I had to take my “Chelsea Tractor” in for a service last week (and two new tyres this week – urg). Before I did, I got a little email from the good folks at my local Landrover dealership asking me whether I actually WANTED to have my car washed, whilst they fettled about with it.Technical garage term there.“errr…well …
I went back to school last week… or to be precise, back to university. Now we’re talking 25 years after I last set foot in a classroom (O.M actual G I am OLD!). The last time was when I was gaining my various marketing qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, whereas last week it was me …
A journalist contact of mine posted something on LinkedIn last week that made me smile, partly because it was perfectly timed for Valentine’s Day and partly because it nailed something I’ve been saying for years. Her premise was simple: Making a journalist “love” you isn’t that different from building any other relationship. Valentine’s Day might …
How to make a journalist love you (apparently) ❤️ Read More »
Fake experts are having a moment and that’s a problem. Everyone’s an expert now. At least according to their bio. Confidence is cheap. Credibility isn’t. Which is why this week’s move from the PR industry bodies felt overdue. Following a Press Gazette investigation, the CIPR and PRCA have launched a campaign highlighting the rise of so-called “experts” …
Fake experts are having a moment and that’s a problem. Read More »
Every January, the same thing happens. The decorations come down. The wheelie bins overflow. And Christmas trees appear on pavements like a nationwide cry for help. And every year I think the same thing: Why is no one turning this into PR? Because right now, thousands of people are quietly Googling: “What do I do …
Needles To Say, These PR Opportunities Died With The Christmas Tree Read More »
I can usually spot AI-generated content within three seconds. It’s too polished. Too clean. Too safe. It sounds like something no one would ever actually say if they cared about the point they were making. As a former business journalist turned PR consultant, I’ve watched this creep in fast. By late 2024, over half of …
I can spot disguised marketing from a mile off. Call it a superpower – though admittedly less flashy than flying or reading minds. Seventeen years running my PR firm (plus a good decade before that in agency life and journalism) has put me in front of thousands of “thought leadership” pieces that were, in reality, …
When Your “Thought Leadership” Sounds More Sales Pitch Than Sage Advice Read More »
SPOILER: It Should Have Been “Slop” Cambridge Dictionary has announced its Word of the Year for 2025: parasocial. My reaction? Boring. Celebrity-obsessed. Get a grip. While Cambridge’s clever clogs were analysing our “one-sided emotional relationships with public figures,” anyone running a business in 2025 has been dealing with something far more urgent: Slop. Yes, slop …
Why Cambridge Dictionary Chose The Wrong Word Of The Year Read More »
Back to School: Why September is PR’s Secret Weapon Remember those bold plans you scribbled down back in January? The “this is the year we finally…” lists? Fast-forward through the spring rush, Easter chaos, and a summer that seemed to vanish faster than a British heatwave – and suddenly it’s September. The kids are back …
Back To School: Why September Is PR’s Secret Weapon Read More »
This weekend, we said goodbye to Ray Brooks – The voice of Mr Benn. And if you’ve no idea who that is, congratulations… you’re probably younger than me (47) and your knees still work properly when you stand up. For the rest of us… ahhh. Saturday mornings, early ’70s/’80s telly, when children’s TV wasn’t a …
As If By Magic – The Three Hats You Need In Business Read More »