CIPR - Influence / 2018 - Q1

INFLUENCE Q1 2018 influenceonline.co.uk

INFLUENCE

FOR SWITCHED-ON PUBLIC RELATIONS PROFESSIONALS

Q1 2018 ISSUE 9

SAVE LOCAL NEWS | INSIDE THE OXFORD UNION | SKILFUL INTERROGATION | NFL REPUTATION CRISIS | VIDEO MASTERED

No, seriously.

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INFLUENCE CIPR 52–53 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HP Tel: +44 (0)20 7631 6900 Fax: +44 (0)20 7631 6944 Email: info@cipr.co.uk President Sarah Hall Chart.PR FCIPR Chief executive Alastair McCapra Deputy chief executive Phil Morgan Editor Rob Smith CIPR EDITORIAL BOARD Avril Lee MCIPR Bridget Aherne MCIPR Rachael Clamp MCIPR Dr Jon White Chart.PR FCIPR Louisa Bartoszek MCIPR Valentina Kristensen MCIPR Lisa Townsend MCIPR Iain Anderson FCIPR INFLUENCE Published on behalf of CIPR

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WELCOME Ideas are the currency of the PR industry

ow would page 7, Rod Judkins finds you describe there’s a fine line between the job inspiration and plagiarism – you do? and it’s difficult to enforce in It’s so law. I would be very interested easy to to hear your views (and stories) focus on short-term, tactical on protecting IP. Our ideas are objectives when every deadline the currency we work with. looms on the calendar and Speaking of original unforeseen problems crop up. ideas, we’ve joined the high But, when it comes to number of PR pros currently the daily minutiae, it can experimenting with video be motivating to know how as a comms medium. We your work contributes to a were thrilled to work with company’s long-term strategy; Plastic Pictures to create an Ideas have value and you don’t have to be a senior interactive cover that offers a practitioner to understand how we protect them whistlestop guide to our lead how you could contribute is just as important as features using augmented to that company’s future Let us know what you where they came from reality. performance. Keep your think, and find out more about and their inspiration company’s long-term goals embracing video on page 13. in mind and show that you Finally, as we start the understand them. third year of Influence, we have made some If two years of editing Influence have taught changes to our online presence with a new me anything, it’s that PR is one of the most multiwebsite (influenceonline.co.uk) and Twitter handle skilled professions. But the industry is changing. (@InfluencePRMag). Make sure you follow us for On page 50, two prominent leaders debate what blogs and opinion pieces from the PR and business PR’s role is in 2018 and what our team structures world. And, if you feel like penning something should look like. Golin chairman Fred Cook argues yourself online, it would be great to hear from you. it’s time to rethink a generalist approach. He says PRs should specialise in specific skills.

One thing we can all agree on is that PR is an ideas business. Ideas have value and how we protect them is just as important as where they came from and their original inspiration. But, on ROB SMITH Editor, Influence

H

WHAT’S BEEN SAID ON TWITTER? I just love the @CIPR_UK Influence covers (the content is even better). @alex_malouf

Enjoying reading the latest copy of @CIPR_UK #Influence – getting some top #PublicRelations #Campaign tips from the talented head of comms @bartonabout.

Very insightful @JWSMILE

This is why I love train journeys.

I get to read @CIPR_UK #Influence #Magazine @NicsterComms

Catching up on back issues of @CIPR_UK magazine Influence. What took me so long?! Recommended read for #comms #prpros @LucyEckley

INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 3

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MAG IN A MINUTE 7 INFLUENCE / Q1 2018 / issue nine / cipr.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS ELLIOT WILSON P32

Saudi Arabia has a new PR strategy: the kingdom is grabbing headlines with its anti-corruption drive and cultural reforms. Can it rebrand itself?

JAMIE BARTLETT P38

The dark web attracts journalists and whistleblowers: PRs take note

CHRIS ZABILOWICZ

SARA COOPER

P20

The growing popularity of branded video means high-quality production is key

The Oxford Union is founded on the values of free speech and debate

P19

BE AFRAID Protecting ideas during a client pitch is complicated: pre-emptive non-disclosure agreements are more reliable than complex IP laws

THE NFL’S BIG FUMBLE

When Colin Kaepernick took a knee, a spirited debate was unleashed that pitted race against patriotism, and Obama against Trump. The NFL struggled to handle the situation; now it’s seeking a crisis comms manager

10

THE INDEX Sapio Research says 84% of us use market research. Social media monitoring and online surveys are the most popular methods, and our projects cost £6,181 on average

PAGE 28

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

Are you as excited by the cover’s tech wizardry as we are?

We want to hear from you on our new social media channels: @InfluencePRMag influenceonline.co.uk info@cipr.co.uk

CIPR PARTNERS

13

INSIDE STORY Eighty-five per cent of communications teams are taking video production in-house. On-brand messaging and live-streaming deliver high levels of audience engagement

4 Q1 2018 INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK

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20

SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH! Education, not publicity, is the aim of the Oxford Union but guests use its speaker platform to directly address an audience of future leaders: they must expect tough questions

24

NEWS IS BREAKING Local news is a trusted comms channel: the national press should listen to it, PRs should create grassroots campaigns and politicians should react

32

SHEIKIN’ IT UP Public relations hubs in London, Berlin, Paris and Moscow will begin promoting Saudi Arabia as “dynamic and inspiring”, on the back of cultural and eco-friendly innovation

47

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COVER STORY VIDEO IS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF COMMS We made the front cover of Influence come to life using augmented reality.

It layers 3D information on an image, including graphics, motion and sound, which can then be viewed on mobile. The effect is ‘magical’.

Augmented reality is one of the video comms trends our experts tip for 2018, along with live-streaming, 24-hour exclusives and professional finishes

38

THE DARK WEB ILLUMINATED The dark web is expanding.

The network of unlisted web pages hosts data leaks and rumours that could damage reputations, and incite activists and whistleblowers

42

SPEAK NO EVIL Psychologists have proved that, when communicating with suspected terrorists, building rapport and seeking voluntary cooperation are most effective for gleaning information

DO IT BETTER + How to blog about PR + The future of the industry, according to two leaders + Pick your moment and get a pay rise + And much more besides

58

13 AWARD-WINNING TECHNIQUES FOR OUTSMARTING YOUR RIVALS CIPR Excellence Award winners know how to keep it simple, get emotional, create fictional personalities – and get noticed

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THE BACK STORY In fighting prejudice and welcoming new voices, we must not suppress the viewpoints of the male, pale and stale: communication is for all, says our beleaguered columnist INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 5

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19/01/2018 10:03

BE AFRAID

Plagiarism

BY ROD JUDKINS. ILLUSTRATION BY EOIN RYAN

Creative ideas are the PR industry’s lifeblood.

So why are we giving them away for free in pitches?

INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 7

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19/01/2018 22/01/2018 16:25 15:03

PLAGIARISM BE AFRAID he real currency of our time isn’t money. It’s ideas.

PR, advertising and all other sectors that rely on business development are now ideas industries.

We exchange ideas and build on them.

That makes them valuable, and it means we need to keep them safe.

But there’s a fine line between creativity and plagiarism.

In the mid-1960s, in a remote log cabin in Woodstock, US, a young songwriter scratched down some lyrics on a scrap of paper. It was a groundbreaking, influential and original piece of work, and at a Sotheby’s auction in 2014 those lyrics sold for a world record of more than $2m.

When the writer of the $2m lyrics explained his songwriting technique, he revealed a process that will be familiar to anyone who works in the creative industries. “I rattled off lines and verses based on the stuff I knew – Cumberland Gap; Fire on the Mountain; Shady Grove; Hard, Ain’t It Hard,” he wrote. “I changed words around and added something of my own here and there.” The writer’s method was to combine elements that were swimming around him in the zeitgeist to produce something fresh.

The songwriter was Bob Dylan and the song was Like a Rolling Stone.

Dylan altered his ingredients enough to obscure their origin, but what if a line you’ve written is then blatantly copied? What if the creative concept that you present as part of a pitch finds its way into someone else’s campaign? And what if your painstakingly researched insight is used but not credited (let alone paid for)? To a certain extent, this sort of thing is inevitable.

Jon White, a psychologist who lectures on PR practice, explains: “Any creative activity will be drawing on existing ideas.”

Plagiarism is about accountability. “It’s where you knowingly take someone else’s ideas and claim them as your own.”

White says the current pitch process means agencies face having their ideas used without credit. “The future of public relations depends on the offering of valuable ideas as a solution to client problems,” he says. “Giving ideas away in a pitch process, as a

T

There’s a fine line between creativity and plagiarism show of one’s expertise, diminishes their value. The relationship between client and agency should develop into true, paid consultancy.”

For many years, my partner worked for advertising agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi and Lowe Howard-Spink. The firms staked their reputations on creating powerful ideas that stuck in the minds of the public.

In the 1980s – a time when HIV awareness was rapidly increasing – my partner’s firm pitched to launch a new condom brand that was backed by a globally famous multinational group.

When she told me the concept and the strapline, I thought they were so strong that they’d win the pitch. But her firm lost.

Case closed.

Or was it? Days later, the ‘client’ was all over the media using the strapline.

Such an event creates a conundrum.

Do nothing and it sends the message that any prospect can take what they want from your work. Speak out and you risk alienating a potential source of future work: this group had more than 400 subsidiaries. In this case, both parties

came to an agreement and the group continued to use the line.

The smartest organisations are wise to where their value lies, and use a counterintuitive strategy to protect themselves.

Johnny Pitt, founder of the PR agency Launch, always applies the same strategy during the pitch process. He explains: “By setting out our creative stall comprehensively, with carefully crafted words and impactful, thought-through visuals and graphics, we believe we help to protect our thinking: the idea is so well developed and brought to life that for a client to steal or copy it, however [subtly], would be blatant daylight robbery.”

Other companies rely on confidentiality agreements: this is the case when I’m asked to consult for the likes of Samsung and Google. It applies to the work I do for them, but also to anything I might see in the workplace. I have been asked to avoid taking photos of the sessions I conduct because the images might reveal something to rivals.

Steve Kuncewicz is a lawyer with BLM who specialises in copyright law.

He says a confidentiality clause is easier to enforce than ownership of ideas, or intellectual property. While exact copying of text or imagery is relatively straightforward to identify, “non-textual copying is harder to define because it involves themes and higher concepts”, and copyright law applies to specific expressions of ideas. In practice, “you would need to have used the idea to generate money in business to claim it”.

Therefore, Kuncewicz recommends sending a non-disclosure agreement to potential clients, or including an unsigned version in the pitch deck to make your intentions clear.

Ideas are currency and those who generate concepts deserve to benefit from their success. That said, we evolved as an ideas species. Sharing enhances our chances of survival. When early man or woman first thought of making a better stone axe, they shared the idea because it meant the tribe had more food and all, in turn, benefited.

However, if you reprint this article without my permission, expect a letter from my solicitor.

Rod Judkins is author of The Art of Creative Thinking INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 9

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THE INDEX

RESEARCH ABOUT, ER, RESEARCH

EIGHTY FOUR PER CENT OF PR PROFESSIONALS USE MARKET RESEARCH IN SOME CAPACITY, BUT ONLY 6% USE IT FOR ALL CAMPAIGNS. HERE’S HOW AND WHY

53%

1

conduct market research to understand audiences, markets and brand positioning

Why we’re doing it PRs are more likely to conduct market research to understand audiences, markets and brand positioning (93%) than for content (46%).

Most agree that journalists prefer research to other types of content. Sixty-four per cent of respondents also said pitching research was “easier”.

2

6%

conduct it for stats, quotes for content, and thought leadership

40% conduct it for both of the above reasons

80%

say they think journalists prefer research to other types of content

1%

Other

3

How are we doing it?

Most marketing and PR professionals primarily conduct market research in-house (56%). Social media monitoring and online surveys are the most popular methods of research.

Online surveys

66% 66%

50% 34%

72% 64%

Focus groups

Social media monitoring

Who are we doing it with?

Twenty-four per cent typically use B2B sample sizes of less than 100.

Forty-two per cent typically use B2C samples of less than 500.

13%

Up to 100 101-250

12%

251-500

10%

60%

Telephone or faceto-face interviews Secondary research (Googling around a topic, say) Understanding audiences, markets and brand positioning Content and thought leadership

42% 36%

42% 36%

2% 0%

Talking to colleagues and friends Other

16%

13%

501-750

45%

24%

15% 12%

751-1,000 1,001-1,500

20%

21%

13% 13%

1,501-2,000

2% 1%

2,001-3,000

0% 1%

3,001+

3%

10%

B2C B2B

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MARKET RESEARCH

4

5

How much are we paying to do it?

How long does it take?

On average, B2B research takes less time (8.9 days on average) than B2C research (10.8 days).

On average, marketing and communications professionals spend £6,181 on a typical research project. However, 39% typically spend less than £1,000.

19%

20%

16%

14% 10%

11%

6%

w

£50,000+

£25,000-£49,999

£15,000-£24,999

£10,000-£14,999

£5,000-£9,999

YS A D

£2,500-£4,999

9 CH AR S SE Y RE DA

.8 10

C B2

What are the pros and cons of using an agency?

There are pros and cons for both conducting research in-house and using an agency. If cost is the main issue, in-house wins. Agencies cost money but are quicker, provide better stories and help to secure the responses required.

Agency

How satisfied are we with our research?

Seventy-six per cent of comms pros say their campaigns are more successful when they include research. The success of research for content and thought leadership is more hit and miss than that for understanding audiences, markets and brand positioning.

The percentage who think market research is useful:

0%

LACK OF COMMUNICATION

31%

NOT GETTING THE STORY OR STATS WANTED FROM THE DATA

23%

20%

USABILITY OF RESULTS

22%

17%

OUTPUTS DIFFICULT TO READ

17%

16%

QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN

14%

4%

I HAVE NEVER CONDUCTED RESEARCH WITH AN AGENCY

24%

6%

AL WA YS Content and thought leadership Understanding audiences, markets and brand positioning

2%

E TIME

19%

34%

44%

1%

31%

SOME OF TH

COSTS

36%

60%

IME

19%

46%

38%

0%

MOST O F THE T

50%

TIME TAKEN TO COMPLETE

8%

LY

POOR DATA QUALITY

8%

E RAR

31%

38%

R

FEWER RESPONDENTS THAN EXPECTED

VE

-

46%

NE

TOP THREE FRUSTRATIONS WHEN CONDUCTING RESEARCH

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1%

7

6

In-house

£1,000-£2,499

3%

£500-£999

8.

