Axis Media Group scooped a major award at the prestigious CIPR “PRide” Scotland Awards ceremony in Edinburgh last night (20th November 2008). The category for Outstanding Small Consultancy is open to PR consultancies with five or fewer staff, and was one of the most strongly contested categories in a night which celebrated the achievements of the cream of Scotland’s PR industry.
Accepting the trophy as Silver Award winner Axis Media Group managing director Paul Murricane said: “Small consultancies usually punch above their weight, by providing clients with the direct individual service they value. The shortlist for this category contained some very impressive companies, and, as one of the newest consultancies on the Scottish scene, it is very encouraging to have our success recognised with this superb trophy”.
Said Carol Matthews, chair of the CIPR Scotland: “The PRide Awards showcase the excellent PR work being done in Scotland and the contribution this makes to business and society. Having faced a rigorous judging process, to come out on top is a tremendous achievement and I congratulate all of this year’s winners.”
It’s a story as old as time. Something horrific has happened – but nobody sees it until it is too late. It happened to Ratner, and now it’s happened to the BBC. Let’s not forget also the two shell-shocked presenters who have just joined the ranks of the idle rich.
Whatever one’s view of the sub-human behaviour of Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand, the startling fact is that nobody at the time saw the crisis looming. As witness Ross’s final comment at the end of what everyone involved apparently thought at the time was a hilarious item: “What’s that noise?…It sounds like a Sony Award”
The golden rule in dealing with a crisis is to recognise that there is a crisis as early as possible, and act swiftly. Both of which the BBC failed to do. And, as always, when a crisis is not handled swiftly, openly and honestly it is not necessarily those involved who pay the price. It is the senior management, the organisation and ultimately the shareholders who pay.
Manuel-Gate teaches us that large organisations find it extremely difficult to handle a crisis. But it can be done – our crisis training has involved some of the biggest names in the UK. The ones who know to acknowledge public concern, admit fault where due, be open with information, and act swiftly to deal with the failures that created the problem. They’re the organisations that are not facing the level of publicity the BBC is currently enduring.
So the American Presidential election is largely being influenced by the media. No change there, then, we hear you say. Well, yes – big change. The really influential media in this very twenty first century election are not so much the serious pundits on CNN or NBC – or maybe even FOX. No, the king pins come with much more powerful weapons: laughter and rapier wit. Does any media host wield more power today than Jon Stewart of The Daily Show – a Comedy Central production? Not according to Barack Obama or John McCain who have both made sure they appeared this week on his show. Has any media personality done more to destroy the political credibility of Sarah Palin than Tina Fey – apart perhaps from Sarah Palin herself? We don’t think so.
The terrifying power of the comedians lies in the difficulty that politicians have in handling the opportunity. Tony Blair famously looked as uncomfortable as a hamster facing a Cobra when Jon Stewart put to him that he and President Bush’s decision to invade Iraq was “sort of…great minds think alike”?. Barrack Obama was just under-prepared. A rehearsed anecdote about his daughter complaining that his half hour infomercial clashed with Disney TV fell flat – and it had been in all the papers anyway. He knew, though that he was among friends so it was okay. But Sarah Palin totally failed to spot that appearing on stage with Tina Fey was not cool at all – she was among enemies, a fact of which she was, and looked, oblivious. Just a heartbeat away….
Sarah Palin has certainly been a topical Vice Presidential candidate; if anything probably a little too topical.
Formerly Governor of Alaska, 44-year-old Palin has certainly enjoyed intense media coverage, and yet some might say she never seems to learn from her mistakes.
Palin’s latest botch up has been the alleged revelation that as part of the Republican presidential campaign spend, Palin has enjoyed $150,000 (£96,000) worth of new clothes.
Unsurprisingly, ethical campaigners in the US have been outraged by the shopping spree especially given the current state of America’s economic crisis. Oh dear.
Well done Paul Hayes, CEO of the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse. He has achieved prominent coverage in the nation’s media with not only a peak-time interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme (the programme that sets the news agenda), but also a half page article in today’s Times newspaper.
We were recently sent this via email and it makes for very interesting reading. Does America really need another maverick in the White House?
