Category: Uncategorised

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

 My name is Simon and I am Whiteoaks’ Business Development and Marketing Manager.

 

What does your daily to-do list look like?

The stock answer is to say: “pretty varied” – but it’s true! My job involves a good deal of travel, meeting prospective clients and working with them to set PR strategies that meet their goals. Alongside this, I work to promote Whiteoaks and its differentiators to tech companies in the UK and across the globe. This might involve one day chained to a desk researching the latest financial regulations, to heading into London to extol the virtues of Whiteoaks’ transparent approach to PR.

 

What made you want to get into PR?

 As a journalist, I was never one of the (few) tiresome ones that would constantly chastise PR firms and genuinely appreciated their ability to hook me up with relevant spokespeople and stories. Tech PR in particular holds a real appeal as it challenges you to take often complex themes and make them relatable through creativity. When the time came to move to the dark side, I did so happily!

 

Who is your favourite brand and why?

 I get the whole argument around sugary drinks but you have to respect what Coca Cola has done. Its branding is iconic, everyone knows who the company is and it remains the number one choice. Though it could be because their Christmas advert is on the telly at the moment and it reminds me of my childhood!

 

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

 Be willing to communicate! Sounds obvious, but this isn’t a career for shrinking violets. Good communication skills, whether with colleagues, journalists, clients or anyone else, is absolutely crucial. Hopefully it isn’t a dying art form, but I fail to believe that emojis are the future of the English language.

 

How do you unwind after a day in the office?

 My first job when back from the office is bath time with my little boy, Charlie – but I wouldn’t call that unwinding! Aside from that I chop and change quite regularly. I tend to either binge watch TV series or spend hours lost in a book, then not read again for months.

 

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

 I am feeling increasingly out of touch with what the younger members of the team might consider “power”, so it certainly isn’t Taylor Swift or any other the other pop tracks that seem to make it onto the playlist. That being said, our CEO James Kelliher and I have been known to drop some serious beats while listening to Kisstory when on the road. However, the song that encapsulates the spirit of Power Hour for me is Africa by Toto. No matter what age range, you can’t help but sing along.

 

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

 I think every Star Wars fan wants to be Han Solo – a cocky space pirate who blazes in at the last minute and saves the day. Hopefully without the patricide though (SPOILER ALERT).

 

What’s your ideal getaway location?

 Back when I had the choice, trips abroad would revolve around a city break with somewhere to watch football at an iconic stadium, from the Camp Nou to the mighty Flora Tallinn. Now, it is anywhere with enough activities to tire out a small child and guarantee a good night’s sleep!

 

What’s your go-to party trick?

 Wowing people with insights from my two poorly received sporting biographies. Though the look quickly changes from “mildly impressed” to “all-out laughter” once they read the Amazon reviews. In fact, bringing this up and making me look like a fool is a particular favourite of our CEO.

 

And finally, cheesy chips?

 At literally any time of day.

Words are all around us. They are in the books we read, the tweets we endlessly scroll through on our phones and the emails that clog up our inboxes. With the right words in the right order, they can bring people to tears or inspire them to do something they never considered before. But they must also be treated with patience and respect. Every piece of advert copy that catches our eye or blog that captures our imagination has been painstakingly crafted, with care taken not just in the choice of words but the structure and order of each one. As Mark Twain once famously said, “the difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ‘tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning”. It stands to reason, then, that the written word should receive the same treatment within the B2B tech PR agency world — but this is not always the case. With PR workloads constantly increasing and responsibilities being shared more frequently across departments, copywriting has become something of a lost art in the 21st century. With so few roles dedicated solely to copywriting within PR agencies, there is a steadily decreasing pool of people who have the skills necessary to convey a strong message in a way that will have a profound effect on the reader. Plus, in the age of citizen journalism, where anyone armed with a smartphone and a Twitter account believes they can deliver impactful storytelling, there has never been more of a need for competent, qualified professionals to help separate the wheat from the chaff. The problem here is often exacerbated within the technology PR industry. All too often we witness the race for brands to publish blogs and thought leadership pieces on a certain hot topic, but this only leaves the reader with a barrage of half-baked content, none of which is particularly compelling for the reader. However, with a fresh angle, a carefully-crafted headline or a gripping lead paragraph, a dedicated copywriter can help your brand stand out among the competition and — most importantly — persuade the reader to click on your article over everything else. This is exactly why we have a team of dedicated copywriters — or content creators, as we like to call ourselves — here at Whiteoaks. We are fully aware that our clients will ultimately be judged by the written content that is sent out into the public sphere, whether it’s a concise press release or a 4,000-word research report, and so we are able to dedicate all of our time to ensuring this is always of the highest possible quality. It also means that we’re able to dedicate more time to developing a deep understanding of the clients we work with, the tone of voice they want to adopt and the messaging they want to deliver to their target audiences. PR is essentially a juggling act between quantity and quality. Of course it’s important to maintain regular brand exposure and increase public awareness through various forms of content, but this effort is all for nothing if the quality of what you’re delivering is below par. In a world with more ‘stuff’ than ever before, copywriters are more important than ever before in ensuring what they create leaves a lasting impression.

