Tara Hewitt

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

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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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Managing a crisis is no easy task. Learn more in our latest WellRed post by Daniel Ahern #Crisis #PR #CrisisPR #PublicRelations #Management #Reputation #Communicaitons The Pollack Group

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Reflecting on a great two days at PRWeek UK PR360 on the sunny south coast. Fantastic to hear from so many leaders driving change across the industry. Several themes emerged across the sessions, and a few key takeaways are: 🧠 “Earnfluence” and “brandformance” were just a couple of portmanteaux bandied around to demonstrate how in-house comms teams are leading the way in marketing, and to quote one speaker “stealing budget from other teams”. By telling stories in a more compelling way, we can provide fuel across a wealth of other marketing functions ✨Shiny campaigns win awards, but it’s the drumbeat which makes the real difference. Building a profile is good for your business and good for corporate reputation. By establishing trust and a positive relationship with the media, journalists are likely to take a more nuanced stance when your business is faced with an issue 📢If you’re not part of the conversation, it doesn’t mean the conversation isn’t happening. Brands need to be bold and take a stand on issues. If you want to build a profile for your business, you have to have views 📰 The traditional media still hold significant power - and with this power comes responsibility, in the face of unprecedented misinformation and disinformation. As PRs we have a role to play in holding the media to account. If you don’t set the record straight on every factual inaccuracy, the incorrect narrative becomes the truth 📈We often hear awareness touted as the key measure of PR success, but time and again we heard from businesses where the main focus of PR was to drive brand goals, from moving the dial on reputation, to shifting perceptions and changing customer behaviour 🤖 AI isn’t coming for our jobs, but it is coming for the specific tasks it can do better than us. As humans, where we will always have value is around personal relationships, context, guardrails, and empathy #pr360 #prinsight #prconference #pragency

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💼 Budget Review 💼 Last week Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave Labour’s first budget speech in over a decade, and it’s already getting people talking! From tax hikes to the impact on pubs and hospitality, this budget makes some big promises. Here's some insight into how it might affect the food and drink industry: 🍻 Draught Duty Cut: Good news for pubs with a penny off pints 🍺 but tough times ahead for spirits and wine with duty hikes 📈 💼 Employer NI & Wage Changes: Increased employer National Insurance and a higher national living wage – great for staff but tough on business margins 💸 🏠 Business Rates Changes: The discount drops from 75% to 40% from April 2025, leaving many small and medium-sized businesses feeling the pinch 💡 Marketing & PR Insight: Now’s not the time to cut marketing budgets! Brands need to stand out more than ever – consumers want experiences, not just discounts, and smart PR can help drive loyalty. If you’re as passionate about food & drink PR as I am, or just want to chat over a pint about what this all means for your brand, let’s connect! 👋 Read the full article (as well as some wider reading on the budget) here: https://lnkd.in/eQcEEQ5Q

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Proactive PR stories 📣 With the Great British Bake Off starting this week, I've been busy crafting personal sell ins to key journalists, tapping into one of the best shows on TV 🍰 leading with our clients' top baking products. Top tips - Keep an eye on trending topics in your clients' industries - If you have expert comment or key products to support, craft your pitch - Make each pitch personal, don't blanket message journalists #ProactivePR #GBBO #PRtips

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas 🎄 Two things have happened for me to make that statement. One, my Simply Delicious chocolatier client has launched their Advent Calendars, packed full of handcrafted chocolates or truffles: https://lnkd.in/eskn9jhT And today, the annual tradition of the John Lewis & Partners Christmas ad was launched: https://lnkd.in/eJuCbWhZ How do I know this? It was the main story on Good Morning Britain. How amazing for a brand to be headline news on the day they launch their seasonal advertising campaign! Also, it's about the only day of the year that Good Morning Britain leads with a good news story. There have been great John Lewis Christmas ads, and there have been not-so-great ones over the years. I'd love to hear your opinion on this year's one. It is very 'on brand' for John Lewis! What I love about it is they use storytelling, emotions and relationships. These are three of the most powerful aspects of building and maintaining a brand. ✅ So, from that point of view, well done John Lewis. It's also great to see them using the ‘knowing’ concept - an evolution of their famous ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ strapline. 👏 What is your favourite Christmas ad this year? #Christmas #ChristmasAds #advertising #brand

