Archive

Year: 2015

  • Time for this dog to wag its own tail

    December 3, 2015

    For too long, public relations agencies have toiled surreptitiously, positioning our clients as role models, by pulling together resources, formulating new strategies, shaping and maintaining perceptions and assembling content for the right audience. We have spent years doing this for our clients, but it is time we started doing the same for ourselves. Industry awards garner substantial coverage for agencies, they provide the opportunity to profile great work as well as the agency itself. Big...

  • How far has communication really come in the last 10,000 years?

    November 23, 2015

    Not as far as you might expect. Ten thousand years ago we didn't have mobile phones. We didn't have televisions, newspapers, electricity, cars, heck; we didn't even have a fully established language. Yet this was the start of word of mouth, and equally important, the start of social influence. The medium may have been hieroglyphics, cave art, or even simple grunts; but nonetheless, this became the core of sharing information...

  • The essence of the corporate apology

    November 19, 2015

    Part one of this blog post explored the makeup of the public apology for corporates and public figures. While the steps needed to build an apology can be followed quite easily the public apology needs to be extremely measured in order to be successful. The Five Fundamentals of Apologising: In his book, The Five Languages of Apology, anthropologist Gary Chapman unpacks the ‘language’ needed to use to build an authentic apology. While these five “languages”...

  • FleishmanHillard in South Africa Awards 20 Bursaries

    November 16, 2015

    Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”- Nelson Mandela JOHANNESBURG, November 16, 2015 – FleishmanHillard, South Africa’s leading communications firm, has paid its first dividend from its pioneering black empowerment deal with the Imvula Trust. The dividend will provide bursaries for 20 children from previously disadvantaged communities to study through business degrees facilitated by the prestigious Maharishi Institute, a non-profit organisation based in Johannesburg.  A bursary is a...

  • Is South Africa a digital country?

    October 26, 2015

    Building a country’s reputation to be an aspirational investment and tourist destination can be hard to crack. Online searches play a big part in shaping the perception tourists, investors and potential residents hold. ‘The Digital Country,’ a concept brought to life by the branding practitioner, Filipe Torres, at the recent IPRA Annual Conference is defined as, “A country or a place that has triggered proactive interest from different Stakeholders towards that Country or that Place...

  • It’s hard for me to say I’m sorry – the art of the public apology

    October 16, 2015

    Apologising is difficult. Whether it’s to your partner, a friend or a member of your family, swallowing your pride and admitting you were wrong can be daunting - especially as you risk having your apology rejected. Spare a thought then for the spokesperson or head of a company who has to make his or her apology publically. They run the risk being rejected, not just by one person, but by a global audience. There are...

  • The evolution of storytelling

    October 15, 2015

    I recently attended Digital Edge Live 2015 held in Sandton. The conference examines trends in the digital space and how they affect the communications industry. The theme was “Making Stories” and explored the demands being placed on storytelling today. The stage was shared by more than twenty impressive speakers including the keynote speaker; award-winning writer, director, actor, producer and author Spike Lee. While most people at the event were there to hear Lee speak, I...

  • IPRA conference launches with debate on the Decline of Trust

    September 30, 2015

    Kevin Welman, Managing Director of FleishmanHillard South Africa, opened the morning session of day one of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Annual Congress with a debate on the Decline of Trust. This year the congress theme was summed up in one simple and powerful phrase, ‘Leadership in Communication – the Way to Trust.’ Welman said, “Without trust, the brand’s foundation’s crack, the infrastructure breaks down, without trust relationships fall apart, communication breaks down and...

  • A window into how great things happen when you use the right team

    August 24, 2015

    Product launches are a dime a dozen in the technology industry, but truly great moments only come around once in a blue moon. On the 29th of July 2015, one such a historic moment occurred when Microsoft South Africa hosted a celebratory event at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg CBD in partnership with Intel, Dell and HP. The purpose of this event was to launch Windows 10, which was not only the latest and greatest...

  • When Creativity moves the needle

    August 20, 2015

    Initially launched in 1978 to drive television as the new medium, the Loeries are now regarded as the highest level of creative excellence across Africa and the Middle East in the brand communications industry. Three decades later and the number of categories have grown exponentially. The Loeries now recognise creativity across the entire brand communication spectrum. I had the honor of being a judge at this years’ event in the PR and Live Events Category...

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