We all had great fun as Jamie talked to Bookaboo about his new DVD and then read him a story to join in with the likes of Alesha Dixon, Meat Loaf and Kym Marsh - just some of the famous faces who have all read Bookaboo a story!

Catch a video of the interview at http://www.magic.co.uk/article.asp?id=1596125

We appointed Rare to launch a new initiative at Holland Publishing and I have been incredibly impressed with their work; the coverage they generated quickly opened so many doors for us and has assisted us in moving the business to the next level.  They certainly live up to their name - a PR agency of this kind is most definitely RARE and I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending them.  We also look forward to continuing to work with them in 2010.

Please see link below for a video clip of the day and Louise’s talk:

  http://techfluff.tv/2009/10/14/doug-richards-school-for-startups-the-british-library/

A few weeks ago I touched on the notion that a press release is not always for the press; that sometimes it is more useful as an SEO tool.

But public relations is not really about press releases at all. It is about relationships and stories.

I don’t know how many times I have had arguments with new entrepreneneurs about the foolishness of hiring a dedicated PR person internally. Oh I understand the motivation: the person will work full-time on the company’s account, they will reall get to know the product, it’s alot cheaper etc. etc.

But this mi-understands why we hire PR people in the first place: it is to gain access to their access. By having multiple accounts they have multiple reasons to engage their circle of journalists. The journalists themselves won’t necessarily know why they’re calling because it may be from a current customer or a new one. But it permits the PR person to remain fresh and to keep the relationships fresh. Equally, they can gain access for a new, small company on the back of their prior relationships with older more established clients.

But equally, they have other key advantages. If you choose the right one, you are not merely getting someone who delivers your latest story to a select group of journalists, they may bring much much more to the table. The greatest PR folk of all time invented great stories. They created the conditions, events, moments, or confrontations that were inherently newsworthy. It is an all too rare talent and most people cannot do it effectively.

Great PR people are also very commercial and understand that, in some publications, the opportunity exists to create direct selling opportunities. In fact one of the best practitioners of the art will be joining me this Friday afternoon at the British Library to come up on stage and talk about how she has repeatedly been able to get consumer products, especially kid’s products, including web-sites where no product was involved; full pages and even magazine covers dedicated to selling her clients’ products.

She and her team are one of the top consumer facing teams in the country and, as part of my effort to expand entrepreneurs thinking about how PR can be strategic and far more creative, she is going to tell all at my advanced seminar on marketing. It starts at 1PM at the British Library (here’s the link:www.s4sfastgrowthmarketing.eventbrite.com) and it has some other kick-ass guests and our first ever live web broadcast at the end (but more about that later.)

The Rare girls were out partying last week at The Licensing Awards at the Royal Lancaster Hotel. It was a great chance for us to catch up with friends, familiar faces and some of our clients and to see the whole industry get together for a brilliant evening.

We all had a great time seated with the boys from Bionic - even if we did look slightly ridiculous wearing our red noses to break the Guinness World Record for the most people wearing red noses for the longest amount of time. Plus, we met the host of the awards, Jason Manford, as he regaled us with his comic tales.

Congratulations to all the winners and bring on next year….

2009 marks the 3^rd year that Rare Communications were appointed by the Society of London Theatre to promote their annual Get into London Theatre (GILT) initiative.

Running in January and February, GILT offers fantastic ticket deals from as little as £15 to over 40 top London shows.  The promotion aims to encourage individuals, who may not otherwise be able to afford it, the opportunity to appreciate the magic of London’s West End. 

Rare Communications implemented a highly successful PR campaign for the initiative securing coverage across broadcast, national newspapers, London-based media and consumer magazines.  Highlights of the campaign included a news bulletin for the launch of GILT on ITV London Today, editorial coverage in the Evening Standard and The London Paper and inclusion in a feature in Sainsbury’s magazine. 

Rare negotiated media partnerships for the event with popular radio stations Classic FM and Heart FM and the Evening Standard. 

The philosophy of Big and Small centres upon celebrating difference in a world too often divided by contrasting viewpoints. Big and Small teaches that despite cultural and physical variations, children can learn to accept each other, think beyond themselves and be thoughtful and considerate of others.

Music and movement is a key concept in the show as both Big and Small love to sing and dance and each episode includes a catchy song as well as a good lesson to be learnt, offering a small dose of BIG fun with strong values that help kids and parents learn and laugh together.

Rare completed a highly successful media relations campaign for the premiere of the show securing coverage across broadcast, national newspapers, consumer magazines and online media. Highlights of the campaign included an interview with Lenny Henry on BBC Breakfast for the week of launch, an exclusive in the Daily Mirror’s ‘TV Land’ column and coverage in Sky Magazine.

Since its on-air premiere in October 2008, Big and Small has proved an instant hit with children and their parents becoming one of the most popular shows on CBeebies. Rare continue to promote Big and Small in 2009, offering PR support for programme developments, including the launch of the Big and Small website, product launches, consumer events and trade shows.
 

2008 marked the 5^th year that Rare Communications were appointed to promote the annual Kids Week in the West End initiative organised by the Society of London Theatre.  Running in August, Kids Week is a fun-packed fortnight of theatrical entertainment for all the family offering free tickets for children aged 5-16 to over 50 top London shows plus exclusive activities and workshops.

The Kids Week experience encourages children of all ages to appreciate the magic and excitement of live theatre and enables families who may not otherwise be able to afford it the opportunity to visit London’s West End. 

Children can also take part in a range of free activities and workshops designed to engage and inspire the next generation of theatre lovers.  Whatever their interests and talents, there’s something for everyone as activities range from the chance to learn show-stopping numbers, meet the cast and crew at question and answer sessions and go behind the scenes and discover the backstage secrets of their favourite show.

Rare Communications implemented an extremely successful PR campaign for this exciting initiative securing coverage across broadcast, national newspapers, London-based media and family magazines.  Highlights of the campaign included a news bulletin for the launch of the booking lines on ITV London Tonight, an interview with Grease’s Ray Quinn on BBC London and a full page feature in The Times’ ‘Young Times’ page. 

Rare negotiated media partnerships for the event with key parenting title Junior Magazine, popular radio station Heart FM and the Evening Standard.