Public Relations Institute of Australia

News

Cut Turnover by Challenging Employees
Wed, Dec 17 2008

Barcelona, 15 December 2008 - Employees who get challenging and rewarding assignments are most likely to stay in their jobs at public relations consulting firms, according to a study commissioned by the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) and the Institute for Public Relations.

"People who choose a career in a consultancy are a different breed," said Louis Capozzi, president of ICCO. "Our study shows that to keep them, you've got to constantly bring them new challenges and opportunities. In other words, 'stretch' them more. The tougher the challenges, the more likely your highest potential people are to stay with your firm."

Staff turnover has been identified almost universally as one of the most costly and difficult issues facing public relations firms today. And since public relations is a service and relationship-based business, high rates of employee turnover can have a profound impact on client satisfaction and retention.

Accordingly, the study points to seven specific opportunities to guide firms in reducing unwanted turnover. They are:

1. Provide employees the opportunity to work on challenging projects of various types. It is essential that work be delegated fairly and also with development in mind. In the primary research, respondents' level of responsibility was ranked the most important factor to an employee in terms of his or her intent to stay at a firm.
   
2. Create an aggressive management development programme that includes training to help managers improve relationships with their direct reports. Direct supervisors have the most influence on the day-to-day life of an employee. In the long run, good people managers will nurture an environment where employees want to stay. In turn, employees will want to do their best for a supervisor they respect and admire. They will pursue more challenging projects and learn to be better supervisors themselves.
   
3. Make sure your employees know your firm's mission, and work to instil a sense of shared vision among your employees. Employees who feel they really matter as individuals are more likely to stay at your firm; they'll also be better performers. They want to see how their efforts contribute to the firm's overall success, and, in order to be able to discern that connection, they must know what it is they are ultimately working towards: fulfilment of the firm's vision. Create a vibrant, competitive environment - not internally, but with your competitors. Drive your firm for growth by making your goals ambitious and communicating them broadly. Make sure your employees know they are part of the team that's pitted against the competition.
   
4. Refine your hiring practices. It takes a certain kind of employee to thrive at a public relations firm. Individuals who are cut out for agency PR (as opposed to working on the corporate side or in an entirely different industry) thrive on challenge. Develop a means to target your searches, and, once in the interview phase, assess what kind of an individual you are meeting so that your firm won't waste time, money and effort developing an employee with no interest in staying on the agency side. Characteristics of the firm's culture should be identified, and interviewers should seek out candidates with attributes that "fit" with the firm's culture. Open the hiring procedure to current employees and ask for their input. To keep especially high potential talent from getting bored once they are in, implement a "high-achievers programme" that identifies these employees and offers special training, development and rewards.
   
5. Place an emphasis on work/life balance; if possible, tie it to incentives to stay. Work/life balance is important to today's workforce, and its importance continues to grow. Creating a programme that builds in flexibility, for example one in which a given number of years' tenure at your firm entitles an employee to extra holidays or a sabbatical, helps to mitigate unwanted turnover in two ways: by improving work/life balance, which was found to be one of the top factors in determining an employee's intent to stay at a firm, and by providing a direct incentive to stay on for a given number of years and beyond.
   
6. Create an environment and corporate culture that are diverse and different from the rest. Working in a public relations firm can be extremely difficult with long hours, constant pressure and fewer intrinsic rewards than similar positions in corporate companies. According to our findings, these employees want more - more challenging work and more opportunities for advancement - which in turn amounts to more pressure. If you celebrate this type of person in your public relations firm, employees will feel the attention they may be lacking.
   
7. Spark a robust dialogue within your organisation. Communication is a must. It supports all of the other six recommendations above and helps develop specific tactics to identify shortcomings and devise remedies. Participate in an ongoing discussion among your employees. Use the conversation to create a sense of team in winning new business, sharing recognition both in trade publications and among the wider public. Celebrate the wins, and mourn the losses - together.

The study, co-sponsored by ICCO and the Institute for Public Relations, was conducted by graduate students from the New York University (NYU) School of Continuing and Professional Studies. The authors, Vanessa Tremarco and Pamela Blum, amassed primary and secondary research to complete the Capstone requirement for a Masters degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communications at NYU. Data sources included: a secondary research study and analysis of secondary data amassed from the 2007 Holmes Report Satisfaction Survey, two international studies of employees of public relations firms, and personal interviews with Human Resources directors of major organisations.

Lawyer uses Facebook to serve
Tue, Dec 16 2008

Facebook has been used for the first time to serve legal documents, in a case where the defendants failed to turn up to court and could not be found.

In an Australian first and potentially a world first, a Canberra court has used Facebook to serve legal documents.

The ACT Supreme Court ordered that a judgement be served to defendants via the social networking site, after they failed to turn up to court.

No-one could find the two defendants but lawyer Mark McCormack suggested a novel way to contact them.

"Both myself and my colleague Jason Oliver have Facebook accounts, so we thought we could access that and see if we could find them," he said.

The co-defendants were listed as being friends with one another and their Facebook profiles displayed their birth dates, which was enough to satisfy the court that the right people would receive the documents.

Courts have previously allowed judgements to be delivered by email and footballer Sonny Bill Williams was recently served via text message.

Read the original story here

Digital Economy Future Directions blog
Fri, Dec 12 2008

Digital Economy Future Directions blog: What is this about?

From the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy website - read the original article here.

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy has announced that the Australian Government will develop a Future directions paper for the digital economy - a roadmap for Australian businesses, households and government to maximise participation in the digital economy. And we would like you to help us create the roadmap.

We want to hear your thoughts and ideas about the digital economy. Click on the blog topics (starting with Minister Tanner's welcome) in the column at the right or in the list at the bottom of this page to start engaging with the blog. We plan to release a draft of the paper for detailed feedback shortly; but in the meantime, it seemed logical to us to use one of the key communications platforms of the digital economy - blogs - as a way to engage with you and your ideas.

We expect to hear a range of views, including some criticisms and negative comments - all we ask is that you submit considered, on-topic comments.

We aim to release the Future directions paper early next year. This blog will be open for two weeks to give us time to reflect on comments that you make.

Some of the themes that we will explore in upcoming blog posts include:

• What does the digital economy encompass?


