When deciding to embark on a Public Relations campaign, and ultimately selecting a PR agency to go on that journey with you, there are many factors that you need to consider. For many fast-growth businesses PR is a significant, strategic investment, and therefore choosing the right agency isn’t a decision that can, or should be, rushed. Things like experience, accessibility, cost, creativity and even personality fit should all factor into the decision-making process to ensure a successful and happy working relationship.

Thinking specifically about the financial aspects of onboarding an agency, assuming strategic recommendations are well received, prospective PR clients all want to know one thing: how much is this going to cost? Once a proposal is in place and both parties have an idea of what the campaign will look like agencies can give a monthly, or total, fee.

But looking beyond that, monthly fee businesses should be asking an even more important question: what exactly will I get for that and what will that mean for my business?

The simple truth is most agencies that work on a retainer-based model, where you’re billed for time spent by the agency, will struggle to give you an accurate or exact answer to that question, particularly the first part. When you’re buying time there is no way to guarantee what you will actually get for your money once those hours are used up.

In relation to the latter part of that question, it’s also important to consider what success looks like to you. For some, lead generation is a must. For others, it’s more important to raise brand awareness in new industries or attract attention from potential partners or investors. Traditionally, PR agencies have only been able to give estimates in terms of results, and certainly no guarantees, and that makes complete sense. When translating fee to hours to deliverables and ultimately results, it’s hard to be exact.

We believe there is a better way. At Whiteoaks, we are passionate about delivering ROI for our clients, making sure we can demonstrate the value of every penny spent on PR. Our unique model of engagement is deliberately different, offering clients set fees for set deliverables, ensuring absolute clarity from the outset. With this model we are completely transparent about how our clients’ investment will look not just in terms of the deliverables, but also by enabling us to guarantee tangible results that are aligned to our clients’ business objectives.

The icing on the cake? We offer all of our clients formal service level agreements, so if we don’t deliver then you get your money back on a pro-rata basis. How’s that for ROI?

By Bekki Bushnell, Head of Business Development

The press release has long been a staple of PR, first coming into use in 1906, when Ivy Lee, the PR representative of the Pennsylvania Railroad developed it to disseminate information following a train derailment. Knowing how damaging the accident could be for the company, Lee wanted to get the truth out quickly before the rumour mill could begin.

Back in 1906, when newspapers were the main source of information, the merits of the press release as a method for businesses and brands to spread information was clear. But, in this day and age where we receive our news instantly, can watch global events unfold in real-time and find out all there is to know about a subject in a matter of minutes, is there still a place for the press release?

Cutting through the fake news

We’re currently living through the era of fake news, with almost half (45%) of adults in the UK believing they encounter fake news every single day. It’s a time when a rumour can be taken as gospel due to it trending on Twitter or a celebrity discussing it on their Instagram story.

I would argue that this makes an even stronger case for the use of press releases, particularly when it comes to crisis comms, as they offer a means through which businesses can communicate important information and cut through the online noise. While social media platforms, for example, can be a force for good, in times of crisis, they can also be a hive of misinformation.

Issuing a press release during a crisis can help businesses get their story out there clearly and succinctly. It allows them to take control of the narrative, separate fact from fiction, and target key media with their messaging.

Yet, while I believe there is certainly still a place for the press release in PR, it would be foolish to think it hasn’t evolved. I think it’s time to reconsider whether it is the best vehicle for disseminating information by looking at what you’re trying to achieve.

When to issue a press release

According to research, 63% of global respondents said press releases were the preferred method to receive news and 44% of journalists think press releases are the most trustworthy source of brand-related information. That said, with journalists receiving up to 200 pitches a day, for them to cover a press release the story needs to be compelling.

Consequently, before sending out a release, it’s vital to consider whether the information is actually news, or whether it’s more about increasing awareness of a brand, as the outcome is likely going to differ depending on the focus of the piece.

