Author: Lindsey Davies

Technology – so much more than social media

Posted on April 24, 2013 by

 

I had the pleasure today of listening to Tim Harper from Cientifica during a seminar he was presenting at the Buy Yorkshire Conference. The title of the seminar was ’10 Emerging Technologies’ and I immediately presumed that the talk would focus on social media and the way that we communicate with our partners, stakeholders, employees and prospects – how wrong I was!

 I sat waiting to hear the usual buzz words; sharing, content, user enabled, smart phones, AR or QR codes, user generated content and so on, and so forth.

You will understand my surprise when Tim started the session by explaining that he would be providing an overview on technologies that would create industries or disrupt markets which already exist. Now this I had to listen to!

The technologies that Tim was talking about are those that are being developed and if they become marketable and are proven to be a success will change the world we live in forever. I won’t spoil the presentation by relaying everything that was mentioned but I thought it would be interesting to others to hear about some of the amazing work that is going on ‘behind the scenes’.

 I often think that we all get caught up in our day-to-day lives, roles and responsibilities and miss out on sharing in the amazing and emerging advancements in other sectors. So here goes, a summary of the emerging technologies that I think are worth looking out for:

3D Printing

Working for an innovative print management company, we have heard a lot about 3D printing but I’m not sure I really understood the concept. This method not only creates a 3D image but has 3 dimensional capabilities outside of the usual materials you would print on to.  It is therefore of particular significance to aerospace and auto sport industries, as well as any sector that produces prototypes.


Self-healing materials

This is the process of a given material repairing itself without the aid of human or mechanical intervention. An example given was self-healing concrete, which when cracked can ‘heal’ without additional intervention. It takes some believing and is almost like something from Back to the Future but if this could become a genuine and marketable product just think about the benefit to road users never mind the construction industry.


Precise drug delivery

Almost everyone I know is or has been associated to someone who has battled cancer. The adverts are more aggressive than ever before and show a huge determination and commitment to beating this terrible disease. With precise drug delivery the effectiveness of certain procedures can be improved. This method would reduce side effects and enable new forms of treatments to take place. It is so specific that it targets diseased cells only using magnetic systems. At present this is under clinical trials and I really do hope that it is proven to be a huge success.

So there are just my top three emerging technologies. Just imagine how they alone would shape and change the world we live in today. I was really inspired by Tim and would like to thank him for sharing his insight into the top 10 emerging technologies. As a business we immediately consider technology to focus on communication or digital applications but after today’s session I now recognise the amazing work that is taking place by other industries and sectors and I genuinely wish them every success.

STOP PRESS: SOME GOOD NEWS!

Posted on April 23, 2013 by

 

Despite the changing shape of the PR industry a fundamental part of anyone’s daily role is to review the media and be aware of what is going on locally, nationally and globally. Unfortunately this often means that you have to be particularly susceptible to bad news, as well as good.

Recently however I’ve been pleased to see that there has been some really positive news coming from the Yorkshire region. The first piece appeared a couple of weeks ago on the BDaily website. The story focused on a report by Barclays which looked into the entrepreneurial landscape in the UK and Ireland and referenced a notable increase in entrepreneurial activity across Yorkshire.

Although this activity was based on the purchase of shares, it recognised that Yorkshire is the fifth-biggest region for entrepreneurial activity in the country. Even more interestingly, this success appears to have been bolstered by industrial companies.

Hopefully as industrial businesses within the Yorkshire region start to perform ahead of expectations this will then have an impact on other sectors, leading to more green shoots and positive news throughout the county.

The second story that caught my eye featured on the Business Desk last week and reported that 68% of companies in Yorkshire had confirmed that new positions within their organisations were in the pipeline. As a company that is also recruiting, it was great to see that there are real opportunities for jobs and growth within the region.

Better still the piece goes on to report that the Yorkshire and Humber is the region showing most improvement in relation to employment opportunities, up from 54% in 2012, and in addition 84% of those questioned said that they are not planning any job losses this year.

I hope that with more good news to be shared by the businesses in Yorkshire we can all benefit. It would appear that determination, a can do attitude and rolling our sleeves up is certainly helping the companies based within the county to look forward rather than back, and it would appear that many have opportunity within their sights.

So, on that note, may I also take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy St George’s Day – and shhhh, I don’t want to talk too soon, but the sun is finally shining, that can only be a good thing!

 

A tragedy played out on twitter

Posted on April 17, 2013 by

 

While following some business hashtags on twitter on Monday evening, I quickly realised that I had inadvertently stumbled across a global disaster – the bombings at the Boston Marathon. Showing in real time the updates, imagery and videos I was shocked to see and hear what was happening at the other side of the world.

