August 26th, 2010 by Clare English

‘Speeps’ Profiles – Marie Efthymiou

This week, Marie Efthymiou (phonetic spelling available on request) entertains us with holiday anecdotes and suggestions as to how one might explain ‘PR’ to a four year old.

You’ve just got back from your holiday. Where did you go?

I had the most amazing two weeks! We started in not so sunny San Francisco (the best bit was visiting Alcatraz). And then onto Vegas which was out of this world and one massive party! And ended up in LA, which was all about soaking up the sun and celeb hunting (I didn’t see any, but I do have some very interesting snaps of Jennifer Aniston, Simon Cowell and Orlando Bloom’s front gates if you’re interested?)

What was your best meal?

I’m embarrassed to say but it was actually in a Greek restaurant on Long Beach – you see we’re not to dissimilar to you Brits, us Greeks will always sniff out the lamb kebabs.

I also became a little obsessed with their pancakes for breakfast. Everyday I ordered a short stack buttermilk pancake with maple syrup and bacon (very yummy, but thank goodness I don’t live there as I would be HUGE, it was near to impossible to find anything that resembled fresh fruit or veg).

What’s the one thing you have done on a holiday that would most shock us?

Being the good Greek girl that I am, I didn’t do anything that risqué or shocking. But I did take a liking to Harley’s and spent most of the time travelling around LA on one (on the back that is, there’s no ways I could control one of those big, bad boys).

How would you explain PR in three sentences to Steve Earls’ 4-year old?

We tell stories. And we try to make them as exciting as possible (which can sometimes be hard) so when we tell all the big bosses who work at the newspapers, magazines, TV and with computers they like them so much that they tell the whole wide world (well not always the whole world, sometimes just Basingstoke).

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title would be?

Good Greek Girls Don’t Exist

Why are manholes round?

Well it’s pretty common knowledge that round tubes are the strongest and most material-efficient shape against the compression of the earth around them. And obviously we all already know that it also needs to be round as human beings have a roughly circular cross-section.

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August 20th, 2010 by Clare English

‘Speeps’ Profiles – Ruth Jones

This week, Technology director, Ruth, tells us exactly how it is with her inimitable Northern flair…

What did you have for breakfast. And why?

Slightly burnt brown toast with marmite. Because I like it.

Describe your journey from BD1 to WC2H.

Did I take a wrong turn?

What makes a good PR person?

Somebody who is hungry for success.  It is all about the result (within budget).

Favourite lunchtime venue near Leicester Square?

Ben & Jerry’s

Sum up leadership in five words. Do you make the mark?

Vision-control-delegation-motivation-accountability

Sure. And, if I don’t, it is your job to fire me.

What pisses you off?

- Excuses rather than solutions

- Lack of proactive drive (don’t talk about it, just do it)

- Made up timesheets

- Opinions without foundations

- Unconstructive feedback

- Pointless meetings

- Timewasters

- Boo shoers

- Crap coffee


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August 5th, 2010 by Clare English

‘Speeps’ Profiles – Chris McCrudden

This week, Speed’s revered creative director, Chris McCrudden, talks rainbow socks, the definition of ‘fugly’ and why the best ideas in life often crop up in the bog.  (Some parts of this profile may have been edited to protect the guilty)

How is the leg?

Broken.

You head up the Creative Team here at Speed. Any pointers for those faced with a seemingly boring/conservative client and want to inject a bit of creativity and pizzazz into the account?

Mind-bending drugs. Seriously, did you know the ‘work’ and ‘play’ bits of your brain are diametrically opposed? You’re not going to come up with a wonderful idea staring at a screen – that’s why we always do brainstorms in the creative area. If you’re stuck, go for a walk, or the loo. You always have the best ideas in the bog.

What is the weirdest suggestion you have had in a brainstorm that a client has considered or gone ahead with?

A very early experiment with social media that involved blogging about office ‘ghost stories’, way back in the days when we still thought Livejournal was a good idea. Like its subject matter, it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

What would you consider to be your biggest achievement so far in your PR career?

Winning Symantec was pretty awesome. I wanted that account for years. Oh, and persuading Sir Ian McKellan, Michael Caine and Anna Ford to part with ties for a charity auction.

What is the most irritating consumer trend you are seeing today?

Not so much a trend as an idea that won’t die. Men wearing big cargo shorts and flip flops. Fugly. Do not do it.

That said, I’m totes hearting the shoulder padded jacket, skirt and t-shirt look that East End girls are working at the moment. It’s identical to what my Mum wore to work in the early 90s.

You are usually in close proximity of some historical tome. But what newspapers/mags/tv programmes do you regularly read/watch?

