The Headline team is pleased to introduce its newest recruit, junior account executive Laura Townsend, who joined at the beginning of February.

Having recently graduated from Birmingham City University with a BA honours degree in English Literature and Language, Laura has already gained a wealth of experience in both PR and journalism through various internships whilst studying for her degree.

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So Frankie Cocozza has been kicked off the X Factor and last weekend saw one of the hotly tipped favourites, Kitty, also meet her musical end on the show. Despite what she may have thought, the X was apparently missing from her factor.

So what is it that the public and judges on the show are looking for in the winner? What is that special ‘X’ ingredient that some have but so many lack? I guess if we knew we would all be as successful as Simon Cowell (minus the high waisted trousers and dazzling white teeth).

My suspicion is that there isn’t a magic formula for the perfect pop star, which led me on to thinking about what makes the perfect PR.

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Reputation, whether it is good or bad, needs to be managed. Companies and organisations are increasingly recognising the importance of brand management and corporate reputation to achieve business goals and stay one step ahead of the competition.

For companies, a good corporate reputation is built on trust, be that through the provision of good products, the delivery of services and customer relations, or just communicating effectively about what you do with the people who matter the most. This includes customers, employees and the wider community in which you operate.

These groups will build a perception of your company based on what they see, hear and experience, either through direct communication from you or from other sources, such as word-of-mouth, the media and online.

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Regular readers of our blog will have no doubt noticed that posts have been a little thin on the ground of late. This is because we have been putting our creative writing talents to good use on our clients. As the saying goes, “a plumber’s tap always drips”. Please check back soon for further blog updates, but in the meantime, to see all the latest news from our clients, visit our Press Centre.

Thanks!

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Trying to convince new or existing clients about the power of social media is always a struggle. Sat in meetings, I’ve become used to the blank looks and scratching of heads as I start talking, in simple terms, about Twitter and Facebook, the importance of engaging with online audiences and business benefits of implementing a social media strategy.

Thank god then for Tippex and whoever the genius agency was who thought up their YouTube ‘tippexexperience’ Channel viral ad campaign.

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As a man, I’m not supposed to be able to multi-task. The art of doing two things at once is a skill that only the fairer sex can master, or so we’re lead to believe.

For years men have had to put up with the constant remarks and ridicule from our female friends on our apparent inability to do one thing whilst concentrating on another.

So I was heartened to read Ofcom’s latest report on media consumption, which revealed that when it comes to media multi-tasking men are just as good as women.

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As the nation tuned in to watch England play Slovenia in the last group qualifier of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Headline Communications team got behind ‘the boys’ by hosting its own World Cup party. 

Blissfully unaware of the fate that was to befall England in the knock-out stages of the tournament, more than 40 guests, including clients and journalists from the local media, gathered at the Sun on the Hill, on Bennetts Hill, to watch messrs Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney carve out the narrowist of victories,  beating the Slovenians 1-0 to take them through to the last 16.

The celebrations, however, were short-lived as England’s World Cup dream was shattered for another four years in the next round by bitter rivals Germany.

Still, we got to enjoy it while it lasted, as the picture’s from our event demonstrate. 

Matt Taylor (Headline Communications), Lara Day (Want Space Got Space) and Paul Sargent (Brewin Dolphin)

Simon Horan (Savills), Dawn Roberts (Headline Communications) and Lisa Hunt (Savills)

Paul Slinger (Mills & Reeve), Andrea Jones (Beam Construction) and Andy Passmore (BWB Consulting)

Alun Thorne (The Birmingham Post), Darren Walker (Cobbetts) and Surjit Soundh (Mills & Reeve)

Ben Burton (Shaylor), Andy Coyne (Midlands Business Insider) and Ian Kilvington (Shaylor)

Angus Turner and Amanda Porter (both Mills & Reeve) with Tim Hurdiss (Deeley Properties)

Martin Guest and Ashley Hancox (CB Richard Ellis)

Pictures by Anthea Bevan Photography (www.antheabevan.com)

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Imagine you’re on the train home from work one evening and sitting opposite you are two people embroiled in a lengthy conversation about a recently published book they are both enjoying. You try not to listen but can’t help overhearing their enthusiastic comments about characters and plot lines. Out of curiosity, you glance at the name of the book they are both holding.

At the time you thought nothing of it but the next time you’re in Waterstone’s (other good book stores are available) the name of the book suddenly pops back into your head. The next thing you know you are stood at the till with a copy of it in your hand. Congratulations, you’ve just succumbed to the marketer’s latest trick up their sleeve – subterfuge marketing.

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A lunch for Birmingham’s MIPIM contingent at the Restaurant Mandala on the beach was oversubscribed.

CBRE’s Ashley Hancox emerged from a ten hour “power nap” especially – he went to his hotel on Wednesday night for 40 winks and failed to wake up until Thursday morning. Must be the Lee Evans-look-alike’s new job, as regional head of offices, taking its toll.

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My day started on a serious note, with a heavyweight European Investment Briefing from the boys at CB Richard Ellis.

The very polished Nick Axford, head of the firm’s EMEA research team, said there is cause for optimism, as the investment market is picking up.

Apparently, retail property is being highly sought after across Europe, with shopping centres topping the list. Girls, just imagine hubby coming home and saying: “Darling, I’ve bought you a shopping centre”. Sigh.

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