The development of the Circular Economy and the fascinating changes it is creating in attitudes to waste has been highlighted by a new report: ‘Closing the loop: risk or reward’.

This ground-breaking research project is a key part of the Resource Revolution programme. Run by environmental publishing and events company Faversham House and sponsored by leading recycling and waste management company FCC Environment. Pelican is also an active supporter of this programme so we recommend Pelican Brief readers take a closer look and download this fascinating document.

Find out more about how Pelican PR’s expert environmental team can help your business.

Both the Co-operative and Tesco have announced plans to reduce food waste, signalling that the major retailers focus is moving away from packaging reduction.

Supermarket giant Tesco has announced plans to lead in reducing food waste across the globe as one of three ‘big’ corporate responsibility goals.

Whilst the Co-operative has declared it is aiming to stop 34,000 tonnes of rubbish going to landfill by recycling all food store waste from its food shops. Food waste will be sent to anaerobic digesters which will convert the waste into energy.

Other dry mixed items, such as empty milk bottles, tins and cans, will be sent for recycling. Cardboard and polythene will continue to be baled and sent for recycling.

At Pelican we see this as encouraging news that the approach of the major retailers to carbon reduction is becoming more balanced and packaging’s contribution will now be considered in the context of the entire food production and disposal chain.

This change in attitude was recognised recently with the launch of The Courtauld Commitment 3, which has a large focus on food waste. The agreement, that runs until 2015, aims to further reduce the weight and carbon impact of household food waste, grocery product and packaging waste, both in the home and the UK grocery sector.

The recognition that packaging is part of the solution to food waste is a major step forward in the debate about packaging waste.

Find out more about how Pelican PR’s expert packaging team can help your business.

After revelations about drug taking the reputation of Tour de France cyclist Lance Armstrong is on the floor – literally.

Disgruntled cyclists have helped create an art installation in a Newcastle bike shop using pages from donated Lance Armstrong books as a floor covering.

We’ve written before about the dangers of brands sponsoring high profile sports stars, but we loved this example of turning a negative into a PR opportunity.

“Don’t want your Lance Armstrong books anymore?” asked The Cycle Hub bike shop and cafe on Tyneside earlier this year. “Then send them to us!”

Hundreds of books by or about the disgraced cyclist were handed in. The result is an art installation for the city’s Late Shows art festival.

Pages from the books have been ripped out and glued to the floor, with a varnish over the top. Quotes from Lance Armstrong’s autobiography, ‘It’s not about the bike’, have been placed on top of the pages in large letters.

The installation also includes DVDs, a signed yellow jersey and a Trek carbon road bike in US Postal Service team colours.

]]> http://www.pelicanpr.co.uk/outdoor-pr-news/the-art-of-reputation-management/feed/ 0 http://www.pelicanpr.co.uk/outdoor-pr-news/staycations-on-the-up/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=staycations-on-the-up http://www.pelicanpr.co.uk/outdoor-pr-news/staycations-on-the-up/#comments Wed, 29 May 2013 10:04:03 +0000 Michael http://www.pelicanpr.co.uk/?p=6196 Good news for the sector as a new survey reveals that two-thirds of Brits plan to holiday at home this summer.

The research by budget hotel operator Travelodge has revealed that almost two thirds (65%) of us will be spending our summer holiday on home turf this year, offering a potential boost to the outdoor sports and leisure sectors.

The survey of 3,000 British adults found that despite last summer’s bad weather, the majority were not looking to go abroad to sunnier climes this year. Instead, there was a 24% rise in the number looking to save money and remain in the UK for their annual break with a predicted boost of £12bn to the economy.

However, while seaside resorts have benefited from the staycation trend in previous years, Travelodge’s fifth annual travel report shows that holidaymakers’ habits may have been changed by the weather with city breaks becoming the most popular choice. London and Edinburgh are this year’s top two destinations, replacing Cornwall and The Lake District in 2012.

The survey found that the average trip would cost £399.28 per person this year with holidaymakers from Wolverhampton, Liverpool and Cardiff likely to splash out the most on their holidays. However, just over a fifth said they would wait until May to book their holiday due to money constraints.

