the monthly newsletter for the Australian PR industry March 2012 1.
Adland’s millionaires factory? STW Group releases 2011 results: revenue and profits from PR up; earn‐out payments $38m
2.
Lewis PR expands across Asia Pacific; hires Amanda Do in Sydney (pic; below, right)
3.
Tricia Karp (pic, right) appointed to senior role at CPR Adelaide
4.
Newsmaker wins best media release distribution service
5.
Veteran journalist, Neil Shoebridge, leaves AFR Marketing & Media to join Network Ten as Director of Comms (pic, below, left)
6.
Lynette Phillips launches Maxconnectors, secures AWI as foundation sponsor (pic, below, centre)
Is STW Group adland’s millionaires factory? ASX listed communications company, STW Group (ASX code: SGN), owner or part owner of 70 advertising, marketing and PR companies, released their 2011 annual results last month. PR companies owned/part owned by STW include Cannings, Ogilvy PR and Hawker Britton. STW is of interest because it is Australia’s largest listed marketing communications company, and their results offer an insight into the health of the advertising, PR and media spend sectors in Australia, as most of STW’s revenue is from Australia. Conclusion: mixed results for STW Revenue and profits were up, although only single digit growth; however the share price remains low, and weak, and is supported up by STW’s daily purchases of their own shares. Let’s take a look at the good news. The company’s profits and revenue were up compared to last year. Revenue was up 6% at $323m, with NPAT profit of $41m, up 7%. STW is divided into two groups for reporting purposes; the advertising agencies, and the PR and digital agencies; which are lumped together in what STW called the “Diversified” division. There’s mixed news for the “Diversified” division ‐ whilst revenue increased nearly 8% compared to last year, STW won’t say if the 8% growth was more from an increase in digital services revenue, than the pure PR services. And, profit growth was less than group average at 3%. 2011 Summary: Revenue (% increase) NPAT Profit (% increase) STW Group $323m (+6%) $41m (+7%) Diversified division $152m (+ 8%) $25m (+3%) Digital contribution to the Group’s revenue STW’s percentage of total revenues that are derived from digital revenue is 23% ‐ this compares to WPP at 30% and Publicis at 29%. STW are looking to accelerate the growth of digital revenue over the next few years; in fact, STW’s company tagline may change from being a “marketing content and communications company” to being a “digital marketing services group” Anything interesting hidden in the back pages of the annual results? Oh yes! The really good news, if you’re a director of a company STW purchased, is contained in the figures listed by STW for payouts (and earn‐outs). Here are the figures: $323,400,000 paid out to directors of companies bought by STW since December 2008 $38,000,000 paid out in 2011 alone Given the above statistics, let’s do a calculation: • 50 companies purchased by STW during the period • Assuming an average of 3 founders per company; which means each Director received: • An average payout of @ $2,000,000 (*) Therefore, is STW Group adland’s millionaires factory? (* The PR Report asked STW to confirm the exact number of companies purchased and exact number of directors involved in the earn‐out scheme since 2008; STW was unwilling to provide this information, so the figures used above were compiled by The PR Report from information from various STW group results)
The earn‐out payouts are still going strong; STW expect to pay $25m+ in earn‐outs in the years ahead (depending on how the earn‐out is calculated; some earn‐out calculations involve stock options, and there is also an accounting rule change on the valuation of earn‐outs) STW’s acquisition rate has slowed, partly because of their debt levels, and partly because ASX listed Photon Group is not in the market paying top dollar to buy up independent agencies. Where do the profits go? Note that EPS (earnings per share) was 11.5c in 2011, and dividends paid out were 8c per share. Meaning that; STW pays out 70% of profits to shareholders. The cumulative effect of paying earn outs AND debt payments AND dividend payouts doesn’t leave much money to invest in further acquisitions. The future As organic growth for STW in Australia is limited, a lack of acquisitions in the pipeline may worry some prospective investors. Significant revenue growth will only be derived from further acquisitions, most likely in overseas (eg BRIC countries), and STW doesn’t have the capital reserves to make the purchases. Another factor weighing on the STW CEO’s mind is the $1,300,000 in cash spent buying STW shares over the past few months, with more to follow. Stock analysts are divided on this issue; some saying it is up to the company, others saying it is indicative of a company that has no ideas. The question is how long can STW keep buying their own shares, and what will happen to the share price when they stop buying? The bad news In a move prompted by the reduction in the market value of the company as well as low levels of ASX transactions, STW has been removed from the S&P/ASX 300 index. This is bad news for STW because some investors will only buy shares in the S&P 300 index.
Shoebridge leaves AFR for Corp Comms role at Ten Network After 25 years with Fairfax, most recently as the long established editor of the “Media & Marketing” section in the AFR, Neil Shoebridge moves to become Ten Network’s Director of Corporate Communications. Shoebridge was a journalist for more than 25 years, mainly covering the media, advertising and marketing industries, plus at times retailing and the consumer goods manufacturing sector. He started his career at the trade magazine B&T ‐ as a production assistant, then a cadet reporter ‐ before working as a freelancer for a year or so and then joining BRW. Shoebridge was BRW's marketing and media editor, then Sydney editor, then national editor (based in Melbourne) and finally managing editor. Shoebridge moved to The Australian Financial Review in early 2003 as media and marketing editor, responsible for the newspaper's Monday Marketing & Media section, daily coverage of media companies, feature writing and ‐ more recently ‐ online media and marketing content. Shoebridge has also written two books; Great Australian Advertising Campaigns and The Secrets of Successful Marketing. Shoebridge’s most recent role, as editor of the influential Media & Marketing section of the AFR, Australia’s business newspaper (and somewhat less successful website), meant Shoebridge covered listed Australian media stocks, such as Network’s Seven, Nine and Ten, Pay TV carrier Austar as well as other giants in the media and marketing arena like Foxtel, Google, Facebook and all the advertising and PR agencies. With such as long and detailed knowledge of the broadcast sector, it’s no surprise that Ten wanted Shoebridge for the role. Shoebridge joined Ten Network as director of corporate and public communications in late February, recruited by and reporting to Ten's new CEO, James Warburton. According to Shoebridge, the key challenges/opportunities are to improve
"the public face" of Ten in terms of its media relations and investor relations (the role does not extend to consumer marketing). Shoebridge will have some big challenges for this role; Free‐to‐air TV networks face a challenging advertising market, numerous talent wars (“boning” is still prevalent across the TV sector), nervous shareholders and the big elephant in the room; TV executives are struggling to define an high margin revenue model for the digital era, where media consumption statistics show an ever increasing number of people are consuming media via the web. Coupled to this key trend are two other competitive threats; (1) commercial TV is battling subscription TV, and (2) commercial TV stations are grappling with the introduction of multichanneling, which means their advertisers are split across 3+ channels, compared to the “old days” of one analogue TV channel TV Networks each have a number of new channel brands to build, offering publicists (and PRs) many new opportunities; Ten has created two new channel brands; “Eleven” and “One”. Balancing the cost of content with the ad dollars over the next few years, a period when the value of web advertising is due to overtake the value of TV advertising, won’t be easy. On the plus side, Ten doesn’t have the debt mountain that Nine has to content with.
