CIPR
CIPR Northern Conference 2009
Aug 27th
I’ve known for a while now what the exciting line-up for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Northern Conference is going to be. But I had to keep it under wraps until the official conference brochure was published. The headline speaker is a man who needs no introduction – Alistair Campbell. Naturally, I’ve heard him before, but I’m still looking forward to another opportunity as he does provide a fascinating insight into strategic communications at the very highest level. Believe me, Alistair isn’t just a spin doctor.
It’s a slightly different format at this year’s conference with just four keynote speakers and a small number of master classes that delegates can choose from. The other three keynotes are:
Yasmin Diamond, Director of Communication, Home Office
Heather McGregor, Columnist, Weekend Financial Times
John Nielson, Director of Group Media Relations, BAE Systems
Three of the master classes are on different aspects of online public relations. I’m delivering one of them and am convinced it’s the hardest of the three – Twitter – so much to say, so little to say! The other two online PR master classes are social media (that’s Rob Brown who gets the easy gig) and online evaluation (with Robin Wilson, who I’m know will make a seemingly dry subject stand up). The other master classes are creativity, social marketing, relationship management, budget PR and finally PR survival in the credit crunch by Paul Willis, director of the Centre for Public Relations Studies, Leeds Business School.
For those of you who may not be able to attend but wish to follow delegates comments on Twitter, we’ll be using the hashtag #CIPRNC.
The value of CIPR membership
Feb 25th
Simon Collister has an interesting post on why he hasn’t yet renewed his Chartered Institute of Public Relations membership. I had a very similar discussion with Chris Norton the other day who was asking exactly the same question.
I find it very worrying that two young PR professionals both have to question the value of CIPR membership. However, I also a huge degree of sympathy.
I’ve been a CIPR member for 20 years and I’m not sure I’ve had a great a deal out of it either. But that’s not why I’m a member.
The reason I think CIPR membership is so important is the work it does to improve the professionalism, quality and standards of the public relations industry. I’m a member for what I can contribute, not what I get from it.
The CIPR is far from being the professional institute that I would want to be a member of. Just one example is the social media guidelines, which I have questioned the existence of as we don’t have similar guidelines for mainstream media relations (despite the evidence from journalists that they are still spammed by too many PR people, some of which will doubtless be members).
You change things from within the tent, not from without.
Wolfstar wins CIPR Grand Prix award for outstanding small consultancy
Dec 17th
Everyone’s buzzing in the Wolfstar office today as we’ve just found out that we’ve won the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Grand Prix PRide award for outstanding small consultancy. I’m not going to say much as Tim Sinclair, our chairman, has already said it all on the Wolfstar blog. It’s enough to say that I’m delighted at what the team has achieved and grateful to be working with some fantastic clients that give us the freedom to explore new and exciting ideas for how public relations should be engaging with social media and the online world.
I’ll leave the last word to the judges:
“The judges felt Wolfstar demonstrated outstanding achievements coupled with exceptional CSR for an agency of its size. The growth the consultancy has undergone since its inception is impressive and it is well on its way to meeting many if not all of its business objectives, particularly that of being a global agency, headquartered in Leeds.
The campaigns Wolfstar chose to showcase in its entry simply underscored the judges strong feelings that this is a consultancy to watch! “
