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THE “SWISH” FAMILY ROBINSON PR NIGHTMARE

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

Last week it was revealed that the wife of Northern Ireland’s first minister Peter Robinson had, had an affair with a man less than half her age. As a media frenzy commenced, it became clear that the affair had gone on for some time and included Iris Robinson securing a £50,000 loan for her 19 year-old lover, enabling him to open up his own Riverside cafe.

The golden couple of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) had shared the political limelight for some time and Iris had previously caused controversy when she condemned homosexuality as an ‘abomination’. This, however, wasn’t her downfall.

What started out as a scandalous revelation about a marital affair quickly spiraled into a PR nightmare. The allegations made regarding Peter Robinson’s knowledge of his wife’s loans were what was most worrying to his supporters. If he had kept this secret, what other loans and politician agreements had he hidden?

Robinson’s credibility amongst his supporters had been damaged and his position within the DUP and the assembly had been compromised. The first strategy Peter took was damage limitation by inviting carefully selected key journalists to his home for a press conference. Breaking down in front of the cameras regarding his wife’s affair, viewers were shocked to see the strong political figure crumble.

Tactics then swiftly changed, after opinion polls in local papers and on radio stations revealed that public anger was being aimed at BOTH the husband and wife regarding their financial affairs as it emerged that the couple earned £571,939.41 last year solely through wages and expenses.

After pressure from opposing parties, Irish and British governments and BBC Panorama and Spotlight documentaries, on Monday 11 January Peter Robinson temporarily quit his role as Northern Ireland’s First Minister.

You can’t help but ask, if he had gone about his media strategy in a different manner, being more honest with the public from the outset of the revelation, before the documentaries went out, would he have had to quit? Would his wife be undergoing psychiatric treatment?

Who can say but this scandal won’t just be effecting the gossip columns, Robinson’s forced resignation has now left the media speculating as to whether the coalition agreement between the political parties in Northern Ireland is still secure.

By Heather Kenny, Account Executive

BRAZEN’S FIRST TWINTERVIEW OF 2010 – CONTROVERSIAL MANC MEDIA COMMENTATOR TONY MURRAY

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Tony Murray

HE MAY be in full-time employment at the China Daily in Beijing these days but effervescent Mancunian exile Tony Murray still has a thing or two to say about Old Blighty and the shifting tides in the UK’s media ocean.

Most of us only have exposure to Tony’s legendary wit through his once-weekly ‘alternative wrap’ on North-west based media website How-Do.

That’s all about to change.

In the third in its series of Twinterviews, Brazen is putting Tony firmly in the spotlight.

Expect fireworks – or the odd Chinese lantern at the very least.

Brazen’s News Editor, Adam Moss, will poke and prod the notorious Mr Murray, in a journalistic sense of course, live on social networking site Twitter this Wednesday (January 13) at 2pm.

Moss said: “We’ll be asking Tony for his opinion on the rise of social media, the continuing decline of print journalism – especially the well documented redundancies at the Manchester Evening News and Channel M – and, as he is a renowned media expert, we’ll be hoping to extract a prediction or two about the future of the industry in the North-west from him too. Plus his general impressions of the scene after a five year absence.”

Tony is the former editor of Adline – the media mag everyone turned to for gossip and news about the industry in the 1990s, long before the likes of The Drum and How-Do made their mark.

So he knows a thing or two, and still has a contacts book which is the envy of many of today’s so-called media experts.

It is the third of Brazen PR’s acclaimed Twinterview series – the first two being Twitter’s spoof celeb-baby Kai Wayne Rooney, and Manchester Confidential’s hugely controversial founder, Gordo.

Expect irreverence in abundance.

Tune in live on Twitter this Wednesday 13 January at 2pm by typing in #brazenqt. Or you can follow Adam Moss via @CitizenofBrazen or Tony from @Tonymurray37.