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Spending time thinking about how AI will change or impact your role as a PR or Comms professional? Listening to Neil Griffiths' Mumbrella One on One podcast chat with music PR giant Alan Edwards is a reminder of the timeless essentials of our role that technology will never be able to replace: 1. Building deep, meaningful relationships 2. Unearthing compelling human stories 3. Harnessing the power of creative thinking These fundamentals aren't just techniques; they're the very essence of our profession. I highly recommend this podcast episode. I could listen to Edwards' stories about the Spice Girls and Bowie for hours, but it's a masterclass in PR storytelling and a testament to the human-centric craft that defines our field. P.S. Alan Edwards for keynote speaker at Mumbrella CommsCon 2025, anyone? https://lnkd.in/gDB-VE6Z #PR #Comms #PodcastRecommendation #HumanTouch #Creativity #AI #Storytelling #AgentsofChange #SefianiCommunications

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Over the years, I’ve had countless conversations with PR and comms professionals about the highs, the lows, and the constant need to adapt in our ever-evolving industry. It struck me — these stories, challenges, and lessons deserve to be shared. That’s why we launched the Viva PR Podcast PR in the Real World a couple of weeks ago. This is not intended to be your typical industry talk shop. It’s real people, sharing real stories about how they’ve tackled the biggest hurdles in their careers — and become stronger. From a personal point of view, the podcast has been a great way to connect with new people in the industry and reconnect with long-time friends I’ve worked alongside over the years. The stories they’ve shared have reminded me why I enjoy being involved in this industry in the first place — it’s full of creativity, resilience, and, above all, people who genuinely care about making an impact. From managing crises to navigating digital transformation, the conversations are honest, insightful, and, most importantly, practical. In short, hosting this podcast has been a privilege. However, I have to say I am not a big fan of hearing my own voice or seeing myself in these clips. I have always been the one behind the camera I don’t run towards the limelight. That said, it’s worth the pain as the feedback so far has been fantastic, and it’s clear there’s a real appetite for content that digs a little deeper, goes beyond the surface, and shines a light on the real side of PR. https://lnkd.in/eRDbjFBD #agencylife #PR #VivaPRPodcast #PublicRelations #Communications #StorytellingWithImpact #PRInsights #PRProfessionals #LearningTogether #PodcastLaunch #PRLeadership #ProblemSolving

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Do you have a big event coming up and need media training? A crisis brewing that you need fast help with? Our new Express Services are for you. Click below to learn more or DM me! 

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A moment for Will Hart 👏 It’s important to me to give credit where it’s due, and Will has grown PRmoment Leaders Agency fantastically since its launch. It's been great to watch what was once an idea come to fruition and give real value to PR leaders. It’s an excellent programme that aims to engage PR leaders in their own personal development. Whether it’s learning how to future-proof your teams, the role comms has in your business strategy or understanding the contribution PR has on an organisation’s bottom line. It's been a fantastic project so far that we've had some great engagement on. ___________________________________________________________________ If you've somehow managed to miss it, PRmoment Leaders Agency is for senior agency team members. It features an educational syllabus designed to develop and retain your key team members, while preparing them for leadership. If you want to know a little more, drop Will a DM, or head to our dedicated page (link in the commments).

