Download is to follow other festivals such as Reading and Leeds in banning flags from their main arena after an “overwhelming number of complaints”.

Announcing the decision to impose the ban, the festival’s director John Probyn said: “I hope you all understand that this is to ensure that everyone can enjoy what’s onstage.”

Last August Reading and Leeds announced their plans to prohibit flags with festival organiser Melvin Benn describing them as a “nightmare” for fellow fans.

This year’s Download, taking place between 11-13 June, will be headlined by AC/DC.

The Aussie rockers are joined by Dave Grohl’s supergroup side-project Them Crooked Vultures and Stone Temple Pilots.

However, writing on Twitter Download added that flags were welcome at the festival if they were used to “mark tents in the campsite”.

Glastonbury festival are currently conducting a fan poll on their website to decide whether flags will be banned at this year’s event.

Source: The BBC. http://www.eventindustrynews.co.uk/2010/02/download-festival-joins-reading-and-leeds-to-ban-flags.html

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It’s never been harder to keep up with the latest web trends – with the expansion onto mobile platforms, the growth of social media and the need for start ups to be aware of new SEO techniques.

As a result, we’ve assembled a team of web experts to help you and your business keep on top of the most important trends on the web. Constructing a mobile website, creating social media campaigns and selling online are just some of the challenges businesses will face during 2010.

Here are top online trends for the next 12 months.
Every web-savvy business knows smartphone use is on the rise. But few are actively developing for mobiles by creating websites specifically used for handheld devices.

As more and more mobile users flock to gadgets with larger touchscreens and internet browsers, such as the iPhone or Google Nexus One, the mobile space will become bigger and SMEs need to get on board. If your website isn’t accessible through a smartphone or app, users will give up and go somewhere else – losing you traffic and potential sales.

Ovum analyst Nathan Burley says the number of people taking up smartphones instead of traditional handsets will require businesses to develop mobile websites.

“In our view there are two big trends that will occur in 2010. That is mobile broadband and the adoption of smartphones, and the impact of those two things on the industry. This is changing the way people access the internet, and that is in mobile.”

“The big change is that these smartphones are allowing people to use tools in the same way a laptop did in the past, which is opening more users to the internet on the go.”

Chris Thomas, chief executive of SEO firm Reseo, says 2010 will be “the year of the mobile”.

“I think mobile search is definitely here. Google is throwing a lot of money at mobile, and it’s going to be really interesting to see how businesses leverage that.”

SEO

Using search engine algorithms in order to get your site on “page one” has been a tactic used by online businesses for years. But SEO experts say the process of getting a website known will become even harder in 2010 with the rise of personalised and real-time search.

Social network Twitter sparked a trend when it designed the first popular real-time search engine. When users search for a term, the site would update that search with new “tweets” as they were being made.

Google has recently introduced a real-time search function of its own, complete with indexed tweets, while Microsoft Bing has made a deal to show tweets in search results. But Thomas says while 2010 will see a rise in real-time search traffic, businesses shouldn’t be too keen to pursue a dedicated real-time search strategy.

“I think people are still trying to figure out what to do with it. Perhaps if there’s a trending topic, such as Copenhagen or climate change, that’s where we could see real-time do some work because there’s an opportunity for someone selling solar panels to come in, using a message like “stop climate change” via solar panels or something. There is some real potential there.”

“This is where it could go, but it’s such an active industry, with optimisation and SEO changing. But I always say to our clients, stick to your knitting and don’t do anything silly.”

Jim Stewart, chief executive of Stewart Media, says real-time search will continue to grow but businesses need to be aware of the more subtle changes Google is making to its search algorithms.

“All of the normal SEO things still apply, even though Google is going forward with things like personalised search. That will surely play a part, but you still have to get on the front page at all before you get into someone’s personal search results.”

Stewart warns Google will be updating its speed-check feature, through which the engine checks how fast it takes for a user to connect to a website. If a business has any downtime, it could affect search rankings.

But Stewart also says Google could potentially lose its place as the top search engine, as users could migrate to other offerings or be wary of the company’s search power.

“I don’t believe the search engine is providing as relevant results as it did this time last year. I’m sure they know it, but it doesn’t seem to be working as well. I’d also love to think that people will begin to start using Bing more and more, but it has to become a better search engine before that happens.”

“The other thing is privacy. A lot of people already are pretty wary of Google and privacy issues, even to the point where Eric Schmidt said if you’re doing something on the web you don’t want people to know, then maybe you shouldn’t be doing it.”

