Follow the Reality TV road...

I have to admit, one of my favourite guilty pleasures of the moment is the fabulously camp BBC Over The Rainbow. Yes, I am a self confessed ‘friend of Dorothy’...as in I follow the show on Twitter, not the other thing.

The BBC’s latest search to find the West End’s next protégé seems to have reignited an old debate, that turning the musical theatre audition process into a reality TV show is depriving the professional trained performers out there of the lead roles they covet. Is it really fair that some people go through years of training, singing in the chorus and grafting to work their way up to lead roles, when seemingly an amateur off the street, who, like Connie Fisher, has been working in a call centre, can bag a leading role of a lifetime by appearing on a reality TV show ?

My very favourite West End Star, Kerry Ellis, who has just been tasked with filling the shoes of I’d Do Anything winner Jodie Prenger as Nancy in Oliver!, seems to think that Reality TV can only have a positive effect on the industry. After all, it is “bringing musical theatre to the masses” she said diplomatically on BBC Breakfast the other day. However, she also made sure to point out on more than one occasion that, she has gone about her career the “traditional way” and proved that it can work. But is Kerry just one of a lucky (but extremely talented) few?

Kerry also hopefully chimes “there’s so much work for everyone out there”. But this is in stark contrast to Sheila Hancock, who warned Over the Rainbow contestants that only 20% of people in the industry have work at any one time.

We should remember though, that as much as the media loves a good rags to riches story a la Connie Fisher, in reality, the majority of contestants on these programmes, have the training behind them before the audition (including Connie). Lee Mead had even appeared in the touring production of Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat before bagging the role of Joseph on Any Dream Will Do. The star has gone on to admit that the only way he felt he would achieve the success he was after was to go down the TV route. So perhaps the professionals should just treat reality TV auditions as any other audition, as it seems this is the direction the industry in going in.

If you fancy watching Kerry’s full interview see the vid below, if not, I urge to watch from 0:23 to see why Kerry has been so successful in this world!! I will be seeing her in action in Oliver very soon myself, I can’t wait!!

It's a...Dissertation!!

My friend’s status on Facebook recently was “Dissertations ruin lives”. I’m not sure about ruining lives, but they certainly ruin blogs...

So after my brief blogging hiatus, I’m back to tell you what actually came out of 7 months of dissertation slog.

The PR industry seems to love love love social media at the moment (as do I), and with my passion to enter the industry, the topic of social media and PR seemed like a natural progression. What I wanted to know, is whether all the buzz and hype is justified, and whether social media is as powerful as so many seem to think it is. Some areas I focused on in particular were the impact of the increasingly influential and empowered consumer, and the implications of this for crisis management.

I conducted an online survey (and a big thank you if you participated!!) which measured peoples engagement with a number of social media outlets as well as information such as where they leave feedback about products and services, and their first port of call for news. I also focused in particular on the recent Paperchase crisis as a case study and used an online survey and content analysis of blogs to monitor reactions.

In (very brief) summary, not surprisingly 99% of (about 200)respondents are on Facebook, nearly all accessing the site at least once a day. Just under 50% also have accounts on Twitter, Youtube and Myspace. I thought it was also significant to look at blogs due to claims that “bloggers are gaining recognition as industry authorities, earning the same (and sometimes more) respect and reach that traditional media...”(Solis & Breakenridge, 2009, p.2). 73.6% of respondents had accessed a blog at some point, but interestingly only 29% read blogs at least once per week, with many answering less than once per month. I still don’t think this detracts from their importance in PR strategy however.

When it comes to leaving feedback or complaining about a product or service 56% head to company’s actual website, and 40% head to Facebook. Also, 40% disagreed that they would trust a company spokesperson/website over fellow customers.

When it comes to the Paperchase plagiarism scandal, whilst not many had heard about the incident (so perhaps Paperchase haven’t felt the effects too much?) after being shown a Twitter feed and blog post from around the time, respondents developed a much more negative view of the brand. The most popular descriptors including words such as ‘devious’, ‘exploitative’ and ‘greedy’, once again highlighting the dangers of ignoring social media altogether.

