pr2go's Blog

Funday Friday Quiz - 27/08

2010-08-27 10:47:25

Here's this weeks quiz...leave your answers in a comment below and we'll reveal all this afternoon!1. How far underground are the trapped Chilean miners?2. Can you name the three bands headlining this weekends (soggy) Reading and Leeds festivals?3. Which football team were beaten six nil by Newcastle United on Sunday?4. How long did a 62mile traffic jam in near Beijing in China take to clear?5. Why do drivers of a new Ferrari supercar fear they are jinxed?

Top ten tips for the perfect press release - part 2

2010-08-23 10:04:47

6) Facts (not opinions) Unless you are specifically aiming for an opinion piece, opinion just won't cut it. News stories must be backed up by facts: If you're shouting about how much your business can help the local economy then use a quote to back it up. If you're telling the world how 'green' your product is then get some figures about carbon footprints. It all helps to give your business, you and your story more credibility.7) Contact detailsEvery press release should have relevant contact details on. Make sure it's a direct line or your mobile number, if a journalist has to go through a receptionist and a long line of questions they'll give up! The details you put on the release won't actually be published, it's purely so a journalist can get in touch with you.8) AvailabilityIt's no good providing direct contact details if you're off on your holidays the next day! Make sure whoever the contact is will be available and is confident and trustworthy enough to answer questions, not only over the phone, but face to face or even live on air! If the opportunity arises you don't want to let it slip away!9) Twitter/Social MediaUSE THEM! Journalists are always looking for a 'scoop' or a story that no one else has covered yet, and a great way for them to find it is online. Make sure your promoting your release on Twitter, via blogs and other social networks to get the most exposure.10) SEOYou've seen all the two for one offers at the supermarket...? Well, why not do the same with your press release? Make sure you get some of your keywords and links into your release, and then if it gets published online it will help towards your SEO. For more ideas about optimising releases see our blog post The Key to Keywords.

Top ten tips for the perfect press release - part 1

2010-08-16 12:06:02

1) News content – the 'human' angleThe story your press release focuses on must be newsworthy. Loads of people ask us what makes a 'newsworthy' story and the key thing is a 'human' angle. 'What the **** is that?' I hear you cry! It means it needs to be interesting to Joe Bloggs round the corner or the intern at your competitors. 2) RelevanceYour story has to be relevant to the audience you're targeting. You may want to start selling your product to people outside of your local area, but that doesn't mean your press release is relevant to the people in that area! When it comes to local press especially, it has to appeal to people in that area, affect them or be about the area, if it's not, it just won't get published.3) TimingTiming is key when it comes to press release distribution. There are a few factors to consider with regards to time. If your story is about an event it's important to get the release sent out in plenty of time. Publications take different amounts of time to publish articles, so it's worth thinking about where you want to see it first. It's also worth thinking about what's going on at the time. If there's a major event happening or a big story breaking it's a good idea to hold off until it dies down.4) AudienceKnow your audience. It's that simple. It's very rare that a press release will appeal to absolutely everyone, targeting the right publications, and therefore the right audience, will do more good than trying to blanket cover everyone.5) SimplicityKeep your message simple, and stick to just one per release. It's no good putting lots of great news in one release as it will get lost.We'll bring you the last five next week.

Funday Friday Quiz 13/08

2010-08-13 11:53:13

Better late then never! Here's this weeks quiz!1. Which ex-footballer has lost his job with Channel Five?2. What have Alton Towers done today to overcome people's superstitions over the date?3. A Swedish man is facing a record-breaking fine of £656,000 for speeding. How fast was he going?4. Who has been named as the highest paid actor working in US television drama?5. What should we have been able to see in the sky last night?Leave your answers in a comment below and we'll reveal all at 4pm today!The answers!1. Ian Wright2. They have re-named the new 'thirteen' ride 'fourteen'3. 180 mph4. Hugh Laurie5. Perseid meteor shower < stupid clouds!Well done to Joe who got full marks!

Summer press release ideas

2010-08-10 11:01:36

Summer is a quiet time for any business; the sun is shining (supposedly!), the kids are off school and things just sort of slow down. But it's exactly the same in the journalism field too; not a lot really goes on, making it the ideal opportunity for your press release to get maximum coverage.If you're struggling for ideas, take a look at the events calendar on our website. This has a selection of national events, anniversaries and awareness campaigns, which may just seed an idea for the perfect press release!You could hold a company sports day to raise cash for a local charity. You could even use the lull to launch your new business or perhaps develop and run a scheme to involve schoolchildren, keeping them out of mischief during the long holiday.Whatever you do, make sure you take plenty of good quality pictures. If it's an event that will lend itself to images, you may want to send out a 'photo call' – a press release alerting journalists of the event and inviting them to send a photographer. If you don't have time, take pictures yourself as this will always improve your chance of media coverage.

Funday Friday riddle!

2010-08-06 11:29:27

For one week only we're doing something a bit different. Instead of the usual quiz we've found a brilliant riddle to get the grey matter going!As usual leave your answers in a comment and we'll tell you the answer at 4pm today.Good luck!Arnold Schwarzenegger has a big one.Michael J. Fox has a small one.Madonna doesn't have one.The Pope has one but doesn't use it.Clinton uses his all the time.Mickey Mouse has an unusual one.Liberace never used his on women.Jerry Seinfeld is very, very proud of his.Cher claims that she took on 3.What is it?______________________The answer is, of course, surnames! Well done to Alex Black, Dave Murray and Graham Harding for guessing correctly!

Win Blu-ray goodies! Name the pr2go Avatar!

2010-08-02 08:51:14

Name pr2go's newest recruit to win 'Avatar' on Blu-ray DVD and a shiny new Blu-ray player to watch it on!Over the last few weeks the pr2go team has rapidly expanded ... and not just with real-life people!We now have our own avatar to become the virtual face of all things pr2go.{image1}There has been much debate at pr2go, as you can imagine, so to save argument, we'd really appreciate your help on naming the little fella.The best name for our avatar, selected by our Chairman, will win a fantastic Blu-ray prize.So get creative and enter with your chosen name at:Facebook: Leave a comment on the pr2go wall.Twitter: DM pr2goEmail: customerservices@pr2go.comWe're really excited about the official naming ceremony on the 31st August, so make sure your entry is with us soon!{image2}Closing date: 30/08/10Terms and conditions apply see pr2go.com

Funday Friday Quiz - 23/07

2010-07-23 10:41:12

1. Durex was bought this week by Reckitt Benckiser, which of their popular products were the majority of jokes based on?2. An approaching tropical storm is hindering BP's oil clean-up, what's she been named?3. What is the picture below?{image1}4. Who spent hours talking to fans at the Knight and Day premier last night?5. A cats ashes sold for £844 at an auction this week, what was so special about it?Oh dear...not one person with full marks today! The quiz will be in Tamieka's safe hands next week so it might be a little easier!1. Cilit Bang2. Bonnie3. The picture is a £500 bottle of beer by Scottish firm Brewdog. The limited edition bottles made from dead animals sold out in hours.4. Tom Cruise ( I would have also accepted Cameron Diaz)5. It was the Coronation Street cat that appeared in the title sequence for many years.

Funday Friday Quiz - 16/07

2010-07-16 10:48:42

1. Which 17-year-old magazine announced it's closure this week?2. Robbie Williams has announced he's rejoined Take That, but there are rumours another 90's boyband may also be making a comeback, do you know who?3. Which BBC star's last show airs this evening?4. Which Tesco sandwich has made the news this week?5. What are women being warned not to do after work?As always leave your answers in a comment below and we'll reveal all at 4pm!And now for the answers!1. PC Zone2. Damage3. Jonathon Ross4. The lasagne sandwich5. Swap their heels for flatsWell done to Holly Jones for getting five out of five! I must hunt out that lasagne sandwich this weekend!

Who won the World Cup PR Final?

2010-07-13 15:26:16

The World Cup may have done wonders for South Africa's image, but it's not been quite as successful for Fifa and the game itself.Let's start with the good stuff: Praises have well and truly been sung for South Africa over the last few weeks; not only for it's staging of the games, but also for the country itself as a destination. Despite initial teething problems (like the marshals rioting) and pitch problems, South Africa's hosting of the tournament was great – they even managed to bring a bit of their culture to the rest of the world, with their vuvuzelas...which didn't become at all annoying!The country itself, which has been shrouded in negative publicity of late, looked stunning. If the backdrop of Table Mountain for the BBC's main studio wasn't enough to make you want to jump straight on a flight, there was the glowing recommendations from pundits and journalists who were out there for the duration. I lost count of the amount of times I heard the words "It's beautiful, you must come and visit." That's better than any press release!Fifa and football in general haven't really come across so well though. After the hideous disallowed goal in the England game there was also at least one (possibly two) handballs missed and constant criticism of how harsh the refereeing was. Many would say this is because of the type of football we see on a weekly basis in the Premiership...which maybe much rougher, but let's face it it's ten times more exciting!Then of course there was the final, billed a 'bad tempered' one (and that's even by British standards!) with a record-breaking 14 yellow cards.All in all it has been a fairly successful World Cup, with social media really shining – the Twitter hashflags a prime example.Who or what shone for you?

Funday Friday Quiz - 09/07

2010-07-09 10:27:26

1. Which website, usually more famous for selling books, is branching out into groceries?{image1}2. What was special about the plane used in a 26-hour test fight in Switzerland this week?3. Which soap has Snoop Dogg admitted to being a fan of?4. Which Englishman will be refereeing the World Cup final on Sunday?5. Which (very) British shoe brand has seen sales in Jamaica rocket after a popular rap artist sang about them?As ever, leave your answers in a comment below and we'll reveal the answers at 4pm.The Answers! 1. Amazon2. It was solar powered3. Coronation Street4. Howard Webb5. ClarksWell done to Stuart Webster, who was not only the first to answer but also got full marks!

The good, the bad and the ugly – 07/07

2010-07-07 16:06:46

The good:Eastern Airways (WHO?! I hear you cry) is naming one of it's planes after famous Liverpudlian, (Eastern Airways?) Ken Dodd. The stand-up star launched the company last year with plates full of jam sandwiches!The Jetstream 41 has had a caricature of Dodd painted in the fuselage and is being unveiled at John Lennon airport today.Passengers will not only get to meet the comedian, they'll also be given the chance to fly on the plane's inaugural flight.Underneath his caricature are the words, "How tickled I am...Ken Dodd OBE".The bad:A number of papers have reported today that the BBC faked images in a housing documentary.It's alleged that footage of 'hoodies' on a Bristol estate, featured in 'The Estate We're In' on Monday night, was actually filmed three miles away.The BBC has denied the accusations; however Avon and Somerset Constabulary has now lodged a formal complaint with the show's producers, independent filmmaker Twofour Broadcast.

My first week!

2010-07-05 15:59:41

OMG!I cannot believe I have already completed a week at pr2go. The guys here are so friendly. So far it has been an eye opening experience. In one week I have learned so much: filtering through distribution lists, speaking to clients and journalists on a regular basis. I am so grateful that pr2go has given me the opportunity to join their business, as I am sure you can appreciate jobs are not easy to find; especially as companies are not taking on graduates, despite specifying that they want applicants at degree level. pr2go have been really supportive towards me, especially when it came towards using a Mac for the first time! I had never touched a Mac, never mind used one. But after only 1 week, I feel like I can achieve anything!Although I was optimistic as to what my first week would entail, I am happy to say that I could not of joined a better business.I must say a big thank you to Michelle for putting up with me so far, lol! I have asked her so many questions, and she always answers with a smile.I am really looking forward to being a part of the growth of the business and I believe that pr2go will go really far.

Funday Friday Quiz - 02/07

2010-07-02 10:27:58

1. Which Oscar-winning actress has been lined up to play Margret Thatcher in a new film?2. Who has just been named as the new Liverpool Manager?3. Which posh celeb has been appointed creative design executive at Range Rover?4. What are motorists being warned not to do this summer of sporting events?5. Who does Andy Murray face at Wimbledon this afternoon?And now for the answers!1. Meryl Streep2. Roy Hodgson3. Victoria Beckham4. Not to listen to sporting events on their radios - apparently live commentary + driving = dangerous!5. Rafael NadelWell done to Debbie, class swot with full marks!Have a great weekend!

What is a press release?

2010-06-28 11:44:50

We have covered this topic previously but not in 'plain English,' so to speak. So, let's go back to basics:According to (that ever so trusty source) Wikipedia: 'A press release is a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value.' We totally agree so thought we might as well borrow this definition!Some people think that a press release is written copy that will be printed word-for-word in each publication it is sent to: In the world of advertising, great lengths are taken to ensure that the wording is perfect for the sales message and the chosen media. The result is that the media does print the exact copy they are sent (if they don't there's hell to pay – but we won't get into that now).Unfortunately, in the main, this isn't the case for press releases.Press releases are in fact used to attract the attention of editors, for them to then use as the basis for their article. The editors make a decision on whether the press release angle and substance is relevant to their target audience. This can include, as well as other criteria; whether the story is time sensitive, if it fits in with the tone of their publication, that it will support existing content and very often, that they will have the 'exclusive' on the story.So, What is a press release? It is a teaser for editors, to 'hook' them in and serves to provide enough information to prove the story is newsworthy.The process once a press release has been chosen by an editor is varied. Sometimes, if the press release is already in the correct style for the readers and publication, it is literally lifted and pasted into the final format. This is often true of quick turnaround media such as website news articles. However, often the release is shortened, chopped about, restructured and rewritten, using the facts and rewritten in the way the editor requires. Also, the press release can entice an editor to want to find out more. In this case, they will make direct contact and possibly ask you for more background information, expansion on a certain topic or more quotes, for example. What we're trying to say is that a press release is about 250 to 400 words, it's a journalistic piece of writing, aiming to grab attention, with the hope that an editor will want to use the story. Whether this is verbatim or edited is not our decision. At pr2go, we give press releases the best chance possible of being included by writing it in a professional style appropriate for a copy and paste job. The reality is that good stories get used, but how and when is up to the editor!

Funday Friday Quiz - 25/06

2010-06-25 11:33:59

Here's this weeks quiz, answers at 4pm. Good luck!1. Who do England face this weekend in the World Cup?2. Glastonbury is kicking off, how old is it?3. Which two tennis players well and truly put themselves in the record books at Wimbledon this week?4. Who has today announced he has married in a private, low-key ceremony? 5. What are Harrods now offering staff?Now for the answers!1. Germany2. 40 years3. Nicolas Mahut and John Isner4. Piers Morgan5. A sales degreeWell done to Rob Yandell who got full marks!

The good, the bad and the ugly – World Cup Special

2010-06-23 14:23:30

The good:Businesses across the country have been securing themselves some fantastic PR today by letting the media know their plans for the big match.Kelloggs Head Office in Manchester was featured heavily on the BBC news at 1 o'clock, as well as a school which has installed a huge screen in their assembly hall to allow pupils to watch.It's a credit to the companies and institutes that have secured coverage, as thousands up and down the country will be doing similar – yet not getting the welcome PR boost in the process. What these businesses lose in sales and productivity will certainly be recouped with brand building and awareness.The bad:Despite currently trending second on Twitter it has been a bad four days for Fabio Capello and in PR terms he really hasn't helped himself today.Not only has his ex-captain cried out for Joe Cole but so have the majority of England fans (...you know Fabio those people that actually ensure you have a job?). But of course, the ever stubborn Italian has stuck his fingers in his ears, sang 'La la la la' really loudly and done the complete opposite!The World Cup has changed the public's opinion of Capello, after a fantastic qualifying campaign he was the golden boy, but we all know a bit of bad press and a few matches drawn and the tide can quickly change.If he pulls it off and England go through he will, of course, be completely right; but if he doesn't not listening to the fans and players will be the nail in his coffin. Unfortunately if the latter is true he'll need a seriously good PR campaign to get him back to the top.

Funday Fridays

2010-06-11 09:05:50

Have a go at our quiz! Answers at 4 o'clock1. Which Channel 4 reality series is set to start this week for the final time? 2. Which US start has been denied a UK visa to tour over his conviction for assaulting his famous ex-girlfriend?3. What is the name of the South African musical instrument which will be making the most noise at this month's World Cup?4. Which two brothers have both thrown their hats into the leadership ring for the Labour Party?5. Which internet site is the most used in the UK?Answers1. Big Brother2. Chris Brown3. Vuvuzela4. Ed and David Milliband5. Google

How do I promote my business in the media?

2010-06-09 09:08:33

Is it simple to get a press release published?There are simple ways to make it easier to get an all-important press release into the media. pr2go can offer valuable advice and suggestions to make it easier for your business appear attractive to a journalist.One of these is to avoid the 'spike'!Every journalist should know what the spike is. Perhaps the terminology changes from place to place but the sentiment is the same. Historically, when journalists received a poor press release it ended up on the "spike" (exactly what it sounds like; an upturned spike on the table with press releases piled high, spiked through the middle, never to be read again). Though the age of technology has meant that most press releases now arrive in email, the danger of being disregarded is still there. How easy is it to just hit delete? Most journalists will take pleasure in spiking a poorly written piece. Let's not give them this opportunity!So how do you avoid this? What differentiates a good PR piece from not so good? How simple is it to promote a business in the press?A wise and experienced journalist once gave me the key to this knowledge. Understand the media, play on what they want. First of all a good angle is needed, followed by a snappy, to the point headline. Don't forget to answer all the Wh- questions (there are 6 if you include the 'how' one), without being too content heavy. Simple things like unnecessary adjectives and caps will annoy any press professional as they will only have to edit them for print. The upshot is, make the journalist's life easier. Answer all they want to hear, interestingly and concisely, and you're on the right track. Pr2go can help with this. Just visit our main site or give us a call and see your business' press releases in the media!

Is this the end for celebrity?

2010-06-08 11:16:44

Big Brother will air for the last time this summer with the new series set to start this week. Usually this would signal the celebrity magazines to go into a frenzy. There would be predictions of who would be the next ordinary person to make it in celebrity. I know I'd be backing a winner for the next Z-lister.Back in its hay day, the likes of Jade Goody and Craig Phillips became household names after a few weeks of being in the house. In recent years, though, the show's stars and winners haven't had the same effects on us, which may have prompted the show ending after 11 years.But it is feared that the end of the show will have consequences for the media and its publicists. Ian monk, who founded celebrity PR shop Ian Monk Associates, has warned that these 'stars' provided lucrative deals and revenue for agents tasked with managing the images of these people. 'The final freak show may prove instructive in finally setting in stone the demise of the age of celebrity which has defined popular culture since the Millennium,' he said.What will happen to the celebrity parties which often featured these stars? And the celebrity magazines? The Heat Magazine culture will have to find something else to follow.The end of the Channel 4 show... is this the end of celebrity? pr2go is sad at the end of an era, but also relieved that there will be a clean break. Perhaps it's like a holiday; sad to see it's over, but looking forward to a different one already!

Funday Friday Quiz - 28/05 - The answers!

2010-05-28 17:07:25

Much easier then usual this week! Well done to Tommy and Andrew who both for 5 out of 5.1. What new gadget has gone on sale in the UK today? - Apple iPad2. Who has been announced as the new host of the One Show?- Jason Manford3. Which budget supermarket chain has Asda announced plans to buy? - Netto4. Which TV show has Sarah Ferguson chosen to make a public apology on?- The Oprah Winfrey Show5. Which movie sequel, which premiered this week, has been slated by critics?- Sex and the City 2More next week!

