Author: Lindsey Davies

Does it pay to be loyal?

Posted on February 14, 2013 by

There is no doubt that we live in a cash conscious world and that at the end of the day it is king but a few calls I’ve received recently have left me wondering if loyalty counts for anything anymore?

We, like many others, get constant calls asking if we will change supplier because a new company can deliver the same products or service for a fraction of the cost. I’d like to say that in all of these cases are heads aren’t turned but that wouldn’t be entirely true.

Everyone wants to save money where they can but there is some truth in buying cheap and buying twice! Last week I got a call which really made me think. It was from a new company (who will remain nameless) asking me to move from our current supplier to them because we could save up to 25% on each order.

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth I have to admit I was tempted but then remembered that the supplier we currently use has turned things around quickly for us – in some instances giving us a same day delivery at no extra charge – always been more than helpful and is by all accounts reasonably priced.

I decided to go with my instincts and explained to the caller that we wouldn’t be changing supplier as we had a loyalty to the business we currently worked with. Ok, so I didn’t save a few quid but do you know what, I’d like to think that even during difficult times our clients would do the same.

It’s not always about money. It’s about long term relationships, consistently good service and a quality product. If you’ve got that then I’m a firm believer that the rest will follow. Lesson learnt on my part but I wonder how many others would do the same.

HORSE BLUNDER IS A ‘DEAD CERT’ FOR FARM SHOPS

Posted on February 13, 2013 by

As expected the story about horse meat being found in products that are specified as beef continues to run and run… sorry!

Having already commented on our blog about the need for food products to be more clearly labelled, it also got me thinking about who could benefit from the blunder. As ever when a PR crisis hits the press there are winners and losers and without a doubt Findus are currently taking the brunt – mainly due to the way they have chosen to manage a crisis, which relied on effective, honestly and timely communication with customers, stakeholders and the media.

Yet another shining example of why brands should have communication at the heart of everything they do and a PR team around the boardroom table.

Anyway, I digress.

As a former Yorkshire Dales Lass and someone who is an eager supporter of farm shops, I think this situation is a dead cert for those who are willing to use it to their advantage.  I can just picture it now, a big billboard sized poster with the strap line ‘Our horses are here for riding only’ or ‘A farm shop where beef is beef and proud of it’ with a cow looking proudly at the camera.

There are so many quirky and cost effective things you could do with this situation to reinforce the commitment by farm shops to provide fresh produce to customers. This is a real opportunity for those who want to shout about the need to buy fresh and to buy British.

I wonder who will take the bull by the horns and be first past the post with a campaign that will take a negative and use it to their advantage. I’ll have a side bet that it won’t be long before we see one of the local farm shops in the West Yorkshire area putting a few well-placed puns out there.

Has anyone seen any great examples of smaller brands and businesses using this ‘cash cow’ (or should that be horse?) to their advantage? I can’t wait to see them.

Flavoured tea anyone?

Posted on February 7, 2013 by

Now I’m not usually one for metaphors, I’m more of a ‘say it how it is’ kind of person but today I found myself looking into the bottom of a mug and coming as close to reading tea leaves as is possible.

I realised that lots of agencies are like flavoured tea. You see, with flavoured tea, the first thing you see is the packaging – it looks healthy and good for you, it is colourful and it looks different – so you buy it.

You then take the flavoured tea from the lovely packaging and drop the bag into the water. The smell is delicious and fruity, it fills your nostrils and you can’t wait to dive straight in. You’re excited and you want more.

Then comes the final part, you taste the tea and it’s disgusting!

What a let-down.

By this time you have invested all of your money in something which looks great, promises to be colourful and different, lures you in with big ideas about tasting wonderful and then ultimately lets you down. You see flavoured tea, like many agencies, over promises and simply can’t deliver.

If you want an agency that says it like it is, then we’ve got the kettle on… oh, and just so that you know, we do a great cup of coffee!

An agency with an office and proud of it!

Posted on February 6, 2013 by

There has been a lot of noise in the media recently with regards to the benefits to a ‘team’ that work entirely from home. An office-less environment for a business may be something that some of us gasp at but when you think about it from a commercial perspective it makes perfect sense.

There are others of course who will spend all day arguing that in a world of modern technology with smart phones, apps, iPads, online conferencing, skype and any other social media tools you choose to use for business there is no need for an office and there is an argument to back this theory up.

