Blogs changing the face of PR?

After the success of Coca Cola’s music for RAIN campaign last year, in which the brand initially targeted high profile bloggers as opposed to ‘conventional’ journalists to stimulate conversation, it got me thinking; how is the PR industry supposed to treat this influx of increasingly influential voices?

Is there a way to gauge their influence and can they be treated as seriously as journalists, or are they just spouting off random musings in their spare time? If just about anyone can be a blogger,  do we try and influence this vast volume, or do we just ignore the majority and focus on the a select few?

Although it’s tricky to implement a clear distinction between journalists and bloggers, there’s one key fundamental difference: freedom. Journalists – for the most part – have to remain impartial and abide by editorial guidelines, yet bloggers have an unchallenged freedom of expression. This is where their effectiveness comes in for things such as product launches or events, good or bad – you’ll be sure to get their honest opinion. They don’t have to engage in the hidden ‘sentimental’ relationship politics that big name brands and newspapers  can be guilty of, the result of which ultimately has an effect on the overall tone of the coverage. If, as research dictates, that up to 75% of news comes from press releases, it could be argued that news desks might be reluctant to slate the companies who are helping to fill their pages.

This leads on to the main point of this post, which is that as we see an increase in alternative media outlets that have more freedom to voice opinion, then perhaps the big name brands should increase the attention they pay them accordingly.

The challenge comes in being able to seek out and cement working relationships with the regular, well-followed bloggers who can really influence opinion. Even if a blogger doesn’t like something a company is doing, at least a two-way conversation can be had and fed back into the company to make for good internal PR. Going a step further, this internal work can be publicised externally to demonstrate how the company is actively listening to feedback and striving to improve.

Five artists to watch in 2012

There’s no denying that 2011 was a bumper year for music. Quickly forgetting the fact we saw the birth of yet another TV group made up of highly ‘talented’ individuals, and an influx of boy bands who apparently made wearing skinny chinos and deep v neck tops ‘cool’, beneath the surface of the mainstream pop radar there were some genuine gems that snuck their way onto our speakers.

French electro outfit M83 quite literally defined what ‘epic music’ should sound like, ginger dream boy Ed Sheeran kicked off his mainstream career (yes, I’m aware he was doing his thing for years before this) and rapper Common only recently released one of the years’ best albums – quickly burying his previous effort that was, frankly, terrible. The list could go on and on.

As another new year reigns in, here are some of the artists that I feel are worth keeping an eye on this year.

Young Guns.

The British rock scene had an absolutely storming last year; Mallory Knox, Bury Tomorrow and Deaf Havana all waved the flag with pride whilst fan favourites We Are The Ocean hammered their way onto the scene with great gusto. Hoping to follow in their footsteps are Buckinghamshire’s latest, and probably only exports Young Guns. The five piece’s debut album All Our Kings Are Dead set the ball rolling recieiving considerable attention, and the boys enjoyed a summer of touring and playing some of the UK’s biggest festivals. Follow up production Bones is set for release this month and expectations are high.

Young Guns – Learn my Lesson

Ben Howard.

With humble beginnings spent surfing in quiet Devon, Ben Howard has managed to accrue quite the fan base through sheer word of mouth; he’s one of those artists you’ll tell your friends about – the kind that fans of most genres can enjoy.  With good reason too, packing a blend of soft folk rock infused with jazz elements, Howard’s tracks serve as the perfect reminder of summer during these chilly months. His passion for the great outdoors clearly shines through and on tracks like Old Pine you almost feel as if you’re stood there with him.  A string of tour dates across the UK and Europe this month ensure he’ll get even more recognition this year, keep your eyes peeled.

Ben Howard – Old Pine

LIGHTS.

