Archive

Safety matters

30-Apr-10 13:35

 
In comparison to my days as a child, children generally have a much tougher time in today's society when it comes to safety. According to a survey in the Daily Mail today, children have far less freedom than their parents did when they were younger. Why has this drastically changed? Are parent's over-paranoid and scared to let their children grow up into independent adults, or are there valid reasons to be so concerned?

With the everyday issues affecting the UK including bullying, knife crime, paedophilia and child abduction, is no surprise that parents want to protect their children. I'm not saying these issues have sprung out of nowhere and didn't exist years ago, but with the increased exposure of negativity on the news and in the papers, you can't really escape it.

I can't believe it's been three years since Madeleine McCann was abducted from her holiday apartment in Praia de luz, Portugal. Madeleine's parents were interviewed on GMTV this morning, where they expressed their concern for the lack of efforts shown by the authorities on finding Madeleine. I cannot imagine how they must cope on a day-to-day basis, but the abduction has most certainly raised issues and has scared the entire nation.

The Daily Mail survey also reveals that a quarter of children aged 15 and under are not allowed to sleep over at a friend's house, compared with just four per cent of their parents' generation. Six in ten are forbidden from using public transport without a parent present and 43 per cent are not allowed to visit their local park alone.

What are the reasons behind the statistics? Apparently ‘stranger danger' is the biggest concern followed by bullying, mugging and road danger. As a result of this, many more children are staying indoors and probably piling on the pounds from playing too many computer games, as their parents are too scared to let their children out on the loose. Whilst I fully understand why parents are so paranoid, I also think there needs to be a healthy balance so that children aren't completely oblivious to the ways of the world once they've turned 18.

Donna

 

Brown's blunder

29-Apr-10 16:53

‘Trouble in Rochdale’ ‘Labour loses one voter’ ‘My Gord’s so sorry’ ‘Demonised: the granny who dared to utter the I-word’

These are just some of today’s headlines following Gordon Brown’s microphone blunder – just one week before election day. Such a thoughtless mistake could cost him his whole campaign. One thing that media training teaches you is that the microphone is always recording – had Mr Brown remembered this he would not be fighting for Gillian Duffy – and the country’s – forgiveness.

It will be interesting to see his attempts at turning the public’s opinion around on this evening’s live debate.

Louise

Unusual pledges from the ‘alternative’ political parties campaigning for your vote

28-Apr-10 17:13

If you are getting bored of the three main parties banging on about their policies and how they are going to do things differently (whilst secretly finding it hard to notice much of a difference between them all) then take a look at what the ‘alternative' political parties are planning for the country. BBC online has today published some of the stranger political polices being proposed at the 2010 election......

The Monster Raving Loony Party:
•99p coin to save on change
•All socks to be sold in packs of three in case you lose one
•Change the English symbol of three lions to three badgers

CURE Party (Citizens for Undead Rights and Equality):
•Give the undead the same rights as the living
•Make cemeteries more comfortable for its inhabitants
•Increase minimum retirement age to after death

The New Millennium Bean Party:
•Children who leave home should not be allowed to return until they are 40
•Convicted drink drivers to have their cars painted bright orange for five years when they finish their ban and return to the wheel
•Chewing gum to be collected from pavements and used to fill potholes in the road

My particular favourite is the one that forces convicted drink drivers to paint their cars bright orange after they are convicted, that would surely see a drop in drink driving rates, if nothing else purely due to the embarrassment it would cause! These are definitely light relief after weeks of hearing about what Brown, Cameron and Clegg are proposing, although I am not sure if we will be seeing a ‘Monster Raving Loony' Prime Minister residing at number 10 in the near future.

Danni

 

It's good to talk

27-Apr-10 16:50

As a PR person always keen to maximise opportunities off of the back of a topical event, I smiled to myself this morning when I opened a short e-shot from travel company First Choice which outlined in a few brief sentences how it, as an organisation had dealt with the chaos surrounding the recent disruption to the UK's airports and flight schedules. It had apparently sent a few hundred extra travel reps to specific destinations (by boat presumably), it had spent many thousands of pounds putting people up in hotels and making sure they were comfortable, it had diverted cruise ships to collect hundreds of stranded passengers overseas, and since airports reopened it has laid on extra flights to get people home as quickly as possible etc. Oh, and by the way, now that the excitement and panic has died down, how about booking yourself a holiday with us? (Meaning: safe in the knowledge that you are booking with a reputable business that won't let you down when things go wrong).

