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TPW'S BLOGS

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@tpwnews 21.07.15

 

BLOGGING: there’s no easier way to promote your business, says professional copywriter Tessa Parry-Wingfield of TPW Media. But, it must be done well.

 

TPW’s TOP TEN BLOGGING TIPS

• Just do it….

• …..and OFTEN

• Get across the news, then piggy back it

• Keep it SIMPLE

• Keep it SHORT

• Don’t plug your business too blatantly….(that’s an advert)

• …..but make it relevant

• Don’t be BLAND, BORING, or BLAH

• Have B.O.

• Get it out there

•  

Just do it

Do I practice what I preach? Not as religiously as I’d like. That’s because I am too busy writing other people’s blogs. BUT, my best piece of advice to those who fear sitting down to write a blog is: just get on with it. The only thing worse than blogging, is the fear of doing it – or worrying about not doing it. You may need to catch up on Eastenders later in the week, but it’s a small sacrifice to make. Blogging is free and it’s a fantastic way to get you, your brand, or your business noticed.

 

OFTEN

So now you’ve put pen to paper (Hurrah!) you need to keep doing it if it’s going to get you clients. The drip feed approach is best for attracting new business. OK, so you don’t want to have a too ‘in your face’ attitude so people are bored of you always banging on. But, you also want to keep reminding everyone you exist. I think once a week is a lot and a tricky goal to achieve, but once a month is fine. Set a realistic target and keep it up.

 

Piggy back the news

Whatever industry you’re in, there are always going to be stories in the news that are relevant to what you do. Make time every week to search online for related topics. By becoming a commentator on relevant, newsy goings-on, you are positioning yourself as an expert, or an authoritative voice. That gives you kudos, an excuse to blog and a way to subtly promote your business, without being too obvious about it. More on that in a mo…..

 

Keep it SIMPLE

It doesn’t need to be hugely in-depth, or something that’s going to win literary awards. It just needs to read well. People who don’t enjoy writing or think they’re no good at it (often not the case) can use over-flowery words to compensate - like ‘juxtaposition’ or ‘amalgamate’. The rule is – and it was when I was a journalist too – ditch the jargon and write as if you’re speaking to an intelligent 12-year-old. That doesn’t mean you need to dumb down. It means you’re helping people digest what you’re saying. If they’re struggling they won’t make it to the end. And that’s a monumental waste of your precious time.

 

Keep it SHORT

300 words…maximum. Do you hear me? MAXIMUM!! Don’t write a thesis. No-one will read it, apart from your parents. 200 words are absolutely fine. One A4 page is fine. A few paragraphs are also acceptable. There are no rules, bar this: keep it concise. And that has the added bonus of saving you time – win-win!

 

To plug, or not to plug?

A blog that doesn’t have a reference to you or your business, or at least a reference to your website/ contact details, is a wasted opportunity. You’re not doing it for the love of it, unless you actually enjoy writing, like me. But, I always think a blog that’s very sales-y is a) less interesting for punters to read and b) basically an advert. It’s much better to think cleverly about what you write about and how you write it. People will appreciate brand you more.

 

Make it relevant

This point sounds so obvious, doesn’t it? But, I have read many blogs that are nice enough to read, but are nothing to do with the authors or their business. And that’s not going to win them clients. For example, an accountant may want to write about what’s going on with the Greek economy at the moment, but she shouldn’t write about how ‘sext’ and ‘photobomb’ have entered the Oxford English Dictionary. No, that’s what MY next blog will be about, as it’s relevant and also quite quirky/ funny.

Banish boring, bland, and blah

Which brings me seamlessly onto my next point….It’s easier said than done. But, you must stand out from the crowd. Think about the subject you’re going to write about. Are you the only one who’s blogging about it? Great! Or are you one of many, but you have a different or unusual take on it? Also great! For example, if you’re a personal trainer, you shouldn’t be writing about how squats are really good for you and will give you good legs. YAWN….obvious. But, if you could tell me why every piece of cardio training I’ve ever done has been a waste of time, I’d be interested (this is, in fact, a true story). Say something people aren’t expecting, like my next tip: ‘Have B.O.!’

 

Have B.O.