RE SE AR CH

LESS THAN £500

B2 B

Methodology Sapio Research surveyed 108 communications and marketing professionals in the UK. Eighty per cent identified themselves as working at supervisor level or above.

Sapio Research is a leading business and consumer market research company, based in London INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 11

26/01/2018 11:30

It’s about recognising campaigns that

make a difference,

not just noise.

Nyree Ambarchian Director Stand Agency

Enter by 20 Feb 2018 Late entries accepted ‘til 27 Feb 2018 (there’s a late fee) cipr.co.uk/excellence

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11:55 26/01/2018 12:33

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND THE BOARD

INSIDE STORY xxx

WHY YOU NEED AN IN-HOUSE VIDEO TEAM + HOW TO MEASURE VIDEO PERFORMANCE

Roll cameras!

Eighty-five per cent of organisations are bringing video production in-house. This is how to do it well

BY DAVE HOWELL INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 13

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INSIDE STORY ou wouldn’t expect grainy CCTV footage of a parked car to go viral.

Yet that’s what happened late last year when Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) shared a video of a stationary vehicle on its social media channels, paired with the hashtag #INeedMySpace.

Intended to highlight the obstructions faced by fire engines responding to emergency calls, the eight-week campaign to reduce delays soon had an online reach of more than one million people, against a local population of 1.7 million. The slogan became a national campaign, the council marked up ‘Keep clear’ zones on the roads and, most crucially, the number of dangerous incidents fell sharply.

For HFRS’s external communications manager, James Morton, the use of video isn’t just effective, but “could mean the difference between life and death”. Here’s how to harness the power of production.

Y

THE TEAM YOU NEED In its most recent video-benchmarking report, online video platform Vidyard revealed that: “2016 saw a significant increase in the number of organisations using internal resources to produce video content. In fact, 85% of businesses now report using internal staff and resources to produce video content, while only 15% are relying solely on agencies.”

Creating an in-house video team requires planning and a clear understanding of what is driving your decision to bring video production in-house.

HFRS had a three-strong web content team but hired video producer Sam Getliffe in 2015 so it could boost its output: a four-part Dog Blog series following the fire investigation team and its canines was viewed 50,000 times.

In contrast, when the University of Wolverhampton found that its press releases

had little impact, it upskilled its comms team of five, who visited the digital broadcast team at BBC Midlands. “We were all enthused to see the positive engagement that the digital team at the BBC was getting, especially for newsbased video,” says Mags Winthrop, digital PR and comms manager. The team received coaching from comms2point0 (in conjunction with Filmcafe) and, with a new YouTube channel to populate, were each challenged to produce three pieces of video content a month.

NOTE: MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR IT GUY Your team should also include those responsible for IT. “The challenge is working with video file sizes.

Computers, email and phones all need a massive amount of space to create and share video,” says Winthrop. “And you are at the mercy of your wi-fi.”

THE CONTENT STORY Think big and craft your organisation’s news stories with video in mind from the beginning. “Let go of the traditional views of what PR should look like,” says Winthrop. “We’d always worked with a press release first – now we think about video from the start. That’s quite a big mental shift.”

It’s important to create videos that support an organisation’s purpose and complement existing stories. HFRS plans with its mission statement, ‘We make life safer’, in mind. One video showing the

scene of a recent fire garnered 20,000 views in 48 hours.

It’s easier for consumers to understand messaging when presented with video, says Kane O’Flaherty, creative director and co-founder of Piccolo, a baby-food company. The brand uses social media video for its ‘One to One’ campaign, whereby it gifts baby-food pouches to vulnerable families. “There’s something memorable about a video,” he adds.

Live-streaming events is also a win. In 2017, 1,500 people viewed the graduation ceremony of HFRS’s latest firefighting recruits online.

Similarly, the University of Wolverhampton has used Facebook Live at two of the busiest times in its calendar: clearing and graduation. “Our behind-the-scenes graduation broadcast had over 5,000 views and reached 15,000 people, securing 30 shares on social media and over 140 ‘likes’,” says Winthrop.

INTERNAL-COMMS MAGIC Your audience includes your employees. At HFRS, “video is a central component of internal comms and training”, explains Morton. Around half of HFRS’s 1,500 firefighters are on call at any time, so online

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IN-HOUSE VIDEO CRUNCH THE NUMBERS As with any comms strategy, to measure success, you need to define your objectives, insists Steve Garvey, founder of video agency Moving Image: “Once you know the business goal, you can determine the best metrics for return on investment and make sure they are in place before a video is distributed.”

If you are publishing videos via YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, the data will be limited to statistics such as number of views, so look at using platforms that are embedded in your own website, such as Vimeo or JW Player, which can offer a more detailed breakdown.

learning is the best way to reach them.

Around a third of its workforce also view video news bulletins – called Fireflash – each month: internal comms videos are most useful for relaying key messages from the top down.

We used to work with a press release first – now we think about video from the start MAGS W IN THROP

However, think ‘big picture’ too.

Bolster your video results with data from other channels: “These channels enhance each other and deepen your impression of audience engagement,” says Garvey. And don’t forget to supplement data about video success with measures of business benefits.

“This could be the number of video views that convert to sales enquiries or newsletter subscriptions. It is powerful to tell the business how many potential leads your video generated,” Garvey adds.

THE KIT – AND THE COST Want to get started? View our recommended kit overleaf. Morton notes: “The cost of equipment can seem prohibitive in an austerity environment but we’ve licensed out some of our video work to generate income, and ultimately we’ve been able to leverage our success as evidence for further investment.”

Dave Howell is a journalist specialising in technology and business

Gain attention online by setting fire to things and filming it

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INSIDE STORY

GET STARTED YOUR VIDEO KIT GUIDE Creating a video production studio for campaigns? Dave Howell reveals the hardware and software you should be using

The smartphone At the heart of any in-house video team will be the camera that is used to shoot the raw footage. You could use a mobile phone. The iPhone 6s, 7, 8 and X and the Google Pixel 2 sport 12-megapixel cameras (on the back of the phones), some with wide and telephoto lenses. Video can be shot with these cameras at a resolution of up to 4K. This is four times the resolution of standard HD (1080p).

Where your videos will be hosted, and on what devices they will be viewed, will determine whether to shoot HD or 4K video, as file sizes vary. A one-minute video in HD at 30fps takes up 130MB of storage space, whereas the same video in 4K takes up 375MB. If you intend to post videos on your blog or YouTube, or as part of a wider campaign, HD will give you great image clarity and manageable file sizes.

The lenses The quality of the videos you can shoot will be linked to the quality of the lens on the camera you are using. This is why a healthy market in add-on lenses for smartphones has developed.

There are two leading lens accessory developers: Moment and Olloclip. The lenses attach via either a case for your phone or a clip. Lenses include telephoto, super-wide, fisheye and macro styles. The Filmer’s Kit from Olloclip is particularly good value.

Make sure you use a neutral density filter to help you manage the amount of light reaching your phone’s lens. Zomei makes a great one, and it also offers good value.

The stand-alone camera For a cinematic experience, move to a DSLR camera. Today, every DSLR will shoot video at a 1080p resolution. The Nikon D3300 is an entry-level model and won’t break the bank. At the other end of the spectrum is the Nikon D850, which is much more expensive than the D3300, but can shoot in 4K. Note that these cameras tend to focus on image quality: you’ll have to record sound separately to get a high-quality soundtrack for your video.

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VIDEO KIT

The editing software There are several video- and audio-editing applications available.

If your set-up is smartphone-based, HitFilm 4 Express is likely to be all you’ll need for editing video. Also take a look at Open Camera for Android phones.

For audio-editing, Audacity is excellent. If you do want professional-grade videoand audio-editing tools, Adobe’s Premiere Pro CC and Audition CC are part of Creative Cloud, which offers a monthly subscription to all of Adobe’s tools.

Mac users have access to the highly capable iMovie, available for desktops and mobile devices, and useful on the iPad if you need to edit in the field.

There are also a number of tools that are hosted online, including YouTube’s own video editor, Clipchamp.

The sound recorder

The microphone

The Zoom H6 has proven to be a trusted recorder for professionals (as recommended in our Influence podcasting feature – Q3 2017).

Great for live recording as well as studio-quality music production, the H6 offers six tracks of simultaneous recording and four mic/line inputs.

Another piece of kit you need is a mixing desk. If you need to take audio from several microphones, a mixing desk will enable you to balance the sound inputs and create a great soundtrack for your video. If you have modest needs, the Behringer Xenyx 502 mixer is a great choice and, at less than £40, it’s a bargain.

If you need to mix more channels of sound, the Xenyx 802 offers eight inputs.

To capture the sound for a scene, a directional microphone is needed. One of the most compact, yet high-performing, is VideoMic Me from Røde.

The flexible mounting bracket means you can attach it to any smartphone. If you are shooting a talking heads video, a larger microphone should be used. Here, the iRig Mic offers superior audio-recording for all iOS devices. Their simple plug-and-play usability makes these microphones easy to set up.

If you need to record interviews in a studio setting or are recording video from a Skype call, the Røde NT1-A will give you professional-quality audio capture.

Accessories There are a number of accessories that can make your video sessions much easier to manage, and raise their quality. Low-cost LED lighting kits to highlight a face or area of a scene can be attached to smartphone rigs or a DSLR, if you’re using one.

To stabilise the video you’re shooting, a tripod or other stand is essential. The range from Shoulderpod is excellent and offers a wide choice of configurations. However, if you want to get some dynamism into your video, you need to move the camera. The Osmo Mobile is a powered gimbal that uses internal motors to keep your phone stable while you’re shooting.

Last but not least, think about power. Shooting video on a smartphone or with a larger camera will quickly drain the battery. Look for high-capacity chargers offering 5,000mAh power capacity.

INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 17

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23/01/2018 11:26

VIDEO INNOVATION

5 AUDIENCE-ENTICING VIDEO TRENDS FOR 2018 For those who are already confidently using video content as part of comms strategies, the question is: what’s next?

BY SARA COOPER

1

AUGMENTED REALITY Augmented reality takes audiences by surprise. For example, this month’s Influence cover uses augmented reality to add 3D virtual information to an image.

Using Zappar, a free-to-download app, your mobile device’s camera targets and scans content. The app then triggers the device’s video mode to grant readers access to an audiovisual overview of the issue, without even flipping a page.

At Christmas, augmented reality was used by car manufacturer Honda to transform get-well cards for sick children into personalised videos with international messages of support.

In each case, what seems to be a simple design is actually packed full of technical detail, including video, photos, graphics and sound. The effect is magical.

2

MOBILE VIEWING (AS ALWAYS) The proportion of video content viewed on smartphones will continue to soar. To be successful in this space, consider taking the following advice.

First, 85% of videos are played without sound. Therefore, you have to create videos in which the audio is a secondary, not core, feature. This means thinking about subtitles or stylish overprints.

Second, experiment beyond traditional horizontal formats and dare to mix things up: be bold and try vertical and square-framed video formats.

3

LIVE-STREAMING The authentic, interactive nature of a live broadcast helps to create a deeper emotional attachment in an audience. The more immersive the live content is, the better. Use video to conduct interviews, share important events and grant behind-the-scenes access. And remember that live content can be repackaged and released as premium content afterwards, giving you more bang for your buck.

4

24-HOUR EXCLUSIVES People are flocking to Snapchat and Instagram. In order to reach them, you need short, relevant content that’s only

going to last a day. It might seem counterproductive to invest in videos that are the complete opposite of evergreen, but it’s an effective way to engage with a younger audience.

5

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY Since the video landscape is becoming more competitive, user-generated videos (such as those submitted by employees) will probably become less effective at engaging audiences: people are demanding the same high-quality finish that they see on TV. This means professional videos will drive better results in a sea of digital content.

Sara Cooper is co-founder and executive producer at Plastic Pictures. The agency shapes film, graphics and photography for the world’s biggest brands Email sara@plasticpictures.tv or visit www.plasticpictures.tv INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 19

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24/01/2018 15:02

The chamber of secrets Does the Oxford Union still shape the agenda of youth, or is that purpose now entirely fulfilled by Facebook? Here, former president Chris Zabilowicz explains the union’s inner workings

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INSIDE OXFORD UNION RICKY GERVAIS TALKS ABOUT BEING A STAND-UP GUY

RICHARD NIXON INSPIRES FEAR AND LOATHING

ou’ve now heard from four of us, who have given accounts of how there’s a problem with racial profiling in the United States and elsewhere. I can see you are moved, but that is not good enough. We don’t want you to be moved but not do anything: we want you to be moved to change.”

In November 2016, the Black Lives Matter panel at the Oxford Union included four mothers whose children had been killed at the hands of US law

“Y

enforcement. Their aim was to draw attention to perceived racial injustice on the part of the police, and their stories captivated the audience. More than one year on, I’m not the only one who shares this anecdote to show how speakers use the Oxford Union as a platform to communicate with the next generation of leaders. As the president for 2017-2018, it was my job to make sure that we were inspiring and educating our members.

Anyone at the University of Oxford can join the union and it’s true that a lot of people in the audience will go on to be

influential in their fields. That’s the advantage that the speaker programme has over other channels: guests want to come and speak to the students in person.

The Oxford Union Committee is responsible for planning the line-up.

The long list of past attendees is the hook that helps us spark interest. It includes Ronald Reagan and Malcolm X. Our aim is to create a forum through which speakers from a wide range of backgrounds, and from across the political spectrum, can share their ideas and campaigns.

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GANDALF AND BILBO – SORRY, IAN McKELLEN AND FORMER PRESIDENT CHRIS ZABILOWICZ

PROTESTERS SAY ‘NON’ TO THE VISIT OF MARINE LE PEN...

... ‘BOF,’ SAYS LE PEN

We’re in the fortunate position of being entirely independent of the university.

This means we’re able to stand firmly by our founding principles of free speech and debate. One of the most controversial figures we have hosted during my time at Oxford was far-right French politician Marine Le Pen. That said, we try to avoid hosting controversial speakers for controversy’s sake. During my time on the 14-strong committee, I’ve seen people moved to tears by actress and director Robin

Wright, moved to action by American politician John Kerry, made to laugh by comedian Ricky Gervais and brought together by Sir Elton John.

UP FOR DEBATE We have two standard formats for our speaking events. First, there are seven debates per year, with a panel of experts on each side. For a debate, we set a motion (or statement) to be contested.

It takes the committee a whole day to agree the wording of it.

