Blog Archives - Words + Pixels

04/05/2023

Advice: How to effectively use awareness days and national holidays to raise awareness of your brand

Increasing brand awareness through PR can be difficult when you solely rely on company announcements or news hijacking because you can’t count on this being consistent. Instead, it's always useful to consider the impact of national (and even international) events on your PR strategy because, when used effectively, these events can act as a hook for journalists.

We've mapped out a three step plan to help you leverage national events to increase your brand awareness...

Find relevant events, holidays, and awareness days

The UK events calendar is jam packed with potential hooks for your business. Knowing what events are happening and why journalists are interested in them is a really good starting point:

It’s easiest to first consider the events that we all know about like Christmas, Easter, Eid, (Chinese) New Year, or Summer Solstice. Why? Because these are the events that large percentages of the population celebrate, so naturally they’re hot topic.

Journalists will often base their content around what their readers want to read about. If a journalist knows that people are prepping for Christmas, they’ll tailor stories around this for the highest readership

Once you’ve considered the key events, start looking for annual awareness days, weeks, and months. University College London have a great wellbeing calendar. These have proliferated over the past decade as people fight for attention, so it’s important that you only pick those that already have a significant or at least, audience, and that are relevant to your client.

One easy way to check whether an awareness event is popular or not is to check media coverage of the event in previous years. If you can’t find any, then it’s probably not worth your time.

Remember to think about how these events relate to your company, and try to note down only those awareness days that your company can prove a real connection to. For instance, our client Zigzag used National Puppy Day (23rd March) and National Pet Day (11th April) as hooks to talk about their puppy training app. We successfully placed Zigzag’s co-founder, Lorna Winter, on Sky News with Kay Burley!

Consider potential media coverage

Once you’ve determined which events are relevant to your company, figure out how you might contribute to media coverage of that event and help build the conversation. Ideas can come from anyone in the team, not just the marketing department.

You can also review previous media coverage of that event for ideas. For example, lifestyle sections of newspapers and magazines often publish ‘gift guides’ in the run up to Christmas. We secured our client, Cubitts, a place in the Daily Mail's online Christmas Gift Guide.

However...

Christmas is one of the largest gift-giving times of the year and so gift guides will be highly saturated and even more competitive. Our advice would be to show how your product or service is unique, different, and why it’s worth a spot. For instance we placed our client Treedom, who offer a digital tree planting service, in the Independent's Valentines Gift Guide.

Lots of companies will be doing a similar thing, so try to come up with as unique an idea as possible. Try to think about how your company specifically relates to that event, and what it can offer that other competitors can’t.

Contact journalists with your ideas

Timing is super important when trying to promote your brand on a specific annual event or awareness day. It’s important to have a good knowledge of how different media organisations work to get it right.

A magazine, for example, might work three months ahead of its print publication, so you’ll need to contact journalists far in advance of the actual date.

You don’t want to contact the journalist too early, because this might mean that they ignore your email as irrelevant. At the same time, you don’t want to leave it too late and risk other competitors getting there first.

Communication with journalists is important here. And don’t be afraid of asking how best your company can help them cover awareness days and national holidays. Remember: many journalists will want your help in filling their publishing schedules. It’s your job to find out how best you can do that.

Once the day has passed, make sure you review your successes and failures. Learn from this information, and use it when you try again the following year.

Wait!

We must caveat that this approach is not - and we repeat not - relevant for all brands. Working closely with your PR agency will help you to determine if your brand can (and should) jump on the bandwagon of a national event!

If you found this useful

Check out our blog on how to know if something is newsworthy, or how to identify your target audience in PR. Happy reading!

If you want to chat to us

Awesome! We'd love to chat with you, too. Email us on hello@wordsandpixels.co or message us on LinkedIn!

13/04/2023

Clients: Ready, Steady, BACX appoints Words + Pixels

Words + Pixels is now working with BACX, a new performance drink startup who have created the first plant-based energy drink mix.

BACX is the complete nutrition pouch

Founded by CEO Jason Baits-Tomlin, the BACX Pouch keeps sports enthusiasts energised and rehydrated. When mixed with water, it is complete nutrition needed for use before and during endurance sports.

Jason created the product after his own experiences of side effects from the current energy gels or sports nutrition supplements on the market. He found that chemicals and sugar ultimately created stomach problems, headaches, dizziness and more.

Words + Pixels take the podium with BACX UK launch

In March, Words + Pixels launched the brand by announcing a £1.2m seed funding round, led by four-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel.

We’re super excited to have BACX on board, and look forward to getting them in poll position in front of their competitors.

Sports PR

Want to see our work in the sports industry? Check out Hammerhead’s case study to find out how we we placed their cycling computer, the Karoo 2, in major national titles!

12/04/2023

Words + Pixels named as one of the Top Five Best Places to Work

Words + Pixels is named as one of PRovoke Media’s top five best places to work - and we’re stoked with that honour.

Since our launch in 2020, the wellbeing of our team has been our top priority. Whether we’re establishing personalised professional development plans, or partnering with wellbeing partner Heka, or setting up private health insurance with Medicash, we know that the culture we’re fostering is what attracts top talent to our team.

Here are just a few of the things that make Words + Pixels one of the best PR agencies to work at:

Professional Development

The professional development of each and every team member really is one of the top priorities here at Words + Pixels.

Every team member is set six-monthly OKR objectives with up to five core aims - supporting both soft and industry-specific skills. These are mapped against measurable ‘key results’ to help team members meet their goals, and identify specific skills gaps.

We alo run a comprehensive external training program, meaning we get in the experts:

Company-wide training sessions: Voted for by the team at the beginning of each quarter, these have previously covered PR photography and event management.
Journalist masterclass: A working journalist hosts an interactive Q&A with the team, from CNBC to the BBC
External training session: To develop key PR and comms skills

Culture and Wellbeing

We know that providing the best possible environment for wellbeing is an ongoing and collaborative process, though a supportive culture with a focus on mental health and wellbeing has been a priority for Words + Pixels since we launched in 2020. Note, this period has coincided with COVID, a recession, and the domino effect of these pressures!

To help support our team with their mental health at work, our line managers are trained in mental health awareness through MHFA England, and we have one Mental Health First Aider on staff (accredited through MHFA England). And we’re also a signatory of the Mental Health at Work Commitment.

To support a culture of openness, all of our new starters fill out a personal user manual with sections such as “how to spot if I’m stressed” and “how I would like to receive support”, so we’re aware of their personal needs.

We bring in external speakers to open up the conversation around mental health and wellbeing, which have included talks on alonement (the art of being alone) and on battling our inner critic.

Our work

We aim to work with innovative companies that align with our core values - disruptive, passionate, personal, and supportive.

Lots of our clients are developing solutions to the world’s current ecological crisis through technology; from global tree planting platform Treedom to refurbished tech marketplace Back Market, Lime e-bikes and e-scooters and Heka, an employee wellbeing platform. As a result, 20% of our clients focus on ecology, environment or climate-related solutions and 60% of our clients are B-Corp certified or purpose-led.

Words + Pixels is committed to sustainability and this is something that our entire team has pushed to do more of. We are a founding signatory of Clean Creatives, a collective of creative companies committed to declining work from fossil fuel-related clients. We’re also currently planting a Words + Pixels forest through our client Treedom, with a tree planted for every team/client birthday or anniversary.

Now this wasn’t an exhaustive list of the factors that make us one of the top five places to work, but they’re certainly the things we like to shout about.

If you fancy checking out our current vacancies, go to our jobs page, or email us at jobs@wordsandpixels.co with your CV and a cover letter - we're always happy to receive applications, even when we're not currently hiring.

