Over the bank holiday weekend, Imperial College London opened its doors for the annual Imperial Festival – two days of art, music, theatre and science. I popped along for a talk on science communication, given by five masters students who shared with us their latest projects. Science communication can be anything from leaflets in a doctor’s surgery to Robert Winston’s latest Horizons documentary, and the students’ projects aimed to express science communication using new and creative mediums.

One project which had proven particularly successful was The Brian Cox Effect – where an image of Brian Cox depicted as Jesus was plastered across the back streets of East London, along with the hashtag #TheBrianCoxEffect. The campaign sent the Twittersphere abuzz with people tweeting the images and even lead to an article in The Guardian discussing the divine comparison.

What’s more, the festival itself was a great form of science communication with scientists on hand to explain their research and give live science demonstrations. The crowds seemed truly engaged as they chatted to researchers and participated in experiments. And with thousands attending over the course of the weekend, it was great to see the passion and enthusiasm for science burning brighter than ever.

Are you a Nerd? It’s often a term that comes with some degree of negativity, but one we think describes real expertise and genuine enthusiasm and passion in a particular field.

Surely all PR professionals should aspire to be nerd-like? To investigate this, a group from Kaizo visited the Festival of the Spoken Nerd at the Bloomsbury Theatre last week, could we all be nerds too?

Festival of the Spoken Nerd is a comedy show based around science and maths. The cast consists of Helen Arney, an award-winning singer, stand-up mathematician, Matt Paker and BBC One science experimenter Steve Mould, as well as regular special guests.

The show began with a large-scale domino chain experiment to showcase how different styles of circuits work, with over 1,000 dominoes to set up on stage. Following this, highlights included; a song by Helen accompanied by Matt using an overhead projector (yes they still exist) and Steve using his laptop to illustrate the song, in mathematical equations, graphs and similar. Other lessons included learning how to do basic computer coding to launch a virtual fireworks display and how all computer screens are made up of tiny rows of spread sheet cells (it’s true, try putting your phone under a microscope).

Sides splitting and smiles aching, the night was great entertainment, but it was also gratifying in how it supported some of ways we work with clients.

Most importantly, it reinforced the need to combine energy and genuine insights into a topic, with creative and inspiring ways to tell your story if you want to make a genuine impact on the audience.

So my final declaration is … if this is what a nerd does then I’m a nerd and I’m proud to be one!

Kaizo’s Emma Knott was elected to join the Science Technology, Engineering, Medicine Press Officer Association (STEMPRA) committee, at the Association’s AGM on Wednesday.

STEMPRA is network for individuals working in science communication to share best practice, discuss industry issues and enhance professional development through training workshops and seminars. Members include press officers and other communications professionals working for a variety of organisations including universities, research councils and museums, as well as freelancers and consultants.

Emma will serve on the committee for two years, where she will represent STEMPRA members and help to ensure the Association’s constitution is upheld.

Emma said: “STEMPRA is an incredibly valuable resource for science communication professionals. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to give something back to the network and I’m looking forward to continuing the excellent work that STEMPRA does.”

Emma is a Senior Consultant at Kaizo. With a strong science background, Emma works across Kaizo’s portfolio of science and health clients, including Elsevier, the European Science Foundation, the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee and Truvia® sweetener.

Whether it’s Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Linked In, Google+, Instagram, Flickr, or Vine, social media is now offering businesses and brands more commercial and not just creative and campaign opportunities.

Take the recent shift by Facebook into the realm of money transfer for instance. Whilst many may believe that Facebook is simply reserved for commenting on friend’s walls and liking pages, the social networking site has moved to incorporate brand pages, host competitions and surveys, and now offers users the ability to transfer money to other Facebook friends at a competitively low fee.

The service uses online service provider, Azimo, and demonstrates that Facebook – like other social media platforms – is rapidly adding a more commercial component.

Online sampling is another example of businesses using social media for commercial activity. These can be in the form of physical products trialled by a brand creatively such as on Instagram, as was done by Rimmel for the launch of its Scandaleyes mascara where participants received a Rimmel gift pack if their photo received the most likes.

To make your social media activity more commercial, why not ask yourself the following?

