Category: Blogs

By Millie Goodwin, Business Development Executive

As someone who spends a lot of their free time on social media, as most people seem to do nowadays, I wondered to myself what am I even getting out of this? What is it that’s keeping me drawn in for hours upon hours? Lockdown was an excuse for a ridiculous amount of screentime, and according to Ofcom an average of four hours a day were spent online in April 2020.

Social media apps benefitted hugely from the pandemic, too. TikTok experienced huge growth during the pandemic – from 3 million UK adult visitors in September 2019, to 14 million by March 2021.

When I really thought about why my mind gets so caught up in the whirlwind that is social media, I realised it really does come down to 3 simple things:

The first one being FOMO or fear of missing out. For a lot of people Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, TikTok, etc… are where we build our links with most people. It’s where conversations start; it’s where we build links with people who share the same interests and values as us; it’s where we get the new ideas of places to visit, eat, see, and what to watch on the telly. I know I would have never tried Squid Games off my own back but the influx of tweets raving on about it sparked my interest. We use social media to share the best parts of our lives. If we didn’t have social media, these connections would be lost, and we would be left wondering what connections and shared experiences people are having without us.

The second one being validation. When we post a picture, we get notified about how many people have liked the post, the more the better. If you were to post on someone’s feed who had a large following and they responded or just even liked the post, you would feel proud. As adults we all need validation. It’s just part of human nature and social media enlarges that – we don’t have to do anything amazing, just sit behind a screen and hope a few people press the like button. When lockdown limited our opportunities to engage with family and friends in person, social media offered us the virtual alternative.

The third and final thing is comfort. I know it sounds ridiculous; how can you find comfort in something that nine times out of 10 gives us a headache. But when you think about it, it’s giving us comfort and familiarity in an unfamiliar setting. Sitting in a restaurant waiting for a friend, attending an event with strangers, social media gives us a way to connect to social objects and to people that we know, so we feel less alone or uncertain.

I do believe lockdown had a dramatic change on everyone’s intake of social media so maybe that’s harder to let go of. But it’s important that we establish relationships outside of social media and that we realise we might be so busy obsessing over what we are missing out on social media, that we are actually missing out on what’s going on right in front of us.

By Angelo Suanno, Junior Account Executive

In an ever-thriving technological world, the hybrid working model has forever changed the foundations of office-based jobs. The impacts of hybrid working are a point of discussion for many, predominately concerning physical and psychological wellbeing. However, according to recent news headlines, energy bills are set to slowly rise in price over the coming year. How will this affect people’s decision to work from home? Will this see an influx of people returning to the office? Is there anything we can do? – yes there is!

Here are the three tips to lower energy consumption in your home without impacting your quality of work.

#1 The sun is our friend.

The overwhelming desire to instantly turn on the lights in the morning, or at the first sign of impending darkness may be powerful, especially during the winter months. However, resist the urge for as long as possible, open the curtains fully and allow natural daylight into your home. Not only will this help reduce energy consumption and warm you up at home, but as a bonus, exposure to sunlight has also been shown to correlate with happiness and positive wellbeing. Remember: the sun is your friend.

#2 Standby still means on.

There is a growing concern that working from home has resulted in our monthly energy bills spiking ever so slightly. Leaving the laptop on for several hours a day or using an additional monitor to increase work productivity still has a cost, and who pays that cost, those who work from home. To prevent any unnecessary power drainage, don’t shut the laptop display or leave the monitor on standby overnight, turn everything off at the source when not in use or at the end of the day. It may not always be convenient to switch off during your lunch break if you’ve got a meeting straight after, try using power-saving mode to save you time and money.

#3 Wrap up, don’t crank up!

With the cold winter nights nearly at an end, it will almost be time to stop using the heating, but not just yet. While working from home may provide the opportunity to dress less formally from the waist below, resist the impulse to turn on the heating immediately after the first few cold shivers. Instead, layer up on clothing or rest a blanket on your lap, that way you’ll remain comfortable, warm, and formal, while also saving energy.

To sum up, in addition to the physical and psychological impacts of the hybrid working model, there will be a surge in both ecological and financial effects due to the slowly increasing energy prices, in the coming year. Will people continue to work from home knowing the extra price they’ll have to pay? What sacrifices will need to be made to maintain a balance between a professional yet sustainable working environment? Whatever the answers are, hopefully these tips will help you make your decision.

By Susan Richter, Marketing Communications Manager

It’s fair to say we’re a cynical bunch when it comes to being a consumer. After all, we’ve had a lot of practice. We know phrases like “never seen before low prices” and “wait…there’s more” are mostly hype, and we know BOGOF doesn’t always translate into better value.

