This time however, direct marketers were ready. The industry comprising 280,000 jobs, the industry which contributes £27bn to the economy, the industry that created Tesco Clubcard joined together under the DMA and took a stand and let it’s voice be heard. And what a roar it made! Using social media and the hashtag #panoramamail debate whizzed round twitter; 574 tweets were logged reaching 48,000 people.  Eulogy! spent much of Monday seeding the hashtag and encouraging industry members, thought leaders and consumers to join the conversation whilst the programme aired. And judging by the buzz, the industry’s first foray into social media self defence was a resounding success. We felt proud to represent the industry.

The jam packed schedule started the moment we hit the airport where we met with Gemma Greaves, Marketing Director of The Marketing Society to talk serious business (well more the best restaurants, parties and bars, it was imperative to visit).

After dumping our bags we hit the Croisette for a spot of steak tartare and bumped into no other than Tim Hipperson of G2. Vicky then had a meeting with MEC and Phil and I co-created probably our most glamorous comment piece ever (in terms of location) with Christoph Becker at Gyro. No rest for the wicked (and no planned nap) we headed off to the back of town to catch up with The Brand Union following their stupendous installation, The Big Book, which had pride of place at the foot of the Palais. And yes our photos could be found amongst the pages, much to our delight. Although we still haven’t forgiven Rankin for not recognising our photographic genius by failing to select them for the top 11 (eleven is the new ten, apparently). Never mind, we don’t hold a grudge (much).

Supper was a lovely affair at a beautiful garden terrace, where we spotted none other than Robert Redford – although on closer inspection, I suspect it wasn’t really him… although has anyone else noticed the distinct resemblance to John Hegarty???

And then to the Gala Party, followed by the Gutter Bar where they ran out of beer – outrageous. I think we crawled to bed at 5am.

Bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning (going via a pharmacy for Phil, who managed to lose his voice the night before), we grabbed a coffee and awaited the arrival of another client, Alchemetrics.  Given it was their first time at Cannes, the weeks previous we executed a campaign nattily entitled “Cannes You Find Us” through LinkedIn and Twitter. This culminated in a photo shoot by The Big Book, which challenged delegates to come and find us; the prize a free lunch. We were “found” but we promised not to reveal by whom – they don’t want anyone to know they like free lunches! (But it’s sooo tempting). After a long lunch in the old town we were joined by the lovely Caroline Barker at Momentum and Gemma from the Marketing Society, where the “after, after party” was conceived, brainstormed and agreed. Amuse bouches (not sure that’s the plural) were a key feature.

Caroline and I then went to her interview with Adforum.com and then had a wander around the amazing Japan exhibition, a collection of fundraising creative activated by adland in response to the earthquake. Here we spied Michael Roth and the Japanese Ambassador to France. On to The Big Book cocktail party where we entertained journalists from as far afield as Australia.

Again shunning a nap we hot footed it to the Campaign Party (sleep is for wimps) and hobnobbed with Phil Smith, Sara Kimberly, Jeremy King, Suzanne Bidlake amongst others. Without a doubt a fantastic event (although I probably would say that!), not least because I had my first paddle and met a super new business lead. On to supper and then another session a la Gutter alongside Momentum who had just finished organising one of the parties that everyone wanted a ticket for. So exclusive was it,  even we didn’t get a pass (!!!). Then to Bed. Selflessly we had given up one of our rooms to the plight of a journalist so  Vic and I shared a rediculously small bed – it’s a good job we like each other (and I think we still do, Vic?).

The following morning we sorted out our Shots tickets, caught up with a few more journalists, harassed Phil Smith, who happened to have the misfortune of staying in the same hotel, and then hung out on the Carlton Terrace to people watch. Then off to the Ogilvy party which had the most magnificent aerial acrobats amongst flowing cocktails and plentiful sausage rolls. Contentment is a party called Ogilvy. The battered mars bars were a big Eulogy! hit.

We then decamped to The Shots Party, which was absolutely heaving and at capacity by 12.30am. An apparent record. Big thanks go to Attilio and Hayley for looking after us so wonderfully.

And then because it’s the law, a stint back at the Gutter. Where the prices had magically increased by 7% on the night before. We are seriously in the wrong business.

Not only did we meet and spend time with some great people,  but we also learnt masses too. Watching sessions such as the debate between Murdoch and Sir Sorrell were invaluable, not to mention listening to the controversy  caused by Will.i.am’s exertion that “Ad agencies are yesterday”, innit.

Another festival over, but it was without a doubt the busiest I have seen in recent years and the mood exceptionally buoyant. If that’s anything to go by, hopefully the industry can look forward to a more positive year than last.