Liked this post? Check out some of our industry insights like, Ones to watch: The tech companies innovating within the psychedelics industr, or if you work for a PR agency (or any client facing company for that matter), then read How to keep your clients happy from a PR agency.

29/03/2023

Advice: How do I know if something is newsworthy?

Is your news newsworthy?

There are hundreds of things that happen in your company that you might consider newsworthy, from new products, services, events, or even acquisitions. But, how do you know if something is actually newsworthy?

So, what makes a story worthy of a feature in the papers? The easiest way to think about this is, would you and your friends talk about it over a pint in the pub, in your own time?

While effective, this is quite simplistic, and very subjective.

So, here are a few other things to consider before contacting any journalists with your company news:

1. Timeliness

Is the story relevant? Does it tie in with current events or trends? Stories that have a sense of urgency to current events are more likely to be considered newsworthy.

2. Impact

Does your company news have a wider impact on the community, industry, or society at large? Does it have the potential to affect people's lives or change the status quo? If you can recognise that your company news may change the trajectory of an event, or poses questions that add to important conversations means that your news is definitely newsworthy!

3. Uniqueness:

Can you craft a story around your company news that’s unique, or offers a different stance from what's currently out there? Does it offer a fresh perspective or angle? Stories that offer a unique perspective or angle are more likely to be considered newsworthy

4. Prominence

Is the story about a well-known person, brand, or organisation? Or does it involve a significant event or announcement? Leveraging any brand partnerships, or using your company spokesperson is a great way to ensure more interest from news outlets.

5. Human Interest

Does the story have a human angle or an emotional appeal that touches on a universal theme? Stories that have a human interest angle often attract a more engaged readership and therefore are more likely to appear newsworthy.

6. Target Audience

It's important to keep in mind that what is considered newsworthy will vary depending on the media outlet and the target audience. A story that may be newsworthy to one outlet may not be to another. It's also important to research the media outlet and understand their editorial focus and preferences, and understand their readership. For example, targeting The Sun for a piece about the investment you’ve secured would not be ideal.

If you still think your story is newsworthy, try this…

Can you capture it in a headline of 10-15 words?
Can you explain why it’s newsworthy in one paragraph and back it up with evidence?

If you can, there’s your pitch to the media. Now it’s time to start researching the most relevant media titles and journalists.

If you’d like to know who the traditional media are vs the new media or how to find relevant journalists to share company news with then check out our Startup School series.

27/03/2023

Ones to watch: The tech companies innovating within the psychedelics industry

The psychedelics industry has been gaining momentum in recent years, with growing interest from the tech industry.

However, the use of psychedelics for medicinal purposes is still a controversial topic, with most countries having strict laws governing the use of these substances.

Nevertheless, the developments are interesting, and in some instances, groundbreaking. So, we decided to dig into it a little.

Legalisation of Psychedelics

The legalisation of psychedelics has been a topic of debate for decades, with many fearing that legalisation change could lead to abuse of these substances, and in turn have detrimental effects on society. Among many, there are also concerns around the lack of regulation and quality control for these substances, as well as potential risks for people with underlying medical conditions or a history of substance abuse.

However, supporters argue that it could lead to breakthroughs in treating mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, and DMT have been found to have therapeutic benefits and can have long-lasting effects on mental health, though this area is still being trialled, and is yet to be widely accepted as a form of treatment.

Despite the controversy, some countries are starting to loosen their laws around psychedelics. In the UK, for example, the government recently approved a clinical trial using psilocybin to treat depression. The US has also seen some progress, with the FDA approving clinical trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD.

Tech Innovation in the Psychedelics Industry

The tech industry has been quick to recognise the potential of psychedelics for medicinal purposes and has been investing heavily in research and development in this area.

Here are some examples of how tech companies are innovating within the psychedelics industry:

MindMed - MindMed is a neuro-pharmaceutical company that is developing psychedelic-based therapies for mental health disorders. The company has developed a synthetic version of ibogaine, a psychedelic substance that has been found to be effective in treating addiction. MindMed has also developed a digital platform to monitor patients' responses to treatment and provide personalized care.
Field Trip Health - Field Trip Health is a mental wellness company that offers psychedelic-assisted therapy in a clinical setting. The company uses ketamine-assisted therapy to treat depression, anxiety, and PTSD, and has recently received FDA approval to conduct clinical trials using psilocybin.
Silo Wellness - Silo Wellness is focused on developing and distributing psychedelic-based products for mental health and wellness. The company has developed a nasal spray that delivers microdoses of psilocybin, which has been found to have therapeutic benefits for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and addiction.

The Future of Psychedelics and Tech Innovation

The use of psychedelics for medicinal purposes is still in its infancy, but the potential benefits are promising. With the support of the tech industry, we could see breakthroughs in treating mental health disorders that have been resistant to traditional medication.

With innovative startups like those mentioned leading the way, we could see significant advancements in treating mental health disorders.

While it is important to proceed with caution and ensure proper regulation and quality control, the bigger question is around the social and ethical implications of legalisation, and how this could impact society as a whole.

Our Tech-PR work

If you're interested in how PR can help your tech company, then check out some of tech-pr case studies, like AI making the perfect pancake recipe, or the best cycling computer tech used by Chris Froome.

24/03/2023

Clients: Words + Pixels and GoBoat set sail for 2023

Eco-friendly, self-driven boat hire company GoBoat has selected Words + Pixels as its UK PR agency, following a competitive pitch process.

Aye Aye, Captain!

What is GoBoat?

GoBoat is a self-drive boat hire company that lets you take a hold of the wheel across UK waterways. Launching later this March in locations such as Paddington, Canary Wharf, Kingston, and Birmingham!

The boats, which seat up to 8 people, are fitted with electric seats to keep you warm in the colder months. You can travel at the lightening speed of 3 knots (or, in laymans terms, 7/8kmh). The best bit? You can even take your dog!

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday with friends…

Or going on a date...

Couple riding on a self-drive GoBoat boat

...There's plenty of reasons to take a ride.

GoBoat and Words + Pixels

We’re super excited to be working with GoBoat. Here’s what Emily Sherwood, Head of Marketing at GoBoat UK, said: “We were really impressed by Words + Pixels’ commitment to telling stories that are both meaningful and impactful. At GoBoat we are passionate about providing an experience that is not just fun but also promotes social connection and wellbeing, so this new partnership is a natural fit for us. We have an exciting year ahead and having the W+P team onboard will be instrumental in helping us achieve all that we have planned."

Liked this new client announcement? Check out our client Lemonade, or Treedom to see what we'll be up to with them!

Want to know what PR services we offer? Explore our B2B and B2C PR services.

20/03/2023

How to keep your clients happy from a PR agency

How to keep your clients happy from a PR agency

Working with disruptive brands and entrepreneurs from across the globe, there’s a couple of things they all have one thing in common. Firstly is a passion for their business, and secondly a need for the people they work with to provide excellent service and tangible results.

As an agency that works exclusively with these types of businesses, we like to think we specialise in both. In fact, ‘passionate’ is one of our core values.

But on International Day of Happiness, what’s the key to keeping clients happy? We’ve set out our top tips for doing just that - whether you’re working in a PR agency or with clients in any other industry.

In short, you should do the following:

Set clear expectations
Communicate regularly
Be proactive
Be flexible
Provide value
Build relationships
Be transparent
Continuously learn and evolve

Set Clear Expectations

Before starting any project, it's important to set clear expectations. Be transparent about what you can and cannot deliver, and establish realistic timelines and goals. This will help avoid misunderstandings and ensure that your clients are happy with the results you’re all working towards.