When you think of a PR professional, what characteristics come to mind? A strong communicator, great writer with faultless attention to detail, and someone who has a solid work ethic and natural news-sense.

Even the most decorated and experienced professional would admit that, while they may possess these skills, they are stronger in some aspects of the job than others.

Maybe they love the task of transforming reams of data and statistics into compelling, headline-grabbing copy. Others may hate being stuck in the office faced with hours of writing, much preferring to hit the phones to sell-in a press release or get out in front of the media to build long-lasting relationships.

PR agencies have traditionally been structured around teams of generalists working in a matrix and structured as a hierarchy. One moment you might be drafting a whitepaper, the next you could be pitching a client to a journalist contact in reaction to a breaking news story, or compiling a coverage report.

At Whiteoaks we prefer to do things differently, offering our clients a dedicated team based on specialists.

You get an account lead in the form of an experienced director or manager. This person will offer strategic advice and consultancy while heading a team of specialists who have particular skillsets for specific tasks.

They include a dedicated content creator, typically an ex journalist, who gets under the skin of your business and writes everything from press releases, to articles and technical whitepapers.

In the generalist structure you might one day get a piece of copy that is very good, written by someone senior, and the next a piece of copy written by a more junior member that is, with the best will in the world, pretty poor. You as the client will be looking at these two documents wondering how on earth they’ve come from the same place.

Under our structure, that simply doesn’t happen. Your content creator understands your business, your product, solutions and services, but also understands your tone of voice and messaging. It also means that we don’t have a highly skilled writer worrying about ordering sandwiches for next week’s meeting.

Each team also includes an influencer relations specialist, a media seller in old money, pitching and securing opportunities. He or she is a vital member of each team, using their in-depth knowledge of national and trade media to ensure content gets maximum exposure.

In addition, clients benefit from a digital and social executive who is responsible for managing social feeds and supporting client campaigns with lead generation. They are skilled in creating compelling and impactful digital content, overseeing social communities and using the latest tools to effectively report on social successes.

Furthermore, they take pride in staying on top of the latest social media and digital trends by building relationships with key industry players and influencers.

Each team also has an account coordinator, generally the most junior team member, to ensure the smooth running of the account through meetings, calls and approvals.

It is this mixture of experience and specialism that we believe sets Whiteoaks apart as a B2B Tech PR Agency and helps us achieve exceptional results for clients.

John Broy, Client Services Director

Deliver Integrated Campaigns

Did you know that 98% of people on the web use at least one social network? On average, each one of these people has about eight active accounts (and the general consensus from these people is that they ‘like’ social media). The latest Social Media Trends research from GlobalWebIndex may be pointing out some predictable stats, but there’s more to it. With so many people using social media, there’s a growing treasure trove of insights that businesses are dying to unlock! All they need is a key, and that key comes in the form of social listening.