This Canadian born electro-rock starlet started to make some serious waves in the U.S last year, and 2012 could be the year she starts to conquer the U.K. The attractive youngster’s catchy, melodic synth driven tracks are complimented by her punchy voice, offering a real alternative to the majority of female artists we’ve seen as of late.  Citing some of her key influences as Björk, Phil Collins and ABBA – you might be a little thrown, but believe me, she makes it work. The only downside is actually getting hold of her music, because as expected, ‘Lights’ brings up a wealth of search results about things that illuminate your lounge and certainly don’t sing to you.

LIGHTS – Second Go

Michael Kiwanuka.

Having just topped the BBC’s Sound of 2012 list (and who are we to argue with the BBC), soul singer Michael Kiwanuka has already started to establish himself as a house hold name. Having already supported Adele on tour and possessing a voice that’s been compared to Bill Withers, it’s no surprise that the 24 year old tipped the odds. What you probably didn’t know is that Kiwanuka isn’t a new face to the music scene, having worked as Labrinth’s session guitarist for a year before finally stepping in front of the microphone himself. ­ I won’t pretend for one second to be a soul connoisseur, but Kiwanuka’s music is something even I can enjoy.

Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again

Twin Atlantic.

Now this is a slightly controversial choice as it could be argued that Scottish rockers Twin Atlantic have already made a considerable name for themselves, true, but 2012 could be the year they really propel themselves forward and sit themselves alongside fellow Scottish band Biffy Clyro. With two solid full length albums under their belt and a string of tours to their name, all the ingredients are there for true success. Fronted by lead vocalist Sam McTrusty, the band have released a number of b-sides that could have been singles in their own right, upbeat track Cherry Slut is filled with Feeder-esque riffs that will get your head nodding, enjoy.

Twin Atlantic – Cherry Slut

Strover Street take on YouTube

U.S teen Rebecca Black recently gained infamy for her ‘Friday’ video that went global on YouTube, and although many have suggested that ironically it’s her lack of talent that got her noticed – there’s no denying that the internet has created an entire new platform for rising artists.

Armed with tools like YouTube, twitter and facebook, artists are now seizing every opportunity to showcase their talent.

Unlike the aforementioned Miss Black however, one band who are getting noticed for all the right reasons are Surrey four-piece Strover Street. Packing an array of eclectic covers, a laid back attitude and a seemingly endless supply of Fosters cans, the talented young acoustic outfit have netted over 80,000 views with their amusing ‘Strover Street Sundays’ videos.

It’s hard to believe that their ‘Hit Me Baby’ video was an unrehearsed performance, but guitarist and vocalist Tom O’Brien says things naturally fell into place: “We’ve all been friends for years, Adam and I had always wanted to be a part of acoustic band but never had the chance, so we all met up for a beer once and things just seemed to click”.

“We only recorded the songs to see what they sounded like and we seemed to get a nice full sound, so things went from there.”

The long-term friendship shines through when you watch them in action and it’s refreshing to see a group kicking back and actually enjoying themselves when they play – though that’s not to say it’s all tomfoolery – as 80,000 views in under six months proves.

When quizzed about their success the band seem almost dumbfounded – “We never thought people around the world would appreciate our music, we’ve got so much support from fans already, some people have made videos for us and we even have a Spanish fan club on twitter – it’s just insane.”

The support doesn’t go unnoticed however, as Tom proudly points out: “We read every single comment and email – and we’d like to thank every single person that’s watched any of our videos. All the support makes it all worthwhile as without it we wouldn’t still be here.”

The boys – who all manage to find time to get together between their work and studies – are hoping to follow in the footsteps of their own favourites Boyce Avenue and OrtoPilot, artists who have risen up from nothing and reaped the rewards of the mammoth video network that is YouTube.

“There are so many talented musicians who seem to get overlooked by big companies and fail to get the exposure they need , YouTube has given these people a chance to showcase their talents to the world and build a solid fan base” says Tom.

Despite having only showcased cover material thus far, the band is currently waiting to release some original songs that they’ve written over the past year or so.

