Group Blog » Golley Slater

“Are you hyperlocal?” – Social media begs new questions of PR

hpetko — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:19:34 +0000

A report by the Pew Institute covered in Time magazine this monthidentified the Internet as the the first or second most relied-upon source of information for people about their community in 15 of 16 categories listed. For adults under 40, first place was secured in 11 of the 16.
Think about that for a second. We generally look to the Internet for global and national information partly because that’s the way the Internet is set up to deliver. Largely, I suppose, because the historical architecture of websites and domain names has dictated the way corporate (in its broadest sense) information is presented.
Not now though. Now we’ve reached the tipping point where the socialisation of digital media means that consumers are seeing it as a first or second port of call for local content. In fairness, local TV is still the main event for local news and community and culture stuff is picked up by the local press. But if you’re planning to get your glad rags on or can’t face cooking tonight, the internet is your first stop. Bars and restaurants are tops on the web.
For me this points to a couple of things: First, a growing consistency between the experience of blog readers and the views of the bloggers they follow. This inevitably has led to a growth in trust levels for the blogger and a greater likelihood that their recommendations and advice will be followed.
Second,there is an improvement in people’s respect for online reviews. This is interesting because –and let’s be honest – we’re all a bit cautious about these. Their credibility has grown because sufficient volume of reviews will have a normative effect. Even so the sanetend to look at the number of stars “our reviewer” has given and take it with a pinch of salt. I mean logically, you’d have to be very annoyed or very impressed by a venue before you went to the hassle of actually writing about it online. Wouldn’t you?
Third, and here for me is the important bit, is the growth of hyperlocal media and journalism. After all the blah, blah of citizen journalism this is the real deal. This is an opportunity for you and me to create tailored news platforms for where we live. Just look at the grounds Talk About Local is making across the UK and the surge of local news sites. The beauty of community based journalism like this is also the high levels of trust enjoyed – because the journalist is “someone like me, living where I live”.That delivers the possibility of some very powerful advocacy and endorsement.
Hyperlocalism offers new opportunities to communicators. But they need the right tools.They need to know the locality; they need to understand the issues; and they need to be able to speak in the same language. In short they need to be on the patch.

Martin Long, Group MD, PR

Is your brand at risk?

Harvir Phloray — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:13:19 +0000

However, you will note that statistically this means that instead of replacing like for like, a large number of NOTW readers just didnt buy a Sunday paper at all. According to a study by Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism, 41% of the British public said they gather more and more of their news from online news websites. This month’s Press Gazette figures certainly support that, the BBC news website had 11.14m online readers/viewers in May, making it four times as popular as the NOTW.

Following Rebekah Brooks arrest, and with many consumers questioning the ethics of the tabloid newspaper industry, your brand could be increasingly vulnerable on the basis of your media spend. So can investing in the online space and looking to influence consumers directly through new media channels safeguard your corporate image.

PwC says internet marketing is projected to rise by 11.2% between now and 2015, to £17.7bn. This certainly suggests that more and more brands are recognizing the power of digital marketing and the ability to open a two-way dialogue with consumers instead of relying on a third party.

Lindsey Reaney
PR Account Manager & Digital Consultant

What Golden Globes performance could mean for the career of Ricky Gervais

admin — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:15:17 +0000

“Gervais’ performance and comments seem to have drawn mixed views but one thing is certain…everyone in the media is talking about the event.

Breakfast TV, online news sites, tabloids and even broadsheets are carrying the story on the front pages, and clips from the show are doing the usual rounds on Facebook and YouTube – there’s no way it would have generated the same level of interest with a much safer presenter.

So was Gervais a success? Well it depends on which side of the fence you’re sitting. For the show’s organisers, a record number of viewers tuned in and the aftershow debate has surely generated more air time and column inches than they could have ever hoped for. The organisers knew he was a livewire and a risk otherwise why employ him in the first place. It’s not as though Gervais didn’t warn them that he was a gamble especially after last year’s performance drew criticism albeit to a far lesser extent.