• How do we maintain the same 'civil society' we enjoy offline in an online world? (this is the post that touches on the issue of filtering and we welcome your feedback about the issue in response to this post)


• Is there a benefit for the digital economy from open access to public sector information?


• Does Australia's regulatory framework need tweaking to enable a vibrant digital economy in Australia?


• How can the digital economy respond to environmental concerns?


• What should Australia do to ensure that our businesses and citizens have the necessary skills to participate fully in the digital economy?


• How can we measure the success of Australia's digital economy?

We are intending to post every couple of days. In the time between posts, we hope that a discussion can emerge between participants on each of these topics. We look forward to hearing from you.

Remember - this is one of the first times the Australian Government has engaged in this manner so we don't expect this to run perfectly, but we hope that this can be a productive experience. As Minister Tanner has indicated, this a trial and we welcome people's comments or feedback about how we run this blog as much as we welcome response to what we are blogging about.

To help get you started, we have included some videos of the Minister on our YouTube channel addressing the Forum and hope to add more shortly (once we get the necessary consents signed off).

Please note that the use of the blog is subject to the Terms of use and a Moderation policy. Please make sure that you have read and understood them and our Privacy Policy before participating in the blog. You are also welcome to provide feedback on the blog.

The Digital Economy blog team

Ex-Labor aide will adhere to lobby law
Wed, Dec 10 2008

By Philip Dorling
National Affairs Correspondent
The Canberra Times - read the original article here

A former senior Labor staffer has taken a job with a prominent Government and public relations consultancy, but the firm says this will not breach the Federal Government's new code of conduct for lobbyists.

Daniel Cotterill, the former chief of staff to Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, has been appointed to handle defence issues with Hill & Knowlton Australia. Mr Cotterill left Mr Fizgibbon's office on October 24.

Hill & Knowlton announced his appointment yesterday in the context of the forthcoming publication of Mr Fitzgibbon's defence white paper.

Hill & Knowlton's government relations and public affairs director, Jacquelynne Willcox, said yesterday, ''Daniel will assist our current and future defence industry clients meet the reforms outlined in the white paper and its accompanying capability plan.''

Effective since July, the lobbying code of conduct prohibits former government staffers from engaging in lobbying activities for 12 months, after they cease their employment, on any matter that they had official dealings with in their previous12 months of employment.

Hill & Knowlton Australia chief executive Michelle Hutton said Mr Cotterill would be ''doing no government lobbying'' until the 12-month prohibition had expired.

''We fully abide by the code of conduct,'' she said.

No defence industry firms are now listed as clients on Hill & Knowlton's entry on the register of lobbyists.

Mr Cotterill is the second senior Labor staffer appointed to a prominent government relations or lobbying role in the private sector.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's former chief of staff David Epstein was appointed last month as Qantas's executive general manager of government relations and corporate affairs.

The Federal Opposition called on the Government to scrap the prohibition on former Labor staffers engaging in lobbying activities.

Shadow special minister of state Senator Michael Ronaldson said yesterday, ''When the lobbyist code was first released, the Coalition said the prohibition clause on former Labor staff was unworkable.

''Kevin Rudd should just admit he got this one wrong and scrap the clause that provides a prohibition on former staff. It's a classic case of something that looked good in a press release, but is not practical in the real world.''

Pizza Hut appoints Access PR
Wed, Dec 10 2008

Pizza Hut has appointed Access Public Relations to handle publicity and media relations after a competitive pitch.

Access PR will work on a project basis and the appointment is effective immediately.

"Pizza Hut has a number of initiatives in the pipeline and public relations forms a key part of our plans," said Valerie Kubizniak, Group Marketing Manager Pizza Hut Australia.

Access PR managing partner Andrea Kerekes added: "It's a great brand in a fast-moving category and we're looking forward to help further drive their success."

Starcom predict downswing in ad spend
Tue, Dec 9 2008

Article on MediaBiZnet - read the original article here

Starcom MediaVest Group's annual Media Futures report, released today, has predicted a 2.5% decrease in above the line adspend for 2009, however email, point-of-sale and PR are expected to benefit from increased marketing expenditure.

The Media Futures report predicts advertising budget changes over the coming year, and is the only survey that involves interviews with advertisers. It asks advertisers to predict their spending intentions for the year ahead.

"While it is disappointing that the report has predicted negative growth for the first time, it is hardly surprising given this study was conducted in November when negative headlines dominated the news about the global economy," Starcom MediaVest Group CEO John Sintras said.

"Advertisers have predicted their spending intentions in the year ahead at a time of great caution and uncertainty. With recent tax cuts and falls in interest rates and fuel prices, consumers will in reality have more money in their pockets. The unknown is how or if they will spend. If the year ahead produces better economic conditions, then expenditure could certainly move back into positive territory."

In fact, the internet is expected to be the main beneficiary of main media expenditure next year. Advertisers anticipate that the internet will be the strongest performing media channel and almost six in 10 national advertisers intend to increase their internet budgets during 2009.

In addition, key below-the-line media is expected to benefit from ad expenditure next year. Point-of-sale activations, public relations and email campaigns will continue to be the most used
channels among more than two-thirds of national advertisers.

Overall, national advertisers expect to increase their below the line media budgets by 6 per cent in 2009.

Using social media for commercial gain
Thu, Dec 4 2008

SMH/Age
Paul McIntyre
December 4, 2008 - 11:00AM

With the Prime Minister on Twitter, blogging his way to the next election, maybe business should get a little more serious about social media. All the evidence suggests it will.

Twitter, a micro-blogging venture in which users post views, or "tweets", to a maximum of 140 characters, is still tiny.

But numbers are up more than 500 per cent this year in Australia, says Hitwise. And the time Twitterites spend with the application is greater than MySpace, Facebook and any of the big five online publishers, including ninemsn and Yahoo!7.

Twitter is just one emerging social media application, but combined with others (and there are hundreds) it is creating a boom for the PR industry because someone's got to interpret what's being said about companies and brands online. Most critically, they've got to figure out the tone - and algorithms can't do that yet.