“We’re currently searching for management and hope to get in the studio soon to get an EP together to show our fans what we can really do, we’re also applying to play at festivals next year so hopefully we’ve got a busy year ahead!”

With an ever progressing sound and a willingness to play any gig available to them, there’s no doubt that Strover Street have a positive future ahead, to see them for yourself and tune into Strover Street Sundays, visit youtube.com/StroverStreet,  and find them on twitter @Stroverstreet

Strover Street are:

Tom O’Brien – Vocals/Guitar.

Adam Wade – Vocals/Guitar.

Ben Allison – Vocals/Guitar.

Archie Cork – Drums.

Prey tracking software put to the test

With laptop and mobile theft on the rise during the past few years, the consumer has every right to be cautious regarding the security of their gadgets. Although many of us will have these products covered by insurance, sometimes a replacement item simply isn’t ideal, as important work documents, photos and sentimental items often mean we’re more concerned with the contents of the laptop or phone than the unit itself.  Yes, we’re frequently advised to back things up but the reality is – it simply isn’t always feasible. Add to this the wearisome hassle of making a claim and it’s easy to see why tracking software is becoming increasingly popular.

One such product to hit the market is the open source Prey software, developed by Fork LTD. In summary, Prey, according to the company’s blurb is a “tiny agent in your PC or phone, which silently waits for a remote signal to wake up and work its magic”, and most importantly – it’s free.

Prey recently made the headlines after Bristol student Emma Partington’s laptop was recovered after Police used the software’s reports to track down its whereabouts. Speaking of the case, Detective Inspector Gavin McClory said: “Tracking software is a powerful tool in the fight against thieves and we would recommend people make use of the software that is available to download on computers and some smartphones.”

It almost seems too easy. So, ever the sceptic of free goods, I decided to try it for myself.

Installing the program on my laptop was quick and straightforward and  I was soon signed into the ‘Preyproject’ control panel.

When the laptop is stolen, the user simply initiates the tracking sequence by logging onto the control panel from any computer or phone and marks the device as ‘missing’, which is exactly what I did.

Crucially, nothing appeared to actually happen on my laptop after this was done; no flashing alarms or warning lights – which ultimately ensures the thief would be unaware they were being tracked.

Within 20 minutes I was notified by email of a new Prey ‘report’. At the control panel the report provided me with an accurate Google Map of my location, my laptop’s remote IP address, internal IP address, screenshot of my desktop, and a somewhat discontenting webcam photo of myself.  (which I haven’t included.)

Success it would seem. Granted the software has its  limitations and relies on the laptop actually being connected to the internet, it’s still a very neat piece of free programming that does exactly what it’s supposed to do.

More tech-savvy thieves can simply reformat the computer to remove any traces of the product, however as Preys email report footnote states: ‘Remember – there’s always a chance!”

To learn more about Prey visit preyproject.com.

“Dubstep is selling out”, but is it

The hipsters bop their fake Ray-Ban clad heads and stomp their generic white pumps, while the purists moan.

“All this new stuff isn’t proper dubstep, they’re killing the scene” they sigh.  Killing it how exactly, surely this new wave of artists are breathing life into the genre and ensuring it doesn’t remain a dissident art in grotty London basements?

The simple fact is, the dubstep genre has evolved and propelled its way into popular music culture over the past couple of years. Flux Pavillion, Nero and Skrillex to name a few are all dropping tracks into the mainstream arena and fans of music from an abundance of genres can be seen enjoying the 140bpm bass heavy jams. Let’s not forget that many of Skrillex’ (aka Sonny Moore of From First to Last fame) fans come from a metal background, and good on them – just because the purists say it isn’t real dubstep, who cares. Evolution is what keeps genres alive, dance music for example is now far too diverse to label as one particular sound.

Initial champions of dubstep – Benga, Artwork and Skream – have literally exploded in the last 12 months with their collaborative outfit Magnetic Man, but ultimately it’s not their individual fans giving them the praise they deserve.

