But what next? What does the UK want from brands now?

DATS Audience Research.

If you want exclusive access to our report about the nations changing behaviours as lockdown begins to lift, with stats from July’s CGA BrandTrack then get in touch with our audience team on audience@downatthesocial.co.uk. Our client services director Pippa has outlined the headlines below…

Restaurant and bars have reopened, some of us are going back to the gym, and you might have even booked a holiday.

But what now?

We still don’t know what effects the covid pandemic is going to have on the world we live in, and with 77 percent worried about a second peak, we know there’s still the potential for everything to change (again).

We are working with consumer research experts CGA to pull together stats to let our clients know what to expect, and after the first set of research conducted earlier this month – what are consumers thinking now?

As things return to the ‘new normal’ we found that 70 percent of consumers are more likely to engage with brands who offered their services during the Covid-19 crisis – such as producing hand sanitiser like our client Zymurgorium, or donating meals like the brilliant Eat Well MCR. Attitudes are changing, and consumers aren’t just interested in glossy ad campaigns and instagrammable venues – they want to spend their money with brands who have real values.

Since April, consumers financial related concerns have slightly dropped, with 10 percent less people worried about the financial implications or their job security, but even with financial concerns, in June over half of GB had ordered food delivery from bars, restaurants or takeaways. It’s not just food that we’re spending our cash on though, almost 1 in 10 were treating themselves to more expensive drinks brands at home and most of these will continue to do so when they go out.

It is clear consumers habits have, and will continue to change, both in terms of their lifestyle and spending habits. Health is becoming much more of a priority, with consumers thinking more about exercising and healthy foods, and 23 percent drinking less alcohol than usual. The majority of consumers are continuing to make lifestyle changes to protect their health, with 79 percent still social distancing, 78 percent washing hands more often, and 64 percent staying at home.

When eating or drinking out, consumers are still getting used to new social distancing measures but it’s clear from the findings that trust in the venue will be an important factor when deciding to eat or drink.

The work businesses have put in place throughout the crisis will continue to return dividends, as people plan to keep making restaurant quality food at home, buying from suppliers directly, and trying new brands.

Discount culture won’t save hospitality

DATS Audience Research.

Rishi Sunak pumped another £30b into our economy yesterday and as always the world (viewed via Twitter and Linkedin) was divided.

At first I thought, ok I can see that my clients and friends in hospitality will be pleased with the VAT reduction, but this move is designed to be passed on to the diner to encourage spending.

But the majority of businesses can’t afford to pass that saving on. They have been squeezed by VAT and what the consumer is prepared to pay for so long and on top of this so many venues have had to invest a lot of cash in getting post-COVID ready. They need that extra cash.  A quick Twitter poll revealed that 69 percent will absolutely not pass the saving on.

The second move – half price meals up to £10 is in my opinion only going to exasperate this problem. The industry is plagued by the discount culture that has been encouraged by high street brands and discount sites and we just don’t seem to be happy to pay full price anymore.

The first positive that came out of the pandemic was the hope that reduced covers and increased safety measures would put an end to this. It would mean that if restaurants have less tables they need the people sat at them to be spending enthusiastically. We don’t just want bums on seats we want open wallets – drinking Rioja not tap water.

As a consumer I understood this. I was happy to pay up front for my first trip out to The Parkers Arms in Bowland. I certainly wouldn’t expect a business that has been closed for four months to give me a discount.

The Chancellor wants us to spend, which I get – we need to get the economy moving. But discounted dining gives out the message that it wasn’t worth paying full price for in the first place and it is.

A huge amount of work goes into restaurants, cafes and pubs. Staff, ingredients, decor, drinks, menus, marketing, PR, recruitment, systems, heating, water, rent etc and as a nation we need to start to appreciate this.

I’m not a snob, I’m not saying we shouldn’t eat in cheap places – different people want and need different things. But even the cheap places need to be valued for what they are, not half of what they are.

Maybe we just give everyone a tenner a week to spend on eating out and let them decide what they want to spend it on? Surely that’s better than more discounting? What do you think?

Will it be a super Saturday or a wet weekend?

DATS Audience Research.

Mad Friday, the World Cup Final and Derby Day all in one – this is what a lot of the country is predicting for Saturday 4 July. But will it be?

You could argue Saturday wasn’t the best choice for an experiment with such high risks but I don’t know if any other day would be different in reality.

We have worked with the consumer research experts CGA to pull together some stats to help our clients know what to expect.

The research says a few very clear things:

• only 1 in 5 plan to go out – that’s loads if they all turn up at the same time but over the space of a month it’s not that many!

• people want to see social distancing and they want hygiene measures rammed down their throats – communicate communicate communicate please everyone.

• Tuesday could well be the new Friday as people try to avoid busy times.

• we can expect to book and we don’t mind but we still don’t want to stand in a queue thanks!

We have clients that are opening, those that have totally changed what they’re offering and those that are waiting to see.  One thing that is clear amongst them all is that they know that they need to stay in contact with their customers.

From virtual events and insta cook offs with at home kits, to influencer engagement and good old trusty media relations – the businesses that come through this are going to be the ones that keep their messaging consistent and out there.

If we only go out once a month we’re going to be sure to make it special, so we’re going to chose carefully. Maybe spend a bit more – no one will be offering discount anyway – and look for an experience – even if that experience is a bit different from what we remember as normal.  What are you doing to make sure that you are first choice?

If you want to see the full report about the nation’s opinions on reopening – with stats from April and June’s CGA BrandTrack get in touch with our team on audience@downatthesocial.co.uk.