Second, we invite a speaker to start with a 20- to 30-minute speech on a topic that they’re passionate about: the president or vice president of the union will start with some warm-up questions and then allow questions from the audience on a theme. The questions are challenging. Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort said he did not want the audience to ask questions. We don’t allow a speaker to come if they won’t answer them.

Speakers and their PRs shouldn’t be nervous to appear here. The audience must always treat the speaker in a respectful manner. The most tension I’ve seen was when Corey Lewandowski (another former Trump campaign manager) said in his speech that climate change was a hoax invented by the Chinese. He was pressed in

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24/01/2018 15:03

INSIDE OXFORD UNION

ELTON JOHN MADE A PERSONAL SACRIFI-I-ICE TO VISIT THE OXFORD UNION

ONE PROTESTER’S FATHER PROVES BANG ON

Our guests don’t usually speak for selfish reasons. They do it because of the Oxford Union’s history, and because speaking here provides an incomparable opportunity to engage with students questions four times to explain why he thought that.

PR STUNTS Behind the scenes, we have a tricky relationship with public relations professionals. As they receive so many requests, they sometimes put off our invitation to their client. The best example of this came in 2014. We had been in touch with Sir Elton John’s managers for a long time, but they had always said “not yet”, because of scheduling clashes. When we finally got a letter to Sir Elton personally, he immediately called the president at the time, saying: “I’d love to come… it’s been on my bucket list and I’m so glad I’ve finally been invited.” He was flying from LA to Australia shortly afterwards, so he got a helicopter to bring him from

London to Oxford, did a one-hour speech, and then got the helicopter back to the airport.

We don’t often have guest speakers pitched to us by PRs; when we do, we need them to have a high level of public recognition. Others might be experts in their field, who could be good in a debate.

We do share our programme of events with selected press contacts at the beginning of a term, but it’s up to the speaker whether requests for access to the event, or interviews, are taken up.

Usually, we get three or four requests per event. Education, not publicity, is our priority. There’s usually a three-day delay before we put a recording of an event on YouTube, although we live-tweet most events.

Our guests don’t usually speak for selfish reasons – to raise their profile,

or to promote a book or film. They do it because of the Oxford Union’s history, and because speaking here provides an incomparable opportunity to engage with students.

Soon after his address here, and just a year before his untimely death, Senator Robert F Kennedy wrote that: “The world’s hope… is to rely on youth – not a time of life, but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease.”

This appetite is what brings most speakers to Oxford. Each recognises the potential to inspire the audience.

Chris Zabilowicz is a former president of the Oxford Union. He was in conversation with Gabrielle Lane INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 23

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24/01/2018 15:03

BREAKING NEWS

O T W O AND H FIX IT Press, PRs and politicians need to work together to make local issues national ones if we’re to deepen community ties and strengthen democratic accountability

BY SARAH HALL

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e are living through a seismic change in the media. While national newspapers experiment with ideas like paywalls and reader donations, the regional press has had difficulty adapting to the new economic realities in an era of declining advertising revenues.

In the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, journalist Grant Feller, a former senior editor at The Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail, wrote a piece claiming that a well-resourced local media would have shone a light on the concerns residents were raising: perhaps action would have been taken before it was too late.

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As a PR agency boss in the north-east, I see the day-to-day effect of the lack of investment in local media and find it very concerning. So I recently hosted a panel discussion on what the future might hold and what, if anything, can be done.

It was a lively event and very difficult to reach a conclusion not only on the best way to ensure the survival of local media, but also on how to define the problem.

Here our panellists have their say.

Whatever the answer, we must all understand the consequences of an underfunded local media – both as PR practitioners and as citizens.

Sarah Hall Chart.PR FCIPR is president of CIPR

24/01/2018 14:30

LOCAL NEWS Could a strong local media have helped to avert the Grenfell Tower disaster...

... and the ensuing public rage?

NATIONAL AMPLIFICATION IS CRUCIAL FOR SOCIETY

BY LAURA McINERNEY

A second problem for newspapers is that politicians (and firms and charities) have become brilliant at churning out press releases that keep reporters busy while denying them time to be proactive.

Finally, there’s the pay and conditions of journalism. A few brave souls survive, but I’m not convinced the ones left are always the best specialist reporters, nor the ones who have the grit for long-term investigative stories that save lives.

Would a renaissance in local media help with accountability? It would provide a good foundation. But, realistically, the tendency to turn talented investigators into keyboard monkeys, hunting after social search traffic, isn’t just a local problem – it’s a national one.

Politicians have become brilliant at churning out press releases that keep reporters busy

Laura McInerney is editor of Schools Week.

She became a journalist after being taken to court by former education secretary Michael Gove for asking a question under the Freedom of Information Act

GETTY

It is wishful thinking to believe that the Grenfell fire wouldn’t have happened if local newspapers were still going strong.

Newspapers can shout and yell, but without people listening it’s no use.

What’s most irritating about Grenfell is that shouting and yelling were happening. Residents were blogging (a form of local media itself), and the trade publication Inside Housing pushed the cladding issue over and over again.

But who wasn’t listening? I’d argue it was the national media. One of the critical ways issues in the local media are amplified is via national news, but this line appears to have broken. Why? In part it’s because specialisms within journalism have fallen apart. Few reporters are fortunate enough to have briefs in which they can immerse themselves. Those who do are increasingly at the whim of SEO, which dictates the stories to be written based on what people are already looking at.

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LOCAL NEWS

Important messages are easily drowned out online...

PROTECT THE TRUSTED COMMS CHANNEL

BY CHARLIE BECKETT

... but Reading’s local paper has gone web-only

LOCAL NEWS INFORMS BIG DECISIONS

BY MATT RODDA

I’ve found that local newspapers and local radio offer a depth of coverage and insight into the whole community that is unrivalled and that gives readers and listeners a better connection with their communities.

That’s not to say that social media and other outlets do not have a key role to play – they certainly do.

I believe that the way forward for both mainstream and newer media is to learn from each other – a process that is certainly well under way in the Reading area. Our former daily local newspaper has been transformed into an online news service. At the same time, a wide range of innovative new outlets have started to provide different forms of coverage.

Journalism is enduring a businessmodel crisis that is wrecking revenues across all sectors. Nowhere is this worse than at the local level. Trinity Mirror publishes 240 local and regional titles: in October 2017 it said circulation revenue was down 7%, and advertising revenue down 16%.

We still enjoy some excellent national and international news media, much of it available in attractive apps or cleverly tailored for social media. But local newspapers have not been able to adapt to the same extent. Subscriptions, for example, just don’t seem to work.

Their reach online is limited. This is bad news for anyone seeking to influence the public at the grassroots level.

It is now as likely that someone will get information about local products, services and events through Facebook, say, as through a local newspaper.

Social media can be wonderful at spreading the news in a personalised way that allows you to contribute to the process. It can bring more diversity and even democracy to the local news ecosystem. But what about trust?

Trust is a nebulous and subjective concept. It is a relationship, not a fact. You earn it daily. At least your local newspaper hack was reasonably professional and accountable. Their

reputation depended on being reliable and separating out propaganda or PR from the ‘truth’. They made the effort to get down to the local courts or council meetings. But, with budget and staffing cuts, local journalists often struggle to get out of their office nowadays.

Online, we easily lose track of the source of information. When news about a planning application appears in the same newsfeed on your smartphone as messages from your family and ‘sponsored content’ about a new restaurant, it is difficult to tell what is credible. This is made worse by deliberately misleading, or ‘fake’, news.

That is good news for dishonest communicators, but for honourable people seeking to promote a cause or a product it can ruin their chances. Once the local information system becomes polluted, who will rely on it?

So we all have an interest in finding ways to support professional local journalism of all kinds. Social networks should work harder at helping users filter out less credible sources. Facebook is at last trying to do that, but at the local level algorithms can’t always identify misinformation. Local journalists also have to be clear about why their work is trustworthy.

We also all have an interest in investing in making our own local communications

At least your local hack was professional and accountable more ethical. It may seem to be going against the grain of self-promotion, but PR communications by local authorities and businesses need to be more open and honest. We have a serious local information crisis in the making. We will all lose out if we don’t act soon.

Charlie Beckett is a professor in the Media and Communications Department at LSE. A former journalist, he leads the LSE’s Truth, Trust and Technology Commission, which launched in autumn 2017

Matt Rodda is MP for Reading East

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LOCAL NEWS

HYPERLOCAL ACTIVISM IS THE SOLUTION Local press and PRs have backed the Bristol Pound, helping to make Bristol the UK’s fastest-growing economy outside of London in 2016

GETTY

It’s almost as if ‘local’ has become a dirty word to those who crave reaction from a global audience

BY GRANT FELLER

‘All news is local news.’ That’s the first and most important journalistic lesson I learned. Today, that mantra has been twisted in our perpetual race for clicks and eyeballs. Instead, it has become: ‘All my thoughts are news for everyone everywhere.’

We mistake our opinions for news.

Instead of tangible connections to a story, we – journalists and PRs – are trying to shout as loudly as possible. And, because we’re all doing it at the same time, the noise has to get louder and louder, while the connections get weaker and weaker.

It’s almost as if ‘local’ has become a dirty word to those who crave instantaneous applause and reaction from a wide, sometimes global, audience.

Often, the missing ingredient among this self-indulgent din is meaning. Media professionals have forgotten that it is the connection to a story that carries meaning. That is why I’m hopeful that an era of hyperlocal activist journalism can inspire a new generation of PRs and journalists to reclaim the word ‘local’.

All of us live in communities that are more fractured than ever. Societal problems abound, and government officials of all hues are weaker, more

bemoaning the death of the high street, they went out and did something positive about it. Testimonials include “Trade is up” and “We loved the initial publicity and being part of a pioneering venture”.

By tapping into their natural campaigning modes – fighting instead of reporting on something – journalists and PRs can turn local stories into national ones rather than shoehorning national news into local issues. They can represent communities, fight unwelcome plans and decisions, and bring to a wider audience the kind of ‘small’ issues that we all identify with.

The best stories aren’t Bristol high street: not doomed? always the big ones that have little impact on our into a supermarket – these are small daily lives but the ones that have a big stories that matter and have meaning to impact on small audiences. people who couldn’t give a fig about Grant Feller is founder of content and celebrity dalliances or political alliances.

I’ve been very impressed by the Bristol branding consultancy GF Media. He has Pound campaign, in which both local more than 25 years’ experience of leading press and PR companies have encouraged teams of writers and editors in both print the use of a digital currency to inspire and digital operations for the Daily Mail, consumers to shop locally. Instead of The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Express indecisive and more self-interested than ever. Instead of reacting to events, journalists and PRs should be collaborating to tackle those issues from the outset. Zombified high streets pockmarked by betting shops, new housing developments that offer nothing affordable, a town’s only cinema turning

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24/01/2018 14:31

LOCAL NEWS

THE NFL ON ITS

KNEES

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FUMBLED COMMS

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GETTY

ERIC REID (LEFT) AND COLIN KAEPERNICK (CENTRE) OF THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS KNEEL ON THE SIDELINES DURING THE US NATIONAL ANTHEM

The NFL is desperately seeking a crisis comms strategist after 18 months of player protests

BY TONY CONNELLY

hen San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the American national anthem in September 2016, he was, he said, showing support for people of colour who were being oppressed in the US: he wanted to highlight police brutality.

Similar protests had gone unnoticed at two previous preseason games, where Kaepernick sat on the sidelines for the anthem. (They were eventually noticed after a fan tweeted a seemingly innocuous photograph of players assembling.)

This time, the press took notice.

Kaepernick’s public refusal to stand for the anthem unleashed a spirited yet unfocused debate that pitted the issue of race against American patriotism.

The then 30-year-old player stood accused of sullying the ideals around the symbolism of the American flag, as well as the military’s role in defending those ideals. Supporters of his cause cited the First Amendment and drew parallels to the Black Lives Matter movement. The battle raged on.

Some 18 months later, the National Football League (NFL) is advertising for a senior comms strategist to provide ‘crisis communications counsel’.

For many, the organisation has struggled to contain the kneeling debate, and consequently has weakened its own reputation as the sport’s authoritative body. It must now formulate a recovery game plan, and do so quickly.

NFL: WHEN NEUTRAL ISN’T NEUTRAL Following Kaepernick’s actions, national anthem protests quickly dominated media coverage of the NFL, not least because more players joined in. On the eve of the 2016 season opener, two weeks after the anthem protests began, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was asked to publicly comment on the issue INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 29

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FUMBLED COMMS

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games to see protests. If that is the case, then the protests should stop.”

“I support our players when they want to see change in society, and we don’t live in a perfect society. On the other hand, we believe very strongly in patriotism in the NFL. I personally believe very strongly in that” ROGER GOODELL

for the first time in an interview with the Associated Press.

Goodell said he didn’t “necessarily agree” with the protests, but added: “I support our players when they want to see change in society, and we don’t live in a perfect society. On the other hand, we believe very strongly in patriotism in the NFL. I personally believe very strongly in that.” He went on to suggest players should find “respectful ways” to share their views.

SportsBusiness Journal reporter Daniel Kaplan, who has covered the protests

extensively, says Goodell’s neutral comments only hurt the NFL. “The NFL can say [the protests are] not about disrespecting the flag – the league believes in patriotism – but the problem is that’s just an opinion,” he said. “Speaking out sooner wouldn’t have helped at all; it just stokes the fires.” Kaplan maintains that the NFL made a “cardinal sin” in forgetting that the fans are its source of revenue: comments that could “alienate even a minority of them” were a mistake.

“Goodell finally appeared to nod to this when he went on to say fans don’t go to

BRANDS NEED A PURPOSE Jim Dowling, managing director at Cake, the Havas Sports & Entertainment agency, agrees that league bosses should have taken affirmative action.

“There’s a broader issue here, which has an application that goes beyond the NFL and relates to brand purpose,” he says. “What do big sports-rights holders stand for, beyond making billions of dollars? Faced with a chance to make a statement, the NFL hedged [its bets].

And that’s been noted.”

For years, the NFL has marketed itself as the public-facing entity in American football. Its own profile is far bigger than that of its franchises. For instance, it has 24 million Twitter followers, while one of its biggest teams, the Dallas Cowboys, has just over 3.5 million. To put that in context, the English Premier League has just 500,000 more Twitter followers than its most popular team, Manchester United.