What about as business consumers? Especially marketers? Ramp that cynicism up to the max! We know all the tricks and which questions to ask. We can see through the marketing hype, which makes us better at scouting out value and finding what we actually need. At least it should!

But it also means that as marketers marketing to fellow marketers, we need to be spot on because we’re a far less forgiving bunch. It’s a bit more complex than making sure the content is relevant to the target audience, timely and has value. It’s about getting the little things right, being smart and continuously striving for improvement.

Without sounding too sanctimonious or naming and shaming, here’s my list of things to avoid based on real examples:

– Don’t tell me you’ve prospected with care and then ask if I am the right contact to approach
– Personalisation is great; but don’t talk like you know me. You can be friendly and engaging without being creepy!
– Don’t send a follow-up email to a mythical first email. Even worse, don’t send a follow-up email three hours after the first one
– Don’t try sell me things that are clearly not appropriate for a PR agency or part of our offering – like a listing on Amazon or social media services
– Pay attention to your preview text and make sure your subject line, even if the email is valid, doesn’t sound like a phishing email or clickbait
– Don’t send the same email twice from two different salespeople
– Don’t send the same email to me a few weeks apart featuring the same spelling mistake!
– I appreciate some may like this approach, but don’t ask me to click on your diary to book in a call! You want it? You need to work for it.

And finally… proofreed…proferead…proofread. Don’t let grammar issues, typos or blatant misspellings creep into your emails!

All that said, I am not a complete grump. I do enjoy a good sales email, even when the content / service on offer isn’t that relevant to me. I received a great message the other day that was self-deprecating (yes, I am aware it was the author not the message 😊), honest and quite funny.

            “Hi Susan – bumped into you on LinkedIn and I was hoping to try and strongarm you into a dull and monotonous pitch where we can bore you to death on the wild tales of our many digital successes.

Not really, but my boss told me to try some varied approach methods – not sure that one will stick.”

Now that is something I can appreciate!

By Millie Goodwin, Business Development Executive

What’s your career background, in brief?

After going to college, my first job was as an Account Assistant at the luxury car dealer, Rolls Royce. While it was nice working for such a high-end brand and experiencing the luxury market, I felt it was time for a change and a new challenge, so I decided to dive into the PR world.

What’s the most challenging job you’ve ever had?

By far my most challenging job has been working as a waitress in a pub, with it being my first job, I was quite shy and I was really thrown in the deep end with it. Firstly, I realised how challenging some people can be. Secondly, I was working for my parents and if you have ever worked with family before, you know what a big no no it can be.

What apps, technology items and gadgets can’t you live without?

I hate to say but Instagram 100%. I have a love/hate relationship with it, I love it because I’m quite a nosey person, and I love to get inspiration of things to do and places to go. But I know it has its negatives and can be quite toxic.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?

My favourite quote ever is “great things never come from comfort zones”. I don’t think it’s a particularly well known or famous quote. But I believe it’s so true, all those scary job interviews, nervous first days, awkward moments, and all the mistakes you make are just pushing you to be more confident and realise how much you are capable of.

Name one thing about your job that gives you a sense of satisfaction or makes you leave the office smiling…

I haven’t worked in new business for too long, but in my short time, I have learnt there is nothing more thrilling and exciting than getting a response from a potential new client, knowing your work stood out against the rest is truly a great feeling. It makes me excited to win some new business!

Do you personalise your workspace?

Unfortunately, not yet but I intend to get a plant (probably a fake one) because I don’t think I would keep a real one alive. I’ll definitely get some organisers because a tidy space is a tidy mind.

What’s the first thing you do in the office in the morning?

100% make myself a cup of tea, I cannot function without my morning cuppa.

What are you reading, watching, or listening to at the moment?

At the moment, I’m watching Grey’s Anatomy, it’s by far one of the best things I’ve ever watched, I’m currently on season 5 and there is 18 so I think it’s going to be keeping me busy for a while.

By Laura Bundy, Junior Account Executive

It’s no surprise, that after a dramatic rise in smartphone usage, we would one day need to learn the TLC behind our greatest connection.

This week Apple introduced us to ‘self-service repair’, a scheme that allows customers to fix their own devices by gaining access to the tools and guides to do so. This has been applauded for the opportunity it has given and for the right to repair that many feel is owed to them. With the amount current iPhone and MacBook’s go for, it’s no wonder that its owners believe once the product is theirs, they should be able to have full access to it- parts and all. But what does this mean in the long run?

