Tally Ho!

My leaving gifts, including a rather spectacular Malteser cake by Sarah!

When the little reminder popped up on my screen yesterday telling me it was my turn to write a blog post, I thought what better opportunity to say farewell to all my friends and colleagues that have made my time at Publicity Engineers so enjoyable. Yes, today is my last day. After three years, four months and two days, I am leaving the confines of the PE office to explore a new career path.

For anyone interested, I will be joining the communications team at my local council. A million miles away from the wonderful world of interiors that I have grown to love but I’m sure a fresh challenge will do me good.

As much as I’m excited about the transition, I will be sad to leave behind some of the nicest people I have had the pleasure to work alongside. From the fantastic PE team (thanks for my cake!!) to all the journalists, freelancers and my lovely clients – thanks so much for all your help, support, patience and kindness over the years. I’ve had a blast and wish you all the best of luck and happiness in the future!

Is owning a home now an unreachable dream for a whole generation?

Owning a property is out of reach for many first time buyers

As I was getting ready for work the other morning and listening to BBC Breakfast in the background, it suddenly dawned on me what a worrying state the housing market is currently in. Like many young people my age, I am desperate to move out and regain the independence I had for three years at university, however I just can’t see this happening any time soon. At 21 years of age, although this is still quite young, there is nothing I would like more than to finally break away from Mum and Dad and start living life as a ‘grown-up’. Of course I love my parents dearly (just in case they’re reading) and while I appreciate them welcoming me back into the family home after my time away ‘studying’, there obviously comes a point where you tread on each others toes, hog the bathroom in the morning and wake them up after a late night out! It seems to me however, that we are all going to have to put up with this for quite a while longer….

I was horrified to hear the NHF (National Housing Federation) say that “a whole generation could be locked out of the housing market” and I thought - that’s me! It seems that that the majority of young people are all stuck in the same rut; where the light at the end of the tunnel is so far away we can’t even see it! My parents keep saying about how different things were ‘back in the day’, how they were able to take out a mortgage with next to nothing - they still had to work hard for it but it was possible, in reach even. Now you need so much to even get started that it’s a wonder if any of us will ever get there. Now there is a situation where a choice needs to be made that you have to go either one way or the other, save and save for goodness knows how many years to try and get a deposit together to take out a mortgage, or save for a little less time and start renting, which all know now is a dangerous trap! Start paying a landlord and the dream of saving for a mortgage in the mean time is out the window. I would even go as far as to say that it saddens me that my sister and her soon to be husband are spending more on rent payments than mortgage instalments, all because they didn’t have that ever increasing initial lump sum!

When I got into work I started chatting to the PE team about it and as the discussion developed we thought not only about how it affected our personal lives, but our work lives also. Being heavily involved in the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom industry, we thought about the wider picture and what a knock on effect this could have across the board. If people are struggling to even afford a home of their own, then where is the money for improvements and modernisation? Thankfully, our clients are weathering the storm but it is worrying how much of a knock on effect the housing crisis will have. Over the past couple of months we have seen furniture and bathroom giant’s fold and it makes me wonder how much of an impact the current housing market contributed to such results. Perhaps this is where PR really comes into play, with the industry being more competitive than ever before, brands need to stand out from the crowd and be at the forefront of new build design or the renovation of current properties.

I’ll sign off now, but if there are any rich millionaires out there reading this, then donations are welcome. I’m sure my parents would be very grateful!

To read or not to read?

As a graduate of English Literature, I have always loved reading. When I was a child, my parents used to take me and my brother to our local library every Saturday morning where we could take out 12 books at a time on our library cards and we’d always finish them before next Saturday’s visit. This love of books spurred me on to thoroughly enjoy English Literature throughout my education before I went on to study the subject at university.

I find that there’s nothing quite like the feel of a book and the turning of a page, so the results reported on BBC News today that fewer than 50% of children aged 8-17 read a novel a month outside of school worried me. Additionally, one in eight children claimed they had never visited a bookshop. That’s 12.5%! Perhaps it’s my literature purism speaking but I find this to be a frightening statistic, though not quite as terrifying as the discovery that in the reading preferences of children, text messages came top.

It's never too young to get them reading

The reason I find this to be a worrying state of affairs is because I know how much reading benefitted me. It inspired me to be more creative and I’m sure it improved my writing skills in turn - so what will happen to our children if they live their lives through digital media? A decline in literacy, predict many bestselling authors such as Phillip Pullman and Kate Mosse, pointing to the one in six adults who are illiterate, and little wonder if the younger generation spend their time reading text messages instead of Shakespeare.

