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It’s official. The Apostrophe Protection Society, founded in 2001, has shut down; largely due to apathy if its founder, retired journalist John Richards, is to be believed. And yes, it is easy to believe because as a copywriter, it’s one of the things I notice; the misuse of the apostrophe (never for plurals!) or leaving it out completely.

Some, including a linguistic expert, think the death of the apostrophe is a good thing. It’s like our appendix. Who needs it anyway?

Of course, I beg to differ. As a writer, a language lover, and a bit of a pedant, the apostrophe has to stay.

Here’s why.

Apathy or laziness?

The linguistic expert mentioned above says too , misuse of the apostrophe is used to show up people with lower intelligence: “A good grasp of apostrophe use says more about your ability to remember inconsistent patterns than it does about your intelligence.”

I don’t think it’s an intelligence issue. I think it’s about laziness. With shortcuts for everything, are we simply too lazy to remember (or learn) what correct grammar and punctuation look like? And why should we bother when we have autocorrect functionality on our phones, built-in grammar checks on Word and upcoming generations that text in code?

We should bother because details matter and we (writers, at least) don’t want to get replaced by robots.

But that’s a topic for another blog.

Evolution or devolution?

Looking at language in general, it’s true that English has evolved and continues to change with use, influenced by other languages, slang and a new generation that could shorten this blog to 280 characters.

Just think about the new words we’ve added this year alone like “bigsie”, “e-bike” and “skunked”. There are also words we don’t use anymore and not ones like “shininicked” (benumbed and paralysed with fear) or “loitersacke” (a lazy, loitering fellow), but words like “whilst” or “thus” or “henceforth”.

We’ve also relaxed a lot when it comes to style itself, like starting sentences with conjunctions like “and” or “but”. I’ve done it in this blog.

But (see, I’ve done it again), where do we draw the line on what gets discarded? Could we ever get rid of other punctuation like the full stop? Then every single piece of written content would resemble a Facebook rant, just minus the emojis (another new word). The same can be said of the comma. This little mark is often overused or not used at all — and if we got rid of it (shudder) it would be a gamble each time we wrote something that the meaning would be properly conveyed. Just consider:

“Let’s eat Grandma.” vs “Let’s eat, Grandma.”

I’m going to leave that there.

Language is fluid. I accept that. But there should be some guidelines we still stick to, because it’s a slippery slope. First, we dismiss the apostrophe, then the comma, the em dash (my personal favourite) and then the fullstop.

& thn in 10yrs tm well all b tking lke ths if we rnt alrdy.

Technology trends such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing have been hot topics in the news for some time due to their influence on our everyday lives. The same certainly applies to human resources, as I have seen first-hand how technology is bringing multiple benefits to every stage of the employee lifecycle, from recruitment through to employee wellbeing.

With a rise in trends like remote working and the influx of a younger workforce, people are becoming increasingly disparate, posing a fresh set of challenges for HR leaders to ensure a happy, connected and productive environment. While there is an argument that reducing the human element from HR management can lead to workers feeling isolated, in today’s digitally savvy workplace, technology has instead become a critical enabler in driving a better experience for companies and their employees alike. For example, there is an increasing requirement for employers to support their employees on issues that extend beyond the office environment, helping them to manage physical, financial and mental wellbeing as well as their work-life balance.

How we use HR technology continues to change how we manage our employee data, HR processes and the benefits offered to our teams. The abundance of data that the latest solutions provide allow us to better inform business decisions and facilitate a more efficient and happier workplace. Automated workflows and collaboration make working life easier, more engaging and fun; with the wrong system in place people can easily become disengaged and hinder overall productivity.

HR technology is not one size fits all – solutions are required that use technology to allow employees and employers to interact intuitively with the ability to scale and grow with your business. There is an increasing demand for apps and other technologies to cover the whole employee lifecycle; from supporting recruitment and staff retention to fostering staff wellbeing and boosting performance. The ability to manage payroll, performance reviews and company suggestions remotely is nothing short of a game-changer, as creating a streamlined and automated process removes the administrative stranglehold and frees up time for senior HR professionals to focus on more strategic issues.

To conclude, managing employee wellbeing in today’s working environment requires a modern approach. HR managers must adapt to both mitigate the issues and take advantages of the opportunities that a technologically advanced workplace can bring.

There’s one story that has dominated the tech news this week and that’s the unveiling of Tesla’s much anticipated Cybertruck. Tesla CEO Elon Musk promised something different and that’s exactly what we got. The electric pickup looks like a mashup between something you would expect to see in Back to the Future and Blade Runner, and the design has certainly divided opinion. You can’t help but admire Musk’s insistence on being deliberately different!