Hanging up on old habits

With COP26 being such a hot topic throughout society, it raises the question as to how this scheme may help in driving forward progression in sustainability. Or how we as individuals can influence this change. We’ve all been there, the excitement of purchasing your phone quickly turning into panic over how you can protect it. We buy screen protectors, cases, we keep the box in the back of our cupboards for years just in case it’s needed. Yet, when it comes to looking after our once loved now broken products, we result in chucking them away and buying new as quickly as we replaced the one before. I believe that with this new scheme there will be a change in habit, now that we have the access to solve any issues that may arise. Consumers instead may work on fixing and quickly resolving the problem, causing less hassle for the customer than buying a new product itself. In turn, aiding in the recycling and reconditioning of technological devices.

Fixing the progress

Apple has made their stamp too, claiming that customers who return their broken part for recycling will receive credit toward their purchase. With a company as huge and influential as Apple this can only prove to be successful in setting an example for the rest to follow and to perhaps inspire others to do one better. Representing a way to source such a positive impact on the climate! Could this be the way forward for technological businesses? A move in the right direction, to create an element of sustainability and care in how we tackle protecting the environment. I for one believe that this will have a domino effect in businesses to come, raising the importance of sustainability and laying out how this could be achieved.

There has been a mark made in the technological world toward positive environmental impact, the question is, how long till others follow in its footsteps.

By Leo Nash, Junior Account Executive

What’s your career background in Brief?

I graduated from Bournemouth University last year with a degree in Public Relations. I worked at Victoria’s Promise, a woman’s cancer charity, for a year as a PR Intern and have worked in the hospitality industry for over three years!

What’s the most challenging job you’ve had?

Although extremely rewarding, working at the Basingstoke Vaccination Centre was really challenging and physically demanding due to the long hours and freezing weather. Talking down anti-vaxxers wasn’t much fun either.

What apps, technology items and gadgets can’t you live without?

It’s got to be Spotify really, podcasts and music get me through the day.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?

You can always add more spice, but you can’t ever take it out!

Name one thing about your job that gives you a sense of satisfaction or makes you leave the office smiling…

Having only really started my career path, I have to say learning new things and seeing improvement in day-to-day tasks is giving me a kick as of late.

Do you personalise your workspace?

Only with snacks, nothing special.

What’s the first thing you do when you get into the office in the morning?

Say good morning and head for the coffee machine.

What are you reading, watching or listening to at the moment?

Currently reading Go Ahead In The Rain by Hanif Abdurraqib, watching What we do in the shadows and revisiting MFDOOM’s discography.

By Ellie Nash, Digital Account Executive

With LinkedIn Creator Mode, anyone can become a LinkedIn influencer… Even you! And here’s how.

What is LinkedIn ‘Creator Mode’?

LinkedIn launched its new ‘Creator Mode’ feature in March 2021 with the aim to help professionals on the platform help build their personal brand. The tool supports individuals with growing their following, building a presence on the platform, getting their content noticed and also provides a higher opportunity to be noticed by potential clients. This new feature is a strong step forward in creating a bigger LinkedIn influencer community.

How do I turn on ‘Creator Mode’?

LinkedIn Creator Mode is now available for all profiles. You’ll find the option to turn it on via your LinkedIn dashboard on your personal page. Once you’ve switched the toggle on, you’ll be encouraged to add 5 hashtags that will be based on topics you’re most likely going to be discussing and these will be displayed on the top of your profile. These hashtags are optional, but I’d highly recommend adding them to your profile. But why? These topics help to show potential followers what you discuss the most. For example, on my profile, I have added; ‘#PR #marketing #PRcareers #socialmedia #socialmediamarketing’, as these are what I talk about most frequently on any content I share or post organically. You can find these hashtags underneath your job title on your profile.

What’s happened to my profile?

Don’t panic! Once you’ve turned on the ‘Creator Mode’ toggle, LinkedIn will automatically shift the profile around to show off your content. Previously, the ‘About’ section lay above the ‘Featured’ section but after turning on ‘Creator Mode’, the ‘About’ section will appear below ‘Activity’ and ‘Featured’ section so that your content is forefront and centre for everyone to see.

How do I grow my network now ‘Creator Mode’ is on?

Once ‘Creator Mode’ is turned on the ‘Connect’ call-to-action button immediately changes to a ‘Follow’ button. Don’t worry, people can still connect with you by clicking on the ‘More’ button on your profile, but the idea behind ‘Creator Mode’ is to increase and grow your following.

What is the ‘Creator Community’?

