Blog
The definition of irony
A friend asked me the other day what my definition of irony was. I pondered the question and replied that it was when a bank, owned 85% by the taxpayer, had financed the takeover of a
That is just what happened in the case of Kraft acquiring that bastion of Quaker principles, Cadbury. While it’s an outrage that 400 jobs are to go at their plant in Keynsham, near
While it could be argued that the Kraft board never made a cast iron guarantee to keep the plant open, it was certainly disingenuous in its assertion that it would ‘hope’ to save the factory once the deal was done. In retrospect, it’s easy to see how the workers at Keynsham have been left with a very bitter taste indeed. Perhaps lessons will be learnt here and the government, now looking characteristically toothless, will realise that without greater regulation, the
The Kraft episode goes back to the basics of good public relations; which despite the influence of tabloids and spin doctors, is still about honesty, clear communication and making the right choices. Although criticised for being a bit slow off the mark,
What seems to get missed in the feeding frenzy of mergers, takeovers, product recalls and corporate communications is that in the end, it should be all about people’s welfare – be it staff, customers, shareholders or suppliers. Responsible industries should look after the needs of all their ‘publics’, not screwing suppliers for the best deal or exploiting workers with low wages and poor conditions.
Good companies take a far longer view, with some in the past even building whole communities, village halls, swimming pools and gardens for their staff. Now doesn’t that sound vaguely familiar?
The Case Is Altered...
I’ve just come to the end of two weeks of jury service – spending day after day waiting to be called on cases. Obviously, one is not allowed to discuss any specifics, but as an educational process, as well as it being a civic duty necessary to undertake, it’s been a fascinating time to juxtapose the worlds of the law and PR.
The PR and media arenas demand quick thinking, gut reaction and clear choices. We have to be able to capitalise upon situations, under a clear strategic route, for the good of our clients, while turning the needs and demands of journalists round quickly in order to offer the best possible service.
The pace of the judicial system has, however, taken me by surprise. Everything is at a far more measured rhythm and the reasons behind that are clear. Decisions made in the courts have massive consequences for people - a far bigger impact than anything we might do in our professional lives in PR and for that reason, evidence has to be considered in far greater detail and process followed more rigorously. That is only right - the judicial system is a foundation block of our hopefully liberal, just and decent society and the role of the jury in that process is a critical one.
It does mean, however, that there is a lot of sitting around for the members of the jury. It is a world of second hand newspapers, endless cups of coffee and long, long delays. Such an atmosphere could breed an element of anger amongst people, but from what I have seen, it is an air of cheerful stoicism that binds the ranks of jurors. Everybody’s lives are touched by a common purpose, a common inconvenience and a common challenge to get to the courts despite the weather. Yet, people seem to implicitly take it on board that it is their civic duty to play their part in the judicial process. And it’s not often that we see the civic imperative play a part in a modern society where the pursuit of the self seems to be, sometimes, the chief driver.
So, it is humbling to be involved in that process, albeit briefly; to know that we have a greater role to play in society than just worrying about ourselves, our own people and our own immediate environment. It’s a big but welcome lesson – and one that I’ve found very positive. We just need to find a way of cutting back on quite so much downtime!
Richard
Let it snow…..
We’ve all faced the slings and arrows of outrageous weather over the last few weeks. But in a funny way, given the slow thaw we are seeing at
Not that I like to see old ladies falling over in the ice or inexperienced drivers playing bumper cars along unmarked roads that are more like rinks. What has been good to see is the emergence of the indomitable spirit, of people lending a hand and looking out for others. I’ve heard no end of good stories about blokes helping push strangers out of snow drifts, people checking on elderly neighbours and hospital workers sleeping on the premises to make sure A&E departments are manned.
On a more mundane level, the bad weather gives us a common point of reference – which is what really defines what academics call the ‘human condition’. What really counts is connecting with people. And the adversity we have all faced getting to work or stocking up on the essentials, has in many ways given us all an excuse to do this. Despite the wet socks and bruised backsides some of us have experienced in the snow, I say bring it on! Shaking up the norm is always a good thing and anything that gives us the opportunity to make new friends or contacts and see the world from a new perspective has to be a good thing.
After all, isn’t that what good PR is really about? Making new connections and forging relationships based in mutual understanding and respect? If the bad weather has helped us to do that, let it snow.
London Calling
It was Prova’s turn to be dishing out the awards last week, when it attended the Guild of Motoring Writers’ annual awards dinner at the RAC Club on Pall Mall in
We were sponsoring a new award, entitled ‘Prova PR Business Writer of the Year’, which came with a handsome trophy and an even more attractive cheque for the winning journalist. Entries for the award were of an extremely high calibre but it was eventually decided, in conjunction with the Guild, that the first ever winner should be Ralph Morton.