#BRAZENQT FLASHBACK – GORDO TWINTERVIEW

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Gordo

Last week saw Brazen PR’s News Editor, Adam Moss, Twinterview the man, the legend, the Manchester Confidential icon that is Gordo. Missed the action? Fear not…read the full transcript here revealing Gordo’s revolutionary plans for Manchester Confidential and the biggest question of them all…has Gordo ever been offered sexual favours in return for a good food review?

AdamMoss @gordomanchester Hello Gordo. So, what would you eat for last supper and where would you eat it? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss #brazenqt Eh UP, Foie Gras with raisins, Michel Guerard 80km from Bordeaux

AdamMoss @gordomanchester So, not in Manchester then? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adam moss of course I would obviously frefer pudding chips peas and gravy down at the fish hut #brazenqt

AdamMoss @Gordomanchester Quite right too. So food critics – freeloaders or discerning diners? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss allreviews on Mancon are unnanounced and paid for, discerning critics not jaded journo’s thrown a tidbit from the editor #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester OK then, serious stuff – will manCon be better when it’s paid for? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adam moss bringing in free to read, Friends, then heroes means that we will have more resource = more deal, more stuff, = better #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester But haven’t a large number of your readers objected? Do you care what they think? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss 95 seperate ranters have been negative out of 12,800 polled so far, over 300 have been positive by joining heroes #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester But hasn’t history demonstrated that once something is given away free you can’t then successfully charge for it? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss 330,000 readers within five years shows we absolutely do care and we listen, we don’t hide negative comments #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss History demonstrates exactly the opposite, give people a free trial, give ‘em something they value, they will then pay #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester What will change for those ManCon readers who don’t become ‘heroes’? Do they still count? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss Front of the site will be Editorial and free, the next level, Friends, under a fiver a month and Heroes under a tenner #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss and the guests will of course still count, they are the reason our ad revenue is there, we love ‘em, even seanxsmith ;-) #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester What will the free ‘front of site’ bit include? And what’s worth paying for in the extras? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss front end free = articles, The Vote, The Rants, manchester 250 archives some offers, Competitions, Newsletters, and more #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester OK. Well best of luck with it Gordo. One final Q – Ever been offered sexual favours for a good food review? #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss membership = special columns, mobile site, advance notice of offers, exclusive store deals, 20% off ten restaurants #brazenqt

GordoManchester @adammoss concierge service, academy voting for food and drink awards, sale previews… #brazenqt

AdamMoss @gordomanchester Thanks for being so frank Think the jury’s still out on your plans for many people but we’re all keenly watching! #brazenqt

Keep an eye out for the next #brazenqt Twinterview happening soon…


GORDO BREAKS COVER TO GIVE FRANKEST INTERVIEW YET

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

MANCON MAN TALKS SHOP IN BRAZEN TWINTERVIEW

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HE’S REGALED as a man who doesn’t mince his words and now Mark Garner – or Manchester Confidential’s “Gordo” as he is better known – is set to reveal his hidden depths in a ‘tell-all’ live interview.

Breaking free of the relative security of his Manchester Confidential base Gordo – feared restaurant critic, fiercely competitive businessman and respected raconteur – has agreed to be quizzed and probed by Manchester-based Brazen PR’s news editor Adam Moss.

And the entire interview will be beamed live to the nation on Twitter this coming Wednesday (25 November) afternoon at 3pm.

There’ll be no hiding place.

But that’s just how Gordo likes it, apparently.

This is the man who transformed the way Manchester held conversations; how its restaurants operated; how we debated pressing city issues papered over by our city council. Gordo and Mancon gave us a new insight into the machinations of this great Northern city, from the perspective of the people who know it best, Mancunians themselves.

And all for free. For now.

That’s the next great Manchester Confidential debate. And we’ll be asking Gordo all about his plans to start charging his Mancon readers for content.

It’s a move described as ‘arrogant’, ‘foolhardy’, ‘deluded’, ‘brave’ and ‘thought-leading’ depending which thread you’re reading on the Manchester Confidential site.

