans UK is talking to its diverse customer base about the issues they care about.”

Meet the Journalist: Hello! Magazine editor-in-chief, Rosie Nixon

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Rosie Nixon, editor-in-chief at Hello! Magazine, reveals her dream scoop, how PRs can partner with the title – and why the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are the “gift that keeps on giving”.

Rosie Nixon

Rosie Nixon

You’ve been at Hello! for close to a decade now. What are the biggest celebrity stories you’ve run in that time, and what made them such a big hit with your readers?

Weddings continue to be a big hit with our readers. Our coverage of Pippa Middleton’s wedding in May was one of our highest-selling issues so far this year, which reflects the increased interest in the younger generation of royals.

Particular highlights from my 10 years at Hello! include interviewing Robbie Williams and Ayda Field the day before their wedding at home in Beverley Hills, attending Sam Branson’s wedding to Isabella Calthrope in Sir Richard Branson’s private game reserve in South Africa, and our fantastic coverage of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding in 2011.

How would you describe the typical Hello! reader? Who are they, what are their interests and why do they buy the magazine?

We have a core reader who is in her late 30s, ABC1, professional and a keen juggler of family life with work, friends and everything else. She has a strong interest in fashion and beauty, as well as keeping up with the latest royal and showbiz news. Basically, a woman just like me!

With media consumed on so many platforms these days, we are available to our audience 24/7 – and reading a printed magazine is more of a luxury experience, so the content has to be more exclusive and special than ever.

Hello! launched in the UK with an interview with Princess Anne in Buckingham Palace. Is the British public still as interested in the royal family now as they were back then?

I recently referred to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their young family as the “gift that keeps on giving” for Hello!, and it’s true.

Our strong sales figures show that interest in the royal family is high and this is largely due to the impact of William, Kate and Prince Harry.

The spotlight they shine on causes close to their hearts is commendable and they are gifted with the same humanity and empathetic qualities of the late Diana, Princess of Wales. They also transcend age groups – appealing as much to younger generations as to the old. Long may it continue.

Many of the world’s biggest celebrities, including President Trump, have now embraced social media as their primary means of communicating with the public. What does this mean for celebrity journalism?

It has certainly made it easier for stars to control their image and have greater ownership when it comes to releasing news to their fans – which has made it harder to secure genuine exclusives, in some respects.

However, social media cannot be compared with the big, glossy, photo-shoots that we pride ourselves on producing in Hello!. We offer a trusted environment for stars to showcase an aspect of their life in greater depth than social media allows – meaning the two work very well together.

Obviously, many of the best celebrity stories have historically been scandalous and inherently unpredictable. But what’s your dream celebrity scoop? And what do you predict will be the biggest stories in the coming months?

At Hello! we pride ourselves on steering clear of scandal and negative stories for a quick sales spike. We play the long game and have built up years of trust so that the big names turn to us when they have a genuine scoop to discuss.

Of course, all the exclusives we are working on remain confidential. But we do have something very exciting in the pipeline for later this year – you’ll know about it when we reveal more details on our website.

Like many royal watchers, I am hoping that Prince Harry might become engaged to Meghan Markle before long. And, if I had a crystal ball I would hope to see another baby announcement from William and Kate before the year is out.

How can celebrity and women’s weekly titles compete with digital publications like MailOnline? Do you see some publications following InStyle’s lead and becoming “digital first” in the years ahead?

I think the market is showing that there is space for us all and, as I mentioned before, Hello! is about a luxury experience – taking a precious five minutes or half an hour out of a busy day to kick back, relax and get lost in our aspirational world.

That said, the weekly magazine market has taken a battering in recent years and I wouldn’t be surprised if we unfortunately see some casualties in the months ahead.

Fashion was one of the first industries to successfully capitalise on the new digital era, so I can see why going “digital first” was sensible for InStyle. I can imagine more fashion-focused titles are looking closely at this model.

What’s your relationship with PRs like? What sorts of story is Hello! interested in publishing, and how should PRs contact you if they would like to pitch you an idea?

I love hearing from PRs! It is always a thrill to receive a relevant, timely idea for a feature, celebrity interview or commercial partnership. The way we work with brands has changed enormously over the last year and we love hearing creative ideas.

