Charlotte Willcocks

📰 The Future of News: A Two-Tier Media Landscape? A stark warning from parliament.uk: without action, we risk a fractured news ecosystem, with informed citizens on one side and disengaged communities on the other. 💡 “Having informed citizens with a shared understanding of facts isn’t guaranteed—and may not endure.” The UK’s media has defied the odds these past 15 years, with exciting new formats and diverse perspectives. But it’s not all good news… 📉💔 🔎 Trust in journalism is falling 🙈 News avoidance is rising 💸 Revenue streams are drying up 🤖 And AI? It’s shaking up EVERYTHING The risk? A “two-tier” system where some stay informed while others fall into news deserts or questionable online sources. So, what’s next? Tax breaks for local news 🏡, smarter AI policies 🤝, and more innovation💡 could help us steer away from the cliff edge. We are doing our bit at Contribly by trying to innovate the audience engagement side of the news, by getting real people’s voices included and heard in a safe way that social media doesn’t provide. The aim is to build trust and relevance! Let’s keep the news serving everyone, not just the privileged few. 🌍💪 What’s your take on this? Let’s chat! 👇🗣️ https://lnkd.in/enjesFrY

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Really proud of this PR activation. Great brand awareness but more importantly it actually makes a real difference: https://lnkd.in/egAKM_r3

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Welcome to “In My Humble Opinion”, a podcast collaboration between The Marketing Society and Publicis Groupe UK agencies that creates a space for marketing leaders to discuss their opinions on topics affecting our industry which they think about but may not always say out loud. You will hear industry leaders and experts talk about their views and opinions on deliberately provocative subjects such as the impact of technology on brands and consumers, the future of our industry, the generational divides, diversity and inclusion and more. This is Episode 1 - ‘In My Humble Opinion...nobody ever got fired for buying the safest brands.’, a deep dive into the often-overlooked importance of brand in B2B marketing and purchasing decisions. We're joined by Billy Hamilton-Stent, Chief Strategy Officer at Publicis Pro, and special guests Mimi Turner and Jann Martin Schwarz from Marketplace Innovation at LinkedIn Marketing Services. What do we cover? 💡The challenges of measuring brand impact in B2B marketing 💡The need for a more holistic approach to B2B marketing strategies Whether you're a B2B marketer, sales professional, or business leader, this episode offers valuable insights into the power of brand in driving B2B growth and success. Enjoy! https://lnkd.in/eZGG_Rxc #B2BMarketing #IMHOPodcast

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🚦Crisis Comms Prep: Lessons from the Heinz Controversy🚦 It must have been a busy evening for the Heinz comms team last night, and this has got me thinking about the most important aspect for brands facing a crisis – PREPARATION. Here are some insights I have learnt over my many, many years in the comms industry: 🟡Clarity is Key: you need a system in place to provide quick, clear information. If consumers find the messaging confusing, it undermines the intent. Social media thrives on clarity—make your message easy to understand. 🟡Consistency Matters: your brand messaging should be consistent across all platforms. Inconsistencies can lead to mistrust and mixed messages. 🟡Engagement Through Feedback: the Heinz debate highlights the importance of listening to your audience. Brands should be responsive to consumer feedback and adjust strategies accordingly. 🟡Transparency Builds Trust: consumers appreciate honesty. A well-structured comms system should provide transparency, fostering trust and loyalty. 🟡Use Data Wisely: brands should leverage analytics to refine their social media strategies, ensuring they meet audience needs and preferences. Want to talk more about crisis comms and prepare together, get in touch. #Branding #CommunicationStrategy #SocialMedia #ConsumerTrust #MarketingInsights

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Wondering if your campaign is delivering as promised? 🎯 It’s not just about the flashy viewership numbers—it’s about ensuring every talking point, brand callout, and sponsored disclosure is delivered. With Rivr, you can track exactly what’s being said on stream and in chat, letting you know if your key messages landed where they should. Why does this matter? Consistent messaging across creators ensures your brand's voice is heard, understood, and remembered. Rivr’s keyword tracking and global transcription make it possible to see if your campaign is hitting its mark—and how the audience is responding. In a world of endless content, make sure your message stands out. Explore how Rivr can transform your next campaign. #influencermarketing #twitch #marketing

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As brands prepare for the UK ban of HFSS TV ads before 9pm, what should PRs know about public, political & media discourse on sugar & health? Our report provides a complete picture of how the topic is discussed in politics, the press & social media.