For instance, distributing a press release about the opening of a new office or a low-level appointment might help grow awareness of a business among the journalists that receive it, rather than gaining coverage. Conversely, a news release announcing the findings of a research study or issuing a statement after a crisis may garner significant pickup.

Ultimately, there is no harm in sending out a carefully crafted press release, as long as the expectations of what it is likely to achieve are realistic. And, rather than seeing press releases as standalone pieces, incorporating them to larger integrated marketing campaigns can be incredibly effective.

Let’s take the research press release as an example, this asset can be used to launch an entire marketing campaign. By sending this type of press release out, you’re alerting journalists not only to the information in the release, but also giving them a glimpse of the bigger picture and what else you have to offer. In an ideal world, this could lead to the journalist following up for subsequent related content pieces or perhaps even an interview with the subject matter expert quoted in the release.

Integrated marketing campaigns as the way forward

With a wide range of resources and content types at our disposal, it’s possible to tailor the content you create not only to the messages you wanting to convey, but also to the audiences you want to target and how you want to reach them. By adopting this approach, PR and marketing campaigns will become multi-faceted and have a broader appeal.

So, while press releases are just one of the tools in our arsenal, as the world of PR is so fast-paced, they can be the ideal way to share information quickly and efficiently. It’s just about considering what you want to achieve and whether that format will get you there.

Long live the press release!

By Hannah Buckley, Head of Content

By Mark Wilson, Creative Director

There are many elements that contribute to an organisation’s success, especially when it comes to sustained growth. This was the focus of our research — Secrets of Tech Growth — where we spoke to the leaders of fast-growth tech companies to get their insights. We discovered that it’s not only having the right business model or using a tech PR agency at the right time in your growth journey that helps an organisation stand out, but, unsurprisingly, creativity plays a crucial role.

Many of the CMOs and CEOs that we spoke to agreed that you should use PR and integrated marketing as soon as you can in your growth journey. The same can be said for establishing a strong brand with a clear purpose.

For many firms, there’s a focus on the product or service in the early days, making sure it is appealing to the market, is saleable and that it actually works. The result is that the concept of “the brand” is often put on the backburner. Once the business starts to grow, it becomes difficult to backpedal and pay the due attention to the brand elements because you’re swept along in that momentum. It also becomes more expensive and complex to change your identity and assets when they don’t match your objectives or growth trajectory anymore.

Use your brand image as your foundation

The truth is you need a strong brand to build a strong foundation for your future PR and marketing efforts, and to help your technology business stand out in a crowded marketplace. Establishing your brand identity early on ensures that the market knows who you are, but also helps solidify your offering for staff as well, which ultimately impacts your sales efforts and how your target audience perceives you. It’s also key in fostering customer loyalty. Customers seek to buy from companies (whether that’s in the B2B or B2C space) that they trust. Building that trust from day one is certainly helped along by having that base of a good brand image to work from.

Don’t break the bank

Of course, this might be easier for some businesses than others, especially as far as budget is concerned. Should you go for a cheaper option? Use a freelancer or get a logo designed on a platform like Fiverr? As a Creative Director my answer is always no. You need to think about one thing and that’s longevity. And while paying a fiver for a logo may help you in the short term, you’re not necessarily doing your brand any favours in the long term.

Even with tight budgets there are elements of your brand you can get right; think about using strong graphics, gifs instead of expensive animation, video when you can do it cost-effectively, and having a website that conveys your message and brand identity in a few pages. It’s by far better having a few well thought out assets which convey exactly what you’re trying to say rather than a whole load of quickly put together assets which say different things – and which collectively damage your brand image. Working with a professional, be it an agency or experienced designer can make all the difference.

Moving forward

Most importantly, your brand image and your brand purpose need to be clear and consistent. Don’t bow to peer pressure; if you’re a start-up, for example, you don’t need to be edgy. You need a brand identity that is fit for your purpose. As long as your brand image is clear and complete, you have that foundation to build on. As you grow as a business your sales, public relations and marketing efforts, including design, content and creativity, will be more effective if they are built on a solid brand identity.