Let me assure you that I wholeheartedly embrace the digital age that we live in but I can’t help but feel many of us might now be missing out. With the decline in popularity of books, we are losing an institution as one of the pioneers of literature. Having produced some of the greatest novels, plays and poetry ever written, more needs to be done to entice our youth to step away from their games consoles and pick up a book in celebration, and recognition, of our cultural heritage. I can’t help but wonder whether the decline of the book is directly related to the ‘instant’ culture we seem to have created in our society. We, as a population, seek immediate gratification in most of our activities, as demonstrated in the roaring success of websites such as Twitter and television shows such as The X Factor that provide instant fame.

So what can we do? I would suggest that we need to get kids hooked on books at a younger age. Once we’ve lost them to Facebook, YouTube and Playstations they’ll never come back to the written word which is not only a shame, but may also have lasting repercussions on their literacy skills. Though I suspect this is easier said than done, we need to encourage kids to read from an early age whether this is at home or in the classroom. Aside from bribery with extra packet money or sweets, parents need to instil in their children a love of books from as early an age as possible, as my parents did with me. Along with their Nintendo DS children should be packing a book when they go on holiday with their parents, and reading time should be an important part of their everyday routine at school and at home.

Or is there another way? Whilst I personally hate the idea of reading on a product such as Amazon’s Kindle (that’s the purist in me again) I have to admit that if I had children, I would prefer them to read ebooks rather than none at all. Though I do think the experience is diminished somewhat without that booky smell and the rustle of each turning page, there is something to be said for forming a coalition between technology and books if that’s what it takes to encourage our kids to read. Though I will be resolutely holding onto my library card.

The best things in life aren't free

Despite the violence and chaos appearing to have finally come to an end, the subject matter of the riots and looting in not only London, but across the country, continues to have a dominant place in the headlines. Instead of waking up to find that more windows have been smashed and more victims injured, our attention has been diverted to the questioning of why such extreme rebellion and violence ever happened. Experts, professionals, youth workers and MP’s have all been coming forward to put their answers to the world.

As I’ve been watching the news and browsing the web, there seems such a desperate attempt to try and understand why so many homes, businesses and communities were destroyed, and rightly so. When the trouble began with Tottenham being burnt to ashes, I was under the impression that it was the reaction of a frustrated and hurting society that was dealing with the loss of a local man, with little explanation as to why. Yet, as the events continued, it soon became apparent that some deep, underlying anger had risen to the surface that had been dormant and suppressed for a long time. Now that the volcano had erupted, it wasn’t going to go away without a real bang and now as David Cameron himself said yesterday; it is time to fix this ‘broken society’.

I think it satisfies many to hear that the numbers of arrests made are constantly on the rise every day and this is the first stage of repairing the damage. As time goes on however, there seems to be more and more reasons crawling out the woodwork as to why such violent and disruptive acts were carried out. For me, there is no justifiable excuse as to why such a hideous series of events took place, where family businesses handed down through generations were gone in a flash and homes filled with memories and people’s only possessions were burnt to the ground.

As I watched Sky news the other day, the reporter was interviewing a group of looters, who were explaining the reason why they took such forceful measures. There seemed no remorse, no embarrassment and no guilt amongst them. As I have watched the news over the past week, I have heard answer after answer as to why these actions took place, some saying that the youths who took part feel socially excluded, others stating that we have encouraged a dependency culture where people have come to think that the things in life are free, others have considered racism as an ongoing problem amongst society. I have also listened to people placing the blame on stars and celebrities for influencing the country to be flooded with a materialistic culture and others feel strongly that the breakdown of the traditional family is behind it all.

It saddens me that such excuses are being made as it seems that fewer people are living their lives following the values that I have been brought up on, where irrelevant of your background, your education or your age, you should work hard, live honestly and achieve the best you can. As reporters speak to those involved, who have committed crimes, abused the police force, stolen goods and damaged property, there seems to be this underlying feeling that they are owed something, that society has deprived them of the life that they want to lead. I can easily say that I feel lucky, that I have had a loving family, that I had a good childhood, I worked hard at school, I got into University and now I’m working doing something I love. I understand that things don’t always work out this way for everyone and I’ve still got a long way to go, but if you want something that much you can go and get it- legitimately. This is a word however, that seems to have lost meaning over the past few years as it was pointed out on Sunday Morning Live, with MP’s also having been known to break the rules and help themselves to what isn’t necessarily theirs. If those in charge of the country are living this way, then what example does this set to the rest? In the same way that MP’s were arrested and made to pay back what was owed, looters and rioters should be made to do the same as well as consideration being made for the disruption caused.