• How could I use the functionality of each social media platform to my advantage? For example, by monitoring tweets you could identify potential triggers for purchase and respond accordingly
• Will my target audience engage with my content? And if so, how can I use that to trigger the opportunity to buy?
• Could a social network help me capture data for use in more traditional marketing campaigns? The reality is that, set up the right way, activity on a social network can provide invaluable data as the foundation for wider marketing. With so many platforms available for people to use at any point throughout the day, the data opportunities for your business could be significant.

New developments in technology teamed with innovation and creativity, are leading to new ways for businesses to be present on social media. In fact, last year Kaizo proved via its Unilever VIP project on Facebook that people are very happy to have a direct relationship with brands that can have commerce at its heart.

In addition to adding a new platform with which to reach consumers, businesses can also gain valuable data about their target using social media.

A business can use:

• Facebook to gauge sentiment of an experience a consumer is having to feed in to product development
• Twitter to see trends about consumers having the same experience
• Instagram to monitor how many consumers are sharing photos of the experience
• Youtube to gain shareable video content of the experience
• Google Places to record how many people are going to a place for an experience
• Tumblr to target key bloggers writing about the experience

Communities are becoming more commercial, this could be a real opportunity for your brand.

Kaizo has been shortlisted for TWO Golden Hedgehogs!

The nominations are for Best Use of Research with Elsevier and Best Media Relations with House of Marley. The awards  take place in London on 21 March 2013. Fingers and toes crossed.

http://www.goldenhedgehogprawards.com/shortlist_south.htm

At the end of 2012 the leaders of two London agencies caused the closest thing in the PR world to a ‘diplomatic incident’ when they claimed, in an interview with PR Week, that standards amongst New York agencies are low, with clients paying “through the nose for what they describe as bog-standard PR”. The US industry was, of course quick to bite back suggesting that anyone who thinks they can pitch up in NYC with this attitude is unlikely to succeed.

I watched this incident with interest, not only because a bit of industry mud-slinging is always entertaining, but because having worked in agencies on both sides of the Atlantic I feel like I have something to contribute to the debate.

Now the NYC PR world is by no means perfect, but I certainly learned a few valuable lessons during my time in the Big Apple:

1. There’s no substitute for enthusiasm
When I first moved to New York all of my friends were expecting me to start complaining about the relentless positivity that we Brits associate with Americans. But I actually found it really refreshing, especially in the workplace. To survive in the PR industry in New York you must have a can-do attitude, the word ‘no’ is very rarely spoken. That doesn’t mean that New York PR professionals don’t push back on clients – far from it. Because clients know that their agencies will bend over backwards to get the job done, when they do push back, they know it’s for a good reason.

2. Regional media shouldn’t be an after thought
In response to its London based critics the US PR industry was quick to point out the scale and complexity of the US market. Compared to the extremely London-centric UK market the US is indeed complex with multiple media centres in multiple time zones. That doesn’t mean you can’t run a national campaign from New York, but it does mean that you need to take time to understand the regional media landscapes, get to know the journalists and understand what makes news in Chicago, Sacramento or Dallas. PR professionals in the UK would do well to remember that there are more opportunities with media outside London than offering a regional breakdown of survey stats, and with the much of the BBC moving to Salford perhaps they finally will.

3. Earned and paid media need to work together
A criticism I have often heard levelled at the industry in the US is that there are too many paid opportunities – particularly in big media like the daytime talk shows. It’s true that there are paid integration opportunities but that doesn’t mean that PR is somehow easier or less effective. The best campaigns employ a combination of earned and paid media to drive credibility and reach. This is especially true online, where you can have the best, most engaging content imaginable but if no one sees it you are unlikely to meet your business objectives. PR and media buying agencies need to work together to amplify earned media through paid and vice versa.

And one bonus lesson, this time from London

1. Bigger isn’t always better
I think this may be what PR Week’s interviewees were getting at when they criticised the New York industry. Blue chip clients in the US tend to stick to a small roster of big network agencies, often at the expense of creativity and fresh thinking. When you consider the scale of their campaigns and the sheer size and complexity of the market it makes sense – they want to be confident that their agency has the infrastructure to deliver. However, in London, small agencies with big ambitions have shown time and again that they can deliver for big brands, both in the UK and across regional and global programs. Which is why ultimately, when I moved back home to London I decided to move on from a global network and join Kaizo.