“They’ve sold out and lost touch” one angry Facebook comment rants, while another exclaims “This kind of stuff is watering it all down.”
The ‘sell out’ attitude isn’t something new though and is evident within most genres, indie bands in particular proving a key example – the slightest change of sound or sniff of mainstream success and they’ve apparently sold out.  A quote I once read summarised the state of affairs well, “Artists get slated for staying the same yet hated for trying new things”, and the dubstep ‘heads’ seem to be among the quickest to complain.

So what are we to say to these holier-than-thou purists?  If you genuinely don’t like it, so be it – but take one second to disengage yourself from your preconceptions and listen to a track for what it is, music. Just because some people can enjoy it without cramming themselves into sweaty basement raves, doesn’t give them any less right to be a part of the genre.

Captain America: First Avenger.

Geoffrey Robjent.

In years gone by the Marvel comic book stable has provided us the foundations for a whole host of successful big budget film adaptions, heavy hitting visual masterpieces such as X-Men, Transformers and of course everyone’s favourite web-slinging hero, Spiderman.

The latest to make the jump to the big screen is none other than Captain America. Captain who you ask? Whilst not one of the most popular Marvel heroes this side of the pond, the shield wielding avenger has developed cult status in America. Perhaps it’s in the name.

The film follows the fruitless attempts of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) to join the U.S army during World War 2 in 1942. After a series of knockbacks, Rogers finally lands his big break as the test subject of a radical new program entitled ‘Project Rebirth’, which spawns the birth of Captain America as we know him, blue tights and all. Despite being initially branded as a mere propaganda tool, Rogers’ call to arms soon arrives as a sinister Nazi plot is exposed.

Director Joe Johnson has done a fantastic job of making us feel empathy for Rogers and we really embrace his character. It’s refreshing to see a hero who is vulnerable and human, metaphorically speaking, for a change. The plot is startlingly interesting and features surprise elements of humour blended in with both action and of course the token super hero-esque romance.

Visually the film is striking, the action scenes are well polished and often bare resemblance to that of the acclaimed X-Men series, no mean feat in itself.

Overall a pleasant watch with some strong performances from the cast. Be warned though, you may feel the need to march into your local Army recruitment office afterwards. YOU. WE WANT YOU. YES YOU.

A new low for the NOTW

Geoffrey Robjent

Oh dear, it just goes from bad to worse for old Rupert Murdoch and the now defunct News of the World. As if hacking the phone of one murdered school girl wasn’t despicable enough, we’re now seeing evidence suggesting that Sarah Payne’s phone was hacked, giving the scandal a whole new sense of irony.

It was revealed yesterday, thanks to shamed private detective Glenn Mulcaire’s notes, that Sara Payne, mother of murdered daughter Sarah and ‘dear friend’ of then editor Rebekah Brooks was in fact a victim of the company’s prolific phone hacking campaign after all.

The sheer irony not only lies in the fact that the NOTW had in fact provided Payne with said hacked phone but also that she had stood by the publication to the extent of writing a piece for its final issue, in which she said: “They have helped a great deal more than I can say and I know it would have been a longer and harder fight without them in my corner.”

Helped her indeed, but for whose benefit?

Sara Payne first joined forces with News of the World in 2000 when they spearheaded her ‘Sarah’s Law’ campaign to allow the public controlled access to the child sex offenders register, a legislation which she feels could have potentially saved her 8 year old daughter’s life after she was murdered by paedophile Roy Whiting.

Rebekah Brooks has denied any knowledge of the incident suggesting the claims are ‘abhorrent’ , but one thing’s for sure, Sara Payne will be absolutely devastated at the news and will no doubt feeling betrayed at the hands of a paper who up until very recently she believed she could trust 100%.

Integra Type-R feature.

With Honda UK announcing that they will cease to produce the latest Civic Type-R this year, it appears it’s the last we’ll ever see of the Type-R marque.

