Archive

Barbie shows off her new tattoos age 50

30-Apr-09 17:02

Has anyone spotted Barbie's new tattoos? Whatever next! Apparently to celebrate her 50th birthday the doll makers at Mattel have given her a set of tattoos, which they insist will bring her ‘up to date' for 2009. What happened to the good old days when Barbie simply came with a hairbrush and comb, a sparkly pair of roller skates, or the latest fairy tale ball gown? In an age of wanting our children to make the most of their childhood years as opposed to being on a mission to grow up too quickly - surely provoking thoughts of getting yourself down the local tattoo parlour as soon as you are old enough to, for an "I love Ken" heart-shape tattoo isn't the most inspired move? What's next for Barbie - a ‘boob enhancement at 60 and a bit of Botox on her 80th?

Having said that, what a great PR stunt from Mattel - it got me talking didn't it! A bit of controversy goes a long way in kicking up a media storm after all, what better way to reinvent Barbie's staid image than to push her back into the media limelight with something that is bound to cause a bit of outrage? It's a reliable PR methodology , find the right story, sensationalise it, add a bit of controversy and watch the coverage roll in. It will be interesting to see if ‘tattoo Barbie' flies off or gets knocked off the shelf in the weeks to come.

Rachel

Twitter boredom?

30-Apr-09 15:52

I read a story on Brand Republic that although Twitter is reportedly attracting up to 10 million users, the site only has a 40 per cent user retention rate. The research from Nielson shows that 60 per cent of people stop using the social networking site just one month after signing up. This poses the questions, are social networks really the best way to engage the public? And should brands rely on them to target consumers?

Although Twitter has experienced a rapid growth rate over the past three years, the evidence suggests that the new audience is not sticking around for long. Perhaps they don't like the set up, as it is a very different format to the other social networking sites that people are used to? Comparably Facebook retains almost 70 per cent of its users. For a social network to be successful it must pull in the audience but also keep them engaged.

Many brands are beginning to use social networking sites in to engage with their existing customers and also attract new ones. However, I think that they should pick the social media platform carefully beforehand, to gain the best results. A brand could even think about launching its own social media initiative rather than using a third party site. This would be the ideal platform to showcase products, although the risk of reputation damage would be higher than on a third party site. A way of minimising the risk would be to employ moderators or community managers to help look out for defamatory or brand damaging material. This would be less of a responsibility on a third party site as it is already managed.

I think that brands should engage in social media and creating an engaging page on a third party site or creating their own initiative can do wonders for the profile of a brand. That said the content itself must be engaging otherwise the audience will become bored and leave, which is what Twitter is beginning to discover.

Danni

Pitching in a recession

28-Apr-09 12:07

During a recession I believe is even more important that PR agencies are in tune with what their existing and potential clients want from them. Time and time again we hear the same old stories from clients and prospects about past experiences of working with PR agencies - most commonly:

• The team that pitched weren't the team we ended up working with
• After working with our PR agency for a long period of time the programme became stale, as did the ideas and motivation from the team
• We didn't feel we were getting value from PR

I've always been quite bewildered by some of these stories and I've always been a real advocate of taking the entire account team with me on all new business pitches - after all, it is important that the prospect meets the people they will be working with on a daily basis. Like in many interview situations chemistry is vital as is an understanding of culture and team dynamics. People buy into people and the PR world is no different.

I believe that at Ascent PR we tackle these industry experiences head on - we always plan PR activity on a quarterly basis and ensure that PR campaigns work in tandem with business objectives (rather than in isolation to them); that way we are consistently refreshing the PR plans and objectives to ensure that the client achieves what they need to achieve and the team stay engaged and motivated to ensure results are delivered.

Although these are all common industry complaints we are noticing that in a tough climate those demands or criteria are shifting even more so towards measurement of PR activity and value in terms of investment. Understandably businesses are watching the pennies at the moment and they need to be sure that they get the results they need from their PR activity.