Snippets News Corp: The Guardian UK newspaper suggests NewsCorp (a US company) faces the threat of prosecution under the USA’s FCPA – which criminalizes the payment of bribes to public officials by American companies overseas. After being accused of a cover up of the phone hacking saga, News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch created a Management and Standards Committee, that handed over company emails to UK Police; those emails have led to the arrest of journalists from The Sun, and others outside of News Corp, including a UK police officer, a member of the UK armed forces and a Ministry of Defence official. Crisis communication and corporate positioning work for News is handled by US owned PR agency Edelman. Sarah Archbold starts as the PR & Communications Manager for Australian women’s beach wear brand Suboo Newsmaker wins best media release ranking: http://www.topseos.com.au/rankings‐of‐best‐press‐release‐distribution‐services MEAA launches “Freelance Australia” – an online network for freelance journalists to discuss topics such as work contracts, copyright and business issues – see www.freelanceaustralia.org.au NSW Premier, Barry O’Farrell, asked his Director of Communications, Peter Grimshaw, to step down on leave without pay, following evidence of Grimshaw’s inappropriate email activities; sending sensitive emails to his girlfriend concerning issues in industries (eg gambling) which his boss, the Premier, has decision making powers over. Grimshaw’s girlfriend worked at The Star, Sydney’s only legal casino, at the time of the email exchanges. Ogilvy’s digital influence division is now called social@Ogilvy YELP listed on the New York Stock Exchange. YELP allows people to leave reviews about any product or business – a website that cuts out the professional critic and allows everyone to have their say – the site for feedback. Here’s what US publication, The Atlantic had to say: http://tinyurl.com/7oq8ft5 Chris Zinn leaves Choice after 5 years. Contact Chris on zinnchris@msn.com.au Ita Buttrose joins digital publishing start‐up Reddo Media Services as Chair. Other directors include Tim Goodman, Shane Mitchell and Troy Martin. Reddo Media joins a growing number of online publishers offering tablet (eg iPad) publishing platforms (i.e. your content is formatted and made accessible to iPad owners via a website or 3rd party website, such as Apple’s iTunes)
US FMCG giant Proctor & Gamble is to cut US$ 1 billion from their marketing budget as well as 5700 staff by 2016. Coalition promise to change racial vilification legislation if elected http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal‐affairs/coalition‐plan‐to‐change‐laws‐on‐vilification/story‐e6frg97x‐ 1226284466000 Wikileaks latest publication; thousands of emails from US private sector defence consultancy firm, Stratfor A professionally filmed video by US campaigners Invisible Children, looking to stop the forced recruitment of Ugandan children as child soldiers by warlord Joseph Kony was run on Ten Network uninterrupted. The 30 minute video was released via video sharing websites, Vimeo and YouTube. The Project ran the Kony Vimeo video in full in prime time, without any advert breaks; an Australian first for a commercial TV network. The Kony video is an NGO film, shot by a professional US based film‐maker that campaigns on a single topic. Visit www.kony2012.com
Burson Marsteller hires Collins for Director of Brands Practice Burson‐Marsteller Australia (B‐M) has appointed Lisa Collins as Director of Consumer Brands practice. Lisa launched her career in the United States where she worked as a film producer and publicist. After returning to Australia she joined the The Trish Nicol Agency in 2007, where she held the position of General Manager. With more than 20 years experience in media and communications, Lisa has worked with global brands including Bombay Sapphire, Grey Goose, Grand Marnier, Cartier, Mini Cooper and Schweppes. Lisa joins B‐M following a successful year for the Consumer Brands practice which included the high profile Canadian Club ‘Over Beer?’ campaign featuring David Boon which reached millions of Australians.
Agent99 wins USANA account Agent99 Public Relations (pic right) will be representing global health supplement brand, USANA Health Sciences in an eight month campaign. USANA Health Sciences, (www.usana.com) was founded in 1992 in the United States by microbiologist and immunologist, Dr Myron Wentz. It is now a global company operating in 14 countries and was established in Australia and New Zealand in 1998. Sharon Zeev Poole, Director of Agent99 PR says, “The main areas we will be focusing on during the campaign are product placement around their health supplements and also business profiling USANA’S array of successful associates located around the country.”
Bite wins new clients Bite Communications has won a series of new clients; Sybase, a subsidiary of SAP, already works with Bite in North America and Singapore and now joins Bite Australia’s enterprise software and services client list. It is accompanied by the addition of Varicent, a compensation and sales performance software, and Mainpac, an Australian enterprise asset management software provider. Bite has also signed up online ticketing vendor, Eventbrite following a competitive pitch Bite has appointed Amy Crosbie to the role of Communities Manager. In her new role, Amy will apply her experience to engagement programs for both online (social media) and offline (traditional media) communities. Amy most recently worked with Bite’s UK team as an account manager, serving technology clients including Microsoft, Polycom and Alterian. Bite also develops compelling content programs for several corporate blogs for Adobe Systems, HTC ANZ, the Business Software Alliance, D‐Link and more.
CPR Adelaide appoints former news director Tricia Karp National public affairs and issues management firm Communications & Public Relations (CPR) has appointed former television news presenter Tricia Karp to the firm’s growing Adelaide office. Tricia joins the CPR Adelaide team, which includes Regional Manager Nicole Haack and Senior Adviser Brad Green, after a 20‐year career as a TV and radio news and current affairs journalist, producer, presenter and news director. Tricia’s former employers include Channel 7 and ABC radio. She also founded and operated her own communications coaching business. CPR was started in Melbourne in 1994 and has offices in every mainland state capital and Canberra. Its 150 public relations, government relations and issues management clients include the Australian Steel Institute, Alstom, Holding Redlich and the Competitive Carriers Coalition. www.cprcomm.com.au
DEC PR wins Pronto Software account DEC Public Relations’ (DEC PR) technology practice has won the Pronto Software account, following a competitive pitch late last year. Pronto Software, an Australian vendor and developer of ERP software solutions, is a significant win for DEC PR’s new technology‐focused division. DEC PR will handle all elements of Pronto Software’s communications requirements, including social media, traditional media, events management and press office for at least the next 12 months. Pronto Software joins other recent client wins in the technology division including secure file sharing company Accellion, wearable adventure camera company Contour , free web hosting company Ingenyes , and online police check service National Crime Check.
Calder says financial services PR entering a “golden communication age” Carden Calder, MD of financial services PR firm, BlueChip Communication, has nominated the next five years as a golden age for transparent, multi‐channel communication with Australians of all ages, income levels and wealth. Calder said that “financial services communication can, and should, change lives ‐ by helping Australians make better decisions about their financial futures.”
Calder was joined by over 100 guests including; Financial Services Council CEO John Brogden, Financial Planning Association CEO Mark Rantall, and Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia CEO, Pauline Vamos, to open BlueChip Communication's new premises. Photo: Mark Rantall (FPA) Carden Calder (BC), Pauline Vamos (ASFA), John Brogden (FSC) “Financial wellbeing gives people peace of mind, a sense of security and more choice about the future. Those of us with the right to communicate about financial services also have a serious responsibility. Our industry's messages, corporate stories and public debates, whether retail or wholesale, are increasingly seen and heard by consumers. We have a $1.3 trillion responsibility to get it right for the people who rely on what we say,” said Calder. Chief executives representing the retail wealth management, professional financial planning and superannuation sectors agreed on the importance of ethical, effective, open communication with Australians. “A vibrant financial services sector should not only be measured by its innovation and responsiveness to underlying financial market and regulatory pressures, it must also strive for new ways to have those clear, transparent and engaged discussions with its customers,” said FPA CEO Mr Mark Rantall. “With a super pool expected to peak at an impressive $2.2 trillion in the next three years and a further $3.5 trillion in 2020 in less than ten, it is imperative that the changing system framework and the role of the super pool in the Australian economy are communicated as clearly and succinctly to the every Australian... the more Australians understand the consequences and benefits of the decisions today, the better their retirement will be,” said Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia Chief Executive Officer Pauline Vamos. Financial Services Council CEO Mr John Brogden who also took part in the official opening of the BlueChip offices, addressed the complexities of the financial services industry and the importance of keeping the focus on the consumer.