There is definitely a PR person behind this one! Now, I'm not saying that First Choice went the ‘extra mile' any more than the next holiday company did, but it seems to be happy to talk about it with some conviction and that certainly won't do the brand any harm - after all, in PR terms it is always good to talk (providing you are consistent and confident about what you are saying). Act of god or not, the way a business communicates with its audience during and after any kind of disaster like this is paramount to its future success (or downfall); take the Perrier Water (benzene contamination) scandal as an example of a company that had a monopoly on the bottled-water market; how it responded to those claims has very much shaped how that market looks today.

Natalie

Would you pay to use Facebook?

22-Apr-10 17:18

This is an interesting question for millions of global users to ponder. I think the prospect of even paying a few pounds per month for a service that people are used to accessing for free would go down like a lead balloon. In fact, if this rumour turns out to be true then many Facebook users, including myself, wouldn't hesitate to simply delete their accounts and look for other ways of communicating with the outside world.

Understandably the social media site is looking for ways of generating additional revenue from its 400 million users worldwide, but it risks upsetting its contacts and losing them from its enviable database. Many of us have shared our personal thoughts, feelings, discussions and photos with friends and family on Facebook for many years and will be really disappointed to have to pay for it. However, maybe it was too good to be true for us to have access to such a collaborative and interactive site for free for so long and possibly it's only a matter of time before there's a cost associated with it, which will be a huge shame.

But, this is definitely a sign of the times as The Sunday Times and Times only announced last month that it too will charge the public to access its online material. More of us are using the internet to access information, read books, order goods and communicate, rather than read hard copy material, and organisations are obviously looking for ways to take advantage of this. Personally I wouldn't be surprised to see more businesses going down the same route in years to come.

Angela

‘Brain training’ games a waste of time

22-Apr-10 14:57

According to a study released yesterday from The Medical Research Council the so-called ‘brain training' games provided by companies such as, Nintendo do not scientifically improve your IQ at all. One game claiming to improve memory, the test found would need to be played for four consecutive years in order for the user to remember just one extra digit!

The research discovered that after a six week trial of 11,500 people across the UK, none found any evidence of mental improvement. People did however get better at doing the tests, but this was due to practice rather than any actual improvement in brain power. I think that practice is actually the best way of improving memory and intelligence rather than aiming to ‘exercise' your brain. Just thinking back to when I was at school and teachers told us to read over our notes and that the best way of remembering how to do something was to practice it over and over. I think that this is how we learn from a young age to remember things, which can go on to assist us in later life.

It has been proven that by simply sitting on a computer game ‘exercising' your brain will not help you become more intelligent generally, but will help you remember how to play the game. So perhaps instead of using ‘brain training' games if people went out to learn and practice a new skill or hobby this could be more beneficial to their overall IQ. It's worth a try and you never know, practice may make your brain perfect!

Danni

Volcanic panic…

19-Apr-10 15:28

As the UK is thrown into disarray over the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland, it never ceases to amaze me how differently the event is reported (depending on what you read and where). It seems to go from one extreme to the other - The Daily Mail, takes the scaremongering approach today, discussing the implications for the victims (that's us apparently, everyone; not just the poor folk in Iceland surrounded by black skies) if planes remain grounded for the next six months (in short we're all up the proverbial ‘creek' without a paddle); food shortages, price rises, the impact on the economy are just some of the things being predicted or dramatised.

While the BBC has chosen the more informative or less sensational approach - with its ‘volcano cloud as it happens' commentary; although it does highlight financial losses and numbers of travellers affected, rather than speculating on long-term future doom and gloom it has chosen to talk about activity as it happens - which seems to me to be the most logical approach - after all, if what we are told is true, we can't predict what will happen or how long this will last. Everything might be back to normal this time next week, or indeed it might not be. The Met Office has instead taken the scientific approach i.e. looking at what the weather needs to do to clear the skies. Whatever way you look at it, nothing is certain. We all have to sit tight and wait - just hope I make it to Portugal for my family holiday in the next month or so - but who knows!