We are also offering discounted workshops to help you plan your PR and marketing activity in the face of the new norm. Anyone who signs up in the next week (by Friday 10th July) can have four hours with our leisure and destination team (IRL or virtually) and a fully scoped out reopening roadmap for half price – workshops start at £1500 depending on the size of the business and the number of people involved.

THE PROBLEM WITH PINKWASHING

LGBTQ+ Charities In The Pandemic.

Or Not So Much In The Global Pandemic…

I know these are unprecedented times! How could we forget! But it’s weird out there in the PR landscape at the moment.

Social media usage is through the roof, TV and online media are thriving, most people have completed Netflix, but it seems like brands are being very quiet.

Businesses are pushing harder than they have ever pushed before, we are seeing huge opportunities for spokespeople and commentators to share their experiences and opinions on the ever changing world around us. 

But on the flipside – I have written two columns for PR Week in the last month about creativity and campaigns. The first focussed on LGBTQ+ marketing and Pride month, as June has become known, and a creative hits and misses column last week.

There wasn’t much out there.

Leon launched a brilliant initiative to deliver books by LGBTQ+ author Olly Pike to people ordering certain dishes via Deliveroo in June. I love this campaign because it’s offering a platform to a much needed voice from a marginalised community within our society. Literature is still very white and straight in the main and we know that reading about, watching and listening to other experiences is the best way for us to learn about and understand the challenges people not like us face.

A brilliant example of genuine engagement has been Peleton. When we were locked down my husband and I bought an exercise bike (cliche) and it’s brilliant, it’s not a Peleton because he’s a ‘serious bike rider’ allegedly. But I use the Peleton app for spin classes. Throughout Pride month the Pride rides delivered by the Peleton coaches – many from their own homes on lockdown – have been brilliant. There is a constant, genuine stream of awareness building and inclusion. Last week I enjoyed a class with a soundtrack inspired by the Lesbian women of pop and this week a class where the instructor talked throughout about the origins of the Voguing movement. The whole spirit of Peleton is togetherness and inclusion, it’s about working together to achieve your goals. It can be cheesy and American but it’s also authentic, lead by the people who belong to the community and it’s a brilliant array of voices, experiences and stories that really filter through as you sweat through a hill climb. 

That seems to be it for Pride month apart from the usual Skittles and various trainer campaigns.  I know that brands have teams on furlough and budgets cut because of decreased spending, but it feels a bit like the pandemic has shone a light on how superficial some of these commitments to equality and inclusion might have been.  

There are many issues reaching fever pitch at the moment with race, gender and health all dominating the news agenda. I think maybe some brands are scared to act because they don’t want to be seen to be tokenistic but silence isn’t enough anymore.

Obviously brands want to sell to LGBTQ+ people, they want to sell to everyone, but now more than ever we look to brands to show us what they believe in. How they treat their staff, how diverse they are, what do they advertise and what does this look like – sticking a rainbow on a sandwich or high-tops doesn’t say much apart from that you want to sell some more sandwiches or high-tops.

Throughout the six years that we have been delivering comms and marketing for Manchester Pride, I have worked with some brands that do get it. Autotrader, a company I would never have expected to care so much about equality and inclusion, genuinely lead the way, then there’s Virgin Atlantic, the greatly missed Thomas Cook Airlines and the likes of Co-op, who all strive constantly to create the best environments for everyone who works with them or touches their stores in any way.  

These companies have internal LGBTQ+ equality policies, teams dedicated to delivering them, conferences, they give money to charities and they communicate both internally and externally what they do and why.  

An Autotrader employee survey found that more than 80% of their LGBT+ colleagues feel like they can be their true selves at work. An outcome that must be felt at across the whole business.

So, as Pride month comes to an end, I appeal to other brands to do the same. Especially right now, please think about the money. Pride organisations like Manchester Pride are either charities or are a vital fundraiser for other charities. They deliver support to LGBTQ+ people, help groups support communities, provide safe sex support, HIV support, Manchester Pride’s cultural arm, Superbia, gives grants to LGBTQ+ artists to make new work – the list is endless. In a time of crisis this has all become more important, but without Pride events the corporate pound has frozen in the most part.

At Down at the Social we work with Manchester Pride to drive awareness of the charity, promote its flagship events to an international audience and help the ...

PR With Purpose

The wheels are slowly turning around the world as countries and businesses start to open up again. It’s great to see the creativity that hospitality and retail in particular are putting into keeping patrons safe.

PR can be vital in supporting this process. Not just so companies can promote themselves and drive sales but so they can show their personality and reach customers to make them feel safe. 

Communicating how you plan to make your business work with the customer in mind, can give you the opportunity to connect with them and offer reassurance that you understand any concerns they might have, which is vital right now I am sure most people will agree.

This is where the creative marketing and comms people in your business – or the agencies that support you – can really come into their own to work with you to find creative solutions to problems no one ever thought we would have and get them out there when it matters most.

One of the biggest challenges restaurants face is maintaining mood when they have to keep tables two metres apart to adhere to social distancing guidelines.  The Michelin three star Inn at Little Washington in Virginia has mannequins wearing 1940s clothing occupying tables in its dining area and a restaurant in South Carolina is using blow up dolls to space out diners and make the place feel more full!  

A cafe in Germany has given customers hats with pool noodles to wear to remind them to keep their distance and a restaurant in Bangkok is using cartoon dragons at tables to tell diners where to sit!

Restaurants are turning to outside space to add more covers and Mediamatic ETEN in Amsterdam is seating diners in private greenhouses by the water.

All not only sensible solutions but talking points and fun – nothing relieves tension and worry like humour. What’s more these mini stunts have generated news across the world, helping the businesses to signpost their commitment to keeping their customers safe.

