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(FAMOUS) BOYS WILL BE BOYS

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

It has been a record month for male celebrity indiscretions hasn’t it?

First, married Chelsea captain John Terry was ‘found out’ for having an affair with his former team-mate’s partner. Then Portsmouth’s under-fire manager Avram Grant is “discovered” enjoying the guilty pleasures of a local massage parlour. His other half wasn’t particularly amused.

And now, whiter than white TV presenter Vernon Kay has admitted sending saucy text messages to other women. Family Fortunes host Vernon is married to fellow TV presenter Tess Daly – and she is not best pleased.

Is there something in the showbiz water?

Or do famous fellas really believe that, when it comes to the usual rules of engagement in the game of love, they are somehow exempt?

Vernon Kay branded himself “stupid” after admitting sending explicit texts to five women.
The TV presenter said he had “let down” his wife, Strictly Come Dancing host Tess, and their two young daughters.

He told The Sun: “Tess is extremely upset about this and we’re working through it. I’ve been an idiot and I’ve let my family down.”

Agreed.

But at least Vernon has made some sort of apology – not that it means he’ll be forgiven just yet. No, there’s penance to serve for a while longer yet, assuming Tess doesn’t immediately banish him back to Bolton.

John Terry’s first comment after news of his affair broke was to Chelsea TV. Not one word of an apology to his poor suffering missus but, instead, a thank you to the “amazing” fans for getting behind him while he was on the pitch. Shameful behaviour John.

Wouldn’t it have been wiser to tell your other half how sorry you were and to promise it will never happen again? And mean it. Rather than bathing in the glory of the captive audience that is Stamford Bridge. Come on – show a little bit of decency. Terry’s PR really do need a swift kick in the goalies.

And, as for Avram Grant’s massage parlour visits. Well, he always said he needed a “hand” at Portsmouth FC. Maybe that’s the only way this lonely old man was ever likely to get it.

By Adam Moss, Brazen News Editor

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iSLATE OR iWANTONE? BRAZEN’S CITIZENS DECIDE THE iPAD’S FATE…

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Yesterday saw the launch of Apple’s latest gizmo, the iPad. With iMania reaching boiling point on social networks and the release dictating news agendas across the globe…was all the hype actually worth it? We ask Brazen’s Citizens…

Abigail Outhwaite - Account Executive:
“In the run up to the launch of the iPad, traditional media publishers have been looking to Apple’s innovative manufacturing techniques to adjust consumer attitudes to paying for online newspaper content and thus offer their industry the financial salvation that iTunes offered the music industry.

“Apple is already well-equipped to do this - it’s existing iTunes and App stores take the inconvenience out of making online payments, to the extent that it is all too easy for technophiles to overspend without thinking about it. And, with it’s 9.7in screen, the iPad is an excellent platform for bridging the gap between newspapers and news websites.

“At the launch, Apple’s Steve Jobs was accompanied by the New York Times’ senior vice-president, Martin Nisenholtz, who also unveiled a Times app for the iPad with the gushing statement: “We’re incredibly psyched to pioneer the next generation of digital journalism. We want to create the best of print and best of digital, all rolled up into one.”

“This is a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t go anywhere as near as far as is required to save the industry - in order to extend the reach of paid-for newspaper iPad applications to less tech-saavy newspaper buyers and thus encourage paid-for digital consumption, the publishers will have to ensure the apps provide substantial amounts of exclusive content, or better yet, the entire industry will have to take the plunge and restrict access to the content available on their websites, to force an incentive to pay for content.”

Adam Moss - News Editor:
“While the name of Apple’s new iPad makes it sound like Steve Jobs is moving the company into feminine hygiene products I have to say, like the rest of the tech-savvy world, yesterday in my house rapidly became ‘Apple Day’.

“Will it transform the way we surf and use our computers, be they smartphones, tablets or netbooks? Yeah, probably. In time.

“I expect to see a rush to Apple stores when the iPad is made available to us all this Spring. But I’ll wait till version 2 because that’s when I’m convinced Jobs will have ironed out any teething problems and introduced the ‘missing’ stuff everyone’s been harping on about. That’s when we’ll see the classic Apple “killer apps” we’ve all been holding our breath for and when the iPad will become the game changer we all suspect it could be.”

