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Crisis communications in business: 5 tips for navigating storms successfully

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Claire Stephenson reflects on some of the recent public relations crises in the media. How can businesses be better prepared to weather emergencies through proper planning and strategic crisis communications?

With social media offering an instantaneous ability to share information – good and bad – crises are inevitable. Whether it’s a recalled product that is dangerous (currently, Home Bargains has placed a recall on a muscle-building product that has “potentially lethal” levels of caffeine in it), a public relations nightmare (think of the fallout over Huw Edwards), or a natural disaster impacting business operations, every organisation must be prepared to face challenges head-on. 

Top 5 tips

Effectively managing a crisis begins with a solid crisis communications strategy. Here are five key elements on how to prepare your communications for any kind of emergency.

  1. Proactive planning. Successful crisis communications begin long before a crisis actually happens. Proactive planning and risk assessment are essential to identify any potential vulnerabilities and help you to prepare for a range of scenarios. Conduct a thorough assessment of your business operations, supply chain, communication channels, and any potential risks. Create a crisis management team – including key stakeholders. Depending on the size of your organisation, this could include public relations specialists, a legal team, human resources, and operations management. Establish clear roles and responsibilities within your team to ensure any emergency is met with a strong and effective response.
  2. Timely communications. In the midst of a crisis, misinformation can spread rapidly – especially on social media – which can also make the situation worse. Make sure any response is swift and transparent. Acknowledge the issue as soon as possible, and furthermore be open about the facts. Hiding information or delaying communications will damage trust with your audience. Make sure all appropriate communication channels are used – this might be social media, press releases, or e-news – a dedicated crisis telephone line may also be required, depending on the severity of the issue.
  3. Compassionate communications. It’s important to recognise that some forms of crisis can bring a wide range of emotions, with individuals affected on personal levels. Demonstrating empathy and compassion in your communication can go a long way in diffusing tension and building stronger relationships with stakeholders. Show concern for those impacted by the crisis, whether it’s customers, employees, or communities. Offer support and solutions to address their needs and concerns. A genuine display of empathy can humanise your brand and encourage goodwill during challenging times.
  4. Consistent communications. When in a crisis situation, it’s important to maintain consistency in your messaging across all communication channels. Ensure that all team members and spokespeople are briefed on the key messages to be shared. Avoid any kind of contradicting statements or mixed signals that can lead to confusion and undermine credibility. A unified voice will convey a sense of stability and competence, reassuring stakeholders that the situation is under control.
  5. Post-crisis analysis. After the crisis has passed, it’s essential to conduct a thorough analysis and evaluation. Did any areas of communication work particularly well? What could be improved?  Obtain feedback from your stakeholders and use overall analysis to update and strengthen your crisis communications strategy. Remember, a crisis can provide valuable insights and also opportunities for growth and improvement.

Final thoughts

Crisis communications in business is not just simply about damage control: moreover it’s an opportunity to showcase your organisation’s values, integrity, and resilience. Further, by proactively planning, communicating transparently, showing empathy, and maintaining message consistency – along with learning from experiences, your business can effectively navigate through emergencies, safeguard your reputation, and become stronger for it. 

If you need any help in crafting a crisis communications strategy, please message us here or call 0845 625 0820 to see how we can help your organisation be known. 

AI: a threat or opportunity for creative industries?

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Is AI the long, hard look in the mirror that the creative industry needs? Greg Wilson considers what we know so far about AI and its impact on public relations in particular.

The world is currently awash with articles about AI. The sad irony though, is that half of them could easily have been written by AI. But sadder still, is the fact that most of them probably weren’t.

Because if the creative industry is so worried about AI taking its jobs away, what does that really say about the state of the industry itself? The clue is in the name; the value that we provide, is that we are, well, creative. Or we are supposed to be.

Content v PR

I, for one, was so relieved when “the PR industry” rebranded itself back again to “the PR industry”, after having toyed around with the idea for a few years of being the “content” industry.

Is that, in fact, just window dressing though? Was calling ourselves the “content” industry the day the mask slipped? Or is that all we provide now? Content. Filling for digital gaps.

