Jonathan Welsh

‘You can’t really measure the impact of PR’. I hear that said so often that sometimes even those of us working in the sector can be at risk of internalising that belief. Which is why it’s so uplifting when a client takes the time to write in on a Friday afternoon to say ‘the result of the press coverage [that Rostrum generated] is a 25% increase in website traffic and a 50% increase in form completions’. That’s a measurable return on investment from your PR programme.

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Last week I had the pleasure of attending Grayling Media's launch in London. Grayling Media is a media relations and intelligence unit within Grayling and has just released a new report 'The New Media Age 2024' which I have linked to in the comments below. It's well worth a read. The launch event featured a power panel of media and PR experts, including Sky News’ Sophy Ridge, new media expert Jordan Schwarzenberger, Bauer Media's lucie cave and PR pro and Love is Blind's Tom Stroud, all expertly moderated by Grayling's Heather Blundell. The conversation focused on the evolving media landscape, especially how traditional journalism is converging with the digital world. Some stats that stood out to me included : Journalist trust remains strong: 64% of the UK public trust journalists, with higher trust among the 18-35 age group. Rise of media influencers: One in five consumers follow specific journalists, with 40% of 18-34-year-olds actively seeking their content. Generational shift: Younger audiences are connecting deeply with individual journalists, valuing their voices more than the platforms they work for. Social media struggles with impartiality: Only 40% of respondents view social media as impartial, compared to 63% for TV. A few standout themes then: The rise of individual journalists as influencers - with younger audiences often following the views of individuals over media outlets. As PR professionals, building relationships with individual journalists remains as important as ever. The blurring lines between traditional and new media—content creators and social media platforms are now integral to news consumption, especially for Gen Z. AI and disinformation—there’s both excitement and caution around AI's growing role in content creation. Trust and authenticity remain critical as we navigate this new era. I dind't count, but had I of done, that word 'trust' was almost certainly the most cited word in the day. It’s clear that the future of media is multi-platform, with a very strong focus on personalities and engaging content rather than media brands alone and it all needs to resonate with diverse audiences. A fascinating session and plenty of takeaways for PR and media professionals, thank you for a great afternoon. And a big shout out to David Gallagher and Leah Selouk too, great to natter afterwards. Don't forget to download the report - linked below. #PR #Media #SocialMedia #AI #Communications #Content #futureofmedia

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Very useful guide for anyone considering a #PR qualification.

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COP29 is now underway, and as usual there's plenty of controversy - ranging from who's attending (and who's not...); the appropriateness of hosting in a state who's economy not just reliant on oil and gas but increasing fossil fuel capacity; the conduct of the organisers (the BBC's expose of Elnur Soltanov was pretty astonishing); to accusations of 'fake news' (President Ilham Aliyev today) and much much more... Brands, whether they're attending in Baku or not, who are considering using COP as an opportune moment to talk up their sustainability credentials should proceed with caution... COPs in recent years have often been tarred with the brush (no pun intended, exactly) of greenwashing - an accusation with can quickly erode brand trust and reputation. Scott Addison and I have written a piece on all this for Green Business Journal, which hopefully provides some useful tidbits for brands and marketers. https://lnkd.in/e4RaNQYp

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I’ll be at the PRmoment Agency Growth Forum, talking about a code of conduct for pitching. To help make this session as useful as possible, I’m on the hunt for examples of poor pitch behaviours from both clients and agencies. Did an agency ask for a tissue then ignore your feedback? Have you been ghosted? Did one of the clients fall asleep mid presentation (obviously this didn’t happen during one of Kindred’s thrilling pitches 👀…)?? This is your opportunity to get pitch beef off your chest and share your experiences to help create better pitches for everyone involved. Tell all to Auntie Shaz in the comments below or send me a DM if you’d prefer

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in my experience it's absolutely critical for the industry to make it easy for **anyone** to get into PR. Myriad entry routes are essential for maintaining diverse thinking, (I came from running record shops until it was suggested that being hungover and arguing about Neil Young all day "isn't a proper job" (copyright: my mum, c. 2003)). If we bring in too many PR-trained or PR-educated people - especially at entry level - we risk simply consolidating the same ways of thinking, writing, and cultural references from the ground up. This is terrible for creativity and lateral thinking. This isn't to say that degrees, internships, or apprenticeships aren't crucial - they are, but only as part of the bigger picture and far wider talent pool. In order to avoid stagnation we need to keep being an open, intriguing, and enticing industry to work in, wherever and however you land in it. No-one should ever think "I can't get into PR because I've not trained for it".

