Archive
News & Opinions
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Career development must definitely be a priority
February 14, 2013
We all have stories to share on how we entered the PR industry, some as ‘fresh out of the box’ university leavers and others by trialing a new career. One thing we can all relate to is a first day - the day you entered the agency doors for the very first time, being seen as a newbie or the intern with fresh talent and tons of expectations to fulfill. Tyler Perry once said, “What...
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Crises Communications and the Internet: Friend or Foe?
January 31, 2013
The internet has without a doubt caused a wave of change in corporate culture, operations, and interpersonal interaction. Companies have in the past made use of the internet as a means to communicate to their audiences in a controlled environment. However, technology has advanced at a remarkable rate and companies have had to rethink their strategies in order to effectively communicate with stakeholders. One cannot deny that there has been a major shift in communication...
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Without Humans, Social Media Has No Message
January 22, 2013
Technology and digital inventions haven’t always received a warm welcome. I remember the negative banter when shopping malls introduced automated ticket machines. City slickers were miserable about having to sort out the correct amount of change before leaving the mall and feeding it to a steel box. There was a firm belief that technology is replacing human beings. Upon reflection, I’ve come to realise that the grievance was not about the machine but rather about...
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Managing Crisis Communications
December 18, 2012
Written by Katharina Scholtz, published in Gotta Quirk in 2009 but still so relevant today. It’s 2am and you get a call saying that the range of vitamins your company manufactures has just turned the tongues of twenty kids permanently blue. There are angry and Web savvy parents tweeting, mailing, blogging, phoning and letting the world know that your brand has done some damage. The media run stories citing studies done about the psychological damage of...
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Public Relations – More Evolutionary Than Revolutionary
December 12, 2012
The opinion of Kevin Welman, Managing Director of Fleishman-Hillard SA, drafted by Tom Manners In many ways, the past year has been one of subtle transformation for those who work and play within the realm of professional communications. Although we have yet to experience a ‘eureka!’ moment worthy of Archimedes’ bath time revelation, we’ve all noticed an understated, yet sudden shift in the very foundation underlying the strategies and approaches we have grown used to...
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PR From the Perspective of a Reformed Cynic
December 7, 2012
January 09th 2012 was an extremely important date in my life. It was on this day that I went against everything my mentors had instilled in me about the perceived ‘Dark Side’ that is Public Relations. In the Journalism world the word PR is passionately frowned upon. For most, it’s where aged journos eventually end up when they’ve retired in hope of salvaging the ‘tacky’ profession. Here I am aged 26, hardly at the peak...
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Understanding the News Cycle
December 5, 2012
As communications consultants we have a particular responsibility to understand the news cycle. By analysing different news cycles over time we are able to identify interesting trends and plan accordingly for them...
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Measurement – Making It Count
November 27, 2012
In the world of ‘PR,’ measurement or analytics remain elusive moving targets. Yes we all agree AVE’s are not the measure of PR. Really? How many of you still use these as a tool, justification to get the executive committee or C-Suite in your company to approve budget for ‘PR’ led activities for the next year? Don’t hang your head in shame because the truth is the majority of us still do. It’s not that...
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Ignore Media Training At Your Peril
November 19, 2012
For something so important in public life, far too many public figures pay little attention to how the general public perceives them. This is quite strange, given that one can learn how to speak clearly, confidently and to get their point across in a way that their audience understands and appreciates. Yes, you don’t have to be born with the gift of the gab to, for example, explain why taps are running dry; hospitals have...
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Stop, Collaborate and Listen!
November 14, 2012
Try this: it might just result in a communications environment that garners the best results for both the client and the PR team. There are a few simple rules that seem to fall into the “logical side of the brain” category - and yet, they mostly seem to become lost in the melee of other less sensible workplace rules. One of these rules applies to those operating in communications industries or departments, and the hopes...