I don’t want you to be sweating so profusely at the horror of your blogging task. But it’s good to have B.O. And by that I mean a BUSINESS OBJECTIVE. If you know why you’re writing the blog in the first place, it helps set the tone and writing style of your piece. So, for example, you may be on a campaign to drum up new clients, or you may be spreading the word about a new product or service, or you may be rebranding and need people to know about it. It’s important to know the reason for doing the blog, rather than a scatter-gun approach. And your B.O. can change with each blog.

 

Get it out there

I get it, it’s very daunting to have people read your work if you’re not a writer. Hell, I find it a nail-biting experience and it’s what I do. But, don’t be shy. If you don’t put it on every free platform you can, you’re not reaching every potential customer you can. So, tweet, Facebook it, LinkedIn it, put it on your website. Maybe even try and get it published in magazines, trade press, local newsletters, that are after free content. Think further afield than Facebook and get your friends, family and connections to spread your word.

 

@tpwnews 01.07.15

 

My latest editorial for ABC Magazine. Profession meets personal life. 'The Terrible Twos: a mum's survival guide'

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?PBID=be660b5d-044e-48cb-9a37-4555bbd3a347

 

My day started at 4.30am. HALF PAST FOUR IN THE MORNING! I thought long and hard about why my daughter decided to embark on her breakfast quest at this ungodly hour, and I could only come to one conclusion: she’s just turned two and with it, she’s officially turned terrible.

 

By 4.40am I had ushered my noisy toddler downstairs in a desperate bid not to wake anyone else up. I was then greeted by ‘DIP DIP EGG’ again and again, at a very loud, squeaky, pitch normally reserved for out-of-tune violins. It was still dark. It was the middle of the night, essentially. And yet I was being asked for a boiled egg in no uncertain terms.  Half asleep I robotically did what she asked (why do we do that with tantrum-makers?) only to have the entire plate, ‘dip dip egg’ and all, thrown across the room. This was then followed by shouts of ‘NUM NUM’ – which is her dummy. (Yes, that should have gone when she was a baby.) The mummy terrorist is clearly at her most belligerent at dawn. And the mummy is losing the battle, with little ammunition – or energy – left to fight back.

(Actually I’ve had to ban the phrase ‘mummy terrorist’ in our house as, despite it being said in jest, my eldest daughter kept repeating it at nursery when she was two. It wasn’t my finest hour as a parent when the teachers informed me of this.)

 

In the afternoon we visited a park with friends; so beautiful, so idyllic. And yet, someone else’s two-year-old boy decided to follow our group for half an hour. Unknown to us his parents were not in fact a few steps behind us, but miles away and frantically looking for him. When we finally found them, they were distraught. Imagine losing your child for half an hour in a park? They assumed he’d been abducted. I’m telling you, only a two-year-old is capable of such independence and strong will that he or she believes they’ll be fine on their tod. Well, for half an hour having adopted another family, anyway.

 

I’ve asked friends for examples of their children’s Terrible Two behaviour – partly in the interest of research and in larger part so mine don’t seem so extraordinarily terrible. Boys in general tend to be a bit more feral and wild. The experience is more about ensuring their survival. A friend’s boy did a poo on my floor the other day; another one bites anything that moves. Then again so does my toddler girl. With girls, it’s often more of an emotional rollercoaster. A little girl even threw a total wobbler of a tantrum – lying on the floor, head down, fists pounding – in front of the U.S. President the other day. None of us is immune.

 

Yet, despite my tirade against The Terrible Twos, and my children at that age, I would not ever - as has been threatened on a daily basis - sell them at the market. I would not flush them down the loo. I would not even swap them for a puppy or kitten. My love for them is unconditional and ludicrously all-consuming. BUT, I could do with less drama. RADA definitely beckons in the future.

 

I’ve just realised this article has the words ‘survival guide’ in the title. So sorry, I think ‘rant’ would have been more appropriate. However, the survival strategy that I can pass on to you all is this: time will pass, two will become three, 4.30am can become 5.30am with the help of trainer clocks and bribery becomes more effective by the day. The Terrible Twos will pass. That is all.

 

 

@tpwnews 13.06.15

 

Two recent blogs I've written for a fabulous client - 'Girls Afternoon Tea' - combining wonderful things: cake, a cuppa and writing.

