Welcome to London, world capital of reputation laundering. Really?

Sometimes you read a news story and just can’t get it out of your head. I’ve been mulling over the Rwanda PR piece since I read it earlier this week.   

The whole article was bringing into question the ethics of London PR firms promoting, and I quote, ‘foreign regimes with some of the world’s worst human rights records.’ Talk about a loaded statement. The title set the tone with reference to reputation laundering as though it’s some sort of covert criminal activity being cooked up in PR brainstorms all over the capital. 

I’m not condoning airbrushing away the scars of horrific, blood-curdling genocide, but effective positioning will surely help a country to develop. Changing the image of a nation is no mean feat. But, when all of the media coverage we’ve ever seen is negative, then it’s only right that we’re offered a broader view. The weaknesses of the country should be properly managed and the best assets need promoting in order to encourage change. 

London is viewed as one of the most influential media centres in the world and this is why countries such as Rwanda are engaging PR agencies here. As consultants we have the expertise to advise about good reputation management. Companies with questionable ethics use PR agencies, so why shouldn’t a country (even one with a tough history) be entitled to try and influence potential investors, tourists and the media?

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Tags: ethics, human rights, London, London PR, Peppermint PR, pr, pr industry, reputation management, Rwanda, The Guardian

You are my chosen one – The PR power of the celebrity

I have about 600 friends on Facebook. I use the term ‘friend’ loosely, since I would probably only choose to speak to about 200 of them via ‘chat’.

It was refreshing then, to read that rap star, Kanye West, has only one ‘friend’ who he follows on Twitter – nineteen-year-old Stephen Holmes from the West Midlands.

West decided to follow the Coventry teenager last Saturday evening. Three hours later, Holmes had 3,000 new followers (and still counting).

Holmes admits to having no idea why the superstar sensation picked him. To put an end to the avalanche of comments from music fans and journalists, he has since limited his own Twitter activity, even going so far as to delete the application from his iPhone.

Undoubtedly, the celebrity has become the powerful PR tool of the twenty-first century. Research conducted last month fuelled the belief that using celebrities over attractive non-celebs to endorse products does actually increase sales. Apparently, when viewing celebrity images, brain activity is heightened.

So it just goes to show that, despite being a powerful tool in its own right, social media certainly benefits from having a partner in crime, the celebrity, to achieve the maximum influence over society.

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Tags: celebrity, iPhone, kanye west, Peppermint, pr tool, social media, stephen holmes, Twitter

AROUND THE WORLD IN 30 DAYS… VIA TWITTER

Freelance writer Paul Smith was able to travel across the globe for free – using only Twitter as a means of securing travel and accommodation. In a display of social media power, Paul was given a complimentary flight by Air New Zealand, accessed a celeb-filled fashion week party in Hollywood, and appeared on Good Morning America. His globe-trotting quest was given a jump-start by celebrity tweeter Stephen Fry, who highlighted Paul’s ambition.

According to our client Travelspec.com – a flight comparison website – the same trip done by plane, and crucially, without Twitter, would have cost over four and a half thousand pounds. And that’s even when booking the cheapest available flight.

Paul’s round-the-world tour isn’t the only mega-freebie that social media has been responsible for. In July, bride Emma Collins bagged a £20,000 dream-wedding from strangers for nothing – all thanks to Facebook.

Both of these stories demonstrate the truly global reach of social media – from Stewart Island, population 400, where Paul Smith’s journey ended; to Abertridwr, South Wales where Emma Collins tied the knot. It makes you wonder what can be achieved with a bit of tenacity and a bit more cheek. I’m off to make friends with Stephen Fry…

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Tags: Facebook, free, freebie, Paul Smith, social media, Stephen Fry, travel, trip, Twitter, wedding, world

Is it really that grim up North?

This week has seen confessions from several BBC executives, who have declared they will not be making the move to Salford for the launch of BBC North. Instead, they will live in rented accommodation to be paid for by the licence fee payer. Meanwhile, the BBC North director, Peter Salmon, is refusing to move, despite heading the entire project.

It seems these so called ‘executives’ are taking a very dim view of moving to Manchester in order to keep hold of their jobs.

Surely as bosses, they should be leading by example? How can the BBC expect hundreds of employees to relocate in order to hold onto their jobs, if their superiors are putting up such a public and, frankly, puerile argument in the first instance?

It was not long ago that BBC bigwigs found themselves giving into the demands of licence fee payers after plans were put in place to pull the plug on popular digital radio station 6 Music. Countless social media campaigns and online crusades were fought by avid listeners and loyal fans of the station, and as a result, the station was saved.

So how can it be that the BBC has suddenly found the resources – not to mention the cash flow – to pay for the second homes of the executives who are so unwilling to relocate? This is an unashamed misuse of licence fees and will only cause uproar amongst the public who have already shown such support and loyalty to the BBC already.

Is the North really so grim and unbearable that it is worth making licence fee payers cough up for luxurious city centre abodes? I think – indeed know – not.

The entire MediaCity UK complex looks fantastic and agencies all over the North West are excited about the opportunities that it will create. It’s just a shame the director himself doesn’t want to stick around for a Mancunian brew.

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Tags: BBC North, MediaCity UK, Pete Salmon

High-profile PR firms given high-profile bashing over council appointments

Yesterday came the news that Communities Secretary Eric Pickles is to launch an attack on councils which have hired public relations firms. Mr. Pickes is set to initiate a scathing assault on the “outrageous” practice of town halls hiring PRs today.

“It is a waste of taxpayer’s cash,” said the Communities Secretary, speaking in yesterday’s Express newspaper, “cutting this pointless practice should help councils protect frontline services.”

It seems to me that this outburst of opinion over the hiring, and it now seems possible firing, of PRs is slightly hypocritical. Only this month, a brand new comms department was formed within the central government created Sentencing Council. As head of the communications department, Helen Stear’s role will be to increase public awareness of sentencing practice and reform.

How can Mr. Pickles be so negative about the hiring of PRs by local councils when central government affiliated bodies are doing exactly the same thing?

Hypocrisy aside, the communities secretary has chosen the on-trend tactic of focussing on the cost of hiring PRs, which, in a recession is bound to get people’s backs up. What he has not addressed, however, is the vital role which PR firms play in attracting local investment. Without the communication skills of PRs, communities are likely to attract less attention, which means less tourism, less money for essential public services and a much more fragile local economy. The truth is, PR firms are able to communicate policies and practices to the public, whilst putting local areas on the map in the eyes of central government. Council-hired public relations firms can have an uplifting and stabilising effect on an area.

PR thrives because it is effective. In the case of local government offices, it enables councils to gain enough attention to win support for major projects of vital importance to their residents. That’s not what I’d call “outrageous”.

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Tags: communities, communities secretary, council, Eric Pickles, firm, front line services, government, local area, pr, public relations, scandal, town hall