First steps to a life in PR...

I've moved to a new blog

2008-10-29T12:31:00.009Z

Following a minor fallout with my blogspot account when I tried to set-up a second blog on the same account for an event I'm helping to organise, I've moved to a new blog.

It turns out if you want two blogs but with the same email, you're only allowed one profile - hence the 'Encore' part on the about me section. So no, I'm not an event, I'm a real person so follow my posts on www.katiepearce.wordpress.com

I'm back and I've found my niche!

2008-10-19T17:35:00.000+01:00

After 10 months of blog neglect, I have returned to continue with what I started. Since my last post back in December 2007, I have started my placement year at Advent Communications (www.advent-communications.co.uk), moved in with my boyfriend, and established a strong relationship with the internet - internet PR that is!

When I started at Advent I had no idea what was expected of me or what I would be doing everyday. But I have found my niche in the PR industry - the World Wide Web. It all began with what my colleagues refer to as the 'funny portals'.

As with all PR agencies, we too churn out press release after press release, some interesting and newsworthy, but some not quite as headline-grabbing as we would like. Six months ago if someone had asked me where press releases are published, I would have said newspapers. And yes, this would have been right, but since entering the real world I've discovered a whole new meaning to press release distribution. The online portal.

It's free and well worth any PR professional jumping on the band wagon. Simply register to these little gems and get uploading your press releases.

At first I thought it was a load of rubbish - I mean who in their right mind would click on a link to read about a tribute act at a hotel? I was soon proven very wrong. Each press release I upload at work seems to get at least 60 hits within a few days of being online. Some business stories of ours have seen over 400 hits.

It's something that I had no idea existed and I'm positive that the main percentage of businesses out there are oblivious to the 'funny portals', just as I was.

Because of my newly discovered secret, I've decided this is the route I want to follow - internet PR. I know there's lots to learn yet and this is just the start...

Here are some links to a few of my favourite online press release distribution websites:

www.freepressreleases.co.uk

www.pr-inside.com

www.pressbox.co.uk

www.prlog.org

Placement Panic

2007-12-18T16:57:00.000Z

I handed in my last piece of work for the year yesterday; and what a great feeling it was too! I still have two more pieces that are due in after Christmas, but for this week I'm concentrating on placements.

Over the last few weeks I've been in contact with numerous companies, in an attempt to bag myself a placement over Christmas. I thought it would be easy - I was wrong! I contacted 8 companies and only one of those could offer me a placement. However, I did have to wait two weeks to hear back from them.

I must admit, I did leave sorting a placement out quite late. What with the Christmas holiday fast approaching - for myself as well as companies - offering work experience to students is not really a priority for the many Head of Communications people I contacted! This has certainly taught me to plan ahead. This seems to be the theme for my second year so far!

Anyway, the placement I have got for the Christmas break is with a charity in Somerset. At first I was a little disappointed as it was actually my last choice - I didn't really like the idea of working for a charity - however, now it's had time to sink in, I've realised it's a great opportunity. I probably wouldn't have done any PR for a charity, so am quite pleased that I will be able to get some experience in this field of PR. I may even decide that PR in the voluntary sector is for me...

I have also been offered another placement, but for the Easter holidays - as they couldn't accommodate me over Christmas. It will be in a press office with a Police Force. This was my first choice of placement as I would really like to work in that environment - so I am really looking forward to that.

Placement panic over...until next year anyway!

Second Year Shock!

2007-12-08T20:50:00.000Z

Having been back at Uni for nearly 3 months now, I decided it was about time to update my blog and get back into it (if a little late)! So here it is...

I have to say, my experiences of the second year so far are somewhat different from the first year. I found there was a huge jump from first to second year - it came as quite a shock to say the least! At the start of term, back in September, the work just kept coming. I got quite stressed by it all as I had no idea how, or when, I would get it all done. Assignments were set and I had weekly group presentations, as well as having to start thinking about placements and assignments due in after Christmas. It took me a few days to get my head around it all and come up with some sort of work timetable. I'm not one for advanced planning and generally do things last minute. However, with all of the work I had and have, I could not afford to put it to one side and leave until the last minute.

As the term progressed, I found myself becoming far more organised than I was in the first year; I discovered time management skills I never knew I had! The weekly work got done, as well as a good start on assignments that aren't due in until after Christmas, but needed to be started. I actually found myself enjoying getting up at 7am every morning and working right through the day - it was rather satisfying!

I am learning fast, just how important planning is if you want to do well at something. I used to have quite a slack attitude and always put things off, knowing they would get done, but not to my best ability. I got away with this during the first year at uni, however this year, I can't. I've had to change my attitude and style of working, in order to adjust to the higher level of learning and work-load. I'm pleased about this though; I feel it has built upon the skills I already had and shown me that I can adjust. I've realised that this is a much better way to do things and will continue to use my time wisely. There is no reason why anything I do should not have 100% effort put into it, especially as I moved all this way to Leeds to go to University. I'm going to make the most of it!