Daisy Whitehouse - Senior Engagement Director:
“I like any self respecting geek look forward to Steve Jobs’ rare forays into the media spotlight where he reveals the latest much awaited outcome from the toil of his floors full of researchers beavering away in Silicon Valley. This time though there’s a BUT…I know I could change my mind when remembering being sure I would never wear skinny jeans or shiny leggings but I just don’t see the need for this new gadget.

“I think the main reason being, I love books! Books are not broken and they don’t need fixing. It’s not possible to improve on the feeling of opening a brand new book, and what will be put on our bookshelves? I still have pretty much every single book I have ever bought, not read because as a kid i went to the library! People will argue that it’s evolution, that electronic books will encourage children to read more but I wonder if the experience will be the same?

“I know it’s not just for books, it’s for surfing the net but with 2 iPhones, work and personal, and 2 laptops, work and personal, I think I have that covered, and streaming video, yes they both do that too. Showing off aside, not everyone has an iPhone and a laptop, but most Apple fans do and for the moment I would think it will be only Apple fans that are going to fork out for this extremely expensive book. Having said that, Steve Jobs has done alright for himself so far…”

Gary Bramwell - Deputy Managing Director:
“One…It looks bloody good, better than the other tablets out there and always will, as it is an Apple. Would you buy a HP on looks? No…

“Two…Don’t dismiss it. Apple are ALWAYS ahead of their time…this is the first step in something even more brilliant.

“Three…It will change the way we consume media and weirdly cut down on our waste…no more chucking out the hefty Sunday Times when you can skip to the section you want on the iPad.

“Four…It’s cheap (relatively)

“Five…I want one.”

Graeme Anthony - Digital Doctor
“For me, the actual product never lived up to all the hype, speculation, suspense and media attention surrounding the iPad’s launch.

“Tweets spread like wildfire across the micro-blogosphere causing mass Apple hysteria, I even spotted a survey story suggesting that over 50% of the UK were already considering buying Apple’s latest epiphany without even knowing what it does…yet alone what it’s even called!

“The rumours suggested we were getting something special and that Steve Jobs had created a machine that could not only explain, but justify the meaning of life.

“Instead, we got Mac’s version of a product that’s lets face it…sort of been knocking around for awhile. Although I expect the iPad will be the next big thing and does signal an evolution in the way we interact with media and technology, there just doesn’t seem to be anything groundbreaking about it. Which is surprising and a little disappointing from a company who are lifestyle innovators.

“I’m sure Jobs does have something else up his sleeve which will eventually make our jaws drop and jump for joy but at the end of the day…he doesn’t have to. After all, hoards of people will buy the iPad and once all of Apple’s competitors have caught up with their shadow, they’ll blow them out the water once again with what I suspect will be ‘the real iPad’. And then we’ll buy it all again…mass consumerism at its pinnacle.”

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#BRAZENQT FLASHBACK - TONY MURRAY TWINTERVIEW

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

If you missed Brazen PR’s Twinterview with exiled Manc media commentator Tony Murray, read the entire transcript here. Conversation reads from bottom up…

@citizenofbrazen Cheers, thank you for your time. Hope you can make something useful from my ramblings!

@Tonymurray37 Thanks again Tony. Good luck in HK. Looking forward to your next How-Do Wrap. Enjoy what’s left of your evening. #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen Just so Nina can be How-Do honey of the year in 2010

@citizenofbrazen I’m off to Hong Kong to edit its answer to GQ, but plan to bring the Alternative Wrap back to How-Do too…..#brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 You can have a Tsing Tao on us next time you’re in Manchester. Where next for you then? #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen Plus I’ve just handed my notice in at the China Daily and I’m about to leave Beijing…#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen It’s my birthday and I’ve stayed sober until 11pm to talk to you, so that’s fairly remarkable….#brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 Well, thank you for your thoughts Tony - we can hear Nick Jaspan preparing a headline already. Any final thoughts? #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen To be fair they couldn’t stand me either. I needed a change - 40, divorced on my second or third mid-life crisis #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen I headed for BJ as I’d run out of UK employers. I’d decamped from Adline and couldn’t stand the Drum people/#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen Print is still enfranchising though, it just needs to be harnessed.