 

http://www.girlsafternoontea.co.uk/royal-over-seas-league-afternoon-tea-review/

 

Off the beaten track, tucked away in the nooks and crannies of St James’ in London, is the Royal Over-Seas League. It’s not a place you’d stumble upon by accident. The building is home to a private members’ organisation committed to international understanding and friendship. My mission here was more British than international, but no less worthy: to review its Afternoon Tea menu.

 

Despite the colonial-style club itself being rather staid, once you’ve meandered through its corridors, the restaurant downstairs in the basement is surprisingly chic, with an Art Deco theme throughout.

 

It only opens its 1930’s doors for afternoon tea during the summer months. It’s a classic British affair with impeccable service. As soon as we were seated at our table we were topped up with a delicious glass of bubbly, which we supped surrounded by period furniture and chrome mirrors.

Next, the sweet and savoury tier stand appeared. On the bottom were finger sandwiches galore. My personal favourite were the salmon sarnies, with pink beetroot bread.

 

The top tier was a medley of miniature sweet treats. The pièce de la résistance was a sumptuous Austrian sachertorte – a decadent chocolate delight to die for.  I was less fond of the coffee and white chocolate éclair, but the apricot and elderflower tea was both unusual and comforting.

 

The scones were clearly freshly made; warm and delicious, with a hint of lemon.

 

And I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to mention the beautiful music. Throughout our afternoon tea we were serenaded by a harpist – Ieuan Jones, international soloist and Professor of Harp at the Royal College of Music, no less – which made for a very calm and cultured atmosphere.

 

If you can get over the rather crazy carpet, the Royal Over-Seas League should definitely be on your London tea trail. So don your flapper dresses and jackets for the gents, get your London map out and see you there soon for afternoon tea!

 

@tpwnews 11.06.15

 

And another blog for Girls' Afternoon Tea:

 

http://www.girlsafternoontea.co.uk/afternoon-tea-in-london-for-the-man-in-your-life/

 

 

@tpwnews 26.11.14

 

It’s a cat-apostrophe!

I was walking down the street in my lovely London village of St Margaret’s when, shock and horror, I spotted a new shop sign: ‘St Margarets Wines’. This was written not only on the main shop front, but also on the billboards outside. To an annoying punctuation pedant like me, these things make a trip to the local shop turn into a rash-inducing expedition of drama and annoyance.

 

My annoyance is twofold. Firstly, St Margaret’s must have a possessive apostrophe in this context, as it is followed by the plural noun - wines. As it is, it looks like moany old St Margaret has been whining again, but someone forgot to put the ‘h’ in whine, and added an s on Margaret by mistake.

 

Secondly, and on that note, whatever the meaning behind the village name of St. Margaret’s, one thing is clear: there was not a medley of many Margarets of the saint variety running around trying to own the place. In fact, even if there were, it would be Saints (Sts if it must be) Margarets. Actually, I did look up the background and it’s rather interesting. The name comes from a country house in the area where Lord and Lady whatnot lived. But anyway, I digress.

 

It seems the norm now, alas, to write St Margaret’s without the apostrophe. When I try and type it leaving the apostrophe out, my spellcheck autocorrects me. I’m glad someone is on my side, even if it’s a robot.

Im not sure why I care, I shouldnt but I do, cos its important, innit. Wine over.

 

@tpw news 24.09.14

It just wasn’t Miliband’s moment.

The Labour leader’s lacklustre and incomplete speech has done nothing for his pre-election profile.

 

Oh dear, Ed. It wasn’t great, was it? You left out entire chunks of your speech; the rather important ones about the country’s deficit and immigration issues. And now, the media are talking about your gaffe, rather than what was actually in the speech.

 

As a copywriter, I empathise with his speech writer. I would have been livid. To write a speech like that would have been a phenomenal undertaking. You would, after all, have had the herculean task of writing in a way to persuade voters that Miliband should boot out David Cameron from Number 10 next May. And it must have been a massive tome to fill an hour on stage; one that needed to flow seamlessly and persuasively from one policy to another without sounding boring.

 

But Miliband insisted on having only an A4 page of bullet points and no autocue. It’s how he’s always done it. It is his style. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. But, with a whopping 65 minutes on stage, it would have been prudent to have a prompt and deliver a full speech without gaping holes in it.

 

I have media trained many high profile spokespeople, and the key is how to communicate in a natural way. (So easy to say, of course). I don’t think you get massive brownie points for not using a prompt. You just need to learn use it well.

