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The announcement of LSIP (Local Skills Improvement Programmes) is a vital part of the government’s strategy to reduce the skills gap. Philip Tutt-Leppard took part in a Workforce South LSIP Workshop, held at Blake Morgan in Chandler’s Ford on 23 March. He found that flexibility was the word of the day. Zoe Huggins, chair of Workforce […]
I’m a great advocate of returnable packaging systems. And anything that encourages Gen Z to take part in the scheme. On the surface, the recent initiative from Burger King in Germany seems to be a good one, based on a simple closed loop. You buy your drinks in a RECUP container, pay a deposit which you get […]
I’ve been reflecting on my visit to Packaging Innovations in Birmingham in the light of news that the government is considering new legislation to fine firms guilty of greenwashing. What is really going on in the wonderful world of packaging? Well, there are still too many unsubstantiated green claims (let’s not kid ourselves, no industrial […]
Insurance company Dead Happy is the latest firm to quote its role as a disruptor brand to deflect criticism for unethical tactics. In this case, the firm unashamedly used an image of serial killer Dr Harold Shipman to try to sell insurance, prompting heartache among his victims’ families and vast numbers of complaints. The company’s […]
Just how far should we impose our own moral standards on our clients? It’s a business decision which has profound spiritual, moral and legal implications. In his 2022 Reith lecture on freedom of worship, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams finds a moral distinction between an individual being forced to do something and that same […]
Media reaction to the end of COP27 was interesting for the divergent tone of different outlets. Several – notably the Guardian and FT – highlighted the failure of the conference delegates to agree to fade out the use of fossil fuels. The strength of the oil producing lobby was seen as a major stumbling block […]
Iconic. It’s one of the most abused words in the English language. Particularly by marketers. Is it worth setting out to create an ‘iconic brand’ or does it just happen if you get the rest of your marketing right? Iconic beer of Italy? Birra Moretti is that latest brand to say it sees itself as […]
Here we go again with plastic recycling. I’ve just read another plea on behalf of the plastics industry that their materials are great for the environment if “the right material selection, design, and end-of-life approach is adopted.” Therein lies the rub. Glass, steel and aluminium are simple to recycle and the consumer knows what to do […]
Growth. Business demands it. Consultants promise it. GDP growth, productivity growth, sales growth. Where would we be without it? That question hit me when I read a recent pronouncement from global business consultancy, McKinsey. On the surface, you could map their ideas on ours. We say PEOPLE – PLANET – PROFIT. They write about INCLUSION […]
A new survey from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has shown that 7 out of 10 businesses see ‘reputation’ as one of their top 5 risk factors over the next three months. The ‘CIPR Business Leaders Survey’ captured the views of 300 C-suite level managers and directors on their PR functions and their future needs […]
Is your company thinking of a rebrand? I’ve been ripping up our decking this week. It’s not a glamorous job. But the deck is rotten. It needs replacing. And we can only replace it once the old deck has gone. I’ve had similar thoughts about business strategy. Sometimes, we cannot create the beautiful, new, long-lasting […]
The headlines from the latest Edelman Special Report – The Belief-Driven Employee has focused on staff pick jobs based on beliefs. The reality is something deeper and even more enthralling – the pandemic has accelerated a shift in power from employer to employee. And employees are using that power to drive corporate social action. As […]
Companies committed to employee communications want the best for their teams as well as their customers, the planet and investors. Covid has shown the advantage for businesses, people and the environment of working from home or remotely from the office. Yet the office is not dead. New hybrid work models are emerging. In this blog, […]
Winning has been all over the news lately. It’s an Olympic summer after all. And winning is integral to the way we talk about business. We win new business, win awards, beat the competition, smash our targets. But is ‘winning’ always a zero-sum game? I win means you lose. Some of the stories told at […]
Growing SMEs may think hiring a PR consultant is an unaffordable luxury. But there are many reasons why getting an outside perspective on your communications is not only helpful, but vital to the company’s continued success. An experienced and professional PR consultant (such as a member of the CIPR or PRCA) will do far more […]
Last week’s open letter from (over) 60 former Brewdog employees was hard to read. It was heartfelt and generated a lot of supportive comment on social media. Brewdog’s co-founder James Watt responded originally by suggesting staff write a counter letter, before realising that addressing what they had to say might be a more profitable approach […]
