10 Yetis PR News

Apr 29th 2013

10 Yetis Asks - Is It Still Okay to Work From Home, Even in a 24 Hour World?

One of the biggest discussions going on in America at the moment is whether or not employees should have the option to be able to work from home. With Yahoo! being in the press earlier this year when newly appointed CEO Marissa Mayer announced that workers who had previously been allowed to work from home would have until June to start commuting to work, the issue surrounding working from home exploded onto the main stage. Continuing this discussion, this week's PRWEEK contained an article asking whether or not the PR industry would benefit from such a working setup and whether or not they would get more done working from home or in an office.

As we love a good old fashioned debate, we felt this too good an opportunity to miss throwing in our two cents and discussing which set up produces more effective results in the long term for PR professionals.

YES, let's work from home!

As I have worked both part and full time for 10 Yetis, I can say that making the transition to becoming a full time office employee, when I previously worked from home for a healthy living book company, took a bit of getting used to. Working in an office is great, but you also have to take into account other factors i.e. the commute, radio/TV preferences, coffee/tea breaks and other distractions that may influence and affect your work. Working from home means that you get to set your own agenda and as many PRs are accessible 24/7, even when travelling or vacationing, the idea of the agency office and staying put seems slightly antiquated and outdated. As more clients expect us to be reachable and constantly monitoring their account and coverage at all hours, many times I find myself reading news stories and checking up on the competition outside of so-called work hours. Being in PR means you are constantly on call and with the influence of social media and constant media streaming, a successful PR person's day is never done.

What does this mean for PR?

In the past, some of my fellow Yetis have had to work from home for various reasons and because all of us have a mobile, a computer of some sort, access to the internet and most importantly, a social media account/presence, we are able to get on with it and make sure that everything that needed to get done was done with on time. Being in PR means that you have the flexibility and the ability to get things done without having to even show up to a physical office. While it is good to have a base, many PRs are constantly out meeting clients, drawing up creative campaigns on the fly and reacting to the latest news around them. As many of us in the industry already work crazy hours outside the normal 9-5 work day, working from home is just another accepted aspect of the job. If you are like me and look after international clients, your hours will take into account the time difference, working later to coincide with NY and LA time, not UK time. Working from home, therefore, would be a piece of cake.

PROS

Less distractions (some would say), more time to focus on campaigns and a quieter working environment. Say goodbye to distracting office chats and hello to your own personal zen working area. Even better if you have a personal office or a secluded area where you can get loads of work done, in half the time.

CONS

You often miss out on meetings that can be planned or impromptu, depending on the situation and the client. You could also be present via Skype or telephone conference call but, in PR, I'm a firm believer in face to face meetings to have a better idea what is going on and how the campaign is going. Also, I find that when I work at home, I often work longer hours and later into the night. Working at home means there is no work/ life balance as our lives are intertwined with the business, which can be a good thing in terms of productivity but a bad thing in terms of personal health. But most PRs wouldn't have it any other way.

NO, let's work from the office!

As any PR faithful will tell you, working in the office has its perks. Especially in PR, where team meetings often turn into brain storming sessions, which then turn into bonding experiences. Some of our best work has come out of throwing around various ideas for campaigns and stunt ideas. Put a load of creative and intelligent people in a room together and, more often than not, you will come up with various ideas and solutions. The agency becomes like a second family and we are all made up of different strengths and abilities. Working from an office allows those abilities to shine through.

What does this mean for PR?

Also, working in an office gives you a better idea of how the agency/business/company is moving forward and how together you can best pitch to clients. We often shout ideas and problems across our open planned office as if you need help thinking up an idea, chances are that someone will be around to help. A PR team that works well together can produce better results for the agency and, more importantly, the client.

At the end of the day, PR is a very people focused industry, so you need that constant human interaction.

PROS

Helps build a group focused work environment, where one can ask other members of the team for help and advice when stuck in a rut, thought-wise. Working from home means you miss out on meetings and on those inside jokes that only people in the office would know about. Also, lack of team building exercises mean you miss out on getting to know your colleagues and their various strengths work wise. Another point to consider is that office-based working provides better structure and a better work-life balance.

CONS

In an open planned office it can be difficult to get all your work done, especially if you have a lot to do. Concentrating while your colleagues are planning a new stunt, another is on the phone trying to sort out a campaign and someone else is trying to give an interview on the radio can be trying, to say the least. If you are one of those types of people who have to have complete silence while working, perhaps working in an agency isn't the best foot forward.

So there we have it - our thoughts on the great office/home debate. As you can see, both sides have pros and cons so our advice would be to try both types of employment opportunities to see which one works better for you.

	Christina posted on 29/04/2013		post a comment

Apr 29th 2013

10 Yetis Work Experience Blog- Keeleigh O'Malley

I have had such an amazing week here at 10 Yetis that I will miss the laid-back vibe of the office when I return to school. I have really enjoyed the chance to become independent and to see a working environment when I am actually in working in one and not just learning about it. My dramatic work experience school lessons prepared me for the worst, I was expecting health and safety hazards and little work to do but, my schedule has been packed with things to do and luckily there were no hazards.