Entries came from the across the business, trade and technology arenas but it was Morton’s work with Business Car Manager that caught the judges’ eyes. Yet, it was also extremely positive to see the environmental question being addressed by entries. Bridging two areas of expertise for Prova, the environmental question and debate with regard to the transport and fuel of tomorrow are issues that we as an agency are extremely keen to see highlighted.
Richard
Prova has a winning night out
The theme of the evening was ‘circus’ and we were greeted by a mime artist (who took quite a shine to Emma!), a juggler and an expert hoola hooper. After a couple of drinks, everyone took their seats. The tables were adorned with all sorts of goodies – fake moustaches, red noses and joke glasses to keep in the circus spirit. Unfortunately our table didn’t win the free champagne on offer but it didn’t dampen the fantastic atmosphere.
It was a great night – not only did me and Emma manage to stay on our heels all evening, Prova won two awards! We scooped gold in the Corporate and Business Communications category and silver for the Best Use of Photography or Design. StJohn had to dash off for a romantic (and slightly flooded) weekend in
If you want to see photos of us grinning and looking very lovely, just search Prova PR on Facebook.
Ellie
Press road trip
Three journalists, one client and two PRs went on a road trip last week. Well, we went on a plane too, all to see an industrial scale anaerobic digestion plant deep in eastern
With Marks and Spencer’s biscuits, haribo and glacier fruits to fuel us and our 9 seater ‘fun’ bus, we travelled through rural
We were treated to a very informative tour around the site, which recycles around 50,000 tonnes of food waste each year and saw how food is received, processed, pasturised and digested. We were even able to climb up the 300m digesters to see the process in action, which was very interesting. But coming down the external mesh stairs in the dark and in high heels was slightly unnerving to say the least.
All in all, it was a very informative trip, which although required a lot of planning and a lot of travelling really helped bring our discussions on anaerobic digestion to life for the media.
Becca
Prova get a mind make-over
Being the creative sort we are, Prova has launched a series of monthly ‘Chill Out’ sessions, where guest speakers are asked to come along to This month saw Angi Egan, public speaker and retail consultant, talk to the Prova folks about her experiences at The Body Shop, IKEA and her ethos on romancing the customer. Her lively discussion really struck a chord with us. We knew Angi initially through her training and coaching skills, helping clients with their presentations at seminars and events. However, her insights and inspiration in terms of customer relations is something that other businesses can really learn from. We’re already talking about introducing some of the ideas raised at our first ‘Chill Out’ into our business. For future events, Prova is planning to invite guest speakers from all sorts of different areas including the media, industry and Government. It’s all too easy to continue doing things in the same way – and these sessions are really designed to help us look at issues in a new way. Angi has certainly helped us to do that! St John
One rally down, one rally to go
October 22 -25 saw some of the Prova team head to
Zoe and Flick were based in Rally HQ, in the Millennium Centre handling any media enquiries that arose throughout the four day event. Meanwhile, David, Hugh and Keith formed the information team that had the brilliant task of driving into the Welsh forests and interviewing drivers at the end of stages. Although definitely one of the more challenging tasks (try standing in the middle of a forest, in the rain, trying to pry open an angry driver’s door to get a comment) the guys did a brilliant job, with the motorsport media praising it as some the best end-of-stage commentary from the entire world rally championship.
David even ended up helping Jari-Matti Latvala fix his car at the end of one of the stages, but now he’s back after recovering for a week following the rally, I’ll let him tell you all about it…
Memoirs of a graduate…
It’s been over a month since I joined the world of work and ended my rather unhealthy relationship with daytime television. Gone is the time when whole days slipped away, with only Phil and Fern to provide any sort of intellectual stimulation.
The Prova team welcomed me with open arms (not, I hope, because they’d realised the benefit of having another person around to make cups of tea) and I quickly settled in. It has to be said that the transition from slothful student to PR professional and general ‘proper person’ has been made a lot easier by a constant supply of cakes, biscuits and sweeties, as well as regular Friday pub lunches.
Before I convince you all that I am still living the lethargic life of a recent graduate, it’s not all been cakes and sweeties. I’ve got stuck in to various projects; writing press releases, researching different media, ‘selling in’ competitions and generally getting involved in office life.
I’m learning a lot about PR each day, which I love. I do still miss being able to lie in until midday and spend the majority of my time in my pjs though…
Ellie
Making friends with Google…
Never let it be said that Prova isn’t embracing the digital revolution with open arms, we’ve all been working hard to master new techniques and technologies that will give clients a dynamic online presence. So a couple of weeks ago we got Mark P Summers from Monkey Design House to come along to teach us all about search engine optimisation (SEO). We focused on the global superpower that is Google, looking at how to improve Google placement organically. Certainly an interesting day, Google and the way it works has always fascinated me. When Google goes down, millions of sites are affected – through advertising, gmail and many more functions. Google isn’t just a search engine – it’s pretty much THE internet as we know it today. Though we might never know any of its top secret algorithms, it is vital that companies wanting to keep control of their online communications understand a little about how Google works and categorizes sites. We’re taking all of Mark’s SEO tips and starting off with this site, and I’ll let you know how it goes… Flick
Prova Rocks!