Social Media

Facebook and Twitter were the standout social networks from 2009, and their popularity will surge in 2010 with both introducing new features, including paid accounts for business.

But businesses need to pay attention to the trends on these sites. Creating a social media strategy is no longer optional, it is vital to the health of a company and its ability to tap into an online user-base.

Some experts say if you aren’t engaging online, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to gain new customers and fans who will effectively market for you if given enough reason.

Thomas says 2010 will be the year in which businesses must jump on social media or risk being left behind by the competition.

“If you don’t have a Facebook fan page you should get in, and if you’re in a community-minded space, where you can offer things like competitions and such, then you’re set.”

James Griffin, founder and chief executive of online reputation management company SR7, says this year will see the rise of analysts who will begin to convince businesses to study, track and move operations into social media.

“Analysts will be versed in understanding and using social media, the quantitative and qualitative reports will empower businesses to implement researched social media strategies and gather market intelligence.”

Online retail

More and more Australian businesses are selling online, but compared to the US we have a lot of catching up to do. Online spending has grown from 1% to 3% of overall spending over the last 10 years, compared to the American equivalent of 7%.

Hal Pritchard, founder and chief executive of online kitchenware retailer Everton Online, says 2010 should be the year in which businesses start to realise they cannot operate without an eCommerce offering.

“The whole market in general is maturing. I think some of the people who didn’t want to do it originally are now deciding they have to do it, because if I count the number of competitors I have now compared to last year, there’s certainly a lot more out there.”

Pritchard says the biggest trend emerging in Australia is the growth of free shipping, which has allowed retailers in the US to stand out from the crowd.

“Freight is getting lower and is free in some places, which I suspect is going to be a general trend as competition hots up. Margins will get even tighter, and affording these things will be difficult, but I think it’s one of the things that are happening.”

“We seem to be following the US as we progress, and we’re less far behind and I think that free freight is the next thing. But it’s not just about that, it’s about pushing the boundaries and staying on the edge, not just having a good website. The people who can innovate and stay ahead will do well.”

Advertising

The internet advertising industry continued to grow in 2009 and will do the same in 2010, but the next 12 months is expected to see the ongoing development of mobile advertising.

Last year the Interactive Advertising Bureau forecast the online ad market to pass $2 billion by next month, representing a 27% increase from 2008. While the downturn forced spending down in 2009, it’s safe to assume that figure will rise in 2010.

The mobile advertising scene is fairly new, so naturally few SMEs are actually investing in the sector. But Apple’s recent acquisitions of Quattro, along with Google’s purchase of AdMob, shows the big players are serious about the mobile space.

But Thomas says businesses should think about advertising on prominent sites such as social networks, in order to keep up with the market.

“In the last 12 months we have started various campaigns using Facebook ads with quite good success, and it’s getting better. Businesses should be taking advantage of the solid targeting available through sites like Facebook.”

“We’re certainly seeing more advertising on Twitter. You have sites now which are allowing companies to hire someone with a million followers to tweet their messages. I mean, it’ll cost you, but the return on investment of that tweet could be huge.”

YouTube senior product manager David King says the growth of viral content, pieces of media published online which gain popularity in a short amount of time, are opening businesses up to new advertising models.

He says if a business finds a piece of content it created on a YouTube video, it can choose to place an in-video or AdWords advertisements rather than claim a copyright violation.

“These advertising structures are really geared towards taking control of what users upload. It’s only relevant if you’re uploading content, but if you are a small business and are doing that, this could be relevant for you.”

Reputation management

Most businesses are at least operating a website, but even those rejecting the online space need to be aware of how fast rumours and allegations can fly in the digital age. Several companies have had their reputations tarnished within hours from the activities of either rogue employees, or a botched advertising campaign.

Griffin says businesses need to control their reputation by monitoring what people are saying about them.

“The answer is, companies have been pushed into conducting a social media marketing campaigns without research and without adequately addressing the risk factors associated with social media.”

“2010 will see companies embracing the need to address the inherent risks of social media, with enterprises moving towards a scientific and empirically based approach to managing risk.”

Last year, Domino’s Pizza landed itself into trouble when two employees posted a video of themselves handling food unhygienically on the internet. Cotton On experienced backlash on Facebook when it continued to sell baby clothes with slogans such as “They Shake Me”.

