Category: Blogs

As we continue to enjoy our sun-blessed summer (surely this weekend is just a blip?) there is a question that needs answering for all of us – how do I make the most of my time off? Now this answer varies depending on personality, lifestyle, job role, but one thing all of us want from a summer holiday is to relax. So, a few of us have put our heads together to provide you with some ideas for enjoying your road to relaxation.

Zachary

In recent years, nothing has quite said summer like The Great British Bake Off. Just when I thought England at the World Cup provided me with all the drama I can handle for one summer, I am ready to go once again. While we all miss Mary, Mel and Sue, I would definitely still recommend strapping yourselves in for a second Channel4 series of this modern classic. Even for a 23-year-old like me, there is nothing like the intense pause just before the Star Baker of the Week is announced.

In terms of summer reading material, I’d have to recommend Bear Grylls’ autobiography Mud, Sweat and Tears. I was given the book for Christmas, but only recently have I got around to opening it and I haven’t been able to put it down. If you are looking for a fascinating insight into how to survive in some of Earth’s toughest terrains while being in the comfort of your sun lounger – this is the book for you.  An inspiring read to spur on a summer adventure for sure.

Mary

With my holiday just about to start, I’m looking forward to filling it with fun outside in this glorious and uncharacteristically hot British summer. After attempting white water rafting and fighting off zombies, I’m also planning to finish off watching Miranda as ‘it’s such fun’ and I’m desperate to see if she and Gary get together. As every day is a learning day, I’m also going to start reading ‘The Gig Economy: Things you should know to make your business grow’ written by Mark Magnacca which explores the origins, role, and future of fractional talent and the benefits to businesses large and small.

Stephen

After recently returning from the beautiful Toulouse, I am slightly embarrassed by my attempts to speak French to the locals. This has encouraged me to learn a new language and is why I have started to use an app called ‘busuu’ to learn how to speak French. The app offers bite-sized lessons in 12 languages and is ideal for learning phrases to use in everyday life, work and travel. The app also makes learning a bit more appealing compared to the old school French textbooks. If you’re on your travels this summer I can’t endorse this app more for learning the local lingo and avoiding the blunt stares of the locals.

Science and technology runs through the veins of my family with my dad being a physicist and my brother studying physics at university. And of course, I am working at the number one tech PR agency outside of London. How these two industries continually evolve and better themselves has always fascinated me and Wired magazine is perfect at keeping me up-to-date with its articles. As an avid football fan, I was captivated by Wired’s recent article on the birth of VAR technology and how it came to play its part at this year’s World Cup. So, if you’re looking to stay on top of the latest science and tech news from your sun lounger, this is the magazine to buy.

Bekki  

This summer, I’ve been challenged by my team members to complete the ‘Couch to 5K challenge’. The journey of self-improvement is officially underway – granted I’ve only actually done one of the runs – but watch this space.

Another thing to be keeping an eye out for is the brilliant work of Oobah Butler, this year’s ‘Content Creator of the Year’ as awarded by The Drum. The young writer garnered a lot of media attention following his TripAdvisor stunt, where he somehow made a fake restaurant (actually just a shed in his garden) the number one rated restaurant in London. He’s done more excellent, quirky pieces of work since, and is a great example of how to inject creativity into your work and shake up existing models.

Into the inbox plops another set of embarrassing security breaches at prominent companies or organisations….

Each morning one of the colleagues in my team sends an email informing us about any significant cyber security news. As a B2B technology PR firm with some significant clients operating in the cyber sector, it is of course essential for us to stay abreast and ahead of the curve, so we can use news of any breaches or security developments to secure opportunities for our clients to contribute to the news agenda.

But as conscientious as she is, my colleague seldom has to look too hard to find incidents in which personal data, passwords, cash or important intellectual property have been stolen by hackers.

On Thursday, for instance, we learned that social media site Reddit suffered a data breach but refused to disclose its scale. The breach was discovered in June when hackers obtained usernames and corresponding email addresses – information that could make it possible to link activity on the site to real identities. Encrypted passwords from a separate database of credentials from 2007 were also taken.

Reddit said it would inform those affected by the loss of historic data but would not be getting in touch with those impacted by the potentially much larger breach – a decision which led to criticism from prominent, independent security researchers. Their PR strategy was just to brazen it out and take a kicking from experts and academics.