Forget CSR, say the experts. The future of business communications is all about ESG. Investor relations professionals, private equity investors and fund managers are judging companies as much on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards as they are on financial performance. And what starts in investor relations inevitably draws in SMEs. In part that’s […]
We are thrilled to have helped reposition Winchester-based corporate events company Soundbite to develop fresh impetus following the doldrums of lockdown. As a supplier of audio-visual services, Soundbite had an internationally famous client list like Epsom Derby, The Brits and Philips as well as many regional and local companies. However, the corporate events industry was […]
The first line of the 360 integrated PR website states we provide “ethically-focused reputation management and public relations”. Ethical? How do we justify that? I have recently finished reading ‘Public Relations Ethics – The Real-World Guide’ by PR expert and academics Trevor Morris and Simon Goldsworthy. I also had the privilege to chair a CIPR […]
I was asked recently how a purpose-driven business leader can ensure employees support his or her vision. Whether you are a corporate CEO or the owner-manager of an SME, you might feel you have done all you can to make your company purpose-driven. But it’s just not happening. You’re frustrated that your employees ‘don’t get […]
Buy Nothing New Day at Emmaus Hampshire boosts local economy through upcycled shopping Homelessness charity, Emmaus Hampshire is calling on local people to ditch Black Friday and join others across the country to support the sustainable and affordable Buy Nothing New Day, held this year on 27 November. In contrast to Black Friday, which sees […]
We all know Christmas 2020 will be different from the usual. Very few office parties for a start. For those in hospital over Christmas, it’s especially grim. That’s why 360 integrated PR is delighted to be able to support this campaign to brighten the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, organised by Winchester Magazine. Blitz your baubles […]
Many businesses are looking for a charity partnership. In my last blog, I touched upon the benefits – culture, credibility and communications. I also added a few words of warning, which I’ve been asked to expand upon here. It’s not a ‘tick box’ exercise If I had a pound for every time I’ve heard the […]
A while ago, I was asked to appear in a Mountbatten Hampshire video to answer the question “Why should business engage with charities?”. You can see the video here: This blog expands on my response and adds several things to bear in mind should your business engage with charities. The reasons can be summed up […]
It’s tentative, but the UK has set a course to return from lockdown. Everyone seems to agree how vital it will be for businesses to communicate clearly – to employees and customers – as people edge back to work following the Coronavirus lockdown. The derision, confusion and fear which has accompanied the UK government’s change […]
One of the first pieces of public relations advice I ever received was ‘never let a crisis go to waste’. Yet, much of what I read about public relations and communication during the Covid-19 crisis strikes me as stating the bleedin’ obvious. I have struggled with blogs, LinkedIn posts and videos which exhort companies to […]
360 integrated PR has launched a new programme of PR training courses designed for microbusinesses and having or choosing to work from home. The programme is for PR novices and can be delivered remotely via video conferencing on Microsoft Teams,Zoom or other platforms. It offers an introduction to a variety of PR and communications topics […]
Does the packaging industry fully understand its role in fighting the climate crisis with sustainable packaging? Not if my recent trip to the country’s biggest specialist trade exhibition, Packaging Innovations, is anything to go by. Far too many exhibitors still seemed to think that slapping the words ‘sustainable’ and ‘recyclable’ on their stand graphics meant […]
A new report indicates that people around the world believe purpose-driven business can act as a positive force for change in society and are anxious for business to fulfil that role. The latest Edelman Trust Barometer has, as usual, a stack of interesting responses regarding levels of trust in the institutions of government, the media, […]
Yesterday, I attended an event organised by Solent University PR students. This provided students on public relations, advertising and marketing degree courses the opportunity to meet professionals in their disciplines. We are there to pass on some of the accumulated wisdom from our own experiences and answer students’ questions about how to take their first […]
Celebrity PR disasters come in many forms. The most recent is rather unusual as it involves a PR company appointing a current and very high profile politician to advise clients. The news that Ruth Davidson MSP, former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, had joined PR firm Tulchan brought rebukes from all sides. The PR industry’s […]