Technology may be helping media audiences swim in more ponds outside the mainstream - blogs, social networks, podcasting, vodcasting, video-sharing sites and the like - but it can't deliver what companies need: automated insight about consumers. Statistics, yes, but good thinking is a different beast.

Companies the world over are starting to dabble with social media - and they have to.

Universal McCann's latest global round of research on the media, derived from interviews with 17,000 active online users in 29 countries, hammers home the booming participation in this arena. Here are some of its statistics on online users gathered this year:

• Bloggers globally: 184 million;


• Those who watch video clips online: 82.9 per cent;
  
• Those who say they have joined a social network: 57 per cent;


• Those who have uploaded photos to a network: 55 per cent;


• Those who have uploaded videos to a network: 22 per cent;


• Those who have uploaded a video clip to a video sharing website: 8.5 per cent.

These are global figures, but UM breaks out some numbers for Australian users: 62 per cent say they have read a blog, up from 21 per cent in 2006 and 55 per cent last year.

But here's the critical point for companies: 34 per cent of bloggers say they post opinions about products or brands.

This underlines the rush by PR firms to figure out how to use social media for commercial gain, or at least damage control. The first step is usually monitoring online conversations, but the real action is how to participate in them.

There are pitfalls - just ask National Australia Bank and one of its PR outfits, Cox Inall, about the drama of overtly "seeding" commercial messages on Twitter without following the right protocols or tone.

In contrast, Launch Group quietly introduced clients such as Lovells Lager to pub gatherings of Twitter freaks with sponsorship deals so low-key many at the bar were not aware the beer was free.

"The demand is growing very, very fast for specialised services in social media," a Bendalls Group director, Fi Bendall, says. "We're looking not at influencers, which might be a blogger with a big following, but more the propensity of those influencers to actually advocate and spread the word with an independent passion.

"It is about very different engagement tactics ... To sense the emotion people are feeling online about brands, issues or whatever it may be you need to have human analysis attached to it."

Tricky stuff, but it is a grand irony that with all the latest online technology, humans are still needed to decode other humans. For the digerati, it must be so uncool.

Read the original article here.

BM chief calls for stay of execution
Thu, Dec 4 2008

Julian Lee
December 4, 2008 - SMH Business Day - read the original article here

PUBLIC relations people are nothing if not opportunistic, as the head of one of the world's largest PR firms only too gladly demonstrates.

While the advertising industry goes into meltdown, the worldwide chief executive of Burson-Marsteller is pushing PR as a more effective and cheaper way of getting results.

"You can't just communicate by advertising [alone], which if anything has [had] a diminished effect. Or just online, because what drives online is the earned [editorial coverage in the] media," Mark Penn says.

His comments are all the more pertinent because his agency is part of the London marketing services group WPP, which counts among its agencies the venerable advertising brands JWT and Ogilvy & Mather.

"A lot of what is driven online is what's seen on cable TV or in the newspaper. The cycle between what you see in traditional media gives people a response mechanism that they can exercise online."

As more people research products online, Penn has begun urging his clients to use PR to set the agenda for the myriad conversations taking place in the blogosphere; something advertising cannot do, he says.

"Most companies spend 65 times as much on advertising as public relations, but what we have seen is the ROI [return on investment] in PR and digital combined has been underestimated relative to advertising. As they realign their budgets they have to take these facts into account."

Penn says marketers would do well to remember that the world of social media does not exist in a silo; that events - such as those orchestrated by PR people - act as a stimulant for web chatter.

He points to the recent presidential elections in the United States. The Obama camp successfully used the digital world of blogs, texting to mobile phones and online video to leverage speeches by Barack Obama, rallies and television commercials, he says.

"The growth of the importance of the digital image is so PR-driven versus ad-driven that more and more companies have seen [PR's] value."

But his analysis of what works - and just as important, what doesn't - risks being trampled underfoot in the headlong rush to cut budgets, he says. Penn has observed a swathe of cuts in corporate America.

"They are not exactly using scalpels here," he says.

Now is not the time for meek marketing but to aggressively grab market share from rivals who are ducking for cover, says Penn. "Market share fights are by nature more competitive, so I'm urging clients to look at competitive advertising and public relations during this period."

Those marketers who invest will be rewarded with greater growth once economic conditions improve, he says.

"Hopefully they'll be able to take the time to step back and look at things more carefully and adopt a strategy for winning through the recession and not just cutting back."

Burson-Marsteller lists Ford, Merrill Lynch and Shell among its clients. And some are already listening. The marketing chief of Hewlett Packard recently told the media it was "incredibly important to be risk-takers in the economic climate we're in" and "you don't hunker down and go in the bunker".

Others aren't heeding his message, but Penn won't say who.

PR can help through economic downturn
Wed, Dec 3 2008

The economic downturn can be a great opportunity for organisations to build brand awareness and stakeholder confidence, according to the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA).

PRIA National President Tracy Jones said smart organisations are using the current climate to take stock of their position.

Jones said the PRIA had received mixed reports about PR employment trends as the economic downturn takes hold. Some are cutting PR budgets while others are actually increasing them.

'This is a time when PR can make a big difference to an organisation,' according to Jones.

'Key stakeholders need reassurance; they need to know what is happening, what the organisation is doing, and how they will be affected. Organisations need to research their audience and understand the position they are in. By communicating your understanding and your action consistently, you maintain your brand position, your reputation and the confidence of your stakeholders and consumers, ultimately giving you an edge over your competitors.

'One of the key aspects of public relations is dealing with and adapting to change. Rather than do away with the PR function, organisations should adapt it to suit the climate. Cost-effective communication such as blogs, e-bulletins, media releases and web content can build your brand position and strength. In the long run, your organisation will be well placed when the market does turn around and there will be no need to play catch-ups.'

'It is particularly important to maintain stakeholder relationships and trust for organisations facing downsizing. Keeping open and honest communication with staff, stakeholders, customers, government and the media is critical to keeping the relationship healthy.'

PBL chiefs step in on media, public relations
Mon, Dec 1 2008

TOUGH economic conditions and high debt at PBL Media have forced its top management -- including chief executive Ian Law -- to handle media and public relations in person.

The revelation came as part of an announcement that ACP Magazines' last remaining public relations representative, Hannah Devereux, had departed the company yesterday.