Not only will you have no rent to pay, as such, but you get to work from the comfort of your own home, which has been proven (in some cases) to deliver greater outputs and actually increase productivity. So you have significantly fewer costs and more work gets done – happy days.

Now the other side to this, and the part that I find particularly hard to get my head around, is what I think makes a company a real success – the team. Although you will still work for a brand and business – and there’s nothing to suggest you can’t develop this remotely – I can’t see how you would build the camaraderie which comes from working together in an office.

I feel that working remotely would lose some of the personality that makes a brand individual and unique. Take Innocent smoothies as a great example, when you speak to people about the brand there is little doubt the conversation will get back to their famous offices, which have faux grass carpets, comfy seating areas and an invitation for anyone passing by to simply drop in.

Without an office Innocent wouldn’t have the opportunity to use such a great marketing tool. It is simple and very, very effective.

Some companies will never be able to run from home due to the nature of what they do however as the director of a PR agency that could quite easily pack up and refurb the back bedroom I think I would miss my colleagues, the chat and banter that comes with everyday office life.

When you have people surrounding you they become your support. Without that, I would feel like any other person, working for any other business but when I work for Open Communications I understand our vision, values and how we all use our skills to give our clients a totally unique service because that service comes from us all and part of that is as a result of the environment we work in.

You could even put this down to the nature, nurture debate but let’s not get into that!

HR magazine have written a great feature about the future of work being mobile and although in theory this is great I do hope in practice people will recognise that there are huge pitfalls to this approach.

The article suggests that people who work from home get a better work / life balance however I would dispute this, as those I know who work from home are logged on at all hours because it’s simple to do so and when you live and work from your office it’s more difficult to draw a line between the two.

It would be silly to suggest that as a business we didn’t consider overheads, turnover and most importantly profits but I genuinely believe that the environment you work in has a huge impact on how you develop, grow and deliver as a market leading organisation.

As a PR agency that has the luxury of being based in the idyllic setting of Nostell Priory Estate Yard we always take the chance to invite clients and prospects to come and have a coffee, chat and mooch around. For anyone out there who would like to take us up on that invite please feel free to do so. The kettle is on and the Open team will be here to welcome you.

Is it something I said?

Posted on February 1, 2013 by

It’s been a funny week this week for no other reason than I think people have forgotten how to communicate. I don’t mean that we are all walking around in silence or that our computers have been unplugged and our phones void of network coverage, I mean the basic principles of communication.

Let me start from the beginning. Earlier this week there was a piece in one of the marketing industry trade publications (which will remain nameless) requesting creative ideas from agencies. This is nothing new or unusual. The idea was that agencies would submit their thoughts based on a given and simple brief – that being ‘Britain is s*it’.

I wasn’t remotely impressed by this and felt not only that it was a terribly negative ‘campaign’ but also that it was unnecessary – is this really the best that the UK creative industry has to offer?

On to the second example, where I was reading a blog yesterday afternoon which was littered – and I mean littered – with profanities and vulgar language. Again, this piece appeared on an agency website, which professes to manage the reputations of companies through effectively communicating with their stakeholders – erm? I won’t be knocking on their door any time soon and I’m sure a few others will feel the same.

Final example, I received an email yesterday evening which focused on ‘icon training’. The email was well written and I thought really interesting. The content was engaging and I found myself reading on rather than deleting it until I came face-to-face with the heading ‘take risks and don’t give a f*ck’.

Well, that was that. I deleted the email and all of the interesting facts about it – plus the inevitable sales pitch – were lost. The fact that the person sending it had chosen to dilute the message as a result of including such horrific language made me wonder what they were thinking and why they bothered in the first place.

Now here’s my point. I don’t consider myself prudish and during the course of every day I hold my hands up and admit that I do my fair share of swearing – even banding around words that would make my mother’s eyes water (sorry Mum, I know I’m grounded for the rest of my life!) but these examples are ignorant on a totally different scale.

They are ignorant to the intellect of those receiving these communications. As all of these examples came from businesses who work in an industry which requires you to tailor each and every piece of literature to an audience I’m disgusted. Quite honestly, if this is the best that these people have to offer, I’m concerned for the future of our industry.

I’m all for a laugh but fail to see the funny side of sending what can only be described as offensive messages, which presumably are meant to be ‘down with the kids’.  In any other instance they would be directed straight to a spam filter, where they belong.