Forty-two per cent of ‘staycationers’ are planning a week’s holiday in the UK this summer while 15% will take two weeks and 33% will split their holidays over three shorter breaks to visit different locations.

Staycation trends: 

City Break (31%)

Rural / Countryside break (27%)

Seaside(22%)

Visiting family (18%)

Visiting an historic site (15%)

Top staycation destinations for 2013: 

London

Edinburgh

Lake District

Cornwall

Scottish Highlands

Dorset

Devon

North Wales

Blackpool

York

The report has uncovered some interesting trends in the expectations and motivations of consumers’ purchasing behaviour and how it is influenced by innovation across fmcg categories.

It concludes that fmcg brands would do well to look to the technology manufacturers like Apple and Samsung for their innovation strategy – one that keeps consumers engaged and helps the product stand out on the supermarket shelf.

The attached infographic reveals the fmcg brands consumers most associate with innovation. The white paper distils the findings and points the way for the future direction of fmcg innovation, based on what consumers expect and what they will buy. It’s worth a read and can be downloaded here.

Find out more about how Pelican’s expert food and drink team can help your business.

Explosive tablet growth is fuelling the rise of four screen households.

Nearly one-quarter of the UK population (23%) now has access to four screens at home (TV, computer, smartphone and tablet) compared to only 11% six months ago.

New figures from Kantar Media’s futurePROOF study reveal that as the range of media devices in the home grows, consumers are selecting their device according to the occasion.

We believe the implications for FMCG brands are enormous as growing use of tablets and smartphones creates the need for greater volumes of ever more engaging content.

Tablets are used more often at home than when out and about. Just 7% of those with a tablet at home say they use it out-of-home on a daily basis, compared with 49% who claim to use the device at home every day.

In contrast, smartphones are used when on the go. Fifty-three per cent of smartphone users claim to have used their device to search for information on a product or service whilst in-store, compared with only 26% of tablet users.

Benefitting from their larger screen, demand for content such as catch-up TV is higher on tablets than smartphones. Twenty-six per cent of tablet users say they watched on demand TV programmes or films on their device in the month prior to fieldwork compared to only 8% of smartphone owners on their mobile phones.

Other activities that benefit from a larger screen, such as Skype, are also popular with tablet users: Skype is used by 16% of tablet users at least once a month compared with 10% of smartphone users. While consumers are turning to tablets for in-home entertainment and product browsing, they are using their smartphones when out and about.

Key numbers

·         23% of UK population have access to 4 screens at home

·         7% of tablet owners use it out-of-home on a daily basis

·         49% of tablet owners use it at home every day

Read more on the Kantar Media UK website.

Find out more about how Pelican’s expert food and drink team can help your business.

]]> http://www.pelicanpr.co.uk/food-and-drink-pr-news/rise-of-the-four-screen-household/feed/ 0 http://www.pelicanpr.co.uk/a-great-source-of-free-strategic-pr-advice-knowledge-and-tips-from-award-winning-pr-experts/top-10-tips-for-making-the-most-of-exhibitions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=top-10-tips-for-making-the-most-of-exhibitions http://www.pelicanpr.co.uk/a-great-source-of-free-strategic-pr-advice-knowledge-and-tips-from-award-winning-pr-experts/top-10-tips-for-making-the-most-of-exhibitions/#comments Wed, 29 May 2013 08:45:28 +0000 Michael http://www.pelicanpr.co.uk/?p=6154

They’re expensive, they’re time consuming and they’re old school – exhibitions.

In the modern digitally connected world do exhibitions still have a role to play in the communications mix? We think the answer is yes!

Exhibitions have one great advantage, they give you a chance to meet potential customers, journalists and industry opinion formers face-to-face.

Unfortunately many businesses fail to make the most of the communications opportunity that events present and so fail to capitalise on their investment. So with the business exhibition season getting into full swing we’d like to offer our top 10 tips for making the most of exhibitions.

1. Pick the right exhibition

It’s common sense, but there’s no point going to a food industry exhibition if you’re selling automotive goods. Do your research and find out which are the main exhibitions for your sector. Then get the organisers to send you the information they have on visitor numbers and their job roles. You can then workout if the people you want to target are going to be at the exhibition. If they’re not think hard about where you could better spend your budget.