I don’t watch TV if I can help it, but have a shameful addiction to The Archers (a soap opera on Radio 4 about sheep farming, for the uninitiated). And that’s only for the gin soaked old fag hag who runs the pub. She’s amazing. Other than that I read National Geographic occasionally, and steal the consumer team’s copy of Pick Me Up (it’s only 79p) when I want handy household tips and true life features on spousal battery and incest.

We have seen your feet come in an array of colors. So what advice would you give the men at Speed when considering purchasing a pair of socks?

If you wear artificial fibres on your feet you deserve all the athlete’s foot you get. And never wear a tie and socks in the same colour – it’s too matchy-matchy.

If you could give Nick Bishop one gift what would it be?

My thanks for nagging me into actually finding out I have a broken leg.

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August 5th, 2010 by Clare English

‘Speeps’ Profiles – Simon Matthews

This week, the winner of our ‘Wall of Shame’ competition (on the basis of the submission of this super snap), Simon Matthews, answers some suitably random questions about fetishes, football and the role of PR in today’s business climate.

Q – Tell us about your worst habit – throw in any fetishes.

A – I’m far too generous which has led to at least one of my friends owing me £600

Q – List the 3 most embarrassing things you’ve ever said/done – whilst sober.

A- Inadvertently accusing my step-step-grandfather (step-dad’s step-dad) of using inflatable sex dolls – in my defence I was young and didn’t really understand what I was talking about.

In ‘Nam I fell down an open manhole while walking across a field with my friends, after an interesting run in with some prostitutes who stole 100,000 Dong (about 5 of her majesty’s sterling pounds) – without any form of professional services being exchanged I hasten to add.

I once ate a habenero chilli in one mouthful because an attractive lady bet I couldn’t. I was successful in the attempt but my mouth was in such a state of pain and dribbling that I was rendered insensible.

Q – What’s your take on today’s business climate and the role & importance of PR?

A – It’s still a little rocky out there in places and PR is as important as ever – if not more so. A company with no PR will struggle for awareness in a competitive business environment, so they need us to put them right in front of their customers in a way that advertising and other marketing disciplines can’t.

Q – Are you a football fan? Why? Who do you support? Have they won anything?

A – Crystal Palace. Winning is for chumps.

Q – I hear match.com will soon have a new member – what qualities do you possess that one might…consider?

A – In the name of research, I have bravely volunteered to sign up to match.com. Apart from being generally great at everything, I’m a pretty good cook. All I can ask is that the ladies form an orderly queue.

Q – Name your top 3 Speeps and the reasons why you love them/don’t love them so much. We’re an honest bunch, don’t be afraid of the possibly hostile repercussions.

A – Very difficult to choose as I do like all of you lot, despite your best efforts – here’s an arbitrary selection:

Bex has to get a look in on this – she’s lovely and, as a bonus, hasn’t fired me.

John Brown – often looks quite dapper and is the source of many japes.

Nicole – lunch buddy extraordinaire.

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July 19th, 2010 by Clare English

‘Speeps’ Profiles – Sarah Apps

This week, our newest member of the Speed team gushes a little bit about the rest of us (clever lady) and talks of leeches and beef stew & dumplings.

Who is the person, at Speed, who has made the biggest impression on you this week (for right or wrong reasons)?

I can’t just pick just one person as everyone has been really great and welcoming!!!

What’s the worst thing you ever did on a school exchange trip?

I told my friend there were leeches in the water halfway through a raft race.  She panicked and we all fell in and lost the race.

If you could ask David Beckham one question, what would it be?

I’d ask Becks if I could have a picture with him – with his top off.

When was the last time you broke the law?

I’m too much of a good girl and have never broken the law, apart from speeding and underage drinking but most people have done that! (Not consecutively though)

From ‘first’ impressions, what one word best sums up Speed?

Immense

What is the last thing you cooked that you were proud of?

Beef stew and dumplings.

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July 9th, 2010 by Clare English

‘Speeps’ Profiles – David Bell

This week, David Bell rides a huge beast and shares his views on media and PR.

Persuade us to visit your home town Leighton Buzzard in a sentence.

It’s the home of legendary 80s band Kajagoogoo. There’s also a free fight available for anyone that ‘wants some’!

You’re famed for your trademark wink. What’s that about?

That’s scary, I didn’t even realise I did it! Is it a camp wink or more manly? Please tell me it’s not too Anne Robinson?

How does Speed compare with other places that you’ve worked?

There’s a real passion and hunger to deliver results for clients. Many agencies pay lip service to it but here it’s genuine. If I was a client I’d hire Speed.