Griffin says businesses can avoid such catastrophes by carefully monitoring who is talking about their brand, and being ready to address any situation as quickly as it appeared.

“The many and varied social media ‘fails’ of 2008-2009 will see companies and institutions take a measured, risk-based approach to these platforms.”

“Auditing, monitoring and analysing social media platforms along with risk mitigation strategies will become standard fare for those companies looking to protect and enhance their brand on social media platforms.”

Marketing

While mobile advertising may be taking awhile to heat up, many businesses are developing new and interesting mobile marketing campaigns to draw people into their stores.

Google has developed a system whereby users take a picture of a barcode with their mobile phone and use the search engine to find information. Closer to home, Hoyts Cinemas currently runs a promotion where movie goers with Bluetooth activated on their handsets sometimes receive discount offers via text messages when they walk into a lobby.

But it isn’t just big companies which are using mobiles for marketing. Peter Shipman, who owns a casual Mexican restaurant in the US, bought ads in university newspapers to advertise a barcode sent through text messages used to claim discounts.

US company Jagtag is now developing a technology used to identify barcodes through camera phones, when it is then sent via text message in order for the user to receive a discount code.

Thomas says this year will see a number of companies bring mobile marketing strategies to the forefront of their campaigns.

“There are going to be some really good creative ways people will start to get customers in store, and sending messages out like that… providing they don’t break any spam laws.”

“We’re going to see these companies start to realise how much activity is occurring through mobiles, and then we’re going to see them respond by commissioning campaigns of their own.”

Thomas also says a number of companies will begin to commission mobile apps, especially on the iPhone, purely for marketing purposes. Whether this will gain them revenue or purely open their brand to a new audience, the mobile apps market will become part of an online business’s marketing strategy in 2010.

Content

The growth of the internet has allowed businesses to publish content of their own, including blogs, pictures and even videos. King says SMEs should think about creating some sort of content on YouTube or similar sites such as a tutorial, and see a fan base grow.

“There are a lot of smaller to medium sized businesses which have really operated with a focus of specifically gearing themselves towards publishing on YouTube, and they really make a go of it – and we give them a global audience to do so.”

But King warns businesses they must be generating useful content, without the appearance of a blatant marketing pitch, and not be scared of entering a new area where they might not have experience.

“As these things become more commonplace, consumers love them, but unfortunately businesses which have been relying on older business models do not. I really think they need to get over that a little bit. Ultimately the consumer is right, and they are going to spend their time the way they spend it.”

“Businesses need to really stay focused on that consumer experience and not get hung up on the comfort of the way things used to be. The more businesses can try and anticipate where things can go as opposed to stopping it, I think that’s the best place to be for them.”

Open Source

Once upon a time, businesses wouldn’t trust open-source programs in favour of branded, more trustworthy software solutions. But now open-source has given SMEs a way of operating high-end programs without substantial costs.

With popular programs such as Mozilla Thunderbird, Open Office, WordPress and Joomla now gaining notoriety, organisations are beginning to realise open-source programs aren’t just technically inferior rip-offs, but legitimate alternatives.

A number of organisations, including the British Government and the French police force, have openly supported open-source, while Gartner research from late-2008 indicates the majority of businesses in the Asia/Pacific region took up open-source in 2009.

And with the development and popularity of open-source Android operating system continuing to grow, open-source is likely to play a major part in a business’s IT strategy in 2010.

Cloud computing

Two years ago “cloud computing” was viewed by many businesses as a buzzword with no particular meaning, used by tech-heads who didn’t quite know what they were talking about.

Now, using cloud services has become an essential for businesses. Whether they are backing up their data or using a piece of software hosted on external servers, cloud computing is now a part of everyday operations for many SMEs.

Cloud services have branched out into three main categories: applications, also known as software-as-a-service, infrastructure, used for data backups, and internal service providers for businesses with customised apps and programs.

Analyst firm Gartner recently named cloud computing as one of the top strategic technologies for 2010, saying it could be exploited in a number of different ways to customise programs and apps to a particular company’s needs.

“Using cloud resources does not eliminate the costs of IT solutions, but does rearrange some and reduce others. In addition, consuming cloud services enterprises will increasingly act as cloud providers and deliver application, information or business process services to customers and business partners.”

Source

Although the fundamental need for human interaction remains undiminished, the benefits of virtual events are starting to make an impact.