Communicate Regularly

Regular communication is a big part of this, even if it might seem like an obvious one but during the height of a campaign or busy project, it can get forgotten - especially if there are multiple stakeholders. Agree a channel that works best for them - whether it’s Slack, WhatsApp or email - and share as often as is relevant. And don’t be afraid to pick up the phone, sometimes sentiment can get lost in translation when it’s written down. For more thorough updates and overviews, agree on a regular cadence and stick to it - whether it’s reports or calls.

Be Proactive

Don't wait for your clients to come to you with questions or concerns. Be proactive and anticipate their needs. Offer suggestions and solutions to problems before they become issues, and provide regular updates on industry trends and news that may be relevant to their business, or impact any future plans.

Be Flexible

To succeed and grow with clients, you’ll have to be willing to adapt to your client's changing needs and priorities. As a PR agency, you may need to pivot your strategy or approach as their business evolves. Be open to feedback and willing to make changes to ensure their satisfaction.

Provide Value

Your clients are investing in your services and your time, so ensure these meet their needs and provide measurable results that can be reported back internally. Use partner agencies to offer additional services or resources that may be relevant to their business and help them meet shared objectives.

Build Relationships

Take the time to get to know them as people, not just clients, and understand their business goals and internal challenges. Where you can, offer support and guidance beyond your specific services, and celebrate their successes along the way.

Be Transparent

Transparency is key to building trust with your clients. It’s often easier to be honest about any challenges or setbacks though we would always suggest finding solutions and presenting these to your client.

Seek Feedback

Feedback is essential for improving your services, so seek it out and be willing to make changes based on their input. Use this to improve your services and build stronger relationships with your clients. At Words + Pixels we run an annual client survey, asking our clients the hard questions because we know it will make us all better. Thankfully, our results were pretty high with a 98% in client communication, and 94% in strategic guidance.

Continuously Learn and Evolve

Every industry is constantly evolving, and it's important to stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices. Continuously evolve your services to meet the changing needs of your clients and consider attending industry events, reading industry publications, and investing in ongoing training and development for your team.

Keeping your clients happy as a PR agency

Keeping clients happy is essential for the success of any PR agency and client relationship, particularly when working with startup founders and entrepreneurs.

But a collaborative attitude to working, with transparent communication and a positive approach to seeking out and adapting to feedback will ensure happy clients and happy teams, with deep partnerships based on trust, and value.

If you're looking for more tips from a PR agency, why don't you read how to measure the impact of PR, or understand how PR can help with fundraising and investment.

16/03/2023

Advice: How to identify your target audience in PR in 4 simple steps

As a startup, one of the most critical factors for success is identifying your target audience. Without knowing who your potential customers are, there could be a lot of wasted effort in your marketing and PR activity.

Knowing who you’re targeting will also help you work out how best to reach them, forming the foundation of any successful PR and marketing strategy.

In this article, we'll outline four simple steps to help you identify your audience and start speaking to them through PR.

Step 1: Conduct Market Research

Market research involves collecting and analysing data about your potential customers to understand their demographics, interests, and behaviours.

There are many ways to conduct market research, including online surveys, focus groups, and social media listening tools. These tools can help you gather information about your target audience, such as their age, gender, income, education level, hobbies, and interests.

If your business sells organic dog food, you might find that your target audience is primarily made up of young adults between the ages of 25-35, families and perhaps older adults. Knowing these demographics can help you tailor your PR messaging and distribution to effectively reach this group.

Step 2: Understand Your Product or Service

With a clear idea of who you’re selling to, you should identify your unique selling point (USP), and the problem it solves for your customers. This step is crucial because it will help you understand how best to sell it, and the core reason people are buying your product.

In the example of our organic dog food business. Of course, your target audience will likely be pet owners - likely young couples, families with children, and older adults - but the organic USP would suggest they’re also conscious about their dog's health and well-being, and probably their own.

Step 3: Use SEO to define your audience

As part of your market research, an SEO analysis could help you understand what your audience is actually searching for.

A simple way to do this is through Google search. As you type, suggested search terms will appear offering a really valuable indication of what others are searching for.

For example, if you begin typing ‘best dog food’, Google may suggest similar search terms, like ‘best organic dog food’ or ‘best healthy food for dogs’.

Another way to use SEO to help define your target PR audience is through Google’s ‘People also ask’ function. Take a look below to see the other search terms.

Step 4: Analyse Your Competitors

A critical step in understanding your target audience is through your competitors. By looking at their marketing strategies, you can gain insights into who their audience is and what communication methods they're using.

Start by researching other brands’ websites, social media pages, and press releases. Look at the language they use, the content they share, and the audience they're reaching. This analysis can help you identify gaps in your own market and PR messaging while differentiating your brand from competitors.

It’s important to remember however that just because a brand in your industry is using a specific strategy or tactic to reach an audience, doesn’t mean it’s working.

Identifying your target audience is critical for startups

Understanding your audience is the starting point for all marketing activity, including PR.

These four steps should help you gain insights into your potential customers, what they're interested in, and how to communicate with them. This knowledge will help you tailor PR to effectively reach your target audience and differentiate your brand from your competitors.

If you found this blog helpful, then check out our YouTube channel which answers questions like, 'How do you reach out to a journalist?' or 'How to write an effective press release'.

If you'd like to see some of our work, then go to our work page to see everything from the World's First Helmet Hair Salon to watching the World's Fastest Speedcubers compete!

08/03/2023

International Women’s Day: Best Femtech startups in the UK

Femtech startups have been on the rise in recent years, with innovative companies creating products and services tailored specifically to women's health and wellness. In the UK, there are several standout Femtech startups that are making a significant impact in the industry.

Here are some of the best Femtech startups in the UK:

Elvie

Elvie is a London-based femtech startup that creates award-winning health and wellness products for women. Its flagship product, the Elvie Trainer, is a smart kegel trainer that helps women strengthen their pelvic floor muscles. The company also offers a breast pump that fits inside a bra, making it discreet and easy to use.

Fertifa

Fertifa is a UK-based startup that offers fertility benefits to employees. The company partners with employers to offer fertility testing and treatment as part of their employee benefits package. Fertifa's mission is to make fertility care more accessible and affordable for all.

Peanut

Peanut is a social networking app designed for women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or new mothers. The app offers a safe and supportive community where women can connect with others going through similar experiences. Peanut has been praised for its inclusivity and diversity.

Vira Health

Vira Health is a London-based startup that offers a digital platform for women's health. The platform uses artificial intelligence to offer personalised insights and advice on a range of women's health issues, including menstruation, contraception, and menopause.

Vira is a London-based startup for women's health

Grace Health

Grace Health is a UK-based startup that offers a digital platform for women's health coaching. The platform offers personalised coaching and advice on a range of women's health issues, including stress, anxiety, and sleep. Grace Health has been praised for its accessible and affordable approach to mental health support.

Femtech for women's health

These Femtech startups are just a few examples of the innovative companies making a significant impact in the UK's femtech industry... And we're excited to see even more groundbreaking startups emerging putting a focus on women's health and wellbeing.

Check our work out

Check out some our best PR work here. If you fancy getting in touch to see how Words + Pixels could support your business, please email us at hello@wordsandpixels.co!

06/03/2023

Clients: Words + Pixels welcome newest B-Corp client Treedom

Treedom is the digital tree-planting platform - the first in the world that allows people to plant trees remotely and follow the story of the tree-planting project online. And guess what … they’re Words + Pixels newest client!

man stands next to trees planted through treedom

Plant a tree from the comfort of your home

Treedom champions the importance of agroforestry in helping local ecosystems thrive and in decreasing Co2 emissions. Their mission is to make environmental and social commitment simple and fun.
Since Treedom’s foundation in 2010, more than 3.5 million trees have been planted across Africa, South America, Asia and Europe.

