If these trends are anything to go by marketers worldwide have got a lot to look forward to when it comes to implementing creative and engaging campaigns.

Are We Human?

2015 is the year of HUMAN when it comes to digital marketing. Bland and generic corporate speak will be replaced with humour, personality and a more natural way of communicating with consumers.

Simply put people love and trust brands who treat them, well, like human beings and if a brand can speak with a consumer in a relatable and meaningful manner they have a far better chance of building a loyal relationship and beating out the competition.

Video

Video content will continue to soar as an effective means of sharing product or service information. More companies will incorporate videos into their communications and across social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and Google+.

Curtail Your Content – Less is More

We’ve known for years that the content-is-king mentality has been the core behind many online marketing strategies employing the single minded goal of improving search rankings.

As a result the go to method for many brands has been to push out oodles of content daily bombarding consumers with stale content that offers very little value. Many businesses don’t realise this approach is in fact highly damaging to their SEO as Google sees little merit in rehashed content and will penalise websites accordingly.

To counteract content copywriter fatigue many companies are now employing a companywide content creation strategy through all departments from SEO, sales, marketing and HR. This ensures that the relevant experts in each field can contribute insightful and targeted content to the overall content strategy.
 
Mobile Matters

It used to be that mobile campaign integration was just a mere after-thought but come 2015 mobile dominates desktop in terms of user engagement.

In today’s society more and more people access their information via mobile technology and this means that brands need to ensure that no matter what communications they are distributing i.e. social media, newsletters or email content etc. the content is fully optimised for mobile.

Any company not focusing on mobile in terms of their communications strategy is liable to be missing out on a massive part of their consumer base especially when you consider they are checking their phone during work, rest and play.
 
Virtual Reality Marketing

Slightly offbeat but nevertheless highly exciting news for tech geeks and general consumers alike, virtual reality is slowly making its way into the mainstream. Uniting offline and online worlds allows brands to connect with customers in completely new environments.

The most anticipated digital launch for 2015 was the Facebook Oculus Rift which has already seen big brands like Tesco and Topshop create virtual reality shopping experiences in which to immerse consumers into their brand “worlds”.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg says, ‘This is really a new communication platform. By feeling truly present, you can share unbounded spaces and experiences with the people in your life. Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures’.
 

Yesterday, Muckle Media was privileged to be involved in the first stakeholder engagement workshop about the draft legislation for the new Scotland Bill – or as Danny Alexander put it  – we were there to ‘help create history’.

Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Alistair Carmichael, Secretary of State for Scotland headed up the two hour session which brought together representatives from the business community, councils and the third sector. We were all there to give our views on the draft clauses, agreed by all five main political parties at the Smith Commission, set up after the momentous Scottish referendum of 2014. The clauses will form part of the new Scotland Bill which will be taken through Parliament by the next elected UK government in May this year, irrespective of which party wins the general election.

It is amazing to think that following the Scotland Bill, Scotland will have the third most powerful devolved parliament in the world. New powers will be given in the following areas:

Franchise

The Scottish Parliament will be given the power to reduce the voting age to 16 for Scottish Parliament and Scottish local government elections

Crown Estate

The Scottish Parliament will be responsible its assets and the revenue generated

Tax

The Scottish Parliament will have the power to set thresholds and rates on income tax and will benefit from additional tax raised from VAT, Air Passenger Duty and the Aggregates Levy.

Welfare

The Scottish Parliament will be able to legislate for discretionary payments to people in any area of welfare and set rules about a wide range of benefits affecting carers and the disabled. It will have power to create employment schemes and to vary the frequency of universal Credit payments.

Muckle Media was at the heart of the buzz in Scotland in the lead-up to the Scottish referendum, supporting Sir Tom Hunter’s campaign, ScotlandSeptember18.com, to provide neutral unbiased information to Scotland’s undecided voters. It is great to be part of the next phase of Scotland’s history in what has been a momentous few months. It was also an interesting experience being a stakeholder instead of a facilitator at a stakeholder engagement workshop.