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How can single-industry comms agencies thrive in a niche? 🤔 With over 21,000 PR agencies in the UK, competition for talent and clients is fierce. So how do independent, single-industry agencies stand out and succeed against the creative giants that do it all? In our latest podcast, we dive deep into this with Ravi Vijh, MD of Bastion – the UK’s top video games comms agency, which is on an incredible growth journey. From launching new divisions to hiring passionate people, Bastion is a shining example of how a focused approach can yield extraordinary results. 🙌 Tune in as we explore how a single-industry focus helps Bastion accelerate growth, foster diversity, and attract top talent in a competitive landscape. It's a must-listen for any agency looking to thrive in a single-industry niche! 🎙️Full episode available on Spotify - https://lnkd.in/g6uRNvWz #videogames #videogamescomms #publicrelations #pragency

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In the words of Steven Bartlett 🙌 "If you don't care about the tiny details, you'll produce bad work because good work is the culmination of hundreds of tiny details" This theme ran through our 'Brilliant Basics' workshops at Punch Creative. In the workshops, our wonderful Head of Operations Charlotte Holgate and I went through key working practices and processes that ensure our foundations are strong 💪 How did we make the workshops memorable? We embraced our inner children using LEGO to help the team understand how... 👌 We invest effort into building client relationships 👀 We pay attention to detail and ensure the basics are brilliant 💎 We don't compromise on quality 🏋‍♂️ We gain clients' confidence and trust The teams excelled at the task! ✏ The creative team didn't start until they fully understood the brief 💻 The web team optimised user experience and functionality ⌛ Client services ensured the project was delivered on time 🎯 Marketing and comms thought carefully about their target audience. Who's build is the best? comment below 👇 with the emoji of your favourite, best team wins a prize: 🔥 Creative team 🛩️ Web team 🤖 Client services team 🚗 Marketing & comms team #Lego #Workshop #BrilliantBasics #AgencyLife #TeamBuilding

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At AFFINITY Group, our new Growth Accelerator positioning isn’t just about driving business success — it’s about sparking a broader conversation at the highest levels. By aligning the vision of CEOs and CMOs, we’re empowering leaders to implement changes that deliver measurable impact and sustainable growth. Ready to see the difference this approach can make for your business? Let’s talk. Have a read of our chat with Mediaweek Australia:  https://lnkd.in/g4vT3Up3 #GrowthAccelerator #PotentialRealised #AFFINITY 

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As ever an insightful article in The Media Leader regarding the GB News and Ofcom situation from Ray Snoddy There is a possibility that GB News are actively undermining the right wing vote by adding to the split between the Conservatives and Reform, thus helping Labour. The presence on GB News of Nigel Farage, a vocal critic of the Conservatives, will reinforce this rift. If so, the losses that Ray refers to in the article will have been even less well-spent.

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Some of the benefits of a retained monthly PR programme vs a short burst below. In summary, it’s having the time and team allocation to… ✅ Take a deep dive into your competitive landscape ✅ Perform a media audit on you and your competitors ✅ Spend time building (and building on) a detailed media list of journalist contacts ✅ Spend time pitching these journalists, building up new assets to pitch them, and scouring the internet for opportunities to pitch If you can, it’s always beneficial to take a longer term approach to PR. What else would you add?

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It’s with gratitude to all our clients and the team at Nexus that we’ve been listed as one of the top 150 consumer PR agencies by PRWeek UK Since taking the helm of the business in 2018 we’ve seen Covid, the passing of our founder and personally I’ve survived a close call with the afterlife. If there’s anything I’ve learned over the past five years…. 1. Leadership is an honour and a privilege. We might not always get it right but being resolute to serving clients and colleagues is essential. 2. Resiliance will ebb and flow but at the core of this trait is having colleagues who can support, when perhaps you’re on an ebb. 3. Original thinking must be pursued even if it doesn’t always manifest - you must stick to how you do business and your philosophy on what drives true growth for clients. (Oh what we would have done with PG Tips £12m 😜) 4. The lasting impact you leave is what matters. Busineses change but brands can last forever if there is a clear reason to be relevant. Congratulations to the other agencies who are listed, and particularly broadcast specialist Broadcast Revolution - Phil Caplin has done a remarkable job since founding the business. #PRagency #PRweek #foodanddrink #creativeagency