Earlier in the week, Dixons Carphone announced that approximately ten times more personal data belonging to customers may have been accessed illegally last year than originally thought, affecting 10 million customers in all. Dixons, however issued an apology and is writing to those affected – a slightly different approach from Reddit, but still very embarrassing, given the massive size of the hack.

Seldom however, is there any news of police success against cyber-criminals, which is why the announcement, also on Thursday, that members of the Carbanak hacking group had been arrested was just as eye-catching as the hacking incidents themselves. This bunch has allegedly been responsible for theft of 15 million customer card details in the US, UK, Australia and France.

It’s heartening for international agencies led by the FBI to score a “success” such as this, but cyber-crime is not going to go away. State-sponsored hacking groups, Advanced Persistent Threats, darkweb vendors of exploit kits, political hacktivists and the traditional teenagers with personality problems are all at it and proliferating for a variety of different reasons.

But when you have a genuinely unique solution that really does tackle an important aspect of cyber security it can be very difficult to get your message across amid all the noise from the big vendors that surrounds any high-profile incident. That, we can say, takes the expertise of technology PR consultancy working with clients including Glasswall and the DMA UK, to ensure their message stands out from the crowd, resonates with the right audiences and adds value to the media reporting.

In just a few months, we approach Google’s 20th birthday and, quite honestly, I couldn’t imagine life without the ability to look up information on a whim. The internet, its search engines, and their gift of quick and easy access to vast amounts of data and information from around the world have changed our society and how we consume content, from the latest news story to updates on your best friend’s cousin’s missing dog (with pictures!). We know it all, because it’s available at the click of a button or scroll of a mouse.

While that’s great for pointless facts like the square root of 657, or the capital of Belize, what about other information? What about news? How does it affect the way we access and read stories that interest and entertain us?

The way we consume the news has changed. Previously, a newspaper contained only the top stories, written with careful consideration and fact-checked meticulously. Now, you can open your phone and flick through thousands, millions, of meaningful or menial articles within seconds.

This infinite capacity for content and unrivalled access is a huge opportunity for us in the PR industry. But we must approach it as both a professional and an everyday consumer of news. Just because the information is there, does it mean it is worth reading? Should we be creating less meaningful content just because it will now be one story in a dozen? The short answer is: no.

The trending story of the moment is, of course, the UK heatwave. A quick Google news search brings up nearly 16 million stories, with topics spanning from record retail results to haphazard health advice. Pretty much anything can be tied in to this incredible weather, but just because it can, it doesn’t mean it will be adding any value.

The impact that the internet, social media and search engines have had on the PR industry has been profound, and in this digital age, it’s clear that the need to quickly digest and report on the latest news on any given channel is at an all-time high. Content can now be consumed by a global audience within seconds, so when used well, valuable information – especially now in its always-available state – is an incredibly powerful tool in PR, depending on how we choose to work with it.

Even the best, most relevant article, story or message can so easily get lost within the ether. It’s more important than ever that we remember how fickle the internet can be and learn to get the message right. Creating and securing meaningful content that stands out from the crowd has never been more difficult, or when done right, more worthwhile.

Hook, Hampshire, 23 July 2018 – Whiteoaks International, a leading UK-based technology PR agency, has led the launch of a disruptive cyber security start-up to market through a significant branding project, before embarking on a comprehensive communications programme in the UK.

CyberHive was created in early 2018 to provide a new kind of cyber security solution, an IaaS (Internet as a Service) proposition named ‘Trusted Cloud’, which was developed in partnership with the University of Oxford. A server security solution that protects data, Trusted Cloud uses a unique combination of hardware-based cryptography and advances in whitelisting technology.

Whiteoaks was selected following a competitive pitch process to conceive the brand and lead its first integrated marketing programme, incorporating PR, digital and social media and content generation.

In partnership with creative agency Emerald Colour, the teams created CyberHive’s website including all the visual and written content as well as social media channels.

Having launched the business, Whiteoaks International will focus on communicating with cyber security and IT professionals and influencers.