The model is significant, because it determines where blame is directed in times of trouble. The Premier League has been able to largely avoid any negativity, which instead tends to fall on the shoulders of its clubs, whereas the NFL, because it has benefited financially from drawing attention to itself, hasn’t.

COMPETITION FOR COVERAGE Some, including M&C Saatchi chief executive Steve Martin, believe the NFL was forced into neutrality. Indeed, the NFL is a separate entity, and it is the teams, players and owners that have dominated the media spotlight. Their divided responses have shaped public opinion.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS Donald Trump suggests Kaepernick “find a country that works better for him”.

1 SEPTEMBER

Kaepernick meets with the media to reiterate that he was acting to give a voice to people who lack one, and stresses that he fully supports the armed forces.

29 AUGUST

Journalist Jennifer Lee Chan tweets a photo showing Kaepernick sitting for the national anthem, which subsequently gains national attention.

28 AUGUST

Colin Kaepernick sits during the national anthem; his actions go unnoticed.

26 AUGUST

14 & 20 AUGUST

2016 Kaepernick takes a knee during the anthem for the first time, alongside teammate Eric Reid.

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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been one of the most prominent figures in the debate. In October 2017, Jones said that any Cowboys players who disrespected the anthem and flag would not play. He maintained that it was in the best interests of the team to honour the flag.

On the opposite side of the fence, Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti has been outspoken in allowing his players to take a knee. He issued a statement saying: “We recognise our players’ influence. We respect their demonstration and support them 100%.

All voices need to be heard. That’s democracy in its highest form.”

“The owners have their own point of view and a large platform from which to push that point of view,” says Martin.

“The division is hurting the NFL; there’s no question about that. Fans need to see a consistent message across the board, and they aren’t getting that.”

The potential consequences of the divide – and the NFL’s neutered handling of the situation – were shown by a poll conducted by the Washington Post in October 2017. Twenty-four per cent of fans surveyed said they had become less interested in the NFL specifically because of political issues within the sport. Among those whose interest had decreased, 17% cited the national anthem protests as the biggest reason.

With this in mind, the NFL must move beyond its position as an adviser to the teams and take up more of a leadership role in the dispute’s resolution.

Starting at a meeting between players and owners in October 2017, Goodell has begun to do just that, according to ESPN senior sportswriter Seth Wickersham, who was in the room. He said both sides

GETTY

FUMBLED COMMS

of the divide gave Goodell high marks for his handling of the meeting.

Rather than bow to pressure from the NFL’s commercial arm, Goodell appeared to side with players’ concerns. The NFL commissioner told owners they weren’t hearing the players’ core arguments, and reminded those in attendance that they were all in it together.

THE NFL’S COMMS SOLUTION We may see NFL players speaking out separately from the anthem protests in the future.

Anna Isaacson, the NFL’s vice president of social responsibility, presented a three-pronged action plan to Goodell in the meeting; the commissioner was in support of the strategy. First, this plan would expand the ‘My Cause, My Cleats’ initiative, which allows players to wear customised football boots that reflect their commitment to a charitable or social cause. Second, the NFL would vow to help convene more meetings with lawmakers to ramp up lobbying for players’ causes on Capitol Hill. Third, the NFL would use its own platform to promote it all.

According to insiders, there is another approach being considered. It would see the league keep players in the locker room while the anthem is played.

Communicating the solutions to the public will play a huge part in the outcome of the issue. All eyes are on the NFL’s incoming PR strategist.

NFL PLAYERS AREN’T THE FIRST TO TAKE A KNEE…

Civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr (front left) and Ralph Abernathy (centre, back) knelt in prayer with a group about to be sent to jail in Selma, Alabama. The group was arrested on 1 February 1965 after attempting to gain the right to vote. Following the prayer, the group peacefully marched to jail.

Tony Connelly is a freelance sports and marketing writer The NFL’s UK head of marketing was asked to comment for this article, but declined

The NFL advertises for a senior comms strategist to provide crisis comms counsel to executives and strategically position the NFL in the sports marketplace.

26 OCTOBER

Trump tweets that athletes should be fired if they “disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country)” by refusing to stand for the national anthem.

26 SEPTEMBER

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell comments publicly for the first time in relation to the protests, in an interview with the Associated Press.

23 SEPTEMBER

Then president Barack Obama defends Kaepernick’s constitutional right to protest racial injustice by sitting out the national anthem.

7 SEPTEMBER

5 SEPTEMBER

2017 Goodell holds a summit about national anthem protests with prominent owners and players at the league’s headquarters.

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26/01/2018 11:34

Sheikin’ it up

BY ELLIOT WILSON. ILLUSTRATIONS BY MATT HERRING

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The crown prince wants to transform Saudi Arabia’s image and attract Western funds with a series of outlandish PR plans.

Can he succeed?

|audi Arabia has been in the news a lot recently.

You may have noticed.

Last year alone, it lifted a ban on women drivers and said its cinemas would open for the first time in 35 years.

And an anti-corruption purge saw hundreds of members of the elite ‘imprisoned’ in the luxurious surrounds of the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh.

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This, if you believe the experts who make a living divining the thoughts and actions of the ruling House of Saud, is just the start. At some point in 2018, oil giant Saudi Aramco is slated to unveil the world’s largest-ever stock offering, valuing it at more than $2tn (£1.4tn).

Beyond that, a host of outsized ambitions stretch into the distance. The country aims to rebrand itself as a logistics leader, a digital visionary and a clean-energy

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pioneer. A major new project, Neom, aims to build a city on the Red Sea coast that will be driven by big data and artificial intelligence, and, allegedly, will be home to more robots than humans.

It sounds gloriously unrealistic. The Neom project in particular brings to mind those great historical boondoggles planned by overreaching entrepreneurs or nations: China’s residential ghost towns, say, or Fordlândia, Henry Ford’s disastrous attempt to build an industrial town in the Brazilian jungle.

But Saudi Arabia is deadly serious in its ambitions. And to understand why it is, and also where it is heading, we need to wind the clock back a few years to two initially unrelated events.

SHIFTING SANDS The first event occurred in 2011, when Mohammed bin Salman, better known by his initials, MBS, was named private adviser to his father, who in 2015 became King Salman, the country’s ruler.

His rise was irresistible: just four years later, at the age of 29, he was elevated to minister and put in charge of the world’s fourth-largest defence budget.

The second event took place in 2014.

Oil prices, hovering at around $100 a barrel and tipped to go nowhere, fell sharply and, crucially, stayed low, transforming a trade surplus into a massive budget deficit. Growth vanished, debts rose and belts were tightened.

Saudi Arabia’s simple economic strategy – selling lots of oil to needy customers – no longer worked. It needed a plan B. It got one. In June 2017, MBS was named crown prince and heir to the throne. He immediately set out to transform a country widely viewed as one of the world’s most influential but disliked states. (A December 2016 survey by pollster YouGov found that more Americans considered Saudi Arabia an enemy than they did China.)

Within months, the country said it was hiring a small army of PR specialists.

Edelman came in to advise on the country’s image problem. Other agencies helping Riyadh up its game included

Dubai-based ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, comms consultancy Consulum, and strategist Richard Attias & Associates.

PR hubs are due to open in London, Berlin, Paris and Moscow in 2018, and Mumbai, Beijing and Tokyo later.

These hubs, says one well-connected adviser to the government, are designed “to do the simple things well”. Wellknown social influencers – celebrities, sporting stars, journalists and authors – will blog and tweet feel-good messages, encouraging tourists and investors to come and see the kingdom’s changing face. PR firms will distribute messages extolling the Saudi view on global developments, and respond to negative or inaccurate stories.

Fatimah S Baeshen, a spokesperson at the Saudi embassy in Washington, DC, told Influence that the country “is taking a more proactive approach in sharing our narrative, which is dynamic and inspiring. Being present in the discourse, and sharing it from a first-person perspective is important. Saudi Arabia has an excellent story to tell”.

Baeshen says the Saudi embassy in Washington is taking MBS’s message across the country, to “rural America, universities, the business community, and, of course, the media and press”.

So far, so predictable: at first glance, the plan resembles the well-thumbed playbook written by Dubai and copied by fellow emirate Abu Dhabi and the gas-exporting mini-state Qatar. All set out to challenge, with varying degrees of success, long-standing global perceptions of themselves and the wider region.

But Saudi Arabia is different, and deconstructing and rebuilding its image was never going to be easy. The country is a bundle of contradictions, any of which would keep the most seasoned PR adviser awake at night.

ABOUT THOSE EXECUTIONS...

Let’s start with human rights, a sore point for both the kingdom’s supporters and detractors. Freedom House, a US NGO, ranks Saudi Arabia among the 10 least free nations on the planet. Public demonstrations are ‘haram’ – proscribed

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HOWDY, SAUDI!

By the Red Sea, near the site of an abandoned plane, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince plans to build a new city that will be bigger than Dubai and have more robots than humans – or camels, probably

Rebuilding Saudi Arabia’s image was never going to be easy.

The country is a bundle of contradictions, any of which would keep the most seasoned PR adviser awake at night

Progress: couples can now fight over who’s driving to the cinema

by Islamic law – and wont to lead to arrest or worse. Women cannot go out in public without male chaperones.

Riyadh wants to tackle these ingrained perceptions. An information ministry document helpfully leaked to the global media said it was necessary to “promote the [country’s] changing face... to the rest of the world, and improve international perception of the kingdom”.

But it’s hard to see the view of Saudi Arabia changing much, certainly in the West, as long as it continues to execute its own people en masse. According to human-rights group Reprieve UK, over 130 people were put to death in the first 11 months of 2017. Another 150 or so suffered a state-sanctioned death the previous year. Reprieve director Maya Foa says the Saudi government has “no intention of ending the use of executions as a tool to crush dissent”. That’s hardly a ringing endorsement for a country that craves respect and recognition.

Contradiction number two involves a blackness at the heart of the country’s soul: domestic religious extremism and its link to the export of terrorism. In November, the crown prince delivered an extraordinary address to an audience in Riyadh, promising to “pursue terrorism until it is eradicated completely”. It’s a noble ambition, and one that could change the world view of Saudi Arabia forever.

But is it feasible? The country is more fragile than most people realise. For years, the only thing keeping it glued together was an uneasy alliance between the royal family and the clerics who cleave to Wahhabism, a strict interpretation of Islam. But as a leading Middle East journalist noted: “The link INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 35

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between the two is now broken. MBS has no real sway over the clerics.”

This is a problem. The Henry Jackson Society, a London-based thinktank, reckons the country spent $4bn exporting Wahhabism in 2015, through building mosques and funding schools and colleges, up from $2bn in 2007. It accused the state of being the “foremost” foreign funder of Islamist extremism in Britain, pointing to a “clear and growing link” to terror events across Europe.

MBS wants to cut out this cancer at source. But, if he has no influence over extremists, he can neither stop them at home nor win hearts and minds abroad.

And there’s the issue of what kind of power the kingdom wants to be: hard or soft, or something in between. None of the comms strategists employed by the sovereign, or by Saudi ministries or corporates, yet know the answer. MBS often makes reassuring noises about the need to be a responsible and cooperative partner, yet on his watch Saudi Arabia has led a boycott of Qatar and launched an offensive against Houthi militia in neighbouring Yemen, where it has been accused of bombing civilians.

Both have been failures. “They’ve played a poor hand on Qatar,” notes a Dubai-based PR expert who’s worked on several Saudi accounts. “If anything,

they’ve alienated friends in the region and made Qataris feel better about their emir.” Yemen is another matter. The bloody war there, soon to enter its third year, shows no sign of abating, leading key allies, including the US, to urge Riyadh to curb its military aggression.

BLACK GOLD And so to the final contradiction and the one where the country’s boosters, both the professional and paid, and the happy believers, face the toughest challenge of all. Much has been written

More Americans consider MBS an enemy than Chinese president Xi Jinping. But for how long?

about Aramco’s upcoming stock listing, but the top-line facts still have the power to impress. Aramco is not just the world’s largest oil producer, but a pillar of society, setting aside profits to build hospitals and fund foreign scholarships.

Aramco’s IPO, first mooted in 2016, is a sensitive issue. Most Saudis see the company as a source of great national pride. To allow even a sliver to be sold to foreigners is fraught with danger. MBS knows this all too well – it was he who slapped a $2tn valuation on the company and championed the sale from the start.

If all goes well, Aramco will in 2018 complete the largest IPO in history, raising $100bn. Yet the obstacles already encountered by Aramco bode ill for the listing, and may cause some investors to fear that MBS is in over his head.

Strategic advisers working at both the sovereign and corporate level expressed fears that the IPO was in danger of being botched. Some sweated the high valuation – the largest IPO on record is Alibaba’s 2014 listing, which raked in

The message is that oil is the past, which explains why Aramco’s IPO is a hard story to sell

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HOWDY, SAUDI! By 2030, Saudi Arabia wants to have reduced its dependence on oil. The future, it believes, lies in renewables and robots

$25bn – or fretted about MBS’s tendency to micromanage, creating uncertainty about where it would take place.

Others said some of the consequences hadn’t been properly considered. A New York listing would be tricky, due to the threat of lawsuits related to the 2001 terror attacks. Then there’s the issue of valuing a firm that has never issued public financial data. Is the valuation based on inside knowledge, or guesswork? Such questions explain why one adviser says: “The hardest thing about this gig is pretending it’s a normal IPO.” And there’s another paradox at play: Aramco’s success is vital to MBS’s most prized ambitions, including the creation of a fund to invest the country’s vast oil wealth. This fund is vital to MBS’s longerterm plan, ‘Vision 2030’, to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on the hydrocarbon business in the next 12 years, replacing oil revenues with profits from cleaner industries like robotics, smart manufacturing and electric vehicles.

Much of this will be done in newly built special economic zones that aim to draw business and capital away from Dubai and Doha, creating millions of jobs for young men and women. “Vision 2030 is a longterm economic diversification strategy underpinned by domestic social and cultural reform, and increased privatesector participation and industry development,” says Baeshen. Such

reform includes the launch of “worldclass museums and libraries” and land for “talented authors, writers and directors”.

“Opening up sustainably requires people to understand your culture and your people,” adds Baeshen – and to want to visit and invest.

Yet this vision of a decarbonised world raises uncomfortable questions about Aramco itself. If the world’s largest oil producer is diversifying out of the very commodity that generates 93% of the state’s budget revenues and 97% of its export earnings, why would any rightminded investor buy its shares?

“The message is that oil is the past, not the future, and it explains why Aramco will become a harder story to sell, the closer the listing gets,” says one adviser.