Once you have turned on LinkedIn’s ‘Creator Mode’, the app will encourage you to sign up to their weekly newsletter, the ‘Creator Community’. Now, I know what you’re thinking, SPAM! But no, think again. This newsletter is written by Daniel Roth, the editor-in-chief and VP of LinkedIn and will provide you with endless ideas for what content you should be posting, some strategy ideas to boost your following and more! It’s a great opportunity to gain insight into what’s trending in the industry so that you can keep on top of it as a creator and excel.

How else can I show off my profile as a Creator?

If you’ve turned on Creator Mode and are still looking to take your profile to the next level, how about considering a ‘Video Cover Story’? The ‘Video Cover Story’ feature provides you with the opportunity to replace your profile picture with a 30-second video where you can introduce yourself to new followers. This feature is a fantastic way to show off to recruiters, as well as helping you gain potential clients; you immediately look friendly and approachable to anyone who visits your profile.

You could also use this cover story to tell followers about an upcoming webinar that you’ll be speaking in or tell them about an event that you’ll be at. You can say a lot in 30 seconds!

To conclude…

Now ‘Creator Mode’ is turned on and you’re ready to become a LinkedIn influencer, it’s time to start growing! To grow your network now ‘Creator Mode’ is fully set up, you must start considering a content plan. LinkedIn favours a mix of content so be creative, post videos, photos, blogs, and polls to start conversations. According to statistics, it’s best to post a maximum of 4 times a week on LinkedIn.

Not only should you worry about your own content, but you need to start thinking about other people’s content too. It’s key to engage with other people’s content on LinkedIn. You can like, share, and comment, all of which will help you gain exposure to your page. Why not comment asking a question about the post? Why not share and congratulate how insightful the post is and tag a few of your connections to view the post? All of which is helping you grow.

But overall, get creative! Have a bit of fun with Creator Mode because you never know, a year from now, we could be looking at a LinkedIn influencer.

By Natalia Kaczmarek, Digital Content Creator

We’ve all heard the saying ‘cash is king’. And it certainly has been for a long time. While some people still largely rely on notes and prefer them for everyday spending, others have permanently shifted to credit cards. Whatever the preferences, we can’t ignore that the financial system is changing, with mobile payments on the rise and a boom in crypto and digital currencies.

In fact, the Bahamas is the first country to issue central bank digital currency (CBDC). Launched in October 2020, the sand dollar is a digital iteration of the Bahamian dollar and one of just two fully operational retail CBDCs worldwide. The second one is electronic yuan (e-CNY) backed by The People’s Bank of China. The blockchain-powered e-CNY is China’s response to the declining role of cash, aiming to eventually and completely replace it.

But will more countries follow China’s footsteps to kill cash?

Perhaps.

CBDCs are currently a hot topic, with many governments running initiatives and pilot schemes to explore the applications and impact. In July this year, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced it was approaching the next phase of its digital euro development project. However, it explicitly stated that the digital euro will complement, not replace, cash. The Bank of England has also set up a taskforce to coordinate the exploration of a potential UK CBDC. Sweden, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Ghana and Nigeria are all among 81 countries looking into digital currencies. Interestingly, while the race is hotting up, the world’s foremost economic power, the US, is quite behind. Could this be an omen?

Benefits of digital currencies

As an inclusive digital payment medium, CBDCs would be available to all citizens and businesses, offering an array of benefits in the future. Unlike unregulated cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, they’re issued centrally as digital tokens or deposit accounts, and have real values not set by the market’s supply or demand. That means they should be stable through the enforcement of monetary policies.

Digital currencies could allow financial service providers to improve efficiency and offer innovative, progressive services to us all. They could drive the Internet of Things payments forward. Your smart vehicle could pay for its own power or toll, or your smart home could sell excess electricity from solar panels to the next-door neighbour. And maybe finally we won’t need a coin for a supermarket trolley?

With CBDCs, local and cross-border payment transfers can occur almost instantly, with much lower fees. Faster, more convenient and cheaper transfers can promote economic growth and benefit poorer regions. People visiting foreign countries for business and pleasure could have easier access to local currency, encouraging them to spend more and boosting the economy. With digital smart wallets, we won’t have to check our pockets every time we leave the house. Just a small benefit for the forgetful.

Privacy considerations ahead

It seems like the future of CBDCs is promising. However, one of the greatest concerns with any digital currency and the transition to fully cashless banking systems is consumer privacy. Many businesses have betrayed our basic right to privacy in the past, so some might be more hesitant than others to permanently switch to this new means of payment. As central banks will be able to monitor every transaction performed through CBDCs, the culture of greater surveillance might be born. Banks could trace our whereabouts and create detailed personas of their citizens and spending habits, leading to unstable governance and highly dissatisfied nations. It could be argued that most of our moves are already being scrutinised, yet we’re still happy to geo-tag our latest Instagram posts…

Whilst electronic currencies are picking up and promise many benefits for the society of the future, it will take a few years for us to forget about good old cash. For now, I’ll personally keep hold of any coins from the back of the sofa. One day, they might be worth a lot of e-money.

