resources & news
You heard it here first. Whether it’s the latest social media trend or headline-grabbing industry data, we’re all about sharing the knowledge.
First things first – one lump or two? However you like your news, we’ll deliver it to you in a digestible format. Keep your eye on our expert speakers at industry events, or flick through our blog for useful hints and tips.
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Social Media
A social media marketing lesson from that Guardian piece on Facebook politics
So this month the world started to change, potentially irreversibly. D.J. Trump, multi-billionaire, business mogul, reality TV star, and patriarch, will be sitting in the White House’s Oval Office by mid-January, taking up his position as the world’s most powerful man, AKA President of the United States. It’s the kind of situation that could only … Continued
Advertising
Minority Report and facial recognition advertising today
No matter which sanctuary you try and hide out in, it seems someone is there, lurking, waiting to have a big chat about targeted advertising. Love or loathe, we’re still only on the cusp of what it can offer. In digital it’s old news, from one perspective at least. When you’re browsing the internet chances are … Continued
Digital marketing
Instagram has plans to make e-commerce easier
It’s amazing to think eBay was first founded back in 1995. That’s more than 20 years ago, or over two decades since, if you really want to make it sound like ages. A lot can change in that length of time, but in many ways, when it comes to retail at least, that change has … Continued
Newsletter
Our News
October 2016 in the Smoking Gun study
From our own CIPRs, to the Oscars in early 2017, the Christmas build up and of course the ever growing Halloween, there’s so much to get distracted about, unless you work at Manchester’s most dedicated ingenious PR firm. Always keeping our eyes on the ball for clients, the last four weeks have been no exception … Continued
Newsletter
Innovative eats: The convenience food PR wars
October 2016 will be remembered as the month of food fights. Brexit chickens began coming home to roost as Unilever dealt a substantial blow to our hopes of not noticing the impending change to the passport queue, asking UK retailers to pay more for products. Tesco battled back, whilst last week Morrison’s passed that inflation … Continued
Newsletter
The gig economy and companies without assets
News hit on Friday of a landmark court ruling here in the UK, meaning rideshare behemoth Uber will no longer be able to classify its drivers as self-employed. Instead they must be ‘employees’. One word difference, in reality this is a sign of impending upheaval. Until now, the taxi-alternative has been able to get away … Continued
Newsletter
One for’t LADs – How banter became big news, in (almost) one click
Controversial, throwaway, outrageously successful, challenging, pointless, forward thinking… and, most of all, socially astute. The list of ways to describe rival websites LADBible and UNILAD could go on for much, much longer. The digital media giants, both based in our own hometown of Manchester, have been branded as everything from trashy to bigoted by critics, … Continued
Newsletter
Rick's Rambles
Choose your spokespeople wisely, or face the consequences
Messages. Every firm on the face of the Earth has them, but without the right face to deliver, they might as well be preaching from the book of impending consumer obscurity. According to a report in the medical journal the Lancet, which last week went large in the mainstream media, GPs took part in a … Continued
The Blagger's Blog
Blagger's Blog- Sociopathic bakers and Icelandic women
A weekly roundup of media news, sans effort Quote of the week “There’s something delightfully sociopathic about making a sausage roll look like a pig”
Public Relations
Automotive PR: 5 road safety adverts to take note of
Here at Smoking Gun heights we don’t just believe in coming up with fantastic, ingenious ideas to sell brands. We also believe in coming up with fantastic, ingenious ideas that have a positive impact. Hence us advising, and working with, so many companies on their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. Even when not focussed on CSR we’re … Continued
The Blagger's Blog
Blagger's Blog- Will Young smokes, Note7 explodes onto GTA
A weekly roundup of media news, sans effort Quote of the week “Smoking is strictly prohibited on Shell forecourts.”
Drink PR
Food PR
Bagels at dawn: Food and drink PR stunts with real bite
Disclaimer – no bagels feature in the following post.
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