I can’t recall a similar instance where announcements on the news were following updates across social media sites. Some of the posts were raw with the terror from those involved and it was awful to know that people were in that position and there was little that could be done to help them.

Twitter quickly came into its own during this event for the good of the situation with the Boston Marathon online registrations and finishing times being used by relatives to find out if they had completed the race. Google quickly developed a ‘person finder’ to help relatives to locate their missing relatives – an ingenius and inspired idea.

The Boston Globe, the local newspaper in the Boston area, quickly started to report from the scene posting regularly across twitter. As the news unfolded the posts came in thick and fast. There’s no doubt that social media can lead to speculation or presumption but in this instance people seemed content to share updates as they were received and to send messages of genuine concern.

What caught my attention most was the response from the media to find out who was posting the images and videos and request that they have permission to use them across their own mediums. Again, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such a good example of amateur footage being used across the global news channels.

A piece which appeared in the Drum yesterday gives a good review of how the news updates were posted and shared across social media. It’s almost scary to see how quickly the situation was reported as a result of real time feeds.

Needless to say my heart absolutely goes out to those who were involved and particularly those who lost their lives. This was an event that would once have been a national disaster – yet thanks, in part, to social media it has become a global tragedy and I think I speak for the majority when I say that we are all collective in our grief for what has happened however it was reported.

Making the augmented a reality

Posted on April 12, 2013 by

Ok, I confess, I don’t really ‘get’ a lot of the campaigns which are relying on AR codes to bring them to life. I understand that AR codes mean that agencies can be more inventive and creative but I struggle with what that brings to the brand and consumer experience.

Now don’t get me wrong, I think the technology is amazing and yet another step towards a world where make believe and reality collide – and this is my point.

Here’s an example, I walk into a supermarket and pick up a product. I scan the AR code and a flashy (and admittedly impressive) animation comes to life in front of my eyes. WOW. I then look at the prices of the products, pick the cheapest – usually the one on offer – and leave.

I will have no greater brand loyalty to the company who have spent thousands on a campaign that uses an AR code because they haven’t given me any reason to do so. I haven’t derived any added value from that animation. I would think it was impressive and probably tell people at work – because I work in PR – but otherwise I wouldn’t think about it again until I read about it in the marketing industry trade press.

This is where I am going to completely contradict myself, well kind of, because Tesco have nailed it. Hannah passed on an example of a campaign using AR codes which is simple, impressive and brings the campaign into the real world, encouraging consumers to engage and most importantly come back time and time again.

The campaign uses an association between Tesco and Iron Man 3. The idea is that shoppers can download a free iOS or Android app, which will allow them to generate an image of themselves wearing the Iron Man armour… now here’s the impressive part. They can then scan Iron Man point of sale in store to ‘unlock’ a further six suits with each showcasing a new weapon that users can fire!

I challenge anyone not to get excited by this app. Come on! Admittedly you will need to be accompanied by a boy aged between around 6 – 12 (the target audience for the campaign) in order for it not to look odd, and remember to seem suitably impressed but not show just how much when you’re ‘shooting’ people in store. I can already see my nephew cringing as I make the noises that accompany my new armour… well, it has to be done.

Taking a digital campaign and putting it into the real world is exactly what a truly integrated campaign is all about and I think this example gives the consumer an experience, while delivering for the client – in this case Tesco.

I have seen other examples of AR codes which take you to more information about a product, which is useful but not overtly exciting – however if it meets with the objective and is what the brands target audience would want then it works and it works far better than a flashy animation.

I think that perhaps we (agencies working for brands) need to think beyond the exciting pretty pictures and think more about the real life benefits of these campaigns. Only then will we start to see real value and results from the work that we do and when clients’ see results they want more and with more comes longer term relationships.

We may all get some column inches in the marketing trade press from a campaign that is impressive to our peers but when we sit back it’s the client we should all be thinking about.

 

Want a new challenge or know someone who does?

Posted on April 10, 2013 by

It’s exciting times here at Open Comms – we are on the look-out for some fresh new talent to join our expanding team.

As an agency that manages the communications and PR for a range of household names, as well as local companies and thriving new businesses, this opportunity will be an exciting challenge for someone who wants to become a part of a hardworking but friendly agency.

At Open Comms we don’t do ‘air kissing’ and we are not your typical agency so if that’s what you’re looking for you have probably come to the wrong place. If you do however have what it takes to be creative, while being able to put ideas into practice and to turn campaigns into results then we want to hear from you.

PR administrator

We need some help with the day to day running and management of the office but this role will go beyond ‘receptionist’. We expect that people who join our team will want to progress and become the best at what they do – this role will give someone the chance to learn the ropes and get stuck in, working in a very busy press office.