An Irish Ale is a ‘traditional’ Irish cocktail, consisting of Irish whiskey, ginger ale and lime. Mixed over ice in a highball glass, it’s a venerable drink for the discerning Irish lady, gentleman, rogue, misfit, PR/Marketing/Media professional. Just look at the faces of my colleagues as they sample the drink in the instructional video David (Onlinefire’s additional Irishman) put together for us.  Pure joy.

Do enjoy your tipple and celebrate St Patrick’s day with us in true style. Please get in touch if you have any thoughts or questions; it’s great to hear back. You can leave a comment here, follow us on Twitter (@dibbledabbles, @Eulogy_London, @Onlinefire) or give me a call – 020 7927 9999

Slainte!

Dibble and all at Eulogy! and Onlinefire

Never has there been a more important time to stand out from the crowd and communicate your messages to prospects so you can grow and leave your competitors to wallow in your wake. However, this cut through is something many ex-clients are missing out on.

But why reconnect with Eulogy!? As we recently stated in our communication to lapsed clients we have evolved significantly in recent years.

Though fear not, we are still the fun down to earth PR professionals who are committed to going the extra mile for clients. We still have an unhealthy obsession with chocolate and Krispy Kreme doughnuts, and predilection for the odd drink or three on a Friday night at the Marlborough Arms or SPOC as we affectionately call it (you’ll have reconnect with us to find what that acronym stands for!).

One area where we have evolved dramatically is the way in which we approach PR strategy. Today, we have our own unique strategic planning process that we take new clients through. It involves stripping back their brand to get to the heart of their offering. By doing this we are always able to create a PR strategy that delivers on the client’s objectives and their bottom line.

Once the strategy is agreed another important aspect of the PR process is not left out – the creative. Again, we have unique approach to devising creative ideas that generate coverage and meets the client’s strategic needs.

These changes, no doubt, helped to persuade two ex-clients to quickly respond that they would like to talk to us about potentially working with them again.

And anyway it’s not just clients reconnecting. I have. Despite Eulogy!’s strong growth in recent years it still a maintains a very high level of client service and delivery, and a fantastic culture that attracted me in the first place. It’s a key reason why I made a reconnection of my own and re-joined the agency last summer, seven years after I left. Think I’ll go and grab a Krispy Kreme…

Journalist lunches can be viewed as a perk by PRs. For foodies, those who view relationship building as the most important part of their role or those just wanting to escape their desk and office for a while, lunch excursions are something to be relished.  On the other hand, however, if you’re stuck talking about an industry that you don’t have a natural affinity with, they can be a painful, drawn-out process!

Whether you love or hate them, I wonder if we, as PR people, put in enough thought when choosing a restaurant.

Sure, there are basic questions such as whether the journalist has allergies or any food they just don’t like, but are there different rules of etiquette that should be adhered to when at lunch with client and journalist together, rather than a one-on-one?

Another thing to consider: does the choice or style of restaurant have any impact on the outcome of the lunch or the journalist relationship?  Is choosing tapas at Polpo, Fino or Salt Yard going to create a convivial atmosphere or will sharing all those small plates just be messy?  By going somewhere formal such as Murano, do we risk creating a stilted or strained atmosphere, or could this be advantageous if there are various areas of discussions that your client wants to avoid?

Whatever the restaurant you decide on, one of the main meal components must be a tipple!  It sounds simple, but ensuring that a journalist is offered a drink, (frequently and repeatedly) is, according to some, the most important rule of PR lunch etiquette.

But be sure to do some research into the journalist’s preferences beforehand. The more you know about them already, the better the lunch and the conversation can be. In short, making sure that the journalist has a good time will help you to strengthen your professional relationship, as well as help them get the story they need

If you have any favourite restaurants or tips, be sure to leave a comment.

Photo graciously borrowed from Locals Night Out

TUACA is a delicious Italian spirit that has been part of the Eulogy! portfolio for several years. Our latest PR campaign initially focused on achieving product placement in consumer magazines with recipes for the signature serves, but eventually we found ourselves within the online space – a new foray for the brand.

The key messaging behind TUACA has always been about ‘discovery’. This is reflected in TUACA’s UK launch. Initially discovered by a Brighton snowboarder who tried it on the slopes of Colorado, and then returned to tell all her friends about it, TUACA is all about word of mouth.

Since then, TUACA has always been the darling drink of the snowboarding community. Admittedly it’s a very niche audience – but while other brands may try to shed cult status and go for a more mainstream approach, TUACA uses this to its advantage. Because it’s a drink for the type of person who likes to discover a secret and pass it onto their friends, online PR and word of mouth is a perfect platform.