Funday Friday Quiz - 28/05

2010-05-28 10:26:37

We've tried to make it nice and easy this week! Good luck!1. What new gadget has gone on sale in the UK today?2. Who has been announced as the new host of the One Show?3. Which budget supermarket chain has Asda announced plans to buy?4. Which TV show has Sarah Ferguson chosen to make a public apology on?5. Which movie sequel, which premiered this week, has been slated by critics?Leave your answers in a comment below and we'll post the correct ones this afternoon!

The good the bad and the ugly – 20/05

2010-05-20 11:48:21

Blimey it's been a while! The nice weather seems to be motivating people to get some PR for their businesses! But I've found a quite moment to do a GBU!The good:As Youtube celebrates its fifth birthday they've announced that more than 2billion people are watching videos on the site every day.An average of 24 hours of footage is now uploaded to the site everyday, equivalent to 150,000 feature length films a week!Youtube was launched by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Kari, colleagues at the internet payment company PayPal in May 2005, just 19months later it was bought by Google for $1.65bn.The bad:Tesco has been forced to apologise after it sold a diet shake that contained twice the amount of calories than the label stated.Cheshire slimmer, Alison Bartup, started to get suspicious after weeks of dieting using Tesco's ultra slim shake and losing no weight. She soon realised the shake contained considerably less calories than other brands and was horrified to find out it actually had 50% more than the label claimed.Tesco admitted to the BBC's Watchdog programme that it had known about the error for two months, it has now rectified the mistake.The ugly:BP. Need we say much more...?

LinkedIn - Don’t underestimate its power!

2010-05-19 12:22:26

We all have LinkedIn profiles at pr2go and thank goodness we have. So far being able to link in with enthusiastic business people has created a platform of opportunity that has far surpassed our expectations.In the last month alone, the client and supplier contacts we have made has been phenomenal. Interacting really does pay off and LinkedIn seems an excellent vehicle to increase awareness within the business sphere.It should be used properly however. To link with everyone and anyone goes against all principles. If you have had contact with them at a networking event, have been recommended you link or, they are a client or colleague (past or present), you should link. If you link with people you have had no previous contact with, beware.A great way to broaden and enrich your connections:1. Link with useful people you know or have met. (As mentioned above)2. Extend your network through your contact's contacts and ask to be linked as a recommendation. People are often very willing to refer you. 3. Join relevant groups, get involved and be interesting. People will then want to link with you. Introduce yourself to new groups and ask questions. Also respond to questions to demonstrate your skills and experience.4. Search for people you would like to link with and ask them if you can link. Use the Advanced search facility at the top right of the home page to target the right people. Make sure your reason for linking is mutually worthwhile.5. Keep your page current and use the Announcements feature to show your personality as well as your business acumen. Useful connections are more likely to find you useful if you're active, interested and knowledgeable.LinkedIn has more than 60 million users, according to the network's CEO, Jeff Weiner, "Over the past year, network has seen a significant amount of growth, especially internationally. As of last December, the network had 55 million members, so its grown by 5 million in less than two months." Clearly a business tool worth being part of then!

The arrogance of our politicians.

2010-05-11 11:30:21

Is it just me, or am I correct in thinking the truth about our politicians has come to light? On the one hand, they are telling us that they are negotiating in the country's best interest, but the reality is they are all clearly looking out for themselves, leaving the country to crash and burn.I am staggered at their short sighted arrogance. It is clear to everyone that the only option for all the parties is for the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to form the next government, concentrate on getting the country out of the mess we are in and then go back to the country to say, 'This is what we have done, now judge us.'The Labour party on the other hand, need to get a grip, vote on a new leader and then become an effective, relevant opposition who could go back to the people and say, ' We have re-organised, we are fresh and new, vote for us.'Instead of which, they are all playing us, the people, as though we are idiots who will not have a say. It appears the most likely result, is that the Scottish political parties will basically hold us to ransom and rip us off.The kind of voting system we use is not of any importance at all when the country is faced with financial devastation.Please all politicians get a grip; I have half a mind to walk down the M1, go to Westminster to tell the lot of them to xxxx off (is anyone with me?).Joanna Lumley for PM.- James

Is a change really as good as a rest?

2010-05-10 09:37:39

Changes can really wind people up. But there is one change you can make to your business that will do the exact opposite – start using PR.Facebook seems to be the king of annoying changes recently and although the changes generate a lot of PR for the site, it's rarely positive. Both Twitter and LinkedIn have also seen significant changes recently, perhaps with less of a stir. The reason? They're all trying to keep up with the competition; which, as we know, is vital in any industry.There's a simple, straightforward way for your business to utilize change and not only 'keep up with the Jones'' but also get ahead of your competition: Using PR is an effective way to promote your business without having to thrust advertising in people's faces. It is much more subtle and therefore you'll find the long-term benefits can be huge.All businesses should be changing, like Facebook is doing, by using PR – the difference is it doesn't have to annoy your end users – in fact it can gain more!

How do I get my business on TV or on the radio?

2010-05-04 15:17:00

There's been a lot of discussion recently about the downfall of traditional media and where it leaves the PR industry, but industry research has shown there may be hope yet.The latest figures show more people are tuning in to their TV's as a form of cheap entertainment.{image1}With a rise in the number of households having digital capabilities, television has become the choice for family entertainment, perhaps because of the amount of channels now available.So perhaps the future for PR should focus on broadcasting? It's a very different industry to print media and one that is often not as easy to approach from a PR perspective.The perfect broadcast PR story all depends which station you are targeting, but the first thing to say is be realistic! There are far fewer TV and radio outlets in comparison to print media (newspapers and magazines), next to no stations focused on a specific topic and they are all covered by much tighter regulations regarding advertising, so the chances of getting on air are much smaller. Of course you must have a very strong story, unlike newspapers, broadcast media isn't entirely devoted to news. Your story needs to stand out from the crowd, beating the others to ensure it makes the cut; most radio bulletins are only about three minutes long and TV bulletins have two or three very in-depth reports and then a few other 'snippets' afterward, giving very little room for anything other than current affairs.The perfect TV story needs to appeal to a wide audience (regional or national) and be image worthy. If you watch a TV report it is filled with pictures, therefore if your story is about an event that has already happened or something that doesn't lend itself to images then it simply can't be used – it's nothing personal, but TV reports have to be able to 'show' the story.When it comes to radio your story can have a less wide appeal - local radio stations don't cover as much of an area as TV – however you must be available to get involved. Much like television with pictures, radio is about different voices and if you want to be heard then you need to be prepared to do an interview. This could be live on air if you feel comfortable enough or pre-recorded and edited. Of course as well as this you must have a strong story, unlike newspapers, broadcast media isn't entirely devoted to news. Your story needs to stand out from the crowd, beating the others to ensure it makes the cut; most radio bulletins are only about three minutes long and TV bulletins have two or three very in-depth reports and then a few All in all it is well worth putting the effort into broadcast PR as the rewards are huge, but don't be disappointed if it doesn't work first time.

Funday Friday Quiz - 30/04 The answers

2010-04-30 16:37:02

We promise to try and make it easier next week! Here are this weeks answers:1. How did British Gamblers make history at Ascot Racecourse yesterday? - They were the first to use a decimal odds system.2. What must American Boy Scouts do to earn the new video game badge? - They must spend an hour a day playing games and teaching others how to play better.3. A novice sailor had to be rescued this week after running out of fuel whilst circling the Isle of Sheppey, what did he think he was sailing round? - The UK!4. Why has academic, Brett Mills, criticised wildlife documentaries? - He believes they deny animals their "right to privacy".5. Who was named FHM's World's Sexiest Woman for the second year running this week? - Cheryl Cole

Funday Friday Quiz - 30/04

2010-04-30 11:11:33

Here's this week's quiz:1. How did British Gamblers make history at Ascot Racecourse yesterday?2. What must American Boy Scouts do to earn the new video game badge?3. A novice sailor had to be rescued this week after running out of fuel whilst circling the Isle of Sheppey, what did he think he was sailing round?4. Why has academic Brett Mills criticised wildlife documentaries?5. Who was named FHM's World's Sexiest Woman for the second year running this week?Leave your answers in a comment below and we'll post the correct answers later this afternoon, good luck!

The ugly, the uglier and the ugliest

2010-04-28 16:23:12

In a slight twist this weeks 'The good, the bad and the ugly' becomes 'The ugly, the uglier and the ugliest'!It was always going to happen, the election campaign was bound to spring some wonderful PR gaffes on us...but the PM has really excelled himself with this one.Anyone who has ever done any press training or in fact been 'mic'd up' will tell you that the first rule is NOT to forget you're wearing it! There is many a tale to tell about people going to the loo and forgetting to turn it off!The gaffe (if you've been living in a cave all day click here to find out what!) has certainly rocketed Labour to the top of the news agenda, but with only eight days left and just one day before the last televised debate it's certainly not the sort of publicity that Gordon Brown was after.Credit where credit is due though, Labours PR machine quickly got into full swing and the PM has fully apologised and of course we cannot forget he is only human!The lesson to be learned – you're not always going to love everyone you meet...it's human nature, but even a little slip of the tongue can cause problems. It's probably not going to make you the top story on the six o'clock news, but it could certainly lose you a few customers – especially if it gets into the Twitersphere!

Funday Friday Quiz - 23/04 The answers!

2010-04-23 16:59:41

1. What are runners in this Sundays London Marathon being warned of? - A mini heat wave which is set to hit the south of England, temperatures could reach 25 degrees.2. What has Britney Spears Dad told her off about this week? - Not wearing bras, he is apparently fed up of being able to see through her top in photos.3. Cheryl Cole has jumped up this year's rich list. What percentage has her value rocketed by? - 150%4. How did a man from Yorkshire lose £100,000 on a scratchcard? - He misunderstood the rules of the game, and despite seeing 3 £100,000 symbols didn't think he had won...so he threw the card out.5. How has a Labour supporter in South Gloucestershire caused a stir?- He has erected a huge sign on the side of his house which reads "Feeling suicidal vote Tory"

Funday Friday Quiz - 23/04

2010-04-23 10:30:04

Here's this week's quiz:1. What are runners in this Sundays London Marathon being warned of?2. What has Britney Spears Dad told her off about this week?3. Cheryl Cole has jumped up this year's rich list. What percentage has her value rocketed by?4. How did a man from Yorkshire lose £100,000 on a scratchcard?5. How has a Labour supporter in South Gloucestershire caused a stir?Leave your answers in a comment below and we'll post the correct answers later this afternoon, good luck!

The good, the bad and the ugly – 22/04

2010-04-22 11:45:02

The good:A relatively unknown Internet Service Provider (ISP) has teamed up with the Board of Film Classification , to offer parents an easy way to filter web content.ISP Tibboh uses internet filter technology such as Netsweeper to classify websites. Parents can chose the filter they need from U, PG, 12, 15 or 18 – just like films.{image1}The bad:Ryanair have made a major U-turn this morning after saying they would not be abiding by EU law and paying customers affected by the volcanic eruption expenses.After an interview on 5Live this morning they announced they would in fact pay up.But the damage has been done, by a) intending to break EU law and b) upsetting thousands of customers who have already had a nightmare few days.

Funday Friday Quiz - 16/04 - The answers

2010-04-16 17:17:50

The answers!1. Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe is to make his Broadway musical debut in 2011 in a revival of which show? - How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.2. Why has The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Copenhagen made the news this week? - It is offering a free meal to anyone who can produce the hotel electricity using an exercise bike attached to a generator.3. What's unique about the way the season finale of 'House' has been filmed? - It was shot entirely on a stills camera that has a HD video function (Canon 5D Mark II)4. How did a 13-year-old Croatian girl baffle doctors when she woke up from a coma this week? - She could suddenly speak fluent German5. Which four premiership footballers have been shortlisted for the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year award? - Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas, Didier Drogba and Carlos TevezWell done to all those who got any right, more next Friday!

Funday Friday Quiz - 16/04

2010-04-16 10:22:44

Here's this weeks quiz:1. Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe is to make his Broadway musical debut next year in a revival of which show?2. Why has The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Copenhagen made the news this week?3. What's unique about the way the season finale of 'House' has been filmed?4. How did a 13-year-old Croatian girl baffle doctors when she woke up from a coma this week?5. Which four premiership footballers have been shortlisted for the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year award?Post your answers in a comment below, and we'll reveal all later today!

The good, the bad and the ugly – 14/04

2010-04-14 11:58:24

The good: Sports brand Puma are going to stop using shoeboxes.The German company has spent nearly two years developing an alternative that uses less paper – saving the environment, as well as their outgoings.The new design wraps the shoes in cardboard frames which then fit into reusable bags with handles.Is there really a need for shoeboxes anyway?The bad:Primark has been forced to withdraw a range of padded bikini tops aimed at girls as young as 7.The £4 bikini sets, which came in candy pink with gold stars and black with white polka dots, received criticism from offended parents as well as The Children's Society and Conservative leader David Cameron.The Children's Society accused the clothes store of "premature sexualisation and unprincipled advertising".

Funday Friday Quiz 09/04 - The answers

2010-04-09 16:56:52

The answers! 1. What will thousands of young Facebook users be greeted with tomorrow?- A reminder about how to vote in the general election2. A 12 year old boy spent all of his savings and hundreds of pounds on his mothers credit card, amounting to £900, on what?- Facebook game Farmville3. Who has announced they'll be leaving Coronation Street at the end of the year?- Bill Tarmy aka Jack Duckworth4. Why have 800 workers in Denmark gone on strike?- Carlsberg, who they work for have tightened the rules about how much alcohol they can drink at work.5. A definitive height of Mount Everest has been agreed this week, what is is?- 8,848mHave a wonderful weekend!

Funday Friday Quiz 09/04

2010-04-09 10:32:38

Good luck!1. What will thousands of young Facebook users be greeted with tomorrow?2. A 12-year-old boy has spent all of his savings and hundreds of pounds on his mothers credit card, amounting to £900, on what?3. Who has announced they'll be leaving Coronation Street at the end of the year?4. Why have 800 workers in Denmark gone on strike?5. A definitive height of Mount Everest has been agreed this week, what is is?Post your answers in a comment below, and we'll reveal all later today!

The good, the bad and the ugly – 07/04

2010-04-07 12:04:07

Good:Betfair are stirring up historic rivalry before this months Manchester derby. The betting community is offering Manchester United and Manchester City fans the chance to have their football 'banter' displayed on a billboard in the Deansgate area of the city.Fans are being asked to login to a website and edit their own poster, which they'll be able to send to friends and family. The submissions will then be viewable on the site and visitors will be able to rate them.Clearly the sites moderators will be working overtime!Bad:AOL has announced they are to sell or close down social networking site Bebo.The site, which has fallen prey to the social media circle ('oooh this site is great I'll tell all my friends' > the site gets popular and therefore monetised > 'bored now!' > 'oooh this site is great...' > repeat on a six month cycle!), was bought by AOL just two years ago for £417m.The company now says it cannot provide the ongoing funding it needs to compete with sites like Facebook. Analysts are suggesting offers will be significantly less than the price paid by AOL – which could result in the site shutting down altogether.

Know your audience

2010-04-06 14:45:30

A story in the news caught my eye today, firstly for being ridiculous, but as I read it further I realised it's a story with a useful message: Know your audience!When writing a press release it's something that is always in mind, but it should be when thinking about who to send it to as well. Many people believe sending a release to as many publications as possible is the best way to achieve coverage but in fact it is more likely to harm your chances.PR should be about relationship building; once a publication has carried a story about your business you are in their radar, which means if you send them another release they'll remember you and be much more likely to read it!It could take a few years and a number of releases but if you build up enough trust with the publication you can easily find yourself in their contact book as someone to call for quotes and comments.Of course the key to all of this is selecting the right publications in the first place. We strategically select publications to send your story to from a database of thousands, but that could mean a list of just 15 media outlets. This certainly doesn't mean your story is worthless, it perhaps has a very specific audience or is only relevant to a very local area. It's a much over used phrase, but the important thing is quality not quantity.Going back to my original point the story that caught my eye is here, lets just say that surely the paper knows that it's audience doesn't really 'do' April Fools?

The good, the bad and the ugly - 25/03

2010-03-25 14:17:24

The good:Some fantastic, inadvertent, PR for Cannon today. A space enthusiast takes amazing photos of the Earth's surface from space using a £50 camera taped to a helium balloon!{image1}One of Roberts images.Robert Harrison, from West Yorkshire, stumbled on the idea when he tried to take aerial photographs of his house using a remote control helicopter.When his experiment failed, he started to look into high-altitude weather balloons on the internet, launching his first in 2008.It does make you wonder what NASA spend all their money on!The bad:Facebook has had some pretty awful/amusing press this week. A report from the North East has suggested that the site is to blame for a rise in a venereal disease.Professor Peter Kelly, director of public health in Teesside, had said staff had found a link between social networking sites and the rise in cases of syphilis, especially among young women.It's led to the site issuing a statement today dismissing the link saying that a correlation with the rise of venereal disease is not the same as causation.

The Key to Keywords

2010-03-22 13:56:24

This week the pr2go blog will look at the importance of related keywords from a PR perspective. Our website has several keywords that help us to rank on certain Google searches, such as PR, press releases, affordable PR etc. We try to include them in blogs, releases and website copy as much as possible and you should be doing the same for your business. pr2go can help you to include your keywords and keyword phrases in your press releases to help increase the chances of your PR being read and also boost your Google rankings.{image1}Before thinking about you online press release you must do a bit of research. Below are some pointers to how to get the best from an SEO PR press release:1. Decide on your subject area. By this we mean a topic that your keywords can be based around. This will form the context of your press release. For example, 'New Hair range for women launched.'2. Do some keyword general research, then using your findings narrow down your search topic. You can do this by using a search term tool like the one in Google Adwords, this will take a look at your website and suggest terms it thinks are relevant – beware though it's not always accurate! Another way is to search the terms your considering in Google, look at the amount of pages listed, how many ads appear and what the top few results are – You're looking for a term which will get traffic but isn't so competitive that you won't stand a chance of ranking in the top 10.3. Keep the keywords safe, as they could come in handy another time. If your own website uses hair and hairdressing related terms, include these as well as keywords specific to the new product you are launching.4. Write your text keeping your keywords in mind. If you let pr2go have a list of keywords, we can make sure they included in your final press release.5. Link back to your site. Make sure that your press release includes your website address so that you can get the benefit of relevant links. This should include posting links on your Twitter and Facebook pages too as well as sharing your release with contacts throughout the social media space.For more information about how we can help with relevant SEO content for your PR needs, please get in touch.

Funday Friday Quiz - 19/03- The Anwers

2010-03-19 17:07:50

The answers!1. Scientists have discovered a new species of dinosaur that was closely related to the Velociraptor. What have they named it?- Linheraptor exquisitus2. A new addiction clinic for children has opened it's doors in London – what does it aim to cure?- Addiction to video games, mobile phones, the Internet etc3. Who and what won the Brit Insurance Design Award earlier this week?- Min-Kyu Choi for his folding plug.4. The Queens Jaguar is up for sale, expecting to fetch a cool £65,000 but how many miles does it have on the clock?- 14,0005. How much does the "Paddy Power" Hollywood sign weigh?- Almost 100 tonnesSome great efforts today! Well done to John for getting 100%!