Natalie

The never-ending ash cloud causes worldwide chaos

19-Apr-10 15:16

 

I must admit, I'm feeling a little out of sync today as I should have been jetting off to the Mexican Caribbean last Friday and instead, I am trying to make the most of the ‘glorious' British sunshine, but it's just not the same as a hot, white sandy beach is it?

The eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland last Thursday has caused worldwide disruption to the economy. Not only is the volcanic ash now covering our skies across the majority of Europe, it is now working its way across the Atlantic over to Canada.

Many flights and holidays have had to be cancelled as tour operators cannot predict when this natural disaster will come to an end, we can only hope that Mother Nature will run its course quickly. NATS have had to close all air space for the time being until the ash clouds have fully cleared, leaving thousands of people stranded and unable to get home. The Met Office has produced a rough estimation of the ash covering, giving us an insight into just how bad the situation really is.

On a more positive note, I am extremely thankful that I was fortunate enough to receive a full refund for my holiday, and am also grateful that I'm not stuck in a foreign airport having to sleep rough on the cold, marble floor. I really feel for the local Icelandic residents having to face the brunt of it all, particularly when you see such shocking photos in the press.

The impact that it's having on the economy is endless; the daily cost to the global airline industry is estimated at £130m a day in lost revenue. Other areas of the economy have also been affected including: tourism, food and other supplies, schools, universities and sport.

Donna

 

How to win over your audience

16-Apr-10 17:43

A massive 9.4 million viewers tuned in to watch the first ever live prime ministerial debate last night on ITV1; and the press coverage following the debate reported that it was a great success for all three parties. I watched with interest as Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg gave a lively debate which engaged the audience and the viewing public.

This is one scenario where the level of media training will really make or break the political leader's performance and, like Angela, I watched tensely for any slip ups; of which there were very few. All three candidates know that the British public are looking for a trustworthy, likeable personality to lead the country and in order to portray this image, a well thought through and articulate delivery of their policies was a must.

The same applies to the business world. We are a strong advocate for good media training to ensure that spokespeople portray the business in the best possible light. Before we put any client up for a press interview, whether it is on television, radio or even meeting a print journalist face to face, we ensure that they have a thorough understanding of the subject area and are prepared for any awkward or difficult questions. If there is anything a journalist hates, it is interviewees who purposely avoid questions either by talking around the subject or simply stating that they are unable to answer - this gives the impression that there is something to hide and it is in a journalist's nature to hunt out the truth!

Body language and articulation is also important as is likeability because people can develop an impression based on a subconscious hand gesture, a long pause or even the slightest stutter over a question. To give a successful interview, it is all about taking these factors into consideration, but also to seem relaxed - and whilst it may not feel natural for some at first, success comes with practice.

If you are interested in finding out more about media training, contact the Ascent PR team on 0118 988 0501

Louise

Election TV debate – US style

16-Apr-10 11:37

I was fascinated last night to see how the first televised prime ministerial General Election debate between the three main party leaders would develop, with most of us waiting for one of them to slip up on live TV and others trying to make up their mind who they liked best. The Guardian is already running a poll to see who most impressed the general public, with Nick Clegg coming up trumps.

Whatever the final outcome of the election, I don't think the TV debate harmed any of the leaders' PR campaigns for the election, and probably got more people interested in the election than before. I thought it was a great opportunity for us to see another side of the potential leaders of the country outside their comfort zone of the Houses of Parliament.

Even though it was more akin to something you'd expect to watch during a US election it has added a new and vital part to all of their PR campaigns and I'm looking forward to watching the next one.

Angela

Children should remain children for as long as possible...

14-Apr-10 16:20

Primark has been forced to remove a range of padded bikini tops from its shelves after huge public outrage at the item marketed at children of just seven years old! Child protection organisations have criticised Primark for the ‘premature sexualisation' of children by allowing these items to go on sale and argue that children should be allowed to be children for as long as possible and not rush to grow up. Mumsnet has even recently launched a campaign called ‘Let Girls Be Girls' aimed at persuading retailers not to sell products aimed at children that could be seen as inappropriate.