Apart from being a dire year for the economy, and one in which several A-list celebrities shuffled off this mortal coil (RIP MJ), 2009 will probably be best remembered as the year social media really reached its tipping point.

Facebook added 150 million users to its database from January to September alone, doubling its following to 300 million, while Twitter’s traffic grew immensely, capturing the attention of the event industry and resulting in industry-specific ‘TweetUps’.

The social revolution is upon us, or so we’re told. So what’s in store for 2010? Well, apart from another good year for social media sites, one trend that could usher in a further fundamental change to the way we communicate is the emergence of virtual events.

Events in a computer-simulated environment aren’t anything new – “We’ve been talking about them since the dawn of the internet. Yes, decades ago,” says Jack Morton Worldwide director of technology solutions Chris Haff – but months of shrinking budgets have led to them becoming ‘newly urgent’.

“There’s an old saying that necessity is the mother of invention,” Haff adds. “Faced with tough times, people have a knack for creating breakthrough innovations to meet new challenges.”

Most of us will have at least heard of Second Life, the 3D virtual world developed by Linden Lab, but there is a veritable treasure trove of ‘virtual experience platforms’ out there, just as there is an array of firms that specialise in producing events within them.

Immersive spaces specialist Rivers Run Red is one such firm. In 2007 it created Secondfest, the world’s largest virtual festival, on behalf of clients Intel and The Guardian.

Using Second Life as its platform, Rivers Run Red built an immersive festival environment incorporating several stages, chill-out areas and even a mud pit where revellers could have a virtual mud fight. The event attracted more than 15,000 visitors over three days and featured more than 60 acts, including headliners Pet Shop Boys, New Young Pony Club and Groove Armada.

The Guardian encouraged readers to attend online by giving advice on how to set up their own Second Life digital persona (known as an avatar), while Rivers Run Red advertised it through other forms of digital media.

More recently, in September this year mixed-reality events pioneer Virtually Linked hosted a Virtual London Fashion Week event in Second Life, to coincide with the actual event in the capital. The former incorporated a catwalk show by British designer Maria Grachvogel, who created 3D graphic versions of her collection to be modelled on avatars.

Outside of Second Life, major companies such as Jack Morton Worldwide and United Business Media (UBM) have set up their own virtual experience platforms in which to host events. UBM now has a portfolio of four virtual exhibitions, at which visitors can explore booths, attend seminars and chat to exhibitors and peers in real time, just like at a real exhibition, but without all the associated costs of travelling.

With so many big names jumping on the bandwagon, it begs the question whether virtual events are the next step in this so-called social revolution. Ian Hughes, founder of virtual world consulting company Feeding Edge, seems to think so. At a seminar at this year’s Event UK, hosted by the Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM) and Eventia, he pointed out the benefits of virtual experience platforms such as Second Life for events.

“There has been a huge social change in the way we communicate,” says Hughes. “People are gathering online to solve problems; it is part of the evolution of human communication. We have to take virtual events seriously. The virtual world might require a bit more effort than Facebook, but it allows you to put a memory to it – it’s still about people and is much more personal than sending emails.”

Fellow panellist Justin Bovington, CEO of Rivers Run Red, agreed: “Some platforms require a download, which can be frustrating. By its very nature, navigating a 3D space is harder; it’s not something we’re used to.”

Yet he was adamant the results far outweigh these initial inconveniences: “Virtual events allow you to create a sustained communication. They enable organisers to prolong an event’s life, keeping the dialogue going so visitors can go back again and carry on where they left off.”

As an experiment, the same seminar was held in Second Life the next day. The results showed that delegates found it more straightforward to register and obtain feedback from the live event, but easier to interact with other delegates and speakers in the virtual event. The results also suggested that those ‘attending’ the virtual event saved approximately 690kg of CO2 by not going to the real EventUK seminar.

“There are clearly some lessons to be learned on the engagement with delegates prior to the event, and people preferred hearing from real-life speakers in the flesh,” says ITM chief executive Paul Tilstone.

“The statistics on interaction, however, are interesting because they demonstrate that virtual technology actually aids interaction rather than hinders it as one might expect, so clearly this aspect could drive the technology application for certain types of event.”

The virtual event, then, does seem an attractive option, but according to Haff we’d be mistaken to think it could ever replace human interaction. “Virtual events address a need for people and brands to connect in a way that enhances and amplifies, but will never replace connecting face to face,” he says.

