Fiona Magill

Great piece Andy. The age of accountability demands that organisations step out of their comfort zones and meet heightened expectations for transparency, collaboration, and trust-building. The new political and regulatory landscape will be relentless, and businesses must pivot from “managing” issues to owning them. The message is clear: reputation isn’t about spin, it’s about substance. That means ditching outdated playbooks and embracing authenticity, humility, and action. As communicators, we’re uniquely positioned to lead this charge, pushing for honest conversations in the boardroom and shaping strategies that endure scrutiny. Long-term trust beats short-term fixes every time. Let’s redefine what it means to truly build relationships with all stakeholders. In 2025, standing still is no longer an option. It’s time to lean into the uncomfortable, acknowledge flaws, and lead with care and conscience. #ReputationManagement #AgeOfAccountability #Authenticity #TrustBuilding #Transparency #CorporateCommunications #Leadership #StakeholderEngagement

7

A few days ago, I published the post below here on LinkedIn and on other social networks about my blog being in Vuelio's listing of the Top 10 UK PR blogs 2024. Some nice reactions here (thanks!) and there. On LinkedIn, though, within a few hours, I'd received email pitches and DMs from people wanting me to publish guest posts, with the promise that they'd promote the posts and "amplify my SEO presence," to quote one. All in exchange for "just a few carefully selected links," to quote another. It’s clear that LinkedIn is fast becoming a breeding ground for inauthentic, spammy, approaches. But the real question is: How do we maintain trust and authenticity in a space that’s increasingly being exploited?

1

1 Comment

Excellent #Guardian / #Observer interview with David Richards, chairman of #Prodrive, who are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year and are a great client of my comms, PR, social media, content creation & digital marketing agency #DiagonalComms. Written by the fine journalist Giles Richards (no relation to David!), it includes the following DR quote: “Back then we were ambitious, starting with nothing, and we had great plans. But I always like to think that the best is still to come.” I am very sure it is. Click below to read more. https://lnkd.in/eiSMngDx

63

4 Comments

Is Happiness Your Company's Superpower? 🌟 Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending the Alliance of Independent Agencies’ Festival of Happiness 2024, with fellow bean and Mental Health First Aider, Abi Fraser. A day dedicated to exploring the powerful connection between agency culture, wellbeing, and high performance. The key takeaway? Culture isn’t fluffy - it’s commercial. The stats speak for themselves: poor mental health costs UK businesses £51 billion annually, yet teams with strong cultures outperform others by 4x. Here’s what I learned: * Happiness is measurable: Tools like the The Happiness Index highlight how emotional data - not just engagement - can help leaders understand their teams. *Relationships matter: Feeling connected and safe at work significantly impacts retention. Have a workplace bestie? You’re less likely to leave. *Leaders set the tone: From values to actions, leadership shapes the culture and drives wellbeing - a BIG thank you to Elaine Jobson for sharing her insights and experiences. It’s not a sprint, though. Building a culture that fosters happiness and productivity takes time, a clear plan, and collective effort. But the results? Worth every step! Read my latest jellybean blog to learn more about the importance of culture when it comes to high performance. #FestivalOfHappiness #WorkplaceWellbeing #AgencyLife #Leadership https://lnkd.in/evbiuGCb

10

3 Comments

Every year Full Fat Agency | Certified BCorp submits its data to the PRWeek UK and People Like Us Pay Gap Report Project, which are then published along with every other agency that submits data. Why do we it? 🖼 Our data along with others helps paint a bigger picture of the Ethnicity & Gender pay gap in the PR industry and where change is needed 💰 It demonstrates our commitment to fair pay to our employees 🔎 It ensures we analyse our pay gaps every year 👀 It holds us accountable Participation in the industry is noticeably lacking but it is improving and this year could be the biggest report to date. There's still time for agencies to submit data via a very simple online form before the deadline next Monday 27th August. #PayEquity #PayGapReport

17

Why proactive PR strategies are essential for ambitious B2B brands To maximise media coverage Create the story, lead the story, be the story. Proactively engaging with journalists and influencers ensures your brand is consistently in the spotlight, enhancing visibility and credibility. To shape the industry narrative Lead, challenge and guide. By leading conversations rather than reacting to them, your brand can set industry trends and become a thought leader. Proactive PR allows you to control your brand's narrative and influence market perceptions. Strengthen stakeholder relationships The more I see you the more I like you. Regular, proactive communication builds stronger relationships with stakeholders. It demonstrates your commitment and foresight, making your brand a trusted partner in the industry. To accelerate business growth The more I like you the more I trust you. Consistent media presence and positive coverage fuel business growth. Proactive PR strategies attract new clients, retain existing ones, and boost overall brand equity. Ambitious B2B brands can't afford to be passive. Implementing proactive PR strategies is key to staying relevant, influential, and ahead of the competition. How does your brand lead the narrative - Teddy 👇👇really wants to know? #Marketing #B2BPR #InstinctToBeDistinct #TechPR

13

10 Comments

💡 Insightful data from the Instinctif Change Index reveals that despite the evergrowing plethora of platforms, print and TV remain the most trusted news sources. Successful brand communication hinges on leveraging these trusted channels while staying true to your businesses core values. It’s not about constantly shifting focus but being where your audience already is and adapting accordingly. In a world of evolving news sources, staying informed and engaging in real-time is crucial. Yet, authenticity should always be at the heart of your strategy. By focusing on what truly works for your business and audience, you can navigate these changing times effectively. And if you need some help to do so, get in touch. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e7tPJHfg #Trust #Communications #EvolvingMediaLandscape #Authenticity #NavigatingChange #HomeoftheChangeIndex