Clearly, it is a challenge to squeeze a 10,000 word research study into a blog post, but hopefully you get the picture! Whilst lots of the buzz around social media may be a tad O.T.T, now is the time to start utilising social media in strategic campaigns that, if done correctly, will generate results. Some might say we are in the midst of a technological revolution...exciting times!

(I hope to upload the dissertation onto Scribd soon if you fancy reading the whole thing!)

“It’s a bit like going to a night club or a bar that’s empty...you just don’t want to be there.” Dan Wagner

Today’s news that AOL is being forced to sell or shut down social networking site Bebo just goes to show how fickle us digital natives are. Sounding very familiar to last year’s revelation that ITV was selling Friends Reunited for a mere £25million after paying £175million for it less than 4 years previously, it seems that there is only room for one major online community; Facebook.

We can attempt predict the future of the online social media landscape until we are blue in the face, but the truth is, it’s an unpredictable phenomenon which seems to change faster than we can say ‘petition to get the old Facebook back’. I mean, look at the once beloved Myspace. At the risk of sounding older than my 20 years... when I was at school everyone had Myspace, but then came Facebook. Now, the meticulously maintained profiles of my former classmates lie dormant somewhere in cyberspace (along with their Bebo pages).

It seems that there is an almost inevitable pattern emerging when it comes to big companies buying out digital start-ups. This is the opinion of a ‘source close to Bebo’ quoted in today’s Guardian. "You set out with a certain strategy and aim for a certain user experience, and they change it," the source said. "They get rid of staff and cut costs, and it still doesn't work...”

Who knows if Facebook will be replaced by another international online sensation two years down the line, but I think it’s high time we stop placing so much emphasis on the future and focus on the here and now. Now is the time (particularly for PR folks) to harness the sheer power of Facebook in the right ways and also to concentrate on the smaller, niche online communities forming on networks such as LinkedIn and Ning.

What are your thoughts?

Toyota: Crisis management goes prime time

I have recently been umm-ing and arr-ing about whether to buy my first car. Knowing absolutely nothing about cars, as I walking down the street with a friend the other day we played a ‘what about that one?’ game. My answer to most of the cars he pointed at was ‘yeah maybe’... until he pointed at a Toyota and I automatically found myself appalled at the idea, saying ‘ooh no way!’
‘Why?’ my friend replied. And then I realised I wasn’t entirely sure why, I just knew Toyota was bad.

This just reaffirmed for me how powerful the media are and how powerful PR can potentially be. I had subconsciously consumed media messages about Toyota over the recent months and had made the decision that I will never buy Toyota, almost without realising.

A fascinating documentary aired on BBC 2 a few days ago, Toyota: Total Recall (recommended viewing for all those interested in brands and crisis management) explained the reasons why I have subconsciously made this decision.

I will be forever haunted by the audio of a family’s last moments as they explain to emergency services, terrified, how they are speeding out of control and are unable to stop. Just about the worst crisis a brand can face is death, and there were many more examples of tragedies associated with Toyota’s cars and ‘Sudden Unintended Acceleration’(SIA).

Toyota, the biggest and most successful car manufacturing brand in the world, had skilfully built up a brand associated with ethics, quality and safety. The principles of the ‘Toyota Way’ inspired a plethora of businesses and organisations, even the NHS, but this crisis undermined all of this.

From the outside, Toyota seemed to be acting correctly in one particular situation, recalling products which had the same potentially fatal flaw. It then came out of the woodwork that Toyota had decided to facilitate a much narrower equipment recall, saving the company in excess of $100,000,000. What’s worse, is that this was documented on a Toyota internal memo as a ‘win’ for the company. This was described by the judge at Congress as ‘one of the most embarrassing documents I have ever seen.’ He went on... ‘Toyota had an outstanding reputation and safety record, but this discredits everyone.’

For me, the key to handling a crisis is to appear human, restore faith and above all be transparent. The first thing the North American head of Toyota said was that he ‘did not recall’ the meeting. Toyota spokespeople blamed the product faults on the rapid expansion of the company, which seems to say that profit and growth took precedence over the safety of its vehicles. These are some examples of the hugely negative messages I now associate with the Toyota brand.