For him, the exciting prospect is bringing each of these channels together to make one ’super event’: “There is an exciting opportunity to wed the benefits of face to face with the huge potential of online and social media channels, to create 360 degs experience campaigns that span from the virtual to the physical, dramatically extending the reach and impact of both.”

BENEFITS OF THE VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE

- Decreases costs Creates a balanced portfolio of live and virtual experiences

- Increases reach Brings a live experience to people who cannot participate in person, due to reasons such as location, timing or cost

- Amplifies impact Builds on other forms of communication to enhance conversations and broaden networks

- Customises experiences Provides a virtual experience in which stakeholders can participate in ways that are relevant and effective for them

- Maintains relationships Takes advantage of the lower costs and shorter format to connect with key audiences more often than normal

- Leverages marketing assets Allows stakeholders to use content from live events or add rich media from other marketing sources, as well as use new materials that are generated virtually for future needs and campaigns

Source

For young people who have decided that a career in public relations will be their Latte Grande in life, here are four situations in which you do not want to find yourself:1. You confuse the basic function of public relations with
sub-parts that make up the whole like publicity,
crisis management or employee communications.

2. You feel unsure in approaching public relations problems,
then uncertain about what counsel to give your
employer/client.

3. As the years pass, you rely on career-long misconceptions
about public relations but forge ahead anyway advising
the employer/client ineffectively sometimes with damaging,
if not dangerous counsel.

4. You realize too late that you have gone through your entire
career without a firm grasp of what public relations is
all about.

You can avoid those pitfalls by grasping early-on The Rosetta Stone of public relations, i.e., a guide to understanding the discipline and its core strength. Namely, people act on their perception of the facts; those perceptions lead to certain behaviors; and something can be done about those perceptions and behaviors that lead to achieving an organization’s objectives.

Which is why, when public relations goes on to successfully create, change or reinforce public opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-action those people whose behaviors affect the organization, it accomplishes its mission.

The fact is that NO organization – business, non-profit or public sector – can succeed today unless the behaviors of its most important audiences are in-sync with the organization’s objectives. And that means public relations professionals must modify somebody’s behavior if they are to help hit the employer/client’s objective and earn a paycheck. All else are but means to that end.

Once that foundation of understanding is firmly set, an action pathway begins to appear:

– identify the problem or challenge
– set the public relations goal
– set the public relations strategy
– identify target audiences
– prepare persuasive messages
– select/implement key communications tactics
– monitor progress
– and the end game? Meet the behavior modification goal.

A bonus: you are using a near-perfect public relations performance measurement. I mean how can you measure the results of an activity more accurately than when you clearly achieve the goal you set at the beginning of that activity? You can’t. It’s pure success.

So, as a beginner, can you expect to avoid the four pitfalls listed above? Yes, and here’s why:

– With proper preparation, you will not confuse action
tactics with the basic mission of public relations because
you will know precisely what each is and just what fits
where in the public relations problem solving sequence.

– You will feel more confident about providing counsel to
the employer/client because the public relations problem at
hand can be clearly identified allowing you to select
solutions that obviously fit into the action sequence
outlined above. You will identify your target audiences
because you will know exactly who your employer/client
wants to reach, and the necessary action tactics will
then be self-evident.

– You realize that you have gone through your entire career
WITH a firm, successful grasp of what public relations
is all about.

Of course, on the way you will also nurture the relationships between your target audiences and your employer/client’s business by burnishing the reputation of the organization, its service and products. You will do your best to persuade those target audiences to do what your employer/client wants them to do. And while seeking public understanding and acceptance of that employer/client, you’ll ensure that your joint activities not only comply with the law, but clearly serve the public interest. Then, you will pull out all tactical stops to actually move those individuals to action. And your employer/client will be pleased that you have brought matters along to this point.

But when will that employer/client of yours be fully satisfied with the public relations results you have produced? Only when your “reach, persuade and move-to-action efforts have produced that visible modification in the behaviors of those target audiences you, and they wish to influence.

In my view, this is the central, strategic function of public relations – the basic context in which you must operate in your pursuit of a successful and satisfying public relations career.

Source

As far as Web services for your business go, precious little is more misunderstood than online PR. Many service buyers simply don’t understand the difference between PR and marketing on the Web (if they even understand that “PR” can mean something other than Page Rank). It’s not their fault though.