Explore their website to see their Co2 calculator to find out how much Co2 you produce with every single activity, or plant a tree and track it through its geo-locator.

You can even gift a tree!

Treedom appoint Words + Pixels as its UK agency

The global brand, which has become a household name across Europe, selected Words + Pixels as its UK agency as it enters new markets and continues to build its presence amongst UK consumers.

We’ll be working with Treedom across lots of PR activities like UK press office as well as local and global campaign briefs.

Want more?

Want to see some of our other work? Check out our B2B and B2C case studies here.

10/02/2023

Insight: What should a PR student know about working in PR?

Hi, I’m Jasmine and I’ve just finished my first month working in PR as a Words + Pixels Account Executive. I can confidently say that everything I knew about PR has been turned on its head. I have recently completed my Masters in Public Relations from the London College of Communication at the University of the Arts London, and although that experience was invaluable, it can feel like a drop in the ocean compared to what I’ve learned in the past 31 days...

PR isn’t only a fast-paced industry, it’s constantly evolving and shaping the way that we see the world in this moment. As a PR, you need to be creative, thought-provoking, and always on the pulse of the newscycle.

Here are some things I’ve learned about working in public relations after finishing my MA PR:

1. You haven’t learned everything yet

“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” - Aristotle

You won’t learn the best ways to pitch a story, devise a campaign strategy or build relationships from textbooks in a classroom. You’ll learn by doing it—repeatedly. Thanks to my team, I’ve already improved my pitch structure, learned how to communicate genuinely and effectively with journalists, and how to position a story so it’s appealing to particular audiences. And I’ve learned all of this by practicing, getting great constructive feedback, and learning how to think differently.

2. Pick an agency for the people, not the clients

Love it or hate it, someone once said “team work makes the dream work” and it stuck.

If you plan on working at an agency, one of the most important things I’ve learned since working in PR is that you shouldn’t be drawn into an agency based solely on their clients. We have some incredible clients at Words + Pixels that I’m thrilled to be working with, but it’s the culture at work that really caught my attention and made me want to join this community. It makes a huge difference when you feel supported by everyone you work with, and it really shows when you feel yourself learning quicker, more diligently, and enjoy coming to work.

You’re supposed to be asking questions as an AE, gaining insights from your team leaders and directors, and learning how to own your opportunities and be proactive in seeking them out.

3. Celebrate your wins, even the little ones

“Small things make base men proud.” - William Shakespeare

Our harshest critics are often ourselves, and it’s very easy to get caught up in what’s going wrong so much that you overlook how far you’ve come and what you’ve accomplished. Celebrate your wins, and the wins of your teammates, no matter how big or small, because their wins are your wins when you’re working on a team. Secured a feature with a national publication? Send kudos. Got positive feedback from a journalist? Let the team know the great news. Every win is building on the last, and results in a better outcome for your team and your clients.

4. Learn from your mistakes, and learn quickly

PR is a fast-paced industry. If you accidentally send an email with a typo or send a pitch to a journalist who isn’t interested, note it and learn from it. Always double check your emails before they go out, and do more research on the journalist you’re pitching to beforehand. Also, listen to your peers and coworkers—more often than not, they’ve made some mistakes before that you’re bound to make, so the best way to get ahead of making them is to learn from them and their experiences.

5. Stay curious, and be proactive

A healthy curiosity will challenge you to be more proactive–seeking out journalists, creative ways to pitch a story, and while you’re learning it’s good to share all of the different angles you can think of with your team. They’re there to bounce ideas off of, help you refine your thinking, and package it in a way that makes it suitable for publication. Curiosity means constantly asking questions about what you’re reading and learning about—the more you read and absorb, the better you’ll become at understanding your client’s challenges, interests and strengths.

Ultimately, working in PR is entirely different from what you learn in university.

The best way to learn out here is to fully immerse yourself in your agency or your team, learn from them, know you won’t know everything at once (as frustrating as that is), and enjoy it because there’s really nothing like it!

09/11/2022

Advice: How to measure the impact of your PR

How to measure PR

We get it, C-suite management are asking for how many sales have increased since investing in PR, and now you need something tangible to show them.

Firstly, let’s address the fact. PR can (and often does) drive sales, but this shouldn’t be the main reason you engage an agency. Why? Because PR won’t drive immediate sales, and you can’t track sales in the same way as other marketing initiatives.

PR is also much more powerful when it is considered a reputational tool that boosts brand awareness and credibility.

This may all sound a little vague, so how do you measure PR?

Before you measure PR impact

There’s no point measuring PR if you don’t have an objective to measure it against. We suggest that you think about your overarching business goals, and consider how comms can help you meet these.This will inform the metrics you’ll require to do just that.

The focus of PR is top of the funnel marketing

PR broadly sits at the top of the marketing funnel. This means it is primarily based on building brand awareness, educating consumers and acting as an introduction to the business.

Consumers, at this stage, are scoping out the market. This might be their first interaction with the brand, or their 100th. Either way, if you’re a new product, customers are likely to do a bit of their own research into you and your competitors. How do they do this? Well, they Google it of course.

Often, your prospective consumers will engage with your brand across lots of different touch points across your digital and traditional marketing, before finally converting and buying into the brand.

Tracking your PR success falls into two main categories

Output

So, your PR agency has pitched a story, secured the opp and a piece about your business has been published. Congratulations!

You might have been placed in a national newspaper, such as The Times, or be featured in a more specific industry-based publication.

This in itself is a great result (assuming the piece is positive) and there are many metrics you can measure to highlight it, such as:

Audience - The type of publication you featured in (have you targeted a specific audience in a niche industry magazine, or have you gained widespread awareness on national morning television)
Readership - how many people could potentially see this piece based on the circulation of the magazine/newspaper or monthly users of the site
Key messages - How many of the things you wanted to say were included within the piece, and did it include a call to action e.g. a link to your website
Share of voice - Are you getting more coverage than your competitors

Impact of the coverage

So, you got some coverage, it reaches your audience and included all your key messages. Now what? Well, it’s time to think about the impact.

This is probably something you’ll measure over time to show ROI and measurable business metrics, such as:

Engagement - The number of conversations your coverage drives - this could be in the form of sharing the piece on social media, or comments on an article
Traffic - if a link is included, did it drive traffic? If so, how much did it drive over time.
Inbound requests - as you start to position yourself as a thought leader in the media, measure how many people approach you for other requests like speaking opportunities or commentary

Action - How many people acted on your call to action (if included) e.g. downloaded the app, attended your event

So, now you’re equipped to tell your bosses how successful your PR campaign has been, and what these results can mean for your business.

If you liked this blog, why not check out this one.

31/10/2022

How can PR support investment and fundraising?

Whether you’re just beginning your seed round or seeking investment for your Series D, PR can support your business through a funding round.

PR helps to establish your brand narrative

The start of any decent PR partnership will begin with messaging. This will help establish the story around your brand, how you tell it and what the most interesting points about it are.

They’ll then stress-test that messaging with the harshest critics - the media - and put you in interview scenarios that force you to recite these points over and over again.

They’re storytellers at the end of the day. But being able to recite the most important points about your business under pressure, in an interesting way and within a limited time frame is great practice for an investor pitch.

As you grow, your agency will help refine these talking points and build out an overarching brand narrative that encapsulates your business and the journey you’re on.

It gets you seen by the right people

Your PR team will be experts on the media landscape and have spent time forming strong relationships with journalists across a range of publications. It’s their job to know where your audience consumes their media.

So, when your key audience becomes investors, your agency should know exactly what they are reading and what they want to hear from you.