I know there’s a lot to think about when bringing customers back into your space and, of course, safety will always be your first consideration but bringing fun and personality into how you deliver it will help to restore the customer experience and show those coming through your door that they are your number one priority.

And I wouldn’t work in PR if i didn’t urge you to think about a photo or video opportunity along the way too would I? Just please god no one put Ian Brown or Liam Gallagher mannequins in your restaurant in Manchester!

Thought about what you will do when lockdown ends?

Clarity Workshops.

Sick of Zoom quizzes yet? NEVER!

After a million video conference calls, loads of PR coverage and quite a lot of gin, we have started to turn our thinking to what’s next.

Earlier this year, inspired by Google and the German design agency AJ&Smart, we launched Story Sprints and Launch Sprints – our way of helping brands draw out the essence of a campaign be it for a new launch or an existing brand.

Then lockdown hit and we had to learn how to take the sprint online – what do we do without post it notes? Luckily the online planning tool Mural makes virtual sprints just as successful as IRL workshops.

So we have launched Reopening Sprints to enable brands who need to reimagine their marketing for the post lockdown norm to build a roadmap to success. 

It might seem too soon but reopening could happen as quickly as the shutdown did and you need to be ready.

Our sprints offer you all of our insight and expertise without any commitment to engage the us to deliver the plan afterwards. We do the prep for you, take you through the workshop and write it up afterwards so that you have a workable plan ready to go.

Find out more below and get in touch ASAP if this is for you.

Lockdown Lift Up

Word Of Mouth Packages.

The team here at DATS has seen so many small businesses throwing out everything they know and starting again to adapt to the lockdown.

To help these companies Down at the Social is offering one off Lockdown Lift Up Word Of Mouth packages to small businesses who are still operating through the lockdown.

If you have a gift service or a home subscription offering that will help improve lives or just bring some joy, or you have turned your retail or restaurant offering into a home delivery service, then we would love to help you generate the awareness you need to keep going.

Our team can deliver strategic four week campaigns via media or social to help you connect with as many new customers as possible.  Campaigns can be turned around immediately and don’t require a long commitment to a retainer. We just want to help you right now when you really need it.

Contact Daisy on 07803 185136 for more info.

Comms V COVID-19

Great PR Is Even More Important That Ever

We’re in the age of information – information overload, miss information, over sharing of information – so much information that we hardly ever know which to believe, which to ignore and which to refute.

The bubble that COVID-19 has created has exacerbated that in a way we have never seen before.

Information is playing such a huge part of the way we live right now – it’s very day to day but what we mustn’t forget is that the information we will take away from this crisis will be unprecedented too.

Never before have we lived through a crisis with so much data at our finger tips. It’s flowing through the news and across social channels minute by minute and when this is all over there will be so many statistics about what this pandemic has done for our lives, our jobs, our businesses, our health and more.

In PR and comms we use data to define what we do so I wanted to explore what is already out there that is relevant to a brand who will undoubtedly be looking to sense check its comms strategy right now.

Let’s start with a biggie – Kantar estimates that brands who go dark to save costs will see a 39% reduction in brand awareness and delay recovery after Coronavirus.

Yet last week, the IAB released the results of a recent survey of 390 media buyers, planners and brands and told us that 24% of brands have paused all ad spend for Q2. Digital ad spend is down 38% and spend on traditional channels is down 43% in March and April. 

Yet Facebook is reporting never seen before spikes in usage and that messaging has increased by over 50%. Thanks Mustard Media for the Webinar – check out Business Keeps On Dancing.

Surely this is a chance to tap into this spike? Your audience is quite literally sat waiting for you to serve them up content. Are you brave enough to take the chance?

I read a brilliant stat about restaurants during the 1991 recession…McDonald’s dropped its advertising budget which Pizza Hut and Taco Bell took advantage of. Pizza Hut sales grew by 61%. Taco Bell sales grew by 40%. McDonald’s sales declined by 28%.

The information speaks for itself and it will be interesting to see what the 2020 stats say in years to come.

The key to getting it right will be messaging.

In a poll of 12,000 people by Edelman across the world’s leading economies, conducted last week, nearly two-thirds agreed that how brands respond to the pandemic will have a ‘huge impact’ on their likelihood to buy those brands’ products.

John Harrington, editor of PR Week, has just published an appeal to brands not to cut PR budgets.

He argues that reducing spend on communications during the coronavirus crisis would be hugely counterproductive, with the negative ramifications felt now and as recovery takes hold.

He’s right – yes I know I would say that… but PR, stripped down to its basic elements, is the art of telling the story of your business.

Companies out there are taking tough decisions – decisions to furlough staff, to cut budgets and put prices up. No one is your best friend more in this time that your PR team. They know you, they can tell your story better than anyone else and they can make sure that the positive messages cut through by connecting you with the right media to amplify them.

Trust them, they will be your biggest assets right now. They have ideas and they know your audience and how to connect with them. They will make all the difference!

PR Isn't Dead Either

Great Stories Make Great PR.

Ask yourself, realistically how many times have you said the phrase ‘in these uncertain times’ recently? 

PR practitioners across the nation have had to rapidly adopt this particular phrase into the majority of their comms amid the Covid-19 pandemic, with many brands and establishments now having to rethink their PR strategy, and quickly. 

With the doors closed to restaurants, bars, clubs and public attractions, the PR industry faces unchartered waters, with the question on everyone’s lips of where does this leave PR? Will businesses still realise the value of it?  

The answer is and should always be a resounding yes. A strong PR strategy will always triumph and businesses can use this time to build a reputable profile by providing expert commentary and generating positive news stories that shine in and amongst the chaos. 