Need help with stakeholder mapping and engagement, contact [email protected]

Each month, we’ll be introducing you to a member of the Muckle Media team. First up is Eilidh.

1. How did you get into PR – what’s your background?

I have a degree in product design which has prepared me for marketing products and being creative with ideas – I love a good brainstorm!

2. What’s the best piece of coverage you’ve secured for a client?

On one of the first projects when I joined Muckle Media, we worked with Campbeltown Picture House for its centenary. I had the idea to get a letter from the Queen like anyone else celebrating their 100^th birthday would receive. We managed to get this and it secured some great coverage and the project was also nominated for a CIPR PRide award.

3. Is there anything you’ve done in your career that you’re particularly proud of?

During a project for charity art trail Ready Steady Gallop, in which horse sculptures were place around Hamilton and South Lanarkshire, one of the sculptures was unfortunately stolen. In response to this, I made suggestions to the client including a #FindAngus social media campaign. We made missing posters and appealed for information via Ready Steady Gallop’s social media pages which received a great response.  The first #FindAngus post led to more than 370 shares on Facebook and ultimately helped reach new audiences for the project and the missing sculpture was quickly located. The Ready Steady Gallop project has been nominated for a PRmoment Award for Integrated Communications Campaign of the Year. We’ll find out the result in March.

4. What brands/startups do you think are doing a great job with their PR and marketing at the moment?

I like to follow my favourite brands on Instagram and I think the ones that act as lifestyle channels, rather than just selling their products work the best.

I love Protein World’s Instagram posts. The company gives you information on its products, healthy recipe tips and ideas and it often posts workout videos for followers to try. CrossFit’s Instagram is also great; it is regularly updated and is really inspiring. It just makes me want to go and train – exactly the purpose of the account.

A startup that has had huge success recently is Tens. The sunglasses company has built upon its crowdfunding success by keeping itself in the spotlight with award wins and social media campaigns. I love Tens’ branding and every campaign follows the same look, giving the brand a strong identity. The brand has also kept things fresh by launching new ranges early on and kept social media audiences engaged by sharing their photos with the sunglasses on Instagram.

5. What’s been your biggest achievement out of work?

My biggest achievements out of work have probably been for archery. I’ve competed in many championships and competitions since I started the sport. At the moment I’m Scottish Outdoor and Bowhunter Champion.

6. What’s your favourite song at the moment?

There are so many! If I had to choose one just now, it would probably be Fatherson’s Half The Things.

7. How do you like to spend your free time?

In my spare time you’ll find me in the gym, practicing archery or at home drawing or painting.

8. What are your ambitions for the future, in and out of work?

I’d love to work on some more interesting social media campaigns for clients and utilise Instagram like some of my favourite brands do. I’d also love to start my own business in the future – I’ve got lots of ideas! Out of work, I’d like to compete more in sports and do more drawing and painting – I’d also like there to be more hours in the day to get all this done!

To kick off Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink 2015, Highlands and Islands Enterprise showcased the best of the region’s produce at the London Boat Show. Exhibiting alongside Sail Scotland, the marketing body for sailing tourism, HIE held tastings of local produce such as salmon, mussels, cheese, oatcakes, tablet, whisky and craft beer.

 
With the food and drink industry in the Highlands and Islands contributing £1 billion to the economy annually and supporting 32,000 jobs, HIE’s attendance at the London Boat Show aimed to raise the profile of Highlands and Islands produce even further.
 
Anna Allan, Head of Business Events, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, said: 
“Food and drink is a booming industry sector for the Highlands and Islands, with home sales up 30% since 2007 and overseas sales up 50%. Whisky is leading the charge – making it Scotland’s leading export. We were delighted to be collaborating with Sail Scotland to bring Highlands and Islands produce to this high profile event in London and help our supported businesses to reach new markets and increase their revenues. The London Boat Show is a great place to showcase the Highland’s local produce to a global audience.”
 
Muckle Media supported HIE’s attendance at the London Boat Show through media relations, with coverage secured in the likes of The Arran Advertiser and Strathspey Herald. Following the event, a summary was also included in HIE’s February newsletter.
 