In the last year, TUACA has built upon this notion of discovery and word of mouth by launching the first-ever TUACA Traveller competition.

The competition offered one person and a friend the opportunity to win a two-week snowboarding trip undiscovered slopes across Europe. The site was hosted by snowboarding enthusiasts’ site Mpora.

To support the campaign, team TUACA launched the TUACA Traveller Blog. The blog is written by the winner and was supported by video content of his adventures picked up by sliding sports sites like  Gone Boarding and Life’s a Beach.

We are now looking forward to further cementing TUACA’s presence with the sliding sports industry for 2010, including regional activity in our key cities.  So watch this space because TUACA may surf up on a shore near you soon.

Welcome to 2010. I can hardly believe we’re in a new decade. It seems like only yesterday I was preparing for Y2K and ‘partying like it’s 1999’. There’s no denying the Noughties were an interesting 10 years. The world has seen the Internet explode, the decline of print media, a recession and new communication tools popping up every day.

All of these innovations mean that we as PRs have to be at the top of our game. That’s why Eulogy! and Onlinefire are ready for 2010. In fact, we’ve been planning for ages. Some of the things you can expect to see on our side:

• 2010 Awards: Yes, we’re already planning for the 2010 Awards Season. As anyone in the industry knows, award entries are a lot of work, but through the diligence of Helen and the marketing team, and working closely with our amazing clients, we hope to continue collecting honours.
• PRing PR: Further to awards, you’re going to start seeing Eulogy! and Onlinefire more and more ‘out there’. Be on the lookout for more commentary, expert opinions and reports on the PR and social media industry.
• Onlinefire and Social Media: Speaking of social media, Onlinefire is also ready for the future. After adding Charley Hayes and Andrew Boyers to the team, we’re making our mark by working with companies such as Panasonic, Virgin Media, the Post Office and Comedy Central. Whether it’s mobile applications, games, video, engagement with bloggers or just social media consultation, we’re happy to help.

In any case, if you want to talk about your future, or the things you’re working on for 2010, please do get in touch via a comment or e-mail. We’d love to hear about it.

Eulogy! had been nominated for three PRCA awards, Agency of the Year, Specialist Agency of the Year and Best B2B campaign. Our sister agency Onlinefire was shortlisted for Best Technology Campaign for its work with Virgin Mobile and its 30p tariff.

We took home two almighty awards: we are now crowned Consultancy of the Year 2009 and Best B2B Campaign for our work with Mortascreen.

It was a spectacular night. And I can’t lie, it was made all the more wonderful by our two award wins. Throughout this year, Eulogy!’s board, executive committee and team – from the graduates to the directors – have worked exceptionally hard to make a difference to every aspect of the agency, from things like training and internal comms, to client service, marketing and team structure.

It’s been worth all the hard work. These accolades are a great demonstration of the agency’s excellence. Our growth proves we’re a leading agency that delivers creativity with media insight – a formidable combination.

And, as you can see, we really know how to party! Apologies if we deafened anyone sitting near us. We were the noisiest and most fun-loving crowd in the room!

The moment we found out we had won PRCA Consultancy of the Year 2009!

This misunderstanding of the scope of PR runs across TV as well – just think how many people in the world think PR is what Edwina does in Ab Fab, or the spin doctoring in the BBC’s Absolute Power. While it might be part of the job (sometimes) to drink champagne, hold random brainstorms in circular rooms or spend time at long client lunches, nothing as yet has truly encapsulated the work that goes in behind the scenes to these perks or the real scope of the role.

Perhaps it’s because PR is so multidimensional; even in our office the work I do from day to day can vary wildly from what my colleagues are up to. Maybe it’s down to the shifting nature of media relations/ corporate communications/ event management/ client management and the hundred other roles that PR can, and does, accomplish. I just know I still have trouble explaining what my job really entails to my parents when something we have done appears in the paper.  Should PR do a better job on its own coverage?

While broad consumer audiences can allow greater scope for creativity, ‘big’ thinking or new ideas, in the eyes of many people corporate or B2B PR tends to equate to churning out endless news releases or lengthy statements of end-of-year financials. To me at least, this actually sets the PR industry a challenge of a change in mindset. Just because you personally may not be fascinated by annual results does not mean the clients’ target audience isn’t.

And yet in many ways, if you can find a way of making it fun for yourself, as well as interesting for those you want to read or experience it, campaigns tend to be much more successful. Good examples of corporate PR may be harder to find, but I guarantee they’ll work harder for you in the long run.