Funday Friday Quiz - 19/03

2010-03-19 10:16:35

Good luck!1. Scientists have discovered a new species of dinosaur that was closely related to the Velociraptor. What have they named it?2. A new addiction clinic for children has opened it's doors in London – what does it aim to cure?3. Who and what won the Brit Insurance Design Award earlier this week?4. The Queens Jaguar is up for sale, expecting to fetch a cool £65,000 but how many miles does it have on the clock?5. How much does the "Paddy Power" Hollywood sign weigh?Post your answers in a comment below, and we'll reveal all later today!

The good, the bad and the ugly – 17/03

2010-03-17 14:27:55

The good – The BBC swept the board at last nights Royal Television Society Awards, winning 18 out of the 25 awards.The surprise of the night going to Charlie Brooker's Newswipe, who knocked Simon Cowell off his pedestal by winning the entertainment gong – which has, for the last few years, always been given to X Factor or Britain's Got Talent.The bad – A TV experiment in France had been likened to a Nazi Germany.The 'pilot show' aimed to find out how far contestants would go and prove the persuasive power the media holds. Contestants were made to punish a fellow player, who was really an actor, with 460 volts of electricity if he got the question wrong. The programmes producer Christophe Nick said 80% of contestants went all the way, shocking the victim with the maximum 460 volts until he appeared to die.

One tea and sympathy for Mr Beckham please.

2010-03-16 15:21:58

A pulled Achilles tendon or just a great PR stunt to win back Brits affections?I am, of course, not suggesting that Becks hasn't pulled a tendon – but to we really care? Yesterday I was amazed to hear so much news coverage given to the injury - it was the top story on a number of bulletins! It's certainly won Beckham some brownie points. He hasn't exactly been on the hotlist of English footballers lately and who can blame us, OUR football league wasn't good enough for him; so he swanned of to far-flung destinations (fashion capitals coincidently) to kick a ball around.The injury has certainly had his PR team in overdrive and what a fantastic job they have done. Orchestrating a flood of coverage yesterday, prior to his operation and continuing the story into today by informing the media about the support he's received from Gordon Brown and the Poet Laureate.It's a great example of good PR, but frankly...I don't really care

Funday Friday Quiz - 12/03

2010-03-12 10:33:09

Good luck!1. John Lewis staff have got big smiles on their faces after hearing they'll be getting a share in the companies record profits. What percentage of their annual salary will employees receive as a bonus?2. What is the National Trust offering to stressed city workers?3. The much-anticipated return of Michael Schumacher to Formula One is finally upon us. How many Formula One World Drivers Championships has he won?4. What annual event has today been canceled because of the amount of spectators it attracts?5. According to the Daily Mail Prince Philip has but his foot in it again, what did he ask a female Navy sea cadet instructor?Post your answers in a comment below, and we'll reveal all later today!

Be alert!

2010-03-10 09:45:49

Tracking what people say about you and your business has always been important, but in today's media savvy environment, it is even more essential. One tweet bad mouthing your company could spiral out of control before you even know it, with little more than a few retweets.The advent of blogs and social media has given a wide platform for people to share whatever feelings they wish. The Internet cannot, and never will, be policed. It's not like a TV station or newspaper where a journalist has to read it, vouch for it, back it up and check it's watertight before publishing – this creates a nightmare for businesses. Lets face it we all have bad days; we all have customers that aren't 100% satisfied...that's life!Google Alerts is a very simple and effective way to track what is being said about you online. It works much like Google's search engine – you enter your keyword and it will send you emails when it finds that word, with a handy link so you can check it out.{image1}As a tool for reputation management it is essential, especially if you have a strong Internet presence. It can also be useful to track press releases; select a keyword from your release or your business name for Google to track and if your story gets published online you'll receive an email linking to it.A few things to be aware of though: Like searches remember to use quotation marks for specific search terms and don't put in searches that are too wide. You can choose the amount of emails you receive from them, for example when it happens, twice a day, once a week etc. – as it happens is very useful to track Twitter comments.Some tips from our experience – 1. Use your html address as a keyword – this will show who is linking to your website.2. Use terms that people may put into a forum - this can be useful for sales leads, as well as building up client relationships by advising prospective customers.3. Track your competitors! It's always good to see what the opposition are up to!

Funday Friday Quiz - 05/03

2010-03-05 09:44:05

Good luck, here goes...1. This week saw the launch of a £100 Barbie doll, why is it so expensive?2. There's a legal battle brewing about the name "Suagbabes". Who was in the original line-up, waaaay back in 1998? 3. What has Whitbread attributed to an increase in sales at Costa Coffee?4. "Creative differences" have resulted is Sacha Boran Cohens appearance at the Oscars being canceled, what did he have planned though?5. Weight Watchers in New Zealand have formed a surprising new partnership, who is it with?Leave your answers in a comment below. The right answers will be posted at 4pm, along with a name and shame of the winners and losers!No cheating!

The good, the bad and the ugly – 03/03

2010-03-03 13:37:20

The good – Record breaking is always a good excuse for a press release, but one guy in Australia has had some media exposure for more than just his record breaking jump.American, Seth Enslow, was attempting to break the record for the longest motorbike jump on his Harley-Davidson and, all credit to him, smashed it by 18ft! But the cameras weren't ready and the swarm of media that had turned up failed to capture his feat. In true showman style Enslow performed the trick again – this time making sure the cameras were on! Not only did he get the jump on film second time round...he also broke his own record by another 8ft!A record breaking, nice guy! The bad – The Israeli military has called off a raid in Palestinian territory after one of its soldiers posted details, including the time and place, on Facebook.According to Israel's Army Radio the soldier - since relieved of combat duty - described in a status how his unit planned a "clean-up" arrest raid in a West Bank area, Facebook friends then reported him to military authorities. Doh!

Football crazy, football mad...

2010-03-02 15:23:12

The news today has been a very mixed bag, but one story that caught my attention was the list of the richest football clubs in Europe.Last month, with slightly less exposure, the list of the top 50 highest earning football players was released. It really makes me wonder...why on earth do they earn so much!?Why is the amount of money the clubs, and footballers themselves, have celebrated in this way? Is it not something to be ashamed of? Embarrassed even? Some people save lives on a daily basis and don't even get paid 25% of what these blokes who kick a ball around a field do.It wouldn't be SO bad if they were good for anything else, but they are hardy role models – as recent press has proven! (JT is in the top 10 and Ashley Cole comes in at 33.) Unfortunately though the positive PR that constantly surrounds the astronomical wages achieved by footballers makes them a role model for different reasons. What kid wouldn't want to be mega rich, whilst just playing football for a living?Obviously there is a lot of money in football, but does there really need to be? Would it not make the game ten times more exciting if the sound of cashiers bells didn't ring out with every footstep?Click here to see the football rich list.

Great expectations

2010-02-23 17:13:04

Think carefully before you jump on the media exposure ride.Over the weekend and the beginning of the week the UK media lens was focused on just one man, Gordon Brown. In what was an awful few days for him, in terms of PR and no doubt personally, another reputation was put on the line by a company not thinking before taking advantage of a PR opportunity.The National Bullying Helpline caused a storm when one of its co-founders went on record to say they had been contacted by MPs concerned about Gordon Brown. The helpline, run by a husband and wife in Swindon, has seen a host of well-known patrons resign and is also facing an investigation from the Charity Commission.Personally I think the helpline was right to grab the PR opportunity with both hands, it's imperative for charities to gain exposure and often it's very expensive. However there is a lot to be said for how they went about it. The helpline should have come at the story from an advisory point of view – instead they breached confidentiality that turned the opportunity on its head. Who'd want to call a helpline that may repeat your problems to the national press!Co-founder of The National Bullying Helpline, Christine Pratt, has now approached Max Clifford for help in dealing with the crisis.

March here

2010-02-22 14:20:40

Ok, so not quite, but it's next week everybody! I can't belive how fast 2010 is already going. To celebrate spring being just around the corner, let's do something positive. This week's blog is how you can generate stories surrounding national events that are happening this March. By building on events associated with national initiatives and giving your own twist, you can conjure up great PR news stories for your business. We have come up with a few ideas to think about ready for next month:National Bed month - Sponsored 'Come to work in your bed clothes' – a fun fundraiser!Veggie Month – Great for the hospitality and catering trade. Source local vegetarian food and support local growers at the same time.1st St David's Day (Wales)3rd Worlds Maths Day4th World Books Day - Host a book fair in your reception area to raise money for your chosen charity.6th FA Cup Quarter Finals8th Commonwealth Day8th International Woman's Day - Offer pampering treatments to your female employees (just make sure the men get their special day at some point too)10th No Smoking Day11th – 14th Crufts12th – 21st Winter Paralympics14th Mothering Sunday17th St Patrick's Day (Ireland)19th - 21st Sport Relief - There are loads of fun activities going on. Visit www.sportrelief.com to see how your business can get involved.20th Earth Day - Do something to help the environment. Minimise travel, electricity and printing and maximise recycling, energy saving and alternative transport. Calculate how much you have reduced your carbon footprint for that day and then if you kept it up, what difference you would make in a week, month and year! Visit www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator If you need help with stories or ideas, contact us on 0844 826 4277

Funday Friday Quiz - 19/02

2010-02-19 10:23:53

Good luck, here goes...1. What was Cheryl Cole missing during her performance at the Brits earlier this week?2. Which Country currently has the third most medals on the 2010 Winter Olympics? 3. A giant ruby, once valued at £11m, which was used to support insolvent Shropshire construction firm Wrekin was sold this week. How much did it fetch?4. The judges for Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest TV talent show, Over the Rainbow, have been announced, can you name them? (A point for each)5. Talk Talk have announced a new free service for the elderly this week, what it is?6. Who killed Archie Mitchell? Yes, Hannah and Michelle are rather excited about tonight's episode! Who's your money on?Leave your answers in a comment below. As always the right answers will be posted at 4pm, along with a name and shame of the winners and losers!No cheating!

The Internet is for life, not just for Christmas…

2010-02-18 12:30:06

I had a heated debate at the weekend with my daughter who was trying to tell me that a tattoo would be cool and nobody would ever see it and even if they did it was her decision anyway!Well as any parent would I told her about all of the reasons for not having a tattoo. My central argument was based on how it would look when she was a seventy year old grandmother; I told her it might actually look cool on her now, but would it look cool on Nanny?This made me think about the Internet and social media in general, obviously pr2go are big fans, we use this media every day and it's a great form of PR, however we should personally be careful what we put online about ourselves. Remember that everything that goes on stays on forever. A twenty year old that puts a photo of themselves over indulging on a night out on the town could find themselves with a great deal to explain in five years time when a future employers looks at it or even in twenty years time when their sixteen year old child finds it. Beware what you post, a Facebook page or blog is forever not just for Christmas!- James

The good, the bad and the ugly – 17/02

2010-02-17 13:32:56

Good – Coronation Street has announced it's first regular disabled character in the shows 50-year history. Coro has had a few disabled characters recently, but none have been permanent fixtures. Cherylee Houston has signed a six-month contract to play the fiery Izzy, who is set to be a bit of a heartbreaker. {image1}Photo: dailymail.co.ukThe new recruit will give the chance for the street to show it's more serious side. Campaigners are skeptical as to whether writers will portray the problems that face the disabled in an accurate manner.Bad - Staying with ITV – the company has been rapped for upping the volume on it's adverts..."Hurrah" I hear you all shout!Unfortunately the telling off wasn't for its adverts in general, despite the fact it is a bug bare for thousands (including myself). The Advertising Standards Authority ruled that eight adverts aired during an episode of Sherlock Homes on digital channel ITV3, were excessively loud.Ugly – Toyota is in desperate need of some good PR at the moment. It's emerged today the troubled car maker is now considering recalling it's Corolla models. (Ironically it's the world's best selling car!)It's comes as the US car safety watchdog has ordered a probe into Toyota's recalls. It wants to decide whether Toyota reacted quickly enough in recalling millions of cars over problems affecting other models.

Blog on!

2010-02-15 10:23:29

This week's blog is all about why we should be blogging. We all have heard of blogs, but exactly why we do it sporadically or religiously isn't always clear. Below are my 5 top tips for why businesses should invest time in creating and maintaining a blog:1. Search Engine Marketing Search engines such as Google that regularly seek out new content on websites, love blogs. This is because your blog will, (or should) contain keywords, meaning the content on your site is being refreshed and Google sees it as an active, relevant website. People will be able to find your website more easily, because Google will list more pages. Google will re-index your site more frequently, meaning new pages you put online will appear in the search results more quickly. Refreshing content will also give your rankings a boost.2. Increased Communications A blog should contain interesting, useful or even humorous content because this is what people want to read about. A blog allows you to communicate with readers that then become regular followers. The more people reading your blog, the bigger reach you have to send messages and information.3. Sharing expertise A blog allows you to get ahead of your competitors. If you are an expert in your industry, you can tell people on your blog! This means they are more likely to trust your services over your competitors if they can see evidence of your knowledge. Use your blog for competitive advantage and make sure your customers and potential customers can see why you are better than the rest. 4. PRYou can use content from your blog to form a basis for press releases. If the topic is compelling and interesting, you can send your release out to the media for extended coverage. Also, to build your reputation, you should post responses to other interesting blogs.5. Low Cost Blogging is a very low cost form of marketing communications. It can be completely free if you use a free blog site to set up your template. These companies can then host your blog content for you. Alternatively you can commission a web developer to integrate a blog into your website. Updating and keeping your blog updated is then completely free.I hope you have found my blog interesting and can see why blogging is integral to business today. If you're reading this, I guess you do - Blog on!

The good, the bad and the ugly – 10/02

2010-02-10 14:33:44

The good – It's not often that beer gets much positive press, alcohol in general for that matter. But now it seems beer might actually be good for you!Researchers say that ale rich in silicon can help prevent bone diseases like osteoporosis. The body absorbs half of the silicon in a pint, potentially making it a major source of bone strengthening goodness.Although the research does go on to say that not all beers contain high amounts of the healthy nutrient...damn!The bad – Kraft is already an enemy to most Brits at the moment, but with the news today that they will be closing the Bristol factory they're now being branded as liars.Kraft has confirmed it will close Cadbury's Somerdale plant near Bristol with the loss of 400 jobs, despite outlining in its formal offer it would "be in a position to continue to operate the Somerdale facility".Cadbury is a well-established, highly trusted British company; Kraft were always going to have trust issues with the Cadbury supports, however going back on pledges is going to make their efforts even more difficult.

‘Hook, line and sinker’

2010-02-08 11:58:24

Today's blog is going back to basics. We've had a few calls over the past couple of weeks about what makes a good story and what to include. The answer is it needs to be interesting and newsworthy. What we mean by that is there needs to be a newsworthy 'hook,' an interesting 'line' as well as newsworthy and interesting content, or 'sinker.' A 'hook' is what will form the basis of your story. This is the newsworthy bit. So, really think about your angle. What is your press release about? Does it have a humanistic element? For example, have you done something for charity? Has your company helped the community or another business? Have you done something that has benefited someone with ill health? Don't worry, it doesn't necessarily have to be charitable or altruistic to have a humanistic twist; you may have produced an eco-friendly product or a service that can reduce costs for other businesses.Another 'hook' could be an event or review of a product. For these types of stories, both should be thought of retrospectively, rather than promoting something that hasn't already happened. If you have had an event, you need to talk about the successes: Where was it? What happened? What was it in aid of? Was it a fundraising event? If you try and advertise an event, it is very unlikely to be published by editors as they get their income from selling advertisement space. In the same vain, if you have a new product, think about how it is useful, why it was launched, how it benefits the customer. The 'line' can be left to the journalist. This takes experience and skill – journalists know what editors respond to, and so the headline used will attract editors and readers alike and create anticipation for them to read on. The 'sinker' in this case is the rest of the story. What makes up the content and gives it meaning and gravitas. You really need some background information, dates, locations and quotes from people involved or statistics to support any claims made. Without these, a press release becomes less believable and therefore less likely to be included in a publication. Of course a photo is an excellent way to provide evidence for a story. See our FAQ section for what makes a great photo.If you have a story idea, why not run it past us at pr2go? We can point you in the right direction and give some useful advice. Then once you have the basics, we can do the rest!

Funday Friday Quiz - 05/02

2010-02-05 10:34:22

Good luck, here goes...1. An Australian banker is facing the sack after an unfortunate incident on live TV earlier in the week, what happened?2. Can you name the seven Toyota models affected by their accelerator pedal recall?3. A life-size bronze sculpture of a man by Alberto Giacometti has been sold at auction in London for the world record price of £65,001,250, but how long did it take to reach the hammer price?4. Last year David Walliams swam the channel, this year he's got together a team of celebs for his sport relief challenge, what will they be doing?5. Fill in the gap - Scientists in India claim to have created a super _______ that will stay fresh a month after normal ones would have rotted away.Leave your answers in a comment below. As always the right answers will be posted at 4pm, along with a name and shame of the winners and losers!No cheating!

My view: Can Toyota recover from the recall?

2010-02-04 14:46:13

In what is still a difficult time for the car industry, it must have been a very difficult decision for Toyota to announce a total recall of a number of its models.The question now posed is how will they recover? There is bad press, then there's BAD press. A recent example of the former being a footballers alleged affair, there's the argument that says he should no longer be England captain as he is a poor role model for youngsters; but lets face it, if he is sacked it wouldn't significantly alter the status quo.Toyota, however, falls under the latter. The company is getting massive amounts of negative media exposure, much like the afore mentioned footballer, but the hysteria surrounding the coverage is much worse. The thoughts going through any Toyota driver's head cannot be settled by high profile interviews or reassurances that they've only actually had 26 reports of the accelerator pedal sticking. The media consuming public are aware that to recall millions of vehicles on the strength of just 26 complaints is either extreme precaution or a genuine concern for customer safety, and, being all-consuming, we're well aware that extreme caution is not an option, financially, at the moment. The situation must have been viewed from a monetary point of view, i.e. the cost of recall compared to the cost of lawsuits.Unfortunately, in the cynical world we live in, Toyota are going to find it very difficult to recover from this, perhaps not financially, but certainly with regard to reputation. Expect a quiet period from them as they allow the circus to die down, followed by an expansive PR and marketing campaign.- Michelle

The good, the bad and the ugly – 03/02

2010-02-03 16:18:53

The good – OK I admit it...we are completely flummoxed (oooh contender for word of the week?) for a good PR story today! We've searched high and low and come up with nothing! All suggestions welcomed!The bad – The charity Peta have had some rare news exposure today. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a billboard advert that showed Steven Barker, the man jailed for killing Baby Peter.The poster appeared on a billboard in Haringey, north London, where 17-month-old Peter lived and died in 2007. The ugly – Katie Price, need I say anymore?