Many prospects are requesting a ring-fenced trial period - which we are happy to offer because we know that we can deliver. The point is PR is not a quick-fix solution; we are in it for the long term relationship and the way that we work with our clients reflects that. My plan moving forward is to focus on the fundamentals of our business model and on what we do best: consistently delivering proactive, transparent PR activity and results - we won't wait for our clients to come to us with ideas, that is our job and we'll also tell them about what we're working on all of the time so that they always know where their money is being spent.

We are speaking to many new businesses about their PR at the moment and although they want more clarity than ever before, regarding return on investment and how to measure their PR, it is vital that PR agencies embrace and understand these needs to provide a PR service that is both invigorating, transparent and focused - and one that will deliver the results that are required in a difficult market.

PR Week has also published an article based on a survey aimed at directors on how they choose an agency.

Natalie

To rent or not to rent?

27-Apr-09 17:34

While getting ready for work this morning I was watching BBC Breakfast, which highlighted a recent research survey by YouGov. Apparently two thirds of us think we save money by renting and a third think it is less hassle than buying due to the ease of the Internet.

In the past renting had a bit of a stigma and was viewed as unfashionable; it was for people who couldn't afford to buy the real thing outright. But it seems that the recession is perhaps propelling the concept of renting back into fashion or towards a new way of saving money?

Erento.co.uk is one of the largest online rental sites in the UK - where you can hire everything from a carpet cleaner to a luxury yacht. Interestingly Erento claims it has seen a 92 per cent increase in ‘hits' over the last six months. This does allude to the possibility that our spending habits are beginning to shift in this direction.

Up until now we have been a society that spends ‘on plastic' and seeks immediate gratification with purchases. We see it, we want it and we buy it! I can certainly relate to this as I have too many clothes myself, and I'm often guilty of finding items stuck at the back of my wardrobe with their labels still attached. I can understand why people would choose to rent a house, a car or even a holiday apartment - but I do have to question whether or not renting does actually save you money in the long term?

I can understand the appeal of instantly renting something you have an immediate need for, but lack of funds to attain it. But depending on what the item is (for example a designer handbag) buying something like this over a long time period is surely likely to work out cheaper to own? Wouldn't it make more sense to put the money spent on renting a designer handbag into a savings account and buy your own Chanel handbag at the end of the year?

Hmmmm. That sounds like a plan.

Hallane

Rio Ferdinand makes a play for publishing

24-Apr-09 16:18

You usually see footballers endorse things like energy drinks, or sports brands it's not often you see magazines up there on the top of the list, but that hasn't stopped Rio Ferdinand from embarking on his latest exploit by launching his bimonthly digital lifestyle magazine #5 .

Stepping into the publishing arena is a fairly brave move, especially in the current climate with advertising budgets being cut all over the show, but perhaps maybe now is the best time to capitalise on an opportunity and could Rio in fact be on to a good thing?

With recent closures of Arena and Maxim it seems there could be a gap for Rio to make his move, and with digital print costing relatively little to produce he could be in to score. Perhaps the combined experience of editor Iestyn George (who's written for the likes of GQ), with Rio's celebrity contacts, #5 could be a winning team - watch this space.

Rachel

Yesterday’s budget makes Australia an attractive option

23-Apr-09 17:39

Following yesterday's budget announcement, an accountant at KPMG has predicted that: "from 2010, the United Kingdom will have the highest income tax rate among the largest western economies." I know that there are likely to be a few more bumps to come along the way, but this does little to instill hope of the UK coming out of a recession better off.

The budget included changes to introduce a 50 per cent tax for earning in excess of £150,000 - this makes me wonder what incentive there is for highly skilled workers to remain in the UK?

The recession has seen a higher than average number of families fleeing the UK to begin a new life abroad, and surely this number will rise again, given this latest announcement. One could understand how a life in Australia is becoming more and more attractive. For a start, the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd is tackling the recession by giving residents a $900 dollar bonus which can be spent on anything! What better way is there to get a country spending again then handing them money?