There have always been very defined lines between PR and marketing — each camp clear on their role within the business, their relationship with the media and stakeholders and which activities they were responsible for. Then the new kid on the block arrived and obliterated those lines. The new kid on the block? I’m talking about social media. Although not the sole driver for a more integrated approach to communications, over the last decade all three disciplines have evolved in concert with one another, providing a new world of opportunity for brands to distinguish themselves in a crowded marketplace.

Integrated marketing is certainly nothing new, but increasingly it is becoming more important for businesses to get right.

This sentiment was reflected in the findings of our recent research — The Secrets of Tech Growth — where we spoke to leaders from fast-growth tech firms about how they achieved that growth, what challenges they overcame (and continue to overcome) and what role tech PR and integrated marketing played in all of that.

Joined up for success

Unsurprisingly, both disciplines had crucial roles to play, at different times in a company’s journey to success, separately, and as part of integrated campaigns. With social media being a key ingredient too — something my colleague Emma Walker talks about in her article: Social media: not just the garnish in the sustainable business growth cocktail.

So apart from the fact that social media has changed the comms landscape, why is integrated marketing taking such a focus today, especially when it comes to building B2B businesses and sustaining growth?

There are three factors that make integrated marketing so attractive: budget, objectives and audiences.

Make the most out of your budget

Integrated campaigns help you get the most out of your budgets and maximise your return on investment. For growing companies this is especially important because not all of them have significant funding behind them. Overall, you can re-use and re-purpose your content and design assets across streams, and use PR or earned elements to set the stage for wider marketing efforts when it comes to aspects like nurturing leads. Optimising content across disciplines and channels makes this approach a much more cost-effective model.

Hit multiple targets

An integrated approach to campaigning also means that you can reach more than one goal. Why is this important? Because all businesses are different and have varied goals that communication assets will help them achieve. Just like the lines are blurred between disciplines, these goals often overlap and aren’t necessarily always effective when viewed in isolation. So whether you’re creating awareness, building trust, lead generation, general education or making your business look attractive for investors, combining PR, marketing and social elements enables you to hit those objectives through the use of targeted, audience-centric content and relevant, consistent messaging. From one central theme or idea, you can generate different content assets that can be leveraged across channels and fulfil your different objectives.

Reach all your audiences

This ties in to the third element, which is audiences. Just as your campaigns can have multiple objectives, your business is likely to want to reach multiple audiences. In addition, not all of your target audiences will engage with your brand and its content in the same way on the same platform.

Integrated campaigns ensure that you can reach not only your different audiences, but the right personas within them by providing comms through a channel (or combination of channels) that most appeals to them, be it thought leadership through media, infographics and videos delivered by social media, or whitepapers and blogs via email or content marketing efforts.

Where to start

Taking an integrated approach to your next campaign needn’t be challenging. Before you start make sure you’re clear on your objectives for the campaign. Then make sure these objectives are aligned to the wider goals of the business. This not only helps you create the right tone and messaging for maximum impact, but can also help secure budget and buy-in from senior management or the board when you’re looking to expand or start new projects. In addition, make sure you understand your audience so that you can develop personas to guide your content development and choose the right channels that will get the right message to the right audience. Finally, evaluate and measure your communications campaign throughout the lifecycle of the activity, not just at the end. This will help you make changes as you go in order to reach your objectives and will also help in demonstrating the efficacy of the campaign and ROI.

To find out more on our approach to integrated marketing and how we use our 360 Framework to shape the strategic, tactical and delivery elements of every campaign, get in touch with us.

10 seconds is all it takes. In that time, your prospect can reach into their pocket, pull out their smartphone, unlock it with face recognition, and then head to their favourite social media app to see what’s new and what’s happening. And wouldn’t it be great if your company’s latest social media post was at the top of their social media newsfeed?