Kaizo recently commissioned independent research with OnePoll into consumer attitudes to ever increasing health messaging by brands, showing that many are failing to truly involve consumers or integrate consistent messaging across channels.

We shared the research with brands via a series of free breakfast sessions and had some lively debate about the results! The results are summarised below:

• The number and frequency of products claiming health benefits continues to rise dramatically but rather than help drive consumer awareness and education about the benefits, 25% of consumers have been left feeling confused by the different health messages.
• 21% of consumers feel bombarded with health message information – clearly brands need to be smarter with how they convey their messages in a clear, concise manner, utilising the right channels.
• Many brands are failing to integrate traditional PR with social and ensure messaging is ‘joined up’ on and offline; in fact 40% of people found that messages projected by TV advertising are completely different to the experience found online.
• Consumers, initially attracted to money offers and free products on fan pages, are put off by the lack of good content or opportunities to contribute – a third never go back!

Get in touch if you’d like to discuss the results of the research in more detail or find out how to get the most out of your social media strategy through joined up communications and consumer involvement.

Leading international PR partnership votes in two new partner agencies in EMEA region, Blumen Group from Serbia and Manifesto from Turkey in a regional meeting in Moscow  

Worldcom Public Relations Group EMEA region voted in two new partner agencies, Blumen Group from Belgrade, Serbia, and Manifesto Communications Group from Istanbul, Turkey, in a regional meeting in Moscow on 27.–28. September. A total of 31 partner agencies offer creative and reliable PR and communication services from all Europe to Middle East and Africa.

Natasa Pavlovic Bujas, founder and managing director of Blumen Group, states: ”We think about our partnership as a great possibility to exchange knowledge and experience with respected colleagues from all around the world.”

With more than 20 years of experience in business and communications, Blumen Group has a very good reputation and a steady network of agencies and communication professionals not only in Serbia, but also in other countries in Balkan region.

Manifesto Communications Group is a communications consultancy firm, with headquarters in Istanbul and five secondary offices in the EMEA region. Selin Bozkurt, CEO of Manifesto comments: “Our motto is «Together With Its Clients, Wherever They Are». We aim to become the most effective global brand originating from Turkey.”

Worldcom’s strong partner network with local experience will leverage Manifesto in serving the needs of its clients, wherever they are.

”Our membership will create many advantages to all Manifesto clients, especially in establishing trustable business development opportunities”, Selin Bozkurt says. ”Manifesto’s strong brand name in Turkey, accumulated experience of our team, fifteen years’ of managerial experience, ability of strong network management with all media groups and a wide business network will add value to Worldcom’s brand in Turkey.”

The meeting in Moscow was one of the most successful ones of the Worldcom PR EMEA. It gathered more than 40 representatives of partner agencies all over the region for lively discussions and up-to-date information about business, economic growth and PR in Russia.

The financial software provider chooses Kaizo to help spearhead its global expansion

Kaizo, the independent PR and Digital agency, is pleased to announce it has been appointed by BlackLine Systems, a leading financial software provider headquartered in Los Angeles, to address the European market, focusing on the UK in the initial stages. Already established as the financial close software of choice for companies worldwide, Kaizo will be aiming to replicate BlackLine’s commercial success in the UK.

Kaizo will be working with BlackLine to establish a presence in the UK beginning with a dedicated media, analyst and social media programme. This will specifically focus on educating the UK influencers through a number of targeted activities including thought leadership by-lined articles and white papers, a customer reference programme and events speaker and award activity.

Howard Goldstein, VP of marketing, BlackLine Systems, said: “We came to Kaizo because they understood our industry. The team was able to specifically show the opportunities in the UK and that they knew all the right media and analyst contacts. Another key deciding factor is not only does Kaizo understand our market, but they were able to demonstrate they understood our sales cycle and how PR fundamentally could make a difference.”