A Tesla pickup truck makes plenty of sense on paper – the three top-selling vehicles in the US are pickup trucks and the consumer appetite for electric cars is clearly growing, so Musk knows his product has a market. But the Cybertruck needs to be aesthetically appealing to the majority of potential buyers to really make a dent in the marketplace and despite impressive pre-sale figures, those looks could restrict potential eventual sales.

Speaking of impacts, Musk used the launch event to demonstrate the durability of the truck’s bodywork by having the doors walloped with a sledgehammer. Unfortunately, the impact weakened the supposedly bulletproof ‘Armour glass’ of the windows, which shattered when a metal ball was thrown at them in an experiment that was supposed to demonstrate their strength…

Not many vehicles are currently fitted with bulletproof glass so this isn’t exactly a security measure that potential owners will be especially bothered about. But there is a big security question mark over a long-promised feature for Tesla vehicles, one that is yet to materialise. Musk has been promising fully self-driving capabilities for Tesla vehicles for a while now, meaning passengers won’t have to pay any attention to the road. Tesla’s existing self-driving functionality requires drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road. While it doesn’t look like full self-driving mode will happen anytime soon, the risks are already being explored.

A new report from Europe’s cybersecurity agency ENISA warns that increased connectivity and automation exposes vehicle owners to several crucial cyber threats. Armour glass might help us escape from hijacking events, but automakers need to think about security measures to stop vehicles being hacked and systems being overridden while we’re riding in them.

As the world becomes increasingly connected, we are becoming more exposed to cyber threats and as we see more connectivity and automation – not just in the way we travel but in other sectors too including construction and infrastructure – security will become increasingly important.

To overcome the challenge ahead, automakers may have to work closely with cybersecurity experts and agencies like ENISA to keep potential threats at bay. It’s inevitable that as the reality of self-driving vehicles on public roads draws closer, regulations will be put into place to protect public safety and this could add further delay to Musk’s promise of a fully autonomous Tesla.

If, and when, self-driving cars and haulage trucks take to the roads, automakers need to be considering the safety aspects of the technology that is being put into vehicles. If they don’t, we could really find ourselves in a dystopian thriller like those that inspired the design of the Cybertruck.

Last week I was fortunate enough to attend one of the highlights of the UK infrastructure calendar as Highways UK rolled into the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. Wednesday 6^th November marked the start of the two-day conference where all major players in the sector from Highways England to government leaders all shared their views on whether the road of the future will be more like a Scalextric track, if cars drive themselves or if electric vehicle charging is the answer to helping the planet.

Throughout the conference, there was a clear focus; sustainability. Organisations admitted it was a challenge of magnitude with some attendees believing this was the greatest challenge that the sector has ever had to face.

This theme created a hot bed of different ideas; one eye-catcher for me was discussed at a talk hosted by an array of leaders from sub-national transport bodies, where the idea of pay-as-you-go mobility was introduced. The concept was simple, as cars become more advanced, they will essentially become data beacons for the network, which means road tax could be linked to the number of miles that the car covers on a yearly basis, rather than a flat amount. This makes perfect sense in every other part of our lives from utility bills to phone contracts, so can it work for our cars too?

The sustainability topic rolled on throughout the event, but one thing that was dismissed on the whole was electric vehicle charging being the sole answer. While electric vehicle sales may have seen a 151% increase in October compared to 12 months ago, the idea of every car on the road being powered this way is currently flawed because of a lack of  infrastructure to support it — with around 25,000 charging points in the UK, compared to the 37 million cars that were registered on the road in 2017.

Drilling down into a more immediate proposition that appears to hold the key for any sustainability ideas is the use of data, which is being widely accepted by transport bodies and technology vendors alike. Nick Smee, CEO of our client, Yotta, a leading technology company in the highways sector, took this one step further and believes there is ‘a growing recognition that data is the most valuable resource that people have at their disposal’ and acknowledges that more data will continue to be available from a variety of sources such as ‘asset surveys and first autonomous vehicle’.

In terms of what the road of the future might look like, it is very much still up for debate with creating roads out of recycled plastic being one option put forward by one Scottish  firm earlier this year. Meanwhile Shell, has developed a clear picture of what the road would look like, featuring glow in the dark lanes to pollution sapping road surfaces all of which seem a long way of becoming a mainstream and long-term solution.

The highways sector clearly has plenty of hurdles to overcome in tackling the sustainability challenge and although there is no fast lane to success, the event provided a fantastic insight into how the issue is being approached and it was clear that the majority agree that data will still be king in 2020.

When they’re part of a carefully strategised marketing plan, B2B technology industry events provide an excellent platform to share expertise, raise brand awareness and build relationships with key media and industry influencers.

Download our eBook, ‘Making the Most of Industry Events‘ now, to ensure you achieve the best return on investment from your events marketing, with tips covering content creation, media relations and PR and social media.