As Honda’s performance range gets phased out, a new breed of eco friendly cars such as the CRZ will take their place, however not everyone is ready to let go just yet. One such man is Andy Varma from Bristol, owner of this stunning Championship White ‘99 Integra Type-R.  When quizzed by friends and family about why he hasn’t bought a newer car,  his reply is simple: “This is not a car I ever plan to sell, it’s my passion so I have no concern with continuing to plough money into it to keep it running, driving and looking great”, says the 29 year old.

Bought in march 2004, Andy had always had his heart set on an iconic Type-R, “I wanted one for nearly two years before I was eventually able to afford one with the help of my Dad, and a Marks and Spencer loan!” he laughs. Picked up in near standard guise, the Integra has come a long way to the finished article you see today, with numerous modifications both in terms of appearance and performance. Having already come with a DC sports exhaust system and manifold, Andy felt that the setup was ”incomplete without pushing some additional fuel in”, hence an Apex’i piggy bank fuel controller was fitted to achieve this.

It was around this time that Andy helped setup the Tatsu car club, based in Bristol the club caters for owners of all Japanese marques and can often be seen at meets and events across the country. However, after a club meet at the Japanese Auto Extravaganza event in 2009, Andy was rear ended by a Vauxhall Vectra , causing considerable damage to his prize possession.

”It encouraged me to bring forward my plans to tidy up the exterior of the car so I suppose it was a blessing in disguise” he says thoughtfully, hence the car was soon booked into Avon Customs to have the repair work done. He also decided to treat the car to some extras, “I managed to source some USDM (U.S Domestic Market) optional side sills and rear spats from American Ebay as well as a carbon fibre bonnet.”

Whilst these are the things you notice first, the car also has many small tweaks that the average eye may skip over upon viewing for the first time, the smoothed aerial and boot lock for example. As with most enthusiast owned cars, it’s the attention to small details like this that really make the car stand out. To finish the exterior, the car was given a coat of special House of Kolor paint which Andy says gives it the “perfect showroom finish.”

Make no mistake however, despite looking pretty this car is built to be driven and sees regular track day action. The AEM intake and DC sports exhaust system take care of the breathing, whilst an ACT six spring clutch and 4.5 kg flywheel make sure all of the power is transferred to the ground. Koni dampers, Eibach springs and a fast road geometry setup take care of the suspension side of things. As many will know, the Integra was rated one of the best handling FWD cars of all time by Evo Magazine and handles exceptionally well in standard trim, the new suspension setup improves on this as well as offering a subtle but effective 25mm drop in ride height. “The Konis are the perfect compromise between comfort and handling, which is important considering the state of UK roads” Andy continues.

To prove his point, he offers to take me out for a B-road blast. As with most Hondas, the Integra lacks torque, you don’t get the ‘punch in the gut’ feeling that you do during acceleration like you would from say, an Impreza. Do not be fooled though, as Andy revs past 5000rpm something spectacular happens, Vtec engages. This is Hondas variable valve timing and cam profile system which unleashes the full potential of the 1.8 litre engine, causing the revs to absolutely rocket. The car begs to be pushed to within an inch of its life and Andy has absolutely no hesitation in doing so, revving all the way to 9000rpm.

The sound is aural bliss, the previous deep rumble has turned into a screaming mechanical buzz as the intake and exhaust notes reverberate around the cabin. As we glide through the bends the car feels absolutely planted to the road, the Koni & Eibach combo is firm, but not overly stiff and the Recaro seat holds me securely as we begin to reach license losing speeds.

This car serves a perfect reminder of the spirit of the Type-R motif, a thoroughbred performance driving machine. As Honda waves goodbye to their Type-R range entirely, you can be certain that older models such as the Integra and the previous generation Civics are going to shoot up in popularity. Keep your eyes peeled.