Cannings buys Purple Marketing content and communications services group, STW (ASX:SGN), has bought a 49% stake in Western Australian corporate communication and investor relations firm, Purple Communications. STW’s investment is made via its corporate and financial PR firm Cannings. As a result of the Cannings investment, Purple will change its name to Cannings Purple. The remaining 51 per cent will be retained by Purple’s Managing Director and founding shareholder Warrick Hazeldine, and Directors Annette Ellis, Caroline Thomson, Ryan McKinlay and Richard Harris. The investment is part of STW’s strategy to build the Cannings footprint across the country. Cannings currently has offices in Sydney and Brisbane and partner companies in Melbourne and throughout Asia via the Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide network. Cannings is planning further investments in these markets. STW CEO Mike Connaghan said of the investment: "Financial and corporate PR takes us directly into the c‐suite of big businesses, dealing with CEOs and boards on the most critical issues their businesses face. This type of access and influence generates unique momentum which often provides opportunities for other businesses within the STW group. It's a smart business to be in, and this investment further cements our leadership position." Photo: From left to right: John Hurst, Warrick Hazeldine
A word with you Avoid the overly overt Media releases are a key part of PR work, but as a former news journalist who had to assess thousands of them, I know that a key reason they often don’t attract publicity is because the writer hasn’t properly identified the news angle. The word news is obviously closely related to new: it has to be something fresh, preferably something to get excited about. If you take a long hard look at the material, you may sometimes have to advise the client that there is no real news, and therefore no point in a release. Always look for the news angle – and then write that as powerfully as possible, preferably with no product and company names to get in the way and make your release look more like a marketing brochure. Again, a good PR might need to make a strong case with the client for playing these details down – running them later in the release when the journalist is already hooked on the story. In other words, don’t be too overt about the products and services of your client – the details should be there, but discreetly wrapped in the news angle! This monthly writing guide is provided by Tony Spencer‐Smith of the corporate editorial consultancy Express Editors (www.expresseditors.com). Contact him on tony.spencersmith@gmail.com if you want to comment or find out more about his writing, editing and training services.
A really inconvenient truth Toby Ralph runs a marketing communications agency. He’s been a panel member on The Gruen Planet and was recently featured in Crikey’s Power Index; a series of profiles on the people who make and shape the news. Many of his clients and campaigns are controversial, a fact that Ralph doesn’t shy away from. In fact, Ralph seems to embrace taking on the big issues; in this article Ralph argues that discussing both sides of an issue improves the quality of our democracy. By Toby Ralph “What an amoral douche bag” claimed one Twitterer on Crikey! after a recent profile of me “What a sad waste of a life” opined another. It’s because I spend a fair amount of my time pressing the case for unpopular causes, cases and corporations. But I believe that every case, no matter how confronting, deserves to be heard. The accused deserves a good barrister. I don’t want to live in a society that hears one side of a story, unthinkingly supports it and sneers at contrarians. If we fail to represent all sides as powerfully as we can, we are thoughtlessly endorsing bias, dumbing down debate and debasing our culture. If you spend much time working on issues, you’ll realise the rarity of ineluctable moral absolutes. That goody‐goody cause too frequently has a surreptitious sponsor with an objective of amassing money or influence. Take live exports. It looked so simple; Australian cows were seemingly being butchered inhumanely in Indonesian abattoirs – Australia clearly shouldn’t stand for it – let’s ban it. But hang on. Was there a Union in the background quietly helping this attack? Could there have been a hidden agenda of protectionism; trying to close international sales in a vain attempt to boost flagging local jobs? And why was it that support for the ban was so often led by MPs with abattoirs in their electorates, or cattle trucks passing through their newly developed café precincts? How widespread was the animal abuse? How many farming families would be wiped out? Who stood to gain were a ban enacted – could it be that the prospective beneficiaries of redirected millions in funding were involved in the lobbying campaign too? And when Australian cattle sales were banned did cruelty decrease, or did it, in fact, increase? Shouldn’t we hear about this, or is it verboten? We all know banks are bastards. Look at the billions they pocket. Let’s trash their reputations in Parliament until they risk losing customers if they dare inflict another rate rise on those poor mortgage holders. So why might this happen? Well, banks are one of the few groups despised more than politicians. Politicians can attack them and improve their standing based on the theory that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. But just a minute, bank earnings per share are not out of line with most listed companies, in fact they are well under many. Their costs of funding have increased to the point that they are losing money on new mortgages, and if they start to fail Australia will face some very real risks. Lower rates inflate the housing bubble and make homes less affordable. The ill‐ conceived Exit Fee ban designed to punish banks will actually entrench their power and increase their market share because of its impact on smaller lenders. Anyway, there are more shareholders than mortgage holders in our banks, and more depositors than borrowers – they get lower returns if Government intimidates banks into keener mortgage rates. How about a fair go for them? Let’s hear this side too. Of course the Murray Darling Basin environment needs more water; let’s take it from those selfish irrigators, or frogs, cod, birds and billabongs will suffer. But at what cost? How many communities will close? How many uncompensated truckies and corner shops, surgeries, pizza bars and school footy teams are we prepared to eradicate to help the environment?
It seems palpably absurd not to thrash through that prickly debate before we make our decision. OK, nuclear dumping – it’s hard to find something less popular – so let’s fight to keep it outside Australia. Think global dump local? No thanks. But what will happen to that waste? If we do nothing will it be chucked on open waste tips, thrown in the sea, buried at old nuclear test sites where slowly but surely it will leach into the waterways just as it does now? And those waterways don’t respect national borders. Someone, somewhere has to manage nuclear waste properly, and Australia has potential storage in stable underground rocks, vast distances from populations, coupled with relative political constancy. Maybe we could make the world a safer place and simultaneously boost our economy – should we not at least air that argument? I say we should, because informed decisions need information. I say we should be proud to present counterintuitive arguments, so society can hear both sides of a story. And then decide. Toby Ralph can be contacted on tobyralph@ozemail.com.au or 0414 372 244
Is PR heading into a downturn? Some survival strategies By Amanda Little, Principal, Intermedia Consulting According to most economic commentators, Australia has a two speed economy and the outlook is one of moderate but uneven growth. There are several factors at play: persistently high Aussie dollar, cautious consumers, edging up of unemployment and growth of e‐commerce. In other words, we are in for a bumpy ride, and if the European sovereign debt crisis worsens or commodity prices fall, well, things could really go pear‐shaped. What does this mean for the PR market? It depends. Those consultancies with resource or infrastructure clients are probably trying to hire people. Those with retail clients or exporters may be feeling some pain. Anecdotally, there has been some contraction in the PR market in Sydney and Melbourne already. Many clients are unsure whether the economy is going to improve or worsen so they are sitting on budgets, waiting to see what will happen. The old adage of PR being the first to be cut when the economy turns down doesn’t apply the way it used to. During the GFC, PR budgets turned down but not as dramatically as they did when the tech bubble burst in 2001. So, what’s likely to happen if there’s a downturn? 1. A flight to quality: clients will seek out agencies that are proven performers 2. Play it safe: clients become more risk averse and less likely to fund “big ideas”. 3. Price cutting: some consultancies will cut margins to keep or win business 4. Focus on value: clients will want more out of budgets. More creativity, better results, more cut through.