PBL Media owns well-known media assets including ACP and the Nine Network. It is understood Ms Devereux was told her position had been made redundant yesterday.

In a memo to staff -- obtained by The Australian -- the company revealed that in future, "all PR" on corporate matters "relating to PBL Media and ACP Magazines" would be handled by Mr Law.

The company also said all corporate PR "on matters relating to Nine" would now be handled by the network's CEO, David Gyngell.

All PR for magazine content and related stories would be handled by individual magazine editors, the memo said, while ACP group specialist publishers Pat Ingram and Phil Scott would handle some general issues.

Mr Law said the moves were unrelated to performance. "This decision was not a reflection on the department but simply a matter of priorities given the economic conditions. It is simply part of the ongoing process of reviewing our operations."

Last month, Mr Law cut staff in ACP's publicity and events area from 10 to two, including Ms Devereux.

But the memo indicated the costs of running the infrastructure of a PR department at ACP had led to the latest decision. "We have decided we can live without a formal PR department, and we have also significantly reduced the events team within ACP."

ACP's workforce has shrunk by almost 20 per cent to 1950 staff since the company's controlling owner, private equity firm CVC Asia Pacific, took over PBL Media in late 2006. Nine's staff numbers have been cut by more than 10 per cent to 1750 during the same period.

The latest cutback comes just days after CVC unveiled a formal proposal to inject $335 million into the debt-laden vehicle to a group of 70 senior debt holders. Mr Law said the new deal would give PBL "realistic headroom on the covenants to ensure (it) can trade through the current economic upheaval and be in a position to take decisions that are in the longer-term interests of the business".

CVC has been talking up its ability to control costs to the debt holders, with PBL this week revealing it had "pulled more than $100 million of operational expenditure out of the business since PBL Media was formed in 2006".

Read the orginal article by Nick Tabakoff on The Australian web

Tech start ups more successful with PR
Fri, Nov 21 2008

Chicago, IL November 19, 2008: In a survey targeting U.S. based technology startup and early stage companies, BIGfrontier Communications Group, a Chicago public relations boutique, found that companies engaging in public relations campaigns were 30% more successful in attaining funding within 1-3 months than companies without a campaign. Additionally, 78% of those companies with a program said that PR helped with their funding efforts and planned on using a portion of the venture funding for more PR activities. BIGfrontier collected over 300 responses primarily from companies that had received funding within the past three years.

"The ironic part of this survey is the fact that only 18% of those without a PR program prior to funding plan on using their new found funds for a PR program. It's one of those 'they don't know what they don't know' scenarios. It's clear that companies that invest in getting out messages prior to and during the funding process shorten the cycle. And that additional time can mean a lot to a startup," says Steve Lundin, BIGfrontier's Chief Hunter and Gatherer. BIGfrontier has provided public relations services to over 70 technology startup and early stage companies and runs business/technology networking events in Chicago.

In hard numbers 44% of the respondents engaging in PR outreach received funding within 1-3 months as opposed to 14% for those that didn't. 45% of those without a PR program received their funding in 3-6 months, while 32% received it in 6-9 months. 55% of both groups received 100% of the funding they were seeking. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers Moneytree, a site that tracks venture funding, there were 1271 funding events for startups between Q3 2005 and Q3 2008 and 3104 for early stage companies. BIGfrontier used a combination of direct solicitations as well as extensive social network polling to attain the survey results.

"We became aware of this trend when we conducted the marketing for the Illinois Venture Capital Association's 2008 Midwest Venture Summit. The companies with active PR programs had very well honed messaging, as if they were presenting digestible sound bites to a reporter. Telling a story in a compelling manner and having it heard by potential funding agents prior to a presentation makes a difference," adds Lundin.

BM release the Annual 2008 CEO Survey
Tue, Nov 18 2008

In the eighth annual Burson-Marsteller/PRWeek CEO study, CEOs offered their opinions on a range of issues including social media, Word of Mouth, digital, crisis, CSR and research and measurement.

This year's key findings include:

• CEOs disagree about the effectiveness of using social media to reach stakeholders, with 29% saying that social media is an effective communications tool and 29% saying it is not.


• Most CEOs do recognize the value of digital, with 71% reporting that the company website is the most effective means to communicate with stakeholders during a crisis.


• 42% of CEOs say Word of Mouth is one of the three biggest influences on a company's business today, second only to The Wall Street Journal (51%).

Here is a presentation that includes several more key findings.

Edelman appoints new Director in Melbourne
Tue, Nov 18 2008

Edelman Australia today announced the appointment of Rhys Ryan as Director for the Melbourne office, with management responsibility for clients such as Nissan and SalesForce, as well as driving business growth for both Melbourne and the wider Australian corporate practice.

Ryan has more than ten years experience in media and communication working with corporate and consumer clients, across corporate positioning, crisis and issues management, stakeholder engagement and influencer marketing.

Joining Edelman from Porter Novelli, Ryan held the role of Principal, leading both corporate and consumer clients such as Coles Supermarkets, Gillette, Coles Supermarkets, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, Dulux, the Victorian Association of Forest Industries, Acciona Energy, VicUrban and the Tasmanian Salmon industry.

David McCarthy, Managing Director, Edelman, said that the company was delighted to have such an accomplished individual join the Melbourne team.

"Rhys' has extensive experience both locally and globally in the corporate and consumer practice. His in-depth experience will strengthen our corporate practice and drive additional growth for the company," McCarthy said.

Ryan's time with Porter Novelli also included two years in New York, which saw him undertake a diverse range of communication work ranging from public awareness anti-smoking campaigns to pan-American publicity campaigns, as well as post-Katrina communication for manufacturing plants in New Orleans.

He was also instrumental in reviving the Gillette account for Porter Novelli in Melbourne, and while in New York, he brought to life a viral campaign for Gillette, which subsequently earned his team a national PR Week award.

Ryan holds a BA from the University of Melbourne in Literature and History, and is completing a Masters degree in Communication.

New SABRE Awards Announced
Mon, Nov 17 2008

The Holmes Report have recently announced their SABRE Awards, the world's largest and most prestigious public relations awards competition, is coming to the Asia-Pacific region for the very first time.