Where do you stand on media fragmentation and the rise of digital networks?

The traditional PR model was all about using the media and analysts as conduits for reaching our target audience. Whilst elements of this are still true there’s now a huge opportunity for engaging with our clients’ buying audiences directly. As a result the PR space is more exciting now than it ever has been and creativity is more important than ever. The speed at which stories break now is incredible and they’ll often be over social media before they can be qualified by traditional news outlets. This gives us in PR the opportunity to contribute to the debate on behalf of our clients but we have to be very quick to respond.

Have you got any advice for account execs starting our in their career?

Before you get into PR, gain as much work experience as possible, not only will this help you get a job in the first place, it will also mean you’re better equipped to hit the ground running when you do start. For those working on more technical clients, swot up as much as you possibly can on what it is they do, who their competitors are etc. You can’t pitch or provide counsel for them unless you understand this.

What’s been the biggest change in PR since you entered the industry?

The exponential rise in all things digital. When I first started out, I actually had clients say that “online coverage doesn’t count”, they wanted the print stuff to hold in their hands. That’s all changed in a very short space of time. I do occasionally shed a tear when I see the likes of IT Week disappear and Computing go bi-weekly. Within the next 10 years it’s highly likely that all B2B print media will be online.

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July 2nd, 2010 by Clare English

Cheese, Wine & Speed

Cultured as ever, yesterday saw the first Speed ‘tasting’ session, hosted by @mynameisearl and @brownbare.  For the benefit of all, here’s our top drawer collection of tips and facts:

Banyuls is the chocolate wine, lightly fortified and is left in the sun for a year of two to ‘bake’ in glass containers.

Bordeaux (the Gironde estuary) is about 33 degrees north. Chile has a Pacific estuary about 33 degrees south. Often Chilean wine can be the ideal Bordeaux substitute at a quarter of the price.

Brillat Savarin is named in honour of Jean Brillat Savarin, an original gourmet who wrote the Psychology of Taste.  Also published one of the first papers on low carb diets being used to overcome obesity.

Bleu D’ Auvergne – The mouldy blue penicillin that gives Bleu D’ Auvergne its distinctive taste and look was originally found by putting mouldy rye bread (left to go mouldy in caves) around the cheese and allowing the penicillin to grow on it.  It is then pricked with needles to create holes that allow air in, giving the well known ‘blue vein’ look!

Goats Cheese- Goats milk is the most similar in taste and contents to human breast milk.  So, people with chronic kidney disease can cope with eating goats cheese due to its friendly bacteria and similar nutrients that are within human breast milk.  Also, goats’ cheese is one of the oldest forms of dairy production.

Sauvignon Blanc smells of cats’ pee.

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February 17th, 2010 by Clare English

John Brown’s quote of the day

“After yesterday’s fantastic news that Speed was voted Best UK Consultancy To Work For, in the Holmes Report, today we find out that our clients aren’t half bad either!”

Read the full post, here:  Speed works with three of the most valuable global brands | Speed Communications Blog, Feb 2010

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January 27th, 2010 by Clare English

Chanel – setting a very temporary beauty trend

chanel2.jpg image by MissSummer

Unless you’re living under a rock, I’d be shocked and stunned if you hadn’t, at some point, read, seen a picture of, or heard fashionistas gassing on about the ‘hottest’ new trend of the season – Chanel’s transfer tattoos.

Having caused a storm of launch anticipation since adorning Chanel models on the S/S 10 catwalk runways, waiting list hysteria has arrived.  The Les Trompe L’Oeil de Chanel, £49 for 55 individual Chanel Tattoos, is available exclusively at Selfridges.

At first sight, I too was pretty impressed.  Having worked in the beauty communications industry for ten years, it’s refreshing when something new comes to market and ignites a new trend. To be honest, it actually happens quite rarely and it’s often driven by Chanel (think back to the first time you saw someone wearing the iconic Rouge Noir nail polish and heard, more recently about the limited edition shade, ‘Jade’).  How often, does a beauty trend really coin a season – even an era?

On reflection, however, I’m starting to wonder about just how ‘inspirational’ this trend is.  After all, tattoo transfers are nothing new and are widely available.  But quite accidently, whilst researching this post, I stumbled upon the following transfer tattoo that, priced at £1.75, I would class as extraordinarily ‘inspirational’.  Not least because the vendor, JoJewels, suggests that it’s ‘ideal for a shaved/bald head’.  I’m going to buy one for Wadds so it’s bound to take off. Beat the inevitable waiting list and order today!

Lawn Mower Man - Click Image to Close

Lawn Mower Man transfer tattoo – available from www.jojewels.co.uk

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