European Communication Monitor Seminar with Ketchum Pleon

Ketchum Pleon are holding two free webinars for students on Wednesday October 17th to discuss the latest results of the European Communication Monitor, a Euprera project.  To book your place on the webinar email Alice Clarke.  The invitation is published below and I strongly recommend that you book your place today!

Invitation ECM Webinar

Shape the Future of PR

As students and practioners of PR and communications we are sure that you are interested in the future of our industry, particularly how social media and ethical matters take ever more prominence.

Join us for this unique, free Webinar that explores the findings of the recent European Communication Monitor (ECM) 2012 (the latest global survey of communications trends) and grow your understanding of your industry of choice.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Please choose the most convenient time:

Morning session: 10.00 to 10.45 am (UK time)

Evening session: 5.00 to 5.45 pm (UK time)

The ECM is the largest transnational survey on Public Relations and strategic communications worldwide with almost 2200 participants from 42 countries. Providing yearly data since 2007, the ECM aids better understanding of the professional practice of communications in Europe thus improving the quality of both in-house and consultancy work within a changing framework of our profession.

Ketchum Pleon is Europe’s leading communications consultancy with more than 900 employees in over 30 offices around Europe, integrated into Ketchum’s global operations.

Enjoy a presentation and join a vivid discussion between leading academics and industry leaders:

-      Prof. Ralph Tench (Professor of Communication Education, PR and Communication, University of Leeds, UK)

-       Prof. Dr. Ansgar Zerfass (Professor of Communication Management, University of Leipzig, Germany)

-       Mr. Joachim Klewes (Senior Partner at Ketchum Pleon Germany)

-       Mr. Rod Cartwright

(Director of Ketchum's Global Corporate Practice, based in London, UK)

If you would like to enroll onto this session please email

alice.clarke@ketchumpleon.com

Useful books for PR Students

The European Public Relations Education and Research Association, Euprera, has compiled a list of PR books written by its members.  The list contains useful texts for students of PR and communications, and is a useful starting point for undergraduates and postgraduates alike.  Take a look here.

(Post-graduate students will note that this is the book that I was talking about in class last week!)

Digital Marketing Insights at MMU

MMUPR students have the opportunity to attend a day of cutting-edge digital marketing seminars on Friday 26th October. The event, held at MMUBS, is organised by 'Digiterati' (the Econsultancy student society).


They have agreed to offer you this at the specially discounted rate of £20. Over the day you'll hear from four practitioners talking digital, digital PR, analytics and social business.

Simply click here and select the "Digiterati Member" option.

I cannot recommend these highly enough for anyone interested in digital marketing. It's also a great networking opportunity.
Sign up via eventbrite here to enjoy a day of fantastic digital marketing insight.

Academia versus Practice: what is the point of research?

I was lucky enough to attend the Euprera 2012 Annual Congress in Istanbul the other week, where there were many excellent papers delivered by respected academics and new researchers alike, but what was missing from this, as with many other PR conferences, was practitioner input.  There is a great deal of very good research being done by academics, in this country and across the world, into many different aspects of PR theory and practice but very little seems to make its mark on practice.

This is a lost opportunity for both academia and practice.  Practitioners could benefit from the findings of robust research projects, use the findings to guide their practice, even partner with academics to produce research that is pertinent to their specific operations.  Whereas academics can benefit from the first-hand experiences of practitioners and use practitioner networks to produce research that really reflects modern PR practice and captures and investigates the dilemmas and triumphs of the industry. 

So why isn't this happening?  The CIPR once ran an annual conference aimed at bringing academics and practitioners together but this has not run for a couple of years. It needn't be as grand as a conference but I think that together industry and academia should investigate fora for sharing research and ideas to develop and strengthen the industry. 

At a time when Lionel Zetter is calling for a strong, unified professional body to represent the industry, perhaps it is also time for PR academia and the PR industry to find ways to unite?

Job Opportunity with Tobacco Free Futures

Tobacco Free Futures is a highly effective partnership programme, which is funded by NHS Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in the North West. Its mission is to prevent tobacco related health inequalities and poverty, by breaking the cycle of addiction and exposure to tobacco in every community.

They are looking for a recent graduate, ideally with placement experience, to join them as a communications and project support officer on a full-time freelance basis starting as soon as possible until the end of March 2013. The placement will be subject to an initial eight-week trial period. The day rate for this role will broadly equate to around £100 per day.

If you would like to apply please send an up to date CV along with a short covering letter explaining why you would be suitable to Ian White on ian.white@tobaccofreefutures.org, or contact Sarah for more information.