2. Speaking opportunities

Well before the exhibition programme is announced the organisers are busy putting together a programme of seminars and speakers. Suggest an interesting topic and you’ve got a good chance of making it onto the programme. You’ll then benefit from the pre-show publicity machine promoting you and your brand, and you can brief your own PR team to secure more coverage on the back of the speaking opportunity.

3. Sponsorships

You can sponsor everything from the delegate packs to the coffee shop, the added brand profile can really help you stand out from competitors. As a sponsor the show organiser may also offer you additional benefits such as attendance at drinks receptions, press events and seminars. All worth having if they raise your brand profile.

4. Show previews

Most exhibitions have a pre-sell period of at least six months with an intensive marketing and PR programme. Introduce yourself to the show’s marketing and PR manager, explain what you hope to achieve from the event and provide them with information about your organisation. This way there’s a good chance they’ll include you in show pre-show PR and marketing. You’d be surprised how many organisations miss the chance of being included in previews because they simply fail to email some information.

5. Pre-sell

Let existing and potential customers know you’ll be exhibiting. Give them an excuse to visit the stand or attend your speaking slot. It could be a prize draw a new product launch or the chance to meet an industry celebrity. Whatever it is, make sure they know you’ll be there and have something interesting for them to see, otherwise you may get passed by.

6. Set appointments

Set appointments for target customers. Get them to commit to a meeting so you can have the right people from your organisation on stand to make the most of the sales opportunity. Get the meeting in their diary and get a mobile number so you can remind them on the day of your stand number and the time of the meeting.

7. Sales training

How many times have you been to an exhibition and seen people looking really bored on their stands? It costs a lot of time and money to staff your stand so make sure your people are open, engaging and friendly to anyone who comes by. Invest in some sales training so your team makes the most of every opportunity to engage with a potential customer.

8. Engage journalists

Industry journalists spend a lot of time reporting on exhibitions with show previews, at show reportage and post-show reviews. They are interested in new product launches, industry research, opinion and comment, so make sure you give them what they need before, during and after the show. This means well written press information and photography, plus suggestions for features and opinion pieces. You can also invite them onto your stand to meet and interview key people from your organisation or invite them to an exclusive pre-show briefing. Finally don’t forget to have plenty of press packs both in the press office and on your stand so you can help any journalist who pops-in unannounced.

9. Keep it current

Use social and digital media to create a buzz around your stand. Follow the show Twitter stream so you can add comments and re-tweet. Keep your own social media sites up to date and link-in with any new contacts you make at the show.

10. Follow-up

Finally and most importantly follow-up. You’ve spent a lot of your budget on the event so don’t let your sales leads slip away with poor post-show planning. Contact everyone who visited your stand with a simple message thanking them for their interest. Get your sales team to arrange meetings with potential customers and monitor their success. Finally keep in touch with any media contacts you’ve made they may want to do a more in-depth feature on your business or visit your site.

Conclusions

So with the right preparation, exhibitions provide an excellent platform for building brand awareness and generating sales leads. Whatever the advantages of electronic communication, there’s still no substitute for meeting face-to-face and creating relationships with long-term value.

If you’d like support preparing for an exhibition the communications team at Pelican will be delighted to provide you with help and advice.

The growing popularity of infographics is revolutionising the presentation of information online but like many new trends, infographics have been around for a long time.

Infographics are visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present complex information quickly and clearly. They can help improve understanding by using graphics to help people see patterns and trends in complex information.

The London Underground map is a great example of an infographic – like we said, they’ve been around a long time.

To create an infographic designers use charts, pictures, arrows, text and a big splash of colour to engage the viewer and make what would otherwise be complex visually appealing. Infographics are a great way of presenting research findings which may otherwise be a bit dull. Have a look at these examples: http://dailyinfographic.com/  http://www.infographicsshowcase.com/

Creating an infographic can take hours of design time if you have the budget all well and good. Thankfully there are several free to use online resources that allow you to create your own infographic quickly and easily. Try these: Visual.ly, infor.am and piktochart.

Why do they matter? Well with so much information now available online, any tool you can use to communicate more effectively has got to be of interest. And with the rise of the four screen households (Kantar) viewing, rather than reading information is going to become increasingly important.