You need only look at the #journorequests on Twitter to see that the media can’t create an entire publication centred around Covid-19, they are still in need of good news and that is where PR can be used in a productive and intelligent way. 

The brands now getting the best coverage are those helping the community, or helping to keep the spirits up of those in self-isolation. 

A great example of this is the work we have done recently with our client, MasterChef champion, Simon Wood. Simon has been busy at home creating a series of recipes that people can recreate in their own kitchens. The recipes are simple and involve cupboard essential ingredients. 

With fast food giants McDonalds and KFC now closed indefinitely, Simon created his own take on Big Mac Sauce and KFC Gravy, which placed with our national and regional media contacts. The recipes generated an impressive wealth of national coverage, being featured on the Daily Mail, Daily Express, OK! Magazine and Daily Star. 

Shining a light on the good things happening in the world, when Nico Simeone gifted his first restaurant 111 by Nico to head chef Modou Diagne, renaming it 111 by Modou, we were keen to share the news, just as the terrible news of the coronavirus was taking over all media agendas. 

Modou Diagne arrived in the UK with just £200 in his pocket and spent 10 days sleeping on the streets, finding employment with Nico as a kitchen porter and rising through the ranks to eventually become head chef. His tremendous story captured hearts and was covered on the Daily Mail and iNews. 

Businesses can also look to adapt their strategy based on consumer needs. With the majority of the country now in isolation, home deliveries are now peaking. Deliveroo has recorded an 86% increase in restaurants signing up to the service and Nielsen reports alcohol sales have also increased. 

We looked to harness these trends, working with Diablesse Rum to create a series of easy cocktail recipes that can be created at home. Managing Director of Diablesse Rum, Cleo Farman, has also created a series of Instagram tutorials for rum lovers to enjoy and has been featured across the media . 

Press are always looking for expert commentary at a time like this, with Simon Wood appearing on Granada Reports and Angus Pride, Managing Director of Peru Perdu appearing on BBC North West, both speaking about the impact on Covid-19 on the restaurant industry. 

DATS international client More Mountain also provided comment on Covid-19 and its effect on the ski industry, being featured on The Guardian. 

If there was ever any doubt that PR was a necessity, the United Nations have announced a call to arms for creators, influencers and media owners to tackle health and awareness during the coronavirus pandemic.

“You have the power to change the world,” the brief states. “We need help translating critical public-health messages – not just into different languages – but into different cultures, communities and platforms – reaching everyone, everywhere.” 

Now more than ever, PR must continue to help spread the message via a number of different platforms, be it traditional, broadcast and social media. We must work closely with the media to generate well-informed and relevant new stories that reflect the times we live in. As Pippa mentioned in her blog post last week, “it is the job of the PR to make sure the messaging and the content fits the current landscape”. 

So yes, these are uncertain times, however we must continue on and adapt, be quick thinkers, be reactive and well-informed. We all have our part to play right now establishing some form of normality, and PR will continue because we will always need to communicate with one another in some form or another. 

Journalism definitely is not dead.

Media Channels Have Thrived in COVID.

It’s not dying either for that matter. 

In the age of the coronavirus, true journalism is even more important than ever. The Government has classed all journalists who are reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic as “key workers”. The classification means journalists’ work is considered “critical to the Covid-19 response”.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “Public service news across TV, radio and print has never been more important than it is right now.”

In circumstances like this, many put their faith in the media to get the message around the country quickly and truthfully. 

While journalism is objective, social media is currently full of opinions. Every event is instantly captured from a dozen angles and many interpretations, and there is still plenty of #fakenews. As reported last week Twitter is blocking tweets which spread inaccurate information around the coronavirus, preventing the outbreak from looking worse and to help the public get accurate information and avoid myths.

Mainstream media play a vital role in keeping the nation informed and the growth in numbers of people turning to trusted, recognised news brands shows how much value is put in the reputation established over decades for factual, reliable information.

For readers stuck at home, journalism will become a lifeline. While the younger generation have the luxury of accessing a wealth of content on the internet, the older generation will be relying on print newspapers, TV & radio to get the latest updates. 

The NUJ reported that industry representatives have reported they were currently “experiencing record demand for news”.

Print readership figures will no doubt be down over the next few months as many people aren’t leaving the house daily, but those of us lucky enough to be safely socially isolating at home are consuming more online content than ever.

Publications like Stylist and Time Out (or Time In!) magazine are moving online so that readers can still access them while they can’t get out on the streets to pick up the free print magazines. 

The variety of content media are putting out gives perspective in times of crisis, with many key media titles choosing to keep spreading messages of joy. For example, BBC Radio Manchester is reporting daily on the things in the region that are making a difference and the MEN also has a feed on the amazing things the residents of Greater Manchester are doing.

In Daisy’s blog earlier this week she discussed the need to keep talking to consumers during this uncertain time, and the new norm for content creation, and it’s clear there certainly hasn’t been a detox of consumerism. 

There are so many opportunities for people and brands to work with these trusted journalists to get meaningful messages out to the public, and it is the job of the PR to make sure the messaging and the content fits the current landscape. 

A New Norm For Content Creation

Marketing In The Pandemic.

I’m seeing so many people saying stop selling, stop doing everything and stay home. Yes stay home – but don’t stop selling. We have a new norm all of a sudden but this just means we need to find a new way to work.

Much as i would love it if this turned into a detox of consumerism, whereby i stopped looking at clothes on instagram and stop buying things I don’t need, this is very unlikely and i would say it’s unlikely for many people.

And it would be even worse for the economy! Don’t just while away the hours thinking about what you will do when all of this blows over – act now and tell your audiences what they can do to help, I’m betting they will.