PRs know how to pitch

Trust us, your agency team spends a huge portion of their time (and careers) pitching. While journalists might not be leading your series A any time soon, investors and reporters aren’t worlds apart - both are time-poor and always looking for an opportunity.

Brevity and getting to the heart of a story are the absolute essentials of any decent comms pro, so get their help when creating a teaser deck or perfecting your pitch. They’ll definitely be able to offer some tips, even if they can’t be with you in the boardroom.

PR drives awareness and credibility

Having a journalist write about your brand, or a celebrity endorse it on social media builds credibility and drives awareness - two things investors love.

Whether that’s in a national newspaper, a consumer magazine or within your specific industry, you're building a brand that people know about, and more importantly, want to talk about.

Don’t be afraid to venture outside of your specific industry too - investors are consumers too, and they read magazines and newspapers just like the rest of us.

It’ll never hurt to include a few articles in your email or pitch deck either - it proves that people outside your organisation are interested in your business too.

If you'd like to chat about how PR can support investment, then email us at hello@wordsandpixels.co

24/10/2022

Advice: 3 tips on how to get the most out of your PR agency in 2023

So, you’re hiring a PR agency - maybe this is your first venture into PR, or perhaps you’ve tried on a small scale and want a little extra firepower.

Whatever your reason, before hiring an agency, there’s a couple of things you should be prepared to do.

We’ve compiled a list of our top tips on how to get the most out of your new PR team, build a partnership that will last, and ultimately get the best results.

1. Be prepared to invest some time

The first few weeks and even months will take some investment. It’s arguably the most important part of your relationship together and will set the tone for all future activity.

During this onboarding period, time should be spent giving your agency all (and we mean all) the information you can about your business, and ensuring there is a clear structure and line of communication in place.

Appoint a single person who manages contact with the PR agency. This person will funnel information between your business and their team, and will be the first port of call for the agency. A secondary point of contact is also useful so they know who to go to if you’re not around.
Treat your agency like a sponge. Often, information that may seem menial to you is interesting to your agency. PR agencies are always looking for new angles or fresh voices to join in conversations, and you’ll likely have this hiding in plain sight.
Introduce your agency to key stakeholders across the business. Signpost employees who are in senior positions or those with technical expertise and interesting backgrounds. In doing so, your agency will obtain a much broader perspective and insight into what goes on in the business. Having a larger bank of expert voices means individuals can be drawn on for interviews to give unique opinions or experiences that journalists will be looking for.

2. Consider your agency as a partner for the business

It’s really useful to remember that your PR agency isn't just the manpower that pulls off an amazing stunt in the middle of Trafalgar Square. PRs are trained experts that really know the media landscape. They’re storytellers that understand public and media opinion and sentiment. When implemented correctly across the business, this often offers a competitive advantage.

PR and comms work much more effectively when they are integrated into business decisions and processes, and often businesses are much more innovative when they work closely with their PR teams. Keep your agency in the loop when these important conversations are happening to avoid any missed opportunities or late briefing.

However, clients can (and should) also manage their PR agency’s expectations. If you promise to be able to deliver something in time frames that you know simply won’t happen, then this will likely cause problems.

3. Build an effective partnership by trusting their expertise

Managing expectations is a two way street when it comes to PR agencies and their clients.

Often, clients will want to secure coverage in well-known national titles simply because they’ve heard of them - is this really where your audience are?

For many, a piece in the Guardian might be a great ego-boost, but it could reach a very limited number of their customers. PR agencies have to manage their clients’ expectations on the types of media they expect to win coverage in, and considering they’re experts in this, you should trust their opinion

Find this blog useful?

Check out our other blogs, especially how to become an established authority in your industry through thought leadership.

Looking for more advice?

Check out our YouTube channel to meet the team, and get our advice on 30 of the burning questions people have about PR.

Fancy a chat?

Drop us a line at hello@wordsandpixels.co

18/10/2022

Words + Pixels welcome new client Lemonade with a UK wide launch

Lemonade is an insurance company powered by AI and social impact.

This month, the team at Words + Pixels launched Lemonade, in the United Kingdom. As part of the work, the team focused on placing strategic announcements and key profile interviews with the CEO and co-founder Daniel Schreiber alongside commentary and insight on the current insurance market.

Founded in 2015, Lemonade launched its flagship renters insurance in the United States in 2016, where it is now ranked one of the top renters insurance products in the market.

Since then, it has expanded throughout Europe - in France, The Netherlands and Germany and has made its way to the UK to bring the same instantaneous and delightful experience to residents here.

Lemonade is shaking up the way we insure

Residents in the UK are now able to protect their belongings with Lemonade from as little as £4 a month. Their contents insurance includes worldwide cover for individual personal items of up to £2,000 each, total cover up to £100,000, and no cancellation fees. Furthermore, add-on cover is also available for those who want extra protection for theft and loss-related incidents, accidental damage to mobile devices.

Lemonade is a Certified B-Corp

As a Public Benefit Corporation and Certified B-Corp, Lemonade has social impact baked directly into its business model. Through its Giveback program, the company donates leftover premiums to non-profit organisations selected by its customers. They are supporting causes like equality, climate, and poverty.

Words + Pixels secured coverage on Lemonade's UK launch in top tier national and trade publications alongside broadcast coverage in Sky News and LBC.

Fancy seeing our other work in the finance sector?

Anorak - a better way to protect your financial future

14/10/2022

Industry Roundup: PRing in the cost of living crisis

It’s been a busy week for all of the PR’s out there. But have a couple of brands just got it completely wrong in the midst of the cost of living crisis? We’ve got two examples of misguided communication and messaging right here, so grab a cuppa and sit back.

This week, Klarna announced their latest collaboration with food delivery service Deliveroo. While many were jumping for joy at the thought of their favourite Chinese being slightly more accessible, there have been more critics of the collab.

Klarna x Deliveroo - A Foodie Fail?

As part of our job in PR, we must always be aware of the social, political, and economic environments that are at play at the time we release our announcements or pitch ideas to journalists. This, it seems, may have been slightly overlooked by the Klarna and Deliveroo teams.

In a time where most are crunching numbers in a bid to save some cash due to the cost of living crisis, a ‘buy now pay later’ firm is encouraging consumers to spend.

While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, £20 for a takeaway here and there, it really promotes naughty spending habits. The Nation’s hero, Martin Lewis, (the Money Saving Expert) was not happy:

Ofgem steps in for the Government

After the government blocked a state-led information campaign to ration energy consumption, Ofgem decided to take this into their own hands.

The government decided to not go ahead with the initiative amidst fears it would be perceived as the actions of a “nanny state”. but the Office of Gas and Electricity Market’s decision to announce the marketing drive a few days later felt like a discredit to the government.

It's certainly wise to take a step back at times and ask if we have to participate in every conversation that grabs national attention. But, it’s equally important to have a PR strategy in place that protects our clients reputation when we decide to not go ahead with an announcement or initiative.

Check out how brands are using human stories to sell their products here.

10/10/2022

World Mental Health Day: The companies tackling mental wellbeing in the workplace

The conversation around mental health seems more prominent than ever. The pandemic and cost of living crisis have thrust the importance of mental wellbeing into the spotlight.

Right now, 1 in 6 workers are experiencing a mental health problem such as anxiety, depression, or stress. With employees at the core of every business, it is important that employers play their part in their employees mental health journey, from long term recovery to day-to-day management.

Businesses perform better when staff are healthy, motivated and focused. Helping employees navigate a difficult period will help them to feel happier in the workplace and create a safe space where they feel confident. Standing by people when they are struggling not only helps you to keep hold of a valuable team member but also sends a message about your company values.