Has it really got to the point where in order to attract attention we need to revert to speaking as if we were 13 or down the pub on a Friday night after having one too many? Come on people! There is absolutely no need to use bad language in marketing materials and quite honestly I’m sure I’m not the only person who finds it offensive.

If I have learnt one thing over the last week, it is that at the very heart of everything that we do at Open Communications we remember the need to consider how each action will reflect and impact on our clients. Thankfully using bad language in marketing literature and embarrassing them isn’t something we have to worry about.

Work / life / misbalance

Posted on January 31, 2013 by

I noticed some time ago that there doesn’t seem to be a ‘time off’ anymore and that the work life balance seems to be more of a work life plateau. What I mean by this is that with smartphones, laptops, iPads and all other technologies that keep you connected at all hours of the day and night it becomes increasingly difficult to find the line that determines the difference between work and life.

I don’t mind admitting that I am terrible when it comes to ‘just doing a bit of work’ at home and ‘just checking’ my emails before I go to bed on an evening – I even log on early when I’m doing the school run so that I don’t feel too guilty about getting in to work bang on 9am.

Interestingly I’m not the only one who has noticed that it is no longer considered rude to send an email at all hours of the day and night and to communicate with your audiences at what should be their personal time. In fact a piece in Marketing magazine even goes as far as to name this time as Fourth space.

Apparently there really is no work and life anymore, we have actually come to the point where we integrate the two so much that we have created a ‘fourth space’, which marketers and agencies are able to capitalise upon.

This time is another digitally enabled opportunity for brands to engage with prospects and consumers in order to build loyalty. The tone of voice, audience and way in which this is approached will need to be carefully managed however a well-placed viral or cleverly timed product launch could just hit the mark.

It would appear that rather than stand still, time has come to mean very little to many with the 9am – 5pm firmly packed away in a box under the stairs to make way for the 24 / 7 always available, at the touch of a button model.

I don’t believe there is any right or wrong to working all hours, it’s simply another example of how times are changing. I do however believe that there is a definite need to reinstate an understanding of the need to switch off, even if it is just an hour on an evening. I don’t believe any of our clients would begrudge us this – but I have to admit it’s unlikely I will go back to a life without hourly phone and email checks anytime soon.

Putting pen to paper

Posted on January 23, 2013 by

There have been a number of news articles recently about the launch of campaigns which are encouraging children to write. I remember when I was at school I found it really difficult to read out loud in class but loved to write my own stories down – one teacher claiming it was because I had an over active imagination but I prefer to think of it as my creative spark coming through at an early age!

I think that there should be more campaigns encouraging children to create their own short stories. Chris Evans has recently launched the Radio 2, 500 words competition which is a fantastic concept and with celebrities including Richard Hammond and Jacqueline Wilson involved, it is all the more exciting for those who enter.

I can’t help thinking that it’s a shame that many of these stories will be written on a computer. I have nothing against technology but think there is something extra special about a handwritten story drafted and illustrated by a child. Something you can put up on your fridge or keep in a scrap book forever.

When we were little and the weather was terrible our Mum used to put us on the kitchen table with pens, pencils, paints and coloured paper and tell us to come up with stories that we could then illustrate. More often than not I would sit for hours thinking about the plot and what would happen before carefully decorating my masterpiece with first class imagery (more of a mess but I thought I was the next Tony Heart in those days!).

Since the huge success of JK Rowling with her Harry Potter books and EL James with 50 Shades of Grey there has certainly been a notable increase in the number of adults wanting to turn to literacy and write books. I’m not sure if it’s an age thing and that people get to the point where they want to do something different and writing seems like a viable option or if it’s suddenly seen as the next best thing to a lottery ticket.

Either way I think it’s great that people are using their imaginations to bring their own tales to life on paper and I do wonder whether it matters if your stories are published or just for your own amusement.

I remember once reading about a young girl who had been tragically killed in a car accident. When her mother was clearing out her things she came across a book of poems she didn’t know she had. All of them had been hand written by the young girl. Needless to say the book became a priceless treasure and the poems by all accounts were excellent if not heart wrenching under the circumstances.

I would never say never when it comes to considering writing a book but am very aware of the time and commitment it would take, as well as the skill that would be required to write a novel that people would want to read, which is kind of the point if you want to be a best seller!

Nope, I think I’ll leave it to the professionals for now but I will definitely be tuning in and listening to those written by the children who enter the 500 word competition. I’m sure they will put any ideas that I have had to shame. You never know there may even be the next best seller amongst them.

