London has witnessed a dramatic fortnight with the return of Extinction Rebellion. The movement has once again divided opinion, and made itself heard, but more importantly are they bringing campaigning into a new era?
I am sure many of us have sat in association meetings and been told at least once that we don’t need traditional literature anymore and “everything can be done via social media”. In truth, all forms of media provide a way of communicating with the electorate and all have value if used sensibly at the right time. Social media is no different. So, what is the best way to use it?
QR codes have been a quirky addition to marketing campaigns for some time, but with near ubiquitous smartphone use, especially amongst those hardest to canvas by traditional methods, they are a tool all campaigns should be using to maximise data capture.
The list of Approved Conservative Candidates is being refreshed, with all those previously on the list being asked to complete a new application and attend a ‘Re-list Assessment Centre’, if they still want to pursue a Parliamentary career.
As MPs and constituency officers pore over the details of the review released publicly this morning, there may well be some fulminating and harrumphing about some of the changes.
Whilst overall the review is seen by many commentators as consolidating or improving the Conservative position, there are places where sitting Conservative MPs might be feeling more vulnerable this morning.
Maintaining a high level of contact with electors is proven to deliver results at council level, and where turnout is low, this can mean the difference between winning and losing. Historically this took the form of leafleting and canvassing, door-to-door or by phone, but increasingly leaflets go straight in the recycling and fewer people are willing to engage with canvassers. This is where digital tools become game changers.
College Green Group is proud to announce it has been nominated as finalist in three categories at this year’s Reed Awards, the most exacting awards in political campaigns, grassroots and advocacy.
As businesses emerge from the storm of the last 12 months they will no doubt be seeking every advantage possible to get back on their feet and recoup lost profits. At the same time, the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the environment in which a business operates is becoming ever more politicised. The effect of recent trade wars still reverberates and the UK’s policy on new trade deals remains heavily influenced by Brexit. Rather than fight against it, businesses should embrace this new reality, to leverage it and improve the post-pandemic health of their balance sheet.
Former Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) president, Jason MacKenzie, has joined Westminster-based political communications consultancy College Green Group as director of strategic development. Jason comes to the group from corporate affairs agency Nudge Factory, where he was managing partner.
In response to Chris Calland’s recent PR Week piece on the communications challenges faced by businesses as we ease out of lockdown, Thomas Borwick, founding director of communications and campaigns consultancy College Green Group, sets out some practical steps that business owners and managers can consider taking to meet those challenges.
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