It was clearly an uncomfortable night for the Hollywood Set and Gervais certainly crossed the line (more like triple jumped over the line) on several occasions and probably far too personal but that’s Gervais for you…mind you the Bruce Willis ‘dad’ gag was hilarious and made funnier by Willis fluffing his attempt at a comeback at Gervais!! Hollywood stars expect the host to have a laugh at their expense but Gervais hardly won many friends this time around. What was interesting was seeing producers and directors rounding on Gervais’ performance akin to saying ‘he’d never work again in this city!’…a tad knee-jerk perhaps!

As for Gervais, what’s the likely fall out for his career? It hasn’t all been criticism in the US media against Gervais. Several are reported as saying that it made an otherwise boring event a major talking point but agreed Gervais wont be invited back any time soon to host another US awards ceremony. The UK media’s response has been noticeably softer, seemingly accepting that this is what Gervais does and that you play with fire, you’re going to get burnt. The whole performance did become a conveyor belt of celebrities being lined up for Gervais’ acid-tongue comments.

So does he regret his performance? He doesn’t strike me as the apologetic sort. Gervais is certainly no idiot (ok so that’s another topic for debate!) and knew his comments would provoke a reaction. Perhaps he may have been caught a little off-guard as to the level of intensity of the criticism. Only time will tell whether the damage is long-term and this storm will blow over soon, leaving us all to move onto the next great celebrity scandal.

In the meantime, Gervais might do as well to keep his head down in the States until it blows over. I’m sure Russell Brand will be stealing the headlines again soon, leaving Gervais safe to come out of hiding…”

See Gervais’ monologue below:

Tim Gearey, MD of Golley Slater PR

Will Sir Alan’s new apprentices breathe new life into advertising?

admin — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:01:06 +0000

How will Stuart “The Brand” Baggs, telecoms entrepreneur and the youngest ever contestant on the show fair alongside the only remaining creative left on the shelf, Alex Epstein, in creating a new brand of household cleaner?

With the traditional advertising model moving into conversation and brand experiences, it will be interesting to see how the new recruits will tackle this challenge. Techniques used by former candidates, not least Philip Taylor’s ‘Pants Man’ mascot last year, hinted at a lack of originality and focused purely on transmitting one-way messaging.

The future of promoting products is about communication, conversation and interaction with consumers. It’s also about capitalising on different markets. At 21 years of age, will “The Brand” come up with any innovations? Will Facebook get a look in? Will they consider YouTube viral campaigns? One thing’s for sure, if the apprentices don’t clean up their acts in the advertising task, they will certainly face Lord Sugar’s immortal words…

It’s time…to face…the plant pots’

admin — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:05:19 +0000

Songs from the Shed, which can be seen at www.songsfromtheshed.com or by searching on You Tube, invites live musicians to come in and perform acoustically in front of a hand-held camera. It’s already attracted musicians such as David Rotheray from one of my favourite bands The Beautiful South, who performed a fabulous version of The Sparrow, The Thrush and the Nightingale. Other artists have been flocking from places like America, Canada and Tasmania to the shed, where they can perform freely, with the only rule being the loudest goes to the back while the vocalist stands at the front.

I believe it’s one of the best real live music forums currently on any medium, and with nearly 200 videos uploaded onto You Tube, you are bound to find something to suit your taste.

Songs from the Shed is the one to watch. Perhaps Simon Cowell should consider a similar format for the next series of X Factor. Although I can’t see Cheryl Cole holding her ‘judge’s house’ stage in a nearby tent.

Chris Lovell
Golley Slater, Group Chief Executive

Are you losing your customers?

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:57:25 +0000

Your customers are exposed to your brand messages long before they ever step in-store. But how do you maintain this momentum to guarantee sales? The number of touch points along the shopper journey is vast, from outdoor print and promotional events to in-store radio, POS and retailtainment.

Great promotions use all of these methods to reinforce the message your customer carries into store. So it’s vital that your above-the-line activity has the right backing in-store to succeed! Strategic use of barkers, floor stickers, FSDUs, in-store radio, retail events etc. will guarantee your launch or promotion generates maximum sales.

Issues with timing between your campaign going live and your product’s availability can see customers trying to buy a product they can’t find. Or worse still, your product hits stores but nobody knows due to a lag in your above-the-line campaign.

Timing is everything, and at Golley Slater we have the expertise to deliver outstanding results every time by coordinating in-store and above-the-line activity.