I know what you’re thinking… “I’m always dabbling in social listening”, but keeping tabs on your company’s mentions on Twitter isn’t enough these days. You need to track what your stakeholders are talking about. If you know what they like and don’t like then you’re going to have a much easier time creating content that’s going to resonate well.

Some marketers might see it as a crucial part of their strategy, others might shrug their shoulders at it, but one thing is for sure… if you’re going to do it, then you need to do it properly.

The beauty of social listening is that it helps to paint a picture. Not only will you be able to keep an eye on your competitors, or get a better understanding of what your customers think about your products/services… you’ll have all the information you need to inform your future marketing decisions and campaigns. If you’re looking to identify new ways to get your message ‘out there’ then social listening will help to highlight the opportunities within your industry.

It’s not just marketing that can benefit from this information. You can uncover what customers love and hate about your product, providing you with useful insights for both your sales and R&D departments.

So, you’ve committed… You’re up and running with social listening and you’re ready to eat up those insights to turn them into something magical for your company. What now? Keep an eye on it, play around with the information it’s giving you. If you decide to react to a ‘related hashtag’ that’s starting to pick up some traction then be sure to track the effectiveness of your efforts. The more you utilise the information you’re being provided, the better you’re going to get at social listening. Of course, success may not always come straight away so remember to stay on brand and to keep on plugging away at it.

As the stats suggest, ALMOST everyone on the internet is using social media. Businesses need to recognise this and start planning for how they’re going to cut through the noise to listen to their stakeholders’ needs and wants. Social listening is an exciting opportunity that marketers need to consider if they want to ensure their future campaigns are resonating well with the company’s desired audiences.

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

I’m Ollie Horsley, which rolls off the tongue more easily with a silent ‘H’, but that makes me sound like a character from EastEnders. Fortunately I’m not a character from EastEnders, I’m a content creator here at Whiteoaks.

 

What does your daily to-do list look like?

My daily to-do list is compiled by our effervescent senior account manager Mary Fitzgerald and a quick conversation about my schedule first thing in the morning combined with a strong black coffee is an effective double-pronged approach to snapping me awake. The ensuing to-do list usually comprises writing various articles, blogs, press releases and other tech related content.

 

What made you want to get into PR?

I had been working in in-house B2B and B2C roles writing about everything from e-cigarettes to digital music software and even adult-oriented gadgets that come in all sorts of weird shapes and sizes. Eventually I decided to jump the fence and experience life in a PR agency. It felt quite daunting, being a bit of an outsider to the industry, but after meeting the team at Whiteoaks I knew this was a move I wanted to make.

 

Who is your favourite brand and why?

Skittles. I’m probably a little old for sweets, but I love the eccentricity that they convey. I’ve always had trouble deciding whether the TV ad in which everything the guy touches turns into Skittles seems like a complete nightmare or something that I really envy.

 

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

As a newcomer to the PR industry after many years out in the cold (ok, just out there doing in-house roles), my top tip is to start out with the understanding that you’re not just going to land on your feet right away.

You have to put in the work and sometimes it may feel like a struggle, but it’s all part of the journey. Along the way you’ll learn stuff that will become invaluable.

My first writing gig was unpaid and secured through an ad on Gumtree, but you might have better luck finding paid experience here at Whiteoaks!

 

How do you unwind after a day in the office?

If the weather is nice I like to cycle or tinker with my car, usually while listening to a comedy podcast. If the weather isn’t so pleasant I can be found sipping red wine in front of the latest Netflix drama or rehearsing with my band in a converted cowshed, far away from anyone who can be offended by the cacophonies we create.

 

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

Speaking of cacophonies, it’s probably a blessing for everyone at Whiteoaks that I’m located in the tranquil writers’ room (where every hour is Power Hour, just without the music) because I’d probably choose something noisy by The Replacements or Japandroids.

 

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

Marty McFly. Always Marty McFly.

 

What’s your ideal getaway location?

Barcelona is the perfect destination. It’s a vibrant city that has everything you could wish for, including beaches, mountains and bodegas where you can cure (or extend) your hangover with a shot of vermut (vermouth). Whose round is it?

 

What’s your go-to party trick?