There are many out there willing the crown prince to succeed. BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says that, while MBS has made mistakes, his ambitions are a bold and necessary move for a country that has to “find an alternative to oil and join the 21st century”. One civil servant interviewed for this story swelled with pride when asked about Saudi Arabia’s future. “For the first time, it is a pleasure to be asked this question,” he said, “and my answer is that I am very hopeful for my country.”

But, while MBS’s ambitions are well intentioned, questions hang over his ability to force them through.

VEILED AMBITIONS Well-paid strategic and comms advisers in the Middle East and the big Western capitals say MBS’s inscrutable top-down approach makes it hard to plan for tomorrow, let alone next month. “Every decision is made by one person,” says an adviser to the sovereign. “We don’t know what it will be until he makes it.”

Another adds: “It is extraordinarily difficult to navigate when something new pops up at you every day.”

Then there’s the issue of Saudi Arabia’s overarching message. It’s one thing to set up PR hubs across Europe and Asia, but another to flesh out a real comms strategy. Does Riyadh want to let its reputation improve gently over time, as China has done, or take a Russia-style approach that involves bending others to its world view? The ambition could be far simpler and more humble than that.

Asked where she hopes the country’s image will be in 10 years’ time, Baeshen answers: “Simply to be more accurately understood and subsequently depicted.”

Other questions are: how will Saudi Arabia combat negative reports about terror attacks if it continues to finance extremists? And how far can MBS’s reforms, particularly regarding women, go without drawing opprobrium from conservative clerics?

There’s one final matter to consider: the nation’s future is bound up in the mind and drive of one man who views the overhaul of Saudi society as a “civilisational leap for humanity”. But it’s worth remembering the last time this happened. In the 1960s, King Faisal rescued the country from insolvency and pushed through reforms that mirror much of what MBS is doing. But the conservatives didn’t like it, and, when Faisal was assassinated in 1975, Saudi Arabia retreated into its illiberal shell.

Let’s all hope history doesn’t repeat itself.

Elliot Wilson is an investigative journalist and business editor INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 37

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SPECIAL REPORT

WHO’S AFRAID —OF THE—

DARK WEB?

Comms pros can no longer pretend that the dark web doesn’t exist. Our roundtable panel discuss the threats – and opportunities – of the digital underworld

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THE DARK WEB THE PANEL

Jamie Bartlett he dark web is often viewed with suspicion.

Mention of it conjures up visions of hackers who live in their mothers’ basements and take pleasure in bringing down sites or, perhaps more sinisterly, interfering with Western democracies.

Often used as a catch-all phrase to mean anything sinister online, the terms ‘dark net’ and ‘dark web’ relate to networks of websites accessed by an anonymous web browser, the most notable being Tor. The pages are difficult to detect, shut down or censor, and their unregulated marketplaces are infamous for offering drugs, terrorist propaganda and hardcore pornography, as well as reams of stolen data. But these networks are also increasingly home to comms platforms we recognise.

In October 2017, The New York Times made its content available on the dark net. It said: “The New York Times reports on stories all over the world, and our reporting is read by people around the world. Some readers choose to use Tor to access our journalism because they’re technically blocked from accessing our website; or because they worry about local network monitoring; or because they care about online privacy; or simply because that is the method that they prefer.” It follows the same move by Facebook in 2014, and independent campaigns to host a Wikipedia platform on the dark web at the end of last year.

That means the dark web is increasingly relevant. So, in November 2017, seven prominent comms pros, authors and journalists gathered to discuss why those who safeguard the reputation of brands and businesses should be aware of what’s shared on it.

IKON IMAGES

T

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

DIGITAL REFUGE Jamie Bartlett, author of The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld and director of the Centre for the

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Author of The Dark Net and director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at Demos

Pam Cowburn Writer and communications consultant

Kim Deonanan Regional VP at press-release distribution service Business Wire

Adam Hildreth CEO of social media risk expert Crisp

Beatrice Giribaldi Groak Senior client manager at Digitalis Reputation

Andrew Smith Managing director of PR, SEO and analytics consultancy Escherman

Chen-Lee Tsui Manager, European marketing, for Business Wire

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Criminals are early adopters and this means the whole phraseology of the ‘dark net’ is a problem. It’s very tabloid and will always sound negative PAM COWBURN

Analysis of Social Media at Demos, explained that the dark net is “a real watering hole for the fringes of society”.

“For anyone who has something to hide or has reason to keep their identity hidden, it is a natural place for them to go,” he said. “However, you will also find resources for journalists, whistleblowing sites, and lots of valuable information for human rights activists, who, especially in some parts of the world, find it a safe and useful place to go. There are signs that it is becoming more mainstream.”

“Ignoring it is probably not a sensible notion,” agreed Andrew Smith, managing director of PR, SEO and analytics consultancy Escherman. The conundrum is this: how can a PR assess and deal with a threat that is difficult to see?

THINK 360 For Beatrice Giribaldi Groak, senior client manager at Digitalis Reputation, while the dark net might be the ultimate source of reputation issues, it is how it connects with the indexed web that matters.

To start with, she suggested: “You need to look at it in combination with what else is online to map out all liabilities.

When clients ask if we’ve looked at the dark net, we still have to inquire: ‘Have you looked at the rest of your publicly available digital footprint in the surface web as well?’ Only then can you ask the all-important questions: ‘How easily can this information be found and searched for?’ and ‘How can it be manipulated?’”

These links are meat and drink for the cadre of journalists who’ve made delving into the dark net their speciality, in search of exclusive, headline-grabbing material.

DATA HACK EXPOSÉS In a world where personal information can be bought and sold, one of the most likely discoveries will be personal data.

The dark net elevates the risk that the press will find out about your data leak before you do.

As with any exposé, you should be ready to act quickly, said Adam Hildreth, CEO of social media risk expert Crisp: “Speed of reaction is critical, which is why you need to be forewarned. If you can say ‘We found out seven days ago that we had a data breach; we didn’t want to alert the hackers so we didn’t go public, but we have issued a password reset and taken other measures’, then that’s a brand I trust. On the other hand, if you say ‘We found out eight months ago’, I’m going to wonder why it took you so long to say anything.”

In force from 25 May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation will temper appetites for an exposé by requiring that you inform the Information Commissioner of any breach within 72 hours and other concerned parties without “undue delay”. It could also help to improve the accuracy of reporting.

FAKE NEWS FORUM It’s no surprise that fishing journalists might be tempted to run stories that they have found on the dark net, but the anonymity of sources there makes it tricky to verify facts.

“When TalkTalk has 200,000 data records taken and they are all available on one site, that’s a big story,” said Bartlett. “The journalists who spot it are ready to start writing straight away.

A journalist discovered the Yahoo breach. But for some the normal standards of verification do not apply.”

He explained why some stories may not be what they appear: “[For investigative purposes,] journalists bought some stolen O2 data and, after contacting those affected and advising them to change their passwords, they

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SPECIAL REPORT

contacted O2. O2 said it hadn’t had any data stolen. It turned out a gaming site had been hacked and the hackers had tried the usernames and passwords to access accounts with other companies.”

Unfortunately, inaccurate information on the dark web does reach legitimate news outlets too.

Kim Deonanan, regional VP at pressrelease distribution service Business Wire, has seen rumours emerge that have had real-world consequences: “Transparency and the release source are key, and our strict internal checks and vetting process help to ensure bona fide content is distributed.”

Chen-Lee Tsui, manager, European marketing, for Business Wire, added: “For PR departments busy with their day-to-day campaigns and other work, using trusted news and distribution services is crucial.”

INFLUENCE EDITORS ROB SMITH AND GABRIELLE LANE TAKE A BREAK FROM TRAWLING THE DARK WEB

BEWARE OVERREACTING While PRs should be aware of and ready to respond to any threat, our panel called for a proportionate response to dark net activity. This means striking a balance between protecting your brand and drawing attention to something that might not be noticed otherwise.

Smith sees comparisons with social media scares: “It’s not dissimilar to how senior managers might view Twitter: ‘It’s on Twitter, so the whole world can see it.’ Well, actually, there’s one unhappy person but they have two followers. If you wade in and start drawing attention to it, it can become an issue, whereas, if you wait, you can better judge whether responding or not is the right option.”

“It’s about understanding if they really are influencing public perception,” agreed Giribaldi Groak. “If they have only a few followers, the chances of them really damaging your company are minimal,

unless one of the followers is highly influential, of course.”

What role could the professional communicator have in preventing things getting out of hand? They should clarify information quickly and clearly.

“It’s reputation management,” asserted writer and communications consultant Pam Cowburn. “When things go bad and there is no comment, the perception is that you have something to hide.”

EMBRACE THE DARK SIDE Fear of information being stolen could account for the rise of anonymous browsing in itself. As users become more careful about what they reveal online, they are starting to see the benefits of an anonymous browser that doesn’t involve breaking the law.

Indeed, there were many stories around the table of how an easily available anonymous service has helped the truth emerge, from helping those in oppressive regimes communicate with the outside world to a group of architects creating a whistleblowing site to expose local authorities that were bypassing building regulations.

“Tor’s run by a charitable organisation,” Bartlett said. “The people are good guys.

They are quite libertarian, so you might not agree with all they say, but they are doing it for the right reasons. It’s not run by criminals, but it’s being misused.”

“That’s true of any technological advance,” replied Cowburn. “Criminals are early adopters and this means the whole phraseology of the ‘dark net’ is a problem. It’s very tabloid and will always sound negative. It’s always going to sound like something bad.

“When good things happen, we don’t frame them in the same way. Stories about weapons sales or child exploitation do come out because of the dark net.”

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EXPERT INTERROGATION

SPEAK NO EVIL

When it comes to interrogations in the interests of national security, psychologists have cracked the code for effective – and non-threatening – communication

BY IAN LESLIE

t’s 2013. A British man is arrested for planning to murder a soldier.

Following his arrest, the suspect is interviewed by a counterterrorism police officer. The interviewer wants him to reveal the details of his plan, but the detainee – let’s call him Diola – refuses. Instead, he speaks passionately about the evils of the British state for more than 40 minutes, with little interruption.

In front of him, a copy of the Koran lies open. He declares he is willing to talk to the police because, as a man of God, he wants to prevent future atrocities. But he will not answer

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questions until he is sure that his questioner cares about Britain.

“The purpose of the interview is not to go through your little checklist so you can get a pat on the head,” he says. “If I find you are a jobsworth, we are done talking, so be sincere.”

The interviewer remains admirably calm. But he is not able to move the encounter out of stalemate.

Diola: “Tell me why I should tell you.

What is the reason behind you asking me this question?”

Interviewer: “I am asking you these questions because I need to investigate what has happened and know what your role was in these events.”

Diola: “No, that’s your job – not your reason. I’m asking you why it matters to you.”

Eventually, the interviewer’s boss replaces him. He takes a seat opposite Diola. Something about this interviewer’s opening speech triggers a change in Diola’s demeanour. “On the day we arrested you,” he begins, “I believe that you had the intention of killing a British soldier or police officer. I don’t know the details of what happened, why you may have felt it needed to happen, or what you wanted to achieve by doing this.

Only you know these things, Diola. If you are willing, you’ll tell me, and, if you’re not, you won’t. I can’t force you to tell me – I don’t want to force you. I’d like you to help me understand. Would you tell me about what happened?”

“That is beautiful,” Diola says.

“Because you have treated me with consideration and respect, yes, I will tell you now.”

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COPYRIGHT GUARDIAN NEWS & MEDIA LTD 2017

THE POWER OF PURPOSE Televised police dramas lead us to believe that interrogators extract information by intimidating their subjects, yet most specialist interviewers believe that coercion is counterproductive. But conventional wisdom has been hard to shift – at least until now.

Earlier this year, at the University of Liverpool, I watched a video of the Diola interview alongside Laurence Alison, the university’s chair in forensic psychology, and Emily Alison, a professional counsellor, two psychologists who are changing the way interrogation is practised.

My permission to view the tape was negotiated with the counterterrorism police. Details have been changed to protect the identity of the officers involved, though the quotes are exact.

In cooperation with the police, the Alisons, who are husband and wife, have analysed hundreds of real-world interviews with terrorists suspected of serious crimes, and constructed the world’s first comprehensive model of interrogation tactics. It is rooted in a developed understanding of human communication.

Pausing the video, Emily grimaced at Diola’s resistance: “When I watched this the first time I had to walk away, I was so outraged.” Laurence nodded: “As the interviewer, what you want to say is: ‘You’re the one in the fucking seat, not me.’ He’s trying to control you, so you try and control him. But then it escalates.”

The moment an interrogation turns into an argument, it fails.

“You need to remember what your purpose in that room is,” said Emily.

“You’re seeking information. If you find yourself having a go at someone, ask yourself: ‘What am I achieving by this?’

Because they will stop talking to you.”

The moment an interrogation turns into an argument, it fails

Psychologists Emily and Laurence Alison have ways of making you talk

The third degree: works on TV; in real life not so much

FALSE CONFESSIONS In the US, police officers are trained to interrogate suspects aggressively.

But evidence suggests that this style often leads to false confessions, as suspects will say anything to get the interview over with.

Anecdotes from the military also show this is the case.

In 2003, American colonel Steven Kleinman tried to stop abusive interrogations of Iraqi insurgents.

He became one of the first military figures to speak out, stating in one interview: “Underneath it all, it is very ineffective and counterproductive...

Any individual can force any other individual to admit to practically anything, but that’s not the purpose of interrogation.”

The more common problem is that aggression can make a suspect go silent. US police officers often place great emphasis on body language as a cue for deceit, even though there is little scientific evidence that reliable ‘tells’ exist.

Skilful interviewers know that the richest source of information is words. To get to the truth, you need to get the suspect talking.

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EXPERT INTERROGATION

GETTY

To be good listeners, interrogators need to emotionally self-regulate RAPPORT: TRUTH SERUM The Alisons have been advising police on how to interview suspects for more than 20 years. In 2012, they persuaded the counterterrorism police to give them access to interviews with terrorists, including Irish paramilitaries, al-Qaeda operatives and far-right extremists.

By analysing each interview in minute detail, they have proved something that expert interrogators have long known intuitively: the closest thing we have to a truth serum is rapport.

Rapport is not the same as being nice.

In fact, interviewers can fail because they are too nice. The best ones know when to be sympathetic and when to be forthright. What they never do is impose their will on the interviewee, either through aggression or through techniques of unconscious manipulation: these ‘tricks’ are usually seen through by interviewees. Rapport, in the sense used by the Alisons, describes an authentic human connection. “You’ve got to mean it” is one of Laurence’s refrains.