People fear that AI will see the rise of machines as masters and we as their subordinates. I say that day has already come. It was the same day the words “link strategy” and “citation” entered the industry vernacular. When you think about it, we have been writing content to please the machines for some time – all hailing the great God of Google and its whimsical ways.

It’s almost a bitter irony that the machines got so smart, they could see what we were up to.

Having been in PR for over 25 years, I’ve got to say, it’s not this side of the value chain that gets me out of bed in the morning. Some people love it, I know – their self-worth now inextricably linked to moving clients a couple of places up the search results, because machines approve of their content.

Humans v AI

But what about the humans? Aren’t we forgetting them? Do they count for nothing now? And are they so easily fooled – sorry, engaged? Inspired? Educated? Amused? Enlightened? Moved? Transfixed?

Is a human brain as easily pleased as a machine? (scroll, scroll, scroll) Okay maybe. But not for long. To properly win and maintain a human’s interest, you have to give them something more. Something they have never quite seen before. Something… oRiGinAL?.

(Do you remember when people did that for a bit on social to show they were saying something CRaZy? I reckon a human did it first. And it was quite funny the first time. And there’s the rub…)

The thing is – while it’s true that, one day, AI might come up with the next weepy John Lewis Christmas ad, I firmly believe it could never have come up with the first.

For older readers, would it have ever come up with the Milk Tray Man, to advertise chocolate? “If you see Sid…” for shares in a public company. “Accrington Stanley!” for milk? Yes, milk.

To take creativity to its ultimate degree, I believe that while AI may one day (maybe even now) be able to produce music that sounds like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony – it could never come up with Beethoven’s actual Fifth Symphony. Only Beethoven could do that.

Have I just compared Beethoven to the Milk Tray Man? Yes, I have. Would AI do that, if it was writing this article? Is it running the risk of sounding slightly smug and self-satisfied to say, probably not? Do I care?

A bit.

Because I truly care what you think of what I write. Because you’re a human and I’m a human and I hope to add a little value to your life, by writing something that might entertain you enough to read this far. In which case, I thank you.

Or as Bing’s AI Chat actually said…

What AI might mean for the public relations industry

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming various industries and sectors, including public relations (PR). AI is not something to be afraid of in PR, but rather a tool that can enhance the efficiency, creativity, and impact of PR professionals. Here are some of the ways that AI might change the PR game in the near future.

Data collection and analysis

AI can help PR agencies, especially when it comes to the enormous amount of data they must filter through. Because of the abundance of information available, it can be difficult for staff members to stay on top of the most recent trends and news, which makes it difficult for PR firms to stay competitive.

AI can help with data collection and analysis by automating tasks such as media monitoring, trend spotting, sentiment analysis, and audience segmentation. These tasks can help PR professionals understand the media landscape, identify opportunities and threats, measure the effectiveness of their campaigns, and tailor their messages to different groups of stakeholders.

Content creation and distribution

AI can also assist with content creation and distribution by generating text, images, videos, or audio based on natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision. These technologies can help PR professionals create engaging and personalized content for various platforms and channels, such as social media, blogs, podcasts, or newsletters.

AI can also help with content distribution by optimising the timing, frequency, and format of the content based on the preferences and behaviours of the target audience. AI can also help with content amplification by identifying and reaching out to relevant influencers, journalists, or bloggers who can help spread the word about a brand or a campaign.

Relationship building and management

AI can also enhance relationship building and management by providing insights into the emotions, motivations, and needs of the target audience. AI can help PR professionals craft messages that appeal to the emotions of their stakeholders, such as trust, empathy, or excitement.

AI can also help with relationship management by providing feedback and recommendations on how to improve communication and engagement with different groups of stakeholders. AI can also help with crisis management by detecting potential issues or risks before they escalate and providing guidance on how to respond effectively.

Skills development and ethics

AI can also impact the skills development and ethics of PR professionals. AI can help PR professionals upskill by providing them with resources and training on how to use AI tools and technologies effectively. AI can also help PR professionals develop their critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence skills, which are essential for human communication.