5. Less to go around: clients spend less, budgets are cut, and other consultancies come after your quality clients. 6. Staff stay put: staff turnover in buoyant times is around 33 per cent, in other words the average length of stay is 3 years. Last year’s PRIA Registered Consultancy Group Benchmarking Survey revealed a turnover rate of 25 per cent; (average tenure of four years). Good news if you have a good team, bad news if you are trying to hire. What are the strategies that agencies can use to protect their business in a downturn? 1. Do great work, get results and show the value: This is always true but even more so in tight economic conditions. And the best way to show value is to know what “value” means to the client in the first place. Ask what success looks like and what the business impact of a successful pr campaign will be. 2. Talk up PR: In the GFC client budgets flowed from advertising to PR. Now budgets are flowing to digital agencies. As an industry, we need to defend and promote the value of PR to brands and organisations. 3. Trim costs but don’t be cheap: Be cost efficient but don’t take work you’ll lose money on. Let someone else lose that money. 4. Pitch less: Not as crazy as it sounds. Responding to an RFP can cost an agency $15‐ 20k in time with only a 25 to 33% chance of a win. Say no to the pitches where you have don’t a good chance and use this time to surprise, delight and grow existing clients. 5. Specialise and do some thought leadership: Blair Enns in his ‘Win Without Pitching Manifesto’ says that, expertise is the only valid basis for differentiating from the competition. How can your agency get even more specialised in what you do? What’s the thought leadership plan for the next six months? 6. Add/deepen skills: when an agency is flat out there’s no time for training. With all the time you saved from saying no from the pitch you were going to lose anyway, what skills can the agency add or sharpen?. For my money, the answer would be social media, social media and social media. 7. Rightsize/Reshape: take a hard look at the structure of the agency; a downturn is a good time to review staffing structure and client portfolio. 8. Be ready for the upswing! When things pick up you’ll need to be ready to hire and step things up a gear. Formerly head of H&K and Edelman, Amanda Little specialises in helping agencies grow their business. Amanda@intermediaconsulting.com.au
Finkelstein media enquiry releases report Current legislation not sufficient says Finkelstein, and suggests a “News Media Council” be established to 1. set journalistic standards for the news media 2. handle complaints made by the public when standards are breached. 3. News Media Council regulates news and current affairs coverage on all platforms: print, online, radio and television. 4. NMC replaces ACMA functions for standards and complaints concerning news and current affairs, and replaces the voluntary APC. The recommendation that might upset the tabloids is #12: “An important change to the status quo is that, in appropriate cases, the News Media Council should have power to require a news media outlet to publish an apology, correction or retraction, or afford a person a right to reply” Read the full report here: http://www.dbcde.gov.au/digital_economy/independent_media_inquiry
evoTV recruits Fairfax marketer as it continues to build specialist branded content team evoTV (owned by evolution media group) has appointed accomplished ex‐Fairfax marketer, Jessica Shuwalow (pic, right), as Marketing Manager. Jessica will lead activation and engagement for branded content properties owned by evolution media group and its clients. She has a wealth of experience in both financial services and direct marketing honed during her seven and a half years at Fairfax owned platform, InvestSMART. Jessica was instrumental in growing their database by approximately 100,000, as well as increasing InvestSMART’s open and click‐through rates by almost 20 per cent.
Firebrand hires Musollf for focus on PR Firebrand Talent has hired former US based Deborah Musollf to the Sydney office. Musollf joins as a PR, Communications & Marketing specialist recruiter. Originally from California, Musollf spent seven years in the music and entertainment industry performing and writing music for television and film, as well as working in entertainment marketing. View Musollf’s profile: http://www.firebrandtalent.com/deborah‐musolff
Church launches online network http://www.networkyou.org new website to “Inspire, Connect & Resource Christian professionals, business people and Uni students”
Flourish PR wins 3 new accounts * Bake Pop (www.bakepop.com) * Troll Beads (http://www.trollbeads.com/) * ONEmobile http://www.onemobile.com.au/
News Ltd recruits Suckling for senior comms role News Ltd has appointed Adam Suckling to the position of director of policy, corporate affairs and community relations. Suckling was previously Foxtel's director of policy and corporate affairs. Toby Hemming joins News Digital Media as head of Corp comms.
Local Government Communications awards The Annual Government Communications Australia Awards were presented to Local Councils at a dinner held at Melbourne’s historic Windsor Hotel (pic, below). In all, 13 awards were presented over 11 categories. Winners of the 2012 Government Communication Australia (GCA) Awards included: Best Communication Award (Under 5k) Knox City Council for their Annual Report. Melbourne’s Knox City Council delivered its 2010‐11 Annual Report in video format and uploaded to You Tube for people to access. The report was delivered in an innovative, cost effective, accessible, transparent and sustainable way. Best New or Digital Media (*Two winners share this award) Brisbane City Council for January 2011 Flood Crisis Digital Media City of Wodonga for Story time with Mrs Mac Brisbane City Council ‐ January 2011 Flood Crisis Digital Media During the January 2011 Queensland floods Brisbane City Council needed to communicate quickly and accurately with its residents to ensure their safety and wellbeing. Brisbane's Digital Communication Team operated around the clock using it's already established digital channels including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr to react quickly to changing situations by communicating crucial messages. Traditional channels were used to raise awareness of social media channels. City of Wodonga ‐ Story time with Mrs Mac Children’s story time at the library in the Victorian City of Wodonga has gone digital. Launched on YouTube last August, Story Time with Mrs Mac is now placed on Council’s website each week and is tweeted to followers. Best emergency or crisis communications initiative Cairns Regional Council for Evacuation strategy awareness For more information contact: Kelli Browne, City Boroondara, (03) 9278 4425; Kelli.Browne@boroondara.vic.gov.au
Hill & Knowlton rebrands as Hill+Knowlton Strategies Hill & Knowlton Australia has rebranded as Hill+Knowlton Strategies in line with its global company direction. New logo, right:
GetUp! targets lobbyists GetUp’s top 10 list of campaigns for 2012 has lobbyists in their sights: Number 7: Ending corporate donations and reducing the influence of lobbyists
Grutzner launches Just Anna, specialist social justice PR agency Anna Grutzner, a former Fenton Communications Sydney director, has left the firm after 16 years to establish Just Anna, a specialist social justice communications and training consultancy. “There are some major, exciting reforms occurring in the way government funds and the non‐ government sector delivers essential services such as affordable housing for the vulnerable and foster care for children at risk,” Grutzner said. “This means significant change for both government and non‐government and in the way they do business together. Communication will play a vital role in engaging stakeholders in the change process, whether in creating an independent, national community housing industry or transitioning foster care in New South Wales to a post ‘DoCs’ era.” “Managing reputational risk will also be important as not‐for‐profits significantly increase the scale and diversity of their business activities, so Just Anna is also offering customised media and reputation training to these sectors.” Grutzner will deliver high level strategy and support to government, not‐for‐profit and peak body clients and draw on a community of established PR, design, training and digital providers.
Hill+Knowlton Strategies recruits Shrowder to head Crisis and Issues Management Hill+Knowlton have recruited Brian Shrowder (pic, right) as Director, Crisis + Issues Management, with responsibilities for crisis planning and training, media spokesperson coaching and crisis communications counsel. Shrowder is returning to Australia from Dubai where he was Director, Crisis & Training for Hill+Knowlton Strategies in the Middle East and Africa. In that role he advised many of the region’s largest companies on their crisis strategies and conducted spokesperson training for hundreds of corporate representatives. “Brian’s depth of expertise significantly strengthens our crisis capability,” said Sue Cook, Managing Director, Hill+Knowlton Strategies. “Crisis management is a core strength of H+K Strategies globally and we are delighted to be able to offer the full range of crisis services here in Australia.” According to Shrowder, the need for a structured approach to crisis readiness is greater than ever. “In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, corporate leaders recognise that crises can hit any industry, any time. They face closer scrutiny and a growing demand for transparency,” he said. “At the same time, social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter present both opportunities and serious risks for companies facing crises or difficult issues. That’s why Hill+Knowlton Strategies has developed a range of digital tools to help clients navigate the social media landscape and engage the power of public opinion.” A former Network Ten journalist and news manager, Shrowder first joined Hill+Knowlton Strategies in 2001 as the firm’s Melbourne‐based director of crisis and training services.