Apparently, if the Australian prime minister was given the bonus himself, he would spend it on books and music. I have to be honest, I would be straight to the shops to buy all of those extravagant fashion items that I cannot afford at the moment! Unfortunately, thanks to Alistair Darling and the Labour party I am not in this position, so until then I can only dream of that padded chanel handbag!

Louise

Let us all embrace digital

22-Apr-09 17:32

After attending the New Media Knowledge online PR debate last night I was encouraged to see how many of the industry believe that PR agencies DO have the capability to lead their clients in the new media landscape. The audience consisted mainly of digital and tech PRs, plus a few journalists from the new media and PR press.

The general consensus, in the audience and panel, was that although PR may not be moving quite as quickly in the digital arena as it could be, it is fully capable of embracing the skills needed in order to do so. PR agencies have the expertise of engaging with the public through compelling campaigns for their clients, whilst understanding the rules of reputation and crisis management. Digital agencies may understand the technology but, PR agencies have the ability to provide the full package to clients.

I believe that as an industry PR will continue to evolve, as it already has done through the years, and is able to embrace the digital shift. Digital is essentially just another channel for us PR folk to use to service our clients and gain coverage. In my opinion no one channel is better than another in order to gain exposure for a client and by focusing on as many areas as possible will generate the best results.

As an agency we are certainly taking online PR seriously and are fully prepared to embrace the opportunities it has to offer.

Danielle

Have celebrity chefs really changed the way we eat?

21-Apr-09 15:53

Today's article on the BBC website which reminds us that it is 40 years since Delia Smith published her first recipe, also suggests that the surge and rising popularity of the celebrity chef from the 1980s has changed the way we eat in the UK. Apparently we are eating much more chicken than we used to - in 1950 we bought 10g of chicken per person per week and in 2000 this figure has increased to 253g.

On the debate of whether or not celebrity chefs have influenced our diet, I would probably agree that cooking has become quite fashionable particularly over the last 10 years and that the celebrity chef has played a role in that to some extent. Food not only seems to be a talking point around the dinner table, but I've even found it to be on the agenda for casual chit-chat at social business events or even some of our more recent client dinners. Programmes like Come Dine with Me, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and the current Hell's Kitchen series all seem to feed our fascination with food and the food industry - negative or positive we want to hear about it. I've noticed that people who generally like eating food and like cooking are really enthused by talking about it. In fact, in our office, rarely a day goes by where we won't have a pretty excitable discussion about what food we are planning to cook that evening or weekend.

But if you look back through the years the celebrity chef phenomenon isn't a new one - perhaps today there are more of them but the principle to getting people cooking is still the same. Take Fanny Craddock, Keith Floyd and 93 year old Marguerite Patten (I remember meeting her at food-related photo shoot from my very early PR years, she was devising a set of new recipes for a past client of mine), they all wanted to generate interest from the general public in food and cooking.

Cooking a Thai curry or Mexican fajitas is no longer seen as a remarkable achievement and I think it is fair to say that celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver in particular, have made an impact on how people view food and cooking - specifically from the perspective of making cooking accessible to everyone.

I guess people will always have controversial views about the subject of food and diet, but one thing that can't be denied is our fascination with talking about it, whether it is a special new diet, healthy eating, obesity in the UK, a restaurant closure, or the rise of the gastro-pub - we want to hear about it. Now....what shall I cook for dinner tonight?

Natalie

 

The recipe for PR success still rings true

20-Apr-09 15:13

While driving to work this morning, listening to Chris Moyles on Radio One, I heard that even after speaking to the radio station, The Sun newspaper had gone ahead and printed a story on Saturday relating to Moyles' breakfast show that was completely fictitious. Even as a PR person who deals with journalists on a daily basis this kind of stuff always interests me. We expect journalists by their very nature to behave in a ruthless fashion from time to time and even to take some risks to expose a good story; but (aside from the obvious goal being to sell as many newspapers as possible) I find it intriguing that a story which appears on the front page is by all accounts knowingly factually incorrect.

