✅ Monday briefing: WaddsCon, connections counter misinformation, print plummets, book review, saying sorry, royal communication, global risks, Wikipedia guidance, image to text, and more…
WaddsCon is seeking media relations case studies, examples of best practice, innovation, and tools
This newsletter is crowdsourced each week from my blog and community of practice for people studying and working in marketing, media and public relations. It’s a hive mind, newsroom, and source of information, help and support. You’d be welcome to join us.
WaddsCon is back. We've had 20+ pitches so far for the new series of WaddsCon. Thanks to CARMA, Don’t Cry Wolf, McKinsey, Reclaim These Streets, Rise at Seven, and more. Thanks also to the PRCA, The PR Cavalry and Reuben Sinclair for support.
Over six sessions from February to July we want to explore pitching, newsjacking, data storytelling, the relationship between owned and earned media, promoting coverage, integrated marketing, and reporting and measurement.
If you’ve got an original case study, examples of best practice, innovation, or favourite tools, we would love to have you involved. Please complete this short form to submit a pitch.
Media
🙊 CONNECTIONS COUNTER MISINFORMATION: Trustworthy virtual communities have a critical role in countering misinformation according to the National Press Foundation. One percent create content, 9% share and repackage content, and 90% consume content. It warns that the best disinformation looks like legitimate information. Spotted David Gallagher.
📰 PRINT PLUMMETS: The print circulation of The Metro climbed back above a million copies per day last year as commuters in the UK returned to offices. It's the only good news in the latest ABC print circulation data from November 2021. All other newsprint publications continue to record falls as audiences shift to digital. Spotted Michael Greer.
Industry
📖 BOOK REVIEW: Copywriting is... is an unusual book about marketing craft. Andrew Boultini’s love affair with the written word is apparent from every page. It is extremely well researched, written and illustrated. If you work in or study the business of writing I recommend you buy a copy. Source Stephen Waddington.
👨🏫️ 3THINKRS ACADEMY: 3THINKRS has launched a virtual training academy for anyone starting out in communications. 45-min virtual sessions are hosted by 3THINKRS and open to anyone. Teachers include friends, clients, media, and agency peers. Upcoming topics include account management, press releases, newsjacking, and opinion articles. Source Ruth Jones.
Best and bad practice
😭 SAYING SORRY: Debrett’s, a British professional coaching company, publisher and authority on etiquette and behaviour, has shared a timeless guide to saying sorry. It follows PM Boris Johnson’s admission of lockdown party shenanigans at No 10 Downing Street. Spotted Deb Sharratt.
👑 ROYAL COMMUNICATION: Buckingham Palace provided a masterclass in the use of owned media and the brevity of communication in a statement about Prince Andrew stepping back from military affiliations and royal duties. It added that he will defend the case against him in the US as a private citizen. Spotted: Nigel Sarbutts.
Research and insight
📱 DIGITAL NEWS JUST IN: 2022 will be a year of consolidation for a news industry that has been disrupted by the COVID-19 crisis, changing audience behaviours and technology. The Reuters Institute Digital News Report tells the story of the future of the news industry from newsrooms around the world. Source Stephen Waddington.
📊 INSTAGRAM STORIES: Brands are publishing more Stories than ever on Instagram but reach is falling. The Instagram format faces competition for attention from TikTok and YouTube according to the Instagram Stories Benchmark Report. Spotted Stephen Waddington.
🌍 GLOBAL RISKS: Economic stagnation following the COVID-19 pandemic, transition to net zero, and a growing dependency on digital systems are the top three risks spotlighted by the World Economic Forum Global Risks Report 2022. The report also says social cohesion is a critical issue for society to address. Spotted Catherine Arrow.
Social media and platforms
🌐 WEB 3.0: Augmented and virtual reality in the gaming and media industries are pioneering applications of the Metaverse according to a briefing paper by Goldman Sachs. It predicts that the next wave of innovation in computing will focus on creating a more decentralised, local, niche, and better targeted version of the web. Spotted Stephen Waddington.
📑 WIKIPEDIA GUIDANCE: This is your regular reminder to never edit a Wikipedia page where you have a conflict of interest. Register as a user and disclose any conflicts of interest on your user page. Head to the Talk page for the page concerned and draft your response. Source Stephen Waddington.
🗯️ BRAND TWITTER: To stand out on Twitter brands need to be distinctive and engage with their community. Twitter users are savvier than ever about a brand's intentions and are bored of brands broadcasting and self-promoting according to the #RealTalk report published by Twitter. Spotted: Alan Morrison.
Tools
📝 IMAGE TO TEXT: A Live Text feature incorporated in the latest iPhone and iPad operating system enables you to grab text from a page of text to capture notes, translate and run web searches. It also works with photos and physical images. Google Photos incorporates a similar tool. Spotted Stephen Waddington.