Michelle Boag Bloghttp://www.michelleboag.co.nz/michelle-boag-blog/en-US2010-09-03T16:51:37ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.5 (http://www.squarespace.com/)MOMENTUM USES SOCIAL MEDIA TO EXTEND RECRUITMENT REACHhttp://www.michelleboag.co.nz/michelle-boag-blog/2010/8/25/momentum-uses-social-media-to-extend-recruitment-reach.htmlMichelle Boag2010-08-25T04:41:14ZAs befits a company operating in the communications space, Momentum is now regularly using social media to extend awareness of the jobs it has available. Check out a new Communications Manager role for Hockey New Zealand which we have posted today on Seek and on our website - www.momentum.co.nz - ref 23352. According to new media strategist Courtney Lambert (http:\\courtneylambert.co.nz) social media is a conversation not a campaign, so the best way to use this medium is with casual, authentic two way communication. Momentum is also using Twitter and Facebook to extend its reach into social media networks with great results, as people are able to not only see who they would be working for when they apply for a new role, but even what their prospective offices would look like.

]]>AUCKLAND COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS STARTS TO TAKE SHAPEhttp://www.michelleboag.co.nz/michelle-boag-blog/2010/7/26/auckland-council-communications-starts-to-take-shape.htmlMichelle Boag2010-07-26T08:58:20ZIndustry observers were a little surprised to see respected Auckland Regional Transport Authority marketer Shelley Watson score the top Public Affairs role at the new Auckland Council, while the role she effectively exited (in the shape of the new Auckland Transport Public Affairs role) was taken by Public affairs Manager at Waitakere City, Wally Thomas. While the next tier of appointments has not yet been announced it is expected that a number of the next level managerial appointments will be made from within existing Council communications teams. Meanwhile Marketing and Events Manager at Manukau City Council, Donna Baker, hasn’t wasted any time landing a new senior role in Wellington as Head of Marketing and Communications for the Accident Compensation Corporation . Other senior local government communications professionals are also landing private sector appointments such as contractor Matt Poland who is moving from Auckland City to Vector.

]]>BLURRING OF BOUNDARIES ELICITS COMMENT FROM INDUSTRY PLAYERShttp://www.michelleboag.co.nz/michelle-boag-blog/2010/7/26/blurring-of-boundaries-elicits-comment-from-industry-players.htmlMichelle Boag2010-07-26T08:56:57ZLong time public relations practitioners are waiting with interest following speculation that now Sean Plunket has (finally!) left Radio NZ and is fronting The Nation on TV3, he may pursue a career in the public relations world as well. PR/journalism boundaries used to be clearly defined: these days they are starting to blur, with appointments like Suzy Clarkson, Prime’s weekend news reader, having filled in the Public Affairs slot for Coca Cola Amatil on a maternity leave contract. Exceltium owner Matthew Hooton has long freelanced as a social/political columnist without any apparent conflicts in his business, meanwhile Bill Ralston has also been using his media skills to advise selected companies while maintaining a columnist role for the Listener. So how far can the role of journalist and PR adviser be merged together? Prominent former broadcaster Brian Edwards of course has long held the dual role of media commentator and corporate/political adviser, most famously to former Prime Minister Helen Clark and her bunch of Ministers. So if someone who has 4 decades of experience in the media can do it, why not the rest, I suppose?

]]>CONSULTANCY MERRY GO ROUNDhttp://www.michelleboag.co.nz/michelle-boag-blog/2010/7/26/consultancy-merry-go-round.htmlMichelle Boag2010-07-26T08:56:17ZCompared to last year, the consultancy world has been busy as companies look for senior staff to fill in the gaps created by those who are willing to consider new opportunities that they ignored in last years uncertain job market. Lwindi Ellis’s move from Draft FCB to Eleven PR was followed by PPR’s Angela Spain taking over the reins at Draft FCB with a growth mandate. PPR have brought in Jonathon Tudor from Dubai who has been looking for an opportunity in New Zealand for some years, while long time BBG senior consultant Jay Louisson has joined Senate Communications after a stint in New York with NZTE.

]]>CORPORATE MOVEShttp://www.michelleboag.co.nz/michelle-boag-blog/2010/7/26/corporate-moves.htmlMichelle Boag2010-07-26T08:55:05ZThe exodus from television to corporate PR has claimed another scalp with Neil Waka taking up the role of Corporate Affairs Manager at Holden, where they apparently plan to use his extensive on-screen experience to assist corporate executives with their media training needs on both sides of the Tasman. Former Telstra Clear Head of Public Affairs Mathew Boland has crossed the fence to newcomer 2 Degrees, and word on the street is that Mercury Communications Manager Marie Hosking has accepted a corporate role with Air New Zealand. And long-time Coca Cola Amatil Communications manager Amy Driscoll has finally left the soft drinks giant but this time, not for maternity leave - having had baby number three, Amy is off to Kraft.

]]>KREAB GAVIN ANDERSON EXPANDING ALREADYhttp://www.michelleboag.co.nz/michelle-boag-blog/2010/5/11/kreab-gavin-anderson-expanding-already.htmlMichelle Boag2010-05-11T01:34:35ZHard on the heels of the announcement of John Redwood as Head of their new New Zealand office, Kreab Gavin Anderson has announced that Anna Friis (founding partner of Blast, which merged with The Presence to become Creo) is joining the Auckland office of the global public relations partnership as a Senior Adviser. Friis, a highly respected senior PR practitioner who left Creo 18 months ago to undertake some tertiary study, will continue her study interests while supporting the efforts of Redwood in his new challenge. Redwood says Anna’s extensive experience and broad network of business and media contacts would be a tremendous asset to the company.