IPREX adds Liquid Ideas Liquid Ideas (pic, right; team photo), one of Australia’s leading lifestyle consumer communications businesses, has joined IPREX, a global corporation of public relations and communication firms. Based in Alexandria, Sydney, Liquid Ideas was founded in 2000 by Stuart Gregor, an expert in the marketing and communication of luxury lifestyle brands, and a widely‐regarded wine commentator. From an initial focus on the wine industry, the firm has grown to around 30 staff and accommodates leading clients in all aspects of the lifestyle and leisure sector from sport to bars, and from first‐ class travel to the world’s finest restaurants and best beer brands. Among the firm’s clients are Carlton United Brewers (including Strongbow and Crown Lager), De’Longhi & Kenwood appliances, Kellogg’s, Singapore Airlines, Westfield Sydney, the championship‐ winning Sydney Sixers T20 cricket franchise, Wolf Blass and Lindeman’s wines.
LEWIS PR expands APAC team LEWIS PR has announced four new hires to support several recent new business wins across the region. LEWIS has won accounts for F5 Networks in Australia, and Compuware and Sierra Solutions in Singapore. In Australia, Amanda Do joins the Sydney office as Account Executive from BlueChip Communication where she worked in the financial services sector on campaigns for AustralianSuper and Centuria Capital. Prior to that, Amanda worked in the technology practice at Howorth Communications working for companies such as Citrix Systems, Intel and Hitachi Data Systems. In Hong Kong, Annie Ho joins as Account Director from iPR Ogilvy. She brings to LEWIS over 10 years PR and marketing experience and has executed campaigns for companies including Cisco, NCR, Schneider Electric, SmarTone and Sharp. In Singapore, Kim Danker joins as Account Manager from Edelman. Her experience includes anchoring the official launch of Marina Bay Sands as well as introducing Windows 7 and Kinect for Xbox 360 for Microsoft. Also in Singapore, Gina Daryanani joins as Account Manager from Weber Shandwick, where she worked in the technology practice on campaigns for Microsoft, SAS Institute, Honeywell, Red 5 Studios, Astaro Asia and Tekla.
Maxconnectors launches fashion blog; secures AWI as sponsor Maxconnectors, a new online network uniting Australia's fashion, beauty and lifestyle writers, commentators and bloggers, has secured The Woolmark Company as their “launch partner” (sponsor/advertiser). The Woolmark Company is the promotional division of Australian Wool Innovation, a trade funded organisation that promotes Australian wool. Creative Director, Nik Howe said: "With the launch of Maxconnectors, we have provided a platform for Australia's leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle commentators to become creators with a global voice while recognising the changing media habits of the modern consumer, who now seek out visual stimulation and engaging content in a digital and social space." Maxconnectors bloggers include: New York‐based stylist Anouk Colantoni, street‐style photographer and model Candice Lake, fashion photographer Harold David, boutique owner Jason Minty and Lifestyle writer Lara Hutton. Robert Langtry, Global Marketing Officer of Australian Wool Innovation (owners of The Woolmark Company) said: "The concept of Maxconnectors really appealed to us. Not just because of the originality of the idea in the Australian market, but because we could see how effective this form of communication is from an audience perspective." Maxconnectors Founder is Lynette Phillips (pic, right), a former editor at ACP magazines More info at www.maxconnectors.com
ninemsn adds titles to build women’s network ninemsn will partner with Independent Digital Media to bring their three women’s sites ‐ PRIMPED, The Knot and Younger You, into the network. The addition of these independent brands complements the scale of ninemsn’s existing aggregated women’s offering. Your Beauty Spot, ninemsn’s standalone beauty offering, along with the beauty sections of women’s titles; Grazia, Woman’s Day and Cleo, already reach a significant audience. The newly expanded ‘Beauty Network’ now offers advertisers access to an additional 380,000 enthusiasts each month. ninemsn will commercially represent the three sites and bring them under the Lifestyle category to further build their audience numbers, while the editorial content will continue to be developed by the IDM team.
Not another social media disaster! By Thomas Tudehope It would appear that almost each week a new social media disaster breaks through on Twitter and Facebook, makes it way into the mainstream press and gives rise to 24 hours of commentary on why it was such a disaster. Woolworths, Coles, Qantas and Harvey Norman are but a few that have fallen victim to the wrath and venom of the online world. Tellingly, most ‘disasters’ involve large companies with established brands. Bigger brand, bigger audience, the bigger the risk? Perhaps. The more logical explanation is that big brands are supplanting traditional PR onto social media. PR firms are scrambling into the social media space offering anything and everything from research pieces to the latest apps and technological enhancements for Facebook pages and blogs alike. And, why wouldn’t they? Social media is now the frontline in the brand/consumer relationship. Brands cannot afford to vacate the space, and PR firms don’t want to be left behind in offering the solution. But, traditional PR just doesn’t cut it online. Whilst most online consumers are more than willing to follow or like a brand on Facebook or Twitter, they are expecting a distinctly different relationship. They want personality, ingenuity and sincerity. They don’t want to be preached at, sold to or coerced into another marketing scheme. The PR firms that have successfully implemented social media campaigns and strategies are those have an organic understanding of the audience and the platform. They understand their target audience, what motivates them, how they interact and how a brand can intuitively insert themselves into a conversation without appearing assertive or controlling. Social media presents an enormous challenge to established brands and businesses. But, with the right knowledge and adept skills, it can unleash a enormous potential in forging relationships with new consumers in new markets. Thomas Tudehope is a social media consultant. You can find him on Twitter @TommyTudehope or his blog www.hespokeshespoke.tumblr.com
PPR and Burson Marsteller win 2012 International Expo project Professional Public Relations (PPR) and Burson Marsteller Korea (BM Korea) have been appointed as the public relations team for the Australian Government’s participation at 2012 International Exposition (Expo) to be held in Yeosu, Republic of Korea. The global exhibition, which will run from 12 May 2012 – 12 August 2012, is expected to attract eight million visitors from all over the world and will showcase the best of Australia under the theme of “The Living Ocean and Coast”. Australia’s participation, “Australia: In Harmony with the Ocean”, will be delivered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Visitors to the Australian Pavilion will learn about, and experience, the country’s research, innovation and leadership in protecting the ocean and coastal areas, to deliver an environmentally sustainable future. PPR teams in Sydney and Canberra and a Burson Marsteller team in Korea delivered a joint agency offering to the Department as part of a competitive pitch. The appointment will see the agencies in Australia and Korea support the Department across market research, media relations, digital and social media outreach and event management. As part of the appointment, PPR and BM are managing the Expo’s key social media channels including the Expo’s FaceBook and Twitter pages, and YouTube channel. Event activations in Korea’s capital Seoul, will be further leveraged through integration with the three platforms. For more information about the Australian Pavilion at the 2012 Yeosu Expo visit www.australianpavilion.com
PPR expands Perth office Professional Public Relations (PPR) continues to expand its Perth team appointing Michelle Ferrari as Account Manager and Jo Ann Blizzard as Senior Consultant. Michelle Ferrari is working for the Perth City Link Rail Alliance as Communications and Stakeholder Manager while Jo Ann Blizzard is specializing in events, media relations and sponsorship management for PPR’s Corporate division.
PPR promotions David Brook has been promoted to Senior Account Manager in Professional Public Relations’ (PPR) Investor Relations division. David has more than 20 years experience in the global resources sector with blue chip global leaders and small to mid‐cap ASX listed companies as well as with government in Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Chris Rickard has been promoted to Account Manager in PPR’s Corporate division. Chris specializes in delivering strategic stakeholder engagement, issues management, CSR and corporate communications programs for clients in both the public and private sectors.