Brazen owner Nina Webb said: “Gordo is one of the Top 5 when you’re talking about notorious Mancunians. We’re really pleased he’s agreed to take part in our Brazen Twinterview, the second in the series.

“There will undoubtedly be irreverence, humour, serious business and a soupcon of rib-poking going on, and that’s even before Gordo gets started.”

You can follow the ‘live’ twinterview by logging onto Twitter at 3pm on Wednesday November 25 and typing in a search for #brazenqt.

The questions will come from Brazen PR’s resident news guru @AdamMoss and Gordo will be responding from @GordoManchester. The interview can also be viewed by following both Adam and Gordo.

13 LESSONS FROM THE RECESSION

Friday, November 13th, 2009

This morning I went to Lessons From The Recession, a presentation by Katrina Michel and Liz Bielinska from Planning Express. This particular event was in association with Orchard and, though I go to lots of these things, this one was fun and very informative. Below are a few key points. Hope you find it useful too…

1. IN LOVE WITH NOSTALGIA

• People are harking back to “when it was all good and things were happier” than in the current climate
• Brands have embraced this such as M&S with their 1p Bazaar
• There has been a sales increase in nostalgic brands and products, such as Stork, Cake Mixture, Beans, Bisto and Rich Tea biscuits
• Fray Bentos pies has seen a sales increase of over 40%

THE CONTINUING TREND

• In 2010 and beyond brands that scream nostalgia will continue to thrive

2. GET IT FOR LESS OR FREE

• The current trends are M&S Dinner for 2 for £10. Morrisons launching Christmas dinner for £2.75 a head! Audi offering two free services on their cars
• People want value for money
• Latest data shows 80% of people are actively looking for bargains and 50% are using money off vouchers
• Buying things on the cheap is no longer something to be ashamed of, illustrated by Stella McCartney doing a range for Gap and Jimmy Choo creating a range for H&M

THE CONTINUING TREND

• There will be a long-term resistance to paying full price. Due to the continued discounts and offers in store because of the recession, people have changed their perception of price and what things are actually worth

3. WASTE NOT

• Waste less, spend less
• Throwing things away now fills us with guilt
• Due to our lack of money, wasting things feels bad
• The humble shopping list is now back to discourage impulse buying and some supermarkets are considering putting a ‘shopping list holder’ on the front of the trolley
• People are now eating food way past the sell by date
• People now feel they have to recycle more as they have a moral duty to do so

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Recycling is here to stay
• BOGOF’s are dead as people now see this as wasteful, but money off is here to stay

4. A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED

• There has been a mass awakening to the fact that we all have to save
• 86% of people now hate being in debt
• We are taking saving tips from our parents as they did it so well
• Due to the extension of retirement age, people now want to control their own retirement age and the only way they will do that is to save

THE CONTINUING TREND

• People will save save save

5. MEND AND MAKE DO

• Everyone knows they have too much stuff. People are now turning to mending things rather than buying new
• Shoemakers Timpson has recorded a 40% lift in sales due to people mending their shoes rather than buying new
• People are hanging onto products for longer, so cars, beds and kitchen appliances people are getting them fixed or making do rather than replacing

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Having more stuff is becoming un-trendy
• Buying purposeful stuff and less of it is trendy

6. INFORMAL SOURCES OF INFO/OPINIONS

• People want to hear from other people and value what other people say, especially online, across all sorts of products and services
• Even down to mybuilder.com where you can rate the service the builder/handyman has provided
• PR is at the heart of this
• People are now owning brands, not necessarily the marketing department

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Marketing/PR are now directing people’s opinions of brands not shaping them. Consumers are shaping brands

7. OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND

• As we all know big brands have failed this year such as Woolworths GM Motors etc
• 53% of people are less likely to be loyal to brands
• The brands that have failed have been mediocre

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Brands/Companies should always ask “ If we didn’t exist/provide a service would there be a need for us to be invented”