Image: Highlands and Islands Enterprise

The New Year continued with even more momentum than 2014 for start-up accelerator Entrepreneurial Spark.

 
The Entrepreneuring Awards
 
As part of Muckle Media’s PR support, the team’s first job was the Entrepreneuring Awards. Held in Glasgow on the 9^th of January, the night celebrated the best of the UK’s entrepreneurial talent. The awards featured an address by guest speaker, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Sir Tom Hunter and a pitching competition where Entrepreneurial Spark entrepreneurs could pitch to the panel for the chance to win spot prizes. Celebrating the great achievements of the UK’s entrepreneurs, the night aimed to provide them with funding to continue their good work.
 
Entrepreneurial Spark announces record results
 
To coincide with the Entrepreneuring Awards, Muckle Media announced Entrepreneurial Spark’s results for 2014, in which the incubator smashed its previous records for job creation, investment and turnover. Through Entrepreneurial Spark support, firms have created more than 1,000 jobs – almost double the 520 created in its first two years of business. Total turnover for supported firms also rocketed to £41million at the end of 2014; trebling the £15,676,000 achieved during 2012 and 2013. Investment in supported start-ups also increased by £10 million, from a total of £8,047,000 achieved by the end of 2013 to more than £18 million at the end of 2014.
 
Jim Duffy, Entrepreneurial Spark CEO, commented:
 
“2014 saw a step change in our expediential growth as RBS agreed an exciting partnership to take the best practise from Scotland to the rest of the UK, and these Scotland numbers show the sheer potential that Entrepreneurial Spark has to engage, excite and, most importantly, accelerate budding entrepreneurs across the country. With our new accelerator hub launching in Birmingham in February we can’t wait to take our model south in our next step of driving an entrepreneurial revolution across the UK.”
 
Kanya King MBE shares her entrepreneurial story
 
Just a few days after the success of the Entrepreneuring Awards and the announcement of the 2014 results, Entrepreneurial Spark hosted its ‘Be the best you can be event’ with special guest speaker Kanya King MBE, founder of the MOBO Awards. Held in Birmingham on the run-up to the launch of Entrepreneurial Spark’s new incubator in the city, Kanya discussed what she had learned from her years in business. Kanya shared her inspiring story of how she overcame doubters to create one of the most popular music awards in the UK today and became named as one of Britain’s ‘Most Entrepreneurial Women’ by Real Business.
 
To register your interest in applying to Entrepreneurial Spark or to receive the latest news, please sign up via its website: https://entrepreneurial-spark.com/application.html 
 
Image of Kanya King MBE: Entrepreneurial Spark

Muckle Media is delighted to be shortlisted in three categories at the PRmoment Awards 2015, building on its one nomination from the 2014 awards.

For work with Entrepreneurial Spark and its Opportunity Knocks event, Muckle Media has been nominated in the Best Use of Research and Financial Campaign of the Year categories. For work with Hamilton Business Improvement District and Ready Steady Gallop, Muckle Media is nominated in the Integrated Communications Campaign of the Year category.

The awards celebrate the achievements of public relations practitioners in the North, Northern Ireland and Scotland region and the winners will be announced at a ceremony in Manchester on the 11^th of March.

Muckle Media managing director Nathalie Agnew said: “To be nominated in three categories in awards of this calibre is a great achievement for Muckle Media. We’ve been working hard to achieve the best results for our clients and to have this recognised with more award nominations is incredible. We look forward to the awards ceremony and to continuing the hard work throughout 2015.”

Towards the end of 2014, Muckle Media began working with ESP Group. ESP Group provides end-to-end solutions for smart schemes in the UK and beyond in mobility, education, healthcare and smart cities; issuing and supporting the operation of the likes of concessionary travel, commercial ticketing and staff and student card schemes.

At the start of the year, ESP Group won the contract to create and supply smartcards for rail passengers under a Department for Transport ticketing programme. The cards will work in a similar way to Oyster Cards and will be rolled out across southeast England with similar schemes then hoped to be adopted throughout the UK.