Sneaking off home without saying goodbye.

 

And finally, cheesy chips?

Chips and gravy, please and thank you.

The clocks have gone backwards, the mornings are frosty and pumpkin spiced goods are everywhere you turn. The month of November has begun and the nation is on the edge of its seat in anticipation for the release of 2017’s Christmas adverts. But what makes a successful Christmas Marketing campaign?

Invest

The investment that retailers make in their Christmas adverts provide the opportunity to not only create short-term commercial success, but develop the brand over the long term. John Lewis is an excellent example of this. In 2007 its Christmas adverts returned to the screen following a three-year break and ever since the retailer has raised the bar year on year, demanding competitors follow suit.

Its 2014 campaign told the story of a little boy called Sam and his loyal penguin friend Monty who is craving a penguin companion. On Christmas morning, his wishes come true as waiting for Monty under the tree is Mabel! The spell is broken when Sam’s parents enter the room and we realise that Monty and Mabel are not real penguins, but Sam’s toys. It’s adorable, heart-warming and, importantly to John Lewis, extremely profitable. Cuddly toys of Monty the Penguin sold out just hours after being released. The RRP? £95!

Connect

 Cute animals, thoughtful children, doting partners and dream-like worlds are abundant in adverts throughout the festive period. An effective Christmas campaign creates an emotional connection with the audience and offers the chance to build brand fame, create customer bonds, implement strategic PR and ultimately drive long-term gains.

Discount supermarket chain Aldi is growing rapidly and as it continues to compete with the ‘Big Four’ a successful Christmas advert will be a top priority for the marketing team. Last year Aldi stepped up to the (Christmas) plate with its festive advert depicting Kevin the carrot’s perilous journey to the fireplace where he hoped to meet Santa, but instead ended up precariously dangling from Rudolph’s antler, flying high on Santa’s sleigh. The advert was a resounding success and the internet was flooded with comparisons between it and John Lewis’ offering, many favouring the budget supermarket. In response to this Aldi later released a tongue-in-cheek video featuring the carrot as he sat down to watch the much-hyped John Lewis advert.

 Engage

Social media has become an increasingly integral part of festive campaigns. Marks and Spencer’s Mrs Claus advert last year launched the social media tag #LoveMrsClaus, which proved hugely successful. The advert reminded the nation of Mr Claus’s often forgotten other half and supported the movement of female empowerment. In 2014 Sainsbury’s, in partnership with the Royal British Legion, created a thought provoking campaign on the Christmas Truce of 1914. Due to the political nature of the topic there was potential for a PR crisis. However, the advert was widely received positively and achieved 24,000 mentions (the vast majority of which were positive) within the first week of it airing.

Last year before John Lewis first aired its Buster the Boxer advert a 10-second clip was posted by an account named @Bouncing2016. Although this year’s campaign remains a closely guarded secret, eager-eyed Twitter users have spotted an account named @UnderTheBed2017 who have posted a video showing the eyes of a creature in darkness. The account encouraged followers to tweet the hashtag #UnderTheBed creating a stir online before even being aired!

Many of this year’s Christmas adverts are expected to air this week so be prepared for hearts to melt and Twitter to go crazy!

As Terry Wogan’s producer used to say about on-air mistakes: “nobody died”, but translate this into the social media realm and its instantaneous capabilities can cause upset, reputation damage and even create a brand crisis with just one single post.

There were hundreds and thousands – pun intended – of disgruntled Great British Bake Off fans this week when new judge Prue Leith accidently revealed this year’s winner on Twitter just hours ahead of the finale’s airing. While this caused an uproar among the British public, I’m sure no one felt as bad as poor Prue, who probably cost Channel 4 millions in revenue and lowered those all-important viewing figures for the channel’s first series of the £25m culinary show.

In this instance, Prue owned the error in a timely matter, explaining the situation and held her hands up to fans and followers – the best thing to do in any situation, especially when mediating a potential PR crisis. Even though she swiftly removed the post when she realised her blunder, of course, the news went viral and the three-month, tightly wrapped secret was unfortunately revealed further.