Alan Platt, Chief Operating Officer, CyberHive, said: “We believe that Trusted Cloud is the most innovative and most effective solution to the cyber threats facing all organisations. We selected Whiteoaks to help us launch to market because of its proven knowledge of the cyber security industry and an established record of PR, content and digital work in this area. We particularly liked Whiteoaks’ innovative approach to transparent service delivery and focus on results.”

James Kelliher, Whiteoaks International CEO, said: “Being chosen to work with CyberHive is one of the highlights of our year. It’s not often we have the opportunity to build a new brand from the start. Moving on from here, our focus on tangible results, with set fees for set deliverables, sets us apart from other PR firms. We feel sure that this approach will help the new CyberHive brand increase awareness of its unique solution.”

When car phones and cell phones that weighed as much as the contents of my handbag were created, the sole purpose was, whisper it, just for making and receiving phone calls in the car and on the move. Motorola’s DynaTAC 8000X phone first reached consumers in the Autumn of 1983, winning the race to sell the world’s first commercial cell phone. When Sir Charles Dunstone and David Ross founded Carphone Warehouse in 1989, prices reduced and the market was about to explode.

It would be almost 10 years before SMS technology arrived and revolutionised the way we could communicate with each other on the move, and whisper it, without talking to each other. In December 1992, a young UK test engineer used a PC to send a Merry Christmas SMS on the Vodafone network to a friend’s phone and we all fell in love with the text.

After this, innovations abounded, with multiple phone manufacturers, network operators, smaller phones and longer battery life. Everything almost changed in 1993, when Research In Motion launched the Blackberry, with email capability, SMS, a web browser and Blackberry Messenger functionality all built in.

Then, everything really changed. On 9 January 2007, Steve Jobs announced the first iPhone at the Macworld convention and on 20 June 2007, the first iPhone was released in the US.

Today we have the iPhones and Android smartphones that we know, and mostly love. A number of research studies all show that we spend significantly more of our time using apps, mainly social media apps, than we do making calls or sending texts. They are our cameras, our navigation tool and the way to stay in touch with everyone, whether it’s on WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook messenger, VoIP calls or Twitter.

This week’s news that the walkie-talkie – first invented in 1937 – may be making a comeback because we’re impatient with poor mobile phone signal connections or the “coldness of texts”, may seem far-fetched at first. But, not when you realise it’s Apple backing the comeback and in a very 21st century way. Apple is launching a walkie-talkie app for the Apple Watch in the autumn, so you can tap, record and send instant audio messages to friends also with the watch. The receiver’s watch will chime and play the message when it suits them, with a tap option to respond. The concept takes the ‘voice note’ capability in WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger a step further, as both of these functions are more passive in the way they alert the receiver – and require the app to be open to play and send audio notes.

I wonder if, aside from not being an Apple Watch owner myself, the Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Apple Watch voice notes could be signalling a desire for more personal communication? After all, we’ve become so used to communicating by tweet, text and email, especially when you consider that for Generation Z this could be all they’ve predominantly known. Plus, whether you love or hate them, the likes of iPhone’s Siri and Amazon’s Echo Alexa are making some of us more comfortable with voice technology.

It all comes back to the tech industry’s current goal: building frictionless technology to help us find, do or buy faster and more easily. And voice has strength: it conveys emotion, reduces the potential for ambiguity and probably takes less time overall. For the moment, Apple Watch ownership is still not mainstream, but as always with Apple, it is creating the shape of things to come….

Is it too early for the C word? That’s Christmas. While we might be experiencing some of the hottest temperatures in history, July is still a key time in the retail industry as plans for the Christmas ahead are unveiled. ‘Christmas in July’ is a common phrase in the market and refers to the festive season’s press events, when major brands and their PR teams showcase products from their festive collection to the media. So, the ice creams are being replaced with Christmas puds!

One online retailer that has nailed this period is Amazon, with its Prime Day or the ‘Black Friday’ of the summer. For retailers with a presence on Amazon, Prime Day could be the busiest shopping day of the season as some consumers, believe it or not, look to bag a bargain, five months ahead of Christmas.