I agree completely that over the past few years children have been over-sexualised in the media and with high street stores offering inappropriate clothing and products like pole-dancing kits, only add to the problem. Asda was scrutinised for stocking push up bras for young girls and WH Smiths were forced to take Playboy school stationary off their shelves. It is true that when you're young all you want is to be an adult, to sit at the grown-up's table and go to bed later. However, it is only when you finally become an adult you realise that being a carefree child, on the most part, were the best years of your life and you wouldn't dream of wishing them away now.

From a PR point of view I think that Primark have reacted well in response to this scandal by immediately stopping the sale of this product line and donating all the profit made to a children's charity. Although you have to wonder why Primark thought that a product like this aimed at children would be good to produce in the first place? A company never far from controversy, Primark should think carefully in the future before producing new products rather than simply relying on damage limiting PR after the negative press is already out there.

Danni

Pre-election fever spreads…

12-Apr-10 17:06

The date has finally been announced and already it's probably one of the most talked-about UK elections ever (if recent media coverage is anything to go by). From a PR point of view, this election in particular could be a great bandwagon to jump on (providing of course, that you have something remotely useful to say about it); that combined with our growing passion for communicating across varying social media platforms, means it is going to be quite fascinating to see how these differing forms of media come together and unfold to truly harness ‘election fever'.

There will of course be the usual PR winners and losers in the never-ending battle for column inches but such a significant event is bound to bring with it many colourful articles and stories as well as some pretty desperate attempts to link the election to every possible business proposition no matter how obscure. Don't get me wrong, the election does offer a very powerful, topical platform upon which to get comment ‘out there', but it has to be relevant, it has to be interesting and if it's a ‘man bites dog' story as opposed to a watered down ‘dog bites man' version, it might stand a chance of making some kind of impact.

Natalie

Five-a-day

07-Apr-10 16:24

 

When I was younger, I remember being nagged by my parents to eat my five-a-day, or I would get the typical, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away', or ‘carrots can help you see in the dark'. Yeah right, I may have fallen for it as a child but not anymore!

Interestingly, according to the Daily Mail today, eating fruit and vegetables does very little in helping people avoid getting cancer. To be honest, this is no surprise to me as maintaining a healthy diet involves more than just what you eat, but also knocking other habits on the head including; smoking and drinking alcohol, which can have hazardous effects on our vital organs.

On the plus side, we all know it has been proven that eating more fruit and vegetables does help obesity levels and is also good for the heart, as long as it's maintained with a healthy amount of exercise. I've got an apple on my desk and am going on the treadmill tonight, so that's my good deed for the day.

Donna

The caring kind

01-Apr-10 11:07

 

According to  recent statistics, women are more likely to work for a worthy cause and accept a lower salary, unlike men who would prefer a decent ‘wad' of money to take home.

It has been proven that women are 10 per cent more productive when they are working within a sector that they are passionate about, where as men do not show any increase or decrease in productivity.

Women are more attracted to lower paid sectors including health care, education or charity work, which may explain why there is a gender gap in earnings.

In my opinion, I think it is important to choose a career that you're passionate about as you have to work nine to five, five days a week, so you may as well get something worthwhile and rewarding out of it.

Personally, I couldn't just do a job for the money as I would be bored stiff if it didn't stimulate my brain.

If you're passionate about your job and you enjoy going to work every day, surely that counts for more than a fat pay cheque?

Donna

 

How hard is it to find an April Fool?

01-Apr-10 11:05

When searching for some funny April Fool stories today online, we were really hoping that the train strikes and increase in petrol prices were jokes, but no such luck unfortunately.

However, they weren't hard to find, and in keeping with tradition many nationals did publish some amusing stories, many of which were so unbelievable it's hard to see how anyone was fooled! The Sun published a few fake tales today, one about a UFO spotted on the Welsh coast and another about England football boss Fabio Capello ordering his players to learn Italian.

One story in particular published in today's Telegraph made us all chuckle, about how specially trained ferrets are being used to deliver broadband to rural areas. The ferrets apparently wear jackets fitted with a microchip which is able to analyse any breaks or damage in the underground network - who on earth actually thinks of these stories!

Apparently it's the worst day of the year to launch new products, but I think we should have April Fool stories more than once each year as they certainly kept us amused as we enter the Easter break. I wonder how many commuters noticed the hilarious gag by the London Underground who posted that there is a good service on all tube lines today.

Angela