Now that the football season is well under way, that sector that keeps media training consultants busy is performing magnificently again – the language mangling football commentator. Here we welcome in the new season with the Top 10 classic sports howlers:
After the invigorating and heart string-tugging whirlwind that was the democratic convention the McCain cavalry faced a political front line that required a coercive public opinion defeat. So what more of a newsworthy story to capture back the attention of the electorate that the announcement of the Republican’s new number two; Sarah Palin. But wait. Unfortunately for the anti-abortion republicans it emerges that the new vice president prospective has a young daughter…who is pregnant…and not married. As this news tore through the media of the world Palin and her troops conjured up a speech to gratify the American people.
A fierce and bloodthirsty battle between two of the most driven democratic politicians in senate was predicted by some to depict divide and taint the democratic campaign however it seems that Barack Obama is currently flying from strength to strength in the run up to the presidential elections scheduled for November 4th, giving the opposing John McCain apparent concern.
According to the campaign coverage index conducted by Pew Research Centre there has been more coverage of Obama than McCain every month this year. Another major cloud which looms overhead for McCain is the pending draft agreement regarding US troops being withdrawn from Iraq fully within three years. This sees Bush siding towards Obama’s views and contradicting those of the pro Iraq invasion McCain who believes that ‘US forces should remain until Iraq is able to defend itself.’ If the agreement is finalised McCain will be forced to change his policy which will undoubtedly affect his public credibility.
Watching the contest of candidates attempting to win the hearts and votes of a country as big as the USA is a show of public relations at its best. No public figure is more closely monitored and ruthlessly scrutinised as is the person who is adamant that they can run the country better than any one else who dares to rise to the challenge.
Attempting to appeal to such a diverse range of people across all classes, races, background and political attitudes allows no room for mistakes so when Michelle Obama stated, in a clearly planned speech in February this year, that for the first time in her adult life she felt truly proud of her country, the media unsurprisingly portrayed this comment as bitter, anti-American and lacking in the patriotism that is imperative to any presidential campaign.
Mistakes can and will happen, and while they do, PR blunders will continue to haunt the people involved and tickle the people who weren’t.
Top of the list for 2009 has to be the happy-go-lucky “aw shucks” past president of the Good Ol’ United States Of America. What a great leader of the free world George W Bush has been. Terrorism came to the shores of America. Thousands were left homeless in New Orleans. Hundreds died fighting in Iraq. And a financial crisis to rival the Great Depression was visited upon the world. Or as George W said in his final press conference: “It’s been a lot of fun”. Eight years being the most powerful man in the world? Or a few ill-chosen words at a press conference. Which of these will he be remembered for?
Closely followed by our own first family whose sole purpose is to fulfil their duty to Great Britain, this jewel set in a silver sea. Burdened by the responsibilities of royal duty, is it any wonder that they make strenuous efforts to show that they are only human? Step forward then Prince Harry whose hilarious comments on video show that he is just like the rest of the population – completely oblivious to the damaging effect of ill-chosen words which will almost certainly be published.
But let’s not forget the motor industry bosses in 2008 who rushed cap in hand to Washington to ask for a multi-billion dollar bailout, but were silenced by one question. “Which of you plans to give up your executive jet.” Er…silence…tumbleweed. Goodbye guys. Come back when you have a plan.
2009 will be a tough year. Those who thrive will be those we trust. Honesty, clarity, confidence can only be conveyed by knowing your audience and communicating with sincerity. Don’t leave it to chance. With media mentor on your side, you can be the one who keeps his head, while all around are losing theirs.
What happens when the face that has carried a show through decades decides to smile elsewhere? This is exactly the hot resignation letter that Countdown are now trying to handle as Carol Vorderman announces her departure from Channel 4’s longest running television show.
After twenty six years of number crunching, the nationally treasured maths whizz adds to a handful of problems which Countdown has been dealt since Richard Whitley died in 2005. The loss of the revered original presenter resulted in an 18 month stint from Des Lynam, followed by Des O’Connor taking position in the Countdown throne in November 2007, only to declare that he too would be abstaining from the programme at the end of this year.
BBC Sports Presenter Hazel Irvine, a media mentor trainer, has had a whirlwind time recently. Only a few weeks go she faced an occasion more nerve-wracking than any live broadcast to millions of viewers – her own wedding day.
