Payment-by-results PR: Jury’s still out
17
2008
We’ve had an interesting debate today at GREEN about the pros and cons of offering payment-by-results (PBR) PR.
The debate has been interesting, because we really didn’t reach any firm conclusion on the pros and cons. However, we do know of two agencies which offer this service – one is doing very well (mainly because we suspect they quickly convert PBR clients to retained clients on a fixed monthly) while the other is struggling.
Media running scared of credit crunch
3
2008
There is an interesting debate going on in the journalist forums and UKPress and the impact that the credit crunch is having on publishing and the media.
Falling ad revenues, dropping sales and rising costs for fuel etc means that journalists are running scared - 140 jobs are being axed at ITV, 40 at Channel 4 and at many local and regional newspapers editorial staff are suffering death by a thousand cuts.
A lot of freelance journalists in the forumns are complaining that commissions especially from national titles and the trade titles are drying up as editorial budgets are cut.
This poses an interesting challenege for PRs and how we can help our journalist contacts keep their job and continue to serve our clients best interests.
Here at GREEN we have been tightening our belts in spite of the fact that many of our clients are in a very robust position. This is because we are conscious that marketing budgets are the first to suffer. It’s a false economy of course and PR does offer an cash efficient alternative to spending hundreds of thousands on an advertising campaign that it no more than eye candy.
Moreover, our position in the social marketing sphere means that we can get clients a bigger bang for their buck by working with the bloggers and social networks.
We’ve been through two recessions before and the best advice we can give when credit crunches is to bite back.
So what is a blog?
9
2007
One of the most common questions I am asked is: what is a blog? I do presentations on it and have lectured on the issues surrounding social media but have not yet been able to come up with a succinct definition and demonstration. At least not one that only takes three minutes. So I am indebted to Common Craft for this neat video: Blogs in Plain English. Click and see.
Ian offers media insight for charity sector
28
2007
Our Director of Media Ian Green was a keynote speaker this week at a two major seminars hosted by one of our clients Rollits.
The leading Yorkshire law firm hosted two Charities seminars providing essential information for Charity Trustees, Officers and Representatives responsible for ensuring good governance.
Ian joins board of BMedia
20
2007
Bmedia – the thriving network of Yorkshire media and creative organizations - has appointed our very own Ian Green to the board.
Bmedia, based in Bradford, aims to bring companies operating in the creative niche together through a range of networking events. It also offers a range of training and tender services with the aim of helping digital companies win new business and further grow the economic impact of the creative industries in West Yorkshire.
For further information about Bmedia check them out here.
GREEN picks up gold hatrick at awards
13
2007
Congratulations to the GREEN team for there recent success in the annual public relations awards run by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.
Unfortunately I was abroad in the US at BlogWorldExpo doing some networking and research on social media and missed the event at the Queens Hotel in Leeds. I understand the team had a great time.
Here are the scores on the doors.
Dylan and good social media marketing
25
2007
To promote his Dylan Greatest Songs album that’s coming out in October, Bob Dylan has created a Facebook application that lets you enter 10 lines of words or phrases. A video of Bob Dylan holding sheets of paper will read out your message. The last few sheets are a promotion for his album, but who cares? It’s a cool app. Create as many as you’d like and send them to friends. …
There’s a website for the promotion of the album too, which also lets you create the video mashup and send it out to friends. The Facebook app works best though, because it’s the closest you’ll get to being able to embed the clip anywhere online.
That’s the plug for Bob - Go Bless Him. But in terms of viral marketing and the best use of social media this is one of the best I have seen. Bob fans will get it straight away but as one of the most iconic music videos to offer this up to the blogosphere is sheer genuis… we might even see if we can co-opt this for a prostate health campaign we are considering at GREEN.