Kate Naylor

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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An actual unicorn* here. *of a job This is such a special opportunity if you're a fundraiser who's obsessed with creative. Honestly. Direct Marketers/Supporter Experience Obsessives/Loyalty and Engagement Gurus have to be Creatives, at heart: relentlessly inquisitive and prone to getting overexcited and geeky about propositions, short and long copy, design, insight, testing and strategy and finding inspiration from all that (and then having to live and die** by how things perform). This magic job gives you dedicated time and space to really focus on finding The Thing that'll inspire hearts and minds, to help the Red Cross. Tis the dream. Also: I can't say enough good things about British Red Cross as an employer. I'd go even further though with the good things I'd say about Rebecca Shore as a boss and leader (even though she'll do a little sick in her mouth to read me say so), and the actually remarkable Ami O'Neill and Katie Johnson - working with them changed my career for the so-much-better. So don't miss out on that. (nor should you pass up the chance to work with Victoria Bongiorno, Rachael Harris and the *many* other talented, kind, dedicated, clever and all around fantastic colleagues and peers in the Engagement & Loyalty team, and beyond in Fundraising and Marketing). There's also a fab mat cover role going too, for the Email + Led Gen side of things. I'll post separately about that tomorrow or something. **not literally, no need to be silly about it.

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Thanks to We Are Social, I just caught up on all things social so far this year - trends, behaviours, and predictions. Lots to think about when it comes to how brands show up, connect with communities and serve fandoms eg: - "social media - once a place that enriched the lives of users - now exhausts" - "how do you sell to an audience increasingly averse to buying?" - "When did we lose the "social" in social media?" Register for the #ThinkForward2025 report here: https://lnkd.in/eFBqCTXH

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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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👉 'FFS' more coverage with ChargeGuru ⚡ 🪫 Great to see the continued media support for our FFS campaign with ChargeGuru. Two new articles have gone live; I had the opportunity to speak with MediaCat Magazine and Creativepool, together we dug more into the campaign; the background and the creative process. *** With Media Cat, we discussed how 'Marketing and the media are essential in accelerating EV adoption'. Snippet: Marketing and the media are essential in accelerating EV adoption by making it relatable and addressing misconceptions head-on. This is where smart marketing can step in. We need to educate the public about the cost-efficiency and sustainability of electric vehicles (EVs). By showcasing advances in EV technology and infrastructure, we can alleviate concerns and anxieties about going green. Providing accurate information that can empower potential drivers to make informed decisions. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eZXSwkzi In Creative Pool, we explored the creative process behind the campaign in the article titled 'Inside ChargeGuru’s Groundbreaking Campaign'. Snippet: What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production? Using a guerrilla-style projection tactic, we set up quickly, projected, and moved on, generating public excitement and candid reactions for the campaign video. At one location, we were asked to leave, with the police even called. Fortunately, we captured all necessary footage before needing to pack up—no laws were broken! Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ewueD2iQ #EV #Marketing #MediaSupport #ChargeGuru #Campaign #ElectricVehicles #Sustainability #CreativeProcess The PHA Group Denis Watling Elizabeth Davidson

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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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27 years is a long time to wait for #equalpay. In fact, it’s longer than I’ve worked in #PR in the #creative, #marketing and #advertising industry. So no, no I’m not prepared to wait and neither is She Says. Please download our Rework the Future Manifesto 👇 and start to action the practical insights in your agency, studio, brand and business.

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The Creative Industries are a UK success story. Between 2011 – 2019, the sector grew at double the rate of the UK economy, and since 2015 has created 400,000 additional jobs. This success relies on a workforce of talented and motivated creative people, who have the right skills for the right roles. However, the creative economy is at risk of falling into a looming skills shortage. As demand for skills grows, it is not being met by increased participation in creative learning. It's becoming clear there is a growing talent pipeline shortage for the UK’s expanding creative economy. Contributing factors include the EBac Secondary curriculum and gaps in careers education. At Bournemouth and Poole College we are dedicated to closing the skills gap in the Creative Economy, in partnership with our industry and education partners. We need your help to do this, on the 17th of October we are hosting our annual Employers and Careers Day. If you have advice to offer our talent pipeline sign up here: https://lnkd.in/edwqqCyh #arts #digital #creative #creativeeconomy #bournemouth #dorset #poole #dance #performingarts #computing #IT #Music #fashion #photography #graphicdesign #cgi #animation #college #furthereducation #highereducation #esports