Save your Domain

2010-02-01 14:11:47

I learnt something very interesting last week that actually scared me quite a lot! I was aware in the back of my mind that renewing domain names was something businesses should be aware of; but just quite how devastating it can be if this task is forgotten, really shocked me. My blog today therefore, is about the importance of getting your domain renewed, on time so that you never have the heart-stopping moment when you realise your business website address now belongs to someone else!Ownership (or more precisely, control) of domain names is granted for a limited period of time – commonly this is two years. Once the owner of a domain name forgets or declines to pay the renewal fee, that domain name will expire - that is, it will eventually be deleted and returned to the "pool" of unregistered names.Expired domains create masses of interest to web-geeks and domain traders. This is because, expired domain names form a market of new website addresses that may have been unavailable, for the first time in many years... Some are very desirable and can be traded for a lot of money.Once a domain name has expired and been deleted, it is available to be re-registered by anyone. This is when a real-time battle begins for the control of the newly-available website addresses - a battle that can only have one winner.The winner of this battle has to be you if you want to keep your website address and all you have done to get traffic to your site. So, the steps to take are:- Find out how long it is until your domain expires. You can do this at www.websitegrader.com- If it is soon, you need to take action.- Find out where you originally, or last registered your website. This will be a website itself. Some common ones are www.123reg.co.uk www.net2.co.uk- Re-register your domain name – NOW!You will be notified by email when you're due to renew your domain, but if you no longer have that email address, have many email addresses and can't remember which you would have used to register the domain or simply have many domain names you need to keep on top of, then you could be in trouble.The big tip is to check today and make sure you don't loose out. The last thing any business needs is to find out that all their customers are going to a website they don't own and don't control!

The good, the bad and the ugly – 27/01

2010-01-27 14:56:53

The good –Apple have always know how to play the press, but they have outdone themselves this time.The launch of their new product has been anticipated for weeks and the fact that they have kept it a secret (well they have tried!) has made it all the more so.Ahead of the official launch tonight, it's now been revealed that it's a tablet – fueling yet more speculation.Twitter and the major news sites have been providing full coverage all day!The bad – Cheryl Cole has posted a begging message on her website. The X Factor judge has been nominated for best single at the Brit awards next month, but she's obviously a bit concerned that she won't win...She's put a video on her website telling fans she's relying on them to vote for her, and if begging wasn't enough, she also wants people to tweet the link to the voting page and add 'Team Cheryl' banners to their Facebook page. The must creative wins a signed single...bribery much?

The good, the bad and the ugly – 20/01

2010-01-20 17:10:16

The good – This one is not great PR for the immediate future;but probably a genius idea for future PR....Manchester United FC have taken control of it's players personal social media profiles.A statement on the clubs website announced today that no player will now update their own profile. It sound a bit extreme really, but it will certainly avoid future PR gaffes!The bad – Well again this one is an unusual one, and I cannot quite decide whether it's good or bad!Government officials in South Korea have been told to go home and...well...make babies!In an unusual move health officials in one office will have the lights turned out at 7pm tonight, in an attempt to make them leave work and go home to their partners.The country suffers from one of the lowest birth rates in the world.

Forecasters scared to forecast…has the world gone mad?

2010-01-19 15:45:22

OK so the Met Office has got it wrong a few times recently...the now notorious 'Barbecue Summer' press release is a fine example. We were promised a hot summer and a mild winter, neither of which really happened (though there were warm spells last summer and there has been the odd mild day of late!), but long-term forecasting cannot be simple and at a time when global warming is having an effect on the elements there is no pattern for forecasters to follow.But now it seems the Met Office is getting so much criticism for it's poor predictions that it is questioning whether it should continue to publish long-term and seasonal forecasts. Some scientists believe the organisation needs to analyse why there is always a bias towards higher temperatures. That one's easy though...no one wants to hear that it is going to be cold! What needs to be answered is why the forecasters are held responsible for the weather...they only predict it they don't actually make it!If the Met Office advised us that this coming summer was going to be a washout, with highs of 18 degrees everyone one would rush to book holidays abroad and no one would holiday here. Sales of garden furniture and barbecues would plummet...the organisation has a very heavy weight on it's shoulders and we've become so critical as a nation that we're blaming them for things beyond anyone's control!Amusingly I was watching the weather forecast this morning only to hear this – "...as you can see the snow seems to dissolve before it gets to London or Birmingham, but we'll have to wait until nearer the time to see if it does affect the main conurbations..." - Michelle

Don’t be stunted for ideas

2010-01-18 16:29:02

Last week we talked about creating PR opportunities using opinion polls and analyising the data for headlines. Well this week, I'm going to blog in a similar vain, but this time through creating PR stunts to make your own news stories.Max Clifford is genius at this; where would Kerry Katona be without him?! The celebrity-world in general has PR stunts down to a fine art and the avenues to facilitate such publicity are part of our everyday life. You only have to walk down your high street, turn on your TV, listen to the radio or even work in an office to catch headlines contrived through a PR stunt.However, it's not just celebrities and big brand companies that pull off their own story opportunities; any business can orchestrate something to get them a headline, and below are just a few ideas for you to think about:- Work around an events calendar. Look at our 'Tips & resources' on the main website to see National events going on during 2010 and do something within your business to fit a theme. Eg. Valentine's Day is just around the corner, why not have a sponsored event or activity and raise money for the British Heart Foundation?- Look at your business; what makes it unique? Do you have the only, the biggest, the fastest or the smallest of something? Then create an event and get people to witness this one-off fete.- Could you invent a character to become associated with your company? Some famous examples include; Churchill Insurance's dog, Aleksandr Orlov the Meercat for comparethemarket.com and Monkey from PG Tips – they have elevated their associated brands and in some cases, are now so popular they have their own PR agencies! The same principle can be done with any company. Get a character for your business and use it to get publicity.- Arrange a sample giveaway. Do you own a pub, food outlet or restaurant? Why not go to local businesses at lunch-time and offer them bite-sized samples of dishes from your menu, asking only for a donation, which you'll then give to charity?There are hundreds of chances to promote your business. Have a look at these great PR stunts for more inspiration: http://www.prstunts.co.uk/bigbadstunts.htmHappy stunting!Hannah

The good the bad and the ugly – 13/01

2010-01-13 15:50:46

The good – A snowy Christmas has lead to some fantastic figures for one high street favorite.Greggs defied the weather, with like for like sales, in the four weeks to Boxing Day, up by 1.1%. It also reported selling over a million mince pies a week! I'm sure there's a few of you who can admit (perhaps secretly) to helping those figures...although I'm sure it did nothing for your figures!{image1}The bad –The force that is Brangelina are shunning this years Golden Globe awards.Brad Pitt is said to be upset because he isn't nominated for his role in Inglorious Basterds, despite the fact the film itself is up for an award, meaning him and his wife Angelina Jolie won't be attending this years ceremony.Of course there's also the fact that they may bump into Brads ex Jenifer Aniston and after only five years that WOULD be awkward.Not that anyone really cares, but it makes them look a bit smug and self-important doesn't it!

Why your New Years business resolution should be Twitter…part two

2010-01-12 16:12:01

As promised, following on from last weeks' posts here's some more reasons why you should be using Twitter...for those I haven't already convinced!Drive traffic to your site.If you already have a website you'll know that getting traffic isn't always easy. Twitter can combat this, one you have built a strong following you can start to Tweet links back to your website. Perhaps you could create an offer for your followers?One thing to be aware of here though – don't do it too often and don't make it too sales-y, it will put people off following you and have an adverse effect!Get instant answers.Customers and peers opinions can be invaluable in driving your business, but they can also be very expensive, free is always a good price right?As long as you can fit your question into 140 characters you're onto a winner! It might take a while and you'll need to have built up your following, but if you get your colleagues and friends who are also on Twitter to retweet, the message will soon spread.Conduct your own market research.Another way to find out what people want/need/use is to use the search feature, you can perform a search through everyone's tweets and of course there's also the trending topics to give you an indication of what's hot and what's not.

The ice poll

2010-01-11 17:14:44

I wonder how long we can pun on the weather? ....Anyway, my hint and tip for this week is about how polls can help to generate great PR stories and how easy they can be generate.Good PR always contains something that makes it believable. Even if certain emphasis is placed to gently nudge opinion in your chosen direction, there's usually a quote or photo to convince the target audience of your story. Well why don't you add some facts or statistics into the mix to boost the believability of your release?Percentages, fractions, averages, and mediums – even the most maths-averse folk (myself included), can grapple these methods of presenting data. You see numbers in headlines all the time and there's no reason why you can't do the same. Why not look to other comparison favourites too: Men versus women, large companies versus sme's, start-up's versus sme's, this year versus last year ... these can all form an interesting angle to use for your business poll, and ultimately your business story. There is the ability to conduct large opinion polls and surveys by employing a research agency. This is a fantastic way to gather data and form conclusions, however not always affordable.Opinion polls can be free! Below are some ways you can generate opinion polls for your business with little to no cost:Utilise your contacts and the viral capabilities on social networking and get your poll answered. Social media – put your question to the tweeting, Facebook, blogging-world and see what response you get. Make it relevant to your services or product so that your responses can form the basis for your headline. Tips: Keep it simple; you don't want people to have to reply in big answers. Yes or know or numerical data is the easiest to measure.Humour will help! Eg. 'Have you ever had a crush on a colleague?'Give incentives for answers if you can. Eg. The 100th person to respond will win xxxxUse a relevant question to your business. Eg. Recycling bag supplier may want to encourage more recycling. A question 'Do you have paper recycling at work?' Headline: 78% of businesses don't recycle paper.Just about anything can be polled. Think about the statistics you can pull from your business and get in touch so we can help you get a great story together!Hannah

My view - pr2snow

2010-01-08 11:35:05

OK it is officially cold in UK Plc. A couple of weeks ago I was watching the local and national news and time after time heard people saying, 'its pathetic a few drops of snow and the whole country comes to a standstill'.Well after two weeks of freezing temperatures, with the government having to ration salt and gas suppliers and Google Earth producing NASA photos of the whole country being white (which was just a little apocalyptic), finally those who were complaining about UK Plc are either snowed in, lost their voice or frozen to death.{image1}Happily this kind of situation always brings out the best in us Brits, from neighbours actually looking after each other, to pubs becoming soup kitchens and once again taking their rightful place at the centre of the community. Even simple things like pushing cars out of the snow or bonding with other car users who have got stuck on roads for long periods of time, they all bring out the best in us Brits.We should not forget the power of PR during this time, the press are constantly on the lookout for local PR stories about people helping people and businesses, so if you or your business is helping get us all through this difficult time, use the power of PR to tell everyone about it, shout about the good new for a change.- James

Why your New Years business resolution should be Twitter…part one

2010-01-06 15:41:50

Twitter can seem totally overwhelming to anyone who has never used it, but then again so can a gym. So, why not make your New Years resolution one that will benefit primarily your business, but yourself too.No one can deny the impact the social networking site can have on a business, even if you don't have a website.{image1}People look for services online.When was the last time you used the Yellow Pages? Or directory enquiry's? Now think about the last time you used Google to search for a business...I can guarantee the majority of people use the latter a lot more.What's even better is that Google now show's real-time results when you search, which means your latest tweet could appear when someone types in your companies name. But even if it doesn't, after a few weeks Tweeting your profile will be up there.Keep people informed.Today has been a great example of how Twitter can keep people informed. Many businesses in the South of England have battled the weather to open and some may not have managed. Local radio and press will publish school closures, but they won't let people know if your business is open as usual, if your customers know you Tweet regularly it's the first place they'll go for updates.Make use of real-time replies.Any business can come face-to-face with bad publicity, and for a small company it can be very damaging especially if they cannot afford to bring in a PR agency to manage damage control.It's very easy for Tweets to spread, which makes it easy to spread the word about your business, whether that is putting an end to false rumours, responding to negative PR or even doing some publicity of your own and spreading the word about up and coming events and offers.Part two next Wednesday.

Have you broken your News Years resolution yet?

2010-01-05 16:28:23

Here in the pr2go office we're a bit divided on NY resolutions.Both Hannah and James are attempting to quit smoking, but the rest of us just don't really get it!Every year around Boxing Day the topic comes up, and every year around January 3rd...OK perhaps I am being too kind...January 2nd, we curse ourselves for breaking them. Surely the sensible thing is to promise yourself NOT to make them? Or perhaps think of a really unique resolution, instead of the usual lose weight, stop smoking, swear less...Is there any rhyme or reason why we do this every year, surely we could pick a random day in the year and chose that to turn over a new leaf? Or perhaps celebrate every New Week and make a fresh start! Nothing changes dramatically in the 10-second count down to New Year - except perhaps your state of consciousness – that makes you into a different person. Much as I love traditions I think we need to learn to love ourselves more, be happy with who we are and what we look like, then perhaps we can concentrate on living life without New Years resolutions and (perhaps just as importantly) the tirade of endless PR and advertising that it encourages.

Vinnie Jones calls in publicist as Celebrity Big Brother gets under way

2010-01-04 14:52:37

Vinnie Jones has hired entertainment PR specialists Hackford Jones to manage his reputation as he appears on this year's Celebrity Big Brother.The football hard-man-turned-actor is the bookies' favourite to win the seventh and final series of the show.Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams said: 'Vinnie looks like the perfect Big Brother star. He's got attitude, personality and is likely to shake the house to its foundations.'Co-founder Jonathan Hackford will be handling the account at Hackford Jones. He said: 'Vinnie's American management contacted us late last week to say they would like to bring on board a publicist to handle Vinnie's UK profile and upcoming Celebrity Big Brother appearance. I met with him before he went into the house and we're handing media enquiries as of today.'   Jones is the highest paid housemate according to the News of the World. The tabloid reported he is being paid £350,000 for taking part – twice as much as last year's eventual winner Ulrika Jonsson. Other contestants on this year's Celebrity Big Brother include actor Stephen Baldwin, rapper Lady Sovereign and former Dynasty star Stephanie Beacham.   Earlier this year, X Factor judge Louis Walsh and Big Brother presenter Davina McCall called in Hackford Jones to handle their personal profiles. The agency was also taken on by Alexandra Burke, after she won X Factor last year.(Story and quotes from prweek.com/news)pr2go says after the scandal of the previous few Celeb Big Brothers it's probably best that there's someone outside the house to manage his reputation!

The good, the bad and the ugly - 29/12

2009-12-29 14:03:55

The good -Status Quo have been named as the hardest working band in the music industry.Most people under the age of 25 probably have no idea who they are, but according to the Performing Rights Society (PRS) they are in fact busy, busy, busy!Other bands in the top five included Cliff Richard and The shadows and Take That.The rockers performed to more than 250,000 fans at 27 arenas in 2009 - more than any other band...blimey!The bad -England – yes for this weeks bad I am going for a whole country!Snow, lets face it, it's frozen water. Many places across the world get snow every winter, some have snow all year round. Yet as soon as England gets snow the country falls apart.We've now had two big dumps of snow in 2009, and in fact snowfall has been getting more and more frequent over the last few years, yet we still can't cope.We just end up looking like a nation of sniveling idiots, whining that it's too cold and too slippery to go out.

My view – Techno-nation

2009-12-17 15:19:49

A report out today has revealed just how much TV the UK watches and the average number of texts sent per person. The findings, from Ofcom, have made it into all the major media players today, but they all seem to be reporting it from a positive angle.Don't get me wrong, I am all for technology, but there are limits. Ofcom found that UK TV viewing had surged over 3% from 2007 to 2008, with the average person watching nearly 4 hours of TV a day! UK mobile users sent 83 billion SMS messages in 2008, an average of about 92 texts per person, per month! Is it just me or is this really nothing to brag about? Sky News online reports of the US 'beating' the UK on both aspects...is it a competition?The fact that people are watching more TV could of course be attributed to unemployment levels, any rise in people watching significant amounts of TV would make the average higher than usual, but we should not take pride in these figures. Sitting on our backsides, watching a box is not only unhealthy, but it's anti-social, which leads me nicely to my point about texting...92 texts a month is not a huge amount, obviously this is an average and there are thousands of people without mobile phones or that have them but rarely use them (my Grandma being one of them!) So the actual amount of texts sent will be much, much higher. The country has already got plenty of bad pr going on, what with the recession, the Iraq inquiry and BA Strikes to name just a few, do we really need to be boasting about how socially inept we are?I understand how important communication is in today's fast paced world, but sometimes wouldn't it just be nice to press the slow-motion button, take some time out from the TV and mobile phone, read the paper or go and have that brief catch-up with your mate down the pub, over a nice glass of wine.Anyone fancy joining me...?- Michelle

The power of social media

2009-12-16 14:47:26

Social media is often overlooked in business terms, until recently it was seen as a tool for pleasure and socialising only.But, unless you have been living under a rock this week, you will no doubt have seen Facebook in the news. The race for Christmas number one has long since been a fraught battle, but for the last few years one thing and one thing only has ruled the way...X Factor (or if you want to be cynical...Simon Cowell). Now, a Facebook campaign is aiming to change all that.Don't get me wrong, Facebook campaigns come in their thousands, most to little effect, but every now and then one well executed group can make a difference. Many efforts are purely local and fail to make any national impact, but some go further. Take for example the 'Busts for Justice' campaign: When Marks and Spencer announced it was charging more for bigger bras, many customers were more than a little offended. The nature of sites like Facebook and Myspace means people share their feelings (sometimes a little too much). This trend led to one busty lady starting a protest group on Facebook and, much to Marks and Sparks surprise it took off, rapidly. Thousands of people joined the site, threatening to boycott the store. After a few days the company published adverts admitting it had 'boobed' and promised to bring the pricing of their underwear inline.This week a very different protest has been causing a stir, and it's set to get even bigger. A group of friends fed-up with X Factor number ones began a campaign to get a rock song to number one instead. Taking advantage of the fact that any song can now get into the chart through downloads alone, they set up a group to rally support. Much to everyone's surprise, the group now has over 700, 000 members! What's even more surprising is that the call to action has worked and in the midweek charts Rage Against the Machine were actually ahead of X Factor winner Joe McElderry.Even if the ultimate aim of the group is not realised the media frenzy and chart competition it has created should be commended in itself. Social media is powerful, more powerful than most people give it credit for, a well thought out protest can result in some fantastic outcomes. And just FYI...we're fairly divided in the office about this one, Michelle thinks it's an amazing idea, being a long-time Rage fan, she joined the group in it's infancy and has downloaded the track a number of times already! Hannah is sat on the fence, although she loves X Factor she is agreed that Joes song is a bit pants and not very Christmassy and although 'killing in the name of' isn't either it's the best song, and the best song should win. And James...well James wishes George Michael was at number one!

The best of the best of the decade…

2009-12-15 16:27:22

Thanks to everyone who got involved with last weeks blog post, here is pr2go's (almost) comprehensive results:1) Best news story of the decade:9/11 – perhaps not the 'best' but certainly the most memorable one. 2) Best PR stunt of the decadeThe Best Job in the World campaign – amazing worldwide coverage. 3) Best gadget of the decadeiPhone/iPod – it doesn't really need an explanation! 4) Best film of the decadeThis one's a tie between Monsters Inc and Gladiator...eclectic! 5) Person of the decadeBarak Obama – perhaps yet to prove himself though?6) Best advertising campaignCompare the Market/Meerkat – hilarious campaign with associated digital media, including Aleksandra's own Twitter page and of course www.comparethemeerkat.com (it really works!)7) Best advertisementCadbury, the drumming gorilla – genius! 8) Best sporting momentIt's another tie between the 2002 Rugby World Cup and Lewis Hamilton winning F1 9) Best bandColdplay – there was a lot of competition for this one, in fact Coldplay was the only band mentioned more than once.10) F*** up of the decadeIraq – again, it doesn't really need an explanation does it!

pr2go’s the good, the bad and the ugly 14/12

2009-12-14 14:40:00

The Good – It's not often slot-coin arcade games make the news - it's usually the latest video game – but a 40p attraction at Southwold Pier in Suffolk has received some fantastic PR.'Whack a Banker', their take on 'Whack a mole' has proven so popular it's owner keeps having to replace the worn out mallets!For just 40p customers get to hit as many bankers in 30 seconds as possible. If they win the banker tells them 'You win. We retire. Thank you very much to the taxpayer for paying our pensions."The Bad – Less than a year from the last big freeze there's a warning councils salt supplies are still not enough.There was chaos in some parts of the country in February, when a cold snap lasted longer than expected and Local Authority salts stocks ran out. Now, the AA has warned that half only have enough to see through six days of continuous freezing.Local Authority representatives have accused the motoring association of 'ridiculous scaremongering' insisting there is no need to stockpile salt.After the majority of London ground to a halt last time, surely councils have learned their lesson and realised that not gritting roads can lead to the country and it's economy grounding to a halt.

