Features

Are ‘PR disasters’ overhyped?

American Apparel, Apple, Starbucks. There’s a long list of companies who have faced PR disasters. But just how bad has it been for their long-term reputation asks Chris Mayhew.

Fish and chips and Mandarin: a PR student in China

PR student Nicola Burrough writes about a life-altering trip to China.

Dressed up in jeans

Joe Whitmore found the dress code was casual – but the attitude professional – on a work placement in Australia.

Turning a name into news

PR student Ben Frith was there when the new Leeds Arena became a national news story.

Smells like team spirit

It seems PR students are not as sociable as you would think. Lucy Brandon and Nillie Munir describe how the set up a netball team to break down social barriers.

Beauty and the blogs

There are millions of blogs: corporate, commercial and personal. Claire Wright explains which she prefers.

Opinion: marketing makes men into heroes

The Lynx Space Academy and Felix Baumgartner’s space stunt for Red Bull show us that marketing needs to turn men into heroes, argues Pete Finnegan.

Graham Goodkind: a creative boss

Alexi Gunner interviews chairman and founder of Frank PR Graham Goodkind.

Cornelius Alexander on the joy of PR

Cornelius Alexander talks to Jazz Chappell about the positive side of public sector PR, the godsend of Twitter and the challenge to make the PR profession more diverse.

Now I’m a belieber

Public relations student Jazz Chappell was tweeting at a Justin Bieber concert last week. When she woke up next day, she was part of a global news story.

‘Dare to be noticed’: Interview with Ketchum’s David Gallagher

Jazz Chappell interviews Ketchum’s European CEO David Gallagher.

‘You’re only as good as the last email you sent’

Placement student Sean Ball interviews The Walt Disney Company’s head of strategic comms Matt Grossman.

Andrew Bloch: Frankly a success

Andrew Bloch’s impressive rise through the public relations industry is a reflection of the work ethic and creative talent required in a constantly demanding industry. Neil Peacock profiles the co-founder of Frank PR.

The work experience. From hell.

A new PR fashion agency is launched like a catapult into the world of fiction. Georgia Robson reviews The Work Experience on E4.

Max’s awfully big PR adventure

PR students in Leeds have enjoyed a rare opportunity to meet the man behind the name: Max Clifford. Whether you boo and hiss, or relate to Clifford, he certainly entertains.

The year of tweeting dangerously

Careless tweets have recently made headlines on both the front and back pages of the papers. Peter Finnegan relates the problem to the experiences of PR students.

PR practitioners should think ideas, not events

News is hardwired into the PR psyche. Need to gain some coverage? Then cook up a news release. It’s a tried and tested approach – but there are reasons for thinking it offers diminishing returns, argues Richard Bailey.

For tweet’s sake…

Social media can sound intimidating to experienced practitioners, and daunting to novices. Jessica Champion says we simply need to change the way we think about it.

Five PR lessons from the Olympic Games

The success of the London Olympics was not a foregone conclusion. Richard Bailey considers the PR lessons of the Games.

Turning medals into money

We all have a basic idea of how sports stars such as footballers, golfers and tennis players make their money, but with athletes it’s a whole different ball game. Sebastian Tully-Middleton explores the earning potential from athletics.

Super soaraway trampolining

How do you compete with the major sports and get a new club off the ground? By jumping higher says Bournemouth trampolinist Jessica North.

Sporting heaven, marketing hell

Advertising creates dreams to sell products. It suggests lifestyle models and shapes people’s imaginations. But how achievable are those dreams for most people asks Miriam Pelusi.

Damn spam

We know that PR has a spam problem – but SEO spamming is even worse says Richard Bailey.

The music or the money?

There’s no Glastonbury this year, and a number of prominent music festivals have failed. Mark Grainer asks what’s wrong with the live music business?

Italy: the clean-up after the party

Italy’s in a mess, but there’s now a desire for change as Miriam Pelusi reports.

Social media Premier League

We all know who won the Premier League. But who were the top teams as ranked on social media? Matt Briggs investigates.