Social media has come a long way over the last decade, with the mass adoption of smartphones and tablets driving force this growth. Having instant access to social media while on the move has made it an integral marketing channel. Now, social media is no longer something you should consider for supporting your business goals, but a necessity.

Following the launch of our Secrets of Tech Growth eBook, which reveals insights into the journeys and experiences of fast-growth tech businesses, it was pleasing to hear that some of the CEOs and CMOs interviewed called out social media as a vital tool for business success. In addition to their insights, three common goals emerged: make a splash in the market by generating brand awareness; sell, sell, sell; and, attract and retain top talent to secure further business growth. Social media plays a role a huge role in supporting and driving all three of these business goals. But how?

Generating brand awareness on Social Media

Although the average person has almost eight social media accounts¹, it doesn’t mean that a company should launch a social media strategy on every social media platform. Think about it logically and think about your target audience. What social media platform do they use, prefer, and spend the most time on? Putting a solid content strategy in place to capture and secure their attention will also put your company on their radar. If you’re looking to catapult your brand’s social media visibility, think beyond your corporate social media channels and identify key spokespeople to grow their online identity, consider introducing an influencer programme to bring further credibility to the brand and understand how paid social media tactics can ensure that your content is seen by the right target audiences. Awareness is, of course, a numbers game, but don’t lose sight of quality.

Driving new leads

There are simple organic social media tactics that you can implement to help secure leads, such as populating your social media bio correctly and providing a clear call-to-action so prospects can easily take the next step. But social media has also evolved into a sophisticated lead generation tool. On Facebook and LinkedIn, you can create paid social media adverts that offer content in exchange for their data. Seamlessly taking place in the social media newsfeed, when the data is exchanged, it also integrates with your lead generation platform. And when you couple this smooth data exchange with the ability to hyper target your desired audience or re-target website visitors, it’s a really powerful way to generate high quality leads and sales. In addition to using corporate social accounts, you can also train and mentor your sales team to understand and embrace social media selling – the art of an individual using their own social media channels as a way to enhance and grow their sales pipeline.

Acquiring top talent

Positioning your company as a desirable and credible employer is no longer just the role of your HR team. Social hiring can be achieved through showcasing a company’s culture, vision and values to potential recruits. This can then be taken one step further with an employee advocacy programme where the people from your company share and create authentic content about the business in a standardised way. Employees are arguably a company’s greatest asset, so by becoming a company ambassador, they can increase social media visibility, brand recognition and website traffic.

Social media can play a huge role in supporting ambitious fast-growth tech companies achieve their goals and objectives. And while the above gives you a flavour of what tactics can be used for specific goals, it’s important to note that solid measurements and metrics should always be used to showcase social media ROI.

10 seconds is all it takes to publish a social media post, and 10 seconds is all it takes for a prospect to find, engage and take action.

By Ross Walker, Head of Social & Digital Media

¹ https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/amazing-social-media-statistics-and-facts/

By Emily Fishburn, Account Manager

When it comes to rolling out global PR campaigns, you will be faced with a multitude of choices and challenges to navigate. For example, how to achieve consistent results across all regions, while also making sure work is shared among teams to avoid double effort and fee for the same results.

Local knowledge is always at the heart of achieving results. That’s why we always recommend rolling out global campaigns through a network of local agencies who can work cohesively as one account team.

As a lead agency with experience in executing global PR campaigns, we embrace the task of not only being the primary point of contact for our client, but also having the responsibility to ensure we get the most out of the other agencies we partner with regardless of what country they operate in.

We spoke to our partner agencies that we regularly work with to find out their views.

The secret of success

Two key factors to consider are to thoroughly listen to partners and build a strong open relationship, as highlighted by Robert Brownlie, Associate Account Executive at Los Angeles-based PR firm Bob Gold & Associates.