 

But there’s another issue, a scathing one at that. He just doesn’t have it. The other Miliband does. But Ed Miliband is not a natural speaker. He isn’t able to wow the crowds and he looks stilted and awkward. I believe that trait will cost him at the election. That, and his apparent attacks of amnesia.

 

 

@tpw news 12.08.14

This is an (albeit rather silly) example of the kind of editorial work I can do. I was asked to write an article for the newsletter for my local running club.

 

Why do I run?

 

The title should really be: why wouldn’t anyone run? I can’t believe it’s taken me 30 years to get into it!

 

When I first started dating my now husband, he was a major fitness fanatic - a triathlon and marathon man. One of those types. So, eager to show him I was Jessica Ennis in disguise and a must-have sporty girlfriend, I trotted off on some jogs with him up Primrose Hill. They nearly killed me and they also confirmed what I had always known – running is for freaks. I’d just have to accept it as a weird quirk; a hobby we would NOT share.

 

But, since having my two gorgeous girls, I’ve learnt to embrace my former nemesis. Running now gives me time to breathe (ok, gasp!) and think clearly. My husband and I now fight over who is going for a jog. Joining BeaRCats has taught me that I can run longer distances than I ever thought I’d be capable of, rather than to the nearest post box and back. And whilst I am still more Bridget Jones than Jessica Ennis in style, I’ve learnt to love this running malarkey.

 

 

@tpwnews 16.7.14

Freedom of speech....Journalists in Egypt jail for 200 days and counting.

 

It’s taken me 200 days to write a blog about this particular issue. Not because I didn’t know what to say about it, but because there has been a deluge of other articles, news stories, blogs and tweets on the three Al Jazeera English journalists, who have been locked up in Egypt’s notorious Tora prison since 29th December last year.

 

What has struck me most about the hellish ordeal of Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed is how journalists from around the world have come together in total condemnation of the Egyptian government’s outrageous sentences of 7 to 10 years. The symbolic shots of hacks with their mouths taped up is, I think, an image that will have it's place in history.

 

But after all this time, I was expecting to see some sort of backlash in the media about the politics of Al Jazeera English; perhaps some inferences about whether Qatar’s relationship with the Egyptian government – and general criticism recently about the politics of the channel – meant that these journalists were justifiable casualties of war, so to speak.

 

But, whilst we are normally in competition against each other - vying for exclusive interviews, the first to be reporting from a war zone and so on – there has been nothing but solidarity from news networks and their staff on this matter.

 

And that’s because as journalists, we all feel ‘it could have been me'.

 

200 long days have gone by and Greste, Fahmy and Mohamed’s suffering is unfathomable. But no matter how much time passes, we must not give up on speaking out for these men. Freedom of speech and the right to tell the truth are also on trial in Egypt. So let’s make sure their voices are heard.

 

#freeajestaff

 

 

Blogs from my time at TNR Communications, Press Association

15.11.2012

How to talk yourself out of your own job on-air….if only the BBC’s big boss had been given some media training by his own journalists.

 

In my role as TNR’s Training Manager, I’ve seen that job seniority doesn’t necessarily mean you are a) an eloquent public speaker or b) the best person for the job. But when it comes to being the Director General of the BBC, you’d expect appearing on-air – or at least knowing what’s expected of you – to come naturally.

But George Entwistle, a career journalist at the corporation, sealed his own fate when he was interviewed by his journalists about a libellous Newsnight paedophile exposé. The next day, his mere 54 days in office were over.

During a grilling from John Humphries on Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Entwistle – whose role meant he was also the BBC’s editor-in-chief – confessed to not knowing about the programme until the day after it was aired. The interview soon became cringe-worthy listening, with the Director General unable to answer any questions convincingly.

After that, he appeared on BBC Breakfast, stumbling and mumbling his way through the interview in an equally humiliating way.

Following the Newsnight scandal just a few weeks earlier – which revealed an exposé on Jimmy Savile was binned – Entwistle was supposed to be at the helm, guiding the BBC back into the public’s confidence. Instead he steered himself head on into the storm.

Surely George Entwistle must have known what kind of questions were going to be asked of him during those interviews? There is no doubt he could have prepared for them and answered with greater clarity and conviction. He did not portray himself as a man in control who had a grip on his organisation. If he had stayed calm at a time of crisis, he may not have entered the record books as the shortest serving Director General in the Corporation’s history.

