PR agencies in UK failing in online media

Great at doing PR. Just not very good at PRing themselves!

Bigmouthmedia’s 2009 online PR survey recently revealed that most of the UK’s leading PR firms have failed to get fully involved in online media.

According to Bigmouthmedia's latest survey of Britain’s 100 leading press and public relations agencies, the number of PR firms offering online PR and social media services has undergone a sharp rise over the last year, with 40% now providing a range of internet services. A 90% year-on-year increase.

However, 60% of agencies said they had yet to include online PR as part of their offerings. And only 45% of the group who claim to offer online media publish their own blogs despite widespread recognition of the value and importance of blogging as a media tool.

So in total, only 22% of UK PR consultancies currently use blogs to communicate with clients, colleagues and the wider marketplace. London agencies take the lead.

Although this is a UK story, I wonder if HK suffers from the same infliction.

Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival launches first PR award

On June 22, the Cannes International Advertising Festival announced the winner of their brand new category for PR. This is another boost to the PR industry which is continually becoming more and more important worldwide.

Cumminsnitro in Brisbane, were the winners of the inaugural PR Grand Prix for Tourism Queensland’s ‘Best Job in the World’. In its first year the PR category received 431 entries from which the jury also chose to award 17 PR Lions from an initial shortlist of 37.

The International Advertising Festival - Cannes Lions - is the largest gathering of worldwide advertising professionals and advertisers as well as the most prestigious annual advertising awards. More than 10,000 registered delegates from 94 countries and around 12,000 total visitors from the advertising and allied industries attend this event to celebrate the best of creativity across all media mix, discuss industry issues and network with one another.

You can find out more about the winners and the awards at www.canneslions.com.

The good news about PR keeps on coming

The following article has just appeared in Business Week magazine and was highlighted to me via facebook via twitter. Now what was I saying about social networking???

Why PR Is the Prescription
The right story told at the right time can bring valuable attention to your business, even during a downturn....

...The world of the news media is continually changing, and the sooner you get started with a smart, disciplined PR program, the sooner you can enjoy its benefits. It doesn't cost a lot of money and it need not cost a lot of time. All it takes is thoughtfulness and a commitment to respecting both journalists and the audiences they serve.

Read more here.

This could be the right time to speak to a PR agency and launch a PR campaign....

Getting started - The Chartered Institute of Public Relations

So. Where to start? And why am I doing this?

I have worked in public relations and marketing for over ten years and I am extremely passionate about the industry. This blog will feature lots of practical tips to help others starting out in the industry, or small businesses, who want to tackle their own PR and marketing. There are lots of books on communications theory but not many on the practicality of doing it yourself or how to hire an agency to do it for you. This blog is aimed at helping you do just that!

Anyway, back to my first entry. Well, I think the best place to get this blog started is by presenting you with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations' (http://www.cipr.co.uk/) definition of PR and their code of conduct. I was a member of this great institution when I worked in the UK and I am now a global affiliate.

CIPR's definition of PR

Public relations is about reputation - the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you.

Public relations is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics.

PR is not just about writing press releases for the media. It is a great deal more and I will discuss this in more detail in later entries....

Meanwhile, take a look at this. The CIPR code is essential reading for anyone who wants to do PR successfully and professionally.

Members of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations agree to:

Maintain the highest standards of professional endeavour, integrity, confidentiality, financial propriety and personal conduct;

Deal honestly and fairly in business with employers, employees, clients, fellow professionals, other professions and the public;

Respect the customs, practices and codes of clients, employers, colleagues, fellow professionals and other professions in all countries where they practise;

Take all reasonable care to ensure employment best practice including giving no cause for complaint of unfair discrimination on any grounds;

Work within the legal and regulatory frameworks affecting the practice of public relations in all countries where they practise;
Encourage professional training and development among members of the profession;

Respect and abide by this Code and related Notes of Guidance issued by the Institute of Public Relations and encourage others to do the same.


More on reputation, integrity and accuracy in future entries....