This news secured coverage in various media, especially in the Hull area where the smart cards will be developed. Articles were published in the likes of Hull Daily Mail and the news was broadcast on BBC Look North and BBC Radio Humberside.

ESP Group director Steve Cassidy also featured on BBC Radio Scotland to share his advice on preparing for travel in the recent bad weather and Muckle Media secured quotes from Steve in articles discussing winter weather travel. Listen back to Steve’s advice from 01:37: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04wtb6w#auto

For further details on the work at ESP Group does, visit: https://the-espgroup.com

The announcement on Christmas Day that parcel delivery company City Link was going into administration stood out as the story over the festive period – for all the wrong reasons. It was almost a text book example of how not to handle bad news. What lessons can be learned?

 
Develop clear, concise messaging
 
Bad news is bad news. City Link going into administration and employees losing their jobs was always going to be bad news thus the need for clear messaging to explain why this was happening was even greater than when communicating a good news story. Although the statement issued by Ernst and Young contained the relevant key messages, all were overshadowed by the timing of the announcement which became the story.
 
Develop key messages, refine them and test them with media training to ensure that they can be easily and effectively communicated.
 
Identify and prioritise all stakeholders
 
It was clear that the most important stakeholder, City Link employees, was overlooked. Media coverage was full of reports of staff being interviewed and stating that they found out their fate from the media.
 
Identify and prioritise all stakeholders and plan your communication from there. Where possible, plan for simultaneous communication to stakeholders so that they are receiving the message at the same time and you are in control of the message and ultimately the story that will be reported.
 
Understand your stakeholders
 
City Link either never considered, or completely underestimated the key stakeholders and how they were most likely to react to the news. When it came to the unions, they saw it as an opportunity to criticise not only the announcement itself but also the fact that it had been made on Christmas Day. As for employees, they felt betrayed. Christmas is the busiest time of year for parcel delivery companies and many staff had gone the extra mile to get presents delivered that very week. With the absence of any communication from City Link management to staff, media had no problems finding disappointed and angry workers for interview.
 
Understand how stakeholders are going to react and plan your communication accordingly, especially how and when you will communicate.
 
Assign clear ownership
 
It was clear that nobody really wanted to take ownership of the communication. In the end, the official communication came from administrator Ernst and Young. Nobody in management at City Link was quoted in any of the media coverage and it took until the 29^th December (4 days after the announcement) for Jon Moulton, founder of City Link’s founder company Better Capital to give any interviews to media.
 
Following the stakeholder mapping, assign ownership to each stakeholder to lead the communication to that group.
 
Timing and external factors
 
In all the media coverage which has ensued on this story it was clear that City Link had been struggling for a while. There were early warning signs that the company would need to cease trading over Christmas and yet it seems that management adopted a ‘bury head in sand’ approach to handling the actual communication which resulted in staff learning that they were losing their jobs on Christmas Day – the one day of the year that purveyors of bad news stories will be vilified in the media, like the baddies in a Christmas pantomime.
 
Remember that you cannot communicate in a vacuum. Be aware of external factors and how they could affect your story and plan it accordingly. Whilst you cannot bury bad news, you can try to avoid being the main story on all news bulletins on a national day of celebration.
 
Do you need communications advice? Email us on [email protected] to discuss.
 
Image: www.telegraph.co.uk

As 2015 approaches, many brands will be looking to boost business and reach new consumers. With the ways we communicate with consumers evolving, it is important brands have a presence on appropriate social media channels – but how do you choose the best content to share? We take a look at some New Year resolutions brands on social media will be able to keep.

 
Video
 
Not long ago we were talking about the importance of sharing compelling images on social media and although that’s still a must-do, video is also proving popular on the social media pages of brands. With apps such as Vine making it easy to create short, interesting videos, brands can get creative with what they share. Stop-motion, instructional videos and showcasing a new product; video can be a great way to get consumers interested in your brand.
 