Industry Events eBook

Related: Event Series Webinar – Redefining event marketing: Plan for success

Bekki Bushnell, Head of Business Development

Apple TV+ launched at the start of this month, entering the already-crowded arena of streaming platforms. With Britbox also having launched this month, and the likes of Disney+, HBO Max and NBCUniversal slated for upcoming release, the competition is set to heat up even more as the battle for subscribers continues. This new array of content also joins the established players like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Now TV, which account for usage in over 46% of homes in the UK.

Apple’s challenge is not only to stand out among the new platforms, with Disney emerging as its biggest rival, but also those existing channels which have cemented their places as the streaming giants and set the standards we expect from platforms today. Where ‘Netflix and chill’ has become a commonplace phrase, ‘Apple TV+ and chill’ doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. The reality is that even if we wanted to, most of us couldn’t afford subscribing to all the streaming services available, so the challenge for each platform is creating a higher value to the consumer than its competitors.

So, what is Apple’s strategy to break into the market?

Undoubtedly, Apple’s top priority is pushing its original content. Original content is on the rise across the board to combat the increasing threat of rights holders pulling their content from existing platforms to monetise it themselves – such as WarnerMedia pulling Friends from Netflix to include on its own upcoming platform HBO Max. By creating original content, Apple avoids this risk entirely. It has also invested heavily in talent, with its shows featuring huge names, from Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carrell, to Steven Spielberg and Oprah. This is a bid to assure consumers that its original content is going to be worth subscribing to. After all, you could say that Spielberg’s repertoire of blockbuster hits speaks for itself.

Apple has also opted for a staggered approach in releasing its content. Its launch debuted eight TV shows and one documentary film, and M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller ‘Servant’ is due to drop on November 28th. Although other dates are yet to be announced, Apple has an impressive amount of new content in the pipeline. Despite the pressure to churn out shows, a focus on quality over quantity could work in Apple’s favour. Meanwhile, Netflix has recently been flexing the ‘surprise drop’ strategy (staggered timings for new content) which Apple could end up imitating – although, it would likely need a healthy base of subscribers first to make this worthwhile.

Another differentiator is Apple’s price. It’s cheaper than its counterparts at £4.99 a month, but arguably couldn’t justify charging more given its initial lack of content. It offers a one-year free trial for students, a clever strategy given that the student demographic is known for social media usage and can spread enthusiasm and positive reviews via social feeds and word of mouth. It’s also free for new iPhone and iPad owners. However, this offer was marred by technical difficulties on launch day as some users were unable to claim the free trial while others were given the offer without owning a new product.

Product accessibility is another issue. Apple TV+ is currently compatible with Apple devices, some Samsung smart TVs, Roku and Amazon’s Fire Stick, but not with any Sony, LG or Vizio devices. Additionally, although its price is lower than other streaming platforms, ‘stacking’ ends up being expensive (a term for subscribing to multiple platforms). In this sense, it will be harder for Apple to convince those already subscribed to existing services to unsubscribe and opt for TV+ instead. Its closest competitor, Disney+, has the advantage of existing films, rights to franchises like Marvel, and a global fan base. Meanwhile, HBO Max is an extension of its existing network, offering a combination of content already proven popular alongside new content that promises to be the same.

Ultimately, Apple TV+ needs to prove its original content is top quality, binge-worthy and appealing, as this remains its key differentiator in the increasingly crowded market. With good reviews it could see a surge in subscribers, but bad feedback could be its downfall. Whether I’ll subscribe? Only time will tell.

What’s your career background, in brief?

Since graduating from Uni I have worked in marketing and project co-ordination roles. This is my first role in the world of PR, and my position at Whiteoaks involves working on our marketing campaigns, from content creation to updates with clients.

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

When I was 18 I worked as a retail assistant at HMV, and our stock of the X Factor winner’s CD was late to arrive at the store on the day it came out. With X Factor being insanely popular at the time, we had hundreds of customers coming in to buy it when we opened first thing in the morning, and I had to disappoint them all with the bad news. (Online downloads and streaming really hadn’t kicked off at this point).

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

I listen to a lot of music so I can’t live without Spotify. I also play a lot of FIFA so a functioning Playstation 5 is helpful.

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

Always be yourself, unless you can be Spider-Man, then be Spider-Man.

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

Writing good quality copy that doesn’t need much correcting is always satisfying!

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

As we’ve hit the winter months, hanging up my coat is always the first thing I do. Then it’s time for the morning coffee to get my brain into gear for the day.

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

The last book I read was called Ready Player One, where in a dystopian future the main character plugs himself into a much nicer virtual world to live out his life (Similar concept to The Matrix). I’m currently watching the last series of a comedy on Netflix called The Good Place, and Liam Gallagher’s new album is my go-to music at the moment.