The SABRE Awards, recognising Superior Achievement in Branding and Reputation, have a 20 year heritage in the U.S., and have been recognising the best PR campaigns in the EMEA region for six years. But 2009 will see the first extension of the competition into the world's most dynamic and fast-growing public relations market: the Asia Pacific.

The awards will recognise the best campaigns in various practice areas (from consumer marketing to employee communication), in industry sectors (from health to technology) and in markets throughout the region.

The deadline for entries is January 28, 2009. (Late entries will be accepted until February 20). Entries should be submitted electronically, via an FTP site - an approach designed to take some of the time and effort out of creating entries and also make it easier from judges from throughout the region to assess the campaigns.

Entry forms can be downloaded here

MediaConnect launches PRWire
Mon, Nov 17 2008

MediaConnect Australia has launched PRWire.com.au, a newswire service that provides a better way for web users to receive news releases and acts as another valuable distribution vehicle for its business and PR subscribers.

PRWire.com.au has already been accepted into the Google News index, offering valuable search engine visibility to companies that distribute their press releases via MediaConnect's service. MediaConnect subscribers, which include almost all Australian technology PR practices, are able to distribute their releases via the ITJourno portal and now PRWire.com.au as part of the basic service for free.

The PRWire.com.au newswire leads the world in terms of the sophistication of its service, enabling users to create their own personal news feeds covering any sector that is of relevance to them. Users simply apply filters to narrow down the service to their particular interests and then create an RSS feed or daily email newsletter based on their selection. A Twitter service is also to be launched in the near future and all announcements continue to be distributed via MediaConnect's journalist portal.

PRwire.com.au's RSS builder also means any publisher can easily build a news announcement service into their website, providing users with additional content and the media companies with further advertising opportunities.

A Digg-like interface also allows users to view which releases are most popular at any given time.

PRWire.com.au is currently distributing releases only from MediaConnect portal subscribers, but will open up the service in early 2009 to all Australian and New Zealand businesses and PR agencies as part of the company's 2009 expansion beyond the technology sector.

MediaConnect Australia CEO Phil Sim said the goal was to make PRWire.com.au, Australia's de-facto standard newswire service.

"No newswire has really established itself in Australia as a public-facing announcement service like PRNewswire, BusinessWire and PRWeb have in the US. We have high hopes of being able to leverage our traditional journalist-facing service to establish PRWire as the go-to destination for company announcements in Australia and New Zealand," Sim said.

Global Alliance now Based in Switzerland
Mon, Nov 10 2008

The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, the umbrella organisation linking PR professional associations worldwide, last week announced that is has selected the University of Lugano (Universitá della Svizzera italiana) to host its new Global Alliance Center, which will support international operations and serve as a base for its development and expansion.

"The establishment of our Global Alliance Center at the University of Lugano is a historic day in the history of our organisation, designed to secure global co-ordination and leadership for the public relations profession, in all its diversity," said Colin Farrington, Chairman of the Global Alliance and Director General of the UK professional body, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).

"A number of factors convinced us that the University of Lugano - which has established itself as a competence center for public relations and communication - is the right place for us," explained Colin. "We have collaborated successfully with the University over the past years, in particular in establishing scholarships for the Executive Master of Science in Communication Management (MScom) Program, which has proved to be a leader in the area of executive education of communication managers.

Those factors as well as Switzerland's long-standing tradition of hosting NGOs and international associations make it a perfect fit. It will provide a new impetus in our plans to improve global collaboration in areas such as training and education, ethical standards and good practice'

Heading the new Global Alliance Center at the University of Lugano will be Nina Volles, General Secretary. She will be supported by Jennifer Hayes, Executive Officer. In a first phase, the main activities of the Global Alliance will be focused on membership relations, budget management, sponsorship recruitment and organisation of events. In a second phase, the Global Alliance Center will help to drive international standards for education and communication management as well as supporting applied research on aspects of global interest for the profession.

"It is an honor to be involved with the Global Alliance," said Nina Volles. "Communication is increasingly becoming internationalized and professional associations need to reflect that trend. The Global Alliance want to be at the forefront of that process and a driver of setting standards and sharing best practices in our field."

The Global Alliance has also just launched its new website which can be found here: www.globalalliancepr.org.

PRGN adds new agencies
Mon, Oct 20 2008

(Melbourne), October 16, 2008 - The global reach of Melbourne public relations firm Currie Communications (www.curriecom.com.au) comprises 40 agencies on six continents, with 800 professionals and revenues in excess of $US100 million, following a meeting in Boston this month.

Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) (www.prgn.com), the international network of leading independent public relations agencies, today announced a major expansion to its roster with the addition of two new agencies, in London and Washington, D.C.

Currie Communications is the Australian PRGN member affiliate and the firm's Managing Director, Mark Paterson, is Executive Secretary of the global network.

PRGN President Frank Cullen, of Cullen Communications in Ireland (www.cullencommunications.ie), commented, "For some time, PRGN has been identifying the appropriate strategic partners in both Washington, D.C. and London. Our overarching priority is to enhance the network's expertise to provide clients with effective and strategic counsellors in both the governmental capital of the United States and Europe's largest metropolitan and financial centre. With The SPA Way and Xenophon Strategies, our network is poised to address those needs with locally-grown, independent agencies that know and understand the market better than our multi-national competitors."

Founded in 1996, PRGN has a presence in 22 of the world's top 30 GDP-ranked countries. Agency members are independent, owner-operated public relations and communication agencies that share expertise and resources, while providing broad-based comprehensive communication strategies to clients worldwide.

New Corporate Practice VP
Fri, Oct 3 2008

SYDNEY, Australia -3 October, 2008 - Weber Shandwick, one of the world's leading public relations agencies, today announced the strengthening of its corporate practice in Australia with the arrival of Tim Williamson as vice president.

Bolstering an industry-leading corporate practice at Weber Shandwick Australia, Tim joins the firm from the UK where he worked for the London-based agency, Brunswick. His role at Weber Shandwick involves strategy development and providing senior counsel to a range of corporate clients across the agency as well as providing crisis communication and issues management expertise.