THE END OF ADVERSARIES The Alisons’ model is underpinned by an insight from counselling. More than 20 years ago, the field went through a revolution when counsellors noted that telling patients to stop an activity such as drinking alcohol made them want to do it more. Rather than being confrontational, counsellors now focus on building a relationship of mutual understanding, so that the patient does not feel the need to defend themselves. Crucially, the patient must feel that they are free to make their own choices – that, instead of being told what to do, they are able to work out the right course of action for themselves.

The Alisons found that those interrogators who made an adversary

out of their subject left the room empty-handed; those who made them a partner gleaned information. One of the most profound learnings from their research is that suspects are more likely to talk when the interviewer emphasises their right not to.

Laurence is a practitioner of ‘interpersonal psychology’, the premise of which is that, in any conversation, both participants are asking to feel status and communion – that is, to be respected. liked and understood.

“Power and love are the fundamental elements of all human behaviour,” explains Laurence. In a successful conversation, both individuals feel they have both. For the interviewer, the best way to create this feeling is by listening.

“You have to be genuinely curious,” says Laurence. “There’s a reason this person has ended up opposite you, and it’s not just because they’re evil. If you’re

not interested in what that is, you’re not going to be a good interrogator.”

LETTING GO To be good listeners, interrogators need to emotionally self-regulate.

An interviewee – who might be hostile, cooperative, terrified or some combination of the above – exerts an emotional force on the interviewer that is hard to resist. Skilled interrogators are adept at managing their own automatic responses, like sailors able to ride the sudden swells of a choppy sea.

This is crucial, says Laurence. “In a tug of war, the harder you pull, the harder they pull. My suggestion is: let go of the rope.”

Ian Leslie is a journalist, and author of Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends on It INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 45

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Winning has put Dynamo on more pitch lists.

Peter Bowles MCIPR Co-CEO Dynamo

Enter by 20 Feb 2018 Late entries accepted ‘til 27 Feb 2018 (there’s a late fee) cipr.co.uk/excellence

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THE BUSINESS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS

DO IT BETTER THIS ISSUE

WHY PR IS NO LONGER PR HOW TO GET A PAY RISE BETTER CYBERSECURITY: 5 TIPS THE MAN WHO RECAST PR

I launched PR Examples to highlight in one place great PR stunts from around the world RICH LEIGH

Strut your stunt The founder of prexamples.com explains how he showcased the industry – and how you can too

BY RICH LEIGH. PHOTOGRAPHY BY LOUISE HAYWOOD-SCHIEFER

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24/01/2018 15:45

DO IT BETTER

rom the second THE PURPOSE OF THE BLOG I started working In January 2012, I launched PR in PR, I was drawn Examples (prexamples.com) to to creative stunts. highlight in one place the great work I first learned done by the industry around the world; about the work of to rehabilitate the phrase ‘PR stunt’ marketing forefather Jim Moran and his among those who considered it tawdry; contemporaries in Mark Borkowski’s and to keep my eye on everything book The Fame Formula. I’d been happening – which, I figured, would working in PR a couple of weeks make me a better practitioner. when I picked up a copy.

Moran’s exploits in the early GETTING STARTED 20th century paved the way for the To test interest, I sent a vague tweet, with an email sign-up link. Almost attention-grabbing approaches we see today. He sat on an ostrich egg for 19 immediately, it brought in my first 400 or 500 email addresses. days, four hours and 32 minutes – and I launched the website with a few hatched it – to publicise a movie called The Egg and I. He searched for a posts, and a call for contributors and needle in a haystack for 10 days campaign suggestions. Within the first week, I had a to promote a real-estate database of 1,000 development. He readers. I had dozens of people, led a bull through I’m looking to pass of all nationalities a New York City china shop to raise the torch to somebody and levels of seniority, signed the profile of a who understands the friend (the bull up to write. The ethos of the site didn’t break blog certainly anything, but the wasn’t a business friend did, when he nervously in the moneymaking sense, and that backed into a table). I enjoyed the appeared to capture the imagination mischievousness of it all: the more of people.

I learned about creative ways to publicise clients, the more fantastic THE NUMBERS GAME it seemed that people could actually Within a few months, thanks to make a living out of it. regular ‘Top stunts and campaigns’ In early 2009, I saw a headline that newsletters, daily posts and a reignited that initial spark: ‘Zombie community following – especially on game marketing stunt goes awry after Twitter, where some posts would be body parts disappear’. To promote the retweeted hundreds of times – the release of Resident Evil 5, a horror video website was receiving around 20,000 game, a treasure hunt around London unique visits a month. Within a year, using fake (but realistic-looking) body we’d hit up to 60,000 unique views parts had been organised. Shock, – no mean feat considering there horror, not all had been gathered in, are around 80,000 PRs in the UK. sparking ‘concern’ that was entirely We held a PR Examples getfuelled by the agency behind the stunt. together in London to celebrate the So I began to use Twitter to highlight first year, and nearly 300 tickets stunts by other agencies and brands, sold in 48 hours, raising hundreds and soon PRs were sending me their of thousands of pounds for charity campaigns to share online. in the process.

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STUNNING STUNTS

ADDED VALUE People have been offered jobs based on their contributions to the best practice highlighted on the site.

My own raised profile led to me working for one of the top consumer agencies, Frank PR, and my own agency, Radioactive PR, has picked up business through the site. People have told me that they have won pitches after being inspired by posts on PR Examples.

Having written, read and edited thousands of blogs, a publisher approached me in early 2016 to ask if I wanted to write a book. I did.

Myths of PR became the bestselling PR book on Amazon within a couple of days of being released in April 2017.

Blogging has been a good thing in so many ways.

WHERE WE STAND PR Examples is the UK’s number-one PR blog, both in terms of unique visitors per month, hovering consistently around 30,000, and by Vuelio’s ranking (at the time of writing). So why am I selling (or retiring) it?

PR Examples started out as, and has remained, a labour of love. I’ve pumped my own money and thousands of hours into it. Now that I’m running a fastgrowing agency, I’m struggling to give the site the time it deserves. There are other projects I want to get to and, with a melancholy feeling of accomplishment, the time just feels right to let go.

I’m looking to pass the torch to somebody who understands the ethos and ongoing potential of the site. Either that or I’m willing to continue to pay to host and fossilise the site, so that it stands as the most comprehensive guide to PR creativity over these past six years: a predominantly positive, inspiring, informative and, hopefully, entertaining place to read about the best work being done.

Rich Leigh is founder of Radioactive PR. Contact him at rich@prexamples.com INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 49

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DO IT BETTER

You are not a PR Communications professionals are split over the future of the traditional agency

BY VIOLET JAMES n October 2017, communications giant WPP addressed the evolution of the industry in its third-quarter earnings call. In particular, it challenged the idea that management consultancies are now competing for client business, especially within the digital media space. It declared the threat to be “overstated”. WPP statistics showed that it was competing with management consultancies for less than 1% of its total revenue, leading experts to agree with its optimism.

Analysts at Liberum said: “We back WPP’s view. The consultancies just do not have the scale or presence and are unlikely to compete…”

However, analysts did acknowledge that there will be some impact on the communications agencies from management and ICT consultancies.

And this comes at a time when agencies are facing a period of slow growth.

All this was no surprise to industry professionals who are already working in new ways, within new agency structures, for new clients.

Here, two business leaders share their views on the future of the PR agency model.

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PR AGENCIES ARE THE NEW MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCIES DAVID GALLAGHER, PRESIDENT OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, INTERNATIONAL, AT OMNICOM PUBLIC RELATIONS GROUP What crossover exists between public relations and management consultancies?

I think PR has evolved along two parallel and occasionally intersecting lines: one related to management and institutional reputation, and the other connected to marketing and sales.

As a management discipline, PR helps companies and organisations

understand what stakeholders expect of them, and can help repair damage when expectations break down, often through the media, key opinion leaders and other intermediaries. In an increasingly connected world, the convergence of networks – social, workforce, supply chain, regulatory and others – centres on the perceived reputation or ‘lustre’ of a company, brand or service. We’re all focused on maximising and protecting the value of that reputation.

How has the relationship between PR agencies and their clients changed?

Roles and relationships with agencies are as varied as ever, ranging from ‘trusted adviser’ to extra arms and legs, and everything in between. With technology automating or reconfiguring labour requirements for ‘arms and legs’ support, agencies are offering more strategic advice and planning.

What does the PR agency of 2018 look like?

The old days of departmental silos are fading fast. The bigger shifts are seen in how agencies are set up now, with the best managing to offer highly experienced professionals (by industry and skillset) through flexible, fast-moving teams.

How can PR agencies win the battle for business?

Some things never change: we have to show our clients as much love as we show prospects, continue hiring smart people from diverse backgrounds, and stay on top of technology. I think agencies of all sizes are going to find tomorrow’s client challenges too big or complex to handle on their own, which means we’ll need to find ways to collaborate internally and with outside partners – even competitor agencies or, dare I say it, management consultancies.

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PR IN 2018

PR AGENCIES ARE THE NEW ADVERTISING AGENCIES FRED COOK, CHAIRMAN AT GOLIN AND DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA What does successful public relations look like today?

There is a growing convergence between marketing and PR. We’re seeing more marketing departments within companies using public relations agencies. Often they have bigger campaigns and budgets, so it represents a big opportunity for people working in the agency world.

Over the next five years, we will see the emphasis on earned media being reduced, and greater spending on paid media – owned media and shared media.

Do PR and advertising agencies need an aligned approach?

There’s a difference of opinion over what ‘integrated’ should look like.

I don’t think it’s necessary that PR and advertising say the same thing. My fear is that PR could become a support tool for advertising campaigns; that’s not going to be the right direction.

You want PR to be standing side by side with advertising, and executing things that are complementary but independent. As PR people, we have to make sure that what we’re providing is differentiated and creative.

How should a PR agency be structured now?

At Golin, we changed our structure five years ago; we saw the changes coming.

We realised there was a greater demand for data and analytics in planning, so we created a community around that – the ‘explore’ community. We also saw there was greater demand for creativity, so we made a ‘creator’ group. We already had a strong ‘catalyst’ group of account managers, and strong ‘connectors’ – media and social media people – but we added a lot of investment in the

analytical and the creative side of the business.

The ‘G4’ model is a community-based approach; it’s a way of thinking.

Can a PR person still be an all-rounder in 2018?

I think our business has become too complicated for one person to be good at everything. There is a role for people who are generalists and know a bit about everything: those people oversee the accounts and are driving change.

They need to know what’s happening across the board.

We need people who are specialists in design, or research, or videography and storytelling. I think the industry is moving into a specialist era, because the work we’re doing is so much more sophisticated. If we’re competing with advertising firms, digital agencies and media-buying firms, we have to have just as deep expertise as they do.

Why would a client come to you if there is an overlap in skills?

The labels on the different kinds of agency have become meaningless.

What differentiates you in the industry is not the type of agency you are, but the type of ideas you’re bringing to solve a problem for a client.

When you have people working in specific communities, you end up with a better product because there are different kinds of people involved and it’s a diverse creative process.

How difficult will it be for PR agencies to adapt to a new way of working?

In the beginning, we were going to play with the same team and adapt and train people into these new roles.

In hindsight, that was not the best idea. It is faster to hire people who are already skilled in these areas than it is to retrain people. You can’t shift the direction of the agency without bringing in new people. You have to always be one step ahead of where the industry is going.

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DO IT BETTER

How to ask for (and get) a pay rise Annual objectives have been set, and now it’s time to talk salary. Watch out for these fatal traps

BY GAVIN ELLWOOD 52 Q1 2018 INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK

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EARN MORE

ll too often people ask for a pay rise at the wrong time. Either the request is long overdue and can sound like a demand, or too soon and the manager feels it’s not warranted.

This decade is set to be the weakest one for wage growth since the 1900s, according to the Resolution Foundation.

So it’s more important than ever to get your pitch right: it may be the difference between success and failure.

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THESE ARE THE OPTIMAL TIMES Your annual review is often the best time to ask for a pay rise. It’s common for these reviews to take place shortly after the end of the year – be that calendar or financial – and usually with some notice. If you can’t wait until the annual review, then choose your moment wisely. Specifically, Monday mornings are a universal no-no, as are Friday afternoons, or any day of the week following poor financial results.

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ASK YOURSELF SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS Ask yourself some questions before asking anything of others. Why are you underpaid? How does your salary compare with the market? Can your employer afford it? Have you checked your organisation’s salary bands?

Why are you asking for a pay rise?

The answer to this last question is crucial and could be the key to how you frame your case. Is it an issue of equality or parity? Has your personal situation changed, meaning you can no longer afford to live on your salary? Are you prepared to move on for a pay rise?

Consider all these questions before developing your pitch for more money.

UNDERSTAND THIS: THE PAST IS THE PAST The mistake made by most people when asking for a pay rise is to attempt to justify an increase based on past performance. Talking about that great win, how hard you’ve worked or the disaster you single-handedly averted is not (most of the time) going to cut it.

You’ve been paid for what you’ve done – that’s how the salary system works.

PREPARE If time is on your side, then plan and start working harder and smarter to excel in your job while demonstrating an exemplary attitude in your workplace. Seek out ways you can bring value above and beyond your main responsibilities. If over the past month or three you’ve excelled, then your boss is likely to see you as someone to develop and one to keep.

The mistake made by most people is to attempt to justify a pay rise based on past performance IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU As a headhunter, I’m often involved in salary negotiations on behalf of clients, and, as a manager, I’m familiar with requests for pay rises from team members. My favoured approach is one that works for both employee and employer: start by thinking more about what you can do for your employer and less about what your employer can do for you. If possible, start laying the groundwork several months before putting in the request. No manager likes surprises when it comes to pay rise requests (there’s always a budget somewhere that must be stuck to) so don’t be shy about making it clear up front that it’s a topic you wish to discuss.

Approach a pay rise request in a similar way to a job interview. The common mindset of someone asking for a pay rise is: “This is what I want from you.” Instead, try the “This is what I can do for you” approach – the approach that got you the job in the first place. Get yourself in that mindset.

Prepare your pitch, practise it and perfect it.

BE FUTURE-ORIENTATED Talk about the future, share your plans and ideas, and demonstrate the passion and enthusiasm that you have for your work. Set out the goals and ambitions that you’d like to fulfil in the job, and then explain the benefit that this will bring in terms of your organisation’s strategic objectives.