However, AI also poses ethical challenges for PR professionals, such as data privacy, transparency, accountability, and bias. PR professionals need to be aware of these challenges and adhere to ethical principles and standards when using AI in their work. PR professionals also need to be able to explain how AI works and what its limitations are to their clients and stakeholders.

Final thoughts…

AI is changing the PR industry in various ways, from data collection and analysis to content creation and distribution to relationship building and management. AI can offer many benefits for PR professionals, such as increased efficiency, creativity, and impact. However, AI also requires PR professionals to adapt their skills and ethics to the new realities of communication. AI is not a threat to PR professionals but rather an opportunity to enhance their work.

© Bing

A full spin wash

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

A recent headline on the front page of The Belfast Telegraph’s (June 23) featured the headline: “Anger over council plan to hire a ‘spin doctor’ on £105k salary”. The term spin doctor is derogatory and outdated terminology, which portrays public relations as a manipulative role. This sloppy headline shows a disregard and poor understanding of the strategic role of public relations. 

The PR community was quick to express its disapproval of such a headline, with comms professional, Stephen Waddington, highlighting how far from the truth the headline relates to public relations, particularly in the public sector industry.

In recent times of the Covid pandemic, high-level strategic communication and information campaigns were essential to local government departments, to convey crucial health messaging, safety directives and content, along with emergency signposting for communities during one of the most uncertain times in history. This hardly qualifies as ‘spin’.

Propaganda all wrapped up

But where do the terms spin and spin doctor originate from? 

In the US, the “father of public relations”, Edward Bernays, was heavily linked with spin in the form of propaganda, controlling of the masses and “the engineering of consent.” His association with tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceutical brands is well documented, and his writing on propaganda attracted the Third Reich, with Joseph Goebbels in the 1920s becoming a fan of Bernays (despite Bernays being Jewish). Goebbels’ position of the Third Reich’s minister of propaganda, he used Bernays’ works as the basis for a “Fuhrer cult” to ‘promote’ Adolph Hitler.

The Thick of It

Certainly in the UK, the term spin doctor became synonymous with Alistair Campbell, the then head of communications for former Prime Minister Tony Blair and the New Labour campaign. Political spin was rife in the 1990s, particularly with the advent of 24-hour news coverage and the growing appetite for political access and commentary. This increase was then followed by a marked decline in the quality of British media content. The demand for media and PR consultants within politics grew from this point.

The comedy, The Thick of It, satirises the “sultans of spin”; the inner sanctum of the British government, with the main character – Malcolm Tucker – said to be based on Alistair Campbell. The show’s creator, Armando Iannucci, stated he wrote the comedy to help him process the political spin and turmoil of Blair’s government that allowed the UK to “back a war [in Iraq] with no purpose, no target, no endgame and no rationale”. This resulted in a horrific war and a lasting distrust in British politics. 

One of Campbell’s most notorious examples of spin was the 1997 General Election, called by John Major. Campbell’s efforts persuaded Rupert Murdoch and the editor of The Sun, Stuart Higgins, to publicly declare that the paper offers support for Labour and would be telling its readers to vote their way.

The power of strategic communications

The managing director of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), Renna Markson hit back at the article, stating:

“Salaries in public services are always, and rightly, under scrutiny, but no one is helped by lazy headlines that misrepresent the work of communications teams. 

“Belfast City Council spends £240m each year providing public services. A communications director helps make sure the council gets the best possible return for that money, by ensuring that the council listens to and understands the needs of Belfast residents and that those residents know about and can make full use of council services.

“The focus on tourism will mean extra demand for Belfast’s hospitality industry and a boost for Northern Ireland’s private sector. These measures alone should, if the candidate is successful, mean a return on the council’s investment far and above the reported salary.”

Renna Markson, PRCA

The chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), Alastair McCapra, said: 

“Public relations is more than spin and publicity. Strategically it is about fostering trust and goodwill, and promoting understanding between organisations and their various stakeholders.

“Within the public sector, communication serves a crucial purpose by responsibly delivering information and services, effectively communicating change, and encouraging and ensuring public engagement… This story shows a lack of understanding of PR’s strategic function and fails to recognise the many responsibilities that come with serving the needs of the community and driving positive change.”