The PR industry has been notoriously bad at enlightening clients and potential clients about public relations and its value to a business. At the same time, Internet marketing is a flourishing field, where marketing professionals treat PR as a tool under their larger umbrella. That’s the message most potential online PR clients get.

Online public relations and Internet marketing are similar, no doubt, but they’re incredibly different in their most important aspects:

The Message
In Internet marketing (as in all areas of marketing) the message is designed to drive sales or directly increase revenue in some way. For example, the marketing message of a large online book store might be that they can offer the largest selection and cheapest prices because of their bulk buying power.

In online PR (and Public Relations as a whole) the message isn’t designed to be directly promotional. PR messages can vary from showing that a company cares about a specific cause (or show core values of the company) to news messages put out by the company.

The Targets
In Internet marketing, you have a “target market.” These are essentially the people your company is selling something to (or if you run a website monetized by advertising, your target market might be potential readers that you’d monetize through those ads).

In online PR, you have a “target audience” instead. A target audience (sometimes called a “key public” or “stakeholder”) can be any group that has influence over the company. The target market is just one target audience. Others might include residents of the area where a company is located, government officials, stockholders, and employees.

The Tactics and Tools
One of the reasons many Internet marketers assume they understand online PR is the fact that the two disciplines often use a few of the same tools. However, they use those tools in different ways. Here are tools and tactics used in Internet Marketing and online PR.

Common tactics and tools used in Internet marketing:

• Paid advertising (banner ads, text link ads, etc.)
• Link exchanges, free Web directory submissions, blog comments (link-building activities)
• Affiliates
• Sales letters (and other sales copy)
• Article marketing (to drive affiliate sales, traffic, or backlinks)
• Search engine marketing (paid search placements)
• Blogs
• Social bookmarking sites
• Social networks
• Podcasts / Internet radio shows
• Sales, coupons, or other discounts
• E-books
• Reports / white papers
• Direct mail campaigns via email (for promotional purposes)

Common tactics and tools used in online PR:

• Press releases / news releases
• Op-eds / letters to the editor (for online publications)
• Online newsrooms and media kits
• SEO (to build awareness through organic search engine placements)
• Interviews
• Blogs
• Articles (used to build exposure and expert status more than directly pushing sales or traffic)
• Podcasts / Internet radio shows (if not purely or mostly promotional)
• Reports / white papers
• Email newsletters
• Social networks

With so much overlap on the tools and tactics used in online PR and Internet marketing, it’s no wonder there’s confusion. The real key is in the way each tool or tactic is used in those different capacities to reach different audiences for different reasons.

Internet marketers rarely look at more than sales, traffic numbers, etc. Online PR professionals look more at the “big picture” of how your company is using those tools to communicate with all groups that may have some influence over you (such as building and maintaining an overall image).

In most cases, one doesn’t really understand how to effectively perform on both fronts, which is why it’s important for business owners and others to understand the difference so they can choose the best service providers to help them reach their goals (or to work towards reaching those goals independently). The best option is always to strike a balance between the two.

Source

Food giant steps up efforts to restore reputation amid sustained attacks on internet.

Nestle is embarking on an emergency online PR campaign to restore its reputation amid sustained criticism on the internet.

The world’s largest foods company is ramping up its efforts to monitor online opinion, including looking for an agency to handle its worldwide ‘buzz’ monitoring.

The action comes as Nestle continues to encounter vociferous online opposition on a range of issues, from traditional concerns about its formula milk, to newer attacks on its digital marketing efforts.

Nestle is understood to be briefing agencies from its global HQ in Vevey, Switzerland. ‘The company wants someone to help it chart a path through social media,’ said one source involved in the pitch.

In October 2009, a social media crisis erupted after Nestle invited 20 influential ‘mummy bloggers’ to its US HQ for an all-expenses-paid meeting with its CEO.

Anti-Nestle activists, including other parenting bloggers, responded by hijacking the relevant Twitter hashtag and launching a highly visible opposition campaign.

‘That left a bad taste,’ admitted another source involved in the review. ‘Nestle does face a lot of issues, but its concern is more about the legacy of the past – this idea that stories don’t die online.’

For the past three decades, Nestle has faced a continued boycott because of concern over the company’s infant formula milk business in developing countries.

It is thought that PR and marketing agencies from Publicis Groupe, which counts a long-term relationship with various Nestle units, are among those involved in the review. Nestle has also worked with Nielsen BuzzMetrics on its North American monitoring brief in the past.

Nestle head of corporate media relations Robin Tickle declined to comment.