By linking what you’re going to deliver, and the value you will bring to the organisation, with your pay rise request, you’re giving your manager the best-possible reason to say yes.

You’ll also be providing them with the material to make your case to their boss if that’s what’s needed.

NO TANTRUMS If you don’t ask, you don’t get. The worst that can happen is your boss will say no. If this happens, avoid an emotional response and remain professional. Use it as a learning experience and find out why you didn’t get a rise. Don’t threaten your boss with resignation; in most cases they will call your bluff and your relationship will sour.

If a pay rise is not possible right now, try alternative requests for things of value to you – professional development, additional holiday allowance, membership of a professional body, gym membership, paid days off to volunteer, and so on.

I know plenty of people who earn thousands of pounds more than their contemporaries because they asked for a pay rise more times than most, but have done so in a clever and informed way. They demonstrate the value they will add. There’s a fine line between doing more than is asked of you to excel and doing so much that you’re taken advantage of. There are only so many hours in a working week, so be smart and make each one count.

Gavin Ellwood is director and co-founder of Ellwood Atfield, the communications and advocacy headhunter INFLUENCEONLINE.CO.UK Q1 2018 53

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5 hacks for better cybersecurity

Another day, another headline about cybersecurity risks. The best advice?

Don’t let hype stop you doing today what’s best for you and your organisation

BY GWILYM LEWIS

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CYBERSECURITY TRICKS

e’re constantly discovering new aspects of our lives that are at risk from technically sophisticated, hooded hackers, and we’re continually reminded about how worried this should make us. We’re told we face a huge problem – all the technology we use, from wi-fi to pacemakers to cars, can be hacked, with terrible consequences. The situation with the data that people hold about us, and the damage its loss can cause, is even worse, and there doesn’t appear to be much we can do about it. Just look at these Financial Times headlines: • ‘Equifax hackers access details of 143m US consumers’ (8 September 2017) • ‘Identity thefts rise to nearly 500 victims a day’ (23 August 2017) • ‘Computer “privacy threat to patients”’ (19 July 1973) No, that wasn’t a typo, the last headline really is from 1973.

The reality is that cyberattacks aren’t remotely new. In fact, the first commonly accepted ‘hack’ was in 1903, when Nevil Maskelyne used Morse code insults to disrupt a public demonstration of Marconi’s wireless telegraph.

Why does this matter? It matters because new things are scary and unknown – two of the key ingredients with which human nature creates myths. And the more that myths are repeated, the more widely believed they become.

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OLD FEARS DIE HARD Ultimately, widely believed myths make it difficult for us to separate truth from fiction – often to our detriment. For example, people continued to carry posies to ward off cholera (and to die) instead of changing their behaviour and drinking clean water, as that solution was considered too simple to be true.

The truth about cybersecurity is that the vast majority of the day-to-day issues we face are well known and have been around for a long time (TalkTalk was hacked by a teenager using a type of flaw older than him);

and the hacks that sound scary, such as those affecting cars, wi-fi and pacemakers, are very unlikely to occur in normal circumstances.

The good news is that this means there are straightforward steps you can take today to make you and your professional world more secure.

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DON’T THINK OF CYBERSECURITY AS A BINARY PROBLEM Being more secure is a journey, not something you can achieve instantly.

The Great Britain Cycling Team became world-beaters one step at a time, over many years, not overnight. In the same way, every change you make today, no matter how small, makes you more secure than you were yesterday.

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MAKE YOURSELF PERSONALLY MORE SECURE Being secure, both professionally and personally, involves a mindset change above all else. A great way to begin thinking ‘securely’ is to make simple changes to security in your personal life.

The UK’s Cyber Aware website – www.cyberaware.gov.uk – offers easy-to-follow advice on the key things to do: keep your software up to date, lock your phone, use better passwords (ones that are easy to remember too), back up your data and be suspicious when sharing personal data.

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USE TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION WHEREVER YOU CAN Two-factor authentication requires you to provide an additional piece of information (normally a code sent by text or one generated by an app on your phone) along with your username and password in order to log into, say, a website or your email.

Two-factor authentication is supported by most online services and email providers, and many e-commerce websites. Using it will instantly make you much more secure: even if someone has your username and password, they can’t get the additional code needed to log in if they don’t have access to your phone.

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ACCEPT THINGS WILL GO WRONG ONE DAY AND PLAN FOR IT Even as the co-founder of a specialist cybersecurity company, I know that one day either I or my business will probably be the victim of a hack, as it’s impossible to be totally secure all the time (or to avoid making a silly mistake).

Good security is not just about trying to stop attacks, whether as an individual or a company. It’s equally important to make sure that, if something bad does happen, the damage is mitigated and that you have plans in place so that you can quickly recover.

Key steps include having offline copies of all your data, ensuring that someone who hacks one system doesn’t get access to others, and, most importantly, taking the time to document your recovery plan.

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ASK ‘WHO IS TAKING CARE OF THE SECURITY FOR THIS?’ There is a natural assumption that something as important as security is being taken care of by someone, somewhere, but all too often this turns out not to be the case. The simplest way to ensure that security is being addressed is to ask.

Improving your security is very straightforward; you just have to start today. As Martin Luther King Jr said: “You don’t have to see the whole staircase; just take the first step.”

Gwilym Lewis is director of Appsecco, which provides easy-to-understand cybersecurity solutions, grounded in commercial reality THIS ARTICLE COUNTS TOWARDS CIPR CPD CIPR CPD is a free online platform where you can plan, track and record everything you do to keep your knowledge and skills up to date.

Structure your development and work towards becoming a Chartered PR Practitioner. Visit cipr.co.uk/mycpd

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DID IT BETTER

The talented Mr Tallents

How to deploy new technology to project public service messages.

Resolving information inequality. Containing the power of political and media elites. If you work in PR now, you’ll recognise all the issues that confronted industry pioneer Sir Stephen Tallents

BY SCOTT ANTHONY hortly after IPR was created in 1948 (the ‘C’ didn’t appear until 2005), it began casting around for a figurehead who could bestow credibility on a nascent profession – someone who could embody the profession’s best self.

The search led to 63-year-old Sir Stephen Tallents. The fact that the inaugural IPR president had spent the majority of his career doing jobs that were not officially designated as ‘public relations’ made him, paradoxically, a far-sighted choice. Tallents always resisted any sort of codification of what he did because he believed media relations were relational: it was work defined (and redefined) by its doing. What IPR ended up doing was institutionalising a model that could be endlessly reconfigured.

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DEFINING MOMENTS Tallents’ career in public relations was propelled forward by the 1906 Liberal landslide. He joined the civil service as social pressures were beginning to compel government intervention in the private welfare of its citizens.

This growth necessitated the development of state publicity as innovations such as national insurance (which Tallents cut his teeth on) required both explanation and promotion. The nation state found it increasingly difficult to easily delineate government responsibilities from private ones.

As in so much else, the First World War would become a defining moment in the development of public relations.

Invalided from the front, Tallents was seconded to the Ministry of Food.

Working with experts from the new field of nutritional science, civil servants came to realise the extent of malnutrition in Britain. Alongside William Beveridge, who would become famous as the architect of the 1945 postwar settlement, Tallents was tasked with finding ways of both addressing these inequalities and winning public support for rationing. He succeeded, but to Tallents’ frustration, this research was halted by post-war cuts to state expenditure. If the state could compel its citizens to kill, as the bureaucratic lament of the time had it, why not compel better lives?

relations practitioners to come. Firstly, as head of the newly created Empire Marketing Board (EMB) between 1926 and 1933, Tallents coordinated an international network of institutes developing research in fields such as botany, pest control and animal genetics (Dolly the sheep owes her existence to an initial EMB grant).

Running these institutes of new science demanded new ways of working and communicating.

Employing international artists and film-makers, the EMB briefly became as renowned for its modernistic output as the London Underground.

The experience of running the EMB convinced Tallents that a globalised future demanded collaboration free of high politics – defiantly commonwealth, not empire. Noteworthy EMB collaborators went on to play important roles in the creation of post-war organisations such as UNESCO.

Tallents didn’t invent the profession, but he did help to crystallise it

WH AUDEN AND THE GPO But it was at the General Post Office (GPO) that Tallents found greatest acclaim. Ordered to encourage the social take-up of telecommunications, Tallents oversaw the development of the Valentine’s Day telegram, Gilbert Scott’s telephone kiosk and the 999 service.

Meanwhile, the film unit Tallents had created at the EMB matured at the GPO. Important figures, such as WH Auden, William Coldstream and Humphrey Jennings, were employed to produce animations, documentaries and even musicals. Films such as Night Mail

NEW SCIENCE The inter-war years saw the maturing of new media technologies such as radio and cinema. Tallents’ mastery of these would lead him to create a template for generations of public

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CIPR ANNIVERSARY

Tallents’ mastery of radio and cinema would lead him to create a template for generations of PR practitioners to come

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(1936) were made to promote postal services to the public, and to raise the status of postal workers, but they also existed to propagate the idea of the UK as a democracy brought together by shared public services: lame humour not Leni Riefenstahl. In Tallents’ work at the GPO you see in embryo techniques and messaging deployed during the Second World War by the Ministry of Information, of which Tallents was briefly director general: keep calm and carry on.

CULTURAL KEYNESIANISM In 1932, Tallents published The Projection of England, a pamphlet that outlined his vision for modern public relations (which he labelled ‘projection’). Appalled by the rise of fascism, but equally concerned about the conduct of Britain’s newspaper barons, Tallents idealised a world where citizens could speak across political elites. In the First World War, he had lamented the unequal distribution of food; now Tallents

feared the consequences of the unequal distribution of information.

In a sense, his conception of public relations equated to a kind of ‘cultural Keynesianism’. Tallents’ ideas were a call for interventions in a field that he believed was too important to be left to politicians and news media oligarchs.

Tallents’ appeal to IPR in the context of the Labour victory of 1945 should already be obvious: his prescient ideas had often fallen foul of inter-war conservatism.

However, he remained a liberal and his ideas were often out of kilter with Labour’s statism. More importantly, his belief that multimedia public relations needed to be rooted in discussion, debate and civic activism appeared an extravagance to public figures primarily interested in managing media criticism.

Fundamental to Tallents’ understanding of public relations was that the media was an addition to the existing social sphere, not a container or a substitute for it. To a PR professional in the early 1990s this might have seemed dated or naive, but now the wheel has turned. In an age

defined by visual memes and social media, and when high politics and ‘traditional’ media are seen as suspect, Tallents seems an inspired choice as inaugural IPR president. He didn’t invent the profession, but he did help to crystallise it. A dynamic profession requires a dynamic figurehead. It might even be that the trials and tribulations of Tallents’ career are still prompting serious professional self-reflection 70 years from now.

Scott Anthony is a Leverhulme Fellow at the University of Cambridge and author of Public Relations and the Making of Modern Britain (Manchester University Press)

CIPR’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY

To mark the 70th anniversary of CIPR, in 2018 each edition of Influence will look at the life and accomplishments of a key figure in the institute’s history.

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CIPR EXCELLENCE

Game-changing business and comms strategies from the CIPR Excellence Awards hall of fame

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t’s difficult to analyse best practice in public relations because so much of the planning, activation and even outcomes happen behind closed doors.

But every year we get a privileged insight into the very best campaigns in the comms sector, and what makes them and their creators so special.

Over the past few months, we’ve looked in detail at 12 of the most impressive, creative

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and effective campaigns of recent years, each a winner at CIPR’s Excellence Awards. Some of these campaigns were in-house and others were led by agencies; in most cases, they were a powerful combination of both.

This group show an obsessive, granular understanding of their target audience; their campaigns are super-ambitious in scope; they harness the knowledge of the whole organisation, not just the comms silo;

they pique the media’s interest (but sometimes bypass them altogether); and they know that no budget or organisation is too small to enjoy global success.

The learnings from these award-winners can be applied to anyone working in PR and comms, in whatever discipline. Want to know how the most effective comms teams cut through in an information-drenched world? Here’s how...

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EXCELLENCE AWARDS

EXCELLENCE AWAR

LESSON 2 EVERYONE WINS IF YOU GROW THE MARKET

LESSON 1

YOU DON’T HAVE TO TALK TO THE MEDIA TO TALK TO THE MEDIA

Nearly one million children in the UK have undiagnosed eye conditions; half of UK children have never had an eye test. For Boots, these facts represented both a moral obligation and a business opportunity.

In 2016, the UK’s second-largest optician launched an awareness campaign to help parents understand the importance of monitoring their children’s eyesight.

It created an interactive storybook, Zookeeper Zoe, available online and in-store, to encourage parents to have their children’s eyes properly tested – even though Boots knew it wouldn’t be the only brand to benefit.

“By raising the issue, we knew we would be increasing demand for eye tests,” says Rebecca Fergusson, MD of health at Red Consultancy, Boots Opticians’ agency.

“By providing a solution in the form of an eye-test storybook, we ensured Boots Opticians would be the main beneficiary.

We created a strong emotional connection between the book and parents, and made the journey from reading the book to getting an eye test completely seamless.”

Rebecca Fergusson on winning a CIPR Excellence Award: “It’s good for new clients because it endorses our approach of creativity that has demonstrable traction.”

Cast your mind back to Christmas 2014 and you may recall a story about fairies delivering presents and doing good deeds in towns and villages across the country. A school in Cornwall was covered in snow, while ‘fairies’ delivered gifts to the deserving in Newcastle.

The magical media relations campaign was, of course, for retailer Marks & Spencer. But, despite acres of coverage, possibly the most magical thing about the campaign was that not once did M&S or its agency, Unity, speak to the media.

“It was a huge risk and we had no fall-back position,” says Nik Govier, Unity’s former managing director. She says that, to work, the campaign needed the complete and utter trust of the client, a powerful and timely idea, and a thorough understanding of the modern mediascape.

But most important, says Govier, were meticulous planning and executing the idea with real integrity. “We had to behave like fairies,” she says. “Fairies wouldn’t have a PR agency or enlist celebs or call news desks. We created intrigue and left it to the journalists to ‘discover’ the story themselves.”

“The CIPR Excellence Award raised our profile and let people know what we were capable of” – Nik Govier.

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LESSON 3 ENGAGED EMPLOYEES CAN UNLOCK A NEW PRODUCT’S POTENTIAL After acquiring three former building societies, Santander wanted to double the number of customers who also regarded it as their primary bank. Thus was born the innovative 1|2|3 account – a ‘better’ current account that gives cashback on household bills.