When I first arrived at 10 Yetis, I was given work to do straight away. Each morning, I was given the task of writing out the newspaper headlines and wrote good and bad PR for the company's blog. I really enjoyed finding good examples for the blog. I also learnt various skills like 'cutting' and PR terminology like 'angles'. Another thing I was asked to do was choose the best four infographics to be uploaded to the website throughout the day. During the week, I sat in on various meeting. This gave me an opportunity to see what daily life is like in PR. One of my favourite things to do was write for mycelebrityfashion. I liked writing about things in the celebrity news today and putting my own spin on the titles given to me.

The best thing about working here was how welcoming everyone was. I was treated like an adult and not just someone from secondary school on work experience. Everyone has bubbly and fun personalities so it was fun to be around them for the week. Even if it was a lot of fun here, I have learnt specific knowledge of PR and this has influenced my career choice to hopefully work in PR one day. The environment here is very happy and laid back but work is done to the highest standard.

The experience here has been an amazing one; there hasn't been anything bad about it. I look forward to hopefully working in a place like this when I am older and I strongly urge everyone to come here for work experience.

public relations

	Emma Kent posted on 29/04/2013		post a comment

Apr 26th 2013

10 Yetis Asks - Do you Need a London PR Agency?

The short answer to this is 'no', but it wouldn't be fair if we didn't at least explain why. Of course, we're biased; we're based in Gloucester. I can look out of the window as I write this and see rolling hills and, if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction, you can almost taste the manure spread on the nearby fields. It's a far cry from the hustle and bustle of the capital and the smell of car exhausts and coffee, but it's the place us Yetis call home.

I can only begin to imagine the number of start-ups, established businesses and individuals that decide they need a PR agency and immediately type London PR Agency into Google (other search engines are available). The thing is, you may be missing a trick by automatically assuming public relations is an industry that can only be operated from the bright lights of the big smoke.

So, why isn't it important for a PR agency to be based in London? Well, here goes nothing...

Journalist relationships - If you automatically assume that PR professionals based in London will have better relationships with journalists just because they're based in closer proximity to them, you'd probably be wrong. Yes, there are lots of swanky networking events that take place in London and these kind of shindigs are easier for London PR people to get to, but that doesn't mean PR people from other areas of the country (like us) won't make the effort to have a presence there. We also speak to the journalists via email and over the phone just as much as a London PR agency would and we also make sure we go and grab the occasional coffee with key journalists, so non-London PR agency's relationships with journalists are just as good.

Cost - The simple fact that a PR agency is based in London will mean that their overheads are much higher than agencies based elsewhere in the country; and what does that mean? Well, that their fees will be higher too probably! Non-London PR agencies normally charge much less for their services than those based in the big city, so you will probably get more for your moolah if you take your custom elsewhere.

Are you based in London? - If the answer to this question is 'yes' then it makes perfect sense for you to look for a PR agency also based in London, but it's not vital. If the answer is 'no', you should think about looking for an agency closer to your offices. Whole business relationships based on a string of email exchanges and phone calls aren't ideal. It's good to meet regularly with your PR agency to put faces to names and have a get together to catch up. Of course, you can always jump in a car, on a train or tune in to a conference call, but it's handy to be fairly nearby.

Bigger ideas - Don't assume that a London PR agency will have bigger and better ideas than agencies based elsewhere in the UK. A good idea can be born anywhere in the world and you should judge a PR agency on their previous ideas and successes, not their postcode.

Better teams - Similar to my last point, it's wrong to think that a PR professional in London will be better at their job than a PR person in Bristol, Manchester or anywhere else on the map. Don't be scared to ask an agency about its team, their experience and their track record. Skills vary from PR person to PR person, but a London address doesn't automatically make someone better at their job or any more experienced or qualified.

Client's best interests at heart - There's no denying that London PR agencies work just as hard as other agencies UK-wide, but there's something about smaller agencies that makes teams want to impress their clients more (I think, anyway). In a way, because non-London PR agencies don't always have the glitzy and glamorous facade, they won't just be working hard to pay the bills; they'll work hard to impress clients, retain them for longer and attract other new business with the great results they achieve.

Case studies - If you were launching the world's cheapest time machine, but the only other PR agency that had carried out a campaign for a time machine company before was based in Leeds, not London, you'd probably want to work with them. To cut to the chase, you should pick an agency that has experience and proven results in your sector, not because they're based in London.

Chemistry - It's a good idea to pick an agency that is not only compatible with your objectives through the services they offer and experience they have, but also that you get along well with. A London agency may look and act the part, but if you really don't click with the team then your relationship has already got off to a bad staff. Pick an agency you get along with, whether they're in London, Liverpool or Leicester!