Post by Tessa Parry-Wingfield, Training Manager @ TNR Communications    

                

02.02.2012

“Bosses must engage with the media” – hear, hear!

 

We are not ones to shy away from self-promotion and publicity at TNR Communications. That’s the name of the media game we are in. But, when someone else kindly bangs our industry’s drum for us – namely Allister Heath, the Editor of City A.M. – it’d be foolish not to shout about it.

In his Editor’s Letter ‘Bosses must engage with the media’, Heath goes as far as calling bankers, business people and CEOs “frankly pathetic” for not “making their own case to the media.” A little harsh perhaps, but he’s got a point.

http://www.cityam.com/latest-news/allister-heath/bosses-must-engage-the-media

As in Heath’s article, Stephen Hester is a perfect example. The CEO of RBS has been lambasted in recent days over his £963,000 bonus. Now he has rejected it, the media is citing “political pressure” as the catalyst to his decision.

But what about media pressure? Every newspaper across the land was quick to voice its opinion about what he should do. However, if he had publically justified why he should be given a reward for sorting out RBS’ mighty mess, he may have changed public opinion – and not have felt like he had to give the money back at all.

As the Media Training Manager at TNR, the communications arm of the Press Association, I am often surprised at the reflex response by many high-level executives (often from the financial world) to avoid the media at all cost. It allows journalists to set the agenda and get their message out to the public.

If they are prepared to face the lions, their image and reputation could be managed in a more balanced way. But….here’s the banging our drum bit….that said, without proper media training it can be a disaster. Knowing your enemy is key and learning how not to end up as media fodder can save your company’s skin.

In Heath’s words, businesses need to “get out and fight their corner.” I couldn’t agree more, but only if their spokespeople are armed.

Post by Tessa Parry-Wingfield Training Manager @ TNR Communications

 

26.06.2012

Sometimes you just have to say sorry.

 

In February I had a small rant about how bosses of big companies – or banks in this case – need to speak to the media, however scheming they perceive journalists to be (“Bosses must engage with the media” – hear, hear!)

Of course, saying the wrong thing can be more detrimental. You only have to see what happened to BP’s CEO Tony Hayward after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, when he downplayed the environmental impact of the disaster as “very, very modest,” (among other, quite spectacular, PR gaffes).

But keeping tight-lipped can cause journalists to jitter too. RBS chief Stephen Hester was the subject of my blog earlier this year. He was refusing to defend his big bonus and got a pasting in the press – and by the public – because of it.

So I was heartened to see that he may have learnt from his lessons. Rather than avoiding the media maelstrom this time, he has commented on camera about NatWest’s computer glitch. What’s more, he said, “It shouldn’t have happened and we are very sorry.”

I am not saying this has exonerated NatWest or its staff from any wrongdoing – far from it. There is a lot more explaining and putting things right to do. But if customers think no-one is holding their hand up and saying they are accountable for the situation, it only makes matters worse. I think Mr Hester’s admission that NatWest has “let some customers down,” is the first, crucial step in dealing with the crisis.

Now, where has my money gone?

Post by: Tessa Parry-Wingfield, Training Manager @ TNR Communications

 

24.10.2011

How to stop hacks hijacking your PR campaign

 

1. Tessa, what was your experience in journalism before you joined the world of PR?

I started off my career in journalism as a reporter for Channel Television in Guernsey. I then moved back to London to freelance, as a reporter for GMTV and a producer for ITV News. More recently I worked as a producer for Al Jazeera. I was part of the news team at Al Jazeera English’s headquarters in Qatar when the channel was launched in 2006, then I moved back to the London Bureau to work on European news stories.

2. You’ve worked on both sides of the fence – PR and journalism – it can be an uneasy relationship at times, can’t it?

It can be a tricky relationship, but in my opinion it’s a very important one. Journalists do love to PR-bash. When I told my colleagues I was moving into PR there was a collective gasp. However, as a journalist I often used strong, newsworthy, PR stories and I would regularly call PRs to help get me access to people for interviews. If a PR team can provide journalists with a relevant and media friendly spokesperson who performs well in interviews, it can make the difference between your story making it onto the news that day or not.