Launched in 2015, to celebrate Amazon’s 20th anniversary, the first Prime Day was a one-day-only retail holiday that aimed to overtake Black Friday as the sales event of the year. Originally met with criticism from shoppers over the quality and quantity of the deals on offer, Amazon stepped up its game.  Prime Day 2017 was the biggest shopping day in the history of the company, until it was surpassed by Cyber Monday 2017 in November. So key is this event that Amazon has this year moved the date to 16 July to avoid a clash with the World Cup and extended the sale to 36 hours.

Although ‘Christmas in July’ is not a new concept for retailers, Amazon has shown with Prime Day that it is possible to invent your own holiday and it’s a great example of an annual PR and marketing – and sales – success. Amazon turned what is traditionally a slow news season for the media to the headline story, delivering mass media attention and record-breaking sales. McKinsey & Company describes it perfectly: “In keeping with Amazon’s “disrupter” reputation, it pulled off what other retailers have long tried to do: created a catalytic event”.

As shoppers continue to spend more online, retailers can benefit from technology to make stronger connections with consumers and build or cement their brand reputation faster. And Amazon competitors are waking up, as we’ve seen with retailer eBay announcing deals up to 80% off in the same week as Prime Day – although it has not garnered the same extensive media coverage as Prime Day.

With the World Cup delivering an overall boost to consumer spending and with the final and Prime Day taking place on the same weekend, I hope you have your credit card at the ready!

Who are you? And what’s your job at Whiteoaks?

Hi, I’m Zach (with a ‘h’) – and I’m a Junior Account Executive in Team Aries.

 

What does your daily to-do list look like?

Sorry to be cliché, but I’ve discovered that every day is different from the next! The few constants that exist see me start my day with a cup of coffee and a read through of my emails. I then have a look through all of the morning news stories, and then ensure everything is in place for the day ahead, from co-ordinating the writing schedules, producing client call agendas, to proofreading articles.

 

What made you want to get into PR?

My degree in Creative and Media Writing was a great choice because it allowed me to explore both my creative and journalistic writing styles. However, despite really enjoying inventing my own stories and writing screenplays, a career in public relations became something I wanted to pursue as I loved being involved in a media-facing role that changes daily based on events around the globe. So, 10 days after my final exam at Uni – here I was at Whiteoaks!

 

Who is your favourite brand and why?

This is an easy one for me – Nike. I’m a massive sports fan, and I’d say about 90% of my sports clothing at home is Nike branded. I’d love to say that it’s the high-quality fabric or some other technical reason as to why I feel this way, but a more accurate answer is quite simply Rafael Nadal. The tennis star has always been my favourite sportsman, so I’ve bought Nike (and Babolat) products from a young age as they’ve always been Nadal’s sponsor. Chelsea Football Club is also in partnership with Nike now– which only deepens my brand loyalty. Sorry Adidas.

 

What’s your top tip for someone who wants to get into the PR industry?

I didn’t have any specific PR experience before starting here, so I guess I’m a good example of how getting into PR can be done. However, what also helps is any media or marketing experience that you can get – the more, the better. I would also say having a good understanding of current affairs and keeping up with the latest news stories is always good practice, even if it’s just spending five minutes in the morning on the BBC News app.

 

How do you unwind after a day in the office?

I normally spend my evenings watching either live sports, trashy TV, or whatever Netflix show I’m currently binging on. At the moment I’ve got the World Cup, Love Island, and FRIENDS (on a year-long loop), so I’m able to do all three!

 

What’s your favourite anthem suggestion for Friday’s Whiteoaks Power Hour?

I listen to a wide variety of music, but I’m not sure how my go-to hip-hop playlists would go down in the office. I’d probably pick a proper feel good track like Bob Marley – Three Little Birds. Or anything from Hans Zimmer, which is perfect concentration music.

 

If you could be any character in any film, what would you be?

I absolutely love Harry Potter, so probably anyone from those films. Maybe not Harry though, being ‘the chosen one’ would simply be too much pressure. But anyone else for sure. Who wouldn’t want their own wand and go to school at Hogwarts?

 

What’s your ideal getaway location?

Anywhere that’s 30+ degrees and has sand. I went to Barbados when I was younger so would love to go back to the Caribbean. I’m one quarter Grenadian, so probably there.

 

What’s your go-to party trick?

I once opened a bottle of champagne (Prosecco) with a knife after seeing it in the film What Happens in Vegas. Although, I don’t confess to be an expert in the art.