The Sun's headline claimed in Saturday's paper ‘Moyles off his brekkie - loudmouth DJ Chris Moyles will be axed'. Gordon Smart, who wrote the article, allegedly rang Radio One's press office last Friday regarding the story and was told categorically by the station that they had no plans to axe Chris. Despite this, Smart still went ahead with the story.

Interestingly, the very nature of the story itself does confirm that our formula at Ascent PR for generating press coverage for our clients is a winning one. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating newspapers publishing factually incorrect stories and this is certainly something we would never encourage our clients to do. But it is clear that the tried and tested recipe for generating quality press coverage, being focused on: negative news, topicality, human interest and/or celebrity, continues to ring true. Nice to know that we PR people are still doing our jobs right when we need to come up with creative news angles!

Hallane

It's not all doom and gloom

17-Apr-09 16:50

It has now become apparent that those companies completely unaffected by the recession are in a small minority and that generally speaking, most businesses are feeling the impact at some level even if only very slightly.

Here at Ascent PR, we have been lucky enough to retain a positive outlook on the recession. The challenging economic climate has simply spurred us on to find new and exciting ways of seeking out inspiring and entrepreneurial companies that both reflect our culture but also those that we have a genuine interest in working with. We are also in the fortunate position to have both the experience and expertise in generating great results for our clients. This month we have switched our focus to companies in the fashion, healthcare and beauty arena, along with those in the professional services, hospitality and childcare sectors.

The response we have had so far has been fantastic, and with the help of an amazing telemarketing team, we have had the opportunity to meet several exciting and promising new businesses that understand the value of investing in PR during uncertain times. Importantly, if you are a business competing in a saturated market and your competitors have chosen not to invest in PR due to a tough climate it leaves many opportunities wide open for you to gain exposure and those all important customer leads that will follow.

If you have a product that provides both quality and value for money, now is the perfect time to shout about it. For example, one of our clients, DQ4Mobile has launched a directory enquiries service for mobile phones under the number 83211 and it is 75 per cent cheaper than the popular 118 118 service at 25p a text. If consumers knew that they could be saving themselves 75p by texting 83211 surely they'd all being using it? This is where clever PR is needed to raise awareness of the service and in turn, the brand. Watch this space.

At Ascent PR, we believe that our combined expertise in a whole range of sectors will benefit hundreds of companies in London and the South East and we are excited at the prospect of those businesses out there that we have yet to engage with...

Louise

Online PR – the debate continues

16-Apr-09 17:33

I'm looking forward to attending an online PR debate in London next Tuesday evening which aims to discuss the future of traditional PR tactics and the value of online PR tools in the future. As social media is rapidly becoming an essential vehicle for building brand reputation for many businesses, I believe it is vital that PR agencies embrace online PR concepts and look to incorporate these into their campaigns if they are to stay ahead of the competition.

Most businesses that we speak to are increasingly placing a high value on online exposure. In many cases online PR is gradually making its way to the top of the agenda. Whether the PR world is developing quickly enough to cope with this change and whether agencies and in-house PR teams alike are really delivering the maximum results in this area is yet to be proven. In a market of uncertainty coupled with fierce competition, PR companies now more than ever must stay at the forefront of the online PR buzz. As an agency we have been Twittering for a while now, creating and managing blogs for clients and continuing to improve the way we distribute news stories to maximise online exposure.

Tuesday will be interesting, even more interesting will be to hear the various thoughts and opinions regarding where the PR industry as a whole, will stand as the web 2.0 phenomenon continues.

Danielle

The power of YouTube

15-Apr-09 16:06

It seems Susan Boyle has been propelled into instant stardom following her debut performance on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ over the weekend. The geeky looking ‘never been kissed’ church volunteer who looked like an unlikely candidate actually had a remarkable singing voice, and it seems everyone has been flocking to YouTube to check her out. YouTube has the power to instantly reach a worldwide audience and through some good PR exposure following the show, five million have now flocked to YouTube to take a peek at this talent which has been hidden under a Laura Ashley number for all these years. Susan’s even been a hit by Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, who apparently ‘digged’ the clip.

