B-M Australia

Our space holds a collection of ideas and things we at Burson-Marsteller's (B-M) Australian office have created, said, love and want to do. B-M is a global PR consultancy delivering strategic and creative thinking to our clients. We work with clients across a broad range of industries including consumer brands, technology, healthcare, corporate and public affairs (so we're interested in a lot of things!). Feel free to tell us what you think of our posts or what you want to see more of and we'll do our best to tumble it for you. The team at B-M Australia

[bmaustralia-blog]

5 Tips for Telling Visual Stories

Now, before I begin my post, I want you to imagine something. Since we’re in the midst of winter - Sydney recorded its coldest June day in five years last month - it will probably be a welcome image: a fireplace.

Think of the orange flames. The crackling firewood. The glowing embers floating in the air. And of course, the heat.

Feeling warmer?

Probably not. It was just a sentence on your screen that you skimmed while listening to a podcast. But how about now?

Source: Wikipedia

Looking at this image you can actually see the things I described to you before. You can imagine what it’s like to be at that fireplace, and you might even feel yourself growing warmer.

The Burson-Marsteller Sydney team recently got a crash course in the power of images via PR News webinar, “Visual Storytelling on Social Media.” Social media and PR experts from Adobe, General Motors, State Farm and MWW PR delivered presentations on how visuals are an invaluable tool for any storyteller. Whether you’re a communications exec, non-profit founder or business owner there are many ways to use visuals to boost your message.

Here are five to start!

1. Take your tactics to visual based mobile native platforms

There are 100 million users on Snapchat and 75 million on Instagram. These are apps that already have an engaged, massive audience that your message can be served to. Take a look at this Amnesty International campaign on Tinder.

Source: The Guardian

Swipers were greeted with images and statements that illustrated how life choices are not always a possibility for many women around the world.

2. Spice up your standard article or press release

According to the webinar, our brains process visuals 600,000 times faster than text. Articles with images get 94% more views and consumers are 44% more likely to engage with brands when they post pictures than any other medium. In other, less statistic heavy words, people engage with your message more if it includes visuals. The old saying “a picture tells a thousand words” may be more than just a cliché.

3. Allow your audience to create the content

A sure fire way to create engagement is to invite your audience to post their own visuals and share their stories. Take a look at this post on Lego’s Facebook page for instance.

Source: Facebook - Lego

4. Create visual content that is anchored in a timely event

Your content becomes much more powerful when it’s part of an event or celebration. Nutella does this all the time on Facebook, like this post for National Jazz Day:

Source: Facebook - Nutella

5. Personalise your content for each platform

Don’t make the mistake of spamming all of your companies’ social media channels with the same piece of content. A person looking on Instagram likes slightly different content to a person on Facebook, and so on. Take the time to understand what the audience of each platform is seeking.  

[bmaustralia-blog]

Mumbrella: What the passing of Malcolm Fraser really says about today’s politicians’ communications skills

Following the death of former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and comments he under achieved while in government, Burson-Marsteller Australia CEO, Christine Jones, penned this guest post for Mumbrella, offering insight into how politicians can communicate more effectively.

[bmaustralia-blog]

B-M Australia wins Pro Bono Campaign of the Year at the 2015 CommsCon Awards

We are delighted to have won Pro Bono Campaign of the Year at the 2015 CommsCon Awards last night for our work with GPY&R on the Australian Red Cross ‘Embers of Empathy’ campaign.

Pro Bono is a hotly contested category and our work was not only a stand-out, but helped a most worthy cause. A collaboration between B-M, GPY&R and Red Cross, Embers of Empathy is a testament to how integrated, creative campaigns can achieve great results. You can watch a short film about the campaign by clicking here.

Congratulations to the other nominees in this category and all finalists on the night, as well as CommsCon for putting on a fabulous event and Lee Lin Chin for her winning MC role.

[bmaustralia-blog]

The Social Slam

What Australia talked about during The Australian Open 2015, 19 January to 1 February

Like many of us, I still can’t believe The Australian Open (AusOpen) has already had its game. set. match. for another year. As a huge fan of the #AusOpen, I was fortunate enough to head down to Melbourne to check out the grand slam in action. And as a fan, I was impressed.

Every seat in the Rod Laver Arena had amazing views and my dream of seeing Serena Williams in the flesh came true (I have been waiting for this moment since 2000). I was in tennis heaven.