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Ready Media Group Ltd will be submitting it’s figures to the PRWeek UK & People Like Us Pay Gaps Project again this year, as we have since 2021. If you run an agency, please consider doing the same, although be warned that it will likely result in the following: ✅ You will feel super-worried and vulnerable about being so transparent so publicly about your organisation ✅ You will most likely be publicly disclosing that you have a pay gap in your agency. ✅ It will be seen and read by the women in your company and your colleagues from ethnic backgrounds …despite all that - *because* of all that - you should still do it anyway. It’s not fair that anyone should earn less than a colleague at the same level simply because they are a woman or from an ethnic minority. Transparency – and that transparency driving accountability – is the best way it can be addressed. Publishing your figures is not an end destination, it’s a stop along the journey but if you want to be as fair a place as possible, a vital part of that is to be open on this stuff. We don’t live in utopia and so almost every organisation has work to do in this area. We use the issues that the study throws up to stare back at us and ensure we confront them. If you've not entered before, please do think about it. The more the merrier for this study. If you have any questions either confidentially or not, please do ask me.

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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?

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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?

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Over two-thirds (68%) of Black professionals in the PR industry have considered leaving their roles. While 14% of Black talent received a pay rise, only 6% were promoted. 📉 It's disheartening that many Black communications professionals are not surprised by the findings from the UK Black Comms Network 'One Step Forward, Two Steps Black' report. I also reached a point in my career where I questioned if communications was the right path for me, feeling overlooked and experiencing other unfortunate situations. Luckily I no longer feel this way anymore! It's a shame that so many Black PR professionals face similar, if not worse, challenges. These experiences underscore the urgent need for action to improve the career experiences of Black professionals in the PR and communications sector. This responsibility shouldn't fall solely on HR and diversity and inclusion teams. Organisations and agencies must hold themselves accountable and drive meaningful change.🙌🏾 Read the full report here:

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Do you look at the data that comes out of all of your different platforms and wonder what it all means? How can you demonstrate the positive impact that your marketing efforts are having on the bottom line? If you want to be able to unpick the story that your data is telling you then why not join me at #B2BMarketingExpo where I will be talking all things measurement. #B2BMarketing #Measurement #ROI

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Why is PRWeek UK amplifying this patronising letter like it's some groundbreaking piece of wisdom that has never before crossed the mind of a PR practitioner? I'm sure I've sent poorly targeted pitches in my time, but this is practically impossible to avoid when a large number of publications and journalists provide zero guidance for PRs regarding how to pitch them or what pitches they do or don't want to receive (shout-out to the helpful minority who do 👋 ). I wholeheartedly agree that there are fundamental problems with the prevailing model of earned PR outreach, but these problems are complex - the product of shrinking editorial teams, disappearing ad revenue, the inappropriate use of AI (I could go on....). The vast majority of PRs know exactly how to research and target their pitches appropriately - and put in a huge amount of legwork to do this. It's reductive to imply that if we only resist sending that follow up then the model would start working properly again. I understand that the Synapse - The Stories Marketplace team (who publicised this article in the first instance) want an excuse to talk about their platform as an 'alternative' to the traditional email outreach model, but I think they are at risk of alienating their target audience with this. https://lnkd.in/epqSGJwY

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❓ What does 'brand management' look like in service industries? Elliott Chase recently asked for my thoughts on this specifically with the facilities management sector in mind as part of i-FM's brand survey. Since this is relevant for all service industries, where people are your biggest brand ambassadors - I thought I'd give it a share. "Brand management in a sector which is heavily reliant on people needs relentless focus on just that; the people. For any service provider the brand is defined by the knowledge and expertise of the workforce, the skills they have and the experience they deliver for the customer and end user. So, to protect and enhance your brand positioning, focus on your team; respect them, invest in them and make them the heroes and heroines of your story. It is them and the things they do every single day that define your brand." If you want to read more insight from the #FM sector including my wonderful client ABM UK - you can do so here. #brandmanagement #pragency #storytelling

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What’s driving the evolution of brand purpose? 🌏 🧒 ❤️ ✊ Last week we hosted a thought provoking roundtable with comms leaders across private, public, and non-profit sectors, who shared their experiences and views of a rapidly changing landscape. There's only so much you can cover in an hour, but some of the key takeaways: - We're moving from purpose vs profit > to purpose with profit - Purpose can be a north star, but it must be anchored to something more than the end goal, such as values - Australia once led on progressive issues, but not so much anymore - Society's rage presents an opportunity for brands to educate and unite - There is strength in numbers when tackling sensitive issues - Purpose is evolving from planet to people-first - Youth are demanding rapid change from inside and out - There's a cost of not investing in purpose The findings will feed into Havas Red's global Purpose white paper, coming out in October. Massive thanks to James Walmsley Allison Lee Nhan Chiem 🎯 Charmaine Glase Kate Hawke (GAICD) Kerry Kalcher Anne Wall James Wright HAVAS Red AU