One way to help your employees navigate this period is through implementing a third-party platform into the fabric of your company culture. This will help to monitor how your workforce are feeling so you can act quickly but also will help employees to feel understood and listened to.

4 companies helping employees with their mental health

1. OK Positi ve

OK Positive has a range of features that helps employees to understand how they are feeling and how it impacts their output at work. An important part of learning how to cope is by reflecting on how you feel. OK Positive’s mood check-in feature encourages employees to do this through a series of short steps that can reveal patterns and triggers to help employees identify whether there is a root cause.

Employees can also let their employers know about this to help them be mindful of their feelings and to prevent potential triggers.

2. Heka

Heka is all about improving the employee experience through a range of over 3000 wellbeing experiences. From gym discounts and therapy sessions to career and life coaching to nutritional health, it really does have something for everyone. It’s hard to have a blanket approach to ‘workplace benefits’ as every employee will value each offering differently. Heka provides employees with the power to experience well-being in the way that they choose and that will make a personal difference.

3. Bravo Benefits

Bravo is an all-in-one benefits platform that aims to support employees, reward their hard work and develop through a tailored package designed specifically for the business. This could be anything from childcare benefits and discounts and saving cards, to tech benefits and lifestyle savings.

Bravo is committed to responding and adapting to the challenges presented by the ever-changing employee wellbeing landscape by listening and speaking with their clients. All benefits can be accessed through the app allowing remote, hybrid and on-site employees to engage from anywhere.

4. YuLife

YuLife is a great app that encourages employees to engage, be active and participate. It provides inclusive challenges like walking, mediation and cycling, among staff to drive healthy competition with different levels to unlock. This collective experience drives motivation and will have an everlasting impact on company culture.

Employees will also have access to a variety of valuable discounts which they can spend at the likes of Amazon, Avios and Nike.

If you need to reach out for help, find a list of resources below.

03/10/2022

Words + Pixels welcome climate tech company Oaktree Power Ltd onboard

Oaktree Power help buildings reduce Co2 emissions and energy costs to deliver Net Zero targets.

Words + Pixels is working with Oaktree Power to establish the clean company as a leading voice within the sustainable energy sector, showcasing the company’s innovative use of technology and raising the profile of its CEO.

As part of this work, we will be placing strategic partnership announcements, alongside commentary and insight on the current energy system and how businesses can help reach the UK’s Net Zero goals.

Oaktree Power is on mission to collaboratively empower their clients to reduce their Co2 emissions while earning significant annual recurring revenues and benefiting from a wide array of net-zero opportunities.

The company was founded in 2020 by Guillaume Molhant-Proost and Andreas Wiele and is led by CEO Chantel Scheepers alongside an experienced team with over 50 years spent in the energy and clean technology sectors.

An advocate for the global adoption of clean technology solutions, Chantel is driving the fast expansion of Oaktree Power's global footprint while positioning the company as the leading 100% green virtual neural network provider.

Oaktree Power help businesses reduce their carbon impact

Interested in tech PR? Check out some of our other PR work here.

25/09/2022

Tech: The best deals platforms for saving money on everyday purchases

Inflation is at a four-decade high. Salaries are (for the most part) staying put. That means everything is looking a little more expensive than it did one or two years ago.

You can respond to this in a variety of ways. You can monitor your spending, and you can make more out of the things you already have. Another effective way to save money at the moment is through deals apps and services for not only everyday essentials, but also the little enjoyments in life.

Although the prospect of using deals to save money might seem uncomfortable to some, a variety of platforms make the whole process a lot quicker and easier. There’s no trawling through endless websites to find minor 3% discount tokens. It’s all arranged for you.

Here's our suggestions:

Dusk

Dusk is designed to connect you with cool bars, pubs, and venues in your area. It offers incentives - like free drinks and discounts - to encourage you to do so.

Since autumn is upon us (our favourite season for evening pub visits), it’s the perfect time to start using the app. You might even find a new favourite local. Or a new favourite tipple, failing that.

Karma

We’re all looking for a touch of good karma at the moment. Karma (the Chrome extension) helps you shop online by allowing you to save items you’re interested in. It will then alert you when said item falls beneath a certain price, according to the parameters you set.

Karma even donates $1 to a cause of your choice for every purchase worth over $40. So you’re helping others too.

Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go is one of the best ways to save money on your food shopping. All you need to do is download the app and choose a bakery, supermarket, or other food outlet to collect a ‘magic bag’ from. It’ll come at a third of its retail price.

Since it’s actually designed to reduce food waste, you’re also helping the planet when you use it.

Honey

Honey provides a traditional coupons and discounts service in a modern format. Add its extension to your Chrome browser and wait for a popup when you’re checking out from an online store. It’ll offer you automatic discounts based on its web-wide searches.

VoucherCodes

VoucherCodes is one of the better traditional deals sites. It provides discount codes and offers from all the biggest retailers and brands on its website. Before buying something, make sure you check its website first. You might come away with a cheeky deal.

Hopper

One of the most frustrating results of the energy crisis has been the rising cost of holidays. Transport has become more expensive. So have hotel stays and other activities.

Hopper is the deals site for travel. It works in the same way as a travel agency. But you’ll find seriously good savings there for everything related to your holiday.

Shopmium

After housing, food is often the most expensive category in my spending history at the end of the month. That’s why apps like Shopmium can be really helpful. Shopmium offers you discounts on a variety of products in your local area through its app. You can choose which ones you need the most and plan your shopping around those.

Even if the discounts are small, high food costs mean you can end up saving a lot. There are even 100% cashback offers on some products.

23/09/2022

Industry Roundup: IKEA and Starbucks use human stories

This week's industry round up had a focus on storytelling and the brands bringing a human element to their campaigns. Overall, we can see that the brands are focusing on the consumer than the actual brand.

IKEA Life Collection 2022:

IKEA uses human stories for their Life Collection of recycled products

Firstly, the most recent piece was IKEA's Life Collection 2022 - this came in the form of a visual catalog of used furniture telling the stories behind the products being resold at IKEA’s new second-hand stores in Norway.

Essentially, this looked at the life cycle of a piece of furniture and what it has seen, whether that be divorce, a bereavement, or perhaps just become redundant or unloved. The backing track, an accoustic version of ‘Don’t You Forget About Me' really brings the point of the campaign to the forefront - old furniture need not to be discarded and forgotten about.

Personally, I think it's so clever and emotion provoking as it brings more of a story to the object - something we can all relate to as an onlooker. The video encourages the viewer to look beyond IKEA's well-known branding and products, but actually to engage in the narratives that play out around each piece of furniture.

Starbucks' Every Table Has a Story

Starbucks' 'Every Table has a Story' is another great example.

It's a story of a woman who is trying to kick-start her career who works from a table in the cafe. Knock back after knock back she stays resilient, returning to the same table in the same Starbucks cafe.

The story ends, and the protagonist opens a magazine which features her work. The narrative brings to life the on-goings that Starbucks sees rather than the product itself.

Using human-led stories in PR

Using human stories in PR is a great way to humanise your brand. Whether it's drawing on your values and culture, or using your own experiences to join in industry conversations, a story your consumers can relate to is a surefire way to instigate brand awareness and even brand loyalty.

16/09/2022

Team: Dear Undergrads…

Najyah has just completed a two week PR internship with Words + Pixels, and has given us the low-down on PR habits she wished she knew before!

The two weeks I spent interning at Words + Pixels were plenty enough to give me a checklist of habits and goals that I would like to achieve in my second year of university - though I wish I had started earlier! Whatever course you study, going to university is a valuable opportunity to learn about the world and grow as a person. However, if you are keen on having a career in PR as I was in my first year, you might find very little resources to help you understand what skills you need to build.

