Brainy? In PR? We’ll be the judge of that…We are delighted to announce a competition here at TWL for the brightest talent in the UK PR industry…The PR Brain of Britain…brought to you in association with Edelman Public Relations.
Did you get that? The competition is being sponsored by Edelman Public Relations. That’s right; Edelman is paying us money to have its name attached to the competition (and one or two other associated benefits, as will become obvious). Hopefully we've made that completely clear (transparent, even).
Competition entry requirements could not be simpler. We’re after essays of up to 600 words on the future of the UK PR industry and, specifically, the role that PR will play in the world of social networks, user-generated content and all things online.
Take as wide or as narrow a view as you’d like; sector-specific or general; conservative or entirely outlandish; serious or, umm, not so. There are two categories: one for those of you aged 27 or under and one for everyone else. The only other rule is that you must be working in PR (agency, in-house or freelance) or a student of PR. That’s it.
Well, almost. The deadline for your entries is August 31st 2007. The judging panel will consist of a number of Edelman’s own directors, TWL and other assorted PR gurus. Who knows, Richard himself might even take a look...
There will be prizes for the 10 best entries based on some sort of overly-complex sliding scale. We’re not at liberty just yet to give full prize details, but start thinking foreign travel, plush hotel, all the food and drink you can consume…right down to a piece of coal and a stick for 10th place (no, no, really…even the 10th best one will get something decent).
The small print: competition entrants must be happy that their name and email address will be passed on to Edelman (who might well, at some stage, drop you a note) and we will also reserve the right to publish any startling insights from the essays here on TWL.
Get scribbling and send your entries and any questions to theworldsleading@yahoo.co.uk
Best of luck..!
29 comments:
TWL - have you ever thought about stopping all this blogging nonsense and turning yourself into a pukka commercial PR website?
I used to like this blog because it reflected a healthy disrespect for PR excess. If PR Week had done a JV with Edelman like this, you would be ripping the shit out of it wholesale.
Back to your roots, please.
Yeah, of course we've thought about that...we're not here solely for the good of our health you know.
But worry not, the odd sponsored competition does not mean the end of TWL irreverance or piss-taking. And Edelman remains firmly in our sights for that (as it well knows).
But one has to pay the rent.
Can I have a job without writing the 600 words please?
Edelman again? They pop up a lot don't they....
Well, you'll have to do better than 11...but if you can show the quality of your thinking in less than 600, that might get you through the door.
But, as you point out, it doesn't take the PR Brain of Britain to work out that Edelman's interest here is in potentially identifying some decent PR talent. Ours is a few readies and some potentially useful content.
It might work, it might not. It's something of an experiment. But we'll try anything once.
Yes Figgis they do. I'll tell you why...it's beacuase I know them quite well and they're willing to try and few things out.
But I don't work there, if that's what you're hinting at...
My, everyone is awfully angry with me today - both you TWL and James W...
I was merely pointing out they pop up a lot. To be fair - good shout from them, could get some decent recruitment targets from it.
TWL, what guarantee do we have that our insights will not form the basis of Edelman's next pitch. "We think the future of PR is........... you should pay us £20k a month because we are PR thought leaders!"
would it not be smarter and faster for them to just go through your facebook friends? 100-odd of the PR industry's finest...
I'm not angry with you Figgis, old chum. Far from it.
Hmmmm...shall I charge my time writing this to Edelman tech house? 600 words on the future of PR; "all food will come in pill form when I am CEO"
Great idea I reckon! Innovative recruitment tool and we win prizes!! :-)
Hargreaves said ...
What does this mean I can't buy opinions anymore?
If you wanted the money, why didn't you just sell them some recruitment ad space?
Honestly, this is an unpleasant surprise. And - I may be wrong - but I can't see too many entering in the over 27 category.
Anyone AM or above who wants a job with Edelman will just apply direct. Anyone who doesn't and is secure in their jobs, won't be giving Edelman the free publicity or as another comment said, free material for pitches.
"An unpleasant surprise"? How charming.
As I said before, this is an experiment. It may not work...we may not get any entries in either category. Which is absolutely fine...we'll have learnt something.