“When working with a lead agency on a global PR rollout, collaboration and fluid communication are key, building trust and operating as if we are a part of the same agency. In this regard, we want to mutually understand the goals behind success metrics and to be able to study and share what has worked and what hasn’t. This helps us go beyond simply checking in boxes to meet deliverables and enables us to work as a successful team that builds and promotes a powerful client narrative.

“What we don’t want is to operate in a siloed vacuum or to go long periods without touching base. Even if two agencies are operating on separate sides of the globe, it’s important to communicate often and use each other’s resources,” added Brownlie.

This open method of communication gives each agency a platform they can comfortably express which specific tactics will engage the end audience in their region.

Listen to the locals

When operating as a lead agency, understanding the core differences in region and listening to each agency’s requirements can be the difference between success and failure.

Alain Blaes, General Manager at Munich-based communications consultancy PR-COM said: “In our experience, openness to understanding a regional agency’s needs is paramount to a successful campaign, as media landscapes vary drastically between regions. From big picture topics such as media strategy, to individual by-line topics, what works in one region may not work in another, and no one knows these ins and outs like a local agency.

“The German media values a local touch. A common misconception is that out-of-town executives will be shoo-ins for interviews with the business press when they visit Germany, but that isn’t the case. German journalists want to hear experts comment on their strategy, and back their statements up with experience in the local market. They aren’t interested in the marketing-speech common in the US, for example.”

It’s also worth adding, that these regional nuances might not be what your client wants to hear, but it’s your responsibility to not just share this with the client, but actively work with the regional agency to establish what will work – and what techniques will be effective.

Don’t break the budget

When planning a PR campaign that will ‘take the globe by storm’, realistic budget planning is crucial, as highlighted by Lauren Brush, Associate Account Director at Dubai-based Active Digital Marketing Communications Agency.

“The most difficult thing for US or European companies to understand is how expansive the Middle East is. Organisations often believe that a similar budget that equates to one European country will suffice for the whole MENA region, which isn’t the case. The Middle East consists of very different countries and they all approach journalism and target audiences in different ways. For example, in Saudi Arabia there needs to be a focus on digital as the media landscape isn’t as vast, while the UAE has a wide media landscape that includes both English speaking and Arabic journalists, which often requires additional translation costs.

“When multiple agencies work together, collaboration is key and sometimes agencies can tend to try and compete with each other in front of the client. This is often counterproductive, so establishing respect and two-way communication from the outset is crucial. That’s why working with Whiteoaks is easy, because it’s clear that we work as a partnership which helps achieves stronger results for the client.”

Our approach

At Whiteoaks International, we believe that local insight is priceless and pride ourselves on being able to lead the deployment of global PR campaigns for clients by working with local PR agencies across the globe through the WIN PR Group, an instant international PR network that covers over 70 countries. Our approach allows clients to tap into a wealth of local knowledge while benefitting from consistent strategic planning and account management delivered by the Whiteoaks team. We develop the best option that will meet your needs for global PR, whether that’s working with agencies from our WIN PR Group, selecting your own local agencies and working within our IPM structure, a combination of these two approaches, or leveraging active relationships with your local network of PR agencies and adopting the Whiteoaks IPM approach.

Whiteoaks Team Talk – Session wrap-up

It’s safe to say that the new normal is starting to become… well, normal. We’ve adjusted to new operating practices and are focused on ensuring business as usual, especially when it comes to PR and marketing.

This sentiment was reflected by recent research by the PRCA; according to its confidence tracker, after an initial period of disquiet confidence levels are surging. The PRCA’s director-general, Francis Ingham, says this shock has given way to “a calm confidence in the fundamental strength of our industry”.

But what does this look like? What issues are companies experiencing in the new environment? And how are they adapting their tactics? Where does creative fit in?

These questions formed the basis of our latest Team Talk Session. The informal session was attended by our clients and prospects who shared their own experiences and insights.