HOW NESTLE FARES

Nestle received a ‘positivity’ score in social media of just 12 out of 100 in an audit by Yomego Social Media Reputation. Kraft scored 32.

The research firm analysed Nestle over three months. The low score is driven by anti-Nestle sentiment on blogs and Twitter.

Nestle’s social media ‘noise’ level scored a relatively high 68. Rival Coca-Cola has a ‘noise’ score of 92.

Source

Event Director – Media – Canada, Formula Won

· Employer: Formula Won

· Salary: £60,240 + £18,600 bonus + exc

This infamous international brand seeks a highly talented Event Director to take on an active role developing this market leading event for the energy sector. You will have significant event management experience having taken complete commercial responsibility, in order to be successful.

Event Director:
This exciting opportunity will see the Event Director responsible for an annual event for the energy sector. You will create and direct the vision for the exhibition, developing show themes, exhibition, features, promotions, advertising and sponsorship opportunities. You will be responsible for the entire show process including the preparation and development of show budgets, sales strategies, business plans, critical paths, P & L’s, and maintaining financial controls.

You will actively participate in the sale of exhibit space and sponsorship to major clients, establishing relationships throughout the industry in order to become aware of new business opportunities, and maintain and develop governmental and ministerial relationships. You will provide management, guidance and mentorship to staff, while providing a working knowledge of all aspects of trade shows, including marketing, sales, operations, and conferencing.

In order to be successful in this position you will be an accomplished event director having established yourself within a target driven marketplace, and you will have significant evidence of delivering budgeted revenue and profits. You have taken complete commercial responsibility for b2b events and you are an accomplished manager with man management skills that are second to none. You will possess outstanding all round communication skills so you are able to network and liaise effectively with senior level management and industry leaders, bringing strength to the business. A creative mindset in order to introduce new ideas is essential. You are also proactive, flexible and willing to travel.

Our client is a leading, international provider of business information to a wide variety of unique industries including energy, construction and communications. Delivered through mediums such as exhibitions, websites, magazines and summits across the world this company really is a leader in each of its fields, serving a global audience. This is an excellent opportunity to make your mark on this well respected event. Don’t delay and get in touch with Sam Blake (CEO) now.

Please do not apply unless you have the relevant experience. Due to the high volume of applications only successful applicants will be contacted and if you have not heard from us in two weeks of your application please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.

Formula Won Media is a progressive, proactive and dynamic media recruitment consultancy, established in August 2000 dedicated to the media industry. We lead the market for the best permanent media jobs within: media sales, new media sales, outdoor sales, exhibition sales, event sales, conference sales, broadcast sales, ambient sales, marketing, media agency and editorial jobs. We also have specialist divisions that cover International jobs and Search & Selection. All of our consultants have considerable experience in media so you can be confident that they will have your best interests at heart when finding the perfect role for you.

We successfully place roles including Account Manager, Sales Executive, Graduate, Advertising Manager, Sales Director, Sales Manager, Senior Executive, Senior Management, Campaign Management, Brand Management, Agency Planner, Agency Buyer, Business Development, Telesales, Event Producer, Event Organiser, Editor, Journalist, Graphic Designer, Managing Editor, Sub-Editor, Reporter, Specialist Writer, Researcher, Picture Editor, Online Editor, News Editor, Art Director and many more.

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Live Event Producer – Agency, Regan & Dean Recruitment Limited

· Employer: Regan & Dean Recruitment Limited

· Salary: £35000-£35000

Great opportunity for a mid-range Live Events Producer to join this successful and busy agency. You’ll work on a great variety of clients from automotive to retail. You’ll work from pitch to delivery on wide range of events, from conferences, to roadshows and special events, as well as film/video projects. The agency have a great range of clients and projects – you’ll never be bored!

You’ll already have been working as a Producer in an agency, and had responsibility for content, creative, technical and logistical aspects of your events. You’ll have a strong interest in content, and like a challenge and variety. You’ll also ideally have experience of film/video projects alongside your live events.

YOU MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE AS AN AGENCY PRODUCER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS ROLE.

This is a great opportunity to work on a real variety of live events for great clients – so don’t miss out – if you’re a Producer ready for a move send your cv asap to gillycvs@regananddean.co.uk, or call Gilly on                0207 409 3244        .