You're being naive to suggest that candidates at AM or above will apply for jobs directly. They don't - which is why recruitment companies make so much money.
Without revealing any numbers, if Edelman manages to find one mid-level employee out of this process, it will have cost them less than hiring that same person through a recruitment company.
Which can't be a bad thing, surely?
"A gossip site for those involved with technology PR in the UK."
Where does being paid for recruitment for Edelman fit into that?
I'm sorry the rent's having an undue influence on the editorial integrity.
Good for you for experimenting with the 'TWL brand' TWL. And good for Edelman for being involved too. I hope there are more initiatives like this to come.
Disclosure:
I used to work for Edelman and still have many friends who work there yada yada blah blah...
I have also never met TWL. Well, I don't think I have? :-)
Anon: "I'm sorry the rent's having an undue influence on the editorial integrity."
Do you work in PR? Or in the media industry generally? Do you think that the advertisements that your favourite magazines carry have an undue influence on their editorial integrity? Or the sponsored supplements? Or the competitions?
Of course they don't. Not in the credible publications at least.
In any case, how do you know we had any editorial integrity in the first place? But if you'd like to provide some evidence of where the little we might have had has been unduly influenced, then I'd love to read it.
ah yes 'editorial integrity', that old chestnut - wasn't it the register that first did a 'proper job' on this, with its offers of writing about your crap story for a large sum of cash?? Genius.
i think i can see TWL merchandising on the way... can i have a t-shirt please?
I have actually been considering some t-shirts. I thought about doing some vintage Keith Richards-style ones with: "Who the fuck is...the world's leading..? printed on them.
And then I thought - for readers from the early days - about getting some: "Who the fuck is Mark Westaby?" ones made up.
What do you reckon?
Yes that could work. Or how about printing "Yeah, I sold out to Edelman, what of it?" with TWL underneath?? HOHO.
Or perhaps come up with weird random word strings for TWL, such as "This Way Loaded" or "TittyW*nk aLordy", er, yeah something like that anyway...
Or "This Way Love..." with an arrow pointing downwards for the boys, and "This Way Lardarse..." for the ladies.
>"Who the fuck is Mark Westaby?" <
Very good, but only for about 23 people...at least you'd know who the 'old skool' were...
>"And then I thought - for readers from the early days - about getting some: "Who the fuck is Mark Westaby?" ones made up."<
Mr Westaby has forgotten more about getting tee-shirts printed than the rest of us will ever know...
I love these long argumentative strings because when you get to the bottom you've forgotten what the original post was about. Marvellous.
Something to do with Edelman, 600 word articles on the future of PR and a wad a nice clean tenners to TWL.
So what? Who gives a toss? Why not?
I think I might send one in anonymously and see if I can't divert Edelman down some strategic blind alley like, er, social media? And if they recruit me, all the better ...
hmmm, perhaps you should run a competition to come up the best three word t-shirt design for TWL? Tortilla Whirled Lightly is my entry.
i'd be happy to run it from my blog if you like, for a small fee... oh hang on, no one reads it... bugger.
OK i'm bored with the 'take the p*ss out of TWLs new found commercialism' now, I'll get my coat
Ooh, touched a nerve there with "editorial integrity" jibe.
TWL, just look at the feedback you're getting here. Whatever you think about your continuing independent standpoint, the *perception* of you and your most esteemed blog's position in the PR world has been changed by this initiative. And that's what PR's all about, innit? Perception, not necessarily facts? (Although when the two coincide, it's sort of pleasing).
If it's changed in a way that you want it to, then all is well. But let's not pretend this makes no difference.
Perhaps it's changed your perception...and maybe one or two other people's. I'm not losing any sleep over it. There's more to come, too - so you might want to stop reading now.
The thing is, I don't write this for the good of my health....or my ego. So if it crashes around my ears because a few people get up themselves about a perceived lessening of editorial integrity, then so be it (they shouldn't though, because the style of content won't change). At least I'll earn a few quid doing it, eh?
And of course it doesn't matter. It's just a poxy blog.
"And of course it doesn't matter. It's just a poxy blog."
I know, I'm just winding you up. Sorry.
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