Alastair McCapra, CIPR

Whilst spin hasn’t disappeared from politics and the media, it has become less associated with modern-day public relations and the highly-skilled practitioners that abide by the ethical codes of professional bodies like the CIPR and PRCA. 

As PR professionals, we take our role, continual education, and responsibilities most seriously. Operating at the highest standards with full transparency and accountability is essential for public relations professionals, therefore it’s disappointing to see inaccurate headlines from The Belfast Telegraph that belong to a bygone decade.

Strengthening the reach of brand values through employee advocacy

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Creating and communicating a culture of employee advocacy is important for fostering a supportive and engaging work environment. When employees feel empowered to advocate for their colleagues and the organisation, it leads to higher job satisfaction, increased productivity, and a stronger sense of belonging.

What is employee advocacy?

Employee advocacy refers to the promotion and support of a company’s brand, products, or services by its employees. Empowered and valued employees are natural ambassadors for their organisation, and are an authentic voice that can advocate in a positive way for your organisation, particularly for an online setting such as social media. 

By encouraging employee advocacy, organisations can tap into the power of their workforce to amplify their brand message, strengthen stakeholder value, improve brand perception, and increase the overall visibility and credibility of the company in the marketplace.

Fostering employee advocacy

Here are six ideas to consider when creating and building a positive culture of employee advocacy:

  1. Encourage open communication: ensure transparent and open internal communication channels throughout your organisation. This might include providing opportunities for your employees to discuss and share their ideas or any concerns. Listening – truly listening – to any employee feedback is vital, along with any follow-up that is required to act upon.
  2. Training: ensure your employees have access to all the training they require for their roles and beyond. Social media is a great giver – and taker – for a brand or organisation. Social media guidelines and real-life examples of how to behave online are important for employees to understand the impacts of commenting and sharing content online – both the positives and negatives. Education is essential.
  3. Sense of purpose: here at Limitless, we talk about purpose all of the time. What is the greater purpose and mission of your organisation? Do your employees know and understand the importance of this? When people feel connected to a shared purpose, they are more likely to advocate for your organisation and its goals. Focus on regular internal communications about employee work and contributions, and how this impacts the overall success of the organisation.
  4. Advocacy recognition: acknowledge and appreciate employees who go above and beyond to advocate for their colleagues and the organisation. Consider recognition reward schemes and publicly celebrating such employees.
  5. Diversity and inclusion: help to grow an organisational culture that values diversity and inclusion. Create and communicate a safe environment where every employee feels respected, included, and valued for their unique perspectives and contributions. Ensure that all employees have equal opportunities to participate and advance within the organisation.
  6. Wellbeing: support the workplace wellbeing of your employees however you can. There are many ways to help the entire organisation to prioritise their wellbeing – from walking meetings, offering flexible working, mentoring and wellbeing support services, along with employee assistance programmes – Calm has carried out research around workplace stress and wellbeing here, which is worth looking at.

Creating and building a culture of employee advocacy requires consistent effort and commitment from both business leaders and employees. By nurturing a supportive environment where advocacy is both valued and encouraged, you can help to create a workplace culture that thrives on collaboration, trust, and mutual support. This in turn, will strengthen your brand through its values.

If you need help with brand values and encouraging employee advocacy, please contact us here.

Want strong public relations? Here are five ways to boost your presence

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

In our previous post, we talked about ways to approach and assess an organisation’s communications strategy for maximum impact. Below, we look at five ways you can rethink your public relations strategy and boost your brand’s presence.