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A bit of a follow up from my last post about the importance of marcomms being grounded in your core values and purpose, as I was talking this morning on a call about John Lewis and how they've perfected it over the years. Their Christmas campaigns are a masterclass in aligning marketing with brand values. Each year, they craft stories that revolve around themes of family, love, and togetherness—values that are at the heart of the John Lewis brand. These ads aren’t just about selling products; they’re about building emotional connections that resonate deeply with their audience, making John Lewis a staple of the holiday season. Now when we think John Lewis, we instantly think Christmas, family and togetherness. In my last post, I talked about Dove’s "Real Beauty" campaign as a powerful example of value-driven storytelling. John Lewis’s approach is another testament to how consistent, purpose-driven messaging can strengthen brand loyalty and drive long-term success! Also, for the record, the advert with the dog bouncing up and down on the trampoline is comfortably the best... https://lnkd.in/eRG_443p

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PRmoment Leaders update: We've just launched the PRmoment Leaders In-house Programme for people working in comms roles in the corporate world. The new programme starts in September, alongside our separate agency-side one. It includes the same 11 core elements that enable people to learn from industry experts, to network with peers in similar roles and to prepare for leadership roles. Focus and content are the key differentiators. Our new programme features industry experts delivering masterclasses on topics that address the specific challenges and opportunities faced by comms people in client-side roles. I explain why we've launched the programme below. Let me know if you'd like to hear more...

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Only one more sleep until the PRmoment Agency Growth Forum which features a stellar cast of presenters including yours truly! To all those attending, I look forward to catching up with old friends and to meeting new ones. My 20 minutes will cover: ➡ Positioning - why it's so important to know who you are targeting ➡ Planning - five steps to building a strong pipeline stream ➡ Performance - an explanation of why pipeline management is a numbers game ➡ Practicalities - six actionable tips to help with you pipeline thinking Plus - the added bonus of introducing six great thought leaders who contribute to this space (names BTW - not on stage 😁 ) Sound good? I believe you could still sneak in with an online ticket which could be bought by visiting: https://lnkd.in/ehsXgxJz. But if you can't attend and would still like to find out more about how to build your pipeline, I will happily hop on a call and use my deck as the basis for an informal chat with you. Just DM me and let's go from there. #PRAgency #PR #Agency #Growth

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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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Very useful guide for anyone considering a #PR qualification.

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I recently stumbled across Louise Linehan's excellent blog post '9 Successful PR Campaign Examples, According to the Data'. Not only has it served as a brilliant source of inspiration (bravo to the teams behind the campaigns) but it was a great reminder of some ways I can better utilise Ahrefs. Because we all know there is so much more to success than just 🔗 links! 🔗 💡 Some key takeaways 💡 📊 Track holistically: I'm a big believer in building bespoke KPIs that align with a client's wider business goals therefore we should be measuring everything! Links, mentions, searches, and social and more are all crucial to understanding the full impact of a Digital PR campaign. ⏳ Time it right: We all know that timing is crucial however there are some fab examples of the perfect execution of a teaser in this blog. Launch your campaigns when conversations peak to gain maximum results.

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PR IS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT. 💡🏃 Remember the series Gilmore Girls, it starts off a bit poorly, but then it gets much better and they do lots of seasons and everyone loves it❓ It is the same with PR once you start investing in it and do not give up straight away. 👀 It is lots of work at the beginning, • research, • analysis, • building a strategy, • getting to know the industry, • building relationships, • a lot of groundwork, which is not very exciting and does not produce results right away. But time goes by and 🧡THE FIRST PUBLICATIONS IN TOP-TIER MEDIA SHOW UP, 🧡EXCITING INTERVIEW OPPS IN OPINION-FORMING TITLES, 🧡THE MEDIA ASK YOU FOR EXPERT COMMENTARIES, 🧡COLLABORATIONS WITH CELEBRITIES AND INFLUENCERS, and PR finally starts to translate into 🧡BRAND AWARENESS, 🧡BRAND STRENGTH, 🧡ATTRACTING NEW CLIENTS, PARTNERS, 🧡JOB CANDIDATES. That is how PR works. Over the long term. IT IS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT. 💯 🏃‍♂️ It is as good as Gilmore Girls but you need to be patient a little. --- 🌍Since 2006, I have been active in PR for global brands in Poland. --- ❓ Any needs or challenges with your PR in Poland? • 📩 DM me and I will reply within 48 hours. • 📞 Call me on 0048 788 252 651 • 📧 Or email me on [email protected] #PolishPRAgency #PR #PublicRelations

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