Live in the now, think about the future

One of the key themes of the discussion was that it is a critical time for brands and how they present themselves, and talk to their clients and the market. In fact, it’s never been more important to be human, authentic and relevant, something we discussed in our first Team Talk Session.

But it’s also vital that brands look ahead; as we move on how do we keep things fresh, keep the interest of our audiences and keep creativity flowing?

PR remains an effective tool for brands in the current circumstances and as we move beyond. In large part, this goes back to the fundamentals of PR which is building credibility and delivering messages effectively. The brands that are winning are the ones that have had their communications successfully distributed through the lens of a journalist resulting in authentic and meaningful stories being delivered directly to audiences.

The session also covered how PR can be used to unite owned, paid and earned media, elements that don’t work well in isolation. Instead, it’s this combination that drives improved results and, importantly, impact. Earned-led campaigns will drive conversations which can then be amplified across supporting channels.

And when creativity is added to the mix so much the better. Especially now when there’s more of a focus on boosting engagement, humanising communications and ensuring that how brands are positioning themselves now translates into a longer-term strategy.

Used correctly, creativity can drive competitive edge and create a unique experience to engage customers and prospects. It’s about making the audience stop and think, and making brands stand out from the crowded marketplace they are operating in.

Also, creativity isn’t just for B2C campaigns in fact there is a case to be made that this is more important in B2B communications due to the higher risks which are involved. It can also be shown in many different ways and could be as simple as tone or a visual. But a great creative idea, simply told, has more chance of sticking in the mind of the audience.

Out the box thinking

For example, with the massive spike in video calls and webinars in lieu of physical meetings and events, how can PR and marketing professionals fight the fatigue?

One of our clients in the broadcast sector used some out of the box thinking to make its virtual event stand out in light of the fact that the broadcast industry’s flagship trade show, NAB hosted in Las Vegas, was cancelled. ATEME hosted a 24-hour webinar series to maintain engagement with its global customers, with live sessions streamed via Zoom starting in France and moving across the world.

Adding value

PR remains an effective tool for brands in the current circumstances and as we move beyond. In large part, this goes back to the fundamentals of PR, which is building credibility, and forming the nexus around which other elements such as marketing and social media can add value.

In our next Team Talk session on 15 May we’ll focus on the topic of measurement, while also hearing from our clients about their issues and experiences so far. Keep an eye on your inbox and our social feeds to find out more.

By now, I think it’s safe to say that there isn’t a single industry that hasn’t been affected by the current crisis in some shape or form. Although arguably the exhibitions and events industry was one of the first to really feel the impact.

In what felt like a matter of weeks, the global events landscape changed drastically. Probably the most significant turning point was the cancellation of Mobile World Congress in February, a move which marked the start of a ripple effect across the industry. Since then we have seen event cancellations across all industries including NAB, Retail Expo and most recently InfoSec in June.

For event organisers, cancellations cause a great deal of disruption, anxiety and lost revenue. For marketing and PR professionals it’s a similar challenge. Not only do event cancellations come at a great cost to marketing budgets, revenues and sales, but many organisations have planned their marketing campaigns, product launches and strategies around industry events, all of which have been thrown into disarray.

And with organisers unable to re-organise events when we don’t have a timescale for returning to business-as-usual, the question for marketers is: what should they do?

Impact for marketing campaigns

There’s no doubt that running marketing campaigns in this current climate is challenging. Sure you can delay campaigns – in fact according to Marketing Week, almost nine in 10 marketers have already done so – but with the current crisis looking set to continue indefinitely how long should you wait?

While some planned content and events may not be appropriate at this time, organisations shouldn’t cut off all marketing and communication as meaningful relationships can be built and maintained even during a crisis. The key is that content is useful, particularly at a time when many employees are stuck at home.

Where activity was reliant on physical events, marketers need to think instead about whether this can be digitised. Can a new product be launched digitally instead? Can you create your own company event to relay the same content? Can you use social media to amplify and reach the right audience?

