Steven Francis Westgate

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

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💡 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

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‘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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We’re always striving to publish editorial on matters of consequence to marketers, that you can’t find elsewhere, and that add value. Content that is varyingly revealing, challenging and insightful. That was certainly the case this past 7 days. Analysis and reporting on important marketing matters. Just a few highlights. First up, Niamh Carroll unpicked the changes being considered by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) on the way intangible assets are treated, something that could lead to brands being recorded as assets and clear the way for marketing to become capital expenditure. In other words, an investment rather than a cost. Elsewhere, Grace Gollasch reported on the marketing challenge dips brand Holy Moly is leaning into – being front of mind when people are in the market for guacamole dip. Taking an innovative approach on a limited budget, it's not a category people would normally look to, but it's a universal challenge worth noting. Molly Innes continues her excellent reporting on the state of the recruitment market. Without giving too much away, it's still tough out there at the senior end, slow decisions and demanding employers, but with some cause for optimism. And finally, Charlotte Rogers digs deep into the data from our exclusive Language of Effectiveness data, and finds some worrying trends on what's being measured, or perhaps, more pertinently, not, which points to a marketing effectiveness agenda not progressing at the speed and to the extent it needs to. From understanding the nexus between accounting and marketing to the route to greater awareness. From the health of the jobs market to impact trends, it's all there. Links to the stories in the comments below.

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Yesterday marked a milestone for PR Mums – and a leap toward transformative change for everyone in PR. 🚀 After six months of collaboration with a pan-industry Steering Group—including PRCA, CIPR, Women in PR, Axicom, Grayling, Fine Lines, Manifest, Hope & Glory, Full Fat, and The Unmistakables—plus invaluable input from countless voices across the industry, we are proud to unveil: ✅ Industry White Paper: Created in partnership with Platform55—an award-winning, market-leading HR platform — sheds insights into current working practices whilst providing a roadmap for agencies to create inclusive, people-first cultures. ✅ Parental Policy Charter: Built on four key pillars to help agencies create genuinely supportive workplaces. ✅ Best Practice Certification: Recognising agencies championing inclusivity and family-first policies. ✅ Parenting HR Platform: Powered by Platform55, designed to foster healthy, inclusive team cultures. Together, we’ve laid the foundation for a more inclusive, people-first PR industry—and this is only the beginning. 💪 Download the White Paper: https://lnkd.in/eUf7pesb #PRMums #FamilyFriendlyWorkplace #ParentingPolicy #CultureChange

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PR Mums and Platform55's new research into the UK parenting landscape in PR & Comms reveals that most PR professionals believe their managers cannot handle sensitive conversations around family, and feel that parental leave is not effectively implemented at their workplace. We're proud to be part of the steering group along with other agencies to help create a new guideline for supporting parents and agencies in the industry. From parental policy charter to best practice certification programme, we're all working working towards a single mission: how to drive meaningful change in PR by setting a new benchmark for family-friendly workplaces across the PR sector. View the white paper here: https://bit.ly/494blHC

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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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Don't let your content fade away after one use. Repurposing allows you to extend the longevity of your content by keeping it relevant and useful for a longer period. Invest in content that continues to deliver value over time. Find out more today https://ow.ly/rUff50STB5e.

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Appreciate the shoutout PRWeek UK, and great to see the original comment about agencies adopting AI making your most-read articles this year. I would however update my original comment to include a fourth category that we will see emerge in 2025... 0. Agencies that integrate custom-built PR assistants directly into the comms channels of their clients - these assistants will have domain-specific expertise and the ability to execute tasks (Agentic) 1. Agencies that build their own proprietary technology (AI-Powered) 2. Agencies that employ prompt engineers/experts able to get the best results out of existing AI tooling (AI-Literate) 3. Agencies that allow their employees to leverage consumer-grade AI software (AI-Adoptive) Whether communications has a seat at the c-suite table or not, it will be integrated into every company department by the end of 2026 - turning companies into comms departments.