8. LOSS OF TRUST IN THE BANKS

• People see the banks as greedy
• Only 30% of people trust banks
• The current Natwest “HELPFUL BANKING” advert people don’t believe the sentiment

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Anyone operating in Financial Services needs to be seen as truthful

9. BECAUSE IT AINT WORTH IT

• Organic food sales are down 40% and have been denounced by ASDA
• Value lines in supermarkets have come into their own as people buy them and work out the difference between them and branded goods
• Trading down is officially cool
• Fairy Liquid is one brand that has managed not to be affected by this and is still going strong – possibly because of its claim of washing thousands of dishes – people see it as good value

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Trading down to own brand or value is only going to continue

10. HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

• We are all staying in more
• 35% of us are going out less
• We are even exercising at home due to Wii Fit
• Staying in is trendy as more people invest in entertaining in their home, whether that be on a new HD TV or a PS3

THE CONTINUING TREND

• We will all go out again, but not as much, as now our home is at the centre of entertaining our friends and ourselves

11. BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

• Trusted brands are going to become ever more important
• Brands that have survived the recession are simply going to get stronger, as these are the brands that have helped people through the difficult climate, whether giving more value or providing discounts – it’s all about goodwill
• And it doesn’t matter what advertising says as never before have so many people been unconvinced by advertising messages

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Goodwill & great PR; advertising will continue to falter

12. KEEP IT SIMPLE

• There is so much technology but people are becoming resistant to higher functionality of products
• Gadgets that are straight-forward and do their job have more appeal
• As consumers we are being over-loaded with technology
• 76% of people just want a mobile to make calls and text
• We haven’t got time to learn new things

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Embrace technology but keep it simple

13. SOMETHING THAT MATTERS

• Grand gestures are out the window
• People now want something that matters “it’s the thought that counts” is now in full effect

THE CONTINUING TREND

• Thoughtful simple products are the way forward

By Gary Bramwell, Deputy MD

FLASHFORWARD – WHAT DID YOU SEE?

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

This week saw the network premiere of the latest American cult series ‘Flashforward’.

‘Flashforward’ sees everyone in the entire world lose consciousness for two minutes and 17 seconds and within that time they get a glimpse of their future, their ‘Flashforward’.

Whilst this is entirely fictional, this had me thinking about my future and what I would hope to see if I was to have a ‘Flashforward’.

Besides the obvious millions in my bank account and gorgeous husband on my arm, my ‘Flashforward’ had an insight into the future of PR.

I saw the rise in citizen journalism. A splurge of social media platforms made it possible for everyone to offer their own opinion. Citizen journalists not only offered their opinions but were also the trusted source for breaking news to the masses. These individuals became more influential than traditional media outlets around today. PR professionals were building relationships with individuals rather than media outlets.

This also resulted in the demise of mass media. Consumers no longer purchased titles with a huge circulation figures. News, which they had specifically chosen to hear about, was fed directly into the bluetooth devices of the recipient. Many of these again from one trusted citizen journalist.

With the extension of long tail media and increase in trust towards citizen journalism, transparency within media messaging was no longer a nicety but mandatory for any brand to survive. The line that separated whistleblowers from journalists blurred and brands were forced into being transparent.

Thankfully my ‘Flashforward’ sees a future for the PR industry, even if it is irrevocably coupled with the digital medium and marketing. As an industry we need to adapt to many changes, but many of these are already taking place.

Financial Times Chief, John Ridding, had a similar ‘Flashforward’ and has an offering on how newspapers can survive the change and begin to charge for online content – The Guardian

But that is his and my two minutes 17

By Vanessa Lee, Account Executive

30BEATS – CONSUMER DIGITAL PR CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

30beats.co.uk: The final phase

Even in times of seeming economic apocalypse, you just can’t keep a lid on great musical talent.

With the MOBO’s last night and the Mercury Prize awards at the start of last month, we’re constantly reminded of the incredible creativity that is still alive and well, even in these difficult times.