Hazel is very firm about keeping her private life exactly that – private – but she married her long term partner in a secret ceremony with only a few family and friends present. Only a day after her honeymoon ended she was on a plane to Scotland and straight back to work, filming a segment for Media Mentor about the International Children’s Games which thanks to her presenting skills helped the county of Lanarkshire secure this prestigious event for 2011. Then without pausing for breath it was off to Beijing as the BBC’s star presenter of the Olympics 2008.
It is unlikely that Media Mentor trainees will ever need to cope with the frantic pace of Hazel’s schedule, but she promises to tone it down a bit when revealing on Media Mentor courses exactly how sports journalism works.
Jade Goody is many things: racist – perhaps, attention-seeking – almost definitely, a fraud – some journalists seem to think so.
When she was told on India’s version of Big Brother that she has cancer of the cervix the media asked her spokesman if it was a publicity stunt.
A tad harsh surely?
The grim reality for Goody however is that her public reputation has never been particularly good – and her recent appearance on India’s Big Brother seemed like a blatant publicity stunt worsened by the fact that she has now been on Big Brother three times.
Being a musician in the media spotlight obviously has its perks – but when things start going down hill, which it often does, the media will be right there by your side, and not to soften the blow – mainly to aid it.
Musicians such as Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty are two of the media’s main targets at the moment. However, there have been examples of more sympathetic views towards Winehouse.
The death of Heath Ledger was widely covered in the world press, and for most people with a general knowledge of celebrity, his death was a real shock.
With celebrity drug-related deaths there is always an element of suspicion as to how the cause of death really came about. Take the death of Marilyn Monroe, there are still conspiracy theories circulating in the media over forty years after her death.
Shortly after Ledger’s death the media became relatively settled with the fact that he died of a sleeping-pill overdose – well that was until Mary-Kate Olsen declared she would answer no questions without a promise of immunity.
As Britain’s best hope for Wimbledon, Andy Murray, limbers up for the biggest contest of his life, how well is he faring in the second most important part of his career – handling the media?
On current form, not bad. The normally taciturn Scot turned on the charm for Jonathan Ross and showed that beneath the dour exterior is a young man who is passionate about his talent and totally focussed on making the most of it.
This is the key to a good media presence: don’t try to be someone you are not. Nobody would believe it if Andy Murray came on laughing and joking. But they do accept that his serious approach is what makes him a champion. Sky Sports website have a section called Why Is Andy Murray So Miserable?
His Wossy interview came alive when he told an anecdote about being contacted by Sean Connery after Wimbledon last year. After his chat show appearance several of the comments included: GO MURRAY ! All British tennis fans want you to win !!!!!!Murray is rapidly learning the first rule of being a media star. The audience actually wants you to do well (unless you’re a politician), and just by agreeing to do the interview you are already on the front foot.
There’s a fine line between giving useful analysis of a trainee’s media skills, and destroying their confidence. Until recently, we used to start our sessions by asking participants to do a brief interview telling us what they liked about their job, and what they hated about their job.
The results were often blood-curdling, as we would point out to them. People would quite openly criticise their colleagues, or worse the team they were leading. In one case a trainee simply said they felt the job took up too much of their time.
The idea behind it of course was to show that you shouldn’t always answer a question openly just because it has been asked. Think first how to turn the question into an opportunity to talk about the positive issues you want to publicise. But we have found that starting the day on a negative isn’t very clever, and doesn’t make participants feel good about themselves.
So now we ask people to tell us what they bring to the job and why they love it. The results are just as revealing, equally interesting, and they fulfil the important function of every Media Mentor course: they leave the participant feeling 100% more confident.
A golden rule of dealing with journalists is this – if you ignore them, they won’t go away. A lesson sadly not learned by the owners of a company in Scotland which supplies care for the elderly and disabled – some of the most vulnerable members of society.
An investigation by the BBC’s Mark Daly (you may remember his undercover documentary The Secret Policeman) led to a series of radio and television reports alleging that one of the country’s largest private homecare companies, HRM Homecare, was indulging in several suspect practices including falsely charging local authorities for work that was not being done. Daly tried several times to persuade a spokesperson from HRM Homecare to be interviewed, but instead they chose to issue a statement. Good practice? No. Effective? Definitely not.
