Sophy Norris
The Flagshipometer: what we think is hot, or not, right now
We had a bit of a discussion the other day on what we at Flagship think is “on trend” or “so yesterday”. By no means a scientific study, but we are a pretty cosmopolitan lot, wide age range, a few girls, a few boys,...
View Post >The perfect 30-minute meeting
One of my personal missions at work it to make every meeting an event; to wow everyone involved, and to ensure that the meeting is seen as a good investment of time and not simply the chance to shoot the breeze! It keeps me...
View Post >Ten PR must dos before going on holiday
OK, so, stupid me, I decided to write a blog the DAY I am about to take a week off from sunny Flagship, to what I fear will be a far less sunny break with my two children who are off for the Easter...
View Post >My Perfect Christmas Campaign – with thanks to Frisky and Mannish
This week at Flagship Consulting it is our Christmas Party! Wahoo! A chance to utterly play to type, darlings; quaff fizz, talk too loudly and generally “love everyone, sweetie”. So, this has got me in quite a Christmassy mood and I have been somewhat...
View Post >Who says you need a voice to communicate?
Even more, who says you need a voice in order to make people laugh? Lee Ridley, has just been booked for 3 nights at The Edinburgh Fringe, even though his first ever stand up gig was only in February. But that is not the...
View Post >What does the Guardian’s Open Journalism campaign and America’s Next Top Model All Stars have in common?
… Brand comprehension “What!?” I hear you say. “Woah! Hold your horses. You are putting one of the UK’s leading papers, the one which blew phone hacking wide open and is championing a new era of journalism, together with a looks-focused, formulaic, cable reality...
View Post >Why I think the South West has so much to smile about this year!
What ISN’T there to smile about in the South West? We are so lucky with spectacular countryside, miles of coastline, a laid back lifestyle and – of course – cider (there is always need for cider)! I am always amazed (though, on reflection, I...
View Post >When PR stunts hit home! Bravo Wikipedia
This morning, like every morning, as I drove my way into work, I listened to Radio 5 Live (easing my way into the day). The show was, like many I have heard rumbling around on the net, on TV, on twitter and amongst colleagues,...
View Post >Creating local waves around national events
The theme of this newsletter is “events” – happenings in the real (and now virtual) world which gather a group of like minded people together. We are pretty good at events in the SW – from the America’s Cup regatta, which has just happened...
View Post >Entrepreneurs are flourishing in the SW
Summer in the SW is always a time of renewed life. The influx of people, surfers on the beaches, walkers on the moors and, yes, even the jams of campervans on the A303 demonstrate just what this corner of the UK is all about...
View Post >The Defamation of Writing Travel
This is worth reading, because, sometimes it is worth laughing at what we do! PR’s, Travel Journalists, Telly People – beware of the wrath of the brilliant Guardian blog section – which has been on FIRE this week… This week, Travelogues are in the...
View Post >Q: When is a strategy not a strategy? A: When the DCMS puts out its new Tourism Policy
Or: ‘How to make friends and state the bleeding obvious’ OK, so I have had more fun making up titles for this response to the Departure of Culture Media and Sport’s Tourism Policy (DCMS) than I fear I will have writing about it. But...
View Post >View from the South West
The importance of social and digital media continues to dominate the business world, with The South West recognised as a region with a vibrant Creative Industries sector. The announcement in November 2010 that the New Creative Industries iNet (Innovation Network) will bring £3.2 million...
View Post >A survival guide for attending shows
Shows, Conferences, Expos, Events. Whatever you chose to call them, the success or failure of your attendance can hinge on some forward planning and following some simple steps in advance. Whether you are going to support a client, network, speak or even hustle for...
View Post >How not to post responses on blogs
One of our roles as PR advisors is to help our clients reach out the communities they want to influence – from a relatively “hands off” press release or perhaps a more “up close and personal” response on a worthwhile or relevant blog. We...
View Post >Salad Anyone…?
OK, so it may be a bit too cutesy – but I am loving these heart shaped cucumbers… COOLCUMBER Salad Anyone…?
View Post >Popping Up; New Faces and a Creative Spring Clean (PART 1)
“BEING CREATIVE” can sometimes can be like, so URGH… ESPECIALLY in February when the baubles of Christmas are long gone and the beach balls of summer are simply too far away. This is simply NOT ACCEPTABLE if you work in PR… So – you...
View Post >The Flagship Factor
When a picture speaks a thousand words…. The Flagship effect on Discover Winchester’s PR impact… ‘nuff said.
View Post >Pressure Chamber
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5 tips for making the most of (or surviving) an industry conference
Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Abu Dhabi to attend the Institute of Travel and Tourism annual conference. It was my first visit to the Emirate and apart from being overwhelmed by the heat, I was struck by the sheer scale of the development of the area. Abu Dhabi is less high rise
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Likes don’t save lives… or do they?
Likes don’t save lives. At least, that’s the message emanating loud and clear from Unicef’s latest online campaign, which castigates the ‘slacktivists’ who aren’t as generous with their money as they are with clicking the ‘Like’ button on Facebook pages. The campaign even includes a rather moving video featuring a ten year-old orphan who directly
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Why we should support paywalls
Working in PR, we are very aware that the world of newspapers, both online and in print, is changing. In a constant battle to remain at the forefront of breaking news and information, newspapers have had to offer their content online in competition with traditional broadcast media and the ever-evolving world of social media and
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The beauty of Twitter
Twitter has long played a part in our PR campaigns for clients, but today I spotted two stories about Twitter showing how imbedded this social media channel now is in our news reporting. The first story related to Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of the new Pakistani Prime Minister, who has been credited with increasing
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Brand spanking novelty: shining through a hectic crowd
PR has for years been linked to branding – often for our involvement in building a brand’s credibility or even just protecting it. Now, as agencies (including that of yours truly) begin to offer more integrated communications packages, brand is at the absolute forefront of our minds. Watching a brilliant adaption of Mark Haddon’s A
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