Red Agency hires for Sydney expansion PR consultancy Red Agency Sydney (www.redagency.com.au), has made two new hires in its consumer team on the back of a number of new business wins. The additions to the team will help deliver on the agency’s new strategic vision that focuses on digital and integrated solutions for clients. Rachel White joins from Tourism NT where she spent the last two years as Global PR & Media Director. Rachel was responsible for: consumer PR strategies and programs across Australia and eight key international source markets; global social media and consumer engagement; Ministerial media advice; and internal communications. Previous to this role Rachel
was the Associate Director, Lifestyle for Edelman. Rachel will lead the consumer practice at Red Agency Sydney and will report to MD James Wright. Adam Freedman has also joined the consumer team as an Account Manager. Adam joins from House PR (formerly Henry’s House) in the UK where he worked for four years. His clients included FHM Magazine, Tourism NZ, AOL, Sailor Jerry Rum, Discovery Channel and the BBC. Adam was responsible for delivery of numerous innovative social media strategies for his clients, including the award‐winning ‘A Message from Earth’ campaign that enabled the Bebo community to create a digital time capsule and made history when it was beamed out into space.
Rowland hires Nicholson for digital push Brisbane based communication consultancy, Rowland, has announced the appointment of digital strategist Adam Nicholson to its Corporate Communication practice as part of its strategy to achieve a leadership position within the digital and social media space. Digital strategist Adam Nicholson, who assisted former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Minister David Blunkett to webcast press conferences and parliamentary speeches online, has joined Rowland as a Director. Nicholson has an extensive background in public affairs, corporate and crisis communication, with a particular focus on online and social media channels. Nicholson specialises in online communication including website delivery, online communities and social media strategies for a range of corporate and government clients. Nicholson’s senior media relations and public affairs experience spans the challenging portfolios of health, transport and education, in both Australia and the UK. He has played a key role in crisis communication responses for incidents including the Shen Neng oil tanker that ran aground on the Barrier Reef and the Bindeez Beads national product recall.
Rowland hires Egan for Agribusiness role Rowland has also announced the appointment of agribusiness specialist Brendan Egan to the role of Director. Rowland Chairman Geoff Rodgers said it was an exciting time for Rowland to be involved in the agribusiness sector given the increasingly complex trends and issues facing clients as they focused on maintaining their competitive advantage in an increasingly complex international marketplace. “Brendan has an extensive agribusiness background having worked as a communication adviser for a national beef industry lobby group, a rural reporter for ABC Radio and as a senior media adviser for three regionally‐based federal parliamentarians, including the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, the Hon Tim Fischer MP,” Mr Rodgers said. “Since its inception 20 years ago, Rowland has been involved in the agribusiness sector and we understand the critically important role of our agribusiness clients in the global economy, given the sector touches on key areas such as government, science, health, nutrition and safety,” he said. “The agribusiness sector is well positioned for major growth given the increasing global demand for soft commodities required to feed the world. At the same time the sector is facing challenges created by political and social issues, commodity price volatility, and the need to adopt more sustainable practices. Brendan holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Hons) and most recently he was Austrade’s National Manager, Agribusiness and Food – the Australian Government’s trade and investment agency.
Roy Morgan launches Customer Satisfaction Awards Roy Morgan Research launched their new Customer Satisfaction Awards in March at a gala dinner in Melbourne. The Awards covered more than thirty categories, recognising Australian businesses who are leading their industry in Customer Satisfaction. The awards cover the following categories: Banks; Building Societies; Credit Unions; Auto Stores; Car Manufacturers; Clothing Stores; Coffee Shops; Department Stores; Furniture/Electrical Stores; Hardware Stores; Music/Book Stores; Pharmacies; Quick Service Restaurants; Shoe Stores; Sports Stores; Supermarkets; Domestic Airlines; International Airlines; Hotels; Home Phone Providers; Mobile Phone Handsets; Mobile Service Providers; Home Internet Service Providers; Electricity Providers; Gas Providers; Business Insurers; General Insurers; Private Health Insurers; Risk & Life Insurers; Business Super Managers; Industry Super Funds; Retail Superannuation Funds. The Customer Satisfaction Awards are based on data from Roy Morgan’s Consumer Single Source survey (over 50,000 consumers annually), as well as Roy Morgan’s Business Single Source survey (over 20,000 business decision makers annually).
Online Circle offers Facebook insights for Australian brands The Facebook Reports (or to use their full name, the Australian Facebook Performance and Benchmarking Reports) are monthly reports that provide a top line view of the performance of key Australian brands’ activities on Facebook. The Facebook Reports are collated and interpreted by The Online Circle, a fully focused social media agency. These reports are destined to become an indispensable reference for Marketing and Digital Marketing departments nationally – both in agencies and within corporate brands. The Reports will focus on twelve key industries at a time, and will compare the number of followers, the engagement rates (i.e. how much are they actively engaging with their fans and followers) and how many people are talking about the brand online and then rank them from 1‐10. The twelve industries that are covered in the February 2012 issue are: • Travel • Airlines • Accommodation • Automotive Manufacturers • Banking and Financial • Telecoms companies, • Retail and Department Stores • Fashion • Grocery • Liquor and Beverages • FMCG • Snack Foods
To receive a free copy of The Facebook Reports simply go to www.onlinecircle.com, register your details and download a copy.
SAUNDERS & CO PR wins 7 new accounts PR agency Saunders & Co has won 7 new accounts: Cloud Nine, WOWCOW, La Clinica, Renya Xydis, The Balm, Kerstin Florian and Beau Brummell Introductions Saunders & Co PR will manage public relations and marketing activities in Australia for all the new accounts. Photo, right; founder Gary Saunders. About the new clients: WOWCOW: healthy soft‐serve yogurt. Cloud Nine: a range of professional hair styling tools and solutions. La Clinica: skin care solutions. Renya Xydis: Stylist Renya Xydis is the Owner of three of Australia’s premier hairdressing salons (Valonz, Salon X and Renya Xydis City) and beauty salon Miss Frou Frou. The Balm: beauty product range with a “beauty in five minutes” philosophy. Kerstin Florian: range of European facial, body and bath products and treatments for the spa industry based on natural resources including thermal mineral water, mud, algae, herbal extracts and essential oils. And finally, Beau Brummell Introductions: Sydney’s first introduction agency for gay males.
TWO Social wins two accounts Social media specialists, TWO Social, have announced they’ll be working with Konica Minolta and Elastoplast on new projects this year. Konica Minolta has engaged TWO Social to develop the social media element of their new Office Hero campaign launching later this month. TWO Social have worked with Konica Minolta on a number of pure social media projects, most recently on their Show Your Colours campaign during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. However, in a first for Konica Minolta, Office Hero will be integrated across all marketing channels with TWO Social charged with creating its YouTube, Facebook and Twitter components. The cross‐channel approach by Konica Minolta is testament to TWO Social’s mantra that brands are no longer relying upon traditional channels alone to communicate effectively with all audiences. TWO Social has begun working again with Beiersdorf’s Elastoplast brand, The Official Supplier of Tapes and Bandages to the Australian 2012 Olympic Team to generate exposure for the brand leading into the 2012 London Olympics. The reappointment follows Elastoplast Sports highly successful Ultimate Netball Fan competition, developed by TWO Social leading into the Netball World Cup in Singapore last year. TWO Social have been briefed to design and promote a similar ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity for Olympic fans. The campaign is expected to launch in April.