As an invested fan and media professional, my attention was instantly drawn to the engaging social media activations set up around the arena. This year, there was a clear focus on user-generated content (UGC) on social media platforms, rather than trying to just build numbers within these communities.

If Content is King then this year’s Open was a goldmine. Not only because it generated a lot of rich-content, but more importantly, for how it has now set-up its communication strategy for 2015. In order to understand this, let’s take a step back and put the event into context:

 ·         It’s the first of four Grand Slams

·         Its activity peaks in the first month of the New Year

·         Geographically, it’s isolated from the rest of the world

How does it remain relevant while the other Grand Slams take place, audiences move on with their lives, and the latest viral campaigns consume all of our attention?

From my perspective, The AusOpen is now in a position to tap into the rich insights from the UGC. It can now use this data to pull-through its 2015 communications plan to keep the event relevant. It’s working smarter, not harder.

An analysis of the event’s UGC can help The AusOpen understand what conversations took place, what the overall sentiment of those conversations was – how many positive, negative and neutral mentions; and in-turn, how to engage its audience with relevant, meaningful content in the future. By doing so, The AusOpen is setting itself up to build strong, long-term relationships and establish strong brand advocates.  

Examining online conversations in this way is also an extremely valuable and affordable way to create a news engine for the year; utilising this bank of rich data to filter through owned social media platforms. UGC can help build anticipation for the next event, while engaging fans and keeping the event top of mind. A strategy that is extremely important when the event’s activity peaks in the first four weeks of a new year.

Hashtags such as #AOSelfie and #ANZOpenMic provide a vital filter, to examine the fans present at the event and geotagged themselves into Rod Laver Arena #RLA or Margaret Court. An example of how they might use this data is through surprise and delight campaigns, inviting back the fans through to backstage tours or player meet and greets.

We wanted to check out what else was being discussed on social media during the tournament. Mainly to relive our love of the #TeamWilliams win and to find other great moments from the #AusOpen. Interestingly this year, we witnessed the rising profile of previously undiscussed topics, like Annabel Croft’s comments on ‘the last taboo’ in women’s sports – menstruation - as well as the rise of #twirlgate and discussions on female tennis coaches.

Using B-M’s proprietary social media monitoring tool Burson Pulse, we conducted an analysis of the online conversations that took place during the tournament. Our findings, displayed in the infographic below, may surprise you. If you’re interested in checking out other interesting snapshots from the tournament, Twitter and Meltwater have some great insights.

Australian businesses and events can learn a lot about how to engage meaningfully with audiences, and also drive relevance and reach from The Australian Open’s social media activity. The level of activity may need to be scaled up or down depending on budget; however, this case study is a smart example of how organisations can explore their communities to see what worked well, what social channels and activities were used and why, and where improvement can be made moving forward. It will be interesting to see whether The AusOpen in 2016 will tap into these insights and use the content created in 2015 to amplify its communications strategy, or use fan insights collected. It will also be exciting to see how consumer conversations evolve and what takes centre court next time around.

Until next year #AusOpen.

@dionneaisha

[bmaustralia-blog]

B-M Australia among finalists selected for CommsCon Awards

B-M Australia has been shortlisted for Pro Bono Campaign of the Year at the 2015 CommsCon Awards, for its work with Australian Red Cross.

A collaboration with GPY&R, ‘Embers of Empathy’ saw Australia’s most prestigious artists invited to use embers from the burnt Blue Mountains landscape to create one-of-a-kind works of art. The collection of artwork presented an impassioned, visual representation of the lessons learnt from past disasters to raise awareness of disaster prevention for the future. The artworks were auctioned at an exclusive art exhibition, creating a moment in time to unveil the collection and raise vital funds for Red Cross. The auction was supported by a two-phased targeted media campaign to raise awareness of bushfire and disaster prevention for the future.

Good luck to all the other finalists selected in this year’s awards. You can view all the CommsCon Awards finalists here.

[bmaustralia-blog]

Happy 94th Birthday Harold!

Our founding chairman Harold Burson has often acknowledged that one of his proudest achievements is the number of jobs that he’s created for PR professionals around the globe. From the students who participate in the Harold Burson Summer Internship Program to the senior executives of our global leadership team, Harold has given countless professionals a chance to recognise their potential and achieve their dreams in the public relations industry.

From all of us in the Burson-Marsteller family, Happy Birthday Harold! We celebrate your leadership, passion and dedication to the agency you founded more than 60 years ago. You inspire us on a daily basis and we are grateful for the opportunities you have given all of us and for your example in Being More for our clients, colleagues and communities.