@citizenofbrazen Very few people in the UK have learnt breaking news from print sources since the end of the 50’s.#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen online, broadcast etc are not the future of news, they are the current reality.#brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 So what is the future? And If Mancunians are so smart why did you do one a toute vitesse to Beijing? #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen aspiration to feign sincerity and the target audience is too smart to buy it/#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen the most cynical and informed consumer strata. At the heart of corporate social media is an#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen your customers etc will fall down, because the very people buying into social media represent#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen Social media will face a similar problem. All this touch-feely corporate stuff, getting to know #brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 Online perhaps? They seem to making a good go of upping the ante on the web? Is online the future of news then? #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen MEN is a damaged brand, probably terminally. How would you persuade someone to resample now?#brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 ….and with that decline in mind, how would you suggest GMG’s bosses put their house in order? Or is it too late? #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen in on the joke. Maybe the regional press should go post-modern, send itself up a little#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen couldn’t 20 or 30 years ago. They like post-modern TV progs when they are #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen In some ways yes, the public can see through piss-poor products like the MEN now in a way they…#brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 Is that media-savvy public the reason why the decline of trad media has been so steep ? #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen media-savvy all the time.#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen The trick is to just say enough and let the reader join the dots. Respect your public, they’re getting more #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen Been sued is easy. You just have to be incompetent and not know how to cover your arse.#brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 Only been sued once? Not doing your job properly then! Isn’t provocation your middle name?. #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen the week in the Drum. Been sued once. Biggest libel blunder I made was at Uni…#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen He’s not, BTW, he’s lovely. Somebody came to beat me up in Scotland when I made his daughter idiot of #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen I once implied that Robert Harwood Mathews, then chief exec of TBWA Manc, was a cunt…#brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 Not a fan then? So, apart from that last comment, what’s the rudest thing you’ve ever said? Ever had a death threat? #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen A few tawdry columns, a bit of wire copy and some press releases. Great news for you guys.#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen They know when something is shit, and let’s face it the MEN for the last few years…#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen The problem is that regional press proprietors have underestimated how discerning the public can be.#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen It may emerge as a more campaigning, issue-focused beast#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen I believe these things are cyclical. A re-imagining of regional press is possible.#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen The regional press has foundered due to the short-term tactics of second class individuals with no vision#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen GMG’s freefall is hugely sad, but this is what happens when you put classified salesmen in charge of brands#brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 Don’t you wish, as a media commentator, you were back in Manchester, if only to witness the GMG freefall first hand ?#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen the city centre, dressed as though they had full day’s painting joists in front of them #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen Christ what a depressing place it has become. There’s a whole feral underclass occupying….#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen As to missing Manchester, well I did until I came back in December.#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen useful, I have got from Twitter.#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen Apart from learning that Oasis had been cancelled in Beijing, can’t think of anything similarly..#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen Having said that, over Xmas, I met 3 people I haven’t seen for 20 year, all through FB. #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen I’m a big Facebook fan. It’s the ideal thing for expats. Would I be as big a fan back home? I doubt it. #brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 Facebook has 300m subscribers - a true global phenomenon. Bit like Man Utd, I suppose. Missing Manchester at all? #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen As to over here, again baidu and qq are huge, but largely with students and trendy media folk. #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen And yes I am in that minority, but I am a journo who writes about PR etc. So hardly typical #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen It’s growing fast from a zero basis and has a huge drop out rate. Particularly Twitter.#brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 True, but it’s still the fastest growing media right now. And aren’t you one of that vocal minority? #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen There’s a few questions there. Has social media really exploded in the US, Europe etc..?#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen It’s obviously hip with the media and PR folk. Bit of a small explosion.#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen It’s still a very narrowcast form of media, limited to a comparatively small, but vocal group. #brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 With the restrictions in mind then, has social media exploded over there like it has in the UK, Europe and the USA? #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen Predicted Google leaving China would topple the CCP. Utter shite. #brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen There’s a lot of crap written about China. Dreadful piece in the Guardian today.#brazenqt

@citizenofbrazen It’s not really like that. China is very laid back, except when it comes to the Internet and visas. #brazenqt

@Tonymurray37 So Tony, how does a Mancunian exile deal with all that alleged censorship in China. No Google for goodness sake? #brazenqt

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THE “SWISH” FAMILY ROBINSON PR NIGHTMARE

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

Last week it was revealed that the wife of Northern Ireland’s first minister Peter Robinson had, had an affair with a man less than half her age. As a media frenzy commenced, it became clear that the affair had gone on for some time and included Iris Robinson securing a £50,000 loan for her 19 year-old lover, enabling him to open up his own Riverside cafe.