Gone are the days where an individual or brand could have a few days to create a press release or set up a media briefing to explain the situation, and with all the positivity it brings, social media can also act as an accelerator of a bad situation. Followers want instant answers when someone puts their foot in it and brands must adhere to this need if they want to salvage their reputation.

Like Prue, brands need to immediately confess to any errors they may have made. If they aren’t open and honest at the soonest possibility, speculation starts to occur and other people will start to paint another story of the situation they have found themselves in.

It’s also important not to downplay the situation; your audience won’t appreciate this kind of tactic. Address the error, and inform people what steps are being taken to ensure that the company is doing its best to make sure the mishap never happens again.

Even though there is a smaller chance of a public airing, being aware of your social actions still applies in the B2B arena. Think of Prue as a company selling cloud services or perhaps a data centre provider who gives away some serious business insights on a company page. If a supplier, investor or partner witnesses this error, it could result in a serious financial backlash. You’d hope a company facing this kind of scenario has a stringent crisis plan in place before the calamity so that, when things do go wrong, stakeholders know who to go to and for what. And businesses, if you don’t have something like this in place, you might, and by might, I mean definitely, want to incorporate this into your overall business protocol as soon as possible.

Ultimately, while it does fall to a company or person to own their error, it’s also worth us, the general public, just remembering that mistakes can happen. After all, we are human.

Our relationship with Sprout Social started back in July 2016. We took them up on their offer for a 30-day trial as we were in the market for a new platform that would help us manage and grow our clients’ social media channels. As soon as the trial ended, we knew we had to roll the tool out across our client base so they can start benefiting from the improved monitoring, publishing and reporting functionalities that the dashboard offers. Since then, our relationship with Sprout has only grown stronger. In May 2017, we become a Founding Partner of Sprout Social’s brand-new Agency Partner Program, and in October 2017, we flew out across the pond to attend the company’s first ever Sprout Agency Partner Day.

The Sprout Agency Partner Day was an exciting opportunity for us to gain valuable insight into the trends and future of social media and mingle with over 100 other industry leaders in the digital space, all of which are avid Sprout Social lovers like we are here at Whiteoaks! The day had a packed agenda with some exciting speakers lined up. Some of which included Twitter’s Eric Martin shining a spotlight on the future of Twitter as a social network; Fifty & Five’s Lucas Vandenberg sharing his insights into social KPIs; as well as a great discussion from B Squared Media’s Brook B. Sellas who discussed how she successfully scaled her agency to accommodate its continued growth.

One element I noticed as a recurring theme is the importance of listening to your followers and social audiences. Monitoring has always been key on social media, something we focus on here at Whiteoaks, but it’s becoming a priority for businesses that want to see success from their social efforts. Another exciting trend is social advocacy, where Social Compass’ Jared DiVincent shared his experiences with Bambu by Sprout Social, a tool which helps organisations to get their staff more involved with sharing company content on social media. Both trends are something that agencies and clients need to stay aware of as the social landscape continues to evolve.

As well as presentations from Social Media Unicorn, SSPR and Friendemic who shared their best practices to managing high-performing agencies in a panel, we had a peak into what’s next for the Partner Program, and the Partner Value Awards were announced (one thing we didn’t want to miss in this blog!).

We were thrilled to have received the #SproutPartner MVP award which recognises the partner that’s the most involved in the online Sprout Partner community! Congratulations to both Sarah’s Best Strategy and B Squared Media for being named in the top three. Also, a huge congratulations to Cosmitto, Social Compass and Digital Natives Group for taking home awards on the day too.

The day was a clear success, even without the award we would have left Chicago happier than we when we tasted our first bite of Chicago deep dish pizza. It was an absolute pleasure to meet and learn from our fellow industry professionals about all things social. It provided us with the perfect opportunity to learn where the social media industry is at the moment and where it’s heading — and we’ll be putting a lot of what we learnt into practice going forward.

I also wanted to thank the team at Sprout Social (Christine, Luke, Tara, Buck, Vera, Sarah and anyone else who I might have missed) for giving us such a warm welcome to their offices and for making us feel at home.