So, after two weeks of learning, researching, asking everyone about their PR career journeys, and receiving helpful feedback, here is what I’m going to do:

1) Develop a balanced media diet

Social media is a fascinating space to follow the news, and get an overview of different perspectives. But, reading a different newspaper every morning for the last two weeks, has brought to my attention alternative writing styles, and a distinction between the kinds of stories that publications choose to run.

Going forward, I want to develop the habit of scanning the newspapers online everyday. I would recommend trying this at least once a week, especially as being familiar with a range of publications is a great asset to have.

2) Create a CV

W+P founder, Nick, mentioned to me that it is never too early to create a CV. It would have been much simpler for me to map out where I am lacking in experience or abilities that companies look for, and what I might work toward if I had made one sooner. If you haven’t already, crack on to find out your personal areas of development.

3) Gain writing experience

Most job specs for entry-level positions call for creativity and writing skills. A fun and accessible way to gain this experience as students, are student papers. I will definitely be on the lookout for content writing or editing roles with my university paper, as there is so much I will gain from doing this (beyond it looking good on my CV).

Firstly, it requires you to get into the habit of writing under deadlines. At W+P, the workload was fast-paced, but the more tasks I completed, the easier it became to produce higher-quality work in short spaces of time. Secondly, completing course assignments tends to narrow your focus on the topics you choose to write about. Writing articles is a great practice to explore current affairs and step into other people’s shoes.

4) Be active on LinkedIn

Building a reliable network of people will prove helpful from the minute you graduate to five or ten years later. Relationship-building skills are a PR professional’s bread and butter. The sooner you start, the better; As a student, it is easy to begin by connecting with course mates and tutors.

Post about the work you do, what you enjoyed learning about, re-share articles that are interesting. Any part time work, volunteering, or activities from societies are also great things to share. Plus, it is a fantastic tool for discovering and staying current with various PR firms. I will, without a doubt, make use of this to find other internships and possibilities.

These are just a few of the things I discovered while working with W+P, but forming these habits will undoubtedly strengthen the abilities I will require in the future. These habits would have been really helpful in my first year, so I do hope that this may help another student out.

14/09/2022

New Pixel: meet our new Account Manager, Alice

Hey 👋 What better way to start a new job then introduce yourself to the whole of the internet...

I'm Alice and I'm Words + Pixels' newest recruit, starting my role as an account manager.

In a nutshell

I started my career at B2B Technology PR agency CCgroup, working across Fintech, Telecoms, and Enterprise technology clients. After just over three years in the world of B2B tech, I decided to try my hand in-house at the charity Back Up, after having a personal connection to Back Up’s work.

Some highlights

Working with Kris Aves, the policeman injured in the Westminster Bridge attack, to secure an interview with ITV and promote Back Up’s work on a national scale
Working with bot mitigation company, Netacea, to raise widespread awareness of the impact bots can have on businesses through securing coverage in the BBC, Telegraph, Wired, and Reuters
Making the final of the PRCA UK Young Lions Competition in 2021

What excites me most about Words and Pixels

Clients - Words and Pixels works with so many truly disruptive clients. I’m excited to learn more about the world of start-ups and scale-ups, and help the team spread awareness of the innovative work clients do through impactful PR.
Culture - After just a few hours in the office I could see just how enthusiastic the team is about the work they do, and how everyone brings something unique to the table. The support they offer each other is really special.
The work and opportunity to learn from the best in the business. Words and Pixels is ambitious and enables clients to scale through meaningful work. I’m excited to tell the stories of disruptive clients and learn from everyone in the team.

If you're looking for your next role in PR, then check out our careers page.

07/09/2022

Tech: 5 budgeting apps to help make the most of your money

The concept of ‘financial freedom’ has attracted a lot of interest over the past few years. It feels liberating to buy rounds for friends with the quiet response: “This one’s on me.” But it’s become clear that many of us will need to start monitoring our income and spending as inflation rises in the UK.

The thought of monitoring my spending struck me with fear especially when I saw my flatmates mammoth spreadsheet tracking every penny. But soon I noticed the multitude of budgeting apps that make personal finance much simpler. They quelled my anxieties. And could save me £££ too.

These are some of the best.

1. Nous

Nous is an app that helps you better understand your changing household bills. This is particularly useful at the moment following the announcement that Ofgem would be raising the household energy price cap by 80%. But also if our new prime minister decides to act on that.

New Nous users need only connect their open banking account through the app to start the process. Nous will then evaluate your bills and forecast their future changes. You can even add other members of your household to improve the accuracy of the forecasts.

2. Snoop

Snoop is another app that helps you track bills. But it also tracks your other spending too. It will then suggest ways for you to reduce certain bills like mobile service providers in line with current offers from other providers.

Snoop’s various free functions make it a brilliant option for people who want to monitor their spending across multiple accounts on a single platform. There is a premium version (only £3.99) that enables enhanced functions like unlimited custom spending categories.

There are many other similar apps out there. But Snoop provides some of the best functions on its free membership level. All you need to do is connect the bank accounts you want to track through the app.

3. MoneySavingExpert

There’s a good chance you’ll already know about MSE. And if not, you might have heard of Martin Lewis, MSE’s founder. But it always surprises me to find out how few people I know use the website. It’s just released a new app too, and that's why it makes our best budgeting apps list.

The new app, called MoneySavingExpert, helps people access MSE content through an easier format. The content is all related to reducing bills and making more of your money available for the spending you care about. It provides invaluable advice about managing personal finances during the current cost-of-living crisis.

4. Loop

You might have once deemed energy bills a ‘low priority’ if you live alone or in a house share. But there’s a good chance that, wherever you live, you’re thinking about them now. If you only download one budgeting app, we suggest it's this one.

Loop’s app helps you track your household energy usage. It works by connecting with your smart meter, which, if you don’t have one, energy providers often offer to install for free. The app then offers energy-saving insights based on the data.

Loop claims that it helps users reduce their electricity usage by 10% on average. And the app is free, so it really is an easy decision to make.

5. Moneyhub

Moneyhub works somewhat like Snoop. It tracks your spending and bills across multiple accounts to provide detailed analysis about where you spend your money. This can help you better understand your finances and reduce costs where possible.

Moneyhub’s principal difference is its goals-based approach. You can use it to set specific goals across multiple categories to track your status as a month progresses. It makes personal finance a lot easier to keep track of.

Liked this blog on budgeting apps? Check out our 6 fashion tech apps that will help you to save money on clothes while also protecting the planet!

19/08/2022

Tech: Crunching the cost of living crisis with 6 apps to keep your wardrobe fresh

Fashion tech is keeping you trendy through more sustainable fashion consumption.

When reassessing our spending habits, it’s often the trendy or non-essential clothes that are one of the first to be red lined. But the Gok Wan inside all of us is dying to escape at the prospect of four summer weddings, a work-do and Christmas celebrations.

For many Gen Z and millennial consumers, there’s an interesting paradigm that occurs when consuming fashion, and deciding when and how to do so.

Caught between a rock (environmental foreboding, issues of climate change and the impact of fast fashion on the planet) and a hard place (societal pressures to buy new, because new = trendy = cool), these consumers now have the added complexity of the cost of living crisis, and their ability to use disposable income on clothes.

We’ve outlined six of our favourite fashion-tech apps to help you save money, stay stylish, and minimise your affect on the planet:

1. By Rotation

By Rotation was the world’s first social fashion rental app, launched in 2019. It is focused on creating a community of like minded people, conscious of the environment but still fashion-lovers. By Rotation offers renters the opportunity to wear both luxury and high street clothes for a fraction of the price to suit their budget.