So it seems fitting that as one great month for music closes, we start the new month entering the final phase of our consumer PR project with Hyundai, 30beats.co.uk – in which we invited bedroom DJ’s, and basement producers across the country to make beautiful music with a beautiful car.

Artists like Speech Debelle, Florence and the Machine, Keri Hilson and err… JLS (each to their own!) are just a handful of the lucky ones who have been propelled to the heady heights of international fame and fortune, but after watching the entries flood in here at Brazen we think we’ve uncovered a few gems ourselves.

We knew they were going to be good, but the creativity and concepts have exceeded all of our expectations.

The entries have come from across of the country, some have kept their remixes pure and used nothing but the car sound samples from the i30, others have added extra layers of music, synthesizers and drums. Some have completed their remix with quirky and thoughtful videos using animation, 30beats.co.uk footage and clever cut outs of segments of the i30 whilst others have opted to let the music do the talking.

The artists have done their bit, now it’s our challenge to drive more traffic to the site and get people voting for their favourite track.

Twenty-seven spectacular mechanical mash-ups, twenty-seven unique concepts and twenty-seven talented musicians – but there can only one winner.

Have your say over at 30beats.co.uk

By Nikki Girvan, Account Executive

NIKKI GIRVAN REVEALS HER DARK SECRET

Monday, September 21st, 2009

Since joining Brazen a month ago I’ve been harbouring a dark, dark secret from my colleagues and I feel now is the time for me to come clean.

I may now be singing the praises of wonderful consumer PR, but just under a year ago, whilst working as Commissioning Editor on Pick Me Up magazine I wasn’t so positive. In fact I even had a list of PR peeves that I added to on a regular basis.

“Why can’t they just read the magazine before pitching?” I’d moan as yet another recipe popped up in my email (no cookery pages) or phone calls from chirpy PR’s offering us info on the latest diet (no slimming pages).

It’s no secret that journalists often view PR’s with contempt. Their errors are mocked and sneered at and they’re seen as the ones that just couldn’t hack it in the tough world of journalism.

But since taking on a number of internships and getting my job at Brazen I’ve seen a whole new side to the world of consumer PR and I have to say, it ain’t no walk in the park.

I’m not saying that PR’s have been unfairly targeted by journalists. There are some faux pas that just aren’t acceptable.

It’s bad form to email a press release to one magazine, but address it to one of their direct competitors. And any real-life journalist receiving a beauty press release when the magazine has never carried a beauty section has every right to be irritated.

But I’m now in a privileged position where I’ve worked on both sides and I now understand why the endless ’10 things I hate about PR professionals’ lists must be a real smack in the face.

I’ve written a list of 5 assumptions made about PR’s by journalists below and using my recent experience I’ve explained why I think they’re wrong.
Five myths about PR’s busted.

Myth 1. PR’s have it easier than journalists.

They’re under just as much pressure as journalists. More often than not they’re working on numerous accounts and dealing with the demands of clients and awkward journalists whilst trying to churn out timely press releases and document coverage back to clients, and that’s just before lunch!

Myth 2. PR’s think journalists are a clippings service.

This is as big a pain for the PR as it is for the Journo. Some clients pay for cuttings services and others don’t, and when they don’t it’s down to the humble PR to find that piece of coverage for their client.

Myth 3. PR’s don’t understand journalists or their publications.

PR’s are dealing with hundreds and hundreds of publications each day for numerous clients. If a PR is working on, for example, four clients in four different sectors they might need to cover national, regional and international, plus trade press, supplements, local and national broadcast , freelancers and even then there’s still online and bloggers to think about.

So if a PR calls up and asks a daft question, or requests a forward planning list, don’t be so hard on them, they’re only asking so they can target their pitches more accurately for the publication.

Myth 4. PR’s have no respect for deadlines.