The golden couple of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) had shared the political limelight for some time and Iris had previously caused controversy when she condemned homosexuality as an ‘abomination’. This, however, wasn’t her downfall.

What started out as a scandalous revelation about a marital affair quickly spiraled into a PR nightmare. The allegations made regarding Peter Robinson’s knowledge of his wife’s loans were what was most worrying to his supporters. If he had kept this secret, what other loans and politician agreements had he hidden?

Robinson’s credibility amongst his supporters had been damaged and his position within the DUP and the assembly had been compromised. The first strategy Peter took was damage limitation by inviting carefully selected key journalists to his home for a press conference. Breaking down in front of the cameras regarding his wife’s affair, viewers were shocked to see the strong political figure crumble.

Tactics then swiftly changed, after opinion polls in local papers and on radio stations revealed that public anger was being aimed at BOTH the husband and wife regarding their financial affairs as it emerged that the couple earned £571,939.41 last year solely through wages and expenses.

After pressure from opposing parties, Irish and British governments and BBC Panorama and Spotlight documentaries, on Monday 11 January Peter Robinson temporarily quit his role as Northern Ireland’s First Minister.

You can’t help but ask, if he had gone about his media strategy in a different manner, being more honest with the public from the outset of the revelation, before the documentaries went out, would he have had to quit? Would his wife be undergoing psychiatric treatment?

Who can say but this scandal won’t just be effecting the gossip columns, Robinson’s forced resignation has now left the media speculating as to whether the coalition agreement between the political parties in Northern Ireland is still secure.

By Heather Kenny, Account Executive

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BRAZEN’S FIRST TWINTERVIEW OF 2010 – CONTROVERSIAL MANC MEDIA COMMENTATOR TONY MURRAY

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Tony Murray

HE MAY be in full-time employment at the China Daily in Beijing these days but effervescent Mancunian exile Tony Murray still has a thing or two to say about Old Blighty and the shifting tides in the UK’s media ocean.

Most of us only have exposure to Tony’s legendary wit through his once-weekly ‘alternative wrap’ on North-west based media website How-Do.

That’s all about to change.

In the third in its series of Twinterviews, Brazen is putting Tony firmly in the spotlight.

Expect fireworks – or the odd Chinese lantern at the very least.

Brazen’s News Editor, Adam Moss, will poke and prod the notorious Mr Murray, in a journalistic sense of course, live on social networking site Twitter this Wednesday (January 13) at 2pm.

Moss said: “We’ll be asking Tony for his opinion on the rise of social media, the continuing decline of print journalism – especially the well documented redundancies at the Manchester Evening News and Channel M – and, as he is a renowned media expert, we’ll be hoping to extract a prediction or two about the future of the industry in the North-west from him too. Plus his general impressions of the scene after a five year absence.”

Tony is the former editor of Adline – the media mag everyone turned to for gossip and news about the industry in the 1990s, long before the likes of The Drum and How-Do made their mark.

So he knows a thing or two, and still has a contacts book which is the envy of many of today’s so-called media experts.

It is the third of Brazen PR’s acclaimed Twinterview series – the first two being Twitter’s spoof celeb-baby Kai Wayne Rooney, and Manchester Confidential’s hugely controversial founder, Gordo.

Expect irreverence in abundance.

Tune in live on Twitter this Wednesday 13 January at 2pm by typing in #brazenqt. Or you can follow Adam Moss via @CitizenofBrazen or Tony from @Tonymurray37.

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#BRAZENQT FLASHBACK - GORDO TWINTERVIEW

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Gordo

Last week saw Brazen PR’s News Editor, Adam Moss, Twinterview the man, the legend, the Manchester Confidential icon that is Gordo. Missed the action? Fear not…read the full transcript here revealing Gordo’s revolutionary plans for Manchester Confidential and the biggest question of them all…has Gordo ever been offered sexual favours in return for a good food review?