To learn more about Harold, please visit his blog or HaroldBurson.com.

[bmaustralia-blog]

Learning the ropes: my month as a full time intern

I had a brief introduction to the industry at university; however, I know you can’t gain a full understanding of what happens day-to-day in a PR agency simply from studying the subject. My lecturers and fellow classmates had told me completing an internship would be a good way of finding out whether a career in PR was something I wanted to actively pursue. I researched and met with a number of PR agencies and decided B-M was where I wanted to be.

The best thing about the four week internship at B-M was I had the opportunity to work on a number of different projects, with clients spanning a range of industries and in varied practices such as Brand Marketing, Healthcare and Technology. This experience allowed me to gain insight into a wide range of PR activities and helped me consider which area I would like to pursue in my future career.

During my time at B-M I was surprised at the diversity of the responsibilities and tasks allocated to me. The media and film industry’s portrayal of internships had led me to believe I might just be doing coffee runs and booking couriers, so I was pleased to be heavily involved in activities such as new business research, media outreach and material development, event management and content creation.   

The work-related highlights for me included working on a signature 1,000 person healthcare event, managing the weekly newsletter for Nuance and assisting with media outreach for Diner en Blanc.

Personal highlights included getting to know the bubbly, friendly team at B-M and enjoying social events such as roof top lunches and the Melbourne Cup event. Thanks to the B-M team who made me feel so welcome and were always happy to invest time in helping me grow and develop my skills.  

By Allyce Potter 

[bmaustralia-blog]

It's been a great year - a huge 'thank you' to everyone who has been a part of it.

The B-M Sydney office will be closed for the Christmas and New Year break from 24th December 2014 and will reopen on 5th January 2015.

Should you have an urgent enquiry during this time, please contact Melissa Millard at [email protected] or 0488 440 274.

Wishing you a very Happy New Year!

[bmaustralia-blog]

Top media consumption trends affecting PR in 2014

The ever-changing media landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace. As PR consultants, we are constantly monitoring this in order to provide strategic counsel that can profit from the cutting edge of trends and developments.

In 2014, we saw the continued drive towards increased diversity in the ways we all watch, listen and hear media, clearly supported by continuous technological innovation. We have delved deeper into some of these changes and you might find some of our highlights quite surprising:

Blogging and social media: the new ‘news’ sites

Around-the-clock news cycles have eradicated the luxury of monthly, weekly or even daily timeframes. Now, news is tweeted, posted, pinned and shared online on countless platforms. News isn't just on blogs, blogs are becoming the news. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are becoming increasingly relied upon as a source of breaking news, with 32 % of people now keeping up to date with breaking news as one of their top three reasons for using social media.

Mobile devices: one isn’t enough

Australians across all ages are officially tablet mad, with 53 % classifying themselves as ‘digital omnivores’ – individuals who own a tablet, laptop and smartphone. This figure increased a startling 25% from last year, and signals the need for organisations to engage in communications strategies that express tailored messages suited to specific devices, platforms and markets.

Radio reaches Australian youth

Interestingly, although radio reaches a whopping 93 % of audiences under 25 years old in a typical week, only 14% listen to radio for entertainment purposes. This indicates the unassuming radio playing in the background during the daily commute or at work actually has significant potential reach for brands targeting youths.

Internet armed to overtake TV

This year also witnessed the decline in television sales, a historical first in Australia, with figures down by an eighth from 2013. This is a direct result from internet streaming services, the increased use of mobile devices and a non-traditional use of TVs as secondary screens to view online media and content. With 42 % of Australians now using TV sets this way, television is likely to be eclipsed by using the internet as a preferred source of entertainment in the coming year.

[bmaustralia-blog]

'Being More' at the end of the year

We love the festive season here at B-M, especially when it involves our annual ‘Kris Kringle’ gift exchange. However this year, we decided to do things a little differently.  

Everyone at B-M is committed to Being More; for our clients, for our colleagues and for our community. This includes Being More thoughtful about those in our local community who are less fortunate.

The 2014 Smith Family Toy & Book Appeal aims to deliver more than 43,500 new toys and 29,000 new books to children living in financial disadvantage around Australia, who may otherwise not receive a gift this Christmas. Over the past couple of weeks, B-M Sydney has been collecting toys and books for children of all ages to donate to the appeal, which have now been packed up and shipped off to the appeal’s drop off location.