Planning content
 
Setting out a plan and having a strategy for your social media content can make the difference between social media success and a social media flop. Integrating social media with other communications and generating content around things such as company announcements and relevant items in the news agenda and on the run-up to product launches or other milestones. Creating a viral hit is the object of many brands on social media but in reality it can be difficult to achieve. Instead, focus on creating share-worthy content – what would your target audience find interesting and make them want to tell their friends about and engage with your brand further?
 
Reactive content
 
As well as planning social media content, social media teams should stay on top of the news and the latest developments in the brand’s industry. For example, a food brand that had an ingredient that was found to be really good for you could maximise its impact by piggybacking on the news. Equally, if an ingredient was found to be harmful, the team should know early so they have time to prepare a strategy and are ready for any questioning from social media followers.
 
It doesn’t all have to be industry related though. Look at the success of Oreo’s ‘Dunk in the Dark’ image during a blackout at the 2013 Superbowl, which received 15,000 retweets, and KitKat’s reaction to #Bendgate when the new iPhone 6 Plus was found to be easy to bend. The biscuit brand’s image and accompanying message ‘We don’t bend, we #break’ received over 28,000 retweets.
 
140 characters
 
Writing for social media can be quite different from other forms of communication. Squeezing in everything you want to say without spelling and grammar mistakes can be difficult in 140 characters! Experiment with different layouts and structures and share posts with the team to see if you can get any further insight. Familiarise yourself with successful social media pages of other brands – what are they doing and how can you do it better?
 
Don’t forget a blog!
 
B2B businesses with blogs generate 67% more leads per month than those without according to Bell Pottinger Digital. Blogs on your website can not only improve SEO but provide interesting content for social media and can showcase the expertise of your team.
 
There are a whole host of techniques brands can use to improve their social media pages. Need some tips or would like to share your thoughts? Tweet us: @mucklemedia
 
Image from Twitter: @KITKAT

Christmas can be a prime opportunity for startups and other businesses to reach new audiences and boosts sales, given they use the right techniques. We count down our top 12 tips on maximising the impact of your business on the run-up to Christmas.
 

1. Run Christmas promotions

Everyone loves a special offer and for startups it can provide great opportunities to reach new consumers on the run-up to Christmas. Many businesses utilise websites such as Wowcher to offer deals to people in the area. Why not also offer incentives such as 10% off their next order for any friends a customer introduces. Why not also offer discounts post-Christmas with a January sale. Make sure you advertise it on social media with strong visuals or a video too.

2. Mobile is for life, not just for Christmas

This might be one for the new year if you haven’t already but having your website optimised for mobile and tablet use is becoming more and more important for consumers. Google also announced last month that it will be adding a ‘mobile friendly’ label to search results to show people which websites are mobile optimised – make sure people aren’t put off before they’ve even clicked on your link. 

3. Get social this Christmas

We all know how important social media is for brands and Christmas is a prime time to attract new followers. Don’t fill your timeline with any old rubbish though! And don’t just sell your product – consumers want more from brands than that, they want a relationship with them. What to share will vary based on your brand but think about what consumers will find interesting and check out your competitors’ social media pages – how can you do it better? 

4. Christmas gift guides

Creating a Christmas gift guide to offer to media is a nice way to show your product or service to interested audiences. For example, if you make handbags, why not create a gift guide with other outfit ideas for gifts or for a Christmas party. You might also consider teaming up with other startups or businesses to increase your reach by creating a joint gift guide.

5. Get Christmassy for Google

Boost Google hits with holiday related content – blog posts, videos and regularly updated social media accounts will increase the chances of new consumers stumbling across your brand.

6. Differentiate

Consumers are bombarded with messages at Christmas. What makes your brand different and why should they buy your product or service over another?

7. Cater for last minute shoppers

A drawback of shopping online is delivery time and charges. Can you help out the last minute shoppers frantically looking for the perfect gift with next day delivery? Promote this on your website and social media pages so people know they can get items delivered fast.

8. Make friends with influential bloggers

Popular bloggers are like media brands all by themselves. Find ones relevant to your brand on social media and start interacting with them. Eventually you may want to offer product samples to them or organise a bloggers’ day where they can come along, meet you and try out your products.