 

And finally, cheesy chips?

Chips, pasta, beans – anything covered in cheese and I’m all over it.

If you are in the world of PR the term “news hijacking” will be very familiar to you. If you aren’t, it simply means recognising a breaking news item that is relevant to your client and being able to provide expert commentary on it as the story unfolds.

Sounds smart, right?

It is certainly useful to have in the tool-kit and for some sectors it forms a fundamental part of PR outreach and, when done well, results in securing high-profile, high quality media coverage. It is an invaluable tool that drives brand visibility for your client, positions executives as thought leaders and experts on the topic, and helps your company become a resource which the media can go to for future stories.

Take the security industry as an example: It is an ideal sector for this type of PR and recently, with the spate of data breaches, cyberattacks and political threats, security is a sector that is perfectly situated to tackle news hijacking opportunities.

Let’s look at the key steps to follow when looking to hijack the news.

Monitor, monitor, monitor

It is normal practice to be in the habit of monitoring the news if you work in PR but this task becomes essential if you are to jump on breaking news stories before they become old news. Set up news alerts with key terms like data breach or cyberattack, set up notifications on news apps on your phone or tablet, use Tweetdeck to monitor relevant hashtags, head to Google when you open your laptop in the morning and search the top key words for each of your clients. Consistently using one, or a combination of these tactics will help you ensure you are always hot on the tail of breaking news and will help you anticipate the news of tomorrow.

Be creative

There are two parts to this. Sometimes the ideal story for your client will break and the comment is clear; all you need is a simple pitch to journalists you have already built up a good relationship with.
Often though, this isn’t the case and you need to get creative!
Look outside the specific details of what your client offers and find the broader messages they can provide. For example, a cybersecurity client whose products focus on protecting against a specific type of attack – would they be willing to speak more widely on the topic of the cyber threat? What bold assertions would they be able to make?
When it comes to writing comments, it is critical to get guidance from the client on what they are comfortable discussing and from here you can elaborate and write compelling comment. The journalists are most likely to include comments that are strongly opinionated and say something new; so, within reason, the bolder the better.

Ready, steady, go

Once you have secured opportunities, keep in touch with the journalist to follow through and ensure you have provided them with everything you can. If it is a phone briefing or TV interview, make sure you provide both your client and the media contact with any relevant details they need. If the interview process (and the interview itself) runs smoothly and the producer is pleased with the result, they are likely to look to you again for future opportunities. Organisation is key.
As the story evolves and the news shifts to how the incident occurred and the repercussions, it’s good practice to follow up and either provide further comment or thought leadership on what could have been done or what businesses can learn looking forward.

Evaluation and evolution

An effective news hijacking approach is a continuous initiative and requires continuous assessment. What went well? Which media outlets were interested? How easy was it to get hold of the appropriate spokesperson? Is media training required? These are all areas that should be reviewed and discussed with the client in anticipation of the next opportunity.

For the PR agency, hijacking the news is about identifying a story, pitching out to the relevant media, and briefing the client on any opportunities that are secured. For the client, it’s a combination of sourcing appropriate spokespeople and assisting in the approval of comment or facilitating briefings.

1. What’s your career background, in brief?

Just like the world of PR, my background has been rather eclectic. My career really started when I took a year’s placement with McLaren Automotive as part of my PR degree while at Bournemouth University back in 2011. As the internal PR assistant to the global PR manager, the regional managers – spread over five continents including North America, Asia and the Middle East – and the head of communications and PR, it’s definitely safe to say that I hit the ground running!

Fast paced (just like McLaren’s supercars) from day one, this job was an amazing insight into the world of in-house PR. I was lucky to be able to take on so many exciting projects during the launch of the company’s first mass-production car, the MP4-12C, from journalist track days to factory tours in the world-renowned McLaren Technology Centre.

I used this automotive experience in my previous agency role, working with the likes of Volvo and Peugeot on both consumer and B2B campaigns. However, after graduating, I first moved into another in-house role for a food, facilities and uniform services company, which sparked an interest in the B2B channel. This ultimately led me to take up the position of account manager for Whiteoaks International and move into the technology space.

