Archive
News & Opinions
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Internships … Are They Worth It?
March 26, 2013
A view from a former intern That’s the question I’ve come across since my time of being an intern. The question is often raised by individuals who usually have a misconception of what it really means to be an intern, and to be honest I also used to be counted amongst these. My perceptions have since changed as I’ve been fortunate enough to ‘intern’ at a place where I was not only treated as an...
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Why Generation Y?
March 19, 2013
Known for their impatience and lack of brand loyalty, Generation Y has become the Achilles Heel of many consumer brands. With Gen Y soon surpassing the number of baby boomers (Gen X) in the work force, companies cannot afford to ignore this lucrative market. So who is Gen Y?...
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Controversy Continues to Plague SA Meat Industry
March 13, 2013
The ‘horse meat’ controversy erupted in the United Kingdom on the 16th January this year amid claims by The Food Safety Authority of Ireland that beef burgers with traces of equine DNA, including one product classed as 29% horse, were being supplied to supermarkets by Silvercrest Foods in Ireland and Dalepak Hambleton in Yorkshire, subsidiaries of the ABP Food Group...
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What Facebook’s Timeline Changes Mean to Brands
March 11, 2013
Facebook’s announcement of timeline updates late last week gives the option for users to filter out content from brands. The three main things coming to the newest version of Facebook’s News Feed are richer stories, new choice of feeds and mobile consistency. Both ads and stories will be richer, as photos and videos will now be larger across the feed. The photo size increase will affect posted photos and photos on posted links and extend...
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The Connection Between Teen Pop Icons and Technology PR
March 8, 2013
If the above heading left you pondering the correlation between the teen pop icon and the job of making technology interesting to the world at large, congratulations: you’re not alone. It was a test, you see. I spent days mulling over how the two were related, until it suddenly dawned on me. They’re actually not related at all. And herein lies the magic of PR. One of the often overlooked functions of PR is to...
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Successful Offshore Consulting Requires Much More Than Just Subject Expertise
March 6, 2013
Who remembers the saying: “The world is getting smaller by the day?” The metaphorical reference to the shrinking earth was often used by geography teachers - 40 years ago in my case - to illustrate how invention and innovation have dramatically narrowed the distance between people across the globe. Then, we marvelled at how, thanks to the aeroplane, one could wake up in Johannesburg, attend a meeting on the other side of the world and...
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How to Land the Ultimate Internship
February 28, 2013
The job market is tough- this we know. Every day at Fleishman-Hillard, we receive requests from students and recent graduates asking about internship opportunities. With so many people reaching out to us, it takes a little more to stand out. What can you do to impress and, hopefully, get that kick-starter internship? Bring your CV and cover letter to life Your only experience may be waitressing at Spur and accolades of that U17 hockey B...
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No Place for Antisocial Behaviour on Social Media…
February 26, 2013
South Africa has spent the better part of last week riveted by the Oscar Pistorius court case with a large portion of the population receiving the latest updates via Twitter or YouTube. Barry Bateman from Eyewitness News increased his following by over 50 000 people in a 24 hour period and a total of 120 000 in the first week, due to the fact that he supplied real-time updates about the court proceedings. In today’s digital age, citizens...
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Personal Lessons I’ve Learned About The Media
February 21, 2013
A solid relationship with the media is possibly the biggest selling point for any PR agency. Being in the business of generating valuable publicity, having regular and personal contact with a journalist and being aware of what catches their interest can transform a story or campaign from ‘good’ to ‘great’. Relationships of this nature are developed over time, requiring commitment from both sides to honour their promises and to do their utmost to assist where...
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Can PR be an effective tool in changing behaviour?
February 19, 2013
Traditionally the value of PR has been in advertising value’s but there has been a significant shift to using PR to change certain perceptions and thereby behaviour. Can PR really be effective when trying to change the behaviour of a consumer? We believe it can. It is a rare occasion when you can work on a brand that has a strong message – not just one that wants to increase sales. The Automobile Association of...