Great news, you would think.
But the expert being interviewed said that a lot of this was down to the Olympics (yes the same event that was previously being blamed for slashing productivity).
Now I understand that London had a whale of a time with that event, and it was truly spectacular, but for the rest of the country it was a spectator sport. Even accounting for the electricity that fed our TV sets, I’m not seeing how it fuelled the UK economy to that extent.
The reporter however swallowed this strange explanation and asked if it weren’t for the Olympic effect, what would our growth have been? The implication being that we may not have had growth were it not for this once in a lifetime event. Worrying news for those of us in business who were just seeing a chink of light after some dark times for the economy.
The previous week I heard the equally apparently good news that employment figures were up. Though another expert interviewee explained that a lot of this was part-time work that therefore would have little impact on the economy and spending power. Not so great for the beleaguered High Street then.
As an ex-journalist I understand the need to dig under a story and that good news isn’t always ‘hold the front page’ news, but we have just clambered out of a double dip recession and more people are employed – how can this not be positive?
Brits are a cautious bunch, and I know we like to worry when things appear ‘too good to be true’ but as a business person and a PR pro, I think it’s time to just enjoy the fact that we all worked remarkably hard and appear to be back on the up. After such a prolonged recession, it’s time to throw caution to the wind, kick the nay-sayers to touch and spread the pure and positive news for UK PLC.
Posted in Reputation | Tagged Reputation, UK PLC | Leave a reply
PR – the unfair business advantage
Posted on October 18, 2012
AccordlogoIf there is one business person in the UK who not only understands but exemplifies the true power PR it’s Richard Branson.
He has built the kind of celebrity profile and trusted reputation that ensure when Virgin goes into a new market, it is like it has always been there.
As someone who travelled on Virgin’s West Coast line I know that the service wasn’t always perfect – far from it on occasions. However, Branson’s actions after losing the West Coast Mainline rail franchise were a master class in PR and lobbying.
The battle between Virgin Trains and FirstGroup came to a head last week when the Department of Transport ditched its decision to award the franchise to FirstGroup blaming ‘significant technical flaws’ in the process.
It comes after a campaign of media attacks by Branson and his staff after Virgin lost the franchise in August. As ever, he has not avoided the spotlight, using his celebrity, reputation and influence to head up the campaign alongside the Virgin Trains chairman.
Such was the intensity, not to mention positive outcome, of this campaign it has led some people to ask whether CEOs like Branson should sign the lobbying register.
Now let’s consider this for a moment: A businessperson who uses PR so well, people want him to sign a register because it gives him such an unfair advantage?
Now that is true mastery.
Posted in Media relations, Reputation | Tagged public relations, Reputation, small and medium sized business | Leave a reply
Time is of the essence when facing a crisis
Posted on October 12, 2012
AccordlogoAccusations that the late TV and radio broadcaster Jimmy Savile abused children, have flooded the media following the recent ITV documentary.
News articles claiming that the BBC personnel were aware of Savile having a predilection for young girls and that abuse took place in his dressing room made were truly shocking. The abuse appeared to span decades and staff from the BBC spoke of open ‘rumours’ that weren’t investigated.
While the BBC initially said it was helping the police with enquiries, this seemed a weak response in the light of the extent of the allegations and the culpability its staff stood accused of. Let us not forget that many of the alleged victims that came forward were audience members at Savile’s BBC TV shows – an horrific abuse of trust.
After days of growing evidence against Savile, BBC director-general George Entwhistle made a statement. He apologised to the alleged victims and promised a ‘comprehensive investigation’ once the police have concluded their inquiries.
It was the correct response, but how much better would it have been if the organisation, openly criticised for at best ignoring and at worst covering up potentially decades of abuse, was quicker to arrive at that statement? Quicker to realise its duty to, yes, help the police with their criminal investigation, but also to work out what exactly had happened, what it’s staff knew, how it happened and most of all, what steps could be put in place to prevent it happening again.
While the director-general may have wanted to assess the situation before acting, his statement felt very late in the day in the light of such a weight of accusations.
For an organisation as large, established and essentially trusted as the BBC it is a severe blow to its reputation, but one it will no doubt recover from.
For a smaller business or organisation, a delay of that period against an allegation so strong, would more than likely be its end.
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