4

What do clients really want (and need) from agencies? During a recent CIM | The Chartered Institute of Marketing panel event, Sharon Jiggins emphasised the critical role of consumer insights and the responsibility agencies bear in genuinely engaging with their target audiences. #CreativeAgency #AudienceInsight #Advertising

20

There's some very different approaches and strategies when it comes to #B2C and #B2B #SocialMedia, especially when looking at our #industrial sector. Understanding these differences is the key to innovating industrial communications and building trust with potential customers. Here's our latest blog on the matter - https://lnkd.in/eGyamaTa happy reading!

5

The importance of SMART goals, budget clarity and decision maker involvement are crucial to the briefing process. As PRCA launches its Pitch Forward project, PRWeek UK features insights from agencies on how client briefs can improve (thanks for including my perspective, John Harrington). Briefing is as much of an art form as the response, and at Hunter we like to collaborate with clients to unearth the subtext - what really needs to change and why. Co-creating briefs sets the tone for a strong ongoing partnership. bit.ly/4d9VWqu #PublicRelations #earningit #pr #communications #hunterpr

10

BT Group’s appointment of Allison Kirkby as CEO and the addition of Poppy Gustafsson’s company, Darktrace, to the FTSE 100, officially brings the index’s female representation to a new high, according to Raconteur | B Corp™’s CEO Index. “At the current rate, the FTSE 100 will reach CEO gender parity by 2057, 16 years ahead of the next best-performing index. But reaching gender parity at CEO level may not be enough to achieve true gender equality among the UK’s blue-chip firms. Recent analysis by the High Pay Centre shows that executive pay in the FTSE 100 has reached a record high – but there is still a gender pay gap of nearly £800,000.” This news really gives the same energy of last year's Bloomberg report that there were (finally) more female CEOs than men named John... #ftse100 #genderpaygap #womeninleadership

5

We've been creating again. Here's our latest mini-guide to crafting a meaningful PR strategy in a changing environment. What are your key PR concerns today?

2

It was a pleasure to be joined by James Wright, Havas PR global chairman on the PRmoment podcast recently. I’ve been looking forward to this chat, as Havas PR has had a good run globally and in the UK over the past few years. Global revenues are reported to be $236 m in 2023, up 5% on the previous year. Havas PR has 1600 employees globally. Havas has grown exponentially, so I wanted to ask James the important questions: ▶️ How does PR fit into an integrated offer within Havas? What type of work and what channels is PR responsible for? ▶️ Does the Havas PR group follow the broad revenue model of most other international PR firms? Are the bulk of the revenues in North America? ▶️ More about Havas PR’s acquisition strategy ▶️ Havas’ approach to digital technology Link in the comments to listen 👇

8

1 Comment

As using AI to drive marketing and communications efficiencies becomes the lowest common denominator, businesses must look beyond efficiency to AI solutions that help their brand stand out, through the lens of more ambitious and meaningful ideas.     We have developed a value-based framework to help marketers and communicators develop a beyond efficiency mindset, and:    - Transform passive customers into active participants by delivering autonomy, validation, ethical empowerment, and emotional understanding.  - Help them address concerns about privacy, regulation, and transparency with AI usage.  - Explore ambitious, intriguing, and creative ways of incorporating generative AI to their customer journey.     Learn about the AI Beyond Efficiency framework. #AIBeyondEfficiency #CustomerCentricAI #AIInnovation

6

With a Q4 full of global events in the region coming to a close, one of the major learnings that should come out of this period is that having a solid crisis comms plan in place, for any brand, is invaluable. Here, I talk to Gulf Business about the importance of issues planning in a hyper-connected world, and the six essential steps to cover in your plan:

17

2 Comments

Thanks for including my thoughts PRmoment!

4

ah the pitch process - contributed a few thoughts to the PR Week piece below - not sure an official code of conduct is likely anytime soon but here are my 10 Pitch Commandments that would make life better for all involved - thanks to Siobhan Holt for the opp 👇👇👇 1.   Timeframe to respond should be an absolute minimum of 10 x working days 2.   Tissue meetings should come as standard and be built into the process. 3.   Large competitive pitches are expensive to partake in – a fee contribution towards agency costs on detailed, resource heavy pitches should come as standard 4.   Pitches with more than 4 x agencies are a red flag - indicates the client hasn’t done their homework. 5.   There should be full disclosure if your agency is the wildcard entry. 6.   Internal budgets should be signed off BEFORE the pitch process begins. 7.   Non-disclosure of budgets is a non-starter. 8.   Decision makers should always be in the room when pitch takes place 9.   Post pitch feedback should be honest and given verbally - this should never be an email received at 5pm on a Friday 10.   Ghosting/avoiding agencies post pitch is never acceptable

59

6 Comments

Grab this insightful survey report on predictions for AI and PR in the coming year. As Gini Dietrich notes, it's likely no surprise that "AI-powered PR" is the biggest deal coming according to those surveyed. Most interesting to see that 74% is the sum of all responses who believe this will be so, with wide variances depending on roles - solopreneurs are in the lead at 86% saying this. Download the PDF for all the insights ⬇️

2

2 Comments