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A short/vertical version of a longer film we’ve created for Emily Jackson (Wolffia Inc). Short versions of longer projects are a very efficient way to meet your social media obligations. This particular post has so far achieved over 60k organic views on an account that averages 9k. Here are three tips to help you succeed when creating shorter social content: Always start with a face: People like people, and the tech companies you're posting on need people, so give them both what they want right from the start. Leverage lighting: Good lighting and visuals make content more appealing and professional. Bright, colorful content will make it easier to engage with. Keep it under 50 seconds: Focus on delivering short and clear content; it’s more likely to be watched and shared.

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If you’re unsure whether launching on TV for the first time is the right move for you, then look no further! Our latest research with ITV Media ‘Break Through’ uncovers some of the key strategies and considerations when launching on TV - don’t miss our latest blog below 🔗 Chiara Manco Kate Waters James Boodt Allison O'Toole Devi Upadhyaya #TVadvertising #advertising #BreakThrough

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Why media intros should never be skipped💡 Whenever I start working with a new client, I’ll always spend time in the first month introducing the brand to key journalists within the sector Whilst this process might not always lead to direct results, I’d argue that it’s an invaluable part of the onboarding process. Here’s why: 💭 You’re not only introducing your brand and the products / services / offering to your target media, you’re also introducing yourself as the go-to person for anything the journalist needs in relation to the industry 🤓 💭 It’s a great opportunity to build relationships, without trying to ‘sell’ a story or product launch. You’re providing journalists with genuinely useful information and many often enjoy hearing about new brands 🤗 💭 You’ll build a core list of relevant media contacts that you can refer back to in the future. As long as you’re putting the time in to research each person’s niche and topics of interest to create a really strong list! 🧐 💭 Bonus: You might actually get some great coverage too! I recently had some fantastic feedback from a journalist at a high end interiors publication on the back of a media intro for my new client and we’re now set to be featured in a product roundup piece that is perfect for our target audience 🤞 When it comes to introducing your brand, I’d always recommend keeping it concise and sharing the most interesting and useful information; such as internal experts, any key products / services and what topics you’re able to comment on #digitalpr #prtips #freelancepr

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Thanks so much to PRWeek UK for publishing my answer to the question, what one thing would improve mental health in PR? It’s such a good question. As PR leaders, we should all be continuing to challenge ourselves to be better when it comes to supporting good mental health practices in the workplace. So my one thing is empathy - demonstrating it, working to become more empathetic, and generally being prepared to listen to others with different lived experiences. I do think the industry has come a long way, though. When I think back to when I started in PR, I couldn’t imagine this kind of article appearing in PR Week, or such a discussion being so prevalent across the industry. #PR #MentalHealth #MentalHealthInPR https://lnkd.in/eAdn67rQ

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Need a creative director to mentor your team but can’t afford a full time role? How would a mentoring programme delivered by a Creative Director and founder with over 24 years experience and a desire to help others grow impact your team? If you would like to support your blossoming talent and offer space for supportive open conversation, creative critique and guidance in how to elevate their creative potential then this is for you. You will improve your creative output, delight your clients, demonstrate your dedication to helping your people grow and create loyalty and trust. Feel free to ask me more about this great service to elevate your creative team. This is the value add service you might have been waiting for. #creativementor #mentoring #creativetalent #fractional

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👏 Top 👏 social 👏 campaign 👏 of 👏 the 👏 year 👏 Huge result for the Wonderhood Makers team and testament to all the fanatastic work we have been doing with Waitrose & Partners that have helped then drive the highest level of talkabilty around the brand in the last 5 years according to YouGov Brandindex data 🚀🚀🚀