It just goes to show how powerful YouTube is as a tool to communicate with audiences you never anticipated you could reach before. A study by Google found that YouTube ads generated the “same amount of engagement and intent to purchase” as those on TV and that online ads are better at “communicating the brand” than those on TV.  But for a PR perspective for maximum exposure, you need to use YouTube creatively.  Most businesses are unlikely to have the mass appeal of Ms Boyle’s singing voice, and the high profile of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ to back them so they need to make sure the content of the clip they create is engaging and innovative as well as entertaining, they also need to implement some effective PR tactics in tandem with this in order to spread the word and create a buzz around the clip.

Rachel

Taxi?

14-Apr-09 17:03

Having been one of those people that have, on many occasions, found myself in a location outside of my home town and in need of a taxi, I was pleased to hear about a new application that I could download onto my Apple iPhone called Rocket Taxi (which claims to be able to provide taxi numbers instantly to your iPhone wherever you might be). My excitement however, died during my first attempt to use this service over the bank holiday weekend while in Reading (Berkshire) – suggesting a taxi firm 22 miles away from the town I’m in doesn’t strike me as the most useful solution.  So, I end up calling a directory enquiry service from my mobile which is what I was trying to avoid doing in the first place. More annoyingly you can’t find a local taxi firm in advance of the trip you are planning so you can pre-book ahead, because Rocket Taxi only works geographically (although if my experience is anything to go by - it doesn’t really do that either).

All I want is a directory enquiry service to text me an instant, relevant response but one that doesn’t cost a small fortune every time I use it – you would think that this was a simple enough request.  Apparently not.

Providing you don’t need a taxi because you’ve been drinking, perhaps the Japanese have the answer to the taxi scenario with the recent vending machine in Shibuya Station which contains a full-size Smart Car for anyone interested in standing there long enough to feed in the £10k worth of coins necessary to make the purchase? Food for thought anyway…

Natalie

Are ghost towns on the increase?

14-Apr-09 15:28

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears is apparently going to be making an announcement to put measures in place to make it easier for local groups in England to turn empty stores into galleries or advice centres.

My local high street in Oxfordshire feels like a ghost town and more shops at the moment seem to be failing; pubs are closing and even the local market seems to be getting smaller. It makes me wonder what will happen next, one of my fears is that it will become a land of the '99p store'.

Hearing that some measures will be put in place to revive town centres is good news. However, allowing the local council to take over the premises is not in my opinion, necessarily the cleverest idea!

Hazel Blears states that one of the ideas is to create a social enterprise, a showroom for local artists or an information centre, but if there are no shops, is there a need for an information centre? A local showroom for local artists is a great idea, but again if there is nothing else there to attract visitors are they likely to visit just to see an unknown artist?

In my opinion, for a town centre to survive, rental prices need to come down. Most shops close due to the exorbitant rents they have to pay. If these were lower, different and unique shops would be attracted to the high street making it an exciting place to visit and live.

Working with the British Franchise Association (bfa) I have firsthand knowledge of seeing how franchising could offer a great way-in for opening a new business. With so many empty premises there are some great opportunities on offer for new franchisee to find that ideal location. Franchises cover all spectrums, from coffee shops to dancewear retail shops, creating a vibrant cross section of shops in any town centre. Let’s start focusing on the positive, and do more to encourage new businesses back onto the local high street.

Hallane

Expenses at our expense

09-Apr-09 16:21

The whole debate over MP's expenses has taken the media limelight this week, and Jacquie Smith seems to have taken the brunt of the criticism - and rightly so! How can anyone honestly believe it's okay to claim ridiculous expenses such as paying for porn videos or kitting out a second home with lavish items. The porn expense claim might well have been a mistake, but the fact she's reportedly claimed £150,000 on expenses towards furnishing her Reddich property since 2001 is simply verging on the ridiculous.