  1. Build and maintain strong relationships. Public relations centres around building and maintaining relationships with various stakeholders. These include media, customers, employees, investors, and community members. It’s essential to establish and foster strong relationships and trust with these groups, as they can help you to grow your brand, and also support your organisation in times of crisis.
  2. Be proactive! Effective public relations isn’t just about reacting to situations but also anticipating them. Be proactive by staying updated with your industry news, identifying potential issues before they become problems, and creating a crisis management plan in advance of ever needing one.
  3. Communicate clearly and honestly. Making sure your communications are clear and authentic is essential for quality public relations. Be transparent about your organisation’s values, mission, and actions – and make sure you’re walking the talk. If an issue arises, address it promptly, and provide honest and accurate information to all stakeholders across appropriate channels.
  4. Data data data! Analytics are key. Ensure you’re regularly monitoring and measuring results from your public relations activities. Analytics can be used to assess the effectiveness of your strategies and actions, as well as identify areas that you could improve. There’s a blog post here, where we talk about data decisions in public relations.
  5. Stay flexible. Public relations is constantly evolving, and it’s essential to stay adaptable and flexible as to the needs of your business and organisation. Be open to new strategies and approaches, and be prepared to adjust your tactics based on changing circumstances or emerging trends that you can use to benefit your business. Look at the agile communications blog for more thoughts on this.

Work with Limitless? 

Are you looking for public relations support and strategic advice? We can help you to achieve your communication objectives and be known. Contact Michael Gregory on 0845 625 0820 or drop us a message using this contact form here. 

Time to review your communication strategy? 

Posted on by Claire Stephenson

Need to relook at your communications strategy? The last few years have been – to put it mildly – an unfamiliar and messy upheaval for life and business as we know it. There have been huge global changes in how and where we work, along with how we interact with each other.  

On a work and business level, this means it’s a great time to reconsider communications strategy and messaging directed towards stakeholders. We’ve previously talked about stakeholder engagement here, and why it’s essential for your business. 

Reviewing existing strategies helps to ensure that stakeholders are kept informed and engaged in the best way possible. Claire Stephenson explores ideas for conducting a review of communications, as well as how to ensure that they remain current. 

Here are three ways you can approach and assess your communication strategy: 

Audit your current communications 

    Auditing your business communication channels is essential to ensure that you are delivering the right message to your target audience. Run through all of your existing communication channels – internal and external. These include earned media, social media, newsletters, print, website blog pages and so on. Check through available analytics for any performance points around engagement. Questions you could consider include: 

    • Which strategies have proved to be effective?  
    • Does the current strategy support your organisation’s goals and needs?  
    • Do your staff and stakeholders receive information and communications as intended?  
    • Regarding social media, are the channels currently in use working for you?  

    With the above in mind, you should be able to map out the current state of play of your communications strategy in a practical sense, and determine if there are any improvements that can be made. 

    By auditing your communications, you can ensure that your messages are consistent across all channels and that they align with the business goals and plans. This will help you maximise the impact of your communication strategy and make sure it reaches its intended audience. 

    Refresh your target audience objectives 

    Redefining your target audience and resetting communication objectives are good steps to take to make sure you’re still on course for the overall business goals.  

    Properly understanding your stakeholders and target audience is key to achieving your communication goals. It’s important to know who they are, what their interests and needs are, and how they consume content in order to create a message that resonates with them.  

    Once you understand who they are, it’s important to set clear communication objectives so that you can measure the success of your campaigns. With well-defined objectives, you can ensure that all of your efforts are being directed towards achieving the right results. 

    Communication channels and platforms  

    Now you’ve audited your communication output and you have a confirmed clearer picture of your stakeholders, you can work on assessing which channels of communication are correct for your business or organisation. Using the right channels, businesses can reach their target audience in a more efficient and cost-effective way. 

    Social media is one of the most often used channels to engage with audiences. Have you considered all communication options for your target audience? For instance, would internal newsletters sent to your employees improve their connection with the organisation? Is your earned media moving you in the right direction? Is your demographic using Twitter or have they changed their behaviour and Facebook is now the platform of choice? It’s worth digging deep and exploring a wider consideration of where your communications are directed.

    By establishing effective communication channels, businesses can create deeper relationships with their customers and build trust with them over time. This is why it’s important for businesses to identify the right channels for their business and use them effectively in order to maximise their success. 

    Work with Limitless? 

    If you’re looking for help with public relations, developing a communications strategy, and how to be known, please drop us a message. Contact Michael Gregory on 0845 625 0820 or use this  contact form here. 

    Limitless wins three-year Preston City Council Town Deal contract

    Posted on by Claire Stephenson

    Limitless Public Relations has been appointed to deliver a three-year strategic communications support contract for Preston’s £20.9 million Town Deal which it secured in March 2021 as part of the government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund, established to help level up towns and cities around the country.  