Whilst front line workers are out there literally saving lives, the vast majority of Brits are sat at home with only the internet for entertainment – did someone say Houseparty?

Taping into this to deepen your relationship with your audience and improve their lockdown lives is not a bad thing. Whether you can deliver their favourite beer to the door, bring your event online or just offer simple content that keeps them entertained, now is the time to know what your brand means to people.

They need to eat, drink, stay fit and healthy, stay in touch and most importantly entertain themselves. If your brand can help – it should.

Incredible examples of people smashing it right now are Joe Wicks who live streamed his first PE class this morning to 1million families and Bongo’s Bingo who streamed Live From The Bungalow on Saturday night to nearly 35k fans!

You don’t have to be internationally famous to make this content work for you. The gorgeous people at Feel Good Club broadcast live via IGTV on Sunday with a day of wellbeing and self care.

The creator of Diablesse rum, Cleo Farman, is educating rum fans everywhere with films teaching her audience how to create the perfect pour and venue Jimmy’s live-streamed a series of ‘isolation gigs’.

It’s not all about social.  Don’t forget about the media – we have all become news fiends. We’re consuming so much news, radio, TV and social media that now more than ever you can reach people if you can generate coverage around your brand.

Be that promoting what you have going on online or your new offering if you have changed as a business; or expert comments about how this pandemic is changing your industry or traditional PR product placement – the media needs content too and with the right contacts and the right ideas you can secure your share of the column inches.

On a personal note, as consumers, if we need to support the brands and places we love when they’re open, we need to support them now more than ever.  Love a restaurant? Then check out what they’re doing – are they offering take out via Deliveroo or offering online content? Then check it out. For example – the mega Peru Perdu are running a virtual cerviche masterclass which you shouldn’t miss.

Working Together To Keep Manchester Businesses Buzzing

Still Buzzing In Manchester.

Wow – what a week. It’s been heartbreaking to see our community taking such a hit. Small businesses, big businesses, events and freelancers in particular have been knocked hard quickly by the country grinding to a halt thanks to COVID-19.

As a team we have lost clients and we have also seen people we work with suffer. From event managers to photographers, as events and projects have been cancelled, those that work for themselves and don’t have ongoing contracts and job security have lost thousands.

As our clients face challenges we inevitably will too so I don’t have all the answers.

But as a team we got together and talked about how we wanted to do something positive to combat the very depressing flow of bad news. So we’re launching a scheme to help companies and freelancers get through this and we hope you will help.

The fabulous Harrison Edwards (you may know him from the mega Crazy Pedro’s artwork) has created this t-shirt. Yes it’s a bee. I’m always telling clients not to do bees but we are Mancunians and it’s ours right? So we should be allowed to use it when we need it. ‘Don’t make me draw a bee’ Harrison said – but then he did, and we love it.

So the plan is – we sell the t-shirt, the profit from the t-shirt goes into a pot. Companies who need marketing support right now can then tap into this pot to gain access to freelancers with capacity and we will pay them from the pot.

The rate will be lower than normal because we don’t know how much we will raise and we want to help as many people as possible. Time will be split into half days at £50 each.

So the shout out from this is we need three things:

• people to buy t-shirts – the first run is 100 and we’re selling them for £14.99 plus postage (£3.50). Further runs will be available as soon as we can gauge demand.

• Freelancers to get in touch and offer their services – email Harriet on StillbuzzingMCR@downatthesocial.co.uk

• Companies in need of help – be it design/ social/ PR or photography or something else, get in touch (StillbuzzingMCR@downatthesocial.co.uk) and we will match you with someone to help.

All money raised through the t-shirts will go into this pot for businesses to use.

To buy the t-shirts hit us up here.

While you are there take a minute to read the site. It has been created by our friend Carl Sukonik. He’s Manchester’s best photographer and all round cheerful man (not really!). Carl is on a mission to tell good news and publish positivity to the people of Manchester and this site is his way of doing just that. Please get in touch with him if you have a positive story to share.

PR in the time of COVID-19. What can you do?

Tips To Help With PR In Changing Times.

In a time of fake news, government advice to stay home and panic buying what can you do, if anything, to promote your business and keep in touch with customers?

The rules don’t change. Stay relevant and real. Talk to your customers in the same way as you always have, just be aware of the ever changing social and media landscape and think about what you can do for them not what you want from them.

Many of our clients are in retail, leisure and food and drink and they’re already feeling the pinch. If this is you then please get in touch if you need help or advice – we’re always available to provide support big or small to keep the industry alive (for the avoidance of doubt i mean free help or advice)!

So what can you do? What do you have that people need? If you do then don’t be ashamed to want to sell, you have every right to want to keep your business going. I certainly don’t want to just roll over and give up right now.

• Are you an expert in your field? Can you offer comment on your industry and how it is affected? We are placing interviews with Simon Wood talking about the challenges he is facing right now.

• Can you change or adapt your offering to suit the changing needs of Brits? Offer delivery rather than eat in?

• Move an event online? Live streaming is so accessible now and if we’re all working from home then we’re going to need ways to keep ourselves thinking.

• Hints and tips? If you are a hairdresser can you offer advice? Yoga instructors can offer live classes streamed via social media. I want to improve my baking so if Trove or Pollen want to hook me up with some tips I am ready!

• Gift vouchers – can’t sell right now? Can you ask your regulars to buy gift vouchers now for later on in the year?

• What can you do to help the local community? Not just for PR purposed but if we all pull together and focus on helping each other that’s going to make this experience a lot more positive I think.

Can’t do anything right now? You can plan for the future. It’s going to be more important than ever to have a robust PR and marketing plan in action when life does eventually go back to normal so now is the time to write content and plan.