The question begs, if she's managing to fiddle so many expenses, what are other MP's potentially getting away with claiming? Now I'm all for helping MPs to do their job to the best of their ability, and the fact that some need money towards financing a second home in order to achieve this, but at some point someone needs to draw the line and there has to be stricter protocols on expenses. Would you be able to get away with the same in the private sector? The answer quite simply is ‘no' - we have to justify our expenses every step of the way, and even more so in times of recession when every bill has to be accounted for. Surely the Government should be doing the same to ensure the tax payer isn't forking out for the latest flat screen TV and ‘Debbie does Dallas' movie! Perhaps new technology needs to be implemented which requires claimants to accurately log expenses every step of the way, so expenditure can be monitored on a more regular basis.

Rachel

Rabbit, Hare or Bilby?

09-Apr-09 15:44

I'm sure I'm not alone in my excitement about a whole four days leave over the Easter break but there are a few things that are quite frankly a little strange; namely the Easter bunny. Aside from the fact that large chocolate Easter eggs are quite appealing to me, the whole concept of a rabbit being in any way connected with the Easter festivities is quite bewildering. For one thing, eggs and rabbits don't mix in my mind (eggs and chickens yes) but rabbits? I did read that the Australians actually wanted to replace the Easter Bunny with a bilby (which is an endangered marsupial that lives in the desert), some supporters of the movement to oust the Easter Bunny (yes, apparently there really is a movement or group of people that are quite passionate about this) actually consider rabbits to be pests.

Here are some interesting Easter Bunny legends for your enjoyment:

The rabbit was originally a hare but was taken over as rabbits are far more common in many countries. Due to its reproductive proclivity, the rabbit is also regarded as a symbol of fertility. Eggs are also symbolic of new life and fertility, hence one of the reasons why the rabbit carries a basket of eggs. However, there are other myths that try to account for this.

Neither hares nor rabbits lay eggs, but hares bring up their young in 'forms'. These forms are hollows in the ground, usually located in fields and meadows. Hares make more than one form so they can divide their offspring among them for safety. Plovers have been known to take over a form as a nest in which to lay their eggs. One legend relates that a woman saw a hare leaving a form and upon investigation, she found a 'nest of eggs', which she consequently believed to have been 'laid' by the hare. According to another myth, Eostre's hare was a large, handsome bird which she one day magically changed into a hare. Because the hare was still a bird at heart, it continued to build a straw nest in which to lay its eggs.

A German legend states that according to custom, a poor woman hid some coloured eggs in a nest for her children to find. As the children approached the nest, a hare hopped away and they therefore believed that the hare had brought the eggs!

Natalie

Is now the time for improvement?

09-Apr-09 15:18

The recession has dealt many businesses a very hefty blow with many having to make redundancies and in worst-case-scenario's, forcing them into administration - I am left wondering if any good can come out of this?

I expect a lot of businesses are taking a long hard look at themselves to exhaust every area of improvement and are doing all they can to remain profitable in the current climate. In a recession, competition for business is obviously fierce but what can companies do to make their products and services more desirable and how can they attract new customers? This is the million dollar question and the answers are hard to find.

I was encouraged to see that some free help is being offered from organisations such as standards and certification company, BSI Management Systems, who is hosting a series of free regional business forums across the country to help companies learn about how to improve the way they operate. The next one is coming up in Leeds, which is expected to be one of the city's worst hit by the recession, at the Queens Hotel on 29th April.

I believe it is up to companies to take every opportunity for improvement that is offered to them and to learn from those businesses that are succeeding in their fields in order to keep one step ahead of the competition.

When I first heard about standards and certification, I thought it only applied to businesses with lots of time and money, and to be frank, with nothing better to do. But actually - why wouldn't you want to prove to yourself, your competitors and your customers that your business is sound, can survive any kind of disaster, and is as productive as possible?