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PR’s ageism problem – ‘the sector is getting left behind’ How bad is the problem of ageism in PR, and how should the sector respond? Comms recruitment specialists speak frankly about an issue that risks holding the industry back. Amanda Fone, founder and chief executive of f1 Recruitment Limited highlights the issue succinctly: “Age in the workplace is the final protected characteristic to get the attention it needs, and the comms sector, with an average age of about 27 years, especially in agencies, needs to improve its ability to hire and retain multi-generational teams.” https://lnkd.in/dHpYYghm #PR #marketing #communications #recruitment #ageismintheworkplace #back2businessship

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Sass fact for today … Does your business have a: + PR strategy + Content strategy + Communications [including crisis comms] strategy Is the same individual/expert/agency developing them all? If not, you’re wasting time AND money. #sassfact Sass specialises in integrating all three – efficiently, effectively and economically. Reach out: [email protected]

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Implementing an organic content strategy is no mean feat, mostly because it demands commitment and consistency. Businesses often try to write their own content because they think an outsider couldn't possibly 'get it'. But 1. this isn't true and 2. if you're too busy to be consistent in your messaging, frequency and tone, you'll struggle to gain traction despite your best, most time-consuming efforts. Here's me yapping on about what content writers bring to the table 🙈

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A new guide from Stop Funding Hate and Ethical Consumer explains how you can help make hate unprofitable. Some UK publications are using hateful content to generate sensationalist stories, increase sales and push social division. Advertisers are a major part of their business model, providing up to half of many companies’ revenues. With hate crime on the rise in the UK, we can make hate unprofitable by persuading advertisers to pull their support from these publications: https://lnkd.in/eT4dtpeh #media #stophate #publications

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IP theft, lack of clarity on brief and budget, awarded pitches that result in no work... just some of the findings from PRCA's pitch forward research highlighted in PRWeek UK. With agencies reporting spending thousands on the process - which takes time and resource - the pitch process is not without its faults. There's a lot I can say, and I doubt much will veer from what my peers think, so I'm going to slip into another bugbear of mine: the "we want to see junior staff in the pitch" and "we felt the junior team were not confident/strategic/insert-other-not-great-feedback-here enough". It's really tough - balancing the showmanship of pitch craft with bringing in the breadth of the bench requires time and preparation, i.e. even *more* resource, asking teams who often are slightly terrified at the prospect of presenting to get pitch ready. And I feel them. I'm known for being a solid presenter - it's my thing. I don't always nail it for sure. And I'm of an age where sometimes certain words just won't come. I briefly thought I needed to rely on notes (this was not the right move for me...I couldn't take my eyes off them so it didn't go well), but my point is more that pitching is hard, no matter your experience. To win requires not only very smart thinking that's an investment of time and craft, but also relationships which can be hampered the moment procurement steps in (and to the point in the article - that relationship matters to overall success of the agency relationship). And of course winning requires razzle dazzle - because if you don't shine and bring the show your smarts don't matter, as tough as it is to accept it's true - it impacts chemistry and confidence. I welcome the PRCA's efforts - the combination of the commercial and cognitive drain on agencies needs attention, and more empathy from the teams running the process. https://lnkd.in/eeKTeMtP

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❓ How can behaviour change helps government achieve its priorities? ❓What is the role of PR in the green transition? ❓ Has politics given PR a bad name? Founding partner Mark Lowe tackles these questions and more in PRWeek UK. Visit the link in the comments to read more. #PublicRelations #PublicAffairs

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PR professionals receive social media guidance The Chartered Institute of Public Relations has launched new guidance on using digital platforms at times of crisis, citing a lack of clarity across the industry https://bit.ly/3ATqL4G

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TUESDAY'S TOP TIP: Meeting media deadlines in PR shows respect for the agency’s time and builds trust, increasing your chances of positive coverage. It also demonstrates professionalism and ensures your message is included in their publication cycle. #prandbrandcommunication #pr #PRandCommunications #communication #comms #BrandCommunications #publicrelations #PublicRelationsAgency #BrandfundiPR #PRPartner #PublicRelations

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Brilliant piece from Nicola Kemp - thank you Collette Philip for your wise words - "What cannot be named cannot be changed" Please READ!!! Don't DEFUND, #DEFENDDEI #Languagematters "Our collective silence has contributed to a media ecosystem that has fuelled both misinformation and outright racism. The way we use words has power. In choosing to stay silent, we are complicit. The uncomfortable truth is that, in this industry, many of us have placed our careers ahead of our compassion. The “silent majority” cannot continue to say nothing in the face of media narratives causing real-world harm." Media For All [MEFA] explained: “Now, more than ever, it is crucial for organisations to maintain and strengthen their diversity and inclusion programmes. Cutting back on these initiatives or down-tooling is simply not an option. If anyone thinks that DEI is not required, think again. These riots underscore the urgent need for continued commitment to inclusive practices.” Fund DEI. Commit LONG TERM to inclusive practices. #Changemakers #Inclusion #Equity

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