9. Make sure you can deliver

It’s easy to over-promise or under-estimate sales during the Christmas period. Make sure you have enough stock and staff to fulfil any sales or extra activity being undertaken during the holiday period. Failure could put consumers and anyone else they tell off your brand for life.

10. Send a Christmas thank you card with orders

Have you ever ordered a product online and along with your delivery of goodies there’s been a handwritten thank you card? Taking the time to create these little extras can really strengthen your relationship with the customer – it also provides an extra way to share Twitter, Instagram and Facebook page details!

11. Don’t be a Scrooge!

If you can, try to give something back, whether it’s donating some of your products to charity or donating money to a local charity to help people in the area.

12. Have fun!

‘Tis the season to be jolly after all! Social media is a great way to show consumers that your brand is fun and staff love working with you. Share your favourite secret santa gifts, Christmas decoration ideas, videos of staff packing orders in their Christmas jumpers or anything else that shows the people behind the brand.
 
Have anything else to add? Why not tweet us what your startup is doing this Christmas @mucklemedia. Merry Christmas!
 
Image: www.mi9.com

Muckle Media has won Corporate and Business Communications Campaign and Outstanding Small Consultancy at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) PRide Scotland awards, announced at a black tie dinner in Edinburgh on Thursday night.

Taking gold in two categories and being named Outstanding Small Consultancy for the second year in a row, Muckle Media director Nathalie Agnew said: “We’re delighted to have won awards in two categories and to have built upon our success in 2013. Winning Outstanding Small Consultancy is amazing and adding best Corporate and Business Communications Campaign makes it even more special. It’s great to see all our hard work pay off and we can’t wait for the next year and the exciting projects we have coming up.”

Muckle Media has been shortlisted for three awards at the 2014 CIPR Scotland PRide Awards, announced today.

 
Muckle Media has been recognised for its outstanding work across the region, and has been nominated for three awards including Corporate and Business Communications Campaign, Low Budget Campaign and Outstanding Small Consultancy which the agency won at the 2013 awards. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Edinburgh on the 9^th of October.
 
The CIPR PRide Awards recognise the outstanding talents and achievements of public relations practitioners across the UK’s regions and nations. They are the most prestigious and rigorous awards of their kind.
 
Commenting on the award shortlisting, Muckle Media Managing Director, Nathalie Agnew said: “We’re delighted to be shortlisted for the 2014 CIPR PRide Awards after winning Outstanding Small Consultancy and being a finalist in the Not-For-Profit category last year. It’s been a busy year but it’s so rewarding to see our hard work has paid off by being shortlisted in these awards.”
 
ENDS
 
Notes to Editors
 
A full list of shortlisted entrants in Scotland is available here:
https://www.cipr.co.uk/content/events-awards/pride-awards/scotland/shortlist

About the CIPR
 
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations is the professional body for public relations practitioners in the UK. With over 10,000 members involved in all aspects of the public relations profession, it is the largest body of its type in Europe. The CIPR advances the public relations profession in the UK by making its members accountable through a code of conduct, developing policies for the public relations profession, representing its members and raising standards through education and training. For further information, visit the CIPR website.
 
About the CIPR PRide Awards

The CIPR PRide Awards is the only UK-wide awards scheme that recognises excellence in public relations and communications work across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and six English regions. Now in its 11th year, the CIPR PRide Awards grow year-on-year as consultancies and organisations increasingly recognise the benefits of awards from the PR professions only Chartered body, and past winners continue to reap the benefits of receiving one.
Alongside the national CIPR Scotland PRide Awards, CIPR Cymru Wales PRide Awards and CIPR Northern Ireland PRide Awards, six English regional awards schemes also form part of the series and include the CIPR Anglia, Thames & Chiltern PRide Awards, CIPR Midlands PRide Awards, CIPR North East PRide Awards, CIPR North West PRide Awards, CIPR South of England and Channel Islands PRide Awards, and the CIPR Yorkshire & Lincolnshire PRide Awards.
 
For further information, please contact Nathalie Agnew on 07985595510