Google could sell own-brand phone direct by early 2010

2009-12-14 10:55:39

Google has given employees a prototype mobile phone to test, which it is reportedly planning to sell directly to consumers early next year.The web giant has handed out the mobile phone, called Nexus One, to its employees to test the technology and provide feedback, but no details are being released to the public.Mario Queiroz, vice-president of product management, wrote on Google's Mobile Blog: "At Google, we are constantly experimenting with new products and technologies, and often ask employees to test these products for quick feedback and suggestions for improvements in a process we call dogfooding [from 'eating your own dogfood']."We recently came up with the concept of a mobile lab, a device which combines innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android to experiment with new mobile features and capabilities, and we shared this device with Google employees across the globe. This means they get to test out a new technology and help improve it."According to Techcrunch.com, the Nexus One is set to launch in early January 2010.Google plans to sell the phone itself online, reports the Wall Street Journal, and not through a wireless carrier. If this were to be the case, users would have to buy their wireless service separately.The phone will run on Google's Android mobile operating system, which the web giant has already implemented on various mobile phones through partnerships with hardware makers and wireless carriers over the past two years.Manufactured by HTC, the Nexus One is thinner than the iPhone, has no keyboard, and a voice-to-text feature, according to Techcrunch.(story from brandrepublic.com/News)pr2go will eagerly await more news on the Nexus One, possible contender to the iPhone?

Straight forward PR for SMEs in 2010

2009-12-11 17:05:47

Hopefully your business will be starting to recover from the economic crisis of the last 18 months, so now is the time to start thinking about raising awareness of your business in 2010, to give it that extra kick.As a small company you probably don't have the budget for huge PR stunts and campaigns, but one of the simplest and most effective ways of getting publicity for your business is by identifying a celebration or anniversary relevant to the company or close to it's heart.For example – November 19th 2010 is World Toilet Day (obviously!), so if your business is chemical toilet supplies, it's the perfect opportunity to get some coverage. Perhaps you could raise money for a charity that provides sanitation in third world countries? Or support a Children in Need event (two events in one hey!) by providing them with the loos for free?We'll be launching our 2010 calendar soon, including all the perfect PR opportunities for your business, keep an eye out for that. But for all you eager beavers out there...Google is always a good place to start!

My View - Tiger could learn a thing or two from Barack.

2009-12-10 16:42:13

Ever heard the saying 'making a silk purse out of a pig's ear'. Well it's interesting how this can be achieved from a PR perspective.Over the next few months Tigers Woods PR machine will get into full swing in order to re-establish his clean image. Once all of the skeletons are out of the closet his team will go into overdrive, my guess is they will start by either publically insisting that his wife has forgiven him or by forcing a public split so that a line can be drawn.Tiger will then insist he has changed 'probably through therapy' and he will get involved in more charity work and be seen more with his children. Call me cynical...we shall see. If Tiger wants any hints and tips, he should read on...In my opinion, today we have seen a tricky situation turned into great PR. The king of public relations Barack Obama has been in a very difficult position of late, he has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (emphasis on the word 'peace'!) for something he hasn't yet achieved, indeed he has been presented with the award a week after pledging a further 30,000 troops to Afghanistan.Barack has turned this problem into a PR victory through accepting the award by justifying his war, he has legitimised killing as a legitimate means to peace. He got a standing ovation and again in my opinion carried the whole event off rather well.He is not only a great orator but also a PR man's dream.Keep the good work up Barack. - James

Updated: The Best of the Decade

2009-12-08 16:58:46

It's that time of the year and of course it's that time of the decade...so we thought "Why not? Let's jump on the band wagon and make our own Best of..." We asked a few of our friends join in too...1) Best news story of the decade:James – George W Bush is no longer president of the USAHannah – 1st January 2000 - The world hasn't endedMichelle – 9/11Jeremy@Waa - 'best' is a dubious term for this, but 9/11 was perhaps the most compelling. First massive, global story to reach world as it was happening via internet Rebecca C@Waa - ?Eddy@Dateline - Will the last person left in the UK, turn the lights off!!! Mark@Allports Group - Iraq War Michael@Euro RSCG-Riley - Modern Warfare 2 was coming out in NovemberDan@Red Comb Pubs - Investigation into MPs ExpensesDiVersity Nottingham - Barack Obama becoming presidentPaul@IT Total Solutions - 9-11 2) Best PR stunt of the decadeJames – The Best Job in the World competitionHannah – Barak Obama's Presidential Campaign Michelle – Fathers for Justice superheroesJeremy@Waa - Best Job in the World (Queensland Tourism) Rebecca C@Waa - T mobile flash mobEddy@Dateline - David Blain ....... one day it will go wrong Mark@Allports Group - Branson BallooningMichael@Euro RSCG-Riley - JedwoodDan@Red Comb Pubs - JDW Opening 250 pubs (Yeh right!)DiVersity Nottingham - Iraq's weapons of mass destruction by Tony Blaire and George W Bush!Paul@IT Total Solutions - Walkers Crisps – Do us a Flavour (mainly coz my mate came up with the Cajun Squirrel flavour which came 3rd) 3) Best gadget of the decadeJames – iPodHannah – SatnavMichelle – WiiJeremy@Waa - iPhone Rebecca C@Waa - iPhoneEddy@Dateline - iPhoneMark@Allports Group - iPhoneMichael@Euro RSCG-Riley - RockBandDan@Red Comb Pubs - iPodDiVersity Nottingham - iPodPaul@IT Total Solutions - Nintendo Wii 4) Best film of the decadeJames – Slum dog millionaireHannah – pr2go's flash animationMichelle – Monsters IncJeremy@Waa - Monsters Inc Rebecca C@Waa - Harry Potter & The Philosopher's StoneEddy@Dateline - GladiatorMark@Allports Group - GladiatorMichael@Euro RSCG-Riley - Into the BlueDan@Red Comb Pubs - American BeautyDiVersity Nottingham - Lord of the RingsPaul@IT Total Solutions - To many to pick one so: Transformers: best CGI, Harry Potter : Best Franchise and Dark Knight 5) Person of the decadeJames – Nelson MandelaHannah – Chris MoylesMichelle – Gary BarlowJeremy@Waa - Obama Rebecca C@Waa - Barack ObamaEddy@Dateline - MEMark@Allports Group - Barrack ObamaMichael@Euro RSCG-Riley - Eddi IzzardDan@Red Comb Pubs - Barrack ObamaDiVersity Nottingham - Nelson MandelaPaul@IT Total Solutions - ???6) Best advertising campaignJames – MarmiteHannah – OrangeMichelle – Compare the Market/MeerkatJeremy@Waa - iPhone Apps Rebecca C@Waa - Compare the Market.comEddy@Dateline - Meerkat commercial - Compare the Market.comMark@Allports Group - Renault ClioMichael@Euro RSCG-Riley - Fiat PuntoDan@Red Comb Pubs - Direct Line InsuranceDiVersity Nottingham - Compare the MarketPaul@IT Total Solutions - Honda – power of dreams 7) Best advertisementJames – Cadbury (gorilla)Hannah – Skoda (cake)Michelle – Apple Mac (Hi, I'm a Mac...)Jeremy@Waa - Shell/Ferrari street racing (view it here turn your speakers up loud!) Rebecca C@Waa - Sony Bravia – bouncing ballsEddy@Dateline - Come on BoysMark@Allports Group - Compare the market.comMichael@Euro RSCG-Riley - TV - Fiat Punto/Press - Diesel Jeans - dark image campaignsDan@Red Comb Pubs - Cadbury ape DrummingDiVersity Nottingham - If Carlsburg did flatmatesPaul@IT Total Solutions - Cadburys Gorilla Ad, Peter kay – John Smiths and Compare the Market – Meerkat 8) Best sporting momentJames – 2002 Rugby World Cup (the Jonny Wilkinson moment)Hannah – 2008 Lewis Hamilton wins F1 ChampionshipMichelle – Manchester United UEFA Champions 2008Jeremy@Waa - Lewis Hamilton first season in F1 Rebecca C@Waa - England winning the cricketEddy@Dateline - Johnny Wilkinson kicking winning goal in world cupMark@Allports Group - Winning Ashes 2005Michael@Euro RSCG-Riley - Stuart Gough walking away from his crash at Silverstone in the Walter Hayes TrophyDan@Red Comb Pubs - 2005 Ashes WinDiVersity Nottingham - England rugby winning the World CupPaul@IT Total Solutions - Liverpool AC Milan – UEFA Cup Final 2005 9) Best bandJames – Black eyed peasHannah – ColdplayMichelle – Foo FightersJeremy@Waa – Coldplay Rebecca C@Waa - Snow PatrolEddy@Dateline - BeatlesMark@Allports Group - OasisMichael@Euro RSCG-Riley - Nine Inch NailsDan@Red Comb Pubs - RadioheadDiVersity Nottingham - The Kings of Leon (Karen says Take That!)Paul@IT Total Solutions - Linkin Park 10) F*** up of the decadeJames – Iraq have nuclear weapons, so go and chop off Sadam's head!Hannah – Letting banks have too much powerMichelle – Jordan and Peter Andre meetingJeremy@Waa - Iraq/Afghanistan Rebecca C@Waa - Russell Brand / Jonathan RossEddy@Dateline - Electing Tony Blair and believing him!!!!Mark@Allports Group - The GovernmentMichael@Euro RSCG-Riley - Stuart Gough clipping another car at the Walter Hayes Trophy at SilverstoneDan@Red Comb Pubs - Iraq WarDiVersity Nottingham - Dansani water launch by cokePaul@IT Total Solutions - the banking fiasco, re-election of Tony Blair, the EU...(this list could go on...)What do you think?

pr2go’s the good, the bad and the ugly 7/12

2009-12-07 13:49:51

The good – It just keeps getting better for Susan Boyle. And now it's rumored 50 Cent wants a piece of the action!According to reports in today's Mirror the rapper said his people would be getting in touch with hers so they can record a song together! He had nothing but glowing words for Subo, calling her 'cool' and offering to take her out clubbing!Well...what on earth can you say about that!The bad – This years 'must-have' Christmas toy has received some bad publicity today – just at the wrong time.Today is set to be the busiest day for online sales, but a study in the US has found the Go-Go Hamsters have "potential health hazards related to it which, if ingested in high enough levels can lead to cancer, reproductive health and other human health hazards". (Source)The toys manufacturer, Cepia, is insisting the toys are safe.The ugly – I'm a Celebrity... may have finished but it's certainly not over! If you're to believe the papers the show is facing the axe, because two of its stars have been charged with animal cruelty.Jungle King, Gino D'Acampo and fellow camper Stuart Manning will appear before Court in February, after New South Wales RSPCA deemed their killing of a rat to be unnecessary.During the show the group was split into two – with D'Acampos' team in 'exile' with meager food rations. Due to the nature of the challenges in the show the pair decided they needed some protein to help boost them and killed the next rat to enter the camp.Chief Inspector David Oshannessy, from the RSPCA in New South Wales, told BBC Radio 5 live there was a "code of practice" which dictated how animals could be used in theatrical productions and films. (Source)Once again there is a raging debate in the office over this one! It is clearly not a good news story – but who comes off worse? a) The show for allowing them to kill the animal – the pair asked producers if it was OK first.b) The two men for wanting to kill the rat in the first place, I mean would they really have starved had they not have eaten it?c) Or is it News South Wales Police and RSPCA for what is really a bit of an over reaction. People kill rats every day and they are generally seen as vermin.d) All three!Our highly charged discussion has caused some interesting thoughts:"It's a god dam rat, get some prospective!" "Aussies get a life!""They are animals after all."We'll leave the rest to you...

Kit Kat to become Fairtrade-certified

2009-12-07 09:38:43

Nestle has announced its Kit Kat brand will become Fairtrade certified in the new year. The first Fairtrade-branded Kit Kats will appear in the UK and Ireland in January. Nestle's decision to make the brand Fairtrade follows its October announcement of a 'Cocoa Plan' to plough £65m into farming communities over the next 10 years.The bulk of this work will occur in the Ivory Coast, where Nestle plans agricultural training, with a £35m budget on sustainable sourcing and improving social conditions.David Rennie, managing director of Nestle Confectionery, said: "UK consumers are increasingly interested in how we source and manufacture their favourite products and certifying our largest brand is one of the ways in which we are committing to improving the lives of as many cocoa farming families as possible. Over 6,000 Ivorian farmers will benefit immediately as a result of today's announcement."Harriet Lamb, executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation, said: "The Fairtrade Foundation congratulates Kit Kat on this breakthrough for cocoa farmers. Mainstream brands such as Kit Kat bring the critical mass that is needed to tip the balance of trade in favour of disadvantaged cocoa farmers."(Story and quotes form brandrepublic.com/News)

My View - Should the Tiger hide in the Woods?

2009-12-03 14:21:48

Following on from the media frenzy surrounding Tiger Woods' infidelity this week; at pr2go, we're debating how his worldwide reputation has been handled in the immediate aftermath. Opinion seems to be, from crisis PR experts in the US, that a 'whipping of the plaster – and fast,' approach is best. Michael Sitrick, CEO of crisis management firm Sitrick and Co. says, "There's this mindset that if you hunker down and take the 'high road,' it will go away." "If he can get his wife to support him, I'd pick one print and one broadcast outlet and then never talk about it again."Others have taken the family approach, blogging that if his wife Elin Nordegren can forgive and forget, then why shouldn't the rest of us. This has been compared to the Clinton and Beckham's cases of media speculation and uproar surrounding marital problems – if the wife and family can rest easy, that's what matters. Of course, with celebrity we can't ignore the tabloid whirlwind, especially as much of Woods' reported billion-dollar wealth has come from endorsements — Gatorade, Nike, Electronic Arts – we buy into a brand image, not just the product. As well as financial benefits associated with success and fame, many perceive Woods as very private and even conservative. He and his team have cultivated a personal brand that represents control, discipline and a hair-away-from-perfection. One thing all the PR and sports marketing experts seem to agree on however, is that he should play as soon as possible. "He has the huge advantage of still playing really well," says Sullivan. "Americans are very forgiving and sports fans especially so, and as soon as he starts playing again, he should be fine."At pr2go, we think there's not a quick solution to anything – that is unless something more interesting catches the media-eye of course! If you're in the public domain, you're kind-of public property. If a person makes a living from entertaining the public, they need to realize that when they do something against the brand and image that we have bought into, it will become news. However, if it's handled quickly, honestly and shows remorse then our humanistic side comes into play. Also, people have chances and human beings can generally appreciate that everyone makes mistakes. Woods stated on his website, "I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone." Even if that's what we'd all really like to think, it's not the reality. Don't be naive Tiger, and expect to hide in the Woods – you're famous, you enjoy what that brings, you did something against what you're self-promoting and people want an explanation. But don't worry, if you do want to be behind close doors, by spring this will be old news and your hibernation will be over.Hannah

The office debate...

2009-12-01 16:04:50

It's not too often we disagree on things in the pr2go office, but today has been an exception!Christmas. It's still over three weeks away (about 560 hours!). But many people see the 1st of December as the beginning of the festive season.{image1}We've had the radio on in the office today and they've now started playing Christmas songs in every show, they've opened their advent calendars (which I suppose is fair enough) and the conversation has been almost non-stop Christmas.But surely it's too early? This is where we're divided!Business Manager, Hannah fully embraces the festive season, today we've received our cards and she has requested (more than once) that we should be playing Christmas CDs. Quote: " I am ridiculously excited, it is the first day of Christmas today."CEO, James reckons he "can just about deal with it, but today is the VERY first day, no earlier."And me.... well as I am sure you can guess from the tone of this post; I believe Christmas starts at 10pm on the 24th and ends at 10pm on 25th...even with the best PR in the world 24hours is plenty! BAH HUMBUG!

pr2gos the good, the bad and the ugly 30/11

2009-11-30 10:59:20

The good – A North Devon town's new logo is creating a lot of hype. Ilfracombe Town Council paid £5000 for a local marketing firm to come up with this new design: {image1}But it's divided locals and even made it to the national news, with comments that the dot of the eye looks like a sperm! The logo was launched earlier this month at the Landmark Theatre – which itself hit the headlines in 1998 as it's towers resemble Madonna's bra!The marketing company said none of the 250 people at the launch noted the resemblance.The bad – A new report has revealed the extent of human error in surgical operations. 82 patients had surgery on the wrong body-part – including knee replacements on the healthy knee and removing bones from the wrong foot.Health guide, Dr Foster, also found that 15 patient over three years had holes drilled in the wrong side of their head when having brain surgery. (I'm getting a head ache just writing that!)209 'foreign objects' such as gauzes and surgical instruments were left behind in patients after surgery in 2008/09.

Co-operative launches £200m assault on the 'Big Four'

2009-11-30 10:01:58

The Co-operative supermarket chain has launched its biggest ever Christmas campaign with a £200m price cutting push.The Co-op, the UK's fifth largest retailer, has come under pressure in recent weeks from both Tesco and Sainsbury's who have launched a series of offers related to their own loyalty schemes.Tesco is offering double ClubCard points on a range of items. In October Sainsbury's offered double points for the next two years to any consumer who purchased one of its financial products.As a result, The Co-op is offering holders of its dividend card triple points on purchases, worth around 6p in the pound. By comparison, Tesco's double ClubCard points deal is worth 2p.The Co-op dividend card has around four million members and is the only scheme that rewards members with vouchers that can be substituted for cash in-store.The ability of The Co-op to take on the big four supermarkets – Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons – has been partly enabled by its acquisition of Somerfield.The £1.6bn purchase expanded the Co-op's chain to around 3,000 stores giving it an 8% market share and greater buying power. According to the latest TNS supermarket figures, which monitor consumer spend for the 12 weeks preceding 1 November, The Co-op increased its share by 0.1%, compared to the year before, taking it to 5.4%.However Somerfield's share has fallen from 3.8% to 2.6%, as The Co-op divests itself of stores at the request of the Competition Commission and absorbs the chain.Peter Marks, The Co-op group chief executive, said: "With rising fuel prices and financial pressures hitting household budgets this Christmas, customers are looking for a great deal locally. "The acquisition of Somerfield has enabled us to offer them our best value deals ever across thousands of products, and, for the first time, Somerfield customers will be able to benefit from the famous divi, too."2009 has been a big year for the Co-op. Throughout 2007 and 2008 the group's attention was largely spent on revamping its chain. It was only this year that it could devote its greater effort to its marketing message.The most notable result of this was its 'Blowin' in the wind' TV campaign, featuring the Bob Dylan protest song.(Story and quotes from prweek.com/news)

How is pr2go different from a PR agency?