2. Hurr

Hurr, like By Rotation, is a clothes rental app designed for women. They believe that getting women to rent instead, meant they could still get their kicks from the latest luxury trends and pieces, without burning a hole in their pocket or the planet.

You know that £150 dress sitting at the back of your cupboard? See what you could make:

3. Sojo

Sojo founder, Josephine Philips, believes that second-hand shouldn’t mean a compromise in great fitting clothes that make you feel really good.

After many years of frustrating charity shop gems that didn’t fit quite right, Josephine decided to build the technology to make clothing alterations and repairs mainstream. With a Deliveroo-like model as the basis, the app connects customers to local Seamster businesses, The result? People could get their clothes altered or repaired with a few simple clicks.

4. Nuw

Nuw is the clothes swap app. Users earn coins for every item they list to swap. Users then use their coins to swap an item from another member, or request to borrow for as long as you like. Each swap is only £0.99. Each time an item is borrowed or swapped on Nuw, they offset 25% of the resources that would have been used in the production of a new item.

5. Depop

Depop is a reselling app which allows your friends and creative influencers all over the world to see the things you like, buy, and sell. Buyers can browse for pre-loved electronics, clothes, accessories and more. You can refine your search with their filter functions, you can find the exact brand, size, colour, and condition item you’re looking for.

6. Vinted

Just like its counterpart Depop, Vinted is a clothes reselling app. Without sellers fees, users can list and sell their items for free. To boost their items, sellers can choose pay to promote their items to get in front of the right audience.

08/08/2022

Thought Leadership: Becoming an established authority in your sector

Thought leadership is a fantastic way to build credibility for an individual and a business. While it might sound like another PR buzzword, it essentially means becoming an influencer in your field and it is a key part of many PR strategies.

The value of being a thought leader

The main goal of thought leadership is to become recognised as an expert and used as a go-to resource. Think Martin Lewis, who has become synonymous with financial advice and is trusted by millions across the UK.

By becoming a thought leader in your industry, you are able to build credibility for your business and develop trust amongs your target audience. Over time this can help drive more people back to the company.

But this doesn’t (and can't) happen overnight.

Thought leadership in PR

You can have a number of thought leaders within one company, who can all offer their own unique insight on a topic. From your CEO to the Head of Data, many people have a wealth of knowledge that can contribute to the industry conversations going on outside the four walls of the company.

When we first start working with a client, we love to have a coffee with the company's key figures to learn about their experience and interests. This is a great way to establish who can become your company thought leaders.

We can then take this insight and explore the wider industry conversations, identifying areas where we feel our thought leaders can really add value.

The most successful thought leaders are ones who understand their audience's motivations and pain points and provide authentic, insightful advice that moves a conversation on. There is nothing worse than someone simply sitting on the fence.

Once you have your talking points and thought leaders agreed, you’re ready to start building their profile!

You can do this through number of avenues:

1. Commentary

When there is a big piece of breaking news within an industry, many media outlets are looking for reactions from people within the space and also for advice on what this news means for the general public. For example, when all the offices were told to close because of Coronavirus, many journalists were looking for reactions from business leaders on what this meant for their business and teams.

This type of thought leadership can take the form of short snappy written comments or even interviews on television and radio, but it is competitive, so it’s important you are quick off the mark and demonstrate a strong opinion to get real cut through.

Our client, Oaktree Power Ltd, was featured in City AM in response to the government's announcement of support for high energy businesses during the energy price increase.

2. Trade opinion piece

A proactive way to position yourself as a thought leader is through in-depth opinion pieces on recent trends within your industry. Many trade outlets are on the lookout for long form advice pieces that can help break down a topic for their readers while providing genuine insight. This allows you to demonstrate your knowledge on a subject and position yourself and your business as a leader within the space.

For Kitt, we positioned their COO and founder Lucy Mitton in a piece for WorkLife on the importance of office space for startup and early stage businesses.

3. Social media

Social media can be used in a couple of ways to establish yourself as a thought leader. If you’ve been featured in a national newspaper or trade magazine offering your opinion or insight on a topic - then share it! Social media is a great way to leverage PR campaigns and coverage wins, since you’ll be signposting your content to your followers, who might not have otherwise seen it.

Some of the best examples of this are:

Steven Bartlett

Ellie Middleton

An autistic and ADHD activist and content creator.

Christel Quek

Co-Founder of Bolt.

Authenticity is the key to thought leadership

The most important thing to remember is to be authentic, both of these platforms are crowded and in order to stand out, your posts need to offer genuine insight and can’t just be another way to share company updates.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help position you and your brand as a thought leader, get in touch with us at hello@wordsandpixels.co.

Check out our work here

21/07/2022

Insight: From grad to intern: What it’s really like in PR

Hello hello hello! I’m Hannah, a Summer Placement PR intern at Words + Pixels here. It has been 3 weeks since I started and I can’t wait to give you a snapshot of what it has been like working in PR, from the perspective of a PR & Advertising student.

How to put my knowledge and skills into practice

From conducting research into insights about the clients to crafting a media list, my knowledge of PR and Advertising was transformed into a series of practical techniques and skills that I can now implement in real-life business scenarios, all thanks to my internship.

However, it's been much more than that. I've learnt new things such as keep up with the news on a daily basis... and drafting pitches is very different from what I was taught in university.

As Steve Jobs said: “Learn continually - there’s always “one more things” to learn”, the world of PR constantly evolves and surprises me.

Understanding workplace culture

Culture influences communication, and as an international student, I learned that every company or organisation has its own culture. It’s essential to observe others and learn how they engage and interact with co-workers, or help them with projects and tasks. I quickly learned that whenever something is unclear for me, or I don’t understand, it’s fine to ask for clarification. I was lucky that everyone at W+P is very considerate when it comes to explaining and clarifying my doubts.

Enthusiasm is invaluable

As a PR intern, I discovered it’s essential to be enthusiastic and open to learning new skills, asking for more work and being curious to learn and ask questions. This attitude will show that you enjoy being part of the team and that you're keen to help. Having curiosity and enthusiasm also means that, as an intern, you get a lot out of what you’re doing, which opens lots of opportunities.

The benefits of taking on feedback

Asking for and receiving professional feedback is very important. It is essential to take note of both the positive and negative points for the future, so you can grow and excel in your career. Asking for feedback is always helpful because at the end of the day, there is always room for improvement.

I learned that sometimes asking for feedback or receiving feedback is difficult to hear, but it will have a significant impact on your future career and success.

How important good communication is

Communication is the key to success in a professional environment. I learned that it’s important to communicate with my manager via phone, email or Slack if I have questions or if I don’t know how to work on a task.

Asking for help and clarification is better than pretending you’ve understood what you need to do, no matter what. Avoiding asking questions if you can find answers elsewhere is part of being a good communicator – keep in mind that everyone’s time is valuable. As an intern, good communication will help with productivity, efficiency, engagement and growth.

It has been a very exciting experience as a PR intern and I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and develop the skills needed for working in PR. I cannot wait to see what the remainder of my internship has to offer.

13/07/2022

Insight: Weighing in on politics – is it right for my brand?

With Bojo finally accepting his fate and addressing the nation of his resignation, many businesses saw this as an opportunity to leverage their brand on social media.

But how do you know when political commentary is right for your brand? Should you engage with political discourse by any memes possible?

Well, here's a roundup of some fab, and not-so-fab attempts at reactive social content and PR.

Brewdog's BOJO BOGO beer

Brewdog bring out 4 new beers amid Boris Johnson's resignation

Boris first in line at Blackpool's Job Centre

Blackpool's Madame Tussauds take Boris Johnson's statue and