Voiceless launches campaign attacking factory farming Animal rights charity Voiceless have produced two television commercials highlighting the plight of factory farmed animals – the commercials will be shown on free to air television channels as community service announcements (CSA’s). The advertisements deliver messages about the reality of pig and chicken production in Australia. Actor and Voiceless Ambassador, Hugo Weaving, provides a voiceover for the commercials and is advocating their message of animal protection. The campaign, Factory Farming: the truth is hard to swallow, was initiated by Dr Charlie Teo, member of the Voiceless Council who delivered the 2012 Australia Day Address. “I wanted to help Voiceless talk to consumers through the captivating language of film, and help to lift the veil of secrecy that hides factory farming,” Dr Teo said. The CSA’s are supported by a street poster campaign in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, online advertisements across the ninemsn network, and an interactive microsite that takes users behind the closed doors of a factory farm.
Emile Sherman said, “We are not out to shock people with these ads. We simply want the Australian public to think about where their food comes from, and to look further into factory farming.” Dani Lombard Public Relations are providing pro‐bono PR services to Voiceless. You can see the videos on the Voiceless website ‐ http://www.voiceless.org.au/truth‐commercials The online versions have intros from Hugo Weaving and Abbie Cornish.
Guardian YouTube ad promotes open journalism project http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDGrfhJH1P4 This advert for the Guardian's open journalism, imagines how The Guardian might cover the story of the three little pigs in print and online. In this issue of The PR Report, we’ll hear from Liz Zhang, who spent time with Hill+Knowlton Strategies, and Alanna Lucci, who spent time with Tsuki PR. Thank you both for your contributions; internships can be a great opportunity for students to make their first step into PR and make lots of contacts. In addition internships are vital for agencies to trial new people.
Intern perspectives Not just an ordinary desk job, by Liz Zhang, Intern at Hill+Knowlton Strategies “They say you should never work with pets or children, and here we are with both,” the director of the health team told me with her pretty 18 month old daughter on her hip while a fluffy silky terrier puppy named Alfie ran in circles around the office. In between getting acquainted with everyone in the office and building cardboard barriers so that Alfie couldn’t escape from our pod, my first day as an intern at Hill+Knowlton Strategies in the health team was not exactly what I expected; it was much better. I entered the office anticipating an ordinary desk job with various intervals of coffee delivery, but in actual fact I was thrown in the midst of preparations for large‐scale media events that, although stressful, were extremely rewarding for everyone involved. Being based in the health team, the two main campaigns I worked with were LEO Pharma’s ‘Know Your Own Skin’ and Bayer’s Animal Health portfolio. I was involved in the launch for the Know Your Own Skin iPhone App at Custom’s House, travelling to ACP and Pacific magazines to take UV photos of journalists, and the media launch event for Bayer’s ‘The Advantage Family A‐Team’ (which is where Alfie comes in). Running around after Alfie, who was very excited about being in
a photo shoot with Olympic swimmer Giaan Rooney, Sydney roaming vet Dr Romy and pet photographer David Darcy, took up the majority of my first day, making me love the idea of office life without even having been in one. The LEO Pharma Know Your Own Skin iPhone App launch involved the team gathering outside Custom’s House on the first day of autumn, as we brought the beach to the city and utilised an innovative UV camera to raise awareness of the damage a summer under the sun can do to your skin. Although it had been a rather cold summer, we had a huge audience as we set up a marquee, surfboards and beach chairs in the middle of the concrete pavement under the unpredictable weather. The campaign was remarkably successful, and we received an overwhelming amount of interest, enquiries and media coverage for the iPhone application and surrounding campaign. H+K Strategies’ association with both local and international clients and broad range of industry specialism means that there was always a different project to work on. It was an extremely educational experience to see the way problems were approached, and even more amazing to be a part of the innovative solutions generated. Being in my final year of a Bachelor of Media and Communications at UNSW, this exposure has given me hands on experience in PR as well as the opportunity to work with a team that’s passionate, welcoming and inspiring. I am excited to take away a better understanding of the industry and the valuable experience of knowing what it’s like to be a part of one of Australia's leading communication consultancies, and would urge anyone that is interested in the industry to search for such an opportunity. H+K Strategies has an ongoing partnership with the University of NSW, offering internships for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Media (Communication & Journalism) and Bachelor of Media (Public Relations and Advertising) degree programs. For further information, visit www.hkstrategies.com.au
Intern perspective #2 By Alanna Lucci, intern at Tsuki PR in Sydney As a first year Bachelor of Communications student at the University of Western Sydney, I was offered a 3‐month part‐time internship at Tsuki, an arts and entertainment based Public Relations agency located in the heart of Redfern, in November 2011. Some great aspects of my intern experience at Tsuki was working as part of the coordinating team, helping with end of campaign WRAP reports, databases and events. End of campaign WRAP reports and working with client databases was a great way to understand Tsuki’s clients, what they do and who their targets are. So far during my time with Tsuki, I have experienced one event – a premier for 2K’s The Darkness ll –, which was held at Oxford Art Factory in mid‐January. Helping at the door with the guest lists was great as I got to meet numerous journalists, photographers and celebrities. Each day my intern experience got better and I was getting more responsibility – proof reading media releases and pitching news and upcoming events to the media became more common on my daily to do lists. I often experienced journalists who do not pick up their phone or were not interested in what I was pitching to them. I was told that this would happen. However, there is no better feeling then when journalists/editors are eager to hear a pitch and then next day there is coverage on their websites, social pages and better yet, their newspapers. Towards the end of my internship period, the director of Tsuki, Edweana Wenkart, offered me a part time position two days a week to fit into my university timetable. I am now about to take my next steps as an accounts coordinator, working with clients such as Volvo, 2K, ASTRA, Voice Coach, Sydney Film School, Sydney Family Show and many more, along with a great team.
I have learned several things while being an intern. Time management is crucial for success in the industry, presentation in every aspect is important and you have to be confident in what you are pitching to the media. Nevertheless, what I have learned from Tsuki and the reason why I have enjoyed my experience is that close relationships with clients and colleagues are important and it is why I have chosen Tsuki to guide my future as a Public Relations practitioner.
Late news:
** AHRC seeks PR agency ** The Australian Human Rights Commission seeks PR agency for a National Anti‐Racism campaign. For full brief contact Adrian Flood, Director Comms T +61 2 9284 9654 adrian.flood@humanrights.gov.au
Job of the Month
Group Account Director (Consumer/Brand) – Melbourne $160k+ • • •
Major, high profile brand portfolio Leadership role Friendly, laid-back culture, desirable office space
If major multinational brands, cutting edge creativity, and a young, fun/lively, highly supportive team culture are your thing, then look no further. Our client, an awarded and highly regarded consultancy, has continued to attract some of the most admired and recognised consumer brands in the country to their business over the past 24 months and on the back of further growth now requires an exceptional professional to join and lead a particularly high performing consumer/brand team. You will bring insights, genuine gravitas and proven experience working with leading international brands, delivering outstanding senior counsel and leadership to clients and team alike. You should have natural creative flair and proven ability to lead teams and execute highly successful campaigns on behalf of your clients. You should have well developed relationship management skills, and have experience in managing a diverse client portfolio of high profile brands. You have proven ability to communicate at all levels, a sharp strategic mindset, first class social media knowledge and strategic expertise, and clearly demonstrable track record of business development. The successful candidate should have at least 8 years consulting experience, ideally within a PR agency environment. For further information on the above position please contact Jeremy Wrench at Capstone Careers on (03) 9827 7277 or jobs@capstone-careers.com.