The appeal believes all Australian families should have the opportunity to come together at Christmas, share gifts and celebrate life. We hope our contribution today will help bring a smile to a disadvantaged child this Christmas.

We wish everyone a very happy festive season and all the best for the New Year!

[bmaustralia-blog]

There’s something different…?

The B-M Sydney office has been through a few changes this year.

After 20 years in North Sydney, 2014 saw B-M make the big move over the bridge and in with our WPP sister agencies GPY&R, VML, Bienalto, Ideaworks, Blaze, DataLicious and Wunderman.

Our new office location doesn’t just mean we are closer to our favourite lunch spots Sababba and Pavel & Co; it also means there’s even more opportunity for us to collaborate on fully integrated campaigns across multiple channels, partnering with some of the most creative and innovative marketing minds in the country.

You can find the B-M team on Level 15, 35 Clarence Street, Sydney. Check out the artistic tour of the new digs above!

[bmaustralia-blog]

What did the world search for in 2013? This short video from Google sums it up nicely!

[bmaustralia-blog]

Are you a Technology PR superstar? We're Hiring!

Burson-Marsteller (B-M), a leading global public relations agency, is seeking a confident and articulate manager-level PR consultant to join its growing Technology Practice in Sydney, Australia.

The position on offer is for a degree-qualified communication specialist with in-house or agency experience in communication program development, strategic counsel and media relations.  

  We are looking for a PR professional who has a proven track record in managing small to medium-sized teams and large client relationships. Candidates must demonstrate a deep understanding of enterprise ICT and possess strong media connections. Technology experience is essential; additional consideration will be given to candidates who can demonstrate relevant cross-industry experience.

  The successful applicant will work on some of B-M’s largest technology accounts. As a global firm, B-M represents some of the world’s leading technology organisations.

  B-M offers employees the ability to work collaboratively with our global network and provide clients with an informed view of the global and Asia Pacific landscape, particularly in relation to media. We offer highly competitive benefits and excellent opportunities for training and development in a talented, fun environment.

  If these roles are of interest to you, please email your covering letter and CV to Chris Yee Loy – [email protected].

Please Note: We thank all interested candidates for their application in advance. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

[bmaustralia-blog]

Over 3000 guests wash Bondi white at worldwide epicurean phenomenon Dîner en Blanc

The highly sought-after “secret” picnic, Dîner en Blanc, drew a crowd of 3000 people to Bondi Beach on Saturday night for a spectacular event, made even more special as the iconic Sydney beach has never before been used to host a dinner party of such scale.

What began as a small gathering in Paris 25 years ago now attracts tens of thousands of people across five continents and claims the title of the world’s largest secret dinner party.

Essentially, diners gather at a secret location for the sole purpose of sharing a high-quality meal with good friends in one of the city’s most beautiful locations. Dressed in white from head to toe, diners supplied their own epicurean feasts, chairs, fine china, silverware and white tablecloths to create the spectacular white scene on Bondi Beach.

Doubling its numbers from last year’s inaugural Sydney event, the intriguing dinner treated foodies and cultural enthusiasts to an unforgettable evening of elegance, beauty and magic. Just check out the pics below to be dazzled!

Our very own Charlotte Ferrand and Alexandra McDonald glamming it up before the event kicked off!

The traditional waving of cloth napkins marks the beginning of the dinner

The lighting of sparklers signals that participants are free to circulate, mingle and dance

[bmaustralia-blog]

Here’s a great infographic shared on Digital Buzz Blog and created by Digital Insights. It covers all the latest social media facts for 2013.

[bmaustralia-blog]

Burson-Marsteller releases latest Twiplomacy study

Burson-Marsteller has announced the latest edition of its Twiplomacy study, which illustrates how organisations can innovatively use Twitter for strategic communications regardless of the number of their followers. This edition examines how international organisations and their leaders are using Twitter to connect with their stakeholders. The study finds that all of the leading international organisations have a Twitter account, and half of their leaders have active personal accounts on the social network. The findings indicate that the United Nations Children's Fund (@UNICEF) is the most followed international organisation with more than two million followers. @UNICEF is also the second most effective organisation after the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (@CERN) because both organisations’ tweets are retweeted on average more than 100 times. Check out the infographics below for more info or visit http://twiplomacy.com/

[bmaustralia-blog]

Congratulations to Adelaide, South Australia - named as a Top 10 City to visit in the world in 2014 by Lonely Planet! #loveadelaide  http://bit.ly/17Ui7bW