 

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

Working in retail – mainly because being 17 and having to reluctantly give up your Sunday to work in Primark will always seem like the worst thing in the world. However, given Primark prices, the biggest challenge was trying to stop people haggling for items of clothing reduced to 50p when it looked like 30p…

 

4. What apps, technology items and gadgets can’t you live without?
Spotify – which I guess also means my phone – as I definitely couldn’t live without music!

 

5. What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
Quite simply to do what makes you happy.

 

6. Name one thing about your job that gives you a sense of satisfaction or makes you leave the office smiling…
I think no matter what job you’re in, knowing the client or customer is happy is always a rewarding experience. My team (Team Taurus) always keep me smiling though!

 

7. Do you personalise your workspace?
I like to have a tidy desk and just keep out what I need during the day. The only thing that sets my desk apart is probably the variety of snacks/teas I keep on there; peppermint tea, peanut butter, a piece of fruit and cashew nuts are usually firm staples.

 

8. What’s the first thing you do in the office in the morning?
I usually come straight from the gym in the morning, so I’ll eat my breakfast while checking emails with a big cup of coffee!

 

9. What are you reading, watching or listening to at the moment?
I’m currently reading ‘Why we Sleep’ by Matthew Walker, a professor of neurosciences – it’s probably one of the most eye-opening and fascinating books I’ve ever read and would definitely recommend it. The book delves into everything from what really happens during deep REM (which I discovered stands for rapid eye movement) sleep, to why our sleep patterns change across a lifetime as well as the scary links it has to a lot of major diseases. He also did a great podcast with Joe Rogan for those who’d prefer to listen all about it.

I’m on the lookout for a new series to watch though, so if anyone has any suggestions on that, let me know!

When you hear the name of a brand, most people immediately think of the logo, advert or other visual asset that is associated with it; whether that is McDonald’s golden ‘m’, Twitter’s bird or Apple’s… well, apple. To grab the attention of your audience, your brand must be eye-catching, relevant and be representative of the core values and messages behind your business – and extends far beyond just the logo.

The term ‘brand’ originates from the mark that was put onto livestock as a way of identifying the animal’s owner. While the definition of a brand has significantly developed over time, the concept remains the same; it is a way of identifying the people, values and messages behind a business and the design of a brand is a vital asset.

But how can a B2B business ensure that every aspect of its brand resonates with its target audience and plays its role in creating a successful business?

Here are my three top tips for designing an impactful brand:

1) Be consistent – Consistency is essential for any brand looking to develop long-lasting relationships with its customers and prospects and presenting a coherent image is just the start. The branding of a business gives the prospect or client a reflection of the service they will expect to receive. If a brand is clear, professional and consistent, it will create a positive expectation and increase the likelihood of a prospect engaging with your business. The opposite effect will take place if that same prospect is exposed to a mismatch of imagery and messaging. An effective brand is one that presents itself consistently across all platforms, be that its website, social media pages or other marketing and promotional resources, combining to represent the proposition and value that the business delivers.

2) Trigger an emotion – For a brand to stand out from the crowd it must trigger a positive emotion from its audience and there are several ways in which this can be achieved. While it may not be something that we as consumers consciously think about, colours, shapes and textures play a huge role in the way we think about a brand. When designing a brand, it is fundamental that the psychology behind the design is considered, in combination with the business story, in order to initiate the desired reaction.

3) Keep it simple – The most successful brands are those that have a clear mission and focus all their efforts on achieving that goal. As a result, the design of the brand creates the link relationship between the customer and the business, developing associations with the value that it delivers through its products and/or services. The most impactful brands are those which don’t try hard to explain what it is that they offer and how they create value for its stakeholders. A perfect example of this is Intel, who are known to consumers throughout the world as its ‘sound’ and logo are universally known

While the design aspect of a brand must grab the attention of your target audience, this pales into insignificance if the messages in the content that’s shared don’t match up, tell a story and in the end, sell what the business is selling. It’s not the logo that will ultimately result in sales and brand loyalty. Taking tech giant, Apple as an example, the Apple logo is not the reason you’re reading this blog on your iPhone or MacBook. You’ve been sold a story and it’s the people, the purpose, the messaging and the value that Apple collectively creates, that made you part with your hard-earned cash.