In a bid to do our bit we have a plan up our sleeves to try and help the freelancers and small businesses who are losing jobs right now so watch this space for more info.

My Top Five Launches

Restaurants, Bars, Hotels & A Bowling Alley.

I love launching new venues – getting to know the site as it’s built and then opening up to the public is such a thrill. We get to work really closely with our clients to get underneath the skin of the brand, their target audience and what will make them stand out against the competition.

The competition shouldn’t be underrated here in Manchester in particular. It will only take a few minutes searching on Google to show you how many new openings there have been in the past 12 months and naturally some have been more successful than others.

A number of factors make for a great launch – a clear understanding of the offering, great content and a really great launch party. Launch parties are less of a thing now I think than they were when I first started in the industry but they pack a lot more of a punch.

We work hard with clients to ensure that their launch party is fit for purpose. It’s not just about chucking out a load of cheap, warm white wine anymore; a PR launch should showcase the very best your bar, restaurant, hotel, event, shop or salon has to offer.

We create a bespoke guest list for every event – no more rent a crowd, genuine potential customers who match your brand, plus influencers (learn more about why you need them in our previous blog) and media.

Finally the event needs content. I don’t just mean a photographer, we create instagrammable moments throughout an event to drive that all important social buzz. You can’t have the whole city at your event but you can make sure that the whole city wishes they were there thanks to what they see online.

We have launched venues and brands across the UK but we top five launches are:

Dog Bowl 

A beautiful venue created with love by the team behind some of Manchester’s favourite sites including Crazy Pedro’s. We were lucky enough to enjoy it all to ourselves for a few weeks before opening, I was actually a bit sad to let the public in, but when we did they queued round the block to be the first through the doors. A fashion shoot with Helen Flanagan helped drive excitement through coverage in every national newspaper the day before.

Vapiano

Our client wanted 800 people at the party on 25 November in the pouring rain! Not easy when you want the right people, not just anyone you can find. But what a party! A sax player, DJ, magician, buckets of Prosecco and red wine and plates and plates of pizza and pasta. I am proud to say that the launch was lauded as the best one in the newly reopened Corn Exchange.

WOOD

I was so excited to meet Simon Wood when Dianne Bourne introduced us. What a brilliant opportunity to work with a brilliant chef and a great business team. We have now launched three venues for the Wood Restaurant Group – the flagship WOOD in Manchester, WOODKRAFT at the heart of Cheltenham’s cafe culture and Wood Chester @ Hotel Indigo. We launched both the hotel and the restaurant in the historic city. The citrus tutti frutti dessert is one of the greatest things I have ever tasted and Grace Dent (Guardian) and Michael Deacon (Telegraph) both agree!

Whitworth Locke

If you like interior design then Whitworth Locke is a must. It’s a gorgeous mix of pink, green and foliage adorned wallpaper. Part of the Edyn group its ethos is to create a space for the local community to thrive. For the launch we turned it into a space the city could party – tequila in the sinks, espresso martinis, drag queens on the door. Since we have also opened the bar and two pop up residency restaurants El Camino and Peru Perdu. Try the Pisco Sours next time you are on that side of town.

The Lawrence Hotel

Looking for a boutique bolthole in the Lancashire countryside? This is it. Truly boutique, with a bespoke experience tailored to the guest, Michael Huckerby has created a something the whole region can be proud of. Together we have taken over the awards circuit and welcomes celebs galore – Faye and Gareth enjoyed a brief reunion in the suite!

What’s next? We have a brilliant event to launch this week bringing a top name chef to a beautiful setting in the region. Watch this space…

Feeling the Influence? Using Influencers as part of our PR strategy for retail, food and drink, restaurant, leisure and destination campaigns.

Influencer Campaigns Work.

The term influencer is used a lot within modern marketing and PR strategy, but what actually are they? And how do they generate measurable results as part of the PR & marketing mix?

An influencer is a content content creator with a loyal online or social following, and influencer marketing is when companies partner with these influencers in order to increase brand awareness, sales or conversions among a specific target audience.

In the US influencer marketing was expected to be worth $6.5 billion by the end of 2019, almost four times of what it was just three years ago. As more users join social media platforms like Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, it comes as no surprise that the influencer market in the UK is growing, with more and more people seeing the value in what first looked like a fad.

According to BigCommerce, two-thirds of brands increased their influencer marketing spend in 2019, where once it was just press and traditional marketing that were the big players, as more and more content creators increase their reach brands are harnessing their power to reach new or specific audiences.

However, influencers remain a confusing route to market and many small businesses are still uncertain about how to best tap into this channel or if they should invest in it as a channel.

Why should you do it?
Influencer marketing is more accessible and measurable than ever before. It works for big and small budgets thanks to its high ROI, and it’s great for niche markets due to the vast variety of Influencers who now work within the space.

How do we get results?
We work with influencers to create content which promotes a brand in the same way traditional marketing channels might, and then we target audiences through their networks, either organically or with a paid spend. Sponsored content needs to be thoughtfully planned and executed in order to achieve a brand’s goals.

It isn’t beneficial for a brand to tell an influencer exactly what to post, we work with them to create content that fits both the brand and their channels. This is more likely to resonate with their fans and trusted audience. Anything too in the audience’s face can put them off the brand completely – and so we create content which feels more organic, and fits the different platforms.

Over the last twelve months we have worked closely with a number of clients to grow their strategy to include influencer campaigns. From products, to restaurants and travel, we have engaged the right people, getting them talking and spreading the brand’s message.