The true strength of a brand

Posted on January 18, 2013 by

It can be difficult to sound anything but flowery when you are trying to explain to companies how important it is to build a brand, inject personality into a business and become recognised for your values.

Getting the packaging right, making sure the design stands out on shelf, ensuring the copy is drafted using the right tone of voice and building brand presence with message retention through a consistent and sustainable PR strategy are all the ‘things’ that take a something and make it a household name.

I saw a great example of how brands have got it right this week when I came across an article in Brand Republic announcing that Selfridges have created a ‘no noise’ campaign, which intends to discourage ‘information overload’.
The idea is that brands are displayed without logos or branding. The more interesting thing about this campaign is that consumers are still aware of what the products are meaning in simple terms that they are doing something very right.

It’s fair to say that not all brands can do this and of course it will work best for FMCG goods but it is an interesting concept all the same. When you get to the point where you can take away your brand and people still know who you are and what you have to offer you know that all of your marketing efforts and budgets are paying off.

Needless to say I wouldn’t recommend this become a permanent move but it’s an interesting test all the same. It would be a great ‘geeky’ game for those who work in marketing – can you guess what each item is without the brand?

Who wants to play?

SNOW WAY!

Posted on January 17, 2013 by

Well, well, well… we didn’t see that one coming, it’s only bloomin snowing!

While the country grinds to a standstill and the gritters are out in force, businesses are already worrying about what impact it will have on their performance, sales and month end figures and we’re only at 2 inches.

Although I completely appreciate that some companies and particularly small enterprises are unable to run when the weather turns the roads into an ice rink, there are others who should take the chance to use this to their advantage.

We are very fortunate to work in an industry where most of the action happens online or over the phone. We can write press releases, speak with the media, engage with bloggers and plan PR and marketing strategies from the comfort of our homes and we don’t even have to step outside of our front door.

And so…

Those companies, who are able to make it to work, will know that ‘snow days’ often mean clients aren’t around, people are trying their best to log in or work remotely but it rarely happens like it would on a normal working day.

This is a great chance for these businesses to use the time to their advantage. Take a step back and think about all the things you never get around to. Your clients are happy – let’s be honest they are probably sledging with the kids! – so grab a pen and a piece of paper and discuss all the things that you want to do to make this year your best year ever.

The phones will be quiet so take the 2 hours you would answering calls and dealing with queries and use them to plan your marketing efforts, or sales tactics. Regroup as a business and find out what is working and what could work harder. Find out what ideas people have and how these can impact positively on your performance.

I’m a great believer in using your time to your own advantage when you get the chance, so do it. Get the kettle on (and the heaters), break open that second box of chocolates or biscuits and take some time out. Sometimes the time you think is a waste is actually the most productive.

A burger made of horse – neigh!

Posted on January 16, 2013 by

There has been a long running debate within the world of food retail with regards to FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) regarding the labelling of products. Traffic light systems have been adopted by some supermarket chains to show consumers in the simplest way how good or otherwise a particular product is – but this transparency doesn’t extend to the ingredients.

We all know that everything we eat isn’t good for us, we also know that to get your five a day can be more of a challenge than it sounds (I think I’m going to turn into an orange on some days!) but when it comes to the point where a beef burger is actually a horse – well, that’s just plain wrong.

Ok, so there is a slight exaggeration in the above statement but I can’t be the only one to be a little shocked that even the slightest trace of horse has been found in burgers supplied throughout the UK. Surely buyers do know the difference between a horse and a cow? A startling difference being that in Britain we eat cow, we don’t eat horse.

I’ve come up with a check for those who aren’t sure – one goes ‘moo’ and the other ‘neigh’.

I am not a particularly squeamish person when it comes to food and have tried a number of more interesting dishes including kangaroo, snails and shark but the difference with these experiences was that I was very aware of exactly what I was eating.

I’m sure there are people who are not quite as flippant about this discovery as I am and many who may be quite upset and this is why I think it would be simpler all round if labelling was made easier to understand.

Let’s get to the bottom of what is in our food and give the consumer the opportunity to make an informed decision about exactly what they are buying. In a world where content is king and information is power, it seems a little naive to believe that people won’t share their discoveries when they find out what an ‘interesting ingredient’ actually is.

Let’s stop horsing around (sorry!) and make labelling more transparent. Not only will this give consumers the information that they require but it will also instill brand loyalty and credibility which can never be a bad thing.