Capstone Careers provides specialist permanent recruitment services to the Public Relations, Corporate Affairs and Marketing Communications industry. Capstone is led by Jeremy Wrench, MPRIA, and guided by his 16 years of experience in international PR consulting and senior management
SYDNEY ROLES: Account Executive (Consumer), $45k+ A rare and exciting opportunity to join one of Sydney’s fastest growing young creative agencies. This business has been established only a handful of years but already is winning major international accounts on the back of outstanding creativity and first class execution. 1+ years consumer consulting experience preferred. Account Manager (Consumer), 60k‐70k+ A truly exciting role with one of Sydney’s most dynamic and creative PR consultancies. You should have impressive local media knowledge and contacts and possess outstanding organisational skills. Experience across high profile brands and/or consumer technology would be a distinct advantage. You should also have natural relationship skills and pride yourself on your creative ability. 3+ years in consultancy required. Account Manager, (Healthcare), 60k‐70k+ Brilliant opportunity for a proven and experienced SAE/AM with one of Sydney’s most respected, successful independent consultancies. The agency has outstanding reputation for professionalism, and strong culture of teamwork and support, as well as a proven track record of promoting from within. You will also benefit from a commitment to personal development as well as a happy and down to earth team with positive work life balance. You should have 3 to 4+ years relevant experience. Account Manager /Senior Account Manager (Corporate), 80k+ This long established, boutique and highly successful local consultancy need as strategically competent, hands on operator to join its very small but particularly well qualified team to support a variety of their high profile and very stable client base. You should have between 3‐6 years experience, with solid current affairs knowledge, very strong writing skills. Account Manager /Senior Account Manager (Corporate), 65‐75k+ This very highly regarded, long established and very accomplished independent consultancy is looking to further grow their impressive corporate practice with a experienced AM/SAM with strong prospects for advancement. You should have 4+ years experience with solid corporate client experience. MELBOURNE ROLES Account Director, (Consumer), 80‐95k+ An exciting and challenging AD role in a national consultancy with genuine opportunity to take an office leadership role in the near future. This highly successful business has a first class client list, the envy of most, and a proven track record for delivering high quality results, consistently. A stable and very supportive culture and network await the successful applicant. You have proven strategic and creative ability and a strong track record in tactical delivery and client relationship development. You should have 5+ years experience in consultancy, and be looking for a clear path to leadership. Account Manager /Senior Account Manager (Consumer) 70k‐80k+ A rare role with of Melbourne’s most recognised and highly regarded consultancies. You should have impressive media knowledge and contacts and possess outstanding organisational skills. You should also have a natural ability to coordinate and have outstanding relationship skills. This is a tremendous opportunity to join an exciting, well regarded, highly supportive and tight‐knit team supporting VERY high profile brands. 3/4+ years in consultancy required. Account Director, (Consumer), 80‐95k+ This very well established independent consultancy is rapidly growing its consumer/brand offer in the Melbourne market on the back of some outstanding results and significant growth of an impressive portfolio of VERY high profile clients. The consultancy requires a gun AD to further support its highly regarded consumer practice offer. 5+ years experience, ideally within a PR consultancy environment. Enquiries and applications should be directed to: E: jobs@capstone‐careers.com T: Sydney: 02 8249 4636 / Melbourne: 03 9827 7277 To learn more about these roles or about Capstone Careers go to: W: www.capstone‐careers.com Twitter: @prjobsaust
PR National Campaigns Manager (Melbourne) - in-house $90K + super + bonus Chance to champion a “super brand” in Aust and NZ Must be strategically strong and have exceptional media writing skills Culture is built on family values and mutual respect & fosters positive team spirit Must be tertiary qualified and ideally have 6 years PR experience Require a high level of interpersonal skills with the ability to build strategic working relationships with a diverse range of people
Group Account Directors (Sydney roles) – all sectors We have several senior roles for leading PR practitioners Sectors include consumer/brand; b2b/corporate; Tech/IT 8 – 10 years experience with high level of business acumen and drive to succeed
$neg.
Account Director / Senior AM (Sydney) – Tech/IT $100K-120K incl. This agency rates work/life balance! Work on a significant client with global focus – incorporates consumer & b2b tech Lovely team, great culture, central location, offers training and development AD sits on the management team and has a number of direct reports Account Director (Melbourne) – Consumer/brand Fast growing agency with offices in numerous states Working on iconic financial (consumer side) and lifestyle brands Dynamic and entrepreneurial culture with influential management team
$100K incl.
Marketing Executive (Sydney) - in-house $75K + super Brilliant opportunity to join comms team of significant alcohol brand Champion existing and new brands Must have relevant PR experience either from agency or client-side (4-5 years ideal) Excellent written & verbal comms skills required as well as ability to work autonomously at a high level
PR Consultant (Sydney) – B2B
$75K incl.
Boutique agency seeking a B2B expert, with a focus on corporate and government Real hands on role, with a need for excellent writing skills and have a real understanding of government both at federal and state level You will be flexible in your approach to your work, be able to juggle multiple clients and contribute to the growth of the agency
Account Manager (Sydney) – Consumer Tech
$75K incl.
Fast paced agency is on the hunt for a hot shot Account Manager Someone who is fully immersed in consumer tech and loves gaming You will have a creative and entrepreneurial flair, be client focused and demonstrate strong inter-personal skills You will have the capability to deal with social media and how it can be utilized to best benefit consumer clients
SAE/AM (Sydney) – Ethical healthcare $55K - $75K incl. Award winning and results orientated agency is currently looking for passionate and creative ethical healthcare professionals
Ethical PR experience is a must, either in agency or client side You must have a real hunger and interest in the ethical arena, excellent attention to detail, be both committed and competent
Practice Director, Technology Lead and shape a young team of grounded consultants Further develop a solid portfolio of foundation clients Build and sustain the agency’s reputation in tech Use your entrepreneurial flair to make a difference Must have 8 – 10 years’ experience, start in April
Ike Levick 0405 218 626 ilevick@saltshein.com.au
Group Account Director/GM, Consumer PR agency Challenge the consumer PR category with your creative ideas Manage a team of 12 Coach junior team members to be their best Build long-lasting client relationships Work in a great location and in a lovely office space Account Director, Consumer Lifestyle / Health Great opportunity to join leading edge, mid-sized boutique Work on diverse and interesting consumer health and lifestyle clients Bring your social media and digital outreach skills with you! Open to sponsorship, start ASAP
Claire Radcliffe 0415 835 266 cradcliffe@saltshein.com.au
“I was impressed with the help I received from Salt & Shein. I felt positive that my best interests were at heart … I had someone friendly to advise me through the daunting process of job hunting … and secured an ideal job through them …” “Their service is honest, fast, and on-brief every time ... They know our company culture well and take the time to fully understand our requirements … Plus, they’re just straight up nice people to work with.”
Account Director, Ethical Healthcare Leverage your client liaison skills to drive unique, leading campaigns Work on multiple disease/therapy areas Apply your knowledge of the MA Code of Conduct Immediate start – FTW or contract Senior Account Manager, Consumer, Integrated Agency Great agency brand – destination employer Rare opportunity to join the small PR team Very strong experience and Australian media knowledge essential Senior Account Executive/AM, FT In-house, Consumer for Corporate brand Work for PR Agency, based with 3-strong agency team FT inhouse Huge Australian corporate brand – fun, big budget campaigns CBD based, strong media contacts essential Account Manager, Corporate PR Agency Successful independent agency, great team Long client tenure – take real ownership of accounts Strong process and systems in place, excellent leadership Account Manager, 1 Corporate 1 Healthcare, PR Agency Independent agency with solid reputation Strong experience and media expertise required High performing team, work hard/play hard Both roles well remunerated, strong emphasis on development
Level 46, 1 Farrer Place, Governor Phillip Tower Sydney NSW 2000 www.saltshein.com.au
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