Intrusive media?

2007-04-23T15:29:00.000+01:00

The recent Virginia Tech shootings have sparked media interest all over the world, but have journalists gone too far this time in getting their front page exclusives?

It has been revealed that journalists were using bloggers and facebook accounts, by sending messages to witnesses of the shootings, in an attempt to get them to speak out about their terrifying experience, despite being warned to stay away. Journalists have a reputation for being intrusive and willing to go to any lengths for a story, but this was purely insensitive. The students had just witnessed their friends being shot in a frenzied attack, yet the journalists didn't seem to care about giving them space to allow them to grieve in privacy. This latest ethically wrong tactic hasn't done journalists' reputation any good.

Phone-in scandal: a media frenzy?

2007-04-23T14:35:00.000+01:00

Today's front pages are littered with articles about GMTV's latest phone-in scandal, investigation and the recent findings. For a day time TV show that previously held a high reputation of itself among it's audience, it's not looking too good for them, as recent evidence proves the popular show can be linked to fraudulent activities associated with phone-in competitions. However, it's not just GMTV under investigation. Since the phone-in scandal was discovered a few months ago, various other popular TV shows-including Blue Peter-have been accused of dishonesty to their viewers when holding phone-in competitions.

Amidst all of the coverage in the newspapers of recent, there is a programme on the so-called 'scandal' being advertised on the BBC, in which phone-in competitions are portrayed to be fraudulent, misleading and untrustworthy. Is this just another example of the media making something out of nothing by multiplying it by 10 to make it newsworthy?

GMTV released a statement today claiming they had no involvement in such activities; all of their phone-in competitions take place through a strict role of conduct basis. They also claim that the phone-in competitions are operated by another company who is responsible for deciding on winners and the phone-in charges. So how is it that the papers just point the blame directly to GMTV and the company actually responsible for this scandal goes unscathed?

The reputation of GMTV and Blue Peter has been damaged to a severe extent already, despite there being no conclusion from the investigation. Viewers of both shows put their trust into the programmes when participating in competitions. For the loyal fans of both shows, this media frenzy may have affected their decision to participate in future competitions, as well as affecting the viewing stats.

Until OFCOM finish with their investigations, there is no way of knowing whether the media hype is justified. If however GMTV is found not guilty of the scandal, the media will be responsible for ruining a well established and highly regarded reputation which has been built up over decades.

Where did winter go?

2007-03-18T23:26:00.000Z

The last few weeks the sun has been out and we've started to see the new season begin. To me, this is usually an exciting time of year as festival tickets go on sale and summer holidays are in the process of being planned! However, it's a little different for me this year as before I can plan any of my summer I need to get my portfolio completed. With the deadline looming and only 2 more weeks left before Easter holidays, the pressure is on! I'm beginning to find with the course it's very easy just to let things sit there not done until the last minute. For me, 'Last minute' is something I have always been familiar with throughout my education, however the portfolio is one piece of work that can't be treated with such a slack attitude! But fortunately I work well under pressure and know it will get done eventually!

When I'm a PR professional, pressure will be something I will have to cope with on a daily basis from both clients and colleagues. Therefore I see all this as good practice!

Once the dreaded exams and portfolio are out of the way, I'll be able to look forward to the long summer ahead of me. I've decided to spend part of my summer doing something for others, rather than the usual fortnightly music festival wasting ridiculous amounts of money! I want to go abroad with a charity and offer my help where it's needed. However, I'm having huge difficulty in deciding where I want to go and for what organisation or charity. Leeds Met organise a children's camp in Romania over the summer, in which I'd be working with orphans and helping them to have fun and forget about their worries by organising activities and various games. This does appeal to me, however there are so many other opportunities elsewhere such as Camp America e.t.c. It's really difficult to decide as it's a large amount of money to do any of them. Guess I've got some research to do!

Crocodile skin trainers...what next?!

2007-03-12T20:53:00.000Z

I was reading through today's issue of 'The Sun', when I came across an article about Nike's crocodile-skin trainers that are on the market for an outrageous ₤1,400. Nike have unveiled these rather over priced and ridiculous sports shoes to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their 'Air Force 1' line of trainers. Not only are these expensive trainers made from crocodile skin, they also have 18 carat gold lace tags!
Nike's PR department look to have a busy week ahead of them as they try and smooth things over with animal rights groups and the public, who are set against animal cruelty. Not the best of moves for the well known sports brand!
Maybe Nike should have focused on making a large financial gesture towards comic relief to raise their profile to celebrate 25 years, rather than associating themselves with animal cruelty. However, no doubt some celebrity with too much money than sense will be caught on camera purchasing a pair of these hideous shoes!