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Event Manager – Maternity, Xchangeteam

· Employer: Xchangeteam

· Salary: £50000-£55000

We are looking to recruit a Deputy Event Director for this leading media company with an international presence who deliver some of the world’s leaving events and publications in niche sectors. This role is covering for maternity and will be staring early Feb right through until April 2011. The main purpose of the role will be to assist in the delivery or new and existing events within the construction and architecture division, specifically; exhibitions, conferences and awards. You will manage a number of staff across both events and sales. As such, you must be all about ROI and the bottom line. You will manage a budget and be confident in putting together and implementing strategies.

In terms of the person we’re looking for, you’ll have a solid background in events management where you have worked on a range of events. A knowledge and experience of the construction industry would be beneficial and you must have managed a medium size team (min 5). You will be forward thinking with a strong focus on the commercial side of things.

If this sounds like the kind of opportunity you’ve been looking for, please apply immediately. However, please note, due to the large volume of applicants we receive, we can only respond to suitable applicants.

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Deputy Event Sales Director , Xchangeteam

· Employer: Xchangeteam

· Salary: £50000-£55000

This is a senior role which supports the event director in the long term strategic as well as day to day management of a rapidly growing events department. This will initially be a maternity cover role.

You would be working closely with the event director, to assist in planning the strategic direction of the UK events portfolio and seeing through the tactical actions to ensure that each event achieves its revenue, expenditure, contribution and quality expectations. You will also use their knowledge of the UK construction and Architecture industry, its trends and players to develop and implement long term plans for each product.

Looking for someone that has previously worked closely with the brand editors to maximise profile and exploit opportunities for events in print and Online. You must have also Developed and implemented successful strategies for existing construction and architecture community events and managed a team. You would be managing a team of 7 in this role.

If you have strong senior experience running a team of sales people and developing strategy within events with specific focus on the construction industry then please send your cv to gkane@xchangeteam.com, or call Gillian on                0207 0254 431

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Event Sales Account Manager , Xchangeteam

· Employer: Xchangeteam

· Salary: £28000-£36000

The Event Account Manager is accountable for delivering commercial success in face to face / digital networking events within their portfolio, plus at least 1 further virtual fair (exhibition, awards, sponsorship and online).

You will be responsible for running, selling and developing this show worth around 500k. The company is a very big name with beautiful offices in central London. They are looking for someone that can work autonomously, has proven face to face sales experience, ideally within events and knows how to budget and forecast effectively.

This is a great opportunity to stamp your mark on an already successful show and make it your own. If you have had experience in selling property events or dealing with very senior level professionals within finance, law and property then please get in touch.

Send your cv to gkane@xchangeteam.com or call Gillian on 02070254431

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Tue 2nd – Wed 3rd	The Event Show, Earls Court Olympia, London – eventshow.co.uk
Tue 9th – Wed 10th	The Business Travel and Meetings Show, Earls Court, London
Sun 14th	St. Valentine’s Day
Sun 14th	Chinese New Year
Mon 15th	Presidents, Day Holiday (USA & CAN)
Tue 16th	Shrove Tue – Pancake Day
Tue 23rd – Thurs 25th	Confex Exhibition – Earls Court1, London International-confex.com
Wed 17th	Ash Wed
Fri 26th	Milad un Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet), Sunni (Muslim)
Sun 28th	Purim (Jewish Festival)
Mon 1st	St David’s Day (Wales)
MARCH
Mon 1st	Holi (Hindu Festival)
Wed 3rd	Milad un Nabi, Shia (Muslim)
Thurs 4th	World Book Dayworldbookday.com
Mon 8th	International Women’s Day
Tue 9th	Commonwealth Day
Tue 9th	The Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (Muslim Festival)
Thurs 11th – Sun 14th	Crufts – NEC Birmingham
Sun 14th	Mothers Day (UK)
Tue 16th – Fri 19th	The Cheltenham Festival – National Hunt Racing cheltenham-festival.co.uk
Wed 17th	St. Patrick’s Day – Holiday (Northern Ireland, Ireland, USA)
Sat 20th	First Day of Spring
Sat 20th – Sun 21st	East of England Shire Horse Spring Show, Peterborough
Sat 20th March – 5th April	The Daily Mail Ideal Home Show – idealhomeshow.co.uk
Mon 22nd	Saka (Indian New Year)
Thurs 25th	Annunciation (Lady Day)
Sun 28th	Palm Sun
Sun 28th	British Summertime begins
Tue 30th	1st Day of Passover (Jewish)