Tim has more than 13 years of business communication experience having worked as a business journalist at Bloomberg and at the BBC, where he worked on the leading national news program, "Today", on BBC Radio 4 and on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Since transitioning to public relations Tim has worked on financial and corporate communication campaigns for a number of leading UK and international companies primarily in telecommunications and media, financial services, FMCG, engineering and utilities. He has worked on a broad range of issues including crisis communication, M&A, initial public offerings, corporate positioning, corporate reputation and environment and corporate responsibility programs.

"I am delighted to be joining such a talented team at a time when daily events demonstrate the critical importance to corporate clients of focused, strategic communications. Weber Shandwick is an industry leader, and I welcome the opportunity to be part of a company that is committed to delivering first-class client service and using its Advocacy platform to provide powerful and compelling communications campaigns for its clients," said Williamson.

Weber Shandwick's corporate practice currently manages communication campaigns for clients across a range of industries including; property, housing, insurance, professional services and government.

PRIA National Conference round-up
Wed, Sep 17 2008

The high emotions of the Beijing Olympics. The huge attendances at the World Youth Day celebrations in Sydney. The historical landmark of Australia's National Apology Day.

All have been defining moments in events management and mass communication in 2008.

Now three Australian communication professionals who played key roles at all three events are coming to the PRIA National Conference in Fremantle on October 13 and 14 to give rare "behind- the -scenes" briefings and Media Director for the Australian Olympic squad. How did competitors and officials cope with the tight security, the language barriers and the smog?

The World Youth Day functions in Sydney drew some of the biggest crowds ever seen in Australia. Communication Director Jim Hanna will reveal the years of strategic

Fresh from his stint at the Beijing Olympics will come Mike Tancred, Communication Director planning that made the visit of the Pope and a final Mass with 400,000 attendees such a success.

Australia's National Apology Day was an iconic event in the country's history. From Canberra Leanne Townsend, Public Affairs Officer with the Federal Department of Indigenous Affairs, will reveal how despite a daunting deadline, it all came together at moving ceremonies around the nation.

WA PRIA branch President Kim Harrison said all three speakers would present at a special Conference plenary session on the morning of Tuesday 14 October at The Esplanade Hotel. "We are extremely pleased that these high-profile communication specialists have agreed to brief delegates at an aptly named segment entitled "Defining Moments of 2008." The events they worked on will undoubtedly go into the text books as classic examples of top-level PR practice. A session not to be missed."

All roads lead to Fremantle

Organisers of the Fremantle conference are delighted with the PR industry's response to the event. A month out from the gathering more than 300 delegates had registered.

President PRIA (WA) Kim Harrison said that with a record number of entries received for this year's PRIA Golden Target Awards, a good flow of additional registrations is expected in the remaining weeks. The Award winners will be announced at a glittering Gala Dinner on the evening of Monday 13 October at The Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle.

Register NOW at www.acevents.com.au/pria2008 and check out the program.

The conference will open on October 13 with an International Keynote Address by Britain's best known PR professional, Alastair Campbell. In a full page, colour spread in the Sept. 13-14 edition of the Weekend Australian, the newspaper's Europe correspondent, Peter Wilson, described Campbell as 'the most powerful unelected figure in modern British politics."

Keeping tab on the pollies

Is a media career beckoning for Perth academic Peter van Onselen who is now one of Australia's best known newspaper and broadcasting political commentators?

Admitted Peter: "I was recently offered a national broadcasting position but it would have meant leaving Perth and the fact is I am enjoying my job as Associate Professor in Political Science at Edith Cowan University."

Meanwhile sales are going well for his latest book on politics, Howard's End, about the demise of John Howard and rise of Kevin Rudd. With his deep knowledge of the political system, who better than Peter to deliver a presentation at the Fremantle conference entitled: "Who's running the country? How to influence the decision makers."

Conference to boost medical research

Delegates to the Fremantle conference will be asked to donate to a worthwhile cause - leukaemia research. Two of the leading speakers - Alastair Campbell and test cricketer Justin Langer - are major fundraisers for this charity.

"As chairman of fundraising in Britain, Campbell has raised millions of dollars and here at home Justin Langer has also been a driving force in raising money for the same worthy cause," explained WA President Kim Harrison. "Through the years the PR industry has played a big part in organising fundraising for a wide range of charities and we are confident practitioners will dig deep into their pockets at their own conference."

Related Stories:
PR man Alistair Campbell saves some flak for journos
Peter Wilson, Europe correspondent - The Australian | September 18, 2008

Public interested in what political strategists say
Christian Kerr - The Australian | September 18, 2008

State Golden Targets Announced
Thu, Sep 11 2008

View the State Awards for Excellence results here.

Still to be announced:

National - 13 October

New leadership at Ogilvy's Impact
Tue, Sep 9 2008

Sydney, 9 September 2008 - Australia and Asia Pacific's largest employee communication consultancy, Ogilvy PR's Impact Employee Communications, this week appointed Tam Sandeman and Stephen Hale as joint managing directors. Sandeman and Hale succeed David Sawicki, co-founder of Impact Employee Communications, who moves into the role of executive chairman.

"We are excited about the leadership evolution at Impact as both Tam and Stephen have played a significant role in driving the business' growth over the last two years," said John Studdert, managing director, Ogilvy PR Australia. "Since joining as directors, they have both worked tirelessly with some of Australia's most well-known brands and senior business leaders to help them achieve their business goals through their most valuable asset, their people.

"Their good work has been recognised through winning the global 'oscar' in the industry, an IABC International Gold Quill award of excellence, and the opening of three new specialist practices, in the disciplines of change management, industrial relations and sustainability in Ogilvy Earth."

The dual-managing director model is tried and tested in Ogilvy PR proving successful in two of its other businesses - Howorth and Parker & Partners. "Impact Employee Communications is narrow in focus but deep in specialisation and having two leaders with complementary skills adds to our ability to provide strategic employee communications counsel to a wide range of businesses and to meet a variety of objectives."

Both Sandeman and Hale are recognised internationally in the growing employee communication industry; Sandeman for her counsel in organisations undergoing major change and Hale for his expertise in sustainability. Prior to joining Impact, Hale held several senior marketing positions with News Limited, Time Warner and Accor Services, and Sandeman has a strong communications background having had senior agency roles with Pulse Communications, another Ogilvy PR company; and at GCI's UK office in London.