Think outside of the box

In the past few weeks alone, we have already seen many companies turn towards video content as a replacement for physical events. This has come in a variety of forms – from pre-recorded webinars to live virtual or digital events. Some are taking advantage of channels such as Facebook and LinkedIn Live to live stream presentations, talks or short events, while others have created their own interactive virtual conferences using virtual event platforms.

This shift is also something that we’re seeing in our own client base. With this year’s NAB Show in Las Vegas cancelled, both Nevion and ATEME chose to hold their own events to ensure that any content created for the show was not wasted.

Nevion, the self-styled Architects of Virtualized Media Production, created its own virtual “NABshow”, which it called “Nevion Alternative Broadcast Show – At Home with the Architects”. The concept was to create an experience as close to the real event as possible, combining online face-to-face meetings in the week in which NAB should have taken place, with online presentations/webinars before, during and after the event. The purpose of the initiative was not only to inform customers, prospects and partners, but also to engage actively with them. PR and social channels were used much in the same way as they would have been for the real “NABshow”, i.e. to promote the planned activities but also underline in the market the expertise and experience of Nevion. The outcome was an exceptional week of meetings, and the highest attendance of any Nevion-organised webinars by some considerable margin.

ATEME took a similar approach and launched ‘24h of ATEME’ – a series of live webinars to maintain engagement with customers around the world. The event took place over 24 hours – as a global business this was something ATEME could facilitate – and comprised a series of live sessions which took place via Zoom. Sessions started in France, before heading across the Atlantic to the US East Coast and West Coast, followed by Australia, South East Asia and then finally back to Europe for the finale. Customers could jump in and out of the stream at any time to join the sessions they found most relevant and ask questions in real-time throughout.

The event itself was an interesting and unique concept that helped to unite customers across the globe in the current crisis. Importantly, the event topics were not driven by ATEME but by customers who provided input on the issues and challenges they wanted to discuss, and event topics planned accordingly – an approach which works particularly well in times of crisis.

The future of events

While the cancellation of events provides a huge headache for marketers and businesses alike, it’s clear that not all is lost. Opportunity still exists to engage virtually and try out new tactics that perhaps wouldn’t have been considered before.

What will be interesting to see is whether these new ways of marketing and communications will stick once the pandemic ends. Will virtual events be the new normal as companies realise they don’t need to attend industry events to achieve results, or will we simply just forget and revert to business as usual? There will always be a desire to share information face-to-face, but the impact of the pandemic might just change the format and shape of events not just now but for the future too.

By Mark Wilson, Creative Director

Creativity. The very word fills some with anxiety, while others seek it out and embrace it. The reasons for these opposing views are many; creativity is intangible, ethereal, it means different things to different people, and there’s no formula to follow in order to get it. Yet, everyone desires it.

For me, creativity is about seeing things in an alternative way, presenting concepts in a distinctive light, and at its core, problem solving. It is displayed all around us through the obvious disciplines like art, music, theatre, and through less obvious avenues like cooking, gardening and even maths.

In the communications world, creative ideas are the building blocks for successful campaigns that reach the desired audiences and achieve specific objectives like boosting awareness or lead generation. Here, it’s not just about using imagery or graphics, but about understanding the core message, the single-minded proposition which will captivate audiences and change behaviour.

Creativity is inherent in everything we do — and it’s more important than ever before considering how many competing messages there are out in the marketplace. For example, if you write a about a well-known topic in a unique way or provide a distinct point of view, that’s creativity at play.

While advertising and marketing are built on this concept of creativity, it is not exclusive to these industries, nor is it exclusively in the realm of B2C. Creativity has a vital role to play in PR, social and digital, as well as in the overall B2B space.

Of course it’s evolving; moving away from the rather stereotypical view of creativity in B2B as the use of stock images of business settings, meetings, people working in offices — you know the ones I mean.