Our specialist retail team works together with brand owners, helping them connect with shoppers. To see one of our campaigns for Lenor click here.

Emma Sutcliffe
Golley Slater Retail
Leeds

How to avoid a retail ‘own goal’

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 14:41:27 +0000

Increasingly, we tie our product and promotion to an ever burgeoning events calendar that still doesn’t satisfy our need for a constant sales curve. The requirement for the next ‘big event’ has seen the growth of invented occasions.

The most important factor about this trend is not the product – it is the occasion and its validity in our modern lifestyle. Despite this, retailers annually promote the ‘spring clean’ event when very few of us will go anywhere near a feather duster.

Some of the best loved occasions have been engineered — from ‘Jif lemon day,’ to the more contrived ‘Doritos and a movie.’ But then there’s the inevitable jump onto the world cup bandwagon which often lacks a little imagination (Read about it in Marketing). Yes, the snacks and drinks market will see the undoubted benefits as it fits with the occasion of watching football, but how much more petrol will Esso sell offering free cardboard ‘medals’ with every £15 spend.

The occasion and product have to fit and create an emotional connection. By identifying the mood and matching it to both a suitable product and event, we have recipe for success. Retailers are constantly looking to create occasions, so what better way to support them, sell some products and raise your game.

Emma Sutcliffe
Golley Slater Retail
Leeds

New Year’s Resolution

cjones — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:04:45 +0000

It is so easy to think we will grip it next year and anyway we recycle what we can and use trains and buses when we travel to client meetings when it is practical. My 2010 resolution is to make Golley Slater carbon neutral.

Chris Lovell, Group CEO

Nielsens may be too one-sided

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:26:37 +0000

There was a very interesting article that was in AdAge.com this week discussing how Search may not work for retailers. The research that Nielsens Co.’s Online division conducted found that paid search only accounted for ~10% of their traffic whilst direct traffic accounted for 61%, comparison shopping 1% and all other forms covered the remainder.

The main crux of the article was that retailers should think twice about investing more advertisiing in search in the run up to Christmas as other channels like Display had a better chance of affecting consumer intent and driving revenues.

Whilst we see our online display channel continuing to grow across GS clients, we still see search out-performing all other communication channels in all sectors, including retail. As we saw with the latest Bellwether report, the survey has shown that search continues to drive greater returns for advertisers in the UK as budgets are continually being increased across paid search.

Nielsen’s quite rightly point out the top 50 search terms generally are brand terms but I fear they are only looking at one side of the story. A lot search practitioners will point out the typical consumer journey ends when the user clicks through and converts via a brand term but there are other areas that need careful consideration. The branding impact of search, the impact that generic and product terms have on a campaign and how revenues are being attributed. In the article there was no inferred connection between users who were exposed to a search ad, who then came back directly to the site, which in fact could have been the case but I didn’t see any data to argue that point.

The most accurate way to analyse this, and as the majority of the comments on AdAge pointed out, is to move away from the ‘last-click’ model which distorts the view of how a campaign is performing.

As part of our campaign innovations we have been working on attribution testing with our clients over the last 6 months and the results have been very interesting. With the information to hand we are now able to test and apply various weightings in spend to our client campaigns. We are now looking at the online mix from a more holistic point of view, and by optimising campaigns based around this model, ROI is continuing to grow even in a deflated marketplace.

The point is I think retailers should take the Nielsen’s data with a pinch of salt as the article is one-sided. Our view at Golley Slater is that all media complement each other if used in the right way . Retailers know that search works, as does display but there is a danger in under-weighting or over-weighting the contribution of each medium to the sale without understanding how they work together.

Mark Fagan
Digital Media Director

Better creative gets better results. Fact.

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:04:48 +0000

Our recent work for Twycross Zoo led to a 300% increase in visitor numbers when it ran earlier this year – something that the client was understandably pretty chuffed with.

But it’s just been nominated for 7 Cream Awards too. Naturally, we’re really chuffed with that – but so is the client. Because despite what anyone says, or whatever our more cautious instincts might tell us, clients are delighted by great creative work as much as we are.

Too often, we accept the belief that only obvious, unsophisticated, uncomplicated advertising gets results. We shouldn’t. Because as Twycross Zoo proves, creative work that’s bold and different can make a bold difference to the client’s bottom line.