2009-11-27 17:21:30

We're not normally one to big up ourselves on here but we keep shouting about how unique we are and people keep shouting back 'WHY?' So, here goes...PR agencies have always been used by big PLCs and established companies – mainly because smaller businesses just can't afford them. That's where pr2go aims to help; we don't do hand holding or idea generation, we won't provide a huge PR strategy or jump in with both feet to help you in a crisis, but we will take you're business story and give it the best possible chance of getting in the press. Of course because we don't provide all the hearts and flowers that an agency would it means we can keep our costs down, making our PR service assessable to all. Don't get us wrong we don't want to put PR agencies down, we work with them, not against them; what they do for bigger companies brands in fantastic, especially in a time when competition is fierce.Essentially you could call pr2go a press release service – we reckon every business has a story to tell, they just don't know how to tell it.

All in a months work...

2009-11-27 11:28:23

Well it has been a busy month here at the pr2go office. Not only have we been up and down the country at exhibitions; but we've also made some exciting new business deals. We've signed a national deal with Mitchell and Butlers PLC to provide PR for their pubs. Over a hundred pubs can now come to pr2go to promote themselves and already we've had stories about a Christmas selection box donation station, a charity staff auction and a haunted cellar!We have also joined forces with Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, to help its 5000 strong membership promote their stories to the press with maximum efficiency and effectiveness.The Chamber will promote our services through an on-line and direct mail campaign and members will also be eligible for a discount through the Chamber's new loyalty card to be launched this month.

My view – Cumbria flooding

2009-11-26 12:07:48

Now, call me controversial but the floods in Cumbria have put the county on the map. I'm a Cumbrian, born and bred, and I can't remember a time the area had so much coverage. I remember when I was younger watching North West Tonight and always getting bored, because the news was always about Manchester or Liverpool. It frustrated me that their reporters never seemed to venture further north then Lancashire. I know now that's because very little goes on!For a week now not a day has passed without the floods being in the news, it is devastating and I personally know a number of people affected. However, it has opened the county up to a lot of exposure and that has got to be a good thing, right?Cumbria is reliant on tourism and in the run up to the Christmas holidays many people will be planning trips to the Lake District, perhaps even intending on spending the festive season there. (I can highly recommend it!) However, with all the negative PR about the floods, collapsed bridges and massive clean-up operation there are concerns visitors will think Cumbria is closed this Christmas – despite the fact the majority of the county is actually unaffected.This is a typical case of news outlets over-doing stories, granted those places that have been affected are devastated and it will take years to repair all the damage done, but for that to have a knock on affect to the rest of the county will not help.Go Lakes PR team are one PR agency that have had a their work cut out this week. Check out their Twitter page @LakeDistrictPR. Not only have they been updating Tweeps on the floods; but they're also trying to ensure that visitors still go to the Lakes as planned.Now Go Lakes has set up a hot-line for visitors to call before cancelling any plans, in the hope that the problems in a small area of the county will not have a knock on effect.What comes from huge amounts of coverage for the county must now be a huge PR push to make the rest of the country aware that Cumbria is open for business.Michelle

pr2gos the good, the bad and the ugly…23/11

2009-11-23 16:31:56

The good – Edgar Mueller...does the name ring a bell? It did with me, but for love, nor money I couldn't work out why! Anyway he's now broken the Guinness World Record for the largest 3D pavement art. (Aha! So that's why I know the name!)The amazing picture features characters from the movie Ice Age to coincide with the release of the 3rd instalment.{image1}I have to say I was disappointed with Channel 4's recent 3D attempts, but this is amazing! *hats off*The bad - A somewhat tongue-in-cheek bad pr this week.It's been revealed ride-on lawn mowers may be environmentally friendly, but they cause thousands of accidents every year.A report by the Journal of Safety Research found that 66,000 Americans (please note) ended up in hospital after lawn-tractor-related incidents, in the last five years. (source: BBC News)John Heyworth, president of the College of Emergency Medicine, said people should be cautious when gardening....sound advice there.

Public 'disenchanted' with Jordan despite jungle appearance, says Max Clifford

2009-11-23 12:29:01

Celebrity publicist Max Clifford has slammed Katie Price's brief stint in ITV's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here reality show.Price, aka Jordan, left the jungle last night after the public voted for her to do the bushtucker trials every night since she arrived. Speaking to PRWeek, Clifford said: 'It was not a good move for her to go in there. It would only have been good if it had improved her popularity but it has not. The damage done to her over the last six months has not been eradicated by five or six days in jungle.'He added: 'The public are disenchanted with her and it has reaffirmed her unpopularity. It would only have been worthwhile is she had emerged covered in glory but she hasn't.'ITV announced her departure in a single line message posted on its website.Price has been fighting a PR battle since her high-profile split from ex-husband Peter Andre earlier this year. She also split from her long-term publicist Claire Powell at the same time and turned to Alan Edwards' The Outside Organisation.M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment chief executive Steve Martin said: 'On paper, her appearance in the jungle was a good move as it would give her a chance to talk freely and get her point across. However, in reality, she has been humiliated by the public.' Martin also advised that Price now needs to take a break from courting publicity in an effort to turn around public opinion. 'She needs to disappear for a while and plan a come-back in a year's time. Her media profile has been saturated and she needs to go underground.'However, EdenCancan creative director Nick Ede said Price's appearance had been a good PR move. 'It was a very good pr move for her to go back into the jungle. She has managed too to befriend the celebs in the jungle and the viewing public have been given affirmations from cynical celebs that she's a good girl so that has to be a positive. I think in the end she's done her job well.'He added: 'I think this has done her the world of good and my advice would be to now go quiet for a few months concentrate on her family and businesses.'(story from pr.week.com/news)pr2go says she has gained maximum coverage with her (somewhat overexposed!) appearance in the jungle. However the public voting reflects the general consensus that she didn't actually need MORE coverage than she already gets. The best thing for her would be to go into hiding for a year or so, at least until the public feel safe enough to open up a magazine again without fear of seeing her on every page!

Can you help us out and answer just a few questions?

2009-11-18 12:05:10

We’ve been sat around pondering the meaning of life this afternoon and came up with a few questions we need answering…can you help us out? There are only three questions and it will take a matter of minutes! Click Here to take survey Thanks!

Know someone who has a great story to tell about their business?

2009-11-18 12:05:10

You might not even own a business but you can get rewarded for doing next to nothing!Pr2gos 'refer a friend' scheme let's you give your mates a nudge in the right direction. Perhaps they're a bit modest or they just haven't considered PR before – but if you know a business with a great story to tell, or who would benefit from having a one-to-one chat with us, please put us in touch. PR is all about a business’ reputation and telling people about it. It’s the result of what they do, what they say, and what others say about it. And while its value is often overlooked, a professionally written press release, sent to the right media, can quickly establish trust and understanding between organisations and employees, brands and consumers, even investors and the local community. It can also be used to raise awareness, change public perception and effectively inform of change. All you have to do is email the details to us, we’ll contact them to find out how pr2go could work for their business and, if they submit a story, we’ll send you a £10 Marks and Spencer’s gift voucher to say thank you, great stuff!Just email your name, contact number and email address, and their name, business name, contact number and email address to customerservices@pr2go.com or get in touch via the website.

Good PR or bad PR?

2009-11-18 12:05:10

If you weren’t up early enough yesterday to watch the Andrew Marr show, and you’ve not yet seen THAT question take a look Whether Andrew Marr was right or wrong to ask the PM whether he takes prescription drugs is a matter of opinion, but the PR aspects of the story are huge.Notably the story isn’t appearing on the BBC website, although they were discussing it in part on BBC Breakfast, mainly their statement regarding why the question was asked. They believe the country has a right to know how healthy the PM is in the run up to elections, therefore it was in the public’s interest to pry.However from Mr. Browns’ point of view, to be asked unawares on national television about his health and prescriptive drugs must be intimidating, obviously he knows how to handle himself in tough interviews, but Andrew Marr is regarded as an interviewer who pushes on the politics side, not the personal side.The way the story unfolds over the next few days will be crucial to both parties, some Labour supporters believe the question had previously already been denied and therefore Marr’s further inquiry was an implication that previous statements were lies.However, the on the other hand, some people reckon we need more information on the well-being of our Prime Ministers - much like in America, where the Presidents medical exam results are publicly published - but does that contravene patient confidentiality?Sky political editor, Adam Boulton had these thoughts

pr2gos the good, the bad and the ugly...05/10

2009-11-18 12:05:10

Good – Saturdays World Cup qualifier will be streamed on the internet instead of being shown on TV, for the first time ever.Originally the rights to the game had been sold to UK based Setana, but after they recently collapsed the rights were sold to little known digital sport specialist, Perform.Fans will have to subscribe to the site, paying at least £4.99 to watch it.The game is also going to be shown in some cinemas and on a number of leading websites including The Sun, The Times, News of the World, Orange and Virgin Media.The news has had a huge reaction in today's press, with mixed opinions on the idea, but whether the or not you agree with it, the companies profile has skyrocketed.Bad – Anton Du Beke is a busy man at the moment, presenting the BBC1 celebrity game show 'Hole in the Wall' and boogieing with the stars on 'Strictly Come Dancing'; but he hit the headlines over the weekend for a different reason.The News of the World reported on Saturday that Du Beke had been overheard calling his dancing partner, Laila Rouass, a 'Paki', when she turned up to a practice session after a spray tan.When approached by the newspaper he initially denied the allegation, but then issued an apology, reiterating that he is not a racist.It's not the first time that Strictly has been at the centre of racist allegations – last year the BBC received complaints after claims talented Black contestants were voted off before less talented Caucasians.

Michael Jackson fans are invited to a “Thriller” of a night in Salisbury, featuring the King of Pop’s cousin!

2009-11-18 12:05:10

Tickets are selling fast for Rock With You, which takes place at the town's Arts Centre on Friday 23rd October, in aid of The Stars Appeal – which raises money for the Salisbury District Hospital and the Caring for Kids campaign. After months of rigorous planning and preparations and securing a hoard of fantastic acts, organisers, The Event Gremlin, promise it will be an "unmissable" event for all Michael Jackson fans. The night will feature an exciting array of Michael Jackson's number ones, performed by Thriller Lives' original West End musical director, Asha Elfenbein, and his live band, many of whom have performed in the musical - the guitarist of the band is even related to Jacko himself! The evening is being hosted by US star Patrick Alan, who was a singer with The Drifters and a featured dancer on the set of Michael Jackson's 'Moonwalker' and the 'Love Train' video with Whitney Houston. He is also a highly acclaimed vocalist and has worked closely with John Legend, Joss Stone, 2Pac, and Lionel Richie to name just a few. Also involved is The Drifter's Peter LaMarr, who has sung for the Prime Minister and at many Royal events. Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist Dominic Smith is on the bill too. The 14-year old wowed the judges with his rendition of Unchained Melody back in the first series of the show, and has since starred in Thriller Live the musical. Soul and funk singer Steven Keith will be performing on the night. He's a local lad, from Southampton, who's written for Gareth Gates and regularly hosts live music nights in London. Patrick Alan said he was looking forward to celebrating the life of the pop star, who died in June. "He was such an inspiration to me and so many others, but as someone who worked so closely with him and having been able to be exposed to his energy and perfection first-hand it truly changed me into a better performer and artist," he said. "I think the world should celebrate his life rather than mourn his death as I think that's how he would want it to be." Tickets start from just £13, but there are still some VIP tickets left, giving fans the chance to go back stage and meet the stars! Tickets for the event cost £15 or £13 concessions. For tickets, telephone the Salisbury Art Centre box office on 01722 321744. For more information, visit www.theeventgremlin.com or email info@theeventgremlin.com.

Hints and tips #1

2009-11-18 12:05:10

What makes a great story?It’s not always easy blowing your own trumpet, but let’s be honest, if YOU don’t no one else will. So each week pr2go will share a few great opportunities for shouting about your organisation and promoting your business.1. Recruitment.With unemployment at an all time high, anyone taking on new recruits has a great news story on their hands!Recently the news all seems to be doom and gloom, people being made redundant, businesses going into administration etc. But believe it or not journalists like good news too! If your business is bucking the trend and thriving - perhaps you started out as a small market stall and now building an empire of shops (ala Marks and Spencer's) or you've got so much work you're now taking on an army of new staff – then get in touch with pr2go and we'll help you out!Web: www.pr2go.com Email: Customer Services Call: 0844 826 42777Twitter: @pr2go

Hints and tips #2

2009-11-18 12:05:10

What makes a great story? It's not always easy blowing your own trumpet, but let's be honest, if YOU don't no one else will. So each week pr2go will share a few great opportunities for shouting about your organisation and promoting your business. Achievements This one's probably the most obvious. If you've completed a fantastic project, or won a great new contract, surely it makes sense to let people know. Not only will you be telling the world about your great achievement but you'll also be raising your business awareness. It doesn't have to be a business achievement though, perhaps one of your staff members has done something great, they may have helped raise loads of money for charity or maybe they're about to appear on a TV game show. Nothing speaks louder for your company than a success story, so if you've got something to shout about get in touch with pr2go and we'll help you out! Web: www.pr2go.com Email: customerservices@pr2go.com Call: 0844 826 42777 Twitter: @pr2go

pr2gos the good, the bad and the ugly…19/10

2009-11-18 12:05:10

Good – It's not even happened yet, but it's already making the news! An Estonian pop star hoping to top the UK charts has come up with an innovative way to gain column inches...create them yourself! Hannah Lld will be splashed all over the 'Daily Hannah' tomorrow, when it's handed out to 50,000 commuters in London. The paper, which will be given out by 'glamorous' distributors, will try to drum up traffic to the singers website, where they'll be able to download her single. The top story will be that the Estonian Embassy has announced Ild will be the face of the country's tourism campaign. pr2go can't help but think it'll be a bit pointless reading it now, as we know what's in it! Bad – A publicity stunt in the US has backfired – posing the age-old question 'Is all publicity good publicity?' On Friday morning (UK time) we woke up to the news that a young American boy was trapped in an escaped helium balloon. The balloon traveled for 2 hours, before deflating and landing in a field – followed all the while by a hoard of TV crews. The boy was later found safe and well hiding in an attic. After a mammoth slip of the tongue in an interview later on in the day, police began an investigation into the incident, which many believed was a ploy for publicity. The story has remained in the news throughout the weekend, with more revelations about the balloons inventor, who happens to be the boy's father, and this morning the local Sheriff has confirmed the whole episode was a hoax. So is all publicity good publicity? Or has it just made the Heene family look fame hungry? Ugly - Most weeks there isn't any really ugly PR stories out there...but this week there's a few! The backlash from Jan Moir's Daily Mail article about Stephen Gately is continuing with the news that over the weekend the Press Complains Commission (PCC) has received more complains than it has done in the last five years. They've had 21,000 calls since the article was published on Friday, but the PCC does not uphold 3rd party complaints, they say they can only investigate if a member of Stephens' family complains. However, a decision is expected later today about whether they will waive this in light of the volume of complaints. Even if the PCC do not look into the case further, damage has been done. Not only was the article offensive, but also the timing of the publication couldn't have been worse.

EBC GROUP (UK) LTD proves it’s Credentials

2009-11-18 12:05:10

Midlands based office solutions company EBC Group UK Ltd, entered their 21st year of trading this year with the accolade of being one of only five companies in the country to be awarded the Canon Advanced Solutions Partners Accreditation.  Established in 1989 by Richard Lane EBC Group (UK) Ltd has come a long way since its inception which started out providing the technology of fax machines in the 1980's when this "new" technology was still cumbersome enough to require several people to lift it, to where is sits today as one of the UK's leading total office solutions company.  Communication is an essential part of business at every level and EBC Group (UK) Ltd are now one of the leading providers of dedicated business communications providing a complete solution for printing, copying, telecommunications and electronic filing solutions, having partnerships with Canon UK Ltd, Swyx and INVU.  The Advanced Solutions Partner Accreditation came after 9 months of evaluations where EBC Group (UK) Ltd were examined and graded on virtually every aspect of its business including staff development, sales history, technical ability and quality standards.  One of their main strengths is that they build solutions which ultimately save companies money which can be borne out by the positive client testimonies from highly respected Companies such as Centro, Air Liquide and Sunrise Medical, along with Wragges and Rees Page from the legal sector.  EBC Group (UK) Ltd would like to think that they could help reduce most , if not all companies printing and communication costs therefore if you are interest in how EBC Group (UK) Ltd can help streamline your business please call 01384 266654. Ends. For more information please contact Helen Glover - helen.glover@ebcgroup.co.uk or call 01384 266666

UPDATE: pr2gos the good, the bad and the ugly…

2009-11-18 12:05:10

Well what an interesting week in the PR world and we've still got a day and a half left to go!Since Monday the 'ugly' story has continued to hit the headlines. The Press Complains Commission (PCC) has now received over 25,000 complaints, which led to the regulatory body announcing they were willing to break with tradition and ask the Daily Mail to respond to the complaints. In a statement, the PCC said it would generally wait for a complaint from "directly-affected parties" - in this case Gately's family - before launching an investigation. But it added: "If, for whatever reason, those individuals do not wish to make a complaint, the PCC will in any case write to the Daily Mail for its response to the more general complaints from the public before considering whether there are any issues under the code to pursue." (Source: BBC News) The Irish Daily Mail has attempted to distance itself from Jan Moir's comments, claiming it is independent of the UK edition. Both the Irish Daily Mail and the Irish Mail on Sunday published the disclaimer - "Comments made by journalist Jan Moir about Stephen Gately in her newspaper column caused controversy on Friday. Jan Moir's column has never been published in the Irish Daily Mail which, like the Irish Mail on Sunday, is edited and printed entirely in Ireland – independent of the UK titles – and does not have an online presence." (Source: Media Guardian ) And last night came the news that Boyzones' record label, Polydor, has lodged an official complaint to the PCC. The company declined to give any further details about the issue. This is all proving very damaging to both Jan Moir and the Daily Mail. The paper, already seen as a 'Marmite' publication (you either love it or hate it), has done very little to calm the situation and some may say it's reveling in the amount of coverage it's receiving. The story is also putting the pressure on the PPC, not only by raising it's public profile, but also testing it's power as a regulatory body – should they stick to the rules or should the level of complaints received affect how it reacts?