Perhaps there a couple of good things to come out of all this, an understanding that there is a need for the restoration of moral values and the need for increased discipline when it comes to crime and disorder and a reassessment of the phrase ‘the best things in life are free’.

Who's really to blame?

Having watched in horror as the riots unfolded last night on the streets of London and beyond, I began to wonder what on earth could be a worse job than being an English bobby on the streets right now. After some deliberation, I realised there was probably just one and that was to be the PR for the Metropolitan Police. In the last twelve months they have had to overcome bad press over the unfortunate death of Ian Tomlinson during the G20 riots two years ago, they have endured a barrage of criticism over their handling of the student riots, the phone hacking scandal and now the riots in the aftermath of the death of Tottenham local Mark Duggan.

In the wake of the aforementioned it must be a nightmare task for their PR team to set about winning back the trust and respect of so many of the population of the UK and yet weirdly, in my opinion, I think these latest events will see public opinion sway back in favour of the ‘boys in blue’.

I’ve heard so many commentators on TV suggesting that heavy handed policing, social problems, racism and lack of employment, to name a few, are contributing to the current round of rioting.  I think it’s time we got real and lay the blame at the feet of the perpetrators; the rioters themselves (mainly youths) and the families that raise them. I cannot believe that the parents of these yobs were watching it all on TV and didn’t think to ask themselves ‘where is our little Johnny bless him?‘ And if they did then surely they would have tried to give him a call on the mobile they probably bought him for Christmas to ask where he is and if he’s ok.

Assuming that they actually did this, could they not hear what was going on in the background when he answered and if he didn’t answer, ask him why? Similarly, if the next day ‘Johnny’ had a new TV in his room or a nice new pair of trainers, did they not think to ask him how he came to have these items and then march him off to the local police station? It’s this parental behaviour that is in many ways as odious as the actions of their children and I think all right minded people will feel the same way. 

Let’s be honest, the vast majority of these brave policemen and women are parents with families of their own, yet they are putting their bodies and lives on the line to protect us. I just hope that they don’t think it is in vain, because I truly believe that these events on our streets will see a groundswell of support for the police without the need for any clever PR campaigns, and rightly so.

Rob Nicholls, Managing Director, Publicity Engineers

A Healthy Balance Please!

As a PR in the wonderful world of communications, I read countless articles each week - some intriguing, some concerning and some quite frankly depressing but it was a report I stumbled across today that really got me thinking. In fact it led to feelings of utter frustration and despair but I’ll get to that bit in a minute.

The article, which was published by BBC News, spoke of Ofcom’s recent research into the explosion of smartphone activity here in the UK. The findings of course weren’t surprising. It seems that a third of adults now actively use smartphones on a frequent basis.

As I said, these figures came as no shock. Even my Mother, who struggles to operate her ever-so-user-friendly microwave (sorry Mum!) called me last week to say she’d checked the film times on her new mobile phone and that we were to meet at 8pm, Cineworld Enfield for a showing of Bridesmaids. I nearly fell off my chair but it just goes to demonstrate how smartphones and the internet are changing the way we live our lives. It’s incredible how far technology has come and how much of an impact it is having, not just on teenagers but the older generation too.

I for one couldn’t live without my beloved Blackberry. In addition to old fashioned calling and texting, I use it to check emails, tweet and browse the internet. However, when I started work at Publicity Engineers three years ago (oh how time flies) this wasn’t the case. I would spend hours, wasted hours where I was cut off from the outside world, sat on trains and planes travelling to see clients or attend exhibitions. Now, while I’m on my way to Leeds, Cardiff or beyond, I can stay connected. I can respond to emails ensuring I don’t miss deadlines, update our Facebook and Twitter accounts and carry out any necessary research at the touch of a button, all via a device that fits comfortably in my pocket.

Without a shadow of a doubt, this ability to ‘stay connected’ is powerful and positive. It’s changing the way we work, network and socialise (in most cases) for the better but is there an argument to suggest some of us are taking it too far? Are we losing that all important personal touch and are we letting technology take over?