Said Sandeman, "The employee communication discipline is growing, and growing quickly. Organisations are increasingly realising the bottom line benefit that effective employee communication and engagement can bring to business and it will be a privilege to lead a team with the deepest and most specialist skills in this area across the Asia Pacific."

Hale added: "Last year we launched the Ogilvy Impact brand in 14 markets in Asia, and we intend to follow this growth into the US and Europe in 2009. It's an exciting time for the business. We have a great opportunity to extend our industry leadership position by growing across each of our specialist practice areas. We're looking forward to driving the business forward, particularly in the areas of industrial relations, change and sustainability in line with current business needs and concerns across the region."

Public Relations Institute of Australia - Annual General Meeting
Mon, Sep 8 2008

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the Annual General Meeting of the Public Relations Institute of Australia will be held at 5.00pm on Sunday, 12 October 2008 in the Terrace Room, Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, Western Australia.

AGENDA

1. Apologies


2. Proxies


3. Approval of the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting


4. Approval of the minutes of the Special General Meeting to adopt a new constitution held in Sydney on 24 May 2008


5. President's report


6. Financial report


7. Auditor's report


8. Elections
   
   
   
   1. President
   
   
   2. Deputy President
   
   
   
   


9. Appointment of the Auditor


10. Fix the Auditor's remuneration


11. Other business

Download the related documents below.

• 08 AGM Notice.doc (168.5 kB)
• Call for nominations.doc (159 kB)
• Proxy form.doc (141 kB)

Fostering the future of communication
Wed, Sep 3 2008

3 September, Sydney 2008 - With the demand for more challenging and meaningful internship placements on the rise, leading public relations agency Weber Shandwick in Australia, today re-launched its new look internship program, as part of its ongoing commitment to fostering the growth of the industry's talent pool.

Developed in consultation with leading Australian universities and current communication undergraduates, the 2009 internship program will offer successful applicants a program tailored to current university assessment criteria in an award winning and supportive agency.

Weber Shandwick in Australia Managing Director, Emma-Jane Granleese said, "Weber Shandwick's refined internship program is designed to keep students continually engaged and most importantly challenged. Many of our past interns have evolved to become integral members of the Weber Shandwick team and in 2007, a Weber Shandwick employee, and former intern, was awarded the prestigious title of the Young PR Professional of the Year," Granleese said.

The program is an extension of the agency's already strong commitment to the next generation of public relations professionals, building on its partnership with Media magazine to find the Asia-Pacific PR student of the year. For the second year running, Weber Shandwick will support the Asia-Pacific PR Awards PR Student of the Year, giving students the chance to win US$6,000 in prize money and attend one of the industry's most prestigious events - the Asia Pacific PR Awards ceremony - in Hong Kong.

Part time Weber Shandwick Account Coordinator and full time UTS communication student, Paul Anastasiadis, empathises with the struggles many communication students face in the fiercely competitive communication field.

"Finding the right internship can be a difficult, tiresome and daunting task for university students. This is why we have created a structured program tailored to university requirements and are reaching into lecture halls and tutorial classrooms across Sydney," he said.

Prospective interns are encouraged to attend an information evening, to learn more about Weber Shandwick in Australia and receive invaluable career advice from some of the industry's leading practitioners.

Find out more about the program here.

Government reins in advertising spending
Mon, Sep 1 2008

Unfettered government spending on advertising, especially pre-election could be a thing of past when government advertising reforms are implemented by the Rudd government, QUT advertising academics say.

Researchers from Queensland University of Technology's School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations, Dr Gayle Kerr, Kim Johnston and Dr Amanda Beatson raised their concerns about the lack of regulation and accountability of the Howard government's $1 billion advertising spend in an article published the Journal of Marketing Communication.

They suggested a modified Corporate Social Responsibility framework could help improve government advertising accountability and provide measurement of it in terms of public good.

"Last year, the Australian Government spent more money on advertising than Coles, Holden, McDonalds and Coca Cola and the Howard Government spent more than $1 billion on advertising in its 12 years," Dr Kerr said.

"Governments leave themselves open to accusations of running party-political ads masquerading as public information campaigns out of the public purse.

"But, until now there have been no protocols to delineate government advertising from party advertising so it is debatable.

"The fact that government advertising expenditure has had sharp spikes before the past six elections highlights the impression of government misuse of public funds for party ends."

Dr Kerr said under the new regime each government advertising campaign would be certified by the chief executive of the commissioning department or agency against the new content guidelines.

"And major campaigns will be reviewed by the Auditor-General before the campaign is allowed to progress."

She said Australia had the highest per capita spending on government advertising in the world.

"Until now, the government has had no requirement to report all advertising costs to the people but these will now be published twice a year."

Dr Kerr said her team had proposed a CSR framework be applied to government advertising to give it an independent measure of accountability and make it a good "corporate citizen", which most businesses strove to be.

"The market orientation of government has accelerated the use of advertising as an information and persuasion tool to communicate about its services, changes in legislation, as well as social marketing campaigns such as anti-smoking and drink-driving campaigns," Dr Kerr said.

"CSR is concerned with the social outcomes of organisations' operations and their responsibilities to avoid exploiting their power, to be transparent and accountable to the public."

Dr Kerr said few businesses had such active or extensive market intelligence from opinion polls and various government departments as governments did.

But even with such data at their fingertips, she said governments had wasted money on campaigns that had very little impact and had not reduced spending when appropriate media goals had been reached in accordance with good advertising practice.

"For example, in July 2005 the level of public awareness on industrial relations reform was 79 per cent.

"However, the government went on to spend $40 million to achieve an increase of just 1 per cent so that by October 2005, 80 per cent of the population was aware of IR reform or Work Choices."

She said it was hoped the new system would give greater accountability of government advertising.

"The public has a right to be informed about government services and so, ultimately, governments need to demonstrate that advertising outcome has societal benefits," Dr Kerr said.

Victoria's best new business
Wed, Aug 20 2008

Leisure/lifestyle media specialist Sandman Public Relations has been named Champion New Business in the 2008 Victorian Small Business Champion Awards.

