Working in Marketing, I always love a great advert and my latest favourite comes courtesy of Cadbury.
After *that* Gorilla ad and then the brilliant ‘eyebrow dance’, it seems that their ad department just keep getting better. This is their latest creative, which ties in to their new campaign ‘Charity Shop Dance Off.’
You’re probably used to these now but this is yet another post about being a rubbish blogger and forgetting to keep this updated. I’m hoping that one day I will actually stick to my word and remain dedicated.
Until then, here’s another declaration that this blog WILL see more posts and you WILL be entertained by my witting words.
So, what have I been up to since my last post? Now there’s a challenge. So much has happened but the main thing is that I have started a fantastic new job; heading up the consumer comms at The NEC Group. My new role sees me leading on PR for The NEC, The NIA, LG Arena, Amadeus and http://www.theticketfactory.com. I have also been shortlisted in the Birmingham Young Professional of the Year communications category – so fingers crossed for Thursday.
So, that’s a quick insight into the past few months. Let’s hope I’m back soon to tell you more about what I’m doing.
I’ve been a bit quiet on the blog front lately but there’s been so much going on, as per usual I haven’t found time. Anyway, I’m back and promising to be better so here’s my first post for a long while… and this one’s for charity. I’ve got a few charity things coming up over the next few weeks, which I’ll be sure to update you on, but this one involves some famous faces and some red noses.
Comic Relief is only a couple of weeks away and tomorrow I’ll be joining some of the stars of The Apprentice to launch their Comic Relief challenge.
Candidates will be swapping their suits and stilettos for sweats and trainers when they take on a military assault course in support of Red Nose Day 2011. 13 candidates from series six – Alex Epstein, Chris Bates, Christopher Farrell, Dan Harris, Jamie Lester, Joy Stefanicki, Laura Moore, Liz Locke, Melissa Cohen, Paloma Vivanco, Raleigh Addington, Shibby Robati, and Stuart Baggs – will be leaving the relative safety of the boardroom to attempt a three kilometre course, originally designed by the British Special Forces.
To launch their challenge, some of the finalists – steered by my good friend Joy – have decided to come to Birmingham and start raising cash. Joy will be joined by fellow contestants including Liz Locke, Chris Bates, Jamie Lester, Laura Moore and Dan Harris in Malmaison from 1-3pm learning how to make cocktails with my fave Mal barman, Jamie Moss. They will then be taking their new-found skills to my usual hangout, The Chameleon, and will be serving behind the bar between 6-7pm and 8-9pm.
It’s sure to be a good night – there will be plenty of shenanigans as well as important fundraising. Hope to see you down there!
Ps. Even if you can’t make it, you can sponsor The Apprentice team at http://www.rednoseday.com/apprentice.
Even after (almost) three years working in PR, I still get excited when I get a good piece of coverage for a client.
Today’s exciting press cutting comes in the form of Stylist Magazine, where Bodhi is listed in the ‘Style List’. I absolutely love Stylist and always look at their top products so it’s great to see my client, and a product that I absolutely love, featured.
Still high from Friday’s award-win, I was really excited to see the CIPR’s judges comments online today. They’re so lovely – I’m glad that I made such an impression.–
Tara has achieved an incredible amount in just a few years of working in the industry and has made a massive impact on the Midlands PR scene. She has been instrumental in helping her company rise to the top in a short space of time, and her steely determination and love of communication has meant she has built a vast network of contacts that have no doubt proved invaluable in delivering the rapid growth and success of her agency so far. Tara has a huge passion for Birmingham as a city and is a shining example of some of the great PR work being undertaken outside of London. She clearly lives for her career and enjoys (almost) every minute of it, with a refreshing approach to team management for someone so young. Tara is a breath of fresh air and a real inspiration. There was no doubt in the minds of the judges that she sums up everything a young communicator should be and she has a really promising career ahead of her as a future industry leader. Definitely one to watch!
Fingers crossed I can live up to this now!
Yes, you heard me right and no, I’m not trying to be funny. There really is an App for fixing marriages. In fact, there are numerous ones to choose from.
The past twelve months have been full of ‘big announcements’, with more than a handful of my friends getting engaged. As well as being wonderfully happy for each and every one of them, I also love a good wedding… they’re like an extended Office Christmas Party; inappropriate drunkenness is always guaranteed! Whilst I don’t, for a second, think that any of my friends will live a less-than-perfect married life, there are always some couples that take ‘lover’s tiff’ to a whole new level. And for these couples, technology has a solution.