Hints and tips #3

2009-11-18 12:05:10

What makes a great story? It's not always easy blowing your own trumpet, but let's be honest, if YOU don't no one else will. So each week pr2go will share a few great opportunities for shouting about your organisation and promoting your business. Expansion/relocation plans Moving house is a challenge, as is moving business premises...everything else sort of just goes out of the window, but it shouldn't! If your business is extending, refurbishing or relocating, make sure you tell your customers and competitors about it. Expansion and refurbishment indicates success, and in the current economic climate, it's vital to keep people informed that you're on the up and up rather than falling victim to the credit crunch. Nothing speaks louder for your company than a success story, so if you've got something to shout about get in touch with pr2go and we'll help you out! Web: www.pr2go.com Email: customerservices@pr2go.com Call: 0844 826 42777 Twitter: @pr2go

pr2gos the good, the bad and the ugly…

2009-11-18 12:05:10

Good – It's rare that computer games get any good press – if they're not being lambasted for making kids fat they're being taken off the shelves for being too violent. Then came the Nintendo Wii – it doesn't seem to have been out of the press and it's all been good news! And now the Wii Fit Plus is the first computer game to win approval from the Department of Health. It will soon carry logos from the Change4Life campaign, which aims to get people interested in exercise and healthy eating – the campaign has also just started sponsoring The Simpsons on Channel Four. A health department spokesman said active video games were a 'great way' to get kids moving. (Source: BBC Health) It includes traditional activities like yoga, aerobic exercises and hula-hooping, but adds the ability to target specific areas of the body. Bad – A tube worker has resigned after a video appeared online of him shouting at an elderly commuter. The video shows the man ranting at a passenger and threatening to 'sling him under a train.' It's already had thousands of views on YouTube and the video is now being hosted on many news websites. It all means trying to find a new job will be ten times more difficult than normal – and we all know how bad it currently is...

pr2go launches it's brand new website and new products!

2009-11-18 12:05:10

We've already got an award winning website, but we've just made it even better! After developing three fantastic new products at pr2go, as well as additional services to boost our offerings, we decided a new-look educational-focused website was due. We've spent months preparing, designing, building and testing to get everything just right. The idea was to have a clean layout, more information on how we work and the benefits to you as a customer. We've listened to feedback and now have more flexibility, with the option to select a payment package to suit the frequency of communications needed within a budget to suit your business. Included is a prominent 'Tips and resources' section offering lots of advice and hints for how to get the best from your press release. We hope you'll like it as much as we do, have a look www.pr2go.com and let us know what you think!

Funny things, claim forms

2009-11-18 12:05:10

What is it about car insurance claim forms, that turns normally rational people into gibbering wrecks incapable of thinking, let alone driving, in a straight line? Like the motorist who wrote, "The accident happened because I had one eye on the lorry in front, one eye on the pedestrian and the other on the car behind." Or the woman who observed on her claim form: "The gentleman behind me struck me on the backside. He then went to rest in a bush with just his rear end showing. " And how about this for skewed logic: "No one was to blame for the accident... but it would never have happened if the other driver had been alert." Of course these are the minor masterpieces of nonsense that cheer up the day of hard-pressed insurance processors. But what about those run of the mill forms, which may not be quite so hilarious, but rather tragically inadequate accounts of an incident? Every year thousands of people risk higher insurance premiums or even legal action and compensation claims, simply because they don't collect adequate evidence at the scene of the accident. Their car may not have been too seriously damaged, but their bank balance and reputation certainly could be. But now help is at hand for all of us in the shape of the UK's very first accident camera kit, Crashmate�. It comes in a neat roll up case that fits easily into the glove compartment and contains absolutely everything you need in the event of a car accident to get your side of the story correct down to the last centimetre. The beauty of Crashmate� is that it understands even the slightest shunt can put a normally level headed motorist into a bit of a spin. So there's a handy step by step guide to what you need to do, including what information to give and collect. One very neat trick is the chance to pre-fill forms for your own insurance details which you then simply tear off and hand over if needed. There are also forms for third party information, witnesses, police attendance and so on. And because few of us are expert draughtsmen – a comprehensive selection of road layout diagrams that just have to be completed with vehicle positions. The kit even includes a handy pen and pencil. But the real pièce de résistance is the opportunity to collect some watertight visual evidence thanks to a 12 exposure disposable camera and tape measure. They say the camera never lies, and certainly any insurance company is likely to be paying up a lot earlier if you can actually show such things as vehicle positioning, road markings, signage, weather conditions, obstructions and damage. Crashmate� is a great idea, and at just £9.95 plus postage and packing, it seems a small price to pay for so much peace of mind.

pr2gos the good, the bad and the ugly…

2009-11-18 12:05:10

Good – Cheryl Cole has hit the headline consistently since winning a place in Girls Aloud, not always for the best reasons. Despite being found guilty of occasioning actual bodily harm, the last year has proven so successful for her all that seems to have been swept under the carpet. And this weekend both her debut solo single and album hit the number one spot...proving she can go-it alone. Women now adore her across the country; she's married to a premiership football and starring in a Loreal advert. It's amazing what a stylist can do for a girls PR! Bad – It's been revealed that Pret a Manger's chicken is imported from Brazil. They're chicken sarnies are old as 'Just Made (never from a factory). A fresh Pret sandwich doesn't need a "use by" date', despite the fact the meat's flown 60,000 miles. The high street food chain says it's because the birds are treated better than the ones used by other rival sandwich makers. Although there are not thought to be any health risks with the chicken, it has caused protests from campaigners concerned that the word 'fresh' is misleading.

On your marks....Speed networking comes to Manchester

2009-11-18 12:05:10

QUICK thinking and straight talking will be the order of the day when businesses take part in a speed networking event in Manchester this month. Corkscrew Events are holding a series of speed networking events at The Business Growth Show, which is taking place at the Ramada Manchester Picadilly, on Thursday November 12. The company held a similar event in April. Once again the Sergeant Major – aka Corkscrew Events MD Mark Linton – will be in charge as delegates rise to the challenge of making 20 introductions in an hour. Thousands of businesses have attended Corkscrew's speed networking events over the last two years and the company has received glowing feedback from delegates. Stuart Robinson, MD of Online Awareness, said: "Speed networking was fantastic, a great way of meeting people really quickly and generating new business. "In my line of work I don't have much time to get out and meet lots of small organisations and in one day I could pack in 50 organisations." Chris Martin, MD of ICOM, said: "Corkscrew's speed networking events are really good for meeting new business opportunities. They are very intensive and you need a lot of energy to get through, but they are a great way to make lots of useful contacts. I've had new business from it, so it's worth a shot." The speed networking sessions are part of The Business Growth Show – a free event aimed at SMEs which is held in Manchester twice a year. Approximately 30 companies will be exhibiting at the show, which is run in partnership with Business-Scene, 4Networking and My Networking PA. Beside the speed networking sessions there will also be two free business seminars; one on Intellectual Property and the other on the Power of Networking.

Hints and tips #4

2009-11-18 12:05:10

What makes a great story? It's not always easy blowing your own trumpet, but let's be honest, if YOU don't no one else will. So each week pr2go shares a few great opportunities for shouting about your organisation and promoting your business. Events Hopefully your company did something memorable for Halloween? No...? Bonfire night...? WHY NOT! Traditional celebrations are a great way to get your business in the press, orgainsing a Halloween party at a childrens home, or donating fireworks to the needy so they can join in with celebrations - there are plenty of ways to get noticed. By now you've missed both of these but fear not coming up in just a week (not long to get planning) is Children in Need and of course Christmas isn't very far away now. For some great PR this festive season, why not gather presents to donate to local children's hospitals and organise other fun activities in keeping with the season of goodwill, the more unusual the better! Not sure if your idea is good enough? Already got an idea and want to get it out there? Then give as a call and we'll give you a hand! Web: www.pr2go.com Email: customerservices@pr2go.com Call: 0844 826 42777 Twitter: pr2go.twitter.com

pr2gos the good the bad and the ugly

2009-11-18 12:05:10

Good – Love them or hate them (and the pr2go office is unanimous on this one!) everyone has heard of Jedward. Even if you don't like X-Factor and have never watched it you can't escape the twins. They're dividing the judges and the nation and rarely a week starts without the papers talking about what song they sung at the weekend – and this week has been no different...if not worse. Finding themselves in the bottom two Simon Cowell had the deciding vote as to who went out – Lucie or Jeward. And despite recently saying "If they win, it will be a complete and utter disaster. I'd probably sulk for about six months and I'd probably get on a very fast plane out of the country." Simon kept the twins in the show. It means more ten times more press coverage and viewers for the ITV show, which (incidentally) Simon Cowell is executive producer for... Bad – It's been a very bad day for the Prime Minister. He's upset a mother who's son recently died in Afghanistan. In a hand-written letter Gordon Brown wrote to Mrs Janes, but spelt her surname James. The letter, which also contained a number of other spelling errors, was scrawled in black felt tip pen. Mrs Janes has called the letter a "hastily scrawled insult". Defending himself Mr Brown has publically apologised and a spokesman explained that the reason for the felt pen was because the PM is blind in one eye. Writing to the parents of people who've died in Afghanistan is a heart-warming thing for the government to do, especially when written by Gordon Brown himself, but how many people really expect hand written letters these days? Aren't typed ones just as personal? And surely the 'spell check' function would make life much easier and cause less offense?

In the drivers seat...

2009-11-18 12:05:10

AN INVENTOR has come up with a clever piece of kit which allows business people to check how their company is performing - wherever they are in the world. The software, called Business Dashboard, will make life easier for owner-managers and CEOs who spend a lot of their time on the move. Graham Spurgeon came up with the idea whilst he was attending a networking club. Since then he's been networking around the country, at 22 different venues (and over a months worth of fried breakfasts), allowing him to build up an army of resellers and enough leads to launch the business. The nifty device shows a company's key performance indicators (KPIs) – such as repeat custom, supply-chain satisfaction, cashflow etc - in one handy frame. Using cloud technology Business Dashboard, can be viewed online and on mobile devices such as BlackBerry and iPhone. The product was launched on October 30th this year, at the Wyboston Conference Centre, in Befordshire - where the business is based. The launch was attended by Business partners of the company, who all gave presentations to the Business Dashboard Consultants. Mr Spurgeon said Business Dashboard has made a "flying start". He has recruited 30 consultants or resellers, he's already got enough work for at least one lead per seller and he anticipates that there will at least three leads a month for each consultant. Ends

ECC add Fun to the Green Agenda - with a gravity defying scooter!

2009-11-18 12:05:10

A LEADING UK business is on a roll with a novel way of helping its clients get from A to B – while doing their bit for the planet and bank balance. At first glance they look like a form of transport from another planet and seem to defy the laws of gravity. With two wheels, riders can glide along on the electric Segway i2, upright, at up to 12mph. And now Executive Communication Centres (ECC), one of the UK's top Serviced Office providers, have introduced them at their Cardiff branch. It's clear that action is needed to save the planet, but most businesses realise that action is also needed to save their profit and loss sheet from upwardly spiraling costs. Having provided a free-of-charge uniformed chauffeur service in their Business Centres, ECC have received many requests from in-house clients to be taken small distances. Requests were received for trips that were too far to walk quickly, but were also too close to drive. As a result ECC looked for an alternative solution. Centre Manager Elaine Green said: "The Segway i2 is widely used in the USA as an effective personal transport solution for short journeys. "It is used by many police forces and by shopping mall security officers because it is extremely flexible and provides fast access to otherwise vehicular restricted areas. "Furthermore, apart from the environmental benefit, the Segway i2 is great fun!" The Segwayi2 is a revolutionary green transport solution, enhancing ECC's environmental policy - in particular to build on their commitment to offset some of the greenhouse gasses generated by the chauffeur car service. And able to cover 24 miles on a single charge, they are perfect for shorter trips. The ingenious electric self-balancing scooter which riders can accelerate by leaning forward and brake by leaning back, has won over thousands with its green credentials, cheap running costs - and, of course, fun factor.

Buoyant Times at Floating Homes Developer

2009-11-18 12:05:10

At a time when many property companies are only just keeping their heads above water, niche developer 'Floating Concepts' is bucking the trend by making two new senior appointments to strengthen its existing team. American architect Jonathan Baker (40) joins the Board to oversee design issues and to develop and expand the company's own design concepts. These include its floating homes, hotels, offices, student houseboats and affordable 'buy-to-let' concepts. Baker, who cut his teeth on designing floating structures in Denmark, is one of the world's elite group of 'aquatects' – architects who have not only designed floating structures, but have seen them built, floated and occupied. "I am looking forward to applying the wealth of experience I have amassed in designing residential floating communities in Denmark to the UK," says Baker who has 19 to his name to date. "I see enormous opportunities both for the regeneration of the UK's many redundant docks and harbours as well as bringing forward imaginative, but realistic solutions to the flood threat arising from climate change." Jane Wilby-Palmer (28), who holds a law degree and has a legal and commercial property background, will head administration with particular responsibility for legal matters. A passionate advocate for eco-living, Jane sees her appointment as "an exciting opportunity to be involved with a company with an environmental conscience producing low-impact, sustainable floating structures, as well as pioneering innovative solutions to deal with the consequences of climate change." Floating Concepts CEO David Beard is up-beat about his unique property venture despite the downturn in the economy. "The recession has been a fantastic opportunity for us to take up the lead position in a new emerging market," says Beard. "Blue-field sites - once a hitherto unrecognised, national resource, are as valid a development medium as their brown and green-field sisters. Jonathan will bring a global perspective to the company's activities whilst Jane will co-ordinate all aspects of the business," adds Beard. "These latest appointments will take our management resources up to the next level when I expect to recapitalise the company to achieve the sort of explosive growth that will guarantee market dominance from a 2010/2013 recovery onwards." Beard has over 30 years experience in property development in the UK and was part of the syndicate of investors involved in the early regeneration of Liverpool South Docks in the 1980's. He now owns the 350 berth Liverpool Marina and his last land based project was the £60 million Citygate complex in Manchester.

Hints and tips #5

2009-11-18 12:05:10

What makes a great story?It's not always easy blowing your own trumpet, but let's be honest, if YOU don't no one else will. So each week pr2go shares a few great opportunities for shouting about your organisation and promoting your business. UniquenessSo you've come up with a great business idea everyone tells you is great – but it's easy to be modest right? Well maybe, but it shouldn't be! The chances are if people are raving to you about it, they'll probably be off telling their friends about it too! It maybe that you got so frustrated with not being able to easily do what you wanted to online that you decided to set up your own website, or perhaps you've just thought of a new product to add to your current service offerings. Take a step back and look through someone else's eyes – if you've gotten so annoyed it drove you to start your own business then it's more than likely a newsworthy story! One tip though – try to get a customer testimonial or review, it gives it another dimension and means it doesn't just come across as an advert. If you haven't launched yet – get someone to try it out first!

pr2gos the good, the bad and the ugly

2009-11-18 12:05:10

It was a bit of a tough one today, there were plenty of really obvious ones...Jedward as ever...but I've tried to come up with some that aren't so obvious! The good – Belle de Jour unmasks! The real Belle de Jour has finally revealed herself after years of anonymity, and the university she now works for has given her their backing. Research scientist Dr. Brooke Magnanti now works at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol and is employed by the University of Bristol. She finally revealed that she was the writer behind one of the literary world's biggest secrets in an interview with the Sunday Times. Her anonymous blog began in 2003 detailing her experience working as a high-class call girl, it was the inspiration for both a book and a TV series. Magnanti revealed she began working as a prostitute whist studying towards her PhD. Bristol University, who now employ her, have said her previous life has nothing to do with her current employment and say they'll support her. The bad – Birmingham City Council has admitted it could have done more to prevent crowd surges at the cities Christmas lights switch on at the weekend. About 20,000 people turned up to the concert at which JLS and the Sugababes were due to perform – over 5,000 more than expected. The event left 60 people needing treatment after those unable to get in broke through a fence causing a crowd surge – a councilor has now said they could have erected big screens so those who couldn't get in could still watch. The concert was cancelled after JLS performed.

Fourteen million tune in as X Factor increasingly dominates Saturday viewing

2009-11-16 09:47:37

Irish duo John & Edward continue to prove a ratings hit for ITV1 with Saturday's episode of 'The X Factor', featuring contestants performing songs by Queen, drawing the highest audience for the series to date.At its peak 14.1 million people tuned in giving the show a 53% share of the available audience. Across the full 90 minutes, an average of 11.9 million people watched the show, against an average of 9.4 million for BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing.controversial Vanilla Ice themed performance of 'Under Pressure' was briefly interrupted when the music producer Calvin Harris ran on stage with a pineapple. Harris, who had been scheduled to appear on ITV2 'The X Factor' spin-off 'The Xtra Factor', was ejected from the studio by security.On Sunday night's results show Londoner Jamie Archer departed after judges failed once again to reach a consensus on who the best performer was. Archer was up against teenager Lloyd Daniels in the bottom two.Over on 'Strictly Come Dancing', viewers were treated to the sight of Ronnie Corbett once again gracing the Saturday night TV schedule. The comic filled in for Bruce Forsythe, who was too poorly to film after coming down with flu.Former cricketer Phil Tufnell was voted off after a dance off against former 'EastEnders' actor Ricky Groves.Saturday night's ITV1 live coverage of England's friendly against Brazil was watched by an average of 6.8 million viewers.(story from brandrepublic.com/News)pr2go is once again divided on this one! Though there is no doubting you cannot escape X Factor this year!

Eurostar launches direct response campaign to mark anniversary

2009-11-09 10:45:30

LONDON - Eurostar is launching a two-phase campaign to celebrate its 15th anniversary, the first element of which is a call-to-action to visit Eurostar's social media site. The call to action to enter the competition is featured on press, radio, outdoor and digital ads, created by Fallon.The top 100 entrants will be invited to a champagne reception on Friday 13 November, with 15 couples selected to go on all-expenses-paid trips to Paris.A second phase of the campaign will then promote how Eurostar has changed perceptions throughout Europe since 1994.(story and quotes from brandrepublic.com/News)

pr2go launch a search for 200 agents

2009-11-06 11:38:02

Fancy being an agent for pr2go? Unfortunately it's got nothing to do with 007 or secret missions though....!Currently, we supply companies of all sizes with a professional press-writing and distribution service for a one-off price of £79.99. The new range of products, due to be officially launched at the New Start Business Show at the Cardiff Arena on Friday 12 November 2009, will mean that businesses will be able to employ pr2go as their retained PR agency for as little as £49.99 per month, meaning that customers can choose to pay a monthly fee if they require a more frequent service.So we've set a target of partnering a minimum of 200 agents to help bring the new products to market over the next twelve months. We will be targeting predominantly independent marketing and business consultants to help sell the range; with the hope that our generous commission will entice some of the best people in the industry.Anna Wooliscroft from Market Avenue Limited has become the first of our agents. "I came across pr2go at a 4 networking meeting in the Midlands," she says. "It was an easy decision for me as the products are great and my clients could really benefit. I will be able to earn repeat income as well as gaining extra commission if I enlist the services of other agents, it's a win-win situation."

We've got a new website and some new products!

2009-11-02 10:22:12

You may have noticed we've had a little re-vamp of our website!We've already got an award winning website, but we've just made it even better!After developing three fantastic new products at pr2go, as well as additional services to boost our offerings, we decided a new-look educational-focused website was due. We've spent months preparing, designing, building and testing to get everything just right.The idea was to have a clean layout, more information on how we work and the benefits to you as a customer. We've listened to feedback and now have more flexibility, with the option to select a payment package to suit the frequency of communications needed within a budget to suit your business.Included is a prominent 'Tips and resources' section offering lots of advice and hints for how to get the best from your press release. We hope you'll like it as much as we do, let us know what you think!