The announcement was made during a gala presentation evening held at Hilton on the Park in Melbourne on Saturday.

Competing against hundreds of other businesses across the state, the prestigious award officially recognises Sandman's commitment to business excellence.

Sandman business manager Lauren Brittain said while the award acknowledged the passion and hard work of a dedicated team, it was also recognition for the company's clients and associates.

"Known for our balance of youthful enthusiasm and proven experience, we're well regarded for our integrity and professionalism," Ms Brittain said.

"We thrive on the positive relationships we have with our clients, contractors and the media and consider this a significant key to our success.

"Although we're a small business, we achieve big results for our clients... it's fantastic to have our efforts recognised with this Victorian Small Business Champion Award."

Sandman is the first public relations company to win the New Business award.

Sandman will represent the New Business category on a national level against other state and territory winners at the Australian Small Business Champion Awards, to be held in Sydney in November.

Dash PR report upturn in business
Tue, Aug 19 2008

Sydney, Australia, August 19, 2008 - Financial services specialist and author Greg Smith has enlisted Dash PR to handle public relations for Kids Money.

Staunch believers of educating children the value of money and helping to make a difference for the next generation, Kids Money is Australia's first independent resource for parents dedicated to improving the financial literacy of children aged 5 - 12 across the country.

Kids Money has engaged Dash PR to increase awareness of its service, as well as promote its range of products aimed at parents and children within the Australian market. The campaign will primarily focus on Kids Money's most recently launched teaching tools - a series of three money books called Money Makes The World Go Around. Additionally Dash PR will proactively promote Kids Money through business profiling, lifestyle features, case studies and company announcements.

Dash PR is also pleased to announce their appointment to budding new book publisher Hendlin Books to manage their public relations around its launch and the release of its first book Überstar by novelist and head of Hendlin, Vaughn Alaine-Marshall.

Hendlin Books is destined to ruffle feathers in the book publishing industry with its unique marketing model. The up and coming publisher is committed to pioneering a more interactive approach that encourages its authors to engage readers more personally.

Dash PR will handle the launch of Hendlin Books and the release of its first book, Überstar. The campaign will focus on introducing Hendlin Books to the industry and reaching out to talented authors who have a story to tell. This will converge with the release of Überstar as it prepares to go national in the coming months. Plans for the book are also underway for an international launch in early 2009.

Dash PR's website (www.dashpr.com.au) went live and after its first month reported a 52% increase in traffic.

Christine puts some of this upturn in traffic down to her membership of the PRIA's Registered Consultancies Group (RCG).

"I would encourage more public relations consultancies to join the PRIA's RCG if they want to benefit from this fantastic public relations business tool," said Christine.

Telstra's PR Chief leaves
Mon, Aug 18 2008

TELSTRA'S head of public policy and communications Phil Burgess is leaving the company and will return to the US, due to illness in his family.

Dr Burgess said in a statement that his wife's mother is seriously ill and he will return to the States to support her.

Dr Burgess, who joined Telstra when Sol Trujillo became chief executive in 2005, expects to work as an advisor to business and government on matters related to technology and society.

He finishes up at Telstra at the end of this month and is due to return to his home in Annapolis, Maryland in early September.

"The last three years have been enormously consequential for Telstra and Australia with the full privatisation of Telstra, construction of the world's largest, fastest, and most advanced wireless broadband network and the transformation of Telstra into the world's first nextgeneration, fully-integrated telco," Dr Burgess said.

Read the whole article here

Wide Focus for National PR Conference
Wed, Aug 13 2008

PR professionals from around Australia and overseas will flock to Fremantle in October for the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) national conference.

Alastair Campbell, ex-British PM Tony Blair's communication and strategy director, will join more than 40 speakers at the two-day conference, Australia's most comprehensive communication event.

His Fremantle appearance is his only scheduled public engagement in Australia for the man who for years was described as the second most powerful figure in Britain.

Other international speakers from the US, the UK and Hong Kong, prominent national media and PR practitioners and leading academics and consultants will take part in the lively conference program.

Conference streams include media marketing, issues management, behavioural change, Government communication and PR challenges and opportunities in Asia. In line with the conference theme 'The New Communicator', speakers will examine topics such as using new media to engage the workforce, corporate lobbying, the digital radio revolution and communication strategies for climate change.

Cricket legend Justin Langer will speak on delivering value to sponsors, and the editor of The Weekend Australian magazine, Helen Trinca, will provide insights into pitching PR ideas to the national magazine market. At other sessions delegates will learn about the social impact of the resources boom, communication challenges at the Beijing Olympics and the organisation of the historic National Apology Day.

PRIA National President Tracy Jones said the conference would help PR professionals face challenges in an age where communication was of increasing importance to business.

"Many PR professionals are key strategists in organisations, driving business decisions at the highest level," Ms Jones said.

"The conference will provide insights from experts on how to harness new technologies to strengthen relationships with stakeholders."

The conference on October 13 and 14 costs $995 for members and $1295 for non-members, and includes a gala dinner where winners of the National PRIA Golden Target Awards are announced.

To register follow this link.

Strategic Partnership - ICON & Ketchum
Tue, Aug 5 2008

Sydney (August 5, 2008) - Ketchum, one of the world's leading public relations agencies and a unit of Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC), and ICON International Communications, a leading independent communication consultancy in Sydney and Singapore, announced today the signing of an exclusive affiliate agreement to form a strategic alliance in Australia and Singapore. The partnership will enable the two firms, which already work together on client assignments for blue chip brands, to provide national, regional and global support to clients.

"ICON adds deep expertise in two key geographic markets and a professional approach that aligns exceptionally well with Ketchum," said Jerry Olszewski, senior partner and chief client officer, Ketchum. "Beyond the vitally important client service that ICON provides in Australia and Singapore, we intend to work with the firm's senior leaders to define a Southeast Asia expansion strategy, which will mark the next phase of Ketchum's development in the Asia-Pacific region."

"ICON's senior executives and Ketchum Greater China CEO Kenneth Chu have worked together in various businesses for nearly 20 years," Olszewski added. "This long relationship and their vast knowledge of the Asia Pacific mark