In my experience across Australia and New Zealand no discipline that normally comes under the responsibility of public relations, communications or public affairs is more contentious, or subject to so much misunderstanding, as CSR – corporate social responsibility.
Many organisations in this part of the world talk about CSR. But most – in my experience – [...]

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With the clouds of recession in Australia now fading more PR Director’s and PR Manager’s seem to be deciding that its time to ramp up the public relations and communication effort.  As a consequence PR agency relationships are being put under the microscope resulting in an upsurge in PR agency reviews and selection processes.
Evidence comes [...]

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An article that suggests that PR and communications might be the glue that helps stick an organisation together to help it move forward in the post GFC environment put a new angle for me on the potential role of Australian PR Departments.
Written by Kevin O’Neill, president and COO of dna 13, a US maker of [...]

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Toyota. Oh what a shambles!

by Grant12 February 2010

For anyone working in corporate PR in Australia the Toyota recall issue deserves study as an example of one of the best “how-not-to-do-it’ in crisis management.
For those newer to the game it will provide some valuable insights into processes and pitfalls in a genuine crisis.
 For PR ‘veterans’ like myself, who have been around the block [...]

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AFR survey to critique PR agencies ill-judged

by Grant2 February 2010

Australian organisations face challenges when undertaking a PR agency review or selecting a PR agency, but they certainly don’t need any help from the Australian Financial Review.
Amanda Meade who writes ‘The Diary’ in The Australian was right on the mark when she threw cold water on competitor The Australian Financial Review for allegedly conducting a [...]

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4 words to bring a focus to your PR/Communication in 2010

by Grant22 January 2010

Reputation. Conversation. Influencers. Psychographics. These are my four picks as the areas for someone running an Internal PR Department to focus on during 2010. Do so and I  think it may help you bring a sense of purpose to your Australian PR/communications efforts.
Reputation (v image)
Say what you like but after what we’ve been through in [...]

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Time to review the PR performance for the year to date?

by Grant15 December 2009

For Australian Public Relations and Communication Managers the Christmas/New Year ‘quiet’ period provides a great opportunity to take stock on departmental progress.
If I were running a PR or Communications Department I would be assessing my performance under these three broad headings:
1) PR Department Management.
Overall I would be asking myself how my management of PR or Communication [...]

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More evidence of the multinational PR approach in Australia

by Grant7 December 2009

News that LG Electronics Australia has shifted from one multi-national PR agency to another as part of an international re-alignment, apparently without a pitch from either of the agencies involved, or indeed any other local Australian PR agency, is a further signal as to how much PR in Australia is becoming driven by international factors.
Moves [...]

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What a PR Manager needs to do to succeed

by Grant4 December 2009

If you’re a PR or Communciations Manager you can only be successful in your job if you win the respect and confidence of your CEO.
Therefore you might want to take a look at what a survey of US CEO’s said they wanted/expected/valued from those running their PR and communications.  Its a good indication of what [...]

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US CEO’s provide insights into expectations from corporate PR

by Grant24 November 2009

If you are at the ’serious’ end of corporate PR in Australia  (ie working for a major corporation with responsibility for managing relationships with stakeholders and corporate reputation as opposed to simply handling media relations) the Arthur Page Society in New York should be on your radar.
The organisation, which is a kind of ‘think tank’ [...]

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More clarity needed in internal communications roles, functions and titles

by Grant16 November 2009

How does one distinguish between the role played by persons with the title Public Relations, Corporate Affairs and Corporate Relations in Australia’s largest companies?
These questions are sparked by an article ‘‘Corporate Affairs Calls in Big Guns’ in The Australian on Friday the 13th of November by Geoff Allen, the eminent and well-respected Founder of the Centre [...]

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An independent ‘PR voice of experience’ now available for hire!

by Grant12 November 2009

Today I’m going public with my ‘second pr career’. My ‘announcement’ in the News section explains what I’m on about. Also take a peek at the e-brochure to the right.
A variety of friends and colleagues have known exactly what I’ve been on about since before I closed the Sydney office of Network PR at the end of [...]

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Social media poses challenges to PR Departments

by Grant6 November 2009

The advent of social media is both an opportunity and a threat for in-house PR departments in Australia.  An opportunity because it is (or should be) a natural extension of the PR already being done; plus it provides an opportunity to further consolidate the role that PR plays within the organisation. But it’s a threat [...]

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New PR initiative to win over sceptical audiences (including your management?)

by Grant30 October 2009

One of the real issues PR Directors and PR Managers face internally is the sometimes skittish attitude towards PR at the CEO level or by their colleagues – particularly those in marketing.  PR can either be viewed with disdain making it a hard slog to get enough traction to show what PR can do; or conversely PR [...]

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A rich diversity of PR experience

by Grant2 September 2009

It’s often time for retrospection when one chapter in a career closes and another opens.
In my case after 30 years in the PR agency business there’s a huge experience bank to draw on. In fact I’ve been surprised – now that I’ve got a few moments to reflect on things – just what a diversity [...]

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