On the other hand, despite some definite mishandling (including the cover up of documents which is also touched upon in the documentary) Akio Toyoda did portray what seemed to be genuine emotion and sorrow that any tragedy had occurred, and for me, did manage to put a human face on a company that employs over 300,000 people in the world. But overall this does not change the fact that my faith in Toyota has been permanently damaged, and I expect I am not alone in this. It will be interesting to monitor how this will no doubt have a knock on effect to Toyota in the future.

Be My Guest blog post: Your Digital Footprint - 5 tips to remember

This is my recent Be my Guest post which featured on PR View, Dangerous Marketing & Craig Deakin.

As a budding PR pro on the cusp of graduation and looking to take my first step into the industry, I realised that I am already responsible for my very own client. Me.

At the moment I am having to manage my own reputation and ensure that my key messages are received by my targets audience, employers. In the age of Web 2.0 it’s vital that my digital footprint is communicating all the right messages, and setting me apart from my competitors with similar degrees and experience.

I have put together a list of things to consider before sending a tweet, changing a status or writing a blog post.

1. Now more than ever, recruiters are turning to social networking sites to check out potential employees. So it’s a good idea to set profiles such as Facebook to private and have public profiles on professional networks like LinkedIn.

2. Don’t be afraid to be you. Employers may be put off if your personality doesn’t shine through on your LinkedIn profile or blog posts. Just ensure that you steer clear of topics which may dent your reputation, like how you’re pulling yet another all nighter to finish an assignment or slagging off a former employer.

3. Google yourself. One of quickest and easiest ways employers can chuck out applications is by checking out the first page of hits for your name on Google. If you’re lucky enough to have an usual name like me, use this to your advantage. By writing a blog, being active on social networks and Twitter, and contributing to other blogs, Google becomes your online portfolio. Try typing your name in and see if you’re happy with the results. I’m afraid all you John Smith’s out there will have to work that little bit harder to get noticed on Google, so why not pick a distinctive name for your blog and keep it consistent on all your networks, that way you’ll become more ‘searchable’.

4. Use social networks to network. I’ve been amazed at how many sterling contacts I’ve made through Twitter in the past few months and how many fantastic job opportunities are tweeted every day. Don’t just discount people if they aren’t hiring though, they may be able to offer you advice and support, and by keeping up a steady flow of communication, you’ll be in mind if they to end up hiring or have been asked for recommendations.

5. Be as consistent as possible. It doesn’t look great if your last blog post or tweet was four months ago. So try to be as active as possible online. I know this is easier said than done, particularly if like me every spare minute is being spent on dissertations and exams. But working it into your daily routine can do wonders to your online rep, you never know who could be checking out your sites.

So there’s a few things to bear in mind. Why not also check out Mashable’s post from last year for some similar tips from the perspective of the employer. http://mashable.com/2009/04/08/social-media-recruitment/

Jeremy Kyle for Prime Minister?

Earlier today I had the priviledge(?) of attending a guest talk hosted by none other than outspoken chat show host and self professed honest guy, Jeremy Kyle.


If you don’t have time to read my whole review, the quotes below summarise the general tone of today’s talk...

“Put something on the end of it”
“Anyone want a DNA test?”
“The show is about conflict/resolution”
“Participants know what it’s about before they go on the show”
“I might like to go into politics one day”
“We have filmed a thousand shows”
“The one thousandth show airs on Thursday”
“My new book comes out in June”
“We have made a thousand shows”
“Did you know I’ve written another book?”

This media master class, entitled “The tawdriest hour in daytime television or television with a social purpose?” frankly seemed to skim over the nitty gritty of this debate in favour of the ins and outs of ‘Jezza’s’ contentious political views, the state of ‘Broken Britain’ and the downsides of living in the media spotlight. “I can’t complain about anything ever again” he said. It’s a hard life eh Jez?

I was surprised to discover that Jeremy has actually only been gracing our screens for 5 years, but he has certainly made a significant impact on Brit culture in that time, particularly it seems amongst his greatest audience demographic, students.
Kyle was hired as Trisha’s predecessor for the coveted 9.25 til 10.30 slot in 2005, after then head of ITV Daytime Television Dianne Nelmes heard him on his late night Capital Radio show ‘Jezza’s Confessions’. The executive decision was then made to refer to Jezza as Jeremy Kyle, and from that moment on an institution was born...

