Author: Michael Grass

This week marks the 20^th anniversary of Edward Bernays’ death, a man often referred to as “the father of public relations”. If you’ve never heard of him, don’t worry – Bernays himself would be the first to argue that a PR practitioner should be inconspicuous.  

Author: Lucy O’Dea

In the digital world, we’re constantly receiving advice from ‘the experts’ telling us to use social platforms and mobile media to communicate with our customers. Online platforms allow for super-fast, direct communication, and is a proven method of disseminating information quickly and efficiently. 

Author: Alexa Mills

It was Friday night and I was at home just about to pour myself a much deserved glass of wine. Dinner was simmering away and I could finally switch off for the weekend. Suddenly I received a text from my energy company asking for me to call them regarding an outstanding bill. It was the third time they had texted me that week. In my view, there are a few critical customer communication issues here.

Author: Lucy O’Dea

Ever felt overwhelmed by the constant bombardment of emails, texts, tweets and digital alerts? Gone are the days when our doormats were flooded by the daily delivery of unsolicited direct mail. And while that comes as a relief to some, the shift towards digital communication is now taking over the mantle.  

Author: Patrick Anderson

A few years ago I wrote a blog about Valentine’s Day. A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, I sought a new and innovative way to harness the power of modern technology to create a ‘unique and undeniably personal’ gift that would go above and beyond the classic ‘card and flowers’ combo. 

Author: Patrick Anderson

I know why the majority of people are against ‘native advertising’, the latest buzzword for publishing an advert online in such a way that enables it to masquerade as authentic editorial content. And that word is Bono. You know, that Irish venture capitalist, businessman and philanthropist who sometimes delivers the occasional decent tune (‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ is, no matter whatever anyone says, an absolute banger). However, despite my appreciation for the odd U2 song, his latest stunt has gone too damn far.

Author: Michael Grass

Ok, let me start by saying that, from an editorial standpoint, I am fully aware of the ethically dubious nature of native advertising. There is a 16 year old student activist inside of me that is vigorously against corporate influence in the media, battles for editorial independence and is ready to pounce on the first journalist that sells out to the capitalist machine. So surely the notion of publications camouflaging adverts as articles should be enough to make me want to slip on a balaclava and march on Fleet Street armed with a megaphone?

Author: AD Communications

A leading biscuit brand got itself into a bit of hot milk late last year, when it was accused of dominating YouTube by advertising its products via YouTube celebrities. This sparked a furore over the credibility of many YouTubers’ content, with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling that ‘vloggers’ must be more transparent and upfront about sponsored videos. The ASA ruling stated that vloggers must clearly tell fans when they’re being paid by advertisers, which means that the word ‘ad’ or ‘promo’ needed to be included in the title of the video, or that the video’s thumbnail needs to make it clear that the viewer is about to watch an advert.

Author: Patrick Anderson

We’re now mid-way through January 2015, and Christmas already seems like a distant booze and cheese-sodden memory. Well, at least in the eyes of this author. However before we completely close the book on last year, we thought it pertinent – as AD Communication’s first blog of the year – to reflect on a few takeaways from our blog’s performance last year. To paraphrase science fiction writer, Robert Heinlein, “a B2B communications agency who ignores its blog history has no past — and no future.” Or something like that.

Author: Alexa Mills

So the big retailers have gone to town this year to really tug on those Christmas heart strings, with tales of penguin love, true friendship and, as The Telegraph puts it, a ‘touchingly human moment in one of history’s most brutal and relentless conflicts’.

Author: Cerys Traylor

“Cerys, you’re such a Scrooge!” is a sentence I’ve heard often over the years. Friends, family all seem to think I suffer with a case of the “Bah Humbugs”, but I simply find the idea of Christmas arriving before the pumpkins and witches hats have been put away in October, ridiculous. And why must a certain soft-drink giant’s advert determine “Christmas is definitely, no really it is, here”?

Author: AD Communications

Apparently you can get wearables for pets. No, I’m not talking about tutus for dogs and raincoats for cats. I’m talking about wearable technology, a phenomenon set to cement itself in our daily lives (and perhaps our dogs’ lives too).