3. In your opinion, what makes a story interesting to a journalist?

Human stories are what journalists are after because that’s what their audiences want to hear about. For example, a report I did at GMTV on knife crime would not have worked with statistics alone, however shocking those figures were. I needed to speak to a family that had been affected by the crime to make people empathise.

If a charity is launching a new campaign, I want the charity’s spokesperson to tell me why I should care by using human examples, not just percentages. Spokespeople need to be armed with anecdotal evidence of why we should sit up and listen to what they are saying and PR teams need to provide them with that information.

4. As a journalist why would you drop a story you’d decided to run earlier on?

It can be really frustrating for PR teams and I’ve been in this situation myself often enough. If something big has happened that day in news terms, there is nothing you can do about it. But if a story has been dropped because a PR can’t come up with the goods, then that represents days – if not weeks – of hard work wasted for everyone involved in the campaign. Quite a few times I haven’t been able to interview a spokesperson about a story because they were unavailable for the entire day. Comms teams need to make sure their diaries are clear. I’ve also had interviewees be rude to me because they didn’t like the questions. In both of those cases the story simply didn’t run.

5. What do you think the best way to stop the journalist taking control of a story and using it for their own agenda?

It’s every PR professional’s dream to get their story on a national news or radio station as an entire report or feature. But that rarely happens. Instead, a single soundbite may be used as part of a report on a wider issue. If a journalist knows what they want their story to be about then it’s very easy for them to manipulate an interview to make it fit their agenda. It’s difficult, but spokespeople need to have certain techniques to avoid this happening. They always need to answer a question – politicians often blatantly ignore the question and say something entirely different. This just angers journalists. Spokespeople can disagree with journalists, but they need to do so in a measured way and have examples of why it’s not correct. From my experience, media trained spokespeople can cleverly answer or acknowledge a journalist’s question, then subtly move on to what their media campaign is about, without you even noticing.

6. Without naming names, are there any interviewees you remember for all the wrong reasons?

Absolutely! When I was at Al Jazeera, a spokesperson from a law firm came to our studios to give an interview. They were there as an expert to explain a complex legal matter in simple terms, so our viewers could understand. I was shocked when they got out a pile of notes and refused to do the interview without reading from them. There was rustling, stuttering and they never once looked up at me. I felt very sorry for them because clearly they weren’t the right person for the job. Needless to say, the interview was axed and another law firm was called to provide an expert. That was their opportunity to show off their expertise on international television and it was wasted.

On the flip side, the spokesperson must make sure they don’t over-reference a brand or their company name. If they have time, journos will clip out that reference. If they don’t have time then they just won’t use the soundbite at all.

7. On that note, have you got any brief tips for PR teams whose spokespeople are about to face a media interview?

Spokespeople must know their story and the angle that their Comms team’s campaign is aiming for. That sounds simple enough, but it’s a huge mistake not to take a media interview seriously and make the very best of it. So preparation is key and time must be put aside for it. But a spokesperson must not be bombarded with too much information. It’s the role of the PR team to filter the information they need and provide them with simple and succinct key messages that are easy to remember under pressure. In my opinion, your spokesperson must be chosen carefully. Your media campaign is in their hands for that brief moment they’re on air.

 

30.03.2010

Take one very big ship and one extremely small hole…..

 

It was always going to be an incredible nautical feat. In order for Celebrity Cruises’ latest ship, Celebrity Eclipse, to leave its home of eight months – a shipyard in Papenburg (the middle of nowhere in north Germany) – it had to navigate through a tiny gate BACKWARDS, and then along a wiggly windy narrow river before it finally reached the sea.

We were tasked with filming the spectacle and ensuring great coverage of her departure. It was going to be a fun adventure for sure. The question was; how do you film such a thing in the middle of nowhere, potentially in the dark?

You see, when a cruise ship has to leave, it has to leave – TV crew or no TV crew. With a storm brewing, the window of opportunity was small and the risk to the ship was big. The risk of missing out on filming was even bigger, if the captain decided to leave in the dead of night without us knowing.

After a call from our client saying we had to leave the next day, we made it to Papenburg and started filming. I’ve never seen a ship big enough to carry nearly 3,000 guests, let alone been allowed to nose around on board. After donning our hard hats, we started the shoot, with everyone frantically trying to get all the fixtures and fittings finished in time for the conveyance the next day.