What I have noticed in difficult financial times is that consumers are expecting much more in terms of value for money and quality - but does this present an even harder task for businesses, or an opportunity to make long term improvements to come out of the recession fighting? I believe that if companies take the opportunity now to invest in improving their operations and the quality of their products and services, they will see the benefits long term.

Louise

Chat room moderation – the fourth emergency service?

08-Apr-09 15:43

I read a story in The Telegraph recently about how Thames Valley Police have successfully saved the life of a suicidal boy, thanks to a social networking site. I was amazed that the boy's ‘friend' on Facebook, from across the pond in the US, had read his comments and was so concerned that she alerted her local police, who in turn contacted the British Embassy. With some great investigative work by Thames Valley Police, the boy was tracked down and has now made a full recovery. However, without the alarm being raised regarding his comments on the social network who knows what the outcome would have been.

So this begs the question, since social media is quickly becoming the most popular way to communicate, should all social networking sites be employing professional moderators in order to spot potential situations like this before they result in tragedy? Or should it continue to be left to members of the public to simply keep any eye out?

If moderators are regularly watching these sites they would be looking out for all types of suspicious activity and threats made by members of the public. Just last month it was reported that the gunman who murdered the school children in Germany had bragged about his plan the night before on a social networking forum. If the forum had been properly moderated, perhaps the incident could have been prevented?

Whilst ensuring that the comments made are not taken out of context, I truly believe that social networking sites could emerge as being a vital tool for police investigations and could even highlight potential risks before they occur.

Danni

Flexible working works

07-Apr-09 09:38

As a full-time employed working mother and director of a PR agency, I found it quite interesting to read the news yesterday that millions of parents with children up to the age of 16 will be able to request flexible working from their employers under a change to the law which will dramatically increase the number of people entitled to ask for more family-friendly conditions.

More interesting is the wide-ranging views surrounding this highly topical debate, these seem to range from panicked employers who worry that a financial burden in terms of productivity of the workforce is being imposed on them (which is understandable in the current climate), to some who simply believe that the whole thing is completely ridiculous - namely because this law doesn't actually enforce anything at all; it only gives an official right for parents to ‘ask' for more flexible hours. It does not mean employers have to do anything about it.

These kinds of debates also tend to bring lots of other issues out of the woodwork, such as whether children actually need their parents even more when they are teenagers or whether single workers suffer as a result of their colleagues taking extra ‘time off' to look after dependants - I'm sure there is a valid argument whichever way you look at it. That aside, it does seem like a lot of fuss over potentially nothing in terms of what this announcement actually means - surely it is just another newspaper printing another press release from the Government?

My view is that flexible working must be carefully managed if implemented but employers that do understand the needs of flexible working and parental demands to at least some extent, are more likely to reap the rewards long term. Those parents that are less anxious about balancing their lives at home and work are likely to be more committed to the business and far more productive while at work.

Natalie

Harmless toy or representational hazard?

06-Apr-09 17:37

I smiled today when I read that a new range of ‘Action Man' style figurines have just been launched with the backing of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in the hope that these dolls will boost the profile of our armed forces. These dolls have left members of the public wondering whether they are actually an indirect recruitment tool for the armed forces, or just a cool toy? If the former is correct, the MoD must be preparing for an increase in recruitment in about ten years time, as on average the children playing with these toys are around five to eight years of age. So as far as it being a recruitment tool, I think it is a little bit over estimated.

I have always had a slight obsession with Barbie, more so now than when I was younger. I used to rip her head off and leave her to mother nature in the garden, but my recent one (bought in 2009) sits neatly in her box, untouched.

For many years children have played with these plastic doll-like figures, which have always caused the debate - ‘Do they influence our behaviour and become an unrealistic representation to which we agonisingly aspire?'

In 2006, Hasbro Toys ended the production of Action Man in Britain, but it would seem from consistent media reporting, gun crime is on the increase. So probably, these plastic figurines have been unfairly blamed and manufacture should be continued. Either way, it is a great way to raise awareness of the armed forces and a fantastic PR opportunity.

Hallane