When launching the Six by Nico restaurants in Manchester and Liverpool in 2019, we worked with our bank of influencers in the North West to amplify the message of the ever changing menu. We worked closely with influencers in the run up to launch, inviting them to visit the original Six by Nico restaurants in Scotland and posting about their experience, with their content then amplified using co-branded partnerships. We were able to see a huge ROI via online bookings, where the restaurants each had over 3,000 online reservations before they opened.

We’ve continued to work with influencers to push out the message of the menu which changes every six weeks, and to date we have welcomed 75 influencers to the restaurants each one sharing content to around 2.7M people.

Another client we have built influencers into the strategy for is The Original Factory Shop. Our campaigns were designed to drive a new, younger audience for the brand and while the business was active on social media, influencer marketing was entirely new for them. In just over a year, we worked with 53 influencers from across the UK to showcase the retailer’s brilliant value homewear, beauty products, and Christmas ranges.

In beauty campaigns, as well as asking influencers to create content for their own channels, we cherry picked a few of the very best to create video content which was then used across the client’s channels to show their products in a new way. The client saw a 43% increase in video views on Youtube, and one of their most successful beauty sales weeks to date.

Brainstorms Don't Work

A Better Way To Be Creative.

We’ve all been there… brainstorms can go one of two ways…

1. a boss talks a lot and no one else does because they’re scared to make themselves look stupid or disagree with him or her,

2. the loudest person in the room shouts out stupid stuff and everyone laughs and no one really achieves anything constructive.

Very rarely a really brilliant PR or marketing campaign comes out of a brainstorm – but i do mean very rarely.

The concept of lots of the best minds in your business coming together to solve a problem or work on a challenge is strong. Structured thought makes sense, sharing information makes sense but the key to a really good session is to work together but think independently.

It’s not a new idea – I learnt it from Jonathan Courtney founder of Berlin agency AJ&Smart, who learnt it from Jake Knapp and Google (read Sprint it’s great).

So we’re launching something called a WorkItOutShop which is a useful workshop – we’ll guide you through a step by step process to help refine your marketing processes and solve business problems in just a day.

It might be to explore what your business stands for (a USP or brand message), to plan the launch of a new product or to inform a social media strategy.

The problem could be as broad as a marketing strategy for a year or as small as a month long campaign for an anniversary year and what SocialShop will do is help you bring together the best brains in your business to build a roadmap that you can walk out of the room and use right away.

Why do you need us? You could just read the book – yes you could, I did. What we offer is PR, marketing and social expertise which we can feed into your planning.  We will also provide an impartial voice to help you review and plan.

Plus we will guide you through the process to make sure you stick to it and make the most of the time.  We’ll keep you off your phones for starters!

Want to know more? Give us a call now and we will talk you through the process to make 2020 your best year yet.

Tis the Season! More Mountain join us as a new ski and snowboard client in the French Alps

New DATS Client Announcement.

We are pleased to announce we have partnered with independent holiday provider More Mountain to promote its large portfolio of luxury properties in the French Alps, starting this winter.

Having worked with some of the UK’s biggest destination attractions including The Printworks, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and SEA LIFE in Manchester, nationally and internationally; plus Manchester Pride and hotels including Hotel Indigo Chester and Whitworth Locke, we look forward to bringing a wide breadth of PR and marketing knowledge to More Mountain. 

The independent holiday provider has made the decision work with us ahead of the 2019/20 winter season, as it gets ready to launch its newest fully catered chalet and six new self catered properties in the town of Morzine on the French-Swiss border. 

Our team will focus on driving new customers to the company, with the reputable team having already built a solid reputation thanks to hard work, impeccable style and a unique offering.

We have been tasked with raising awareness of brand to showcase why More Mountain is the best choice for skiers and snowboarders looking for laid back luxury, with all the mod cons and home comforts of modern life. 

Our team will tap into their excellent connections with the national travel media and broadsheet newspapers, as well as business media where the More Mountain team will help educate potential new partners in how, and why, to invest in properties abroad during the uncertainty of Brexit. 

The husband and wife duo from More Mountain, who originally hailed from Manchester, UK, upped sticks back in 2006 to set up their very first chalet in Morzine, a ski resort in the heart of the French Alps. Now they run 37 properties, including a mix of luxury catered chalets and self-catered apartments that feature modern stylish interiors and design coupled with lots of home comforts and personalised service with a ‘can do’ attitude from a team of professional and capable staff. 

Although national exposure and coverage is at the forefront of both ours and More Mountain’s mindset, we will certainly not be forgetting the local foundations of the company as well, with regional promotion a big part of the agenda moving forward. Skiing and snowboarding is becoming more and more accessible, and both teams are keen to showcase More Mountain’s luxury chalets and self catered apartments, properties that will suit anyone looking for a winter getaway in the alps. 

More Mountain has had great success in the media already, with The Telegraph featuring the independent companies ‘Chalet for hipsters’, and Harper’s Bazaar including the team in a round up of the ‘Best ski holidays for Christmas and New Year’ in 2017. 

Daisy Whitehouse, the MD of Down at the Social said  “We love working with travel and destination clients and a business like More Mountain is very much a dream client for us.  The level of service a More Mountain trip offers is second to none and we know that journalists, influencers and, most importantly, the customers that we send to Morzine will have a phenomenal experience.”

Sam Dredge of More Mountain added “It was important to us that the PR and marketing company that we chose to represent us had the same values and drive. We wanted to work with someone from our home town, who could deliver a straight talking campaign to a robust black book of travel media contacts. Down at the Social has worked for some brilliant leisure and tourism brands over the last few years and it was obvious that they were the right agency for us from the first time we spoke.”

Product PR – Christmas in July, August, September….

Christmas Product PR.