If you’d like some help creating an infographic the communications team at Pelican will be delighted to provide you with help and advice. We’ve even created our own handy infographic to show you how to do it.

Primark’s handling of the horrific Bangladesh factory collapse has not just been an example of crisis communications but a salutary lesson in the value of adopting a strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy.

When a clothing factory collapsed in late April killing 350 people it was headline news around the world and UK retailer Primark, which sources garments from the site, was immediately associated with the disaster in the media.

A standard but genuine ‘shocked and saddened’ statement was issued by Primark’s press office and that’s traditionally where the PR response would have ended.

After all what responsibility could Primark have for the deficiencies of the Bangladesh construction industry?

However, the disaster is a major challenge to Primark’s brand a test for its CSR strategy and a timely reminder of the importance of CSR to consumers. Several major research projects have shown:

·         29% of consumers believe social responsibility is important to purchasing (Ipsos MORI)

·         75% of consumers believe it’s important companies take responsible actions (Gfk)

·         And a small but vocal 17% of consumers are highly concerned by organisations’ CSR commitments (GfK)

In recent years there has been a rush by many companies to adopt CSR strategies as a way of showcasing their green credentials. This approach misunderstands the true nature of CSR and can create a hostage to PR fortune.

Like many in the clothing industry Primark has been alive to the concerns of UK consumers who don’t want their bargain clothes produced in sweat shops by child labour. As a result the company has a very public CSR strategy promoting workers’ rights, women’s health, education and empowerment as well as improved environmental practices such as sustainable cotton.

The ethical trading section of their website sets out the company’s core principles that: “suppliers and factories must follow to ensure products are made in good working conditions and that the people making them are treated decently and paid a fair wage.”

Having been closely involved in the development and communication of many clients’ CSR strategies, it’s clear that Primark’s approach to CSR is well founded and thorough. As a result this disaster will be a true test of the company’s sincerity and effectiveness.

Primark has already said it will pay compensation and offer emergency food aid to victims of the Bangladesh factory collapse who worked for its supplier and provide for children who have lost their parents.

However it will need to go further. Helping rebuild the lives of those affected and the communities in which they live will be a long-term task that will require vision, investment and commitment.  Primark will need to map out what it plans to do and report back on its achievements.

Whilst the disaster recovery operation is now over, the PR recovery operation is just getting underway.Failure to do so will open it up to charges that it has abandoned its workers from charities such as War On Want, which recently said firms who use Bangladeshi products must safeguard the lives of workers.

This disaster demonstrates the fundamental change in consumer attitudes. The majority now believe that businesses are responsible for standards throughout their supply chain.

To convince consumers that your brand is meeting their expectations requires a strategic understanding of, and a long-term commitment to CSR backed with real sincerity and passion.

Brands that fail to learn this lesson are fundamentally exposed and fail to appreciate the duty of care modern consumer expect from the brands they buy. 

Michael Bennett, managing director Pelican PR

Sales of Toyota hybrid cars have passed the 5 million mark according to a report from Reuters.

The petrol-electric hybrid vehicles first went on sale in 1997 and passed the milestone at the end of March.

Toyota’s Prius series accounted for about 70% of the sales, making it the most popular hybrid model in the motor industry.

Globally, Toyota sold 1.2 million hybrid vehicles in 2012, the first time it sold more than 1 million hybrids in a single year.

Helped by government subsidies and tax incentives, about 17% of the vehicles sold in Japan in 2012 were hybrids. Toyota and Lexus, its luxury brand, sold 678,000 hybrids, accounting for three-quarters of the total hybrids sold.

In the United States, Toyota sold about 327,000 hybrids. Hybrid accounted for roughly 3% of the total sales, with two of every three hybrids sold being a Toyota or Lexus.

Toyota sold just 17,300 hybrids in China, the world’s biggest auto market, in 2012, accounting for about 2% of its total sales there.

Hybrids are still not as popular in some major markets such as Europe, where diesel engines remain strong. They still lag in emerging markets, where hybrid vehicle prices are expensive because they are imported or assembled locally but using mostly imported parts.

Find out more about how Pelican PR’s expert environmental team can help your business.