Sport sells

With the London 2012 Olympics fast approaching the scramble for sponsors to start utilising their link with the International Olympic committee (IOC) to achieve a maximum return on their investment has begun, reports Luke Cope.

Blogs for the boys

Will the end of ‘command and control’ bring an end to the boys’ club dominating political communication? Rebecca Ramsdale hopes so.

Why a Scottish nation would be good for growth

The referendum on Scottish independence is approaching. Kenny Murray argues that a Scottish nation would be good for business, including PR.

Opinion: Managing the reputation of PR

PR practitioners are free to choose who or with they work. Reputation is a wider concern in PR, finds David Mayers.

Coca-Cola loses PR battle in China

Leon Emirali describes how Coca-Cola lost a PR battle in China and discusses the lessons taught about PR in the east.

Changing challenges for public affairs

The operating environment for public affairs people is now more multi-faceted and fast changing than at any time in its history, says Peter Wynne Davies.

Has government communication gone bonkers?

Ruth Garland reports on her research project ‘Measuring “spin” in government communications’ which set out to analyse the text of government press releases to see whether they contained any empirical evidence of “spin”.

Want to work in fashion PR? Here’s my advice

Stephanie Ayre also thought she wanted to work in fashion PR. That was until she discovered interiors.

Thinking beyond the press release

We’re highly influenced by what we see in the media, yet lecturers encourage you to think beyond the press release. First year student Charlotte Brierley wonders what this means for the future of PR.

We have a PRoblem

She has been predicting the future of PR through four editions of The Public Relations Handbook spanning more than a decade. Alison Theaker reviews her predictions, and considers the persistent reputation problems facing public relations.

We need to talk

In our rush to embrace social media, aren’t we all in danger of becoming anti-social? What’s wrong with picking up the phone asks Lauren Symons.

She’s gotta have it

Celebrities have them. Why can’t a poor student have a Mulberry bag asks Claire Wright.

Hacks and flack jackets

David Piggott reports on the Maggie Nally Memorial Lecture given by Richard Gizbert of Al Jazeera.

I’d vote for The Ex-Factor

I’ve never watched X Factor before, confesses Sophie Sadler, and probably won’t be watching it again.

Stop watching reality shows

The more I thought about it, writes Charlotte Giver, the more I found it ironic that in an industry where we know everything there is to know about brand, image and reputation management, the reputation of its workforce is false.

TV’s PR beauty myth

Men in PR are seen as go-getters, but the same qualities brand PR women as bitches. Charlotte Giver blames popular television shows for this.

Teenage dreams

Whenever I tell people I want to have a career in fashion I’m always met with something that goes along the lines of ‘oh, that’s nice’, writes Elli Share. But I can tell that behind the friendly-yet-slightly-condescending reply, they think I’m just another 18 year old girl living their life through the contents of Heat Magazine.

Is Behind the Spin wrong to use Klout and Peerindex for #socialstudent?

Social media editor David Clare takes a look at online influencer measurement and the way our #socialstudent list is calculated.

Nothing succeeds like excess

The Jeremy Clarkson affair suggests to Ben Frith that nothing stirs people as much as a good controversy.

Falling in love with fashion PR

When I began my placement all I looked forward to was fashion week, says Yasmin Lawton. Then then suddenly it was here and the demands increased.

I’m a person, get celebrities out of here

Using celebrities as spokespeople for products is hardly a new concept. We know that an ad is an ad, but when is a tweet a commercial, asks Alex King.

QR codes: An interview with co-founder of ScanMe

Our social media editor, David Clare, interviews John Harrison, co-founder of ScanMe.com, to find out how to best use QR codes in PR campaigns.

Questions that confuse students: strategy or tactics?

It’s a distinction that often baffles students: what’s the difference between business objectives and communications objectives; between strategy and tactics? Experienced practitioner and university lecturer Robert Minton-Taylor is here to help.

Is social media effective for B2B brands?

Young PR professional Alex Neale takes a look at the use of social media for B2B brands.