Last Friday saw the return of Prova Rocks in which we sponsored the legendary Earl Grey & the Tealeaves as they stormed And if that wasn’t enough of a treat, guests left the night with a party bag filled with retro sweets and Prova’s very own Winter Warmers CD – an eclectic mix of our favourite tunes. If you couldn’t make Prova Rocks, keep your ears peeled as we are already planning our next shindig and you can check out the photos on our Facebook page. Emma
LCV 2009 demonstrates ‘tipping point' for low carbon vehicle sector
The Prova event team has just returned from two days at the Millbrook Proving Ground, running the press office at LCV 2009. The event is the biggest low carbon vehicle event of its kind, attracting delegates for two days of informal discussion, technology briefings and ride and drive experience.
This year’s LCV saw visitor and exhibitor numbers surpassing everyone’s expectations, building on the firm foundation of the inaugural 2008 event. Media attendance was also up this year and the Prova team worked very hard to ensure that the 80 plus journalists’ and photographers’ every need was catered for.
The Prova team was impressed with the range of technology being demonstrated during the two days. The 200 plus exhibitors included government agencies, key industry suppliers and major vehicle manufacturers, as well as a number of academic organisations showcasing the latest LCV technology with a number offering a glimpse at future developments.
Amongst the technology on display was a range of new low carbon vehicles destined for the
LCV 2009 was a huge success for everyone involved and Prova is already looking forward to next year’s event. For those that wish to gain more information about LCV 2009 visit the official event website at www.lcv2009.co.uk.
PROVA LAUNCHES THE 13 QUESTION METHOD TO IMPROVE PR
Prova’s St John White provided a series of insights to delegates at the RWM event in
He said: “We’re seeing a lot of businesses taking a much more pro-active and strategic approach to their communication in the current climate than we ever imagined. More senior management in industries such as waste, recycling and the environment are harnessing the power of PR to drive home their messages and differentiate themselves in a highly competitive and expanding market.”
White has over twenty years' experience in PR, both in-house and within consultancy, and has developed a 13 point plan to help businesses get the most from their public relations function.
Prova will also be presenting a seminar on PR Best Practice at the LARAC event in
You can see his presentation here
St John
Prova’s in the running for two PRide Awards
The finalists for the Midlands PRide Awards have been revealed and we’re thrilled to have been shortlisted for two awards! Our ‘Charging Ahead with the Batteries Directive’ campaign for Varta Consumer Batteries has been nominated for the Corporate & Business Communication award. And we’re also a finalist in the Best Use of Photography & Design category for business moving company, Robinsons. The annual PRide awards, led by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), recognise outstanding success and achievement in the PR industry. So it’s a real privilege to have been shortlisted. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed until the ceremony on 20 November! Emma
Many thanks to the Prova Team!
Prova and French PR agency BG Presse recently launched an exchange scheme. The first participant, Julien Eloy, shares his experience…
I would like to give a big Thank-you to the Prova Team. To work with you during the week was a real pleasure and very interesting for several reasons. Probably the first is to understand how an English agency like Prova works compared to my French agency, BG Presse in Paris UK
Julien
Prova’s sponsoring the Guild of Motoring Writers Awards 2009
We’re sponsoring a new award for the Guild of Motoring Writers, called the ‘Prova PR Business Writer of the Year’. The award and a cheque for £1,000 will be presented to the winner at the Guild’s annual ceremony which will to be held at the RAC Club on 3rd December. Guild members are held in high esteem across the industry and we’re really excited to be supporting the new award! The automotive sector is changing at an unprecedented rate in this country and it is heartening to see the Guild looking to recognise the importance of automotive business journalism. Emma
There is a light that never goes out...