With many well-known BlackLine client companies already on board, such as AT&T, LaFarge SA, Salesforce.com and Whirlpool, Kaizo will be working closely with BlackLine creating content and thought leadership to take to the media. BlackLine was the first to offer a commercially available Balance Sheet Account Reconciliation solution and therefore was able to make a significant impact in the U.S., which it is hoping to replicate in the UK.

Rhodri Harries, MD of Kaizo, said: “To be working with an innovative and expanding company like BlackLine Systems speaks volumes about the capabilities of Kaizo. At Kaizo we have a great depth of knowledge about turning technical messages into easily digestible sound bites as well as delivering tangible results for clients – especially ones with virtually no current presence here.”

Kaizo was appointed through a formal competitive pitch process.

The need to prove their value has compelled PR practitioners to hone their skills to a point where those following the correct ideology can have a demonstrable positive effect on clients’ business.

It is undeniable that marketing and PR spend is under more scrutiny than ever before. Clients are under pressure to prove tangible value to the business, and historically this has been a challenge for PR and earned media. However, it has actually been a force for good, compelling agencies and clients to question how activity is actually having an impact on the business.

It’s created even more valued partnerships, and helped move PR away from being a ‘nice to have’ budget-line item to a ‘must have’ activity.

Of course, it isn’t simple and different brands in different sectors will measure and monitor in different ways. A consumer electronics brand selling through Amazon is different from a B2B brand selling complex IT systems. The sales cycles, channels, cause and effect and timeframes are quite different.

However, there are four mantras that we believe help to deliver.

Sales cycles start and end through compelling stories and conversations

We start at the very beginning of the customer journey. What conversations do we need to be stimulating; what questions do we need to answer; how do we position the brand; and how best do we promote the product? When do we need to surprise; and when do we need to sell?

For Truvia sweetener, our Voyage of Discovery event on the roof of Selfridges told the story of the brand and its main ingredient, stevia, to consumers, retailers and partners. It created a potential customer base for well-executed ATL advertising to exploit when the product hit the shelf.

Communities are sales generators, not just ‘likes’ on a page

Although there continues to be a, perhaps unhealthy, fascination with the number of likes and followers a brand has, many are starting to see their social-media fans as more than just numbers. Conversations with these communities are starting to be valued as ways to increase propensity to purchase.

An example is Unilever VIP, a Facebook community that invited opinion, asked for ideas and actively looked to increase customer loyalty. Through a custom-built Facebook application, VIP encouraged consumers to engage more closely with 11 of the company’s most recognisable brands, including PG Tips, Carte D’Or, Persil, Domestos, Magnum and cleaning range Cif.

For this and any community, consistent research into sales behaviour and brand favourability is vital to measure, justify and amplify the role of earned media.

Great coverage still earns its keep – and it can be proved

Editorial coverage for coverage’s sake just doesn’t cut it anymore. A namecheck against an issue unrelated to a brand might satisfy an ‘opportunities to see’ target, but not a business objective. The impact of these sought-after, third-party recommendations, whether by traditional media or the ever-growing (but still less influential) blogger community, is clear if the right measurements are used.

Launching the Visa Prepaid CitizenCard solely through PR was a great example of how we can have a direct impact on business.

With a focus on national media to drive volume of application, we generated 112 pieces of coverage that resulted in a significant uplift in purchases.

Commercial value, not just creative outputs, make the campaign

Pounds (or euros) mean more that print and pixels, but commercial value can come in many different shapes and sizes. For some, it’s sales; for others, it’s changing perception or building awareness.

Our integrated campaign for digital security brand Gemalto created stand-out in the contactless mobile payments arena. It included: a French free-running video (illustrating touchpoints and the convenience of mobile payments) that generated 100,000 views; and brand-building coverage on Sky News and in The Times and Financial Times – all supported by consumer insights. However, the real value was in the collateral package that the sales team took into boardrooms – changing perceptions of Gemalto’s capabilities and increasing deal flow.
These four mantras help us develop campaigns that go beyond the ‘thud factor’ and deliver real value for businesses and brands, be it through changing behaviour, driving awareness, increasing sales or engaging communities. That’s what PR and earned media should be doing, and is what will ensure a mutually beneficial, effective and longstanding client/agency relationship.

The original article appeared in Marketing Magazine.