Blog and roll

Tumblr is the fashionable place to blog right now; Daniela Pietrosanu explains why.

Beyond bunga-bunga: letter from Italia

As Italy veers between farce and tragedy, political debate has moved from the piazza to a Twitter hashtag, reports Miriam Pelusi.

A passion for online fashion

Fashion has always been a passion for Rebecca Hardisty. But it was only on placement that she was able to connect fashion to social media and public relations.

Can Brands Really Be Our Friends?

Every like you make on Facebook brings more news onto your Facebook wall. Emma Gannon asks whether brands really can be our friends.

Getting people to join Google+

Marketing and Public Relations graduate, Anna Kraappa, takes a look at Google+ and why it is so difficult to get friends to move to the platform.

How to pitch to bloggers – best practice, tips and case studies

Digital PR expert and Bright One founder, Ben Matthews, gives his tips and tricks on how to best pitch bloggers.

PR – a two speed industry

Daryl Willcox is in the business of press releases. Having seen digital PR come to life, he discusses the two speeds at which PRs approach this new practice.

Twitter’s increasing popularity with celebrities and sports stars

Jessica Johnson takes a look at how Twitter is having an impact on sports personalities and celebrities for this month’s social media feature.

Is social media making us anti-social?

Social media executive Claire Dunford questions whether or not social media is actually making us less social.

Why social media matters and what you should be doing about it

Social media editor David Clare introduces this month’s feature on social media and PR.

How to tell if you’ve got a story – and write a press release

Daryl Willcox, founder and chairman of Daryl Willcox Publishing (DWPub), offers his advice on writing press releases to properly create news stories.

Crisis point: London Riots

Behind The Spin’s social media editor, David Clare, discusses the London riots, after three nights of chaos on the streets of London and elsewhere in the UK.

Telling the story in pictures

As costs come down, film making becomes a useful tool for public relations to communicate the message widely. Freelance film maker Matt Brown describes the ups and downs of his work.

State of the union

Following election victory in May, the Scottish National Party is pressing ahead with a referendum on independence. Graeme Forbes reports from Scotland on the state of the union.

How to write a business blog for your client

Managing Director of Write My Site, Emily Hill, offers her tips on writing for a corporate blog.

The fear of face-to-face

Many students and young practitioners find networking with industry people extremely difficult and uncomfortable, writes Gabriela Balcerzak. The problem is, there are rules to be learned.

Ideas win prizes and placements

One trend among ambitious students is participation in crowdsourcing programmes, allowing busy but tenacious Millennials a chance to contribute to companies looking to connect with the digital generation. Brian Keenan describes Ketchum’s Mindfire open innovation community.

PR fought the law – and the law won

In times of crisis, the advice given by a public relations consultant and a lawyer will often be diametrically opposed. Aimee Burge asks which profession tends to win this power struggle.

Lights, camera, disruption

‘Today was one of those days when you take one for the team and ignore your better judgement.’ Dominic Stevenson describes what happens when a film crew arrives.

Kiss, and don’t tell

Super-injunctions are at the heart of the tussle between privacy and free speech. Alicia Chadwick argues that these are a bad case of one law for the rich…

The future of social media for PR

Leeds Met student,Laura Horgan, gives her thoughts on the future of social media for public relations with plenty of insight from leading PR professionals.

Advantages and disadvantages of Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality is becoming big business as the technology behind it becomes readily available to consumers. Francesca Larkin discusses both the advantages and disadvantages of AR for public relations.

Referendum campaigns reviewed

It’s the first national referendum in his lifetime, and Alec Vickerson reviews the campaign tactics.

AV yes or no?

On 5 May, we have a chance to vote in a referendum on the voting system for Westminster elections. Journalism student Ismail Mulla makes the case for voting ‘yes’ and freelance writer and ‘future PR girl’ Louise Atkinson explains why she’s voting ‘no’.

Best place at the best time

A Hungarian associate professor, Márta Konczos, describes her time in the UK and tells students why this is a great time to train as a PR practitioner or academic.