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Why does authentic content drive engagement at events? One of our Film Producers, Tanya Temple-Harris explains how..... For more details, download our detailed GUIDE to find out how storytelling can make your events more powerful. Download here 👉 👉 👉 https://lnkd.in/egUrMawy #Storytelling #EmployeeEngagement #InternalComms #Events #EventProfs #EventProfsUK

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Great series of panels and talks at Campaign UK’s In-House Agency Summit yesterday. There’s a lot to digest from the diverse IH solutions brands are adopting. While it’s still fresh, here are a few key themes: True Partnership: IHAs work in close alignment with marketing, prioritising the brand’s best interests. This approach fosters strong, collaborative relationships and creates long-term value. Naming & Identity: Naming matters. Many IHAs avoid “agency” labels, opting instead for terms like “creative” or “studio,” or using brand-specific names, reinforcing their role as an integrated part of the company, not a separate entity. Creativity & Innovation: IHAs aren’t just about being faster or cheaper. To build a culture of creativity and innovation, many encourage proactive idea generation, pushing creative boundaries beyond specific projects and supporting continuous growth. Collaboration, Not Competition: Brands increasingly see external agencies as partners who complement IHA skills, working together to strengthen impact and build a cohesive brand ecosystem. Agility & Speed: The fast pace of social and digital requires IHAs to respond quickly, often bringing cultural moments to life within hours which isn't possible for external agencies. Efficiency & Results: From TUI’s multi-market content to Vodafone’s data-informed creative loops, IHAs consistently achieve high engagement and quality results, demonstrating strategic value. Innovation & Adaptability: By adopting new technologies like Gen AI, IHAs scale production while maintaining brand consistency and regulatory compliance. Talent & Development: To keep brands fresh and talent engaged, IHAs are creating training programs to build future pipelines and invest in creative development. It's clear IHAs are proving their worth as strategic, creative, and adaptable partners, embedded within their brands. With IHA Talent & Development in mind, The Industry Club and the In-House Agency Leaders Club have created the first In-House Talent & Salary Survey specifically for UK in-house agencies and we'll be discussing the findings in a free online session today at 1 pm. Join me, Melissa Smith and Patrick Burgoyne by registering here: https://lnkd.in/ebwz8duA

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I know I might be late to the party… But it’s rare for something to capture my attention and then keep it. Particularly when it comes to a TV advert, that compelled me to look up from my phone for over one minute. Dove’s latest campaign, which I discovered during a Love Island ad break, did just that. What struck me immediately was how perfectly placed this ad was. Love Island, continues to struggle with body diversity—a glaring issue audiences have highlighted for years. Dove’s ad stood out as a powerful counter-narrative, celebrating all body types and challenging the status quo. Children and teenagers, who are still learning to love and accept themselves, are increasingly exposed to toxic social media trends. AI is set to exacerbate this by creating unrealistic beauty standards and perpetuating harmful stereotypes. The threat is real. What I find truly admirable about Dove's campaign is that they aren’t just voicing concerns—they are taking tangible action. By addressing the misuse of AI in perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards, Dove is actively working to change the trajectory of AI’s impact on society. Did you see the campaign? How did it make you feel? https://lnkd.in/eDqjpx66

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💡 TOP TIP THURSDAY 💡 No.4: Location. Location plays a critical role when pitching to journalists. I talk to so many people who want coverage here, there and everywhere but the reality is, you need to have geographical relevance in order for it to potentially stick. This relevance can come in all shapes and sizes but things like having a spokesperson in the area is a good start. Data and customers (case studies) also help. And so does impact! A journalist's geographical base will often influences the type of stories they cover, particularly for local or regional outlets so make sure your pitch aligns with a story happening in the immediate area or region. Journalists want content that resonates with their readers or viewers, so understanding where they are based - and the geographical coverage of the publication - allows you to tailor your pitch more effectively. Additionally, the location tied to the story itself is equally important. For example, pitching a story with a local angle to a national outlet might not work unless it has broader appeal. Similarly, if you're pitching to a publication that covers a specific geographic area, such as a regional newspaper or city magazine, your story needs to fit within the boundaries of what they typically report on. Good luck 🍀

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