Recent reports in the national media confirm that the publishing world, like so many other commercial arenas, is suffering. Circulation figures for consumer titles are heading south, with Nuts and Zoo down 25 and 31 per cent respectively and even FHM losing 15 per cent of its readers over the last year. In addition, advertisers are hardly forming an orderly queue at the offices of the leading publishing houses, clamouring for space. Indeed, media agencies are predicting further falls in advertising revenue over the next few months. So, while some are predicting the end of the recession, the publishing world seems to be lagging a few months behind. Yet some organisations are bucking the trend. Dennis Publishing has seen circulation fall by a mere one per cent and amidst the current downturn, there is some resilience amongst quality-led titles. And it is very much the same in the PR marketplace. Quality is alive and well amongst the agency community – and those offering an innovative, hard-working service based upon tangible results and added value, are starting to emerge from the downturn in a better place. However, the recession in publishing is having a knock on effect in PR-land. Fewer pages and magazines mean, on the face of it, less editorial opportunities for our work. And at the lower end of the quality spectrum, some business to business publications are seeking ‘colour separation’ charges – a euphemism for straight payment - in return for column inches. However, such publications are not the places for ambitious, forward-thinking organisations looking to build their profile in front of key audiences. And when we hear the cry of a colour separation request, we know its not a place for one of our clients. Indeed, it’s the magazines with staying power and healthy advertising revenues due to organisations wanting to be in them that should be the place where people want to be. And that’s the mantra we’re following – quality never goes out of fashion. While some offline publications are floundering, online outlets are flourishing. Companies who embrace the opportunities offered online, both in terms of publications and new ways of communicating with audiences, are those who will prosper as we all come out of the darkness of recession, blinking in the shimmering light of a new dawn! It is the role of a high quality PR consultancy to lead the way, picking the good from the bad. So, while the recession maybe shutting some doors, a whole new chapter of opportunities is opening up. We just need to make sure that we are offering media outlets what they want in order to be able to seize upon the opportunities around the corner. Richard
Social media shockers
Last week we stumbled on some interesting facts that highlight the growing popularity of social networking, some of which surprised us more than others and sparked some interesting debate here in the office. So, we thought we’d share some of them with readers of our blog… - 2/3 of the global internet population now visit social networks - Social networking is growing at three times the overall internet rate - 3,600,000,000 photos are archived on Flickr.com – June 2009. That’s roughly one photo per every two people on the planet and means we have a lot to trawl through to populate our new website!! - There is an average of 3,000,000,000 Tweets per day on Twitter.com - If Facebook was a country, it would be the 8th most populated in the world, just ahead of If you have any interesting social media facts then share them with us at blog@provapr.co.uk PS. We’ve just drawn lots to move desks here at Prova. Will let everyone know how we get on – they do say a change is as good as a holiday after all! Zoe
DVD show was a huge success
The Prova event team have just returned back, hot and sweaty, from two days at the Millbrook Proving Ground running the press office at DVD 2009. The event is Defence Equipment & Support’s (DE&S) key stakeholder platform for the land and support chain communities in the defence sector, attracting attendees for two days of informal discussion and briefing. This year’s DVD saw delegates and exhibitor numbers surpassing everyone’s expectations, improving on 2008 impressive total. Media attendance was also up this year and the Prova team worked very hard to ensure that the 150 plus journalists’ and photographers’ every need were catered for in the hot conditions. After six months of hard work promoting the event, the Prova team was still impressed with the actual scale of the event, which occupies almost half of the Millbrook site and showcases some truly incredible equipment. This year’s event saw the launch of some of the latest defence technology, including the MOD’s three new tactical support vehicles Coyote, Wolfhouse and Husky as well as the most up-to-date body armour, which are all heading to the frontline to support British troops on operation. DVD 2009 was a huge success for everyone involved and Prova is already looking forward to next year’s event. For those that wish to gain more information about DVD 2009 visit the official event website at www.theevent.co.uk. David
Prova gets up close and personal
I think it’s safe to say that tight fitting harnesses are not a strong look for anyone. And the Prova team was no exception last Friday on our away day to A Day in the Country. After being firmly strapped into what can only be described as ‘leave nothing to the imagination’ harnesses and then galloping around the rope course pretending to be horses, things were never going to be the same again. After that sort of humiliation, the rope course’s initially terrifying Leap of Faith seemed all the more appealing.
Saying that, once we got over the initial embarrassment, we had the most fun day, filled with rope climbing, clay pigeon shooting, cream cakes and a hearty stew. This was topped off with at night at the dogs complete with cold food and a head waitress with no teeth. James and Richard meticulously planned each bet but managed to just about break even, so it was amusing when Flick picked two ‘pretty’ dogs and walked away with a sweet £20 win…and the unwanted affections of an Al Murray lookalike.
But words can’t describe the day as well as hard photographic evidence. Take a look for yourself on our Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39123853@N05/
Emma
Welcome to Prova’s blog
Welcome to Prova’s blog which will be updated regularly on the weird and wonderful goings on in Prova, from new client wins to ongoing debates about the best kind of biscuit, it will hopefully give you an insight into the workings of our very busy and very unique agency.
It’s been all go getting the brand new website up and running and I suspect that Emma in particular will be pleased to see it finally go live after spending weeks pouring over ideas, liaising with designers and chasing copy. But it’s finally live, and I think everyone in the office is breathing a sigh of relief. Keep your eyes peeled for regular updates and feel free to send us your thoughts and comments at blog@provapr.co.uk.
Flick