The growth of design services and the use of a more creative mindset in B2B is certainly challenging that stereotype. Why can’t business audiences enjoy creativity? After all, end audiences, regardless of context, are still human.

I would argue you can be even more , through the use of personalised messaging and graphics that will inspire, engage and work towards the ultimate goal of unlocking curiosity. This applies to a host of collateral, from personalised short videos, and direct mailers, to digital banners or interactive online experiences. The possibilities are endless.

While there may not be a magic formula for creativity, it’s worth noting that — just as in all forms of communication — whatever you do, needs to have a strong idea behind it, aimed at the right target audience, saying the right things. It needs to be relevant.

I believe all people are creative. It’s not a skill reserved for graphic designers or copywriters. And we should be nurturing this; people have diverse life experiences and perspectives, and therefore bring different views to the creativity table. The trick is how to capture and transform them into messaging and meaning that audiences can relate to. It’s about making it work for you and your objectives, not jumping on the bandwagon.

When thinking about creative campaigns, ask yourself this all-important question — is this the right thing to do or is it just what everyone else is doing?

At Whiteoaks our newly established Creative Department is working hard to transform the fruits of our creative labour into tangible results for your business that align with your objectives. Whether that’s standalone creative concepts or full campaigns, branding, digital or print assets, we’re here for all your PR and content marketing assets.

Get in touch to find out how we can help.

There has been much debate in the PR industry about measurement — mainly because measuring earned communications success has always been complex and often has an indirect influence on a brand when compared with other marketing activities.

Businesses operate in an increasingly challenging environment. Today’s savvy senior executives rightly want to know the business impact a campaign has had and not how many clippings the PR team has delivered.

Measurement is not a myth

First and foremost, campaign success and business impact can absolutely be measured. However, it is important to recognise that it also needs commitment and support from the client to ensure an agency has access to the right tools and information required to complete the analysis. In some cases, this may require an additional investment in fees or third-party costs to deliver the desired analysis. But it’s about being clear about what you are trying to show and importantly how that data is going to be used.

A case in point is our collaboration with Omnico Group; together we identified that our integrated campaign generated £12 million in qualified sales leads. This was achieved by putting the right tracking mechanisms in place across each communication channel (earned, owned, paid, etc.) to highlight the return on investment (which actually didn’t need additional investment just effective collaboration with the client).

Download: Omnico Group case study

Introducing Whiteoaks Insights

Our measurement approach has always been valued by our clients and was highlighted in our recent client satisfaction survey which found that 89% of our clients were happy with our reporting, measurement and evaluation service, However, with the growth in data and reporting tools, there is still the need to evolve in this area.

Today, we are officially launching Whiteoaks Insights which is a dedicated brand for our research, measurement and evaluation services which can be utilised throughout the campaign lifecycle.

Our 360 Framework uses Whiteoaks Insights as standard to identify the business objectives, define the target audiences and create the right positioning and audience-centric messaging before the tactical plan is developed to ensure each campaign meets the broader business objectives.

Clients benefit from using Whiteoaks Insights services by gaining exclusive insights to inform communications strategy, including brand perception analysis, audience-driven intelligence and competitor analysis before embarking on a campaign.

Data-driven research can also provide a valuable role within a campaign creating compelling content and strong news hooks to drive brand visibility and audience engagement. Finally, Whiteoaks Insights can be used post campaign implementation to evaluate brand perception change and audience advocacy.

Measurement as Standard

Measurement has always been at the heart of our approach to PR. Since 1999 we have offered clients tangible results with set performance commitments and formal service level agreements and measurement continues to be a critical part of our mission and vision.

In fact, our approach to campaign reporting is audience-centric and looks at visibility, engagement and impact of the campaign on the target audience to ensure we continue to demonstrate the value and role of PR for B2B businesses today.

If you are interested in hearing more about our Whiteoaks Insights services, please contact us here.