By Jo Elliott, Senior Account Manager

Next month COP26, the 26th United Nationals Climate Change Conference, will take place in Glasgow, uniting countries to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The lead up to this is an important moment for the communications industry to reflect on our role to make, and influence change.

Last year when the nation’s sweetheart and immensely respected nature broadcaster, David Attenborough, joined Instagram he had more than 200,000 followers within an hour of his first post and 1.2million followers by the afternoon.

His reason for joining the social network was clear, “Saving our planet is now a communications challenge”. 

Brands should be focused on reducing their operational carbon footprint, but the communications industry must also produce campaigns that measurably generate less carbon. A real driver for this change is the requirement for carbon footprint reporting to be included within company audits by 2025. Businesses, and the agencies supporting them, need to harness the power of communications to change consumer behaviour (for good), without greenwashing.

In recent years the marketing community has launched several initiatives such as Ad Net Zero but to make impactful change on scale, businesses need to understand the intersection of their brand, customer, and the impact they can achieve. Skincare company Kiehls is a fantastic example of a brand committed to transparent sustainability communications, including a glossary on its brand sustainability page giving consumers complete clarity on its environmental impact.

In the B2B world communicating the sustainability agenda and achievements of a business might seem more daunting, but there are three simple steps to follow:

Inescapably, you need to start by taking some action on climate change
Dependent on the business size and industry, this might involve reducing the carbon emissions of production processes, greener or innovating new products to help customers reduce their carbon footprint. The time to act is now and every change will make a difference to the future of our planet

Shout about it
This step shouldn’t be viewed as a PR opportunity to improve brand awareness, but a genuine action to motivate customers, partners and employees to join the journey. Explore how the action taken aligns with your businesses values, is genuine, and connects to the health of the planet. When communicating these stories think of the impact on business and/or society this change has had.

Back it up
Sustainability initiatives mustn’t be a one-time event, supply chains, production lines, product innovation, business operations, every corner of your B2B business needs regular and consistent reviews in place dedicated to constantly evolving the sustainability of your business. Many B2B businesses share annual sustainability reports with customers and partners, ensuring they are holding themselves accountable to meet the green objectives they set out with and measure impact over time

For decades conversations have taken place on the quickening pace of climate change, the melting glaciers, the extinction of species, and the death of coral reefs and yet as a collective, our behaviour hasn’t changed much. The role of communication, as Attenborough said, is now to spread the most important message we as a species have ever had to give or receive.

By Emily Fishburn, Account Manager

This Sunday marks World Mental Health Day, a day focused on raising awareness about mental health, something which has previously had a massive stigma around and has been brushed under the carpet, It’s now being openly and honestly spoken about in both our working and personal lives. This support is important due to the fact that 1 in 4 people in the UK has experienced mental health issues.

At Whiteoaks this week, we honoured the day by having a cake and coffee session, which led us to get talking to one another about our most random facts and debating whether we’d like more money or more time. This gave us a chance to take a break from our usual workday and get to know each other better. Mixing from different departments within the company and most importantly, to lift spirits and have a laugh.

Other companies too are joining in on raising awareness for the day, for example, Spotify is encouraging everyone to ‘Take a Beat’. On their platform, they have re-introduced a ‘Wellness hub’ in which people can access various mental health resources from a yoga and exercise section to calming playlists and motivational podcasts. Moonpig is also encouraging the UK to reconnect with others and show someone they care by giving away free cards to honour World Mental Health Day. The NHS has an ‘Every Mind Matters’ campaign which provides expert advice and practical tips to help us look after mental health. Some of these including:

– Spending time in nature
– Getting enough sleep, having a balanced diet and staying hydrated (something I discussed the importance of in a previous blog)
– Exercising (this can be anything from walking, cycling to dancing)
– Spending time with supportive people
– Taking some time out for yourself to do something you like, for example, baking, watching a film, reading a new book or listening to some music
– Help someone else – giving something back can help give a boost to our mental health

The website also helps by offering a survey in which you answer five questions to get a free mind plan to help deal with stress and anxiety, improve your sleep, boost your mood and feel more in control, take the quiz here.

To keep up to date with what people around the world are doing to raise awareness for Mental Health Day as well as accessing materials for taking care of your own mental health and providing support for others, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is hosting a dedicated campaign on their website for everyone to access here. You can also follow the hashtag for the day on Twitter #WorldMentalHealthDay.