So, in a nut shell, you do not need a London PR agency for your public relations campaign. Postcode shouldn't play a part in your decision when picking an agency and your bank balance will thank you for selecting an agency elsewhere. To recap, put the agency's location out of your mind when making your decision and ask yourself the following questions:

-Does the agency have experience in our sector?
-Do the agency's fees match our budget?
-Does the team have a proven track record at getting the coverage we'd want?
-Can the agency offer positive testimonials?
-Does the agency have impressive ideas?
-Do you get on well with the team?
-Does the agency have good relationships with your target media and journalists?

The End.

	Shannon posted on 26/04/2013		post a comment

Apr 26th 2013

10 Yetis is Recruiting - 2 x Multi media executives (video)

Good news everyone, we are recruiting to bolster our growing multi-media and video division.

Super8

Here is the job ad and spec...

2 x Multi-Media Executives (Video)
Salary: £20,000 per annum
Hours: 37.5 per week
Competitive benefits package

The Agency

10 Yetis is an award winning digital media agency. We have a fricking awesome portfolio of brands sitting within our core business; 10 Yetis PR, A Social Media Agency and The Online Video Company.

We work with some absolute Worldie brands across the UK, US, France and Germany.

We have regular team nights out and regularly attend very swish industry events. Without getting all Michael Douglas offa Wall St, we have good fun but all work very flipping hard.

On the down side, we have the smelliest office dog, Hugo, an unrepentant Basset Hound who will, at some point, steal your lunch.

The Role

The successful candidates will report directly to one of the co-founders of the Agency and help to co-ordinate and deliver the multi-media side of our projects, specifically video filming and editing.

This will include scoping, scripting, shooting and editing videos for deployment across the web and also offline.

The job would be best suited to a graduate (not essential) with previous experience of filming and editing digital projects.

Equipment and training will be provided but you must have a strong show reel of previous work that can be made up of commercial, personal or educational work.

A good eye for design and being more than aware of the latest filming and design trends is also a must.

You will be hungry for success and take a dynamic approach to everything you do. Basically, if you are after a typical 9-5 job, jog on my friend, this isn't the job for you.

Essential Skills

Experience of video editing using a mainstream software platform such as Final Cut Pro
Experience of capturing engaging video footage
Experience of capturing clear audio and sound
Good Engrish & The Math
Positive attitude (think Kenny Powers)
Good awareness of social media platforms
Good eye for a nice design
Fast learner

Desired skills (training can be given)

Motion graphics
Video SEO
Awareness of future trends of filming and video

NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

	Andy posted on 26/04/2013		post a comment

Apr 26th 2013

Hey ho peeps, it's Friday o'clock! Keeleigh here with her (sadly) last good and bad PR post. Booooo.

Good PR

Omgfashion.co.uk got a lot of coverage last year when It released a 99p party dress just in time for Christmas parties and, with everyone feeling the pinch, the fashion company have now released a new summer dress just in time for the hot weather...again at 99p.

The dress is a long black maxi with silver detail that is a classic addition to the summer wardrobe. It is a sensible summer buy with a classic shape and loosely ruched waist with a plunging sweet heart neckline. "With the great success last year with the 99p party dress we have decided to repeat this offer with a maxi dress for the summer,' said spokeswoman Hayley Mellor.

Last October's party dress sale saw 300 dresses sell out in 15 minutes after more than 100,000 people visited the website causing it to crash under heavy traffic. This time it has made 1,000 dresses available on their website ready to be sold at midnight tonight. The dress is a great marketing ploy. The dress is indeed 99p but the postage and packaging will cost you an extra £2, so why not make it worthwhile and buy a few extra things on the website, say some accessories for the dress. Still, with the rest of the items priced reasonably too, the purse-strings of a fashionista will not be stretched too far.

Omgfashion.co.uk knows exactly what they're doing and they are doing very well.

Public Relations

Bad PR

X-Factor have already faced the scandal of 'vote fixing' but when Zimbabwe native, Gamu Nhengu, was voted off in favour of Cher Lloyd and Katie Wassiel, both of whom forgot their lyrics, 250,000 people signed a petition demanding that she was reinstated. But in her most recent interview the now more mature singer slates the talent show.

When she was booted off, there was speculation that her family's visa had ran out. Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole both publicly reached out to her but Gamu says she never heard from them personally and hasn't since. She admits that she doesn't believe that the X-Factor allows artists to explore their own style compared to rival show The Voice. The singers are manufactured in the live shows says Gamu. The singer said that she is a big fan of The Voice because of their 'coaching techniques' not judging. Gamu has said that she was glad she was booted off because now she can be the singer that she wants to be. After her interview, X-Factor bosses quickly invited her back to an audition but Gamu refused. Trying to cover their backs it seems.

Gamu says she received offers from very major record companies after X-Factor. After signing with GSound, the Zimbabwean didn't want to be like other X-Factor puppets and was adamant about writing her own stuff. Before her audition, most of Gamu's experience had come from singing in church choirs. Gamu's new single, Shake the Room, will be released on May 6th.

It seems that the X-Factor needs to think about how it treats its acts; otherwise it could come back and haunt them when they publicly criticise their approach. Not good PR Mr Cowell.

Public Relations