Government launches organ donation campaign, backed by Munro & Forster

2009-11-02 09:49:07

The Government has launched a hard-hitting campaign today to encourage uptake of organ donation across the UK.The NHS Blood & Transplant campaign aims to significantly increase the number of people signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register. It is being supported by retained agency Munro & Forster.The campaign will include the NHS Blood & Transplant's first national television campaign to promote organ donation.The campaign call to action is: 'If you believe in organ donation, prove it. Register now.' The theme for the new campaign was chosen as research showed that more people are likely to sign the register after hearing messages that remind them 'someone they love could need a transplant' and that 'it could be you who needs a transplant'. More than 10,000 people currently need an organ transplant in the UK, of whom 1,000 a year will die before an organ becomes available. One donor can help up to nine different people.Currently, the UK has one of the lowest rates of organ donations in Western Europe and compared to the USA.The campaign will see further bursts of activity at Christmas and in the spring. M&F has also planned a roadshow in ten locations across the UK to engage with local trusts and stakeholder organisations.(Story and quotes from prweek.com/news)pr2go hopes this will make people think more about organ donation, it's something the government and NHS has been trying to push for a long time, yet it doesn't seem to have had a great impact.

Is BHS doing a Marks & Spencer?

2009-10-27 10:17:29

Bhs last week was rumoured to be plotting the introduction of food and beauty lines to its stores. The department store chain is already undergoing a significant transformation to its operations. In the summer, Sir Philip Green merged Bhs into his Arcadia retail group, with the aim of integrating Arcadia brands such as Dorothy Perkins and Burton as part of a much-needed revamp of the brand.Olivia Johnson, planning partner at creative agency Hooper Galton, believes that the inclusion of food and beauty products would help Bhs. 'It's hard to imagine it doing own-label food, but a tie-in or tie-up with an established food brand could work,' she says. 'The pressure on women's time means that the chance to quickly and easily pick up an item of clothing, say, and a ready meal, will always have appeal. Just as Waitrose is doing a deal with Boots, maybe one of the smaller grocery players may want to do a deal with Bhs.'The introduction of food and beauty lines would reflect efforts to pitch the chain against the likes of Marks & Spencer, which Green attempted to acquire in 2004.'If Bhs does food, in particular, it could pose a threat to M&S, although the more upmarket, "treat" nature of M&S food feels a bit out of Bhs' reach for the time being,' adds Johnson.The introduction of Arcadia fashion labels in Bhs is likely to bring a new kind of customer into the department stores. 'Beauty is a competitive game, but if the Arcadia brands come into Bhs and bring a fashion shopper with them, or at least a shopper in fashion mode, then beauty products seem like a logical extension,' says Johnson.Tony Treacy, managing director of retail agency Ideas-to-Market, says Bhs needs to take more drastic action than simply adding new categories. 'Bhs will almost need to rebrand itself altogether, potentially even [under] a new name, to have any chance of retaining existing Arcadia brand-loyal customers,' says Treacy.Bhs needs to offer customers more reasons to shop, but the Arcadia brands do not necessarily offer something sufficiently 'new', warns Treacy. 'Bhs stands for "making modern living easy", a broad appeal to a wide audience for whom the brand is a faithful old-timer. But who does [Arcadia womenswear chains] Evans or Wallis appeal to, if not the same audience?' he asks.The introduction of other brands, particularly in food and beauty categories, could bring a 'glamour' that would help BHS dust its own image off. However, the key will be whether it can redefine the brands successfully and reduce product overlap.Bhs is trying to become a more clearly defined department-store chain, and although the revamp has started, it looks set to be a long, drawn-out process. It does, however, come as no surprise that Green's failure to take over M&S should lead him to try to create an almost replica retail offering.(story and quotes from brandrepublic.com/News)pr2go thinks this is a really interesting step forward for a brand that currently isn't looked upon too favorably.

Pop Star creates her own newspaper in PR bid

2009-10-19 09:51:02

An Estonian music star is attempting to publicise her new single in the UK by creating her own newspaper.More than 50,000 London commuters will be handed copies of the 'Daily Hannah' tomorrow from glamorous distributors in the usual freesheet distribution spots. The paper will point readers to Hannah Ild's website, where they will be able to download her new single and get more information about the singer. Quite Great Communications' senior press officer Ben Titchmarsh, who is handling PR for the stunt, said: 'PR firms in the music business often face the challenge of promoting a star who is massive abroad to the UK media so we had an idea - why not generate column inches ourselves with paper devoted solely to the artist we're promoting?'Ild is being managed by 19 Management and works with producers Bimbo Jones and Steve Booker, the writer of 'Mercy' for Duffy. The newspaper will educate readers about the singer, as well as providing information on Estonia and Tallinn's upcoming European City of Culture 2011 status. Readers will also be able to win a five-star trip to the country. The main story will be that the Estonian Embassy has announced Ild will be the face of the country's tourism campaign.(story from pr.week.com/news)pr2go thinks this is a novel idea, lets hope it does the trick though or it could be an expensive stunt! Good luck!

Ryanair await tonight’s Panorama expose.

2009-10-12 09:36:43

The Ryanair press team is bracing itself for tonight's BBC Panorama investigation, which it claims will be a 'hatchet job'.The budget airline's press team took the unusual step of publishing all correspondence with the Panorama last week to try and 'expose Panorama's false claims and repeated refusals to allow Ryanair an adequate right of reply'. It posted the emails both on its website and also emailed it to journalists with a press release accusing the BBC of 'bias and censorship'. Ryanair has said it is upset that the BBC will not broadcast an interview with its CEO Michael O'Leary. 'Panorama has repeatedly refused Ryanair's offer of an unedited interview, either live or pre-recorded, because they know that these false claims are rubbish and don't stand up to scrutiny', said head of communications Stephen McNamara.But the BBC said it refused to interview Stephen after the airline tried to secure editorial control over it.(story and quotes from prweek.com/news)

And the winner is…

2009-10-09 13:30:02

Since we launched back in July (boy that feels like a long time ago) we've been running a little competition.Any one who subscribed to pr2go updates was instantly entered into a prize draw to win an Olympus X-890 digital camera. (No cuddly toy though!)We randomly picked Sarah Stokes from Coventry as the lucky winner last week.The camera arrived this week and Sarah was very happy, she told pr2go - "I never normally win anything!"Keep an eye out on pr2go.com for future competitions and there could be a prize winging it's way to you!

D’oh more junk food with The Simpsons

2009-10-05 09:47:52

Donut-addict Homer Simpson is to be sponsored by DoH's Change4Life anti-obesity initiativeThe Department of Health has signed a deal to sponsor Channel 4's coverage of The Simpsons to promote its £75m Change4Life initiative.From this week the Change4Life animated characters, created by Aardman Animations, will feature on idents around the programme which follows the adventures of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. The sponsorship will run for three months.The idents, created by M&C Saatchi, show the Change4Life family gathering around the TV in a similar fashion to the opening titles of the long-running animated series.Sian Jarvis, director general of communications for the Department of Health, said: 'The Simpsons provides an ideal opportunity to reach a big portion of our target audience.'Manning Gottlieb OMD brokered the sponsorship deal.(Story and quotes from brandrepublic.com/news)pr2go thinks this is a great way to get through to kids, as The Simpsons is such a hugely popular program...but will it mean the end of Duff and Donuts for Homer...?

pr2go.com wins an award!

2009-10-02 11:43:26

Pr2go.com has won a coveted award for it's website.The company's creative agency, WAA, who designed and built the website, picked up silver in the Freshest Niche Market category, at the Fresh Digital Awards, which took place in Manchester's Printworks on Wednesday, September 30.Pr2go allows customers to submit their own news stories. The copy is then rewritten by professional journalists and dispatched to all the relevant media.Judges were impressed by the clarity and usability of the website, particularly the video animation which gives a step-by-step overview of the service.Pr2go business manager Hannah Pearson said: "We're delighted that pr2go's site was nominated and that Waa have picked up such a prestigious award. "It's great to get the recognition from experts within the creative industry who are notoriously critical about functionality and the processes concerned with the customer journey. "Pr2go is the tool for businesses that need external promotion in an affordable, simple way. We're signing businesses up every day and feel we're really helping in times when budgets are tight to keep the wheels in motion for our clients."With fees starting at £39.99 a story, pr2go is aimed at businesses with restricted marketing budgets. But the service has also been picked up by rival creative agencies looking to add a cheaper product to their list of services.The agencies creation and scope of the website makes submitting news stories as straightforward and painless as possible, yet already the agency is making improvements to the award-winning site.Hannah said: "We're re-launching the site on 10th October with an improved look and feel, as well as specific areas for the new product offerings and a tips and resources section to educate businesses about how to get the most from their press release."

Senior PR expert condemns Asda for dropping Jordan

2009-09-28 09:40:12

A senior charity PR expert has slammed Asda for dropping former glamour model Jordan from its breast cancer awareness publicity campaign, after comments she made on her ITV show angered cancer sufferers.Dropped by Asda: Katie Price aka JordanJordan, also known as Katie Price, had been used to mark the 12th anniversary of the retailer's Tickled Pink campaign.The retailer moved to quell anger among cancer victims who reacted to comments she made on her reality show What Katie Did Next last week about scars on her breasts caused by surgery. An Asda spokeswoman posted a news release on a forum hosted by Breast Cancer Care which said: 'Nobody was happy with what Katie said on the show, especially us. The last thing we want to do is upset anyone and so in light of the conversations we have all had over the past couple of days we won't be using Katie in any publicity shots.'Charity agency Bright Young Things founder Niall Cowley said: 'If you choose to work with a character like Katie Price you have to expect to take the rough with the smooth. Katie hardly surprises anyone. She is who she is consistently.'He added: 'Asda has shown terrible cowardice in u-turning on its decision to use her in a campaign. It either should have known she has the capacity to upset its customers right from the outset or stuck by Katie through her backlash and not quit halfway through. It's messy and embarrassing for all three parties involved.'However, founder of Bright One Ben Matthew said Asda had been right to act quickly. 'Asda had no option but to act. It cannot risk angering its supporters and so must make swift action.'But he added: 'But by dropping Jordan they have risked drawing more attention to the comments. Another option could have been to let Katie explain the comments and apologise.'The move to drop her is the latest blow to Price who has been losing the PR war against ex-husband Peter Andre since their split earlier this year.Price split from her long-term publicist Can Associates in May and turned to The Outside Organisation to attempt to sway public opinion, after the Daily Star reported that Price believed the split has made her 'as hated as Heather Mills' (story from PRWeek.com 28th Septmeber).

New website and products are coming soon

2009-09-25 13:38:58

It's been a busy and exciting week at pr2go towers. Next month we're launching a range of new products and a sparkly new website to make pr2go even better!From October pr2go will not only offer the fantastic value for money £79.99* pay as you go option, but there'll also be a number of packages offering even better value for money for your business. If you need more than one press release a year, or even a month, then watch this space for our new deals or if you can't wait that long you can give us a call on 0844 826 4277 and speak to a member of the pr2go team, who may let you in on a few secrets!To accommodate the new packages pr2go.com is getting a bit of a makeover. We've been discussing the finer points of navigation, customer journeys and copy all week and it's looking lovely, the team are eager to see the finished results. It should all be up and running very soon!

Organic food industry aims to fight flagging sales with new campaign

2009-09-23 12:59:28

The organic food industry is expected to ramp up its fight to revive flagging sales at a meeting with the industry's biggest hitters. A national consumer campaign is planned to explain the principles of organic food including sustainability and pesticide-free production.The meeting will include representatives from supermarket giant Tesco and chocolate maker Green & Black's.The recession has seen a drop in the number of customers prepared to pay for most organic food products. The reputation of organic food also suffered a blow last month, when a report from the Food Standards Agency said it was no more nutritious than conventional produce.Speaking to the BBC, the Organic Trade Board chairman Huw Bowles said: 'The need to get the organic message across to consumers is always quoted as the biggest barrier to sales growth and with this initiative, we have the opportunity to speak with one voice and engage in a plan designed to grow the market and spread the positive benefits of organic produce.'Earlier this month the Soil Association hired Bright Young Things Communications to promote the 'real benefits' of organic food (PRWeek, 10 September 2009).The agency was hired to promote the charity's Organic Farm School, a series of courses that teach students how to grow their own food, rear animals and cook. The courses aim to re-skill the UK public, and show them that being self-sufficient can save them money at the supermarket.

New recruit for the pr2go team

2009-09-16 14:20:21

Pr2go is expanding so much we've had to take on a new member. Michelle has just graduated from Staffordshire University and she'll be able to teach us how to turn the computers on...finally!As our Communications Executive she's now in charge of updating our website and Twitter and Facebook pages, and watch this space for the much anticipated pr2go blog!

The NSPCC uses Twestival to promote Childline

2009-09-14 14:22:02

The NSPCC used last week's Twestival launch to promote its child helpline service Childline.Twestival is a Twitter-based fundraising festival that raises money for charity twice a year. The latest festival launched in London on Thursday evening, and will now spread to other countries. Events are due to take place across the globe until Sunday.The festival is expected to raise around a quarter of a million pounds for charity worldwide.Twestival is the brainchild of PROs Tim Hoang (Porter Novelli), Tom Malcolm (Diffusion PR) and Ben Matthews (Hotwire PR). It started as a 300-person meet-up in London and has now grown into a global fundraising initiative. (story from prweek.com/news 11th September)

Good news - Big Brother died

2009-08-28 12:18:28

The reality show that sparked many a short-lived celebrity career will be screened for the final time next year. Channel 4 has a £180m three-year deal with production company Endemol taking it into 2010.  Celebrity Big Brother, will have one last series next January.  Ratings for the show, which launched the careers of Goody, Kate Lawler and Alison Hammond, have been in steady decline in recent years. The recent series of Big Brother was the least watched so far.  James Matheson, associate director at Braben, believes the UK has finally become tired of 'everyday people' achieving wealth and fame, just by appearing on a reality show. 'It was PR gold dust to associate your brand with any member of the Big Brother house. It could guarantee a lot of column inches.'  'This has ebbed away in favour of our current obsession with talent shows - witness Susan Boyle this year,' he added.Pr2go's view on this is that Big Brother was a product of its time, however the world moves on. Perhaps we are not as interested in peoples private lives and habits as we once were.(story from prweek.com/news 28th August)

Gift Aid reform from Institute of Fundraising to help charity earnings

2009-08-17 09:57:10

Charities can earn a further estimated £207m through a tax-donations if reform outlined by the IoF is passed. The proposal will enable charities to claim the full tax on donations through Gift Aid, from tax-payers at the highest band. At the moment, higher rate tax-payers can claim and then pocket, the difference between the higher and tandard tax rates. The IoF will lobby the Treasury, Government and the their own 5000 contacts to help the bill pass through smoothly. The body will also seek support from opposition parties, in particular the Conservative shadow minister for the Third Sector, Nick Hurd. Currently, Gift Aid brings in £947m per year to the voluntary sector.(story from prweek.com/news 17th August)

Local Governments to communicate Swine Flu messages

2009-08-11 14:39:13

The Local Government Association, LGA, is holding a meeting in Birmingham today to discuss how they can communicate information on Swine Flu to the public.This comes days after the NHS launched the website to deal with inquiries, which crashed due to high demand last week.The chairman of the LGA is communicating to peers today on how best to deal with prompt communications and reduce crisis' situations surrounding Swine Flu. Proposals include calling for 'flu buddies', which aim to help get medication and information out to communities efficiently.An LGA spokesperson said: 'I am not saying that every council worker is being trained up to deliver communications' messages, but all council staff are ambassadors for the council. They talk about what the council does as they go about their daily job. They are close to the community and would be a great help'.  In a worst-case scenario, councils will have to decide which services to keep running as a priority. Press offices will today be advised to draw up plans about communicating which services will remain running to residents.(story and quote from prweek.com/news 27th July)

The British backpacker who was lost in the Australian outback has hired a PR agency.

2009-08-11 14:38:03

Jamie Neale, 19, was found last week after being lost in the Australian bush for 12 days. He made the headlines when he was discovered after leaving his youth hostel to go on a hike. He had no mobile phone or personal locater beacon.He has since hired PR agency 22 Management to sell his story, including interviews around the world.It has been estimated that Neale could earn around £500,000 and is expected he will do a documentary retracing his steps through the Blue Mountains. The Outside Organisation founder Alan Edwards said it would make sense to build Neale's brand in Australia. 'The interest level in Jamie is sky high over there, so its good to capitalise on the opportunities while they're there as opposed to developing complex brand strategy. In terms of the UK market it would make sense to have someone London-based for the various deals to be done with nationals.'(story and quote from prweek.com 20th July)

First brand campaign in 2 years for Cancer Research (CRUK)

2009-08-11 14:37:03

The new campaign, called 'Bad Day,' centres on real people's lives and why they support CRUK. The TV campaign, which started yesterday, also uses these people telling their stories. The aim of the PR strategy is to show that research has dramatically improved survival rates and therefore continued donations are much needed to carry on with future efforts.The charity's brand and PR director Carolan Davidge said that for the first time PR was involved at the planning stages of the campaign, rather than being used as an ad-on to an advertising campaign. She said this change had happened because, 'PR is incredibly important in this day and age. It plays such an important part for charity brands because it is more cost effective and helps our budgets go further'.(story from prweek.com/news 13th July)

Head of MI6 on Facebook is not a National security threat

2009-08-11 14:36:08

The mail on Sunday splashed a story that holiday pictures of the next Head of MI6 and his family were on Facebook. Digital agency Wolfstar MD Stuart Bruce said: 'The story is another example, just like recent coverage of Twitter, which shows how the media is desperate to run stories about social media.'The UK foreign secretary, David Miliband, denied security had been compromised.   Speaking on the BBC Andrew Marr programme, Miliband said: 'You know he wears a Speedo swimsuit. That's not a state secret,' while former Prime Minster Sir John Major said the issue had been 'overblown'.    (story and quotes cited from prweek.com July 6th 2009)

PR industry advised Michael Jackson’s death will not supersede negative news

2009-08-11 14:34:47

A senior PR professional has warned the industry of burying bad news in the hope it won't get noticed Paver Smith MD Dougal Paver has advised the industry that bad news is acknowledged even when International headlines dominate the media. He reminded professionals that there will be critics watching intensely in order to spot if stories are released under the cover of global mourning. Jackson died from on Thursday 25th June. Stores of his death and celebrations of his life have since dominated the world media coverage and expect to during the lead up and days surrounding his funeral.(story from prweek.com.news 1st July)

Survey finds MPs reluctant to make friends on Facebook

2009-06-29 12:39:00

Woodnewton Associates analysed all of the 646 UK MPs to see how many had a Facebook page that could be indentified.The findings showed that almost all of the MPs found on the social networking site, allowed access to anyone who had a parliamentary email address, even if they were from an opposition party.However, just 9% of the MP users allowed the same access rights to ordinary members of the public.Prashant Yadave, co-author of the report, said that 'Our research shows that most MPs have not grasped the potential to connect with the public.' The MP with the most Facebook 'friends' at the time of the survey was George Galloway (15,700), followed by David Cameron (8,800) and Nick Clegg (5,000).(Story and quotes from prweek.com/news 6th August).

Refer a friend scheme!

2009-06-10 17:19:08

Marks & Spencer's vouchers to give away!This month, pr2go are launching the 'refer a friend' scheme. If you know a business with a great story to tell, or who would benefit from having a one-to-one chat with us, please put us in touch. If you provide their name, telephone number and email address, we'll contact them to find out how pr2go could work for their business. If they do submit a story, we'll send you a £10 Marks and Spencer's gift voucher to say thank you.