Email is probably best and do take note of the magazine masthead – directing your pitch to the relevant person is key and will avoid unnecessary time-wasting.

If you could go out for dinner with any celebrity (alive or dead), who would you choose and why?

Such a hard question – I can think of many! But, as she is especially on my mind this week, it would have to be Princess Diana. So many questions still need answering and I could tell her what a fantastic job her sons are doing.

PR News in Brief

This week’s PR news in brief (28 August – 1 September)

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Here is a round-up of all the essential PR stories, people news and account wins that have been announced over the past week.

Account wins

YO! has selected W as its retained consumer PR agency to spearhead the next phase of its evolution as it celebrates its 20th anniversary year.

Hong Kong Jockey Club has appointed Square in the Air to act as its UK PR and marketing representative ahead of the start of the 2017/18 Hong Kong racing season starting on Sunday 3 September.

Tryon Equestrian Partners, organisers of the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018, has appointed Revolution Sports to manage international PR and media services for the event, which takes place from September 11-23 2018.

Chocolate company Barry Callebaut has chosen The Hub to handle the trade communications and customer marketing for its Belgian Chocolate brand, Callebaut, within the UK Foodservice channel.

The Good Exchange, a not-for-profit platform that helps charities get funding, has selected Finn Partners to build awareness of the brand and publicise its charitable giving in the UK.

Chicago-based wine purification company Üllo has appointed PHA Media to launch its unique product offering to the UK market.

Eyewear Publishing has appointed Bookollective as its retained agency to publicise one of its key titles this autumn, following a competitive pitch.

Green tea brand Vivid Matcha has appointed The Wern to manage its PR activity, engaged Testify as its new social media agency and selected Rhubarb’s Lucy Crook to create and implement its new marketing strategy.

People news

Ocado has appointed David Shriver to the newly created role of communications director. He will be responsible for strengthening Ocado’s engagement with its major stakeholders.

Citizen Relations welcomed Helena Fisher as its UK managing director this week. She will lead the agency’s London office.

Newgate Communications has appointed Craig Harrow as partner and head of its office in Edinburgh.

Will Tanner, who was deputy head of Theresa May’s policy unit until the recent general election, has joined Portland as its chief policy adviser.

Laura Trott, former special adviser to David Cameron, is also joining Portland as a partner in its corporate group, and No 10 deputy political director Nick Hargrave is returning to the agency as a corporate director.

Big Cat has welcomed Helen Gaskell as its new senior account executive. The former journalist in the Middle East will be responsible for content creation across a range of consumer and B2B accounts.

Agency news

Hotwire is launching pop-up offices in Minneapolis, Boston and Mexico City to provide support to current clients, strengthen its portfolio of consumer and tech companies and attract top talent.

Lisa Pantelli, Weber Shandwick’s former head of employee engagement and change management, has launched Become Communications – an employee engagement and internal communications consultancy.

Entrepreneur Richard Shell and PR director Chrissie Plunkett have partnered to launch The Twist Group, a PR and comms agency.

Ranieri and BlueJam Media have announced a strategic partnership. The affiliation will see the two companies to organically exchange skills and pitch together for future clients.

RMS PR has rebranded to RMS as part of its transformation to a fully-integrated marketing agency after 25 years in business.

Financial PR

Real estate and financial services company City of London Group (City of London) has engaged The PR Office to provide comms support for its “reverse takeover” of Milton Homes and an £11 million equity fundraising.

Patron Capital has completed its £1.8 billion acquisition of Punch Taverns with comms support from its retained PR agency, Redleaf Communications.

Malta Tourism Authority

Malta Tourism Authority seeks PR and social media agencies

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The Malta Tourism Authority has issued a tender for the provision of PR and social media across a range of international markets, for a period of 36 months.

The tender holds five lots across countries including France (Lot 1), Germany, Austria and Switzerland (Lot 2), Italy (Lot 3), North America and Canada (Lot 4) and the UK (Lot 5). A further lot for the Republic of Ireland will be issued separately at a later date.

The closing date for tender submissions is Tuesday 26 September at 9.30am. For more details, please visit: http://mta.com.mt/tenders.