Top 10 charity campaigns of 2010

Want to know the top 10 charity campaigns of 2010? Let Petra Opelova show you her top choices.

CSR: How to Spring the Trap

Corporate social responsibility is a major issue for big business. John Parman looks at how CSR should be implemented within organisations.

Charity 2.0 and diffusion of information

Social media has huge potential for not-for-profits – but can cause problems too. Melanie Rawlings discusses how charities can realise its potential.

How charities use celebrities in PR campaigns

There are many celebrities involved in charitable work whether as patrons or spokespeople, but why is this?Selwyn Jerry Boston tackles the question using a case study of charity event, The Wig Party.

How to become popular on Twitter

Twitter is awash with PR wannabes. Rich Leigh of 10 Yetis gives ten tips on what not to do if you’re seeking Twitter popularity.

Does your mother know you work for the devil?

With so many so quick to condemn public relations, why would an intelligent person choose to study this subject? Tove Nordstrom mounts a defence of PR as a force for good.

The Power of Product Placement in Music Videos: “Pass the Courvoisier”

As product placement is to become more common place in the UK from today Bournemouth University student Francesca Larkin takes a look at the history of product placement in music videos and the effect it has on brands.

Attention seeking hyperactivity disorder

Lady Gaga is everywhere. Alex Witham explores her talent for publicity and her appeal to gay audiences.

Social media: work hard and play hard

Every student understands the fun part of social media. Micha Kirkbride takes a look at its commercial implications.

Does sporting celebrity still sell?

Sport has always produced stars who inspire people, and for the last 50 years marketers have tried to use this to sell products and promote campaigns. However, in a world where consumers have become far less susceptible to such ploys, is the role of celebrity endorsement becoming obsolete asks Tom McGovern.

The PR beauty myth

The Spin Crowd may be entertaining television. But what does it say about those working in PR, asks Emma Penny.

Blogging is the new black

Fashion glossies remain popular, but amateur fashion bloggers have gained an important niche says Stephanie Ayre.

Tips for a trouble-free dissertation

For some, it’s the peak of their studying; for many others, a difficult mountain to climb. Claire Latham tells how to succeed with your PR dissertation.

Pepsi refreshes its approach to marketing

Public relations campaigns are there to raise awareness, and ultimately generate sales. But this can be done by simply giving away your money, as David Clare explains in a case study on Pepsi.

The role of the student reps

The CIPR has hosted a meeting for student reps. Alex Dobocan reports on the meeting and looks forward to the challenges ahead.

Ethical global PR: a case study

This year’s Claire Mascall award was won by Christine Quigley. Here’s an edited version of her essay on ethical global public relations, winner of the £1000 top prize.

Taking a look at Ping by Apple

Stephen Johnson gives us his opinion on iTunes’ recent addition to the social arena; Ping.

Beware of gifted geeks

Lucille Pickering reviews the film about the birth of Facebook, The Social Network.

Blogger or WordPress: which is best for student blogs?

When it came to starting my PR blog I was torn between using Blogger or WordPress, reports Rosey Stones. Both seemed equally popular and both seemed to offer everything I needed. However, there are differences between the two that may sway your decision.

A student at #smcc10

PR student Oana Jinga reports from the Social Media in a Corporate Context 2010 (#smcc10) conference.

From Joe Bloggs to Über Blogger: The Blogger Evolution

Shelley George takes a look at the most unlikely of bloggers… and why PRs should take notice of them.

A brief history of diffusion of innovation in social media

Recent graduate Thomas Harrison-Lord discusses how social media depends upon the innovators and early adapters to gain popularity.

A new location network just checked in to town… Places

Section editor for PR and social media David Clare takes a look at Facebook’s entry into the world of location based networking with Facebook Places.

Twitter virgin mounts Facebook fightback

Help, I’m a twitter virgin and have only just started blogging, yet dissertation and graduation are looming large. Ines Alcobia seeks like-minded friends on Facebook.

The importance of measurability in social media for PR

Janey Spratt discusses the notion that with social media comes the ongoing job of maintenance, monitoring and measurement.