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A comms consultant is not really worth paying if they just take orders and cater to every possible need at any time of the day on any time scale. Sadly, this is what most comms consultants (agency and client side) are trained to be. Instead, I think we can only really help people do great work once we’ve developed our own POV, our own unique voice. I really see us as artists on a journey, who develop a trademark style over time. If we can’t confidently explain our point of view, we have very little authority to give good advice - to really lead and guide. In the end we do have to make functional art TOGETHER with clients, so it’s not just about *our* art. It’s about the highly functional art that comes out of a client/consultant relationship which should feel a lot more like a collaboration among artists than a business transaction. Consultants: double down on your journey as a craftsperson and the rest of the consultancy stuff will fall into place.

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Online Masterclass: Unlocking Culture to Redefine Social in 2024. From insights about the current social media landscape to the cultural nuances influencing it, this session explores strategies, tips and practical frameworks that can help brands unlock cultural intelligence to drive results on social - and beyond. Join Our Head of Client Services & Production Natalie Grey, Head of Strategy Joseph McElligott and Head of Partnerships Alexander Frey as they dive into the topic and share our best (and tested) practices to support brands in navigating the complexities of the current marketing scenario. Watch now: https://lnkd.in/egA7De8T #SocialMedia #Culture #Intelligence #Data #Marketing #MarketingAgency #Webinar

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Sustainability (aka ensuring we have a liveable planet) has stopped being a 'cool' topic in advertising. So I absolutely love this piece from Alex Murray in Campaign UK asking the industry where the F they are. We all love to focus on the latest, trending topics and that's normal. It's hard not to be depressed or even despair of any hope around climate, leading to us all burying our heads in the sand to talk about other - more actionable - problems like 'should I be joining Bluesky or Threads'? (FWIW, I am trying out both). As Alex says: "But, if you work in advertising, you’re a part of an industry that’s about to surpass $1tn in annual revenue. If you were a nation, you would be the 20th biggest by GDP. Your impact is felt here. The funding of climate disinformation is a risk to your business both in terms of the uncertainty it creates and the potential liability where it inevitably features within your supply chain. Demand transparency." Humanity doesn't need to keep pressing the self-destruct button. Don't COP out...! Conscious Advertising Network Jake Dubbins Harriet Kingaby

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Is #creativity really dying as consumers are simply bombarded with ads? Or do we just need to ask better questions? In response to Omar Oakes’ recent piece on the death of creativity as a commodity, The Media Leader UK invited AC’s Dan Moseley to offer a different viewpoint. Read this latest article to see why we believe that tech can be used to improve ad performance and make everyone’s lives easier. And that means a reboot of creativity and of the whole process behind it. Get all the insights at the link in comments ⬇ #advertising #creative #media #agencies #ads #digitalads #effectiveness

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IGNITE – available on demand now!🔥Watch these sessions at the link in the comments... 👓 Mark Ritson on how not to mess up your brand ☠️ Liquid Death on the importance of humour 💼 Brands in the boardroom with Marketing Week, YouTube, Virgin Atlantic & the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) 🏆 Kantar BrandZ UK most valuable UK brands and the Blueprint to Brand Growth ⚡ AI-powered effectiveness with Reckitt & Virgin Media O2   #KantarIgnite #BrandGrowth #Brands

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🤔 How can agencies adapt to serve the changing role of CMO? Our Senior Provocation Partner Wander Bruijel joined the debate on The Drum to share his views on the matter. He argues that, whilst CMO’s are being propelled to the centre of organisations (or even out of them), there is a danger this will shift their focus to the short-term. Although agencies need to support CMO's in delivering the short-term, he thinks agencies should aim to challenge them to keep their heads out of the weeds. Read more through the link below. ⬇ #bornugly #thedrum #cmo

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Dahlia is joined by Katie Hart to discuss the topic of Neuromarketing, what it is and how it impacts our stress levels, our decision making and our clothes. https://lnkd.in/eKB_Wssc

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