‘No, we’re not that Isis’: when news taints your brand A Sunderland pub, a Malvern clothes shop and even Downton’s dog are learning that not all publicity is good http://www.theguardian.com/business/shortcuts/2014/oct/13/not-isis-name-change-sunderland-pub-malvern-shop-news-brand
Lego ends Shell partnership following Greenpeace campaign. Toymaker will not renew current multimillion pound deal, that sees Shell-branded Lego sets sold at petrol stations, following a viral video against Arctic drilling by the green group http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/oct/09/lego-ends-shell-partnership-following-greenpeace-campaign
I would argue there are some things you can teach and some things you cannot. I am still not convinced you can teach creativity for example, but you can certainly pass on how to be an appreciator and maybe that is the point here. PR is a craft. At the heart of that craft are…
Many of us have felt the shifting sands for some time but the Greenpeace, Lego and Shell narrative really does signal the last warning shot. This world demands trust above all and, alongside that, the right people in positions of power who understand the pressures. Traditional methodologies are no longer fit for purpose. A younger,…
Textiles and fashion occupy a central position in the realm of material culture. Apart from fulfilling the basic human need for clothing and protection, textiles play important political, economic, and religious functions. Through variations of construction and patterning, cloth also has a great capacity for communication and serves as a significant site of personal and…
Sainsbury’s sales strategy slip up The supermarket is exhorting staff to get shoppers to spend an extra 50p on every visit – but it accidentally made the plan public. http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/sep/30/sainsburys-sales-strategy-public
The political banners under which we operate may be different, but the forces that drive our world are still the same. After many years enjoying comparative warmth and reconciliation following the fall of the USSR, the imperial eagle of Russia is narrowing the eyes of its Western head and turning once more towards the East….
So Scotland has voted. All the hype, the rhetoric, propaganda, and social chatter boiled down to one thing. In the end the majority are still cautious and rather than embrace uncertainty and change (an opportunity some did in this case) stick with the status quo. The crowd certainly has the power these days to change opinion…
Identify the goal. Capitalise on every channel. Hook celebrity. Keep it simple… And fun! Make it immediate. Consider the power of viral multiplication. Allow participants to feel good. (Ensure its not really worthy.) Indulge the emotional connection. Sit back and watch it grow. ALS. It doesn’t matter if it’s not new. Kudos!
For a split second I thought I was watching an episode of Homeland. The slaughter of the American journalist was styled with HD cameras using an arid backdrop straight from Breaking Bad. From the very beginning, Islamic State (IS) understood the culture they wanted to undermine and the need to create emotion among the crowd…