 

TNR production team filming the Celebrity Eclipse in Papenburg

In the end, Celebrity Eclipse sailed off without a hitch. My crew breathed a sigh of relief when she left in broad daylight. The helicopter crew made it into the air to get some stunning aerials. And despite there being just a few metres spare on each side of the lock, she squeezed through the tiny hole. And most importantly we had some fantastic pick-up on TV and Online.

Celebrity Eclipse is now heading for Southampton (via Hamburg) ….. no more small holes, but definitely more filming challenges for TNR ahead. Ship Ahoy!

Post by Tessa Parry-Wingfield (Producer for TNR Communications)

 

19.01.2010

A day in the life of a TNR Producer: hair nets, a giant punch bowl and Alex James on an inflatable slice of orange

 

As a Producer you never really know what each day will bring – a whacky TV shoot or maybe a more serious, hard-hitting Radio campaign. But when I got a call from FocusPR, I knew this project would be a whole new kettle of fish – or in this case a giant bowl of punch.

Courvoisier Cognac – together with food architects Bompas & Parr – had decided to flood a room at 33 Portland Place in London with 4,000 litres of punch by some remarkable feat of engineering. They opened the event to Londoners who could come and taste the cocktail and even row across it, if that’s what floats their boat!

What’s more they wanted TNR to film the spectacle and get online media coverage of the event’s launch. But a unique idea and visually exciting material is always a recipe for video success, especially when you add ex-Blur guitarist Alex James into the mix, as Courvoisier’s ‘Taste Consultant.’ I was excited about jumping on board the campaign.

So, after many phone conversations that went a bit like this…..“a giant bowl of punch, which can serve 250 thousand people….Alex James floating on top of the cocktail?” I was off with my cameraman into the great unknown.

Things were about to get even more interesting. When we got there we were told to scrub our hands (hospital style), don a hair net and a butcher’s apron, and enter the “Courvoisier Architectural Punch Bowl.”

 

Alex James sits on a raft in a 4,000-litre Courvoisier punch bowl, at the VIP launch of the Courvoisier Architectural Punch Bowl exhibition.

Then the man of the moment arrived. It was certainly the first time I’ve ever interviewed a celeb while wearing a hairnet (Alex James was not wearing said hairnet, but a cooler version reserved only for famous people).

It was movie magic – a big lake of booze, dry ice, fancy dress, giant remote-controlled pieces of fruit and Alex James floating around on a massive inflatable slice of orange.

We edited a fantastic video of the launch (if I do say so myself) which generated plenty of online interest. I may not be wearing a hairnet again in a hurry for a shoot. But it’s not the first time – nor I suspect the last time – I looked daft in the line of duty.

Post by Tessa Parry-Wingfield (Producer for TNR Communications)

 

23.10.2009

The BNP on Question Time: protests, political panto and the power of the media

 

Nick Griffin’s appearance on BBC’s Question TIme has been the hottest headline in the British media this week, culminating in a mass protest outside Television Centre before the show.

The controversy has raised serious questions about the power of the media and its place – or not – in politics.

By allowing Griffin airtime, is the BBC giving legitimacy to a far-right political party that supports racial views that many Brits find disturbing?

On the other hand, Britain – and therefore its press – upholds the value of freedom of speech. Is stifling that speech wrong in itself, especially when the BBC has a moral duty to be impartial? After all, Mr Griffin’s party did win two seats in the European Parliamentary elections in June.

Or maybe it is as simple as the BBC trying to rocket its ratings. If so, job done. It pulled in 8 million viewers – three times more than normal.

Nick Griffin certainly got a grilling from Question Time’s audience. One man said the public could have a whip-round to send him to the South Pole. He added, “It’s a colourless landscape, it’ll suit you fine.”

Griffin seemed slightly shaken by this comment, but was mostly amused by others, including accusations he associated with the Ku Klux Klan and has denied the Holocaust.

Stripped of his normal PR shield, some argue his comments confirm he is a political pariah. He has said himself he is most hated man in Britain this week. But what he said is almost irrelevant.

His fellow panellists – including Labour’s Jack Straw and Tory Sayeeda Warsi – seemed like extras in a political pantomime revolving around one protagonist.

Griffin has now been given the national media exposure he has been craving. After all, there is no such thing as bad publicity. Loathed or liked, everyone is talking about him.

Post by Tessa Parry-Wingfield (Producer at TNR Communications)