Given the mildly technical nature of the new offer, the question was how to communicate it in a way that would cut through with customers and address any public cynicism. Santander realised that convincing its own staff of the merits of the new account would be an essential first step.

“Getting internal communications correct was absolutely vital,” says Santander UK’s head of media relations, Andy Smith. “Employees

can be your most cynical audience.

Without their support, no amount of brand advertising or high-level public relations will work.”

Santander launched the new product internally and carefully trained staff in its benefits. “In the end, we had a highly motivated workforce who understood and really appreciated the product.

They were the foundation of all external communications and the success of the 1|2|3 account.”

“We were delighted with the CIPR Excellence Award. Achieving independent recognition of the strength of our campaign was a big motivator for the team” – Andy Smith.

LESSON 4 BE SUPER-AMBITIOUS

English Heritage sits at the heart of British life, caring for over 400 historic sites. But it has faced a long-standing image problem: it’s been seen as... a bit fusty. The solution? Think big.

In 2016, the conservation charity decided it needed to ‘own’ one of the UK’s most important historic events, on the Battle of Hastings’ 950th anniversary. English Heritage threw all its resources behind the campaign. It created an arrow hunt, concealing 1,066 arrows across its sites; commissioned a contemporary version of the Bayeux Tapestry; recreated Harold’s forced march from Yorkshire to Hastings; and even rewrote

history by moving the stone that marked where Harold fell. In doing so, it galvanised thousands of people’s interest in history.

“This was our biggest-ever campaign, lasting a whole year.

It was a risk but we had to be ambitious to have any chance of hitting our targets,” says head of comms Michael Murray-Fennell.

The reward? Three consecutive programmes on BBC One, as well as smashed visitor and revenue targets.

Michael Murray-Fennell describes his CIPR Excellence Award as a “hearty round of applause for all our hard work”.

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LESSON 5

KEEP IT BLOODY SIMPLE The number of new blood donors fell by 40% in the decade to 2015. The idea of giving blood had simply ceased to be a cultural norm, especially among young people.

Any campaign to remedy this had first to deal with the fact that it was an invisible issue – you can’t see a fall in blood donation. Second, it had to be absolutely straightforward. “In public relations and comms, there is a tendency to overcomplicate. We understood that younger audiences like things to be simple. They don’t want layers of complexity and they don’t want a big ask,” says Gemma Irvine, head of the brand team at MHP.

The resulting ‘Missing type’ campaign for NHS Blood and Transplant – in which individuals, brands and organisations removed the letters A, O and B from their names – turned the issue into a game and led to a huge increase in blood donors. O2, Nando’s and even Downing Street got involved. More than 30,000 new donors were registered during National Blood Week 2015, 20,000 up on the previous year.

“The simplicity of the idea was complemented by the simplicity of its activation; minimal effort was needed to deliver our message and create the desired behavioural change,” says Irvine.

LESSON 6 KNOW HOW TO USE HUMOUR WELL

People die because they can’t get an ambulance in an emergency or because A&E is full of people with minor ailments. The worst culprits, apparently, are the millennial ‘snowflake’ generation. Persuading them not to call 999 unless they really need to is a matter of life and death.

Spirit and NHS Sussex, however, chose to highlight the problem with a series of comedy shorts by TV prankster Dom Joly. In the films, he refuses to accept that minor ailments such as a hangover are not a medical emergency.

The films were trailed on social media with the hashtag #notQUITEanemergency.

“We know that young people don’t read leaflets, but nearly all millennials use social media, and one of the most popular forms of content is pranking,” says Spirit’s creative director, Matt Campion. “Most health messages are so po-faced that they’re ignored. We were able to get away with using humour around a serious issue for a serious organisation because we were hitting our audience in the [online] places they go to, in a tone of voice they were comfortable with.”

“Our CIPR Excellence Award changed the game for Spirit in terms of being trusted to deliver by clients” – Matt Campion.

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LESSON 7

TO STAY IN CONTROL, USE YOUR OWN COMMS CHANNELS On 28 October 2016, fire ripped through the cluster of medieval buildings surrounding Exeter Cathedral. The fire destroyed The Royal Clarence, England’s oldest hotel, and closed the city’s tourist and business district.

Two days later, the local newspaper announced the fire was out. But it wasn’t – it smouldered on for four more days. So it was just as well that Exeter City Council had already chosen to communicate directly with the public, using its website and Facebook groups. Unusually, it broadcast the fire live and offered an online interactive map of the cordoned-off area around the fire, constantly updated in real time, as well as private and public Facebook pages.

“Using our own media ensured timely, unrestricted, unfiltered news,” says Jon-Paul Hedge, director of comms and marketing at Exeter City Council.

“It meant that local businesses understood exactly what was being done and when they could reopen, while residents concerned about the cultural damage felt informed and reassured about the council’s determination to make it good. We might not have been in control of the fire, but we were in control of the story.”

LESSON 8 UNDERSTAND YOUR CUSTOMERS’ EMOTIONAL TRIGGERS

The introduction of market forces into the tertiary education sector means that the 48 hours around clearing and results day have become make or break for many universities.

While most opt for marketing activity based around top-line ‘functional benefits’, such as the quality of their courses, in 2015 Loughborough University took an approach based on a far more profound understanding of the emotional needs of prospective students.

It surpassed its student targets by sending out 2,000 personalised, Willy Wonka-style golden tickets welcoming those who’d got the grades and secured a place.

“Sometimes we overthink. There’s a need to get back to the human side,” says Emma Leech, director of marketing and advancement at Loughborough. “We scrutinised the 42 factors influencing choice and, rather than focusing on the obvious, we went down the list, looking for emotional triggers. We really tried to get under the skin of our customers and see what it felt like to walk in their shoes. Probably the biggest concern was ‘fear of not fitting in’. So we personalised our message to make insecure applicants feel valued – like VIPs.” “The CIPR Excellence Award was a huge boost and generated real institutional pride.

It has been important in building team confidence and creativity. Importantly, it has helped raise our profile internally, which has been pivotal in securing confidence, support and enthusiasm for future projects and innovations” – Emma Leech.

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LESSON 9

YOU’RE NEVER TOO DULL TO EXPRESS A PERSONALITY ’Scales and balances’ may be among the world’s least sexy product sectors.

But that didn’t stop German scale manufacturer Kern & Sohn from developing a quirky and engaging global brand personality. This was achieved after its PR agency, Ogilvy, developed an experiment to show how Kern scales are so precise that they even allow for the distorting effect of gravity, which varies across the world. Ogilvy sent a set of scales to academics around the globe so they could weigh a garden gnome named ‘Kern’. Kern’s adventures were recorded in countless videos, sparking global interest.

“The idea of the product demonstration came first and then we added in the gnome to make it quirky and fun,” explains Michael Frohlich, CEO of Ogilvy EMEA. “No brand is too dull for a personality, but to make sense and to have leverage it has to be based on a reason or a purpose with an absolutely integral link to the product. You have to start with a product truth or insight.”

LESSON 10

DON’T TELL THEM, SHOW THEM Technology marketing presents a specific problem: technical specs don’t sell.

“Flexible solutions... blah.” “Functional capacity... blah.” People just don’t hear it.

So how was the financial software company Intelligent Environments supposed to convey the message that its clever tech can improve online banking?

Answer: it chose to demonstrate the benefits of its products. And, to do that, its own developers, alongside its PR agency, worked together to develop a genuine world first – online banking via a smartwatch, so that people could check their balances and transactions just by looking at their wrist.

“If you tell people, often they just don’t hear you – especially if everyone else is saying the same thing,” says Chris Hides, MD of M&C Saatchi PR. “The essence of technology marketing has to lie in developing an engaging narrative around the product so that consumers, in particular, can understand it. After all, you wouldn’t go to Germany and start speaking French. Showing, rather than telling, is speaking in language consumers understand.”

GETTY

“The recognition from CIPR not only gave the team a confidence boost, but it helped us demonstrate to prospects and clients alike the importance of following this model” – Chris Hides.

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LESSON 11

ENLIST THE WHOLE ORGANISATION Royal Mail was simply a licensee of the London 2012 Olympics, but it wanted to outshine the official sector sponsor, UPS. It decided to produce stamps commemorating every GB Olympic gold medal winner within 24 hours of their victory. The normal lead time is two years.

This extraordinarily ambitious campaign could not possibly have succeeded through the efforts of the in-house comms team alone. In fact, you might call it “total PR” because so much of the organisation had to be enlisted for the campaign to succeed. Royal Mail also worked with PR agencies Eulogy and Blonde.

A detailed strategy was developed in the preceding two years, signed off by Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene. “We had the stamps and collectibles team, operations teams, and legal and regulatory teams, not to mention outside bodies such as Ofcom [the industry regulator] and LOCOG [the Olympics’ organising committee],” says David Gold, Royal Mail’s director of public affairs and policy.

“Not only did the campaign transform the way Royal Mail is perceived, but it transformed our culture,” he adds. “It has raised aspirations. We have learned how to join up the departments. We have become a real can-do organisation.”

EXCITED? TELL US ABOUT YOUR OWN SAVVY CAMPAIGN STRATEGY

Entries are open for the annual CIPR Excellence Awards. To view the categories, visit cipr.co.uk/ excellence. Make sure you apply by 20 February 2018* for a chance to share your success.

* 27 February is the late deadline (charge applies).

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LESSON 12

CHAMPION YOUR CONSUMER Brand purpose has become a fashionable marketing technique.

And P&G’s Always brand is the technique’s poster girl.

Always was the global leader in the feminine care market, but rival brands were proving more successful at building emotional connections with young women on social media.

Always responded with the #LikeAGirl campaign, created

by PR agency MSL, which shows the power of championing the broader interests of your consumers in a way that goes beyond a mere transaction.

Research showed that more than half of women suffered a decline in confidence at puberty – the very moment they enter

the market for Always. So MSL devised a global social media campaign using the hashtag #LikeAGirl to drive people to a Lauren Greenfield-directed YouTube film. The film showed how women have internalised the phrase ‘Like a girl’ to mean weakness and vanity, when its real meaning should be anything but.

The results were extraordinary: over 76 million views on YouTube, and 1.6 billion media impressions in the UK alone, leading to increased market share. #LikeAGirl has since become a valuable asset of the Always brand and the face of what might be termed the ‘brand-purpose movement’.

LESSON 13 WIN MEANINGFUL AWARDS

Excellent PRs with their awards

Okay, plug time. Not only was each of these a stellar campaign, but each team took the time to communicate its lessons. It’s all very well putting together a brilliant campaign, but it only becomes a game changer when the wider world can adopt the innovative techniques involved. That’s the way that you, your organisation or your agency becomes a genuine thought leader.

As Gemma Irvine of MHP says: “Winning the CIPR Excellence Award has had a great impact on the agency: it has set a benchmark for creativity that means we continue to push ourselves, agency-wide, to deliver work that is worthy of industry recognition. It’s also helped us attract new brands and organisations that are looking for an agency that can deliver high-impact campaigns.”

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THE BACK STORY The male, the pale and the dissidents

t was summer in 2012, and the London Olympics were about to briefly lift the gloom of austerity. On a baking-hot evening in London, my team and I were about to put on the First Women Awards, an event we’d created with the CBI a few years earlier.

Months of work had gone into it, and the event was going brilliantly.

Clare Balding was smashing it as the host. Home secretary Theresa May (whatever became of her?) gave an excellent speech. The atmosphere among the 500 guests, three-quarters of whom were successful businesswomen, was celebratory.

Now, though, it was time for the Lifetime Achievement award, and our nerves were on edge. There was a degree of risk around this year’s recipient.

Not that she was undeserving. Far from it. Sex educator and feminist Shere Hite is a true pioneer.

Her 1976 Hite Report is a landmark in the field of female sexuality. It’s just that Hite is unclubbable.

Yes, we’d briefed her PR adviser about the event, its aims, the guests and so on, but no painstakingly produced briefing documents were going to prevent the world’s leading thinker on clitoral stimulation from going off message if she felt like it.

The actress Fiona Shaw stepped up to present the award. Moving through the crowd, she gave me a look that felt part-reassuring and part ‘You do realise, don’t you, what might happen here?’. I glanced around our corporate sponsors, expensively dressed and working in professional services, and wondered what the next few minutes would bring.

Ms Shaw read the citation. Ms Hite took to the stage. Ms Shaw took a gracious step back to allow her the spotlight and...

Of course, it was a great moment. Despite ill health, Hite made a powerful impression on the audience. Okay, she mentioned a few body parts that wouldn’t normally make it into a businessawards script, but the whole point of the project was an evening to celebrate groundbreakers.

I

GETTY

Why recall this now? Well, most public forums have a melting-pot quality to them these days.

This is good news but it can also cause discomfort. Conservative MP Philip Davies has talked of ministers allegedly being “hoofed out” of government simply for being white and male. In the new digital workplaces, older workers can feel disenfranchised. Certainly, many outposts of Britain feel excluded from this economic and social progress. “Brexit wasn’t a vote against Europe; it was a vote against London,” a wise lady in the Midlands said to me recently.

My experiences of being male and pale in fish-out-of-water circumstances have been invigorating. Over many years of working with Pinky Lilani OBE, visionary founder of the Asian Women of Achievement Awards and the Women of the Future Programme, I was often the only man in the room. And I had a stint as a forty-something in the fintech industry, where everyone else is under 28 and only speaks Reddit.

One thing I did notice is that it requires rigorously open, freethinking cultures and leaders to make sure that everyone – even the old mainstream – doesn’t feel the need to constantly sense-check their point of view for fear of seeming out of kilter.

In public discourse terms, our challenge is to make the tent bigger, not to erect a new one that excludes the non-believers. And it’s worth recalling the words of US philosopher Noam Chomsky: “The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion.” He explained that allowing lively debate among those with “critical and dissident views” gives us an illusion of inclusion. He continued: “That gives people the sense that there’s free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on the range of the debate.”

Shere Hite reminds us that true diversity of opinion is, erm... very stimulating

No painstaking briefing documents were going to prevent the world’s leading thinker on clitoral stimulation from going off message if she felt like it

Publicly shame Matthew Rock for his outdated opinions on Twitter: @matthewrock

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An

invaluable endorsement

of the quality of our work.

Emma Leech FCIPR Director of Marketing & Advancement Loughborough University

Enter by 20 Feb 2018 Late entries accepted ‘til 27 Feb 2018 (there’s a late fee) cipr.co.uk/excellence

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