PR’s understand you have deadlines. They work their socks off to try and meet them. Unfortunately many of their clients don’t. There are endless approval processes, interviewees go AWOL and spokespersons are happy to give comments – but not until next week. PR’s understand deadlines perfectly. It’s explaining them to their client that’s the challenge.

Myth 5. PR’s are failed journalists.

Believe it or not, not all PR’s initially wanted to be journalists. They actually love what they do and have a whole range of skills that journalists don’t have.

There needs to be more mutual respect between PR’s and Journalists. PR’s need journalists, and as much as they don’t want to admit it journalists need PR’s too, especially since job cuts have left a few doing the work of many.

As in any profession there are good and bad journalists and good and bad PR’s. There’s not much to be done about the bad in both, but the good ones need to start working together a bit.

If both spent a little more time understanding what the other needed rather than making snarky lists and comments about what one another do wrong, then PR’s and Journalists could be a pretty great team.

So to all the PR’s I cut off mid-pitch; To the PR’s whose press releases I didn’t acknowledge and the calls I didn’t return: I apologise. I’ve walked in your shoes for a few weeks now, and my respect for you grows and grows.

By Nikki Girvan, Account Executive

GARY’S BLOG…INSTALLMENT ONE OF ‘THE TROUBLE WITH…’

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be penning a series of blogs entitled “The Trouble With…”

Here is the first.

THE TROUBLE WITH…DAISY
(aka Brazen’s PR event management guru)

Being the Creative Director means that sometimes you just need to go into your own world and take a quiet moment to think about ideas, thoughts and concepts relating to a client’s brief.

A quiet moment isn’t much to ask for, is it?

Well at Brazen it is.

Quiet thinking time is hard to come by in this consumer PR consultancy.

And the cause of this continual interruption – sneezing, ironically by a girl called Daisy.

Daisy, our Production Director who sits next to me, constantly sneezes.

Loudly
Excessively
Unnecessarily

She looks like she is having a seizure on a daily basis. When she sneezes clients on the other end of the phone comment on it. It really is that bad.

It’s not hay fever, she’s never had a cold and it’s definitely not swine flu.

I can’t move her away from me, as trust me that would create all sorts of problems for me (she secretly loves me).

She can’t control her sneezing, although she can control events and budgets to The Nth Degree.

I can’t tell you how many ideas I’ve lost from my mind due to her terrible tissue activity.

This unfortunately is my Trouble With Daisy.

By Gary Bramwell, Creative Director and HR enthusiast

MY WEEK AT BRAZEN

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Laura Kerr @ Brazen Productions

Event management and consumer PR really fascinates me and as I’m planning to study Events at university, I decided to gain a better insight of the industry and came to work at Brazen PR for a week. The last thing I ever expected was to be sat in Selfridge’s with a lady boy (from the Lady boys of Bangkok) doing my makeup, never mind the fact that he/she was only doing half my face, and a professional makeup artist was doing the other…in different colours of course. Think black line down the middle, complete opposites, extreme colour versus smoky. It was quite an experience in that alone with onlookers staring at my oddly painted face. Following that I was photographed alongside Miss Manchester and Miss Salford who’d also been made over.

Brazen is a consumer PR consultancy with a twist because it offers a specialist events and experiential division, Brazen Productions, so I thought I’d come and give it a go. Before when I thought of an event, I’d think rent a venue, dress it up and enjoy the result. How wrong I was. I’ve since learnt what needs to be done before even beginning to search for an appropriate venue. Incorporating consumer PR into my experience, I’ve witnessed the extent to which you need to market a company before you can even begin to plan an event for them, mainly because they need the publicity to pull in the punters!

While I’ve been here, I’ve not had to make tea or coffee for anyone- something you’d normally expect to do whilst on work experience. They haven’t given me boring or nasty jobs, but instead the opportunity to have a go at a bit of everything.

I had a great week at Brazen and strongly recommend it to anyone else who is looking to go into this field of work.

By Laura Kerr, Work Experience Trainee & future Event Manager/consumer PR guru