AdamMoss @gordomanchester Hello Gordo. So, what would you eat for last supper and where would you eat it? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss #brazenqt Eh UP, Foie Gras with raisins, Michel Guerard 80km from Bordeaux

AdamMoss @gordomanchester So, not in Manchester then? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adam moss of course I would obviously frefer pudding chips peas and gravy down at the fish hut #brazenqt

AdamMoss @Gordomanchester Quite right too. So food critics - freeloaders or discerning diners? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss allreviews on Mancon are unnanounced and paid for, discerning critics not jaded journo’s thrown a tidbit from the editor #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester OK then, serious stuff - will manCon be better when it’s paid for? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adam moss bringing in free to read, Friends, then heroes means that we will have more resource = more deal, more stuff, = better #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester But haven’t a large number of your readers objected? Do you care what they think? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss 95 seperate ranters have been negative out of 12,800 polled so far, over 300 have been positive by joining heroes #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester But hasn’t history demonstrated that once something is given away free you can’t then successfully charge for it? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss 330,000 readers within five years shows we absolutely do care and we listen, we don’t hide negative comments #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss History demonstrates exactly the opposite, give people a free trial, give ‘em something they value, they will then pay #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester What will change for those ManCon readers who don’t become ‘heroes’? Do they still count? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss Front of the site will be Editorial and free, the next level, Friends, under a fiver a month and Heroes under a tenner #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss and the guests will of course still count, they are the reason our ad revenue is there, we love ‘em, even seanxsmith ;-) #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester What will the free ‘front of site’ bit include? And what’s worth paying for in the extras? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss front end free = articles, The Vote, The Rants, manchester 250 archives some offers, Competitions, Newsletters, and more #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester OK. Well best of luck with it Gordo. One final Q - Ever been offered sexual favours for a good food review? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss membership = special columns, mobile site, advance notice of offers, exclusive store deals, 20% off ten restaurants #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss concierge service, academy voting for food and drink awards, sale previews… #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester Thanks for being so frank Think the jury’s still out on your plans for many people but we’re all keenly watching! #brazenqt

Keep an eye out for the next #brazenqt Twinterview happening soon…


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GORDO BREAKS COVER TO GIVE FRANKEST INTERVIEW YET

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

MANCON MAN TALKS SHOP IN BRAZEN TWINTERVIEW

picture-013

HE’S REGALED as a man who doesn’t mince his words and now Mark Garner – or Manchester Confidential’s “Gordo” as he is better known – is set to reveal his hidden depths in a ‘tell-all’ live interview.

Breaking free of the relative security of his Manchester Confidential base Gordo – feared restaurant critic, fiercely competitive businessman and respected raconteur - has agreed to be quizzed and probed by Manchester-based Brazen PR’s news editor Adam Moss.

And the entire interview will be beamed live to the nation on Twitter this coming Wednesday (25 November) afternoon at 3pm.

There’ll be no hiding place.

But that’s just how Gordo likes it, apparently.

This is the man who transformed the way Manchester held conversations; how its restaurants operated; how we debated pressing city issues papered over by our city council. Gordo and Mancon gave us a new insight into the machinations of this great Northern city, from the perspective of the people who know it best, Mancunians themselves.

And all for free. For now.

That’s the next great Manchester Confidential debate. And we’ll be asking Gordo all about his plans to start charging his Mancon readers for content.

It’s a move described as ‘arrogant’, ‘foolhardy’, ‘deluded’, ‘brave’ and ‘thought-leading’ depending which thread you’re reading on the Manchester Confidential site.

Brazen owner Nina Webb said: “Gordo is one of the Top 5 when you’re talking about notorious Mancunians. We’re really pleased he’s agreed to take part in our Brazen Twinterview, the second in the series.

“There will undoubtedly be irreverence, humour, serious business and a soupcon of rib-poking going on, and that’s even before Gordo gets started.”

You can follow the ‘live’ twinterview by logging onto Twitter at 3pm on Wednesday November 25 and typing in a search for #brazenqt.

The questions will come from Brazen PR’s resident news guru @AdamMoss and Gordo will be responding from @GordoManchester. The interview can also be viewed by following both Adam and Gordo.