 

There is much doom and gloom in the media about robotics, automation and artificial intelligence stealing jobs, sending hundreds of thousands of workers onto the breadline while Skynet and the rest plot our ultimate downfall.

Fortunately, there is an alternative viewpoint. I was at an event last week where the issue of AI (and the data needed to drive it) was a prominent feature. The speaker in question, a prominent UK broadcaster, talked at length about the requirement for humans to set creative questions in order to make the most of the volume of data we as a society are now creating.

He quoted Dr Richard Oram – and the line has stayed with me ever since: “The room for creative questions using this resource (data) is mind blowing.”

The speaker (whom I am deliberately not naming) went on to argue that artificial intelligence and the like shouldn’t mean the traditional workforce is seen as a cost to be cut, but rather for humans to be more aspirational. Let the mundane be automated by machines, leaving humans to work on more complex tasks. In short, being creative.

And I like that as a premise.

Rather than being fearful of data driven technology, we should be more trusting. Another stat that caught my eye was the trust we have in mobile technology. There are seven billion people on the planet, of which 2.5 billion have no bank account. However, there are more than 7 billion mobile phones.

Given we would all consider a bank account as fairly fundamental, it is amazing to consider that the humble phone is comfortably considered as more essential. Particularly in areas of Africa, where mobile banking is the norm and, in many cases, these areas are blazing a trail in connected finance.

I would like to see more positive stories on the impact these three mega trends will have on the workforce of tomorrow. Let’s hope someone is listening!

 

 

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

My name is Jonny Kerr but if you ask certain people my name is ‘Intern boy’ or ‘worky’… When Whiteoaks F.C was in full swing I picked up the nickname ‘Dave Batty’ as a reference to my ‘competitive’ approach but I think my style of play is more cultured.

As you can probably guess from my nicknames my role at Whiteoaks is PR and Marketing Intern. I am here on a placement year as part of my Business and Law Degree.

 

What does your daily to-do list look like?

In my first four months at Whiteoaks my daily to-do list has been extremely varied. Mornings usually begin with reading the papers for any interesting stories. The rest of the day can include anything from client calls and writing social posts, to driving round Basingstoke and Reading in a bright orange ice cream van with my best mate, Dave! This was completely work-related, I assure you!

 

What made you want to get into PR?

I have always wanted to pursue a career where there is a lot of variety and I can be creative. This, in addition to the fact that I have always been business minded, meant that PR was an obvious career choice to explore.

 

Who is your favourite brand and why?

My favourite brand at the moment would have to be Myprotein. I like everything about the brand from the simplicity of their logo, branding and product design, to the quality and diversity of their products.

 

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

I would recommend gaining as much experience as you possibly can! I have found it incredibly useful and insightful learning from everyone here at Whiteoaks, so finding a placement or work experience opportunity is a great place to start.

 

How do you unwind after a day in the office?

A day in the office is always followed by a gym session or game of 6-a-side football, followed by an episode or two of Suits.

 

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

My taste in music is all about variety! I am tone deaf but that wouldn’t stop me singing my heart out to anything from The Smiths, to The 1975, to Eminem. However, when there is work to be done, nothing makes me more productive than Harry Potter or Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks (Don’t knock it until you try it!).

 

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

Great question! One of my all-time favourite films is Dodgeball so I would have to say Peter LaFluer as we are both witty and have similarly terrible filing systems!

 

What’s your ideal getaway location?

If it’s for a few days I would have to say the Lake District where I’d go for long walks with the dog followed by a pub lunch in front of the fire. If it’s for a week or two it would have to be somewhere tropical so I can top up the tan.

 

What’s your go-to party trick?

I have never been beaten in a drinking race. I hold the Fishponds Town F.C record for the 5 halves challenge (half pints of Guinness, Bitter, Cider, Lager and Lemonade) with a time of 32 seconds. If anyone wants to challenge me I can usually be found in the Wheatsheaf at 4.30 on a Friday evening. Can you tell I’m a student?

 

And finally, cheesy chips?

Only on the weekend.