When the Ofcom report revealed that a worrying 37% of adults and a staggering 60% of teenagers described themselves as being ‘addicted’, this didn’t surprise me either.

Have you ever been to dinner with a group of friends only to look around the table and see that the majority of them are typing away on their smartphones, probably updating their Facebook statuses or tweeting? I have and it not only maddens me, but saddens me too. This is quality time that should involve chatting, laughing and catching up. So if any of my friends are reading this, or if you are guilty of the same crime, please understand that time is precious and while the internet is an amazing tool that we should all utilise, there’s nothing quite like human interaction. In the same way, while email is a quick and effective way of communication, meeting a journalist at a press launch wins hand down every time, as does a face-to-face client meeting over a conference call.

I think the moral of the story here is you certainly can have too much of a good thing and like with most areas of life, a balance is required; a balance between staying connected, keeping up with technology and maintaining healthy personal relationships so we don’t all turn into zombies!

Our intern Mandy gives her thoughts on PR and life at Publicity Engineers

Starting work at Publicity Engineers was something that made me feel excited but nervous at the same time, as the start date approached. But I needn’t have worried as the team took me under their wing and from the first day it felt like I had been there for months.

My first task, which was opening magazine wrappings and separating the rubbish from the recycling, can be seen by some as a tedious chore but I welcomed the jobs given to me, knowing as time went on I would be gaining more and more experience. PR is not something I have an extensive knowledge of, so gaining an insight to what Publicity Engineers do showed to me that although whilst clients they deal with do feature in many high end, luxury magazines, making the job seem very glamorous at times; it isn’t as easy as some can make out and you have to be prepared to work hard to meet deadlines and targets.

I was very happy to be asked to write a press release for a client of Publicity Engineers. However, after looking at templates of past press releases, I realised it would not be as easy as I thought. Although as an English literature undergraduate I enjoy writing, I did find it difficult to word the press release suitably for the client intended. After struggling through the first press release however, I found the next one given to me less daunting and with help from both Hannah and Sarah I am learning from mistakes I have made, allowing my writing to improve.

I have particularly enjoyed answering journalists’ queries and offering advice to their questions. Although I do not have much knowledge in terms of products which clients of Publicity Engineers offer, I did enjoy researching and using my own opinions and thoughts in helping answer their queries.

So far I am thoroughly enjoying my time here at Publicity Engineers, where everyone is so welcoming and helpful in all the tasks given to me to complete. Although I haven’t been here very long I am already considering a career path into PR, as I have already gained so much from this experience.

Mandy

News of the Twitter World

With the News International/Hackgate scandal dominating the headlines for the foreseeable future it seems only right to dedicate our next blog to the effect on the media. With yesterday’s dramatic developments and Jonnie Marbles’ meteoric rise to notoriety (incidentally, did anybody see his alleged final tweet before the pie episode? ‘It is a far better thing that I do now than I have ever done before #splat’) there is no hotter topic.

As much as I sympathise with Jonnie Marbles’ attitude towards the Murdochs I can’t help but be a little frustrated by his actions. Despite almost getting a shaving foam pie to the face, Rupert Murdoch must be absolutely delighted at the opportunity to appear as a victim of such an attack. Directly after the incident, Twitter was a-flurry with responses to the day’s events. As I use Twitter constantly for PR I couldn’t help but notice the topics that rocketed to the Top Trends in the UK, once again underlining for me the powerful position that Twitter holds in the media today. Indeed, directly after Murdoch’s admission that yesterday was the ‘most humble’ day of his life, the phrase ‘humble pie’ began trending almost immediately.

Countless articles have since emerged including The Guardian’s Twitter ‘sentiment’ analysis. Whilst attitudes towards the Murdochs and News International remains negative, Wendi Deng, the lightning fast wife and defender of Rupert Murdoch, has herself shot to fame, garnering an overwhelmingly positive response from Twitter users worldwide.

When such abhorrent incidents such as the actions of News International come to the fore, Twitter becomes the outlet for the general public (and protesters such as Jonnie Marbles) to vent their frustrations, express their disgust and seize their 15 minutes of fame. More and more journalists are turning to Twitter as a source for quotes and stories. The playing field has never been more level and the thoughts of Joe Public now matter in a way that was inconceivable 5 years ago.

All this is proof, to me, that Twitter really is king. Can you afford not to be on it?

A quick hello from the PE newbie

Hi there!