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13 LESSONS FROM THE RECESSION

Friday, November 13th, 2009

This morning I went to Lessons From The Recession, a presentation by Katrina Michel and Liz Bielinska from Planning Express. This particular event was in association with Orchard and, though I go to lots of these things, this one was fun and very informative. Below are a few key points. Hope you find it useful too…

1. IN LOVE WITH NOSTALGIA

• People are harking back to “when it was all good and things were happier” than in the current climate
• Brands have embraced this such as M&S with their 1p Bazaar
• There has been a sales increase in nostalgic brands and products, such as Stork, Cake Mixture, Beans, Bisto and Rich Tea biscuits
• Fray Bentos pies has seen a sales increase of over 40%

THE CONTINUING TREND

• In 2010 and beyond brands that scream nostalgia will continue to thrive

2. GET IT FOR LESS OR FREE

• The current trends are M&S Dinner for 2 for £10. Morrisons launching Christmas dinner for £2.75 a head! Audi offering two free services on their cars
• People want value for money
• Latest data shows 80% of people are actively looking for bargains and 50% are using money off vouchers
• Buying things on the cheap is no longer something to be ashamed of, illustrated by Stella McCartney doing a range for Gap and Jimmy Choo creating a range for H&M

THE CONTINUING TREND

• There will be a long-term resistance to paying full price. Due to the continued discounts and offers in store because of the recession, people have changed their perception of price and what things are actually worth

3. WASTE NOT

• Waste less, spend less
• Throwing things away now fills us with guilt
• Due to our lack of money, wasting things feels bad
• The humble shopping list is now back to discourage impulse buying and some supermarkets are considering putting a ‘shopping list holder’ on the front of the trolley
• People are now eating food way past the sell by date
• People now feel they have to recycle more as they have a moral duty to do so

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Recycling is here to stay
• BOGOF’s are dead as people now see this as wasteful, but money off is here to stay

4. A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED

• There has been a mass awakening to the fact that we all have to save
• 86% of people now hate being in debt
• We are taking saving tips from our parents as they did it so well
• Due to the extension of retirement age, people now want to control their own retirement age and the only way they will do that is to save

THE CONTINUING TREND

• People will save save save

5. MEND AND MAKE DO

• Everyone knows they have too much stuff. People are now turning to mending things rather than buying new
• Shoemakers Timpson has recorded a 40% lift in sales due to people mending their shoes rather than buying new
• People are hanging onto products for longer, so cars, beds and kitchen appliances people are getting them fixed or making do rather than replacing

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Having more stuff is becoming un-trendy
• Buying purposeful stuff and less of it is trendy

6. INFORMAL SOURCES OF INFO/OPINIONS

• People want to hear from other people and value what other people say, especially online, across all sorts of products and services
• Even down to mybuilder.com where you can rate the service the builder/handyman has provided
• PR is at the heart of this
• People are now owning brands, not necessarily the marketing department

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Marketing/PR are now directing people’s opinions of brands not shaping them. Consumers are shaping brands

7. OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND

• As we all know big brands have failed this year such as Woolworths GM Motors etc
• 53% of people are less likely to be loyal to brands
• The brands that have failed have been mediocre

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Brands/Companies should always ask “ If we didn’t exist/provide a service would there be a need for us to be invented”

8. LOSS OF TRUST IN THE BANKS

• People see the banks as greedy
• Only 30% of people trust banks
• The current Natwest “HELPFUL BANKING” advert people don’t believe the sentiment

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Anyone operating in Financial Services needs to be seen as truthful

9. BECAUSE IT AINT WORTH IT

• Organic food sales are down 40% and have been denounced by ASDA
• Value lines in supermarkets have come into their own as people buy them and work out the difference between them and branded goods
• Trading down is officially cool
• Fairy Liquid is one brand that has managed not to be affected by this and is still going strong – possibly because of its claim of washing thousands of dishes – people see it as good value

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Trading down to own brand or value is only going to continue

10. HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

• We are all staying in more
• 35% of us are going out less
• We are even exercising at home due to Wii Fit
• Staying in is trendy as more people invest in entertaining in their home, whether that be on a new HD TV or a PS3