PR Account Executive

You don’t have to have a background in PR but some written experience would be a bonus.  This role is suited to someone who would like to take their first step into PR or for a recent / upcoming graduate. You need to have a genuine passion for PR and want to get your hands dirty – there’s no room for shrinking violets here! If you think you are more than just your average candidate then let us know.

Please send your CV – or better still something more exciting – to Lindsey or Emma at lindsey.davies@opencomms.co.uk or emma.lupton@opencomms.co.uk with an explanation of why you feel you are right for the position and what specifically you can bring to our team.

We look forward to hearing from you.

If you can’t say something nice…

Posted on April 8, 2013 by

When I was growing up my Dad always used to quote a phrase from Bambi, the children’s film. He would say ‘Remember what Thumper said’, which was ‘If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say nothing at all’.

Even though the quote is taken from a children’s film the fundamental theory behind the phrase is very relevant and in particular to young people who are growing up with more choice about how they communicate with each other (and the rest of the world) than ever before.

In the news again today there is a startling example of why people need to be very careful about what they share and how they choose to communicate. Kent Youth PCC, Paris Brown, has learnt the hard way that tweets and Facebook updates she is alleged to have shared when she was 14, 15 and 16 have come back to haunt her.

As someone who has taken on a responsible position she should have known better. It goes without saying that some people will think it’s unfair that Paris is being reprimanded in a very public way as a result of comments made years ago however she should have realised that the nature of the comments she was sharing was inappropriate irrelevant of her age.

As is the nature of some social media tools, anyone was able to access her comments about drink and drugs, which then gave her employer the chance to check her twitter feeds and Facebook page to find out just what she had chosen to share with her friends when she felt it appropriate to brag about her antics.

I hope that this sends out a very real warning to anyone who is looking for work. It is common practice to check social media feeds or ‘Google’ a candidate before an interview takes place. How silly to jeopardise your chances at securing a job for the sake of a tweet or inappropriate status update.

Many people use Facebook socially and twitter or LinkedIn for work but it’s worth always keeping in the back of your mind that anyone can search for your comments and opinions and that if you are willing to share your thoughts on social media tools expect that they will be shared by others and possibly accessed by a future employer.

There’s little doubt that Paris will be very conscious of her comments from now on.

PR stands for Press Release

Posted on April 5, 2013 by

When you work in PR (public relations) there are some days when you wonder what your job description may look like if you were to write down everything you were asked to do. This is no bad thing you understand, as the huge variety of tasks certainly helps to keep things interesting, while raising a few exciting challenges along the way.

This is perhaps why I find it so frustrating when people tell me that they can ‘do PR’ because they have written a press release or had something printed in a newspaper. The purpose of appointing a PR agency shouldn’t be to just write copy – that’s what copy writers are there for and the clue is in the title.

A PR agency is there to manage a brands reputation, to identify opportunities that will extend the messaging of a campaign to take it to a totally new level, or to come up with creative recommendations that will deliver a stunt that will capture the attention of the media, while also educating consumers about what that particular product or brand has to offer.

There’s also the corporate side of things, when an agency may be appointed to manage a stakeholder or internal communications campaign, ensuring that a message is clear and concise, using the right tone of voice and being disseminated in the right way, to the right audience.

Sponsorship often falls under the remit of a PR agency, along with third party associations and event management. Although you may find that copy is required to support these activities, it isn’t the sum of the process and everything from launching to making sure the brand gets the most from an association – which often includes sampling – can be included along the way.

Really the job of a PR has no defined start or finish, as long as you are managing and supporting the reputation of a brand and business, focusing on how it chooses to communicate and engage with its target audiences, then it kind of falls in to our remit.

As we have said in the past there is no point in trying to be all things to all people and that isn’t what I’m suggesting – there are times when we work with other specialist agencies to deliver integrated briefs and this is when you can take one concept or theme and really push it to make as much noise across as many mediums as possible.

At the moment we are working on so many different things that when Friday comes around I feel like my head is spinning with ideas and variations on the campaigns and proposals that we are working on for clients both in business to business and consumer markets.

PR is creative, expressive, exciting and demanding and writing is just one element of what we do on a daily basis to manage the reputation of the brands and businesses we work with. So next time you hear someone say that they can ‘do PR’ because they can draft a press release, please pass on my advice, they can’t! If you think that PR is all about writing a press release then it’s time to take a long hard look at your future career in the business because it won’t last long.

 

I just called to say… Happy Birthday

Posted on April 4, 2013 by

Did you know that the mobile phone turned 40 today? I find it hard to believe that the little gadget that I lose regularly around the house and office, which seems to be on permanent charge and distracts me throughout the day with a flashing red light is actually older than I am.

It’s also even harder to believe that in just 40 years we have grown so dependent on our phones that when you do leave it at home, or end up in an area of no reception (the Yorkshire Dales is a nightmare for those who care), you feel more like you have lost your link to the outside world and immediately have some paranoid breakdown that everyone you know really is trying to get hold of you all at once!