So as my first month as an Account Exec at Publicity Engineers is drawing to a close, I thought that it may be a good idea to let you all know how great it’s been so far…

First things first, let’s point out how pleased I am to have found a job doing what I love so quickly after graduating! When I put down my pen at the end of my last exam, there was a sinking feeling in my stomach, not only because the happy-go-lucky style of student living had come to an end, but because my next step was still a mystery to myself and my parents who were crossing their fingers that they wouldn’t have to keep me for too much longer! But, truth be told, I couldn’t have hoped for a better result - after all not many new employees find themselves spending their first day at work sipping Pimms on the HMS Belfast do they?!

The hard work started soon enough though with press releases, copy calls, cuttings and meetings, but I would be lying if I said I haven’t enjoyed every second of it. The team here at Publicity Engineers are great - they’ve all made me feel very welcome, taught me a lot and surprisingly haven’t given me a whack yet for asking so many questions! I’ve even had the opportunity to go to the Hampton Court Flower Show, which after enduring four long hours of grid-locked traffic was actually a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon!

Anyway, enough from me, time to get back to the hard graft - those press releases won’t write themselves!

Bye for now!

There was no rain on our parade!

As a thank you to clients past and present as well as our good friends and colleagues from the press, Publicity Engineers organised a party on a balmy June evening on board The HMS Belfast last Thursday night.  With almost 90 guests in attendance, all enjoyed listening and dancing to a swing band, a summer carvery and a cool glass of Pimm’s!

With Publicity Engineers turning 15 this year and a seemingly endless difficult economic climate for us all to endure, what better time to say thank you, both  to clients for their continued business and to members of the press for listening to us talk about sinks, taps, kitchens, and loos every day for the last decade and a half! We were overwhelmed with the kind words and positive comments expressed by those invited.

On the night, guests were delighted with the venue, with many drawing attention to the mannequins on board that help to tell stories about the ship’s history during World War II. Others were intoxicated by the great food and general camaraderie, some were just intoxicated... you know who you are!  

The rain held off – thank goodness, so we could all enjoy an evening outside, admiring the views of The Tower of London and Tower Bridge as the sun set and the multi-coloured lights that adorn the banks of the Thames were switched on.

With such a great turnout, we were delighted that so many guests stayed until the end, with some dancing to the band until late evening!

One of our long-standing clients, Bernard Otulakowski, MD of SieMatic UK, suggested we organise a raffle with all proceeds going to Cancer Research UK.  First prize was a wine storage unit donated from another time-honoured client, Caple, while luxury kitchen manufacturer, SieMatic, offered a meal for two at a swanky restaurant.  Bottles of Champagne were kindly donated by radiator manufacturers Aestus and Vogue, and a luxury box of chocolates courtesy of Publicity Engineers rounded up the prizes.  We are delighted to report that some £250 was raised for this worthy cause on the night!

All in all, the night was a rip-roaring success.  I’d like to sign off by thanking all of those who attended and making the party go with a ‘swing’.  It would also be remiss of me not to say a big thank you for all of the kind e mails, phone calls and texts received from guests who have expressed their gratitude post party, it really was a great pleasure.

Rob Nicholls, Managing Director, Publicity Engineers

Exhibition Season Approaches

The exhibition season is nearly upon us once again with many of us booked to go to ISH. Closer to home the Ideal Home Show kicks off in March, quickly followed by kbbLondon and before we know it 100% Design and Decorex will be upon us too. 

In these truly challenging economic times I have the greatest respect for those manufacturers and distributors who put their money where their mouth is and commit to exhibiting. There’s a saying in business that anyone who stands still moves backwards and I truly hope that these companies with the foresight to invest get their due rewards over the course of the year and beyond.

Personally, I find it difficult when I hear people within the industry criticise exhibitions. It’s all too easy to do but, in reality, where would the industry be without them? Where else would you see so many existing and potential customers within a 3 to 4 day spread? Not to mention the opportunity these shows give us to hook up with old industry friends and colleagues for a glass of wine or three. 

Of course, the organisers of these exhibitions are trying to make money, just as the rest of us are, but I for one think they provide a great platform for us to do more business and talk the economy and the industry up to the benefit of us all. 

We work closely with the team at kbbLondon and appreciate first hand the effort and dedication they put into making the show a success. As a former manager of the kbb show when it was in London 25 years ago, I truly hope that as a new exhibition they are rewarded with the praise and recognition they deserve.

Rob Nicholls, Managing Director, Publicity Engineers