THE CONTINUING TREND

• We will all go out again, but not as much, as now our home is at the centre of entertaining our friends and ourselves

11. BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

• Trusted brands are going to become ever more important
• Brands that have survived the recession are simply going to get stronger, as these are the brands that have helped people through the difficult climate, whether giving more value or providing discounts – it’s all about goodwill
• And it doesn’t matter what advertising says as never before have so many people been unconvinced by advertising messages

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Goodwill & great PR; advertising will continue to falter

12. KEEP IT SIMPLE

• There is so much technology but people are becoming resistant to higher functionality of products
• Gadgets that are straight-forward and do their job have more appeal
• As consumers we are being over-loaded with technology
• 76% of people just want a mobile to make calls and text
• We haven’t got time to learn new things

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Embrace technology but keep it simple

13. SOMETHING THAT MATTERS

• Grand gestures are out the window
• People now want something that matters “it’s the thought that counts” is now in full effect

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Thoughtful simple products are the way forward

By Gary Bramwell, Deputy MD

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FLASHFORWARD - WHAT DID YOU SEE?

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

This week saw the network premiere of the latest American cult series ‘Flashforward’.

‘Flashforward’ sees everyone in the entire world lose consciousness for two minutes and 17 seconds and within that time they get a glimpse of their future, their ‘Flashforward’.

Whilst this is entirely fictional, this had me thinking about my future and what I would hope to see if I was to have a ‘Flashforward’.

Besides the obvious millions in my bank account and gorgeous husband on my arm, my ‘Flashforward’ had an insight into the future of PR.

I saw the rise in citizen journalism. A splurge of social media platforms made it possible for everyone to offer their own opinion. Citizen journalists not only offered their opinions but were also the trusted source for breaking news to the masses. These individuals became more influential than traditional media outlets around today. PR professionals were building relationships with individuals rather than media outlets.

This also resulted in the demise of mass media. Consumers no longer purchased titles with a huge circulation figures. News, which they had specifically chosen to hear about, was fed directly into the bluetooth devices of the recipient. Many of these again from one trusted citizen journalist.

With the extension of long tail media and increase in trust towards citizen journalism, transparency within media messaging was no longer a nicety but mandatory for any brand to survive. The line that separated whistleblowers from journalists blurred and brands were forced into being transparent.

Thankfully my ‘Flashforward’ sees a future for the PR industry, even if it is irrevocably coupled with the digital medium and marketing. As an industry we need to adapt to many changes, but many of these are already taking place.

Financial Times Chief, John Ridding, had a similar ‘Flashforward’ and has an offering on how newspapers can survive the change and begin to charge for online content - The Guardian

But that is his and my two minutes 17

By Vanessa Lee, Account Executive

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30BEATS - CONSUMER DIGITAL PR CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

30beats.co.uk: The final phase

Even in times of seeming economic apocalypse, you just can’t keep a lid on great musical talent.

With the MOBO’s last night and the Mercury Prize awards at the start of last month, we’re constantly reminded of the incredible creativity that is still alive and well, even in these difficult times.

So it seems fitting that as one great month for music closes, we start the new month entering the final phase of our consumer PR project with Hyundai, 30beats.co.uk – in which we invited bedroom DJ’s, and basement producers across the country to make beautiful music with a beautiful car.

Artists like Speech Debelle, Florence and the Machine, Keri Hilson and err… JLS (each to their own!) are just a handful of the lucky ones who have been propelled to the heady heights of international fame and fortune, but after watching the entries flood in here at Brazen we think we’ve uncovered a few gems ourselves.

We knew they were going to be good, but the creativity and concepts have exceeded all of our expectations.

The entries have come from across of the country, some have kept their remixes pure and used nothing but the car sound samples from the i30, others have added extra layers of music, synthesizers and drums. Some have completed their remix with quirky and thoughtful videos using animation, 30beats.co.uk footage and clever cut outs of segments of the i30 whilst others have opted to let the music do the talking.

The artists have done their bit, now it’s our challenge to drive more traffic to the site and get people voting for their favourite track.

Twenty-seven spectacular mechanical mash-ups, twenty-seven unique concepts and twenty-seven talented musicians – but there can only one winner.

Have your say over at 30beats.co.uk

By Nikki Girvan, Account Executive

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