]]>ANOTHER DEFECTION FROM TELSTRAhttp://www.michelleboag.co.nz/michelle-boag-blog/2010/5/10/another-defection-from-telstra.htmlMichelle Boag2010-05-10T04:55:56ZHard on the heels of last weeks announcement that Chris Mirams is leaving Telstra Clear, Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs Mathew Boland has resigned and is on gardening leave - he is off to 2 degrees as Head of Corporate Affairs. Look for musical chair ramifications.

]]>CEDRIC ALLAN SPLITS FROM STAR PRhttp://www.michelleboag.co.nz/michelle-boag-blog/2010/5/4/cedric-allan-splits-from-star-pr.htmlMichelle Boag2010-05-04T05:50:00ZIn a surprise announcement, Chairman of Star PR, Alan McDonald, has announced that founding Director Cedric Allan has resigned. Mr McDonald says the company is in excellent heart and has achieved record revenues and significant new business wins in the past quarter. He also says there are no immediate plans to replace Cedric, who we understand will be continuing to operate under his own mantle. The news comes as a shock to industry observers, given that Star PR was only launched four years ago. Mind you, it's not the first incarnation for Cedric, who previously founded Allan Baxter Fenwick, turned it into Allan Fenwick McCully, sold to Hill and Knowlton, started Phoenix, sold to PPR, started Allan Boyle and sold to Porter Novelli before founding Star PR initially with Malcolm Boyle. joined later by Alan McDonald and Jill Dryden.

And hard on the heels of Sue Foley's appointment as Corporate Affairs head at Westpac, former Media Relations Manager at Telstra, Chris Mirams, is to join Sue's team as Media Relations manager at the bank.

]]>CONSULTANCY MOVES CONFIRM HIGH LEVEL OF ACTIVITYhttp://www.michelleboag.co.nz/michelle-boag-blog/2010/3/10/consultancy-moves-confirm-high-level-of-activity.htmlMichelle Boag2010-03-10T02:47:45ZConfirming our earlier comment about the level of activity in the PR consultancy market, Australian public affairs consultancy Kreab and Gavin Anderson have appointed John Redwood (ex Creo and BBG) to head up their New Zealand office to open shortly after Easter. With a strong heritage in investor relations and financial PR, the new consultancy is likely to compete strongly in this market in New Zealand which some observers in the corporate world believe is seriously under-serviced at the moment.

Meanwhile the pr shop has announced that they are opening in Sydney next week to service their Trans Tasman clients. Directors Pippa Lekner and Sally Frewen opened the pr shop in 2005, specialising in consumer PR with clients in the food, beverage, retailing and not for profit sectors.

Their new Sydney consultants are Jane Stabler and Dana Edwards.

SPICE GIRLS SPLIT - AMICABLY

No, we're not talking Ginger, Posh, Baby, Scary and Sporty - we're talking Sarah Alexander Wilcox and her long time business partner Jackie Ellis (formerly Fairbairn) who have agreed to an amicable divorce. However there's a happy ending to the split - Spice Communications continues to exist in their new offices in the Textile Centre in Parnell under Jackie's leadership, and Sarah gets to go off to the Hawkes Bay where she has set up her new business PR ink , obviously drawn by the charms of her non-business partner, Labour List MP Stuart Nash.

Jackie Ellis confirms that in line with market trends, Spice has had an influx of new business calls already this year with projects that were put on hold by clients now being reignited. The revived interest in PR is apparently coming from brands and businesses in all sectors, corporate and consumer clients, still conscious of budgets and spending, but realising that now is the time to start building on their profiles and awareness using PR.

]]>PR ACTIVITY STARTS STRONGLY IN 2010http://www.michelleboag.co.nz/michelle-boag-blog/2010/3/5/pr-activity-starts-strongly-in-2010.htmlMichelle Boag2010-03-04T19:32:08Z Judging by the number of PR jobs on the market in the early part of 2010, PR consultancies have started the year strongly. This demand is starting to reflect in the corporate sector where large organizations are recruiting again after many of them cut staff last year. It’s a good sign for the industry and the economy generally, exacerbated by the fact that many people in the highly mobile public relations and communications sector had a close eye on job security in 2009, choosing to stay put rather than look for new jobs. 2010 however shows a completely different picture. Some consultancies have had up to 50% of their staff looking at new job prospects, and it looks like a while before it is likely to settle down.

BIG MOVES AT WESTPAC

Westpac have reinstated the position of Director of Corporate Affairs and have appointed highly respected and well liked practitioner Sue Foley to the position. Sue was most recently Director of External Relations at Massey University but her previous career includes General Manager of Corporate Affairs at Kiwirail, Chief of Staff for TV3 and Press Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition. Sue starts on 22 March.

RECESSION GOOD FOR GLOBAL PR MARKET

The January issue of the The Economist reported that the Recession had created new opportunities for the Public Relations sector amongst the corporate sector, meaning not only new business but also enhanced influence around the Board table. The benefits were not universally spread however, with a global survey of the communications industry by StevensGouldPincus finding that 64% of participating companies saw revenues slide in 2009 while 23% experienced increased revenue.

However there’s a sting in the tail – PR’s growing importance is attracting the attention of regulators who are worried that some PR firms so not make it clear enough that they are behind much seemingly independent commentary on blogs and social networks. New Zealand companies active in this area include Vodafone and Air New Zealand, where staff and supportive consumers are quick to refute on-line criticism.

Nevertheless projections are that PR spending in America will surpass $8 billion by 2013. Public relations is clearly still a growing industry worldwide!.

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