Comments for the hopwood PR blog http://www.hopwood.co.uk/wordpress public relations ideas from one of the UK's brightest agencies Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:07:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on The Arecibo Message: Seven PR lessons from the greatest communication never made by uberVU - social comments http://www.hopwood.co.uk/wordpress/?p=155#comment-95 uberVU - social comments Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:54:41 +0000 http://www.hopwood.co.uk/wordpress/?p=155#comment-95 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by hopwood: The Arecibo Message: Seven PR lessons from the greatest communication never made http://ow.ly/F9Ef #pr #pradvice #in... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by hopwood: The Arecibo Message: Seven PR lessons from the greatest communication never made http://ow.ly/F9Ef #pr #pradvice #in…

]]> Comment on Journalists: Biting the hand that feeds them? by Mel Atkinson http://www.hopwood.co.uk/wordpress/?p=76#comment-64 Mel Atkinson Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:18:02 +0000 http://www.hopwood.co.uk/wordpress/?p=76#comment-64 A very interesting piece, Kirsty. I think it's safe to say that journalists need good PR officers, who understand how journalists work, who are up front and who don't attempt to mislead them. For PROs like me, who work in the public sector, it's also about realising that we're publicly accountable - this often means we're "gate openers", not gate keepers, cajoling officers or politicians to speak to the media and justify difficult decisions. There are, however, many PROs who deserve criticism from journalists. When I was a reporter, I encountered plenty of dire, disingenuous PROs (I won't name names), who tried to sell me cheesy propaganda and attempted to avoid difficult questions - they're the ones that reporters can do without. So you're right, reporters do need us, if we do our job properly. It's very easy for reporters to slag off PROs but you only have to look at newspapers to see how many stories are closely modelled on press releases, with a reporter's byline added. Cheers, Mel A very interesting piece, Kirsty. I think it’s safe to say that journalists need good PR officers, who understand how journalists work, who are up front and who don’t attempt to mislead them. For PROs like me, who work in the public sector, it’s also about realising that we’re publicly accountable - this often means we’re “gate openers”, not gate keepers, cajoling officers or politicians to speak to the media and justify difficult decisions. There are, however, many PROs who deserve criticism from journalists. When I was a reporter, I encountered plenty of dire, disingenuous PROs (I won’t name names), who tried to sell me cheesy propaganda and attempted to avoid difficult questions - they’re the ones that reporters can do without. So you’re right, reporters do need us, if we do our job properly. It’s very easy for reporters to slag off PROs but you only have to look at newspapers to see how many stories are closely modelled on press releases, with a reporter’s byline added. Cheers, Mel

]]> Comment on The art of conversation: Is it really that simple? by Adam Sefton http://www.hopwood.co.uk/wordpress/?p=51#comment-5 Adam Sefton Wed, 27 May 2009 16:50:35 +0000 http://www.hopwood.co.uk/wordpress/?p=51#comment-5 It's not that I think content isn't required; it absolutely is - as a way of starting a conversation. Having good, quality content is vital because it's one of the best ways of getting people talking. But it's getting people talking - the conversation - that is where the power is, because this is where people talk about, advocate and enthuse about products, brands, services and businesses. And of course, it's not just content that starts conversation. Good or bad experiences of any type start people talking. See Jeff Jarvis's famous Dell Hell example for how conversations can seriously damage a brand, and also force a brand into fundamental changes. This is why I think conversations are more powerful - they're authentic. And anything that is authentic naturally has more power to positively or negatively influence perception of a brand. Whilst the brand can't control them, I do believe that they can influence them. And any brand that can learn to do this can develop incredibly strong advocates and build loyalty to their product in a way traditional communications channels can't achieve. It’s not that I think content isn’t required; it absolutely is - as a way of starting a conversation. Having good, quality content is vital because it’s one of the best ways of getting people talking. But it’s getting people talking - the conversation - that is where the power is, because this is where people talk about, advocate and enthuse about products, brands, services and businesses.

And of course, it’s not just content that starts conversation. Good or bad experiences of any type start people talking. See Jeff Jarvis’s famous Dell Hell example for how conversations can seriously damage a brand, and also force a brand into fundamental changes.

This is why I think conversations are more powerful - they’re authentic. And anything that is authentic naturally has more power to positively or negatively influence perception of a brand. Whilst the brand can’t control them, I do believe that they can influence them. And any brand that can learn to do this can develop incredibly strong advocates and build loyalty to their product in a way traditional communications channels can’t achieve.

]]> Comment on The art of conversation: Is it really that simple? by paul o'donoghue http://www.hopwood.co.uk/wordpress/?p=51#comment-4 paul o'donoghue Wed, 27 May 2009 09:25:22 +0000 http://www.hopwood.co.uk/wordpress/?p=51#comment-4 Great first blog topic. It is an interesting debate and i do believe that you cannot have one without the other - conversation creates content, content creates conversation - conversation is content and content is conversation. But it has to start somewhere. As soon as our clients become familiar with the concept of "starting a conversation" and then "keeping the conversation going" and "seeding the conversation" our world will catch fire. If you can find one client that trusts you and wants to make some serious noise online you must embrace them and take them through the journey of creating great content that stimulates conversation. Keep up the great work. P Great first blog topic. It is an interesting debate and i do believe that you cannot have one without the other - conversation creates content, content creates conversation - conversation is content and content is conversation. But it has to start somewhere. As soon as our clients become familiar with the concept of “starting a conversation” and then “keeping the conversation going” and “seeding the conversation” our world will catch fire. If you can find one client that trusts you and wants to make some serious noise online you must embrace them and take them through the journey of creating great content that stimulates conversation. Keep up the great work. P

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