Introducing… the marriage apps. Yes, that’s right, use Marriage Fight Tracker to “keep track of your arguments and issues that include date, facts, descriptions and as many details as you want.” Seriously… how often would you refer back to this? Or why not try Why Did I Marry You Anyway? (sounds good already!), which includes cue cards with wisdom like “Infatuation does not last.” The fun doesn’t stop there kids – Mind Over Marriage, Fix a Fight… the list is endless.
I do love technology but, seriously, who is using these Apps? Are they a sign of the future; will a simple disagreement about Eastenders vs Football be noted down on your phone and referred back to at every available opportunity? Or are they a good way of re-evaluating what’s really important in life? Personally, I’m undecided so until I get hitched, I think I’ll just stick to Angry Birds…
Ps. I hope someone gets Kate an iPhone… just in case Will starts to get on her nerves!
So, yet again you hear those words, “I’m reviving my blog”. I always have the best intentions with this blog but then, as usual, life gets in the way and it slips down the ‘to do’ list. But, with a very exciting weekend under my belt, I’m back on the blogging bandwagon and ready to live up to my new title.
Friday night saw the annual CIPR PRide Midlands Awards, where the best comms teams from across the East and West Midlands don their best ‘award attire’ to celebrate another fantastic year in the industry. Last year was the first time I went to the Awards and was also the first time Rewired PR entered; even better, we won Outstanding Small Consultancy.
Twelve months later and the then-team-of-three is now a team of six and after a fantastic night we walked away with Outstanding Small Consultancy for the second year running. I’m so proud of us for winning; it has been an amazing year at Rewired, with some fantastic new additions to the team and client list! More than just a massive boost to the team, I also love that our clients have the knowledge that they’re working with an agency recognised by its PR peers.
On top of the Rewired award was also my personal award-win; Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year. I went for the award in the knowledge that I’m still relatively new to the industry but proud of what I’ve achieved so far. When I was shortlisted, I was absolutely over-the-moon, especially being up against three brilliant PR professionals.
I’m beyond delighted that I’ve won (for once I’m actually speechless); it’s so fantastic to be recognised by the CIPR team and fellow PRs and agencies. I’m also following in the footsteps of the lovely Lucy Kemp, PR Director at Seal, and I’ve promised her that she’s handing the title to someone that promises to live up to it! Winning the award has given me a massive confidence boost and I hope that I can work closely with CIPR throughout the year to promote the amazing work done by all PR agency and in-house teams across the Midlands.
So, with that in mind, I intend to dedicate more time to my blog and document a lot more of what I’m getting up to. For all the times that I fail, head to Twitter and I’m sure you’ll find a running commentary of my life.
I’ve been waiting to get involved with a charity for some time, but was waiting for the right one… one I could dedicate some spare time (not that I have much of that) to and really help. I’ve always been a bit funny about donating money to big charities because it’s never clear exactly where the money goes… I want to actually see who I’m helping, and know that it’s making a real difference.
So, I’m really excited about working with an amazing charity called The Haven. Based in Wolverhampton, The Haven “supports women and children affected by Domestic Violence. The women and children are from a variety of backgrounds, ages and ability, but all have one thing in common – the desire to become independent and free from abuse and create a sustainable happy life for themselves and their families.”
I’ll be doing a range of things with them, from fundraising and volunteering, to raising public awareness and encouraging women who need it to use their services.
To start off what I hope will be a very long relationship with them, we’re starting a campaign called ‘High Five’.
The Haven has five refuges in total, all in need of supplies. We’re asking people to donate five things, of any value, to go to each of the homes. We want them to be identical things, so it could be something as small as 5 pens or 5 mugs, or something bigger like 5 toasters or 5 blankets. We also want to get things for the women and children, so clothes, toys, make-up sets… anything really.
The lovely people at Gotham Records have said the first 100 people to donate will get a free CD too… how very nice!
I hope people will help with this, I think it’s an amazing charity and one that’s been over-shadowed by much bigger charities and organisations. Anyhoo, give me a shout if you want to help/donate, and I promise you really will be making a difference.
x
Oh my god… that is all I have to say!
Sometimes I do sit back and think how random my life is, and yesterday was no exception as I got to meet a hero of mine… the Barclays Premiership Trophy.
A Birmingham businessman won the chance to have the trophy for the day, so he teamed up with Harvey Nichols to raise money for St Basils by displaying it in the designer store’s menswear department for the day.
I went to have a gander at the trophy and it was as beautiful as I though. If only I’d taken a bag big enough to swipe it…
Tara Tomes. That is All. 
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