Responding to the inevitable questions and comments that The Jeremy Kyle show is exploitative, immoral and is purely for entertainment purposes, Jeremy reeled off some very rehearsed sounding answers, but made some fair(ish) points. According to Jeremy, people know exactly what the show is about before they apply to go on and they are inundated with applications every year, turning 80% down. There are strict checks in place to ensure that candidates are suitable for the show and there have been times where stories have been cut as little as 5 minutes before filming commences because of concerns from the legend that is Graham. Kyle insisted that nobody is paid to go on the show, it is providing a kind of service which may be the ‘last resort’ for some participants and there is a high standard of aftercare and continued counselling after filming has taken place. (All of these points were reiterated again and again).

Interviewer Dianne flagged up a quote from Manchester District Judge Alan Berg after a fight on the show resulted in a court case.

"I have had the misfortune, very recently, of watching The Jeremy Kyle Show. It seems to me that the purpose of this show is to effect a morbid and depressing display of dysfunctional people whose lives are in turmoil"

Jeremy’s response to this was that Alan had clearly never watched the show before, the incident of violence was never aired on ITV (due to strict OFCOM rules) and most notably argued that the reason why people are so uncomfortable with the show is that they do not want to acknowledge these situations are really happening in society, and made reference to the recent buzz phrase ‘Broken Britain.’ He went on to argue that there has been a collapse of family values, all kids do is sit infront of computer screens and are not taught what is right and wrong.

Jezza was then subjected to a grilling from Newcastle Uni’s media students and some of the questions definitely made him squirm. Some highlights included “Are you aware of the Jeremy Kyle drinking game?” “Would you go on the The Jeremy Kyle Show if you weren’t Jeremy Kyle?” and “What would you do if you were a politician?” Not exactly the serious debate it was advertised as, but definitely an entertaining afternoon.

If you’re interested in hearing all of Jeremy’s points about the ‘dumbing down’ of British television, his foray into American television and his tabloid trashing, the whole master class is scheduled to appear on the Newcastle University website very soon.

Don't forgot the 1000th show on Thursday!!

Will the power of the people #SaveBBC6Music?

March is officially the month for mutual blogging. In case you missed it, here is my guest post which featured on The PR View recently.

A week doesn’t seem to go by now without a Facebook or Twitter campaign cropping up “from the people.” But very few of them are actually successful. (Just type ‘Bring Back’ into Facebook search and you’ll see what I mean).

This month, the social networks and blogs are awash with the motto “Save BBC6 Music”.

After the BBC announced inevitable cuts were going to include the niche station BBC 6 Music, as well BBC Asian Network, loyal listeners rallied round in an attempt to keep their beloved station on the airwaves.

The main Facebook groups have already notched up over 100,000 members and the Twitter hash tag #saveBBC6music has been trending near the top for nigh-on two weeks. So how is it that certain causes seem to capture the hearts of the public so?
Ironically, it seems that since Mark Thompson’s proposal to scrap BBC 6 Music, the station has received the effective publicity some argue it has never got, and thanks to this could be pulling in a higher audience than ever since its launch in 2002.

After the likes of heavily documented ‘Bring Back Wispa’ and Rage Against the Machine campaigns, is this really another example of the power of the internet groundswell? Or is the BBC cunningly taking advantage of a good publicity opportunity, as some are conspiring?

Whatever the case may be, it seems that once again, the power of the social media community has made a difference to something in the real world. An article on the BBC’s website on Thursday claimed that thanks to so called “public concern”, the powers that be may be forced to “rethink” plans to axe BBC 6 Music, along with BBC Asian network. Arguably, it’s unlikely that the relatively small yet devoted listenership scattered across the UK would have been able to cause such a U-turn without the power of social networking communities.

It has been well documented that BBC 6 Music represents only £6million of the BBC’s billion pound annual budget, so how much difference can axing the station actually make? Ex Director General of the BBC, Greg Dyke, seems to think 6 Music will still be pumping out everything from medieval folk to retro funk and soul this time next year. And until we are told this for sure, it doesn’t look like the guys at the top are going to be able to silence the internet noise.