Birmingham to Bihar

Geoffrey Robjent. (Article for the Birmingham Perspectives magazine)

During the past few years the number of countries affected by natural disasters has been on the rise, however these have also sparked an increasing number of sustainable support efforts from groups in Britain and Europe. One such group is the Bihar Development Foundation, founded by an assembly of UK healthcare professionals whom share their cultural origins in India, the foundation have been working hard to develop a number of projects to offer aid and support to those living in one of India’s poorest states.

After being faced with heavy monsoons in 2007, thousands of Bihar’s residents were left homeless, starving and lacking basic health facilities. Despite short term aid from the Indian government in the form of food and temporary shelter, it was imperative that something more sustainable was developed – a thought that was shared by a number of Birmingham health professionals – including Dr Rajay Narain, a cardiologist at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital and GP Dr Murli Sinha (Walsall).  Professionals from other regions include Dr Pathak (Hull), Dr Kishore (Hartlepool), Dr Bhawnani (Liverpool) & Dr Vishwajeet Singh (Wrightington).

The foundation, all of whom have previously supported smaller projects in areas of India, are united by the principle that sustainable relief, targeted at areas in greatest need, is the key to building a stable life for those in Bihar.  Working in co-operation with local NGOs and volunteers to achieve this goal, they have already made a considerable contribution to the region.

Projects so far include setting up a primary health centre to provide free first aid and medical services for the 70,000 local population. Members of the group liaised with the Indian Government, who allocated them use of the Karjain District Hospital to use as a basis for their work.

More recently, following their annual meeting, the Bihar Foundation revealed their plans for projects this year – one of which is The Healthy Heart Project. Run with the help of Dr. Mahendra Narain in the state, its goal is to screen patients who are at risk of developing heart disease by organising health camps to detect and treat hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. The project’s second agenda serves to educate people about the hazards of smoking and other risk factors, with the help of the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK.

For more information visit www.biharfoundation.co.uk or email:drrajaynarain @aol.com

Stolen and recovered within 48 hours, the power of the internet.

by Geoffrey Robjent, jeffrobjent@live.co.uk.

On Saturday June 11 at around 7pm, the Team Japspeed Subaru Impreza was stolen from the Performance Vauxhall Show at Santa Pod. Details are sparse but it’s believed two males walked into the paddock and drove the specially prepared drift car out of the main gates. Incredibly, it was filmed travelling up the M25 just 45 minutes later by a curious van driver, who wasn’t even aware it had been stolen.

Within hours, news of the theft had flooded the internet. Social networking sites were full of posts about the car and a google search revealed no less than five pages full of links to various forums and blogs.

Leading  the search was the Driftworks UK forum, whose membership base spans nearly 40,000. With various sightings and snippets of information coming in, members were able to liaise with the Police and could begin to start piecing together some clues as to the whereabouts of the specially modified RWD Impreza.

The BBC soon caught wind of the story and it was posted on the 10 o’clock news, a big breakthrough that ensured the masses would be informed.

While this was taking place, members of various car forums spent the night searching for the car, a number of sightings were made and information was relayed to the police, who in a rapid turn of events managed to track the car down early this morning.

“We cannot go into too many details due to the ongoing investigation,” said the Japspeed team on their blog this morning, “but the car was found partially stripped in the early hours of the morning (Reading area) by Thames Valley Police.”

“We will know later today if any extensive damage has been done, but right now we’re just beyond happy to have the car back relatively unscathed – it seems we got the car just at the right time.”

“Without the power of internet communities, the car probably wouldn’t have been recovered at all” said the team at Japspeed.

According to the British Crime Survey, around 117,000 cars get stolen each year in the UK alone and the Police simply don’t have the time to follow up everything. Without the mass support from the automotive community and the subsequent BBC coverage, it’s unlikely that the Impreza would have been recovered so quickly, let alone at all, which is testament to just how quickly news can spread on the internet.

One of the internet appeal posters.