In June 2019, Facebook announced the launch of its proposed digital currency, Libra. But since then the social media platform has run into a number of roadblocks; from France blocking the currency’s development in Europe, to Mark Zuckerberg getting a grilling by US lawmakers about Libra’s privacy policies. As it stands, it doesn’t look very good for the social media giant’s latest venture nor does it look like it will get any easier for the company, especially as the US House Financial Services Committee is still unsatisfied with the steps that Facebook has taken to try launch Libra.

With all the bad press and Facebook and Zuckerberg’s trustworthiness at an all-time low, is it time to abandon the whole cryptocurrency venture?

A BBC News article recently reported that some of the biggest payment companies including Mastercard, Visa and PayPal have pulled out of the project. PayPal released a statement saying:

“PayPal has made the decision to forgo further participation in the Libra association at this time and to continue to focus on advancing our existing mission and business priorities as we strive to democratise access to financial services for underserved populations. We remain supportive of Libra’s aspirations and look forward to continued dialogue on ways to work together in the future. Facebook has been a longstanding and valued strategic partner to PayPal and we will continue to partner with and support Facebook in various capacities.”

Although most of the companies leaving didn’t give a reason as to why they were leaving, you can assume that the scrutiny from regulators and France’s stance hasn’t helped.

Should Facebook be looking at new ventures when it has an already damaged reputation to repair? To be clear, Libra isn’t actually Facebook’s cryptocurrency. It’s the project of the Libra Association, which Facebook co-founded. But we did find out from the testimony on Wednesday that Zuckerberg acknowledged that having people use Libra would likely drive up the cost of advertising on Facebook, which would benefit the company. Facebook’s secret weapon in all of this is Calibra, a digital wallet that is designed to work on top of Libra’s blockchain and resembles a normal payments company but its integration with Facebook’s enormous user base could give it a significant advantage over any rivals. With its ability to leverage WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram, Calibra could very well become Facebook’s next big thing.

The signs don’t look good for the Libra currency succeeding. Companies are looking to distance themselves from the project and with regulators watching every move Zuckerberg has an even steeper hill to climb and with more investment needed. Facebook is still dealing with the consequences of the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the damage to its reputation, as well as ongoing issues concerning fake news, political advertising, privacy… the list goes on.

I can’t help but think that with Facebook’s deep pockets and the limitless potential of a proprietary digital wallet as motivation, the idea isn’t necessarily dead just yet.

This week saw 203 new words, such as whatevs, simples and chillax, added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) as part of its quarterly update. As a writer who also has a French degree, I love language and find the etymology and evolution of words fascinating. So, the updates to the dictionary always spark my interest – even if I don’t agree with all of them… 2015’s bants sticks in my mind!

The four updates to the dictionary each year demonstrate how pop-culture, technology, politics and a more multicultural society, among other things, impact the way we speak. For instance, the latest update features Star Wars terms (Jedi, lightsabre, Padawan and the Force), regional dialect and words borrowed from other languages. Above all, the new additions to the dictionary highlight the ever-evolving nature of the English language.

And, as much as new words and phrases are being thought up every year, others seem to have stood the test of time – after all, it’s thought 1,700 words and phrases in the English language were invented by Shakespeare.

Conversely, words can fall out of fashion. For example, how frequently do you hear people saying things like ‘whence’, ‘whilst’ or ‘oftentimes’? Similarly, some words can disappear altogether. Take scurryfunge, for example, which was once used to mean ‘a hasty tidying of the house between the time you see a neighbour and the time they knock on the door’.

Over time, the meaning of words can also change, as reflected by the definitions of steaming and hanging being updated in line with their use to mean drunk and hungover respectively.

Here are some of my favourites from the latest OED update:

Arancini, n.: Balls of rice stuffed with a savoury filling, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried, typically served as an appetizer or snack.

Easy-breezy, adj.: Especially of clothing, style, etc. Informal, casual; relaxed, carefree.

Kapow, int.: Representing the sound of an explosion, a gunshot, a hard punch or blow, etc.

Manhattanhenge, n.: A phenomenon in which the sun rises or sets in alignment with the streets that run east to west on the street grid of Manhattan, New York City.

Nomophobia, n.: Anxiety about not having access to a mobile phone or mobile phone services.

Omnishambles, n.: Chiefly in political contexts: a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged or is characterised by a series of blunders and miscalculations. This phrase was coined by the political comedy The Thick of It in 2009.

While it’s unlikely I’ll be using words such as sumfin, fakeness or easy-breezy in my work any time soon, I will most certainly be snacking on arancini and checking out Manhattenhenge when I’m next in New York.