✅ Monday briefing: AI in PR, future skills, Coke adopts AI, PR education survey, broken news cycles, turnip for Brexit, Citizens Advice, Google misdirection, Artifact sign-up, and more...
Artificial intelligence, research, media, management, and tools and technology
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.
Thanks to everyone that joined Waddcon this week. Here’s the replay on YouTube. We raised £1,000 for the Bay Foodbank. It’s our local food bank in Newcastle.
Artificial intelligence
✅ WADDSCON ON AI: Waddscon was an excellent primer on the impact of AI on public relations. It covered the explosion in GPT-3 tools, applications in public relations, and measurement. Speakers also raised ethical concerns and showed how easy it is to use AI to create misinformation. Source Stephen Waddington.
🔴 AI IN PR: My personal view is that AI is set to be as disruptive to marketing and public relations, in good ways and bad, as the internet. A CIPR report by Andrew Bruce Smith and myself, for the CIPR, considers the future impact of AI on public relations practice, and conversation in the public sphere. Source Stephen Waddington.
🙋 FUTURE SKILLS: The ease of AI tools to generate content at scale raises significant concerns for the accuracy and veracity of information. Seth Godin writes that fact checking and critical thinking are set to become important skills to distinguish fact from fiction. Source Richard Bagnall.
🥤 COKE ADOPTS AI: Bain & Company has signed a services agreement with OpenAI. Its first customer is Coca-Cola which aims to use generative technology for marketing and consumer experiences. Meanwhile KPMG and JP Morgan have blocked access to AI tools. Source Alan Morrison and Andrew Bruce Smith.
Research
ℹ️ PR EDUCATION SURVEY: The Commission on PR Education runs its signature study every 5-7 years to learn what should be taught in undergraduate education in public relations. It is seeking responses from practitioners and educators. Please complete before 28 February. Source Professor Emeritus Anne Gregory.
Media
📰 MEDIA OUT-OF-CONTROL: Press coverage of crimes against women has reached a new low. Reporting in the cases of the deaths of Emma Pattison and Nicola Bulley has been sensationalist and victim blaming. Domestic abuse commissioner Nicole Jacobs has called for Government intervention. Source Ben Lowndes.
🗞️ BROKEN NEWS CYCLE: The demand for updates from social media and 24 hour news organisations conflicts with police work in a long running investigation. A lack of information in recent cases has led to overreach by the media and speculation on social media. It’s a public relations issue that needs urgent attention. Source Stephen Waddington.
🔰 ABC 2022 DATA: The Press Gazette has posted a full breakdown of magazine print and digital circulations for 2022. It's a mixed bag with combined average circulation globally falling to 24 million in 2022 across print and digital, compared to 26.8 million in 2021. Source Alan Morrison.
Management
🍅 TURNIP FOR BREXIT: Turnips are the new frontline in the culture war after Secretary of State for Environment Thérèse Coffey urged British consumers to eat seasonal vegetables. It follows a shortage of lettuce and tomatoes caused by a series of issues including the cost of living, supply chains and Brexit. Source Alan Morrison.
🫴 FRONTLINE SUPPORT: Citizens Advice was founded in the 1930s to help people at the outbreak of World War II. 90 years on, its services are needed as much as ever. Head of News Caroline Marrows talks about how it navigates a complex stakeholder environment to engage in public and policy debate. Source Stephen Waddington.
🚨 ACADEMY CRISIS PLAN: The Academy Awards has staffed up its crisis team and bolstered its scenario plans ahead of the upcoming 12 March ceremony. It follows Will Smith’s infamous face-slap of Chris Rock as the latter was about to present the Best Documentary Oscar at last year’s ceremony. Source Michael Greer and Jenny Sanchis.
🔍 GOOGLE MISDIRECTION: Women seeking online advice about abortions are being directed via Google ads to pregnancy counselling services run by anti-abortion campaigners. 117 out of 251 adverts shown by Google UK to a user searching 40 key phrases were from groups opposed to abortion. Spotted Sarah Waddington CBE.
Tools and technology
📢 ARTIFACT SIGN-UP: A personalised news reader built by Instagram’s founders is open to public access. The app described as TikTok for news is built around a personalised news feed powered by social elements and AI. Source Andrew Bruce Smith.
🔗 GUEST POST SITES: Writer and inbound marketer Pawan Kumar has built a list of 101 websites that accept guest posts and contributed articles. Topics range from personal development to wellbeing and from digital marketing to business. Source Teena Touch.
💶 PAID SUBSCRIPTIONS: Verified accounts for Facebook and Instagram are being trialled in Australia and New Zealand. Accounts that are verified using government ID will get a blue badge, impersonation protection and direct access to customer support. The cost in the UK is expected to be around £10/month in the UK. Spotted Catherine Arrow.