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Looking forward to hosting this session later today. Very humbled to Ben Smith Will Hart and PRmoment to ask me to share my views. No doubt lots of questions and views as leading a pitch is never easy! But let's help try and make it that little bit easier #pitch #newbusiness #growth

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🌟 The North: A Hub of Creativity and Opportunity 🌟 When PRmoment asked which is the best city to work in PR, it was a tough call between two magnificent cities across north! But, Manchester just about took the win. So, why is it good for us PR huns? 🗞️ Media Scene Brilliance: Manchester’s media landscape shines brightly. With a robust regional media network and the influential Media City, it’s no surprise that major national broadcast outlets like the BBC and ITV find their foothold here. 🚀 Business Diversity: From dynamic start-ups to global giants, Manchester houses a diverse business community. This melting pot of enterprises offers great opportunities to PR's to learn how to flex communications across different sectors. Whether you’re navigating the tech sector or diving into healthcare communications, there's lots to get stuck into! ✨Creative Currents: Beyond the obvious, there’s an undercurrent of creativity that defines Manchester. It’s not just about press releases and media relations; it’s about ideation, design, and advertising. The city pulses with a talent pool of imaginative minds, ready to learn from and be inspired by. So, if you’re seeking a PR playground that combines professional growth with artistic flair, the north's your gal! 🎙️📊🌆 Read further debates on which city is the best to work in for PR, from the PR's themselves below 👇🏻 #ManchesterPR #MediaMagic #CreativeCity

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A lot of great people from a lot of great agencies have added their voice to this piece from Siobhan Holt in PRWeek UK, so naturally I’m keen to chip in my two pennies too.    Let me start by saying this: pitches are great. I love that collective agency energy when you’re working on a big response and how they push us to challenge our thinking. Obvs I love them less when we don’t win, but: life. They can be brilliantly run and terribly run, and while I think a pitching code of conduct is a lovely idea, it’s one that perhaps feels a tad lofty in ambition, needing buy-in from, well, everyone - agencies and brands - to work. Until such a time that we enter PR utopia, I think agencies need to figure out what their hard lines are and stand their ground more. There are also plenty of great clients out there who run brilliant pitch processes, and even when we don’t win, we feel valued and respected. Be more like them.   Adding to the list, some of my personal pitching red and green flags include:   🚩 No budget? No thanks. Giving a budget, even a ballpark, is essential because we want to shape our response to fit what the brand has to spend. Otherwise we might come up with a corker of an idea the client can’t afford and that will make them sad 💚 People who give the gift of time. We work quickly but obviously we will deliver a better and more in-depth response when we have been given a decent chuck of time to respond   🚩 8+ agencies on a pitch list. Brands should feel empowered to be braver and only choose the top 3-4 agencies they really want to see 💚 Client teams who equally invest a significant amount of their own time into the process and who who make themselves available outside official check-in moments for clarification and sense checking. Big fan    🚩 “Submit your pitch online and we’ll shortlist the ones who will get to present.” *Shudders*. Time investment from the agency aside, I guarantee we will bring our ideas to life better than you reading them ever will (even if you have a vivid imagination) 💚 Proper post pitch feedback for the ones you don't win - it's hugely appreciated when clients show respect for the effort, the agency and the work that went into the response, and we want to hear where we fell short. Tell us, ideally on a call   🚩 Key decision makers not being involved in each stage of the process. From the Q&A to the tissue to the presentation, everyone has a different point of view, different motivations and different objectives – and we want to hear them! That collective thinking helps us shape the best, most considered response    These are fair questions and challenges to ask from the outset of a pitch, but there will always be some processes you enter which will take you close to your hard lines. Then it’s up to you whether or not you choose to step over them. #pitching #newbusiness #pr #comms

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For me, the key point here, as always in PR and comms, is about audiences. The reality is that anyone who was inclined to vote Labour before this news broke, will continue to do so. The same applies to intended voters for Lib Dem’s, Reform, Greens, SNP and independents. The first job of any political campaign is to keep hold of your base, and then go after the swing voters. And there’s the problem. Given that the traditional Conservative voter tends to be older, and let’s say more ‘patriotic’, this will hurt his base at a time where he needs to be trying to turn the dial up, not down. Having known people that have worked for CCO on many campaigns, they are generally regarded as very smart people, with a robust approach to message management. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the current team, and they will be punished for it.

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