They say print is dead – ‘they’ obviously aren’t renovating a house or completely obsessed with recreating the latest look on instagram…

Any PR agency that delivers product placement campaigns will be right in the thick of Christmas sell ins right now and we are no different. From booze to retail we’re on the hunt for those all important Christmas gift guide slots along with talking to journalists about autumn/ winter home ranges.

Christmas in PR starts in July and carries on well into December when all of the gift guides are closed. We target the glossy magazines, which are often put together as far as four months in advance, the weeklies, national supplements and daily and online papers – so it’s certainly the long game.

Whilst online and newsletters from the magazines are increasing in value to a retailer the glossy pages of magazines like Ideal Home, Elle Decoration and Good Homes are very much still important to brands with products to sell.

And despite the slog, pieces like these from Good Homes, The Sun, Elle Decoration and Fabulous make it worthwhile when they generate tangible sales for a client.

As print remains strong, PR has seen a massive increase in the value of the instagram influencer in this space of promoting and selling products and no more so than in that of furniture, soft furnishings and nick-nacks.

For clients such as high street discount retailer The Original Factory Shop we deliver campaigns which create mass awareness of its ever evolving home ranges combining a press office generating product and deal focussed coverage and influencer engagement to help our client drive footfall and sales.

A well executed campaign can reach over half a million (relevant and well chosen) eyeballs and create as many as 50 pieces of unique content to reach a brand’s target audience in just a few weeks. A tactic which can be very useful to launch a new ranges or drive footfall for a particular trading period.

If you have a product to sell and want to know exactly how to reach your target audience with compelling content that will convert that sale get in touch with us now on 07853607296 or email hello@downatthesocial.co.uk.

Celebrating ‘International Week of Happiness at Work’ With A Week Of Wellbeing

Values Matter.

This week we are celebrating the ‘International Week of Happiness at Work (23rd – 27th September) with a week of well-being designed to create harmony for the team and everyone we works with.

The week will be made up of a number of activities designed to tap into the five pillars of happiness according to Russell Brand in his original Recovery Radio podcast.

These pillars are:

• Connect with people

• Keep learning

• Be active

• Be mindful

• Give to others

So with Brand as our muse our team will set out to do what we can to maximise their happiness throughout the week.

Today we start as we mean to go on and are connecting with a bake-off. Not only will the whole team take on the challenge of creating something special but they will also share their showstoppers with fellow tenants at WeWork Spinningfields where the Down at the Social office is located. Clients can expect treats too!

Tuesday is for learning – we are going to explore its attitudes to success and failure with a session from trainer and communications consultant Sarah Knight entitled “Cliff Richard, the Virgin Pig and some Pink Stormtroopers”.

Wednesday we’ll be getting active and maximising mindfulness with Wednesday morning yoga at WeWork with Claudia Mirallegro followed by the afternoon off.

Thursday will be about getting social – it’s PR darhling so there will no doubt be drinks and maybe a launch event or two!

On Friday we will be giving back. We are on the hunt for a pro-bono project to get involved with. Anyone who has recently started a business or perhaps has a social enterprise or charity and can’t afford PR can submit their details to hello@downatthesocial.co.uk by 5pm on Thursday 26th September and the whole team will decide which project to take on to deliver a six week mini campaign for.

Daisy Whitehouse, MD at Down at the Social, said; “PR is a hectic lifestyle with tight deadlines, juggling clients and working on multiple campaigns at the same time. But we don’t want to drive our team into the ground – it’s important that we all take time to think, to reflect on what we’re doing and check in on our own well-being. Next week we’re going to take time every day to make this happen.

“On Wednesday afternoon we plan to close the office completely. I have read so much about businesses who have transformed their outlook by shifting to a four day week and would love to see how it might work. The concept feels slightly at odds with the always on perception of PR but evidence shows that it could pay dividends. So as a toe in the water we’re going to see what just half a day off does for us. Our clients needn’t panic – someone will be on call – and hopefully the world won’t stop turning. In fact our work might just get even better!

“As a working mum I know that we can get a day’s work done in half the time if we put our minds to it – it just means a bit less Instagram scrolling and time spent gossiping at the biscuit jar. Plus there’s a general feeling that PR work is never ‘finished’ however as a business we want to move away from that and focus even more on getting brilliant results so we’re always looking for ways to increase productivity and positivity!”

Wood Is One

Restaurant PR.

We love celebrating milestones with our clients – it gives us all an opportunity to look back at what we’ve achieved.

Last month we celebrated the first birthday of Wood Manchester, the first restaurant from MasterChef champion Simon Wood.

Whilst putting together the social media plan for the month we looked back at the coverage generated, events we’ve hosted and content we’ve created and it has been a pretty good 12 months.

We’ve already wowed two national food reviewers; Grace Dent from the Guardian and Michael Deacon from the Telegraph.

Michael said the pudding was ‘pure swooning delirium!’

We’ve announced Wood Chester, the second site in the empire, to be hosted in the brand new Hotel Indigo in the historic city.

We’ve been nominated for and won awards for everything from food porn to front of house. You can still vote in the Manchester Food & Drink Festival awards here.

And of course we have generated tonnes of media coverage – check out Simon’s latest interview with Deanna from Manchester Confidential.

No review of the year would be complete without the star of our social media, generating millions of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram page impressions – the tomahawk! If you haven’t been to Tomahawk Tuesday arguably you haven’t lived! Steak for two, two sides and a sauce for £50…

We have loved every second working with Simon and his team and can’t wait for the next year to come.

It’s really important to us that not only do we work with great people but that we have longstanding working relationships with clients that grow as they do. We can’t wait for Wood Chester and anything else that Simon has in the pipeline and we can’t wait to share them with you.