An excellent TikTok by Mandy Lee https://lnkd.in/eKcNAQks it articulates something that those of us who work in the cultural sector have long felt; that aspects of the scene have been swallowed whole by consumerism, marketing and ‘content’. Coachella was her chief target, noting that the ‘fun’ of the festival is essentially a way to lure people into […]
Commentary on Elon Musk’s grab for Twitter has ranged from its potential impact on the simmering tension between big tech and society at large to the possibility of the elusive ‘edit button’ finally being added to the app, but the reputational impact of the deal on both Twitter and its major new shareholder is equally […]
Almost the first voice in Will Smith’s ear after slapping Oscars host Chris Rock for making fun of his wife, Jada, was his publicist. If we assume this wasn’t an elaborate stunt, this week the world may be wondering more than usual what on earth a publicist can do to influence a situation like that, […]
As the outrage over the P&O scandal reaches the point of inertia, here’s my (slightly disheartening) take: We all saw the disturbing news of P&O Ferries sacking 800 people with no notice last week and the justifiable outrage it caused. We have seen protests from unions on the docks, captains refusing to leave their ships or let […]
Every major war effort involves a degree of media manipulation. The creation of powerful images has always been a way to motivate populations in moments of conflict and gain sympathy abroad. A photo recently went viral showing an old man cradling a cat after, the post suggested, his home had been obliterated by a Russian […]
As the world tries to understand and learn from these horrific unfolding events, one aspect of Russia’s vicious attack that hasn’t been interrogated to the same extent is the battle of images and words that has been a constant sideshow to the geopolitical and military developments.Vladimir Putin is no communications mastermind and is (rightly) often […]
Brewdog’s downfall has been a long time coming. And BBC’s Disclosure exposé ensured that, even if the business continues to go from strength to strength, the reputation of its founders as freewheeling punks with progressive hearts of gold is dead.The problem is that in self-defining as renegade rulebreakers while also peddling the mantra that ‘everything […]
There’s a logic to the decision for Essex to rebrand and distance Itself from TOWIE; the county is inarguably so much more than fake tan, nouveau riche nightlife and relationship dramas. https://lnkd.in/exPc2H4iBut the decision-makers must be careful about throwing the baby out with the bath water. Firstly, they’ve tried it before and it clearly didn’t […]
I have talked extensively about how the values of #genz and younger millennials are reshaping the concept of fame and creating new icons. Zennials such as Marcus Rashford, Greta Thunberg, Emma Raducanu and even cross-generational idols like Captain Sir Tom have built their reputations on authenticity, substance, consistency (lack of hypocrisy) and humility.As if to prove this […]
The GuardianIt seems like only yesterday that we were all enjoying the memes and videos parodying the decline and fall of Matt Hancock. The incredible brevity of his time in exile seems to strain the laws of PR physics, and suggests that the fallen minister still enjoys support at the highest levels of government.A hasty […]