A spa day – but not as you know it

Spas and beauty salons were the hot topic this week at Target, not just because the team is planning its next pampering treat, but as a result of a visit to Spa Life, one of the UK’s leading industry events.

A first for Target, this conference was certainly an insightful introduction into the world of wellness. Alongside a range of exhibitors from skincare to cosmetics and nail art to aesthetic devices, ran a series of talks and workshops. 

So what did we learn? Oriel Frank, Director of Marketing at Elemis, confirmed our suspicions about the booming market for prestige skincare products (not just based on our own buying habits here at Target), while, perhaps surprisingly, sales of ‘cheaper’ anti-ageing products (under £30) have declined.  Our ageing population is driving demand, and so too are our skin-savvy teenagers, while men – 88% of them – are apparently embracing their feminine sides by following suit with skincare regimes.

So what’s driving people to buy?  We were heartened by the credit, from a number of the speakers, to good PR – using both traditional, but more increasingly online channels.  The value of recommendation was highlighted by Lopo Champalimaud, Managing Director of Wahanda, who referenced research which showed that 70% of consumers trust an online review, while only 5% trust an advert.  Clearly blogger activity and social media are having a dramatic influence on driving purchasing habits.  

All in all it’s refreshing to see an industry that is bucking the economic trend, embracing new communication channels and challenging innovation. And of course it’s great that it’s all about making you feel and look good too.

Sam Kandiyali

Director

The Art of Managing the Media – with ex-BBC Journalist John Rockley

Managing the media, what John Rockley referred to as ‘Journalist Whispering’, is becoming increasingly more complex. This was one of the opening admissions made by John at a Chartered Institute of Marketing seminar in Cheltenham this week.

Not only are journalists busy being journalists, they are also answerable to publication sales and marketing directors responsible for driving advertising spend, making them twice as busy and therefore even more elusive.

Remarkably, as with the chicken and the egg; John claimed without PR there is no journalism. So given these challenges, how can both PRs and journalists work together to do our jobs?

According to John, all a journalist wants is an easy life, to be able to go home after having written a good article which received a great response. In reality, what is often achieved is a mediocre article, with masses of effort, and not even the slightest bit of recognition from the editor.

In order for PRs to develop strong relationships with journalists they need to help them achieve their ultimate goal – to go home having made the world a better place with their article (and a pat on the back from their editor).

John was hugely insightful and provided sound advice on how to build strong media relationships. He also guided his audience through the pitching process and how to secure coverage. His suggestions were really simple and most PRs probably already do many of them as second nature, but these are a few of the most helpful things I took from his seminar.

Always look at the bigger picture

Give a journalist some ideas, show them where to access the information, put the story into context and consider the big stories consuming the media at that moment. And remember, there is nothing wrong with piggy-backing.

Wait for those opportune moments where you can get your, or your clients’, professional opinion across. Radio is perfect for this. John shared an astonishing statistic, less than 1% of an audience listening to a radio show calls in, and if they do call in, it’s to share an often uncompromising view.

Explore all means of communication

Media communications are evolving; when Alex Aiken said ‘the press release was dead’ he wasn’t necessarily discrediting the press release, but stressing that as the industry evolves so should the way we communicate. Now more than ever it is about responding to the change in attitudes, and by developing strong media relationships PRs will be able to determine the best way to reach the journalists.

Don’t be afraid of social media

Pretty much every journalist uses, reads, monitors, communicates through social media. Journalists are ridiculously busy, are rarely at their desks unless they are working to a deadline, and even then they are difficult to reach. Social media is mobile; it can be read when they are on their way to meet an interview or in between meetings. Ultimately, platforms such as Twitter can be a PRs golden ticket to reaching a journalist.

Do your homework

Although they may have a harsh exterior, be mindful that journalists are just people who like to be remembered for their work. Mentioning that you read their last article, saw their Tweet, listened to them comment on a particular story, especially if it is relevant to what you are pitching, could be the difference between you building a strong media relationship or not. If you demonstrate you know what you are talking about and that you are interested you could become a key contact of theirs.

Be creative

Do you know what time your media contacts’ daily news meeting is? You should, because they need to take news with them to brief the editor. If they are struggling to find the relevance but like the angle, invite them to see how the product, client or system works.

Always be available

Journalists will remember you for your reliability, availability and quoteability. Remember, a journalist wants a relatively easy life so if your copy or quotes can be lifted and regurgitated, you are more likely to be called upon in the future.

And always remember...

Finally, John was kind enough to share his top tips, namely things PRs should ALWAYS remember when they are talking to journalists:

• Control your mouth
• There is no such thing as ‘off the record’
• The journalist is not your friend.

“A journalist doesn’t see you as a person, they see you as content; there is a cognitive dissonance between you as a person and you as a story”

John Rockley, CIM Seminar: The Art of Managing the Media, 2014.

Kalli Soteriou
Account Executive

You can’t forget the past by pretending to be something else tomorrow

We've all witnessed Miley Cyrus very publicly trying to break free from her whiter than white Hannah Montana Disney character image, and her latest antics have sparked yet more controversy. Not only did the 20-year-old pose provocatively for Terry Richardson, she has also hit back at Sinead O’Connor’s open letter, in which she pleads with Miley not to let the music moguls ‘make a prostitute’ of her.

Sinead’s comments were in response to an interview the young pop singer did with Rolling Stone magazine, where she revealed that the video for her latest single, Wrecking Ball, was inspired by Sinead’s legendary video, Nothing Compares 2 U. Ouch.

However, Sinead makes an important point in her (slightly ranting) letter, calling on Miley to ditch the fabricated persona that she has adopted in an obvious and see-through attempt to be recognised as a “bona fide” pop star – simply stating let the talent you have speak for itself.

Trying to engineer something that you’re not, whether it’s a person, brand, product or business is no smart move. It will undoubtedly lead to controversy and break any trust you may once have had.

A business’s reputation is earned through its actions and behaviours; it’s shaped by where it began, where it is today and where it wants to be in the future. It’s our role as PRs to ensure our clients’ talents receive the recognition they deserve, but only authenticity will secure the longevity and growth of their business.

Alexandra Underwood

Account executive