    The Town Deal has kickstarted The Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme, a £200 million transformational regeneration programme in Preston’s Harris Quarter, the City’s cultural and civic heart, led by Preston City Council and the Preston Partnership.  

    The latest project to start in the programme is Animate, a £45 million leisure and entertainment complex due to be built in the heart of Preston City centre. 

    The tender includes the delivery of strategic communications for six projects and will be designed to increase awareness of the Towns Fund investment programme, communicating key milestones and keeping residents and businesses up-to-date with the benefits and improvements that this extensive regeneration programme will bring to them.  

    The tender will also focus on the City’s strategic 15-year vision and its City Investment Plan.  

    The key projects are: 

    • Harris Quarter Assets renewal, including refurbishment of Amounderness House, into serviced offices and managed workspace accommodation 
    • Animate – new build entertainment and leisure scheme  
    • Illuminate and Integrate – public realm and lighting improvements 
    • Harris Your Place – refurbishment of the Harris Building 
    • Preston Youth Zone – state-of-the-art youth building and services
    • Educate Preston – access to careers and education information services  

    Councillor David Borrow, Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulation, said:

    “We are delighted to have Limitless Public Relations on board and looking forward to working together to communicate Preston’s regeneration and investment progress. We were impressed with the overall standard of submissions we received, in particular with Limitless’s extensive experience and understanding of our ambition and vision for the City.”  

    John Chesworth, Chair of the Towns Fund Board, added:

    “Limitless Public Relations has been chosen to support Preston’s Towns Fund investment programme following a thorough tender process against stiff opposition, and we are looking forward to working closely together on all the exciting projects that are starting to come to fruition and that will make a positive impact on Preston and its people.”  

    Limitless Director Michael Gregory concluded:

    “As someone who came to the City to study and is now an adopted Prestonian, I’m incredibly proud that we’ve been given the opportunity to tell Preston’s story, showcase its ambitions and herald its future.  

    “I’ve seen Preston evolve over the 27 years I’ve lived here, and there is so much to shout about. It’s a happening place to live, work and grow, and the proactive approach by the City Council and its partners to create a place that everyone can be proud of is truly commendable.  

    “Our team is looking forward to working with the Council and its partners in delivering an impactful campaign that will attract people, businesses and investors to the City.” 

    Some of the best: PR and ad campaign wins in 2022

    Posted on by Claire Stephenson

    In a world that is often over-saturated on a digital level and crowded with content, it takes strategic, innovative outside-the-box communications to allow campaign messages to reach the right people and influence the required change.

    We’ve done a rundown of a few of our favourite and memorable campaigns spotted this year…

    OutHorse Your Email

    Need a new out-of-office message? You need an Icelandic pony! OutHorseYourEmail.com is a fun campaign from Inspired By Iceland and Horses of Iceland, drawing attention to the fact that on average, 55% of workers check their emails whilst on holiday. The campaign’s aim was to encourage people to disconnect and enjoy their downtime – see it here. 

    Icelandic horses will reply to your email using a pony-sized keyboard to hoof out a reply on your behalf! The horses were taught typing skills by Inspired by Iceland, who built a giant replica keyboard with walkable letter tiles.

    You can choose from three Icelandic horses who will write your email autoreply: Litla Stjarna Frá Hvítarholti, a fast-typing pony, but they might take a nap; Hrímnir Frá Hvammi, a horse who is assertive, efficient and has shiny hair; or Hekla frá Þorkellshóli, a friendly horse, who is trained in corporate buzzwords. Magic.

    Claire Stephenson tested the autoresponder and chose Litla Stjarna Frá Hvítarholti as her typing pony. This was the result…

    A fun and creative campaign. Agency  = SS+K

    Plastic Is Back!

    A campaign for Greenpeace, by Ogilvy Netherlands, highlighting the permanence of plastic waste.

    ‘Plastic is Back’ is part of Greenpeace’s wider campaign work around plastic waste and pollution, particularly microplastics. According to Greenpeace, a truckload of plastic enters the ocean every minute creating a ‘plastic soup’. Supermarkets in the UK produce around 800,000 tonnes of plastic each year. Unearthed – Greenpeace’s investigative journalists – discovered British plastic waste being dumped and burned in Turkey – impacting land and waterways and more crucially, human health.

    The plastic packaging featured in the campaign was all gathered from beaches. Dairy packaging, bleach bottles and crisp packets – some of this plastic packaging waste is estimated to be more than 50-years-old, according to Greenpeace, with visibly vintage packaging designs.

    A visually impactful campaign. Agency = Ogilvy Netherlands.

    Ask for Henry

    A collaboration between Morrisons and Heinz in October 2022, offered customers a free meal of jacket potato and baked beans, to help people during half term who are impacted by the cost of living crisis. A discreet way for people to request help when they “Ask for Henry” at a café counter.

    Jojo De Noronha, the President of Northern Europe at Heinz said:

    “October marks the birthday of a very special member of the Heinz family, our founder Henry J. Heinz. Henry brought comfort and goodness to others, not just through his food but his actions. We want to honour his good heart and kind spirit by doing what he did best, helping feed people in times of need.”

    A social win for both brands.

    Netflix

    Netflix’s Stranger Things Season 4 drop was pretty spectacular. To mark the launch of the new season, Netflix created installations which popped up across the world.

    Bondi Beach in Australia received an installation, as a “gateway” to the Upside Down. People in yellow hazmat suits gathered around the object. Netflix said on their Instagram channel: “Hawkins, do you copy? We could use a little help down here at Bondi…”

    netfixanz on Instagram

    Stranger Things art installations appeared across the world, from New York’s Empire State Building, Mumbai’s Gateway of India, to Los Angeles, London, Germany, Tokyo, Malaysia, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Columbia, Stockholm, Milan, and Madrid.

    Stranger Things Instagram/Netflix

    A powerful teaser for global Stranger Things fans.

    Limitless loves…

    We asked some of our associates which campaigns and ads stood out for them this year…

    Mark Sutcliffe, Associate at Limitless PR, said:

    “The one campaign that really smashed it in 2023, wasn’t actually a campaign (or was it?). Whatever; it generated almost universal coverage across the full spectrum of media platforms and dominated the global news agenda for days.

    “I’m talking about Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard handing his £3 billion clothing and accessories company over to a trust focused on funding environmental projects worldwide.

    “The Patagonia Purpose Trust will generate around $100 million annually for projects that protect nature and biodiversity, support thriving communities and fight the environmental crisis.

    “When it comes to walking the walk, this raises the bar to vertiginous new heights, demonstrating how for-profit business can also work for the planet. Or as Chouinard himself put it: ‘The Earth is now our only shareholder’.”

    Photo of Yvon Chouinard by Campbell Brewer.

    Claire Stephenson, Associate Director at Limitless PR, said:

    “I’ve seen some amazing content and communications this year. 

    “One of the most powerful campaigns is from CALM: The Last Photo, and why Suicidal Doesn’t Always Look Suicidal. A collection of images of people whose lives have been lost to suicide is striking and poignant. The communications dispel the myth that if someone is feeling suicidal or having a mental health crisis, we would know about it. The campaign highlights that exterior emotions don’t always reflect what is happening inside a person’s mind.

    “This campaign points towards starting a conversation to save a life. Removing the stigma around talking about suicide and how people can talk about it can save more lives. Hats off to CALM and adam&eveDDB for this change-making campaign.”

    Social media and employee advocacy 

    Posted on by Claire Stephenson

    Social media is a great tool for business messaging and sharing content with an audience. This includes employees too, which is often forgotten about. Encouraging positive use of employees using social media to share your organisation’s content and messaging is a powerful form of advocacy, allowing business messaging to be shared in an authentic way. 

    Global research by LinkedIn and Altimeter Group looked at the top 100 of the most socially-engaged companies on LinkedIn with more than 1,000 employees. The results showed that employee social engagement boosts business outcomes.  

    The top-line findings were that socially-engaged companies are: 

    • 40% more likely to be perceived as competitive 
    • 57% more likely to get increased sales leads  
    • 58% more likely to attract top talent 

    Advocacy 

    Employee advocacy is an important part of your marketing toolkit. Your people are the authentic, grassroots of your organisation. They can help with building brand awareness, trust with clients and customers, and importantly, forming stronger connections with all employees in the organisation.  

    According to research by Nielson, 84% of consumers trust in recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising, and 77% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase after hearing about it from someone they know. Facilitating an authentic employee advocacy programme allows you to build strong messaging and sharing opportunities for new audiences. 

    Hootsuite research shows that “employee advocacy also helps to retain and engage employees, especially Millennials who expect a digital connection with their leaders, community, and peers.” 

    Understanding best practice for professional social media use is helpful in determining what your business needs and how to deploy it within your strategic communication plan. 

    Which platforms? 

    With Twitter being on shaky ground with the latest acquisition by Elon Musk, it’s a good time to reassess your social media for business, and audit existing platforms. For example, LinkedIn may be a key platform for your content messaging. It’s like a professional address book – recruitment, job searching and networking are all strong features. If, for instance, Twitter becomes obsolete as is rumoured, would you rely more heavily on LinkedIn, and could your employees benefit from some guidance on sharing business content? 

    Key considerations 

    Here are three key points to consider, to enable positive and successful social media for your business. 

    1. Have a clear and consistent social media policy – ensure your company’s social media guidelines are up-to-date and accessible to all employees. Include guidance on harassment, legal responsibilities of publishing content on public forums, and posting responsibly. Outline the official company social account handles and if staff are identifying themselves as employees of the company, do you need to encourage them to add a disclaimer to their bio, such as “All opinions are my own” for example? 
    1. Ensure staff have regular social media training – social media platforms and algorithms are continually updating and evolving. If you’re actively encouraging staff to engage and share content, providing basic support and information should be a minimum. Training on using social channels successfully will allow everyone to be supported and on the same page, keep cyber safety and security as a priority, and ensure brand messaging remains consistent.  
    1. Encourage social advocacy – consider setting up a specific programme to encourage employees to take part in social networking, content sharing and thought leadership. Could you incentivise employee advocacy through rewards and benefits? This could be anything from monetary or gift rewards, to recognition and company shoutouts. Employee advocacy programmes benefit both brand and employee: “brands enjoy increased awareness and controlled messaging while employees earn rewards and establish themselves as thought leaders in their field”. 

    Hootsuite’s predictions on social media for businesses in 2023 indicate that those who employ a social-first approach towards their brand and customers, will benefit most. Maggie Lower, Hootsuite’s Chief Marketing Officer said: 

    “Social media has never played a more central role to businesses. As businesses continue to look for ways to future-proof operations and connect with today’s tech-savvy customers, social media and digital marketing will inevitably play a part in nearly every business strategy. 

    “In 2023, businesses that take a social-first approach to their brand and customer care strategy will be the ones to reap the benefits. Stronger brand reputation, greater customer interaction, trust and loyalty – now and in the future – depends on it.” 

    Maggie Lower, Hootsuite

    Limitless Extends European Reach

    Posted on by Claire Stephenson

    Limitless Public Relations has extended its reach in Europe with Germany-based PR specialist Christiane Tupac-Yupanqui joining the Blackburn and Preston-based agency as an overseas associate.

    Christiane’s first project for the specialist public relations agency will be to provide PR support for client Northern Industrial, which has recently launched a new site in Germany.

    With 20 years’ PR experience, Christiane specialises in the motion, drives and automation sectors. A trained translator, she provides trade PR and online media relations in Germany and a number of other non-English speaking countries around the world.

    Limitless director Greg Wilson said:

    “We are very pleased to have Christiane working with us in support of Northern Industrial and look forward to working with her on further accounts in the future.

    “One of the actual upsides of the pandemic has been the increased adoption of communication technologies, largely underutilised before, which enable the swift and lean cooperation between team members based on expertise rather than geography, the latter being now largely irrelevant.

    “We intend to keep expanding our active roster further across the UK and overseas to enable us to provide PR expertise at the highest level, whatever the brief, whenever and wherever it’s needed.”