It’s not just about individuals, businesses now find it increasingly difficult to function without phones particularly since emails have been received through them and don’t even get me started about social media sites. Now that we can tweet, update our status and share videos there is no stopping us – we’re all multi-media, cross channel, integrated marketing experts (easy for me to say hey?)

It’s even come to the point where you can purchase your KFC and McDonalds using your phone – in fact it seems that you can do almost anything if you have the right device and the perfect app. Ironically the one thing people seem to do least is use the gadgets for what it was originally intended – calling people.

I can’t wait to see how the phone continues to change the shape of the marketing industry and assists with bringing campaigns to life through apps, imagery and video. There’s no doubt with new technologies including Blippar that there is scope to be more creative than ever before.

Long may the success and evolution of the phone continue and Happy Birthday mobile phone, wherever you’re hiding!

 

The humble #hashtag

Posted on March 28, 2013 by

 

How times have changed. It’s hard to believe that you could once hold a conversation without the word hashtag ever being mentioned, in fact many people would probably have questioned what the little symbol was for until Twitter came along and it became a global phenomenon overnight.

Most celebrities crave for the stardom the hashtag received and continues to attract. Its use, and dare I suggest overuse, is possibly questionable in some instances but it goes without saying that #FF and #Yorkshirehour, plus of course let us never forget #susanalbumparty, are now a part of our daily lives. Ok, the latter not so much so but it still makes me smile!

I noticed today in the i that they have addressed the humble hashtag and even dedicated a DPS (double page spread) to the story – oh what a transformation, from unused and neglected to household reference in a matter of years.

What I hadn’t realised is that the use of the hashtag for grouping information or searching themes and trends should be attributed (if the piece in the paper is to be believed – and we all know when it’s in the paper it has to be true!) to a man named Chris Messina.

Well done Chris – you turned an innocent symbol into a global superstar. But is it really useful? Well, you can debate that people will hashtag any old thing in order to try and engage and converse with others but the truth of the matter is that if leading broadcasters are using hashtags before programmes then they must see some benefit in them.

I do enjoy watching a programme while also following my twitter feed. The Olympics wouldn’t have been the same without it and as for documentaries I simply can’t help but giggle along with some of the comments made – I even go so far as to retweet a few if I think they’re worth it.

So the humble hashtag, are you a hashtagger or do you prefer to stick to straight forward conversation without attempting to be ‘down with the kids?’ There is no doubt that things are changing all of the time and a whole new world of conversation is upon us – the question is #areyouin or #areyouout?

If you’re appy and you know it

Posted on March 26, 2013 by

 

Looks like a young entrepreneur will be laughing all the way to the bank thanks to Yahoo who has reportedly bought his app for an undisclosed sum – said to be around a cool 30 million dollars. What makes this story a little different, other than the fact the businessman in question is only 17 years old and started to write code for apps when he was just 12, is that what he has developed is actually really useful.

Summly condenses news items from the web into small chunks that are then readable on smartphone screens. Not only is this a handy option but you can click through to the full article if you want to read more – in turn driving traffic to the sites of global newspapers and syndication feeds. As a result he has kept news corporations on side by offering them something back and they have therefore agreed to share their content.

This is a fantastic example of a young and already very successful entrepreneur who has developed something that can make life easier for others. The app is clever, business led and will be of use to millions of people throughout the world. Most importantly it is a shining example to others that if they have a good idea they should pursue it.  

However there is another side to this story…

I’m all for championing passion and entrepreneurial spirit, particularly in the next generation of business minds, but what I don’t want to see is a market flooded with unnecessary content that is neither use nor ornament.

What is absolutely fundamental in this story and what led to Nick D’Aloisio’s app attracting the attention of investors and therefore a significant investment into his business is that he thought it through. He was looking for something useful, that would appeal to the masses and he found it.

The same should be said of brands who are investing in digital content. There are lots of QR codes and AR campaigns that are hitting the headlines as the use of smartphones become every day to the majority of consumers however how many of these apps will be used more than once? And what purpose do they serve?

The best apps in relation to campaigns in my view are those that add value – they bring a different dimension to an integrated marketing strategy that builds on a message and delivers it across channels.

To engage with an audience is to keep them coming back and wanting more and this is where I believe that digital and the use of apps, QR and AR codes come into their own. Consumers want more than ever before – they want visual, audio, content rich communication and they want to be involved, or at least feel as if they are.

So before we all put the CEO of Yahoo into our phones on speed dial because we’ve come up with the next big thing, perhaps we need to stop and decide what it is actually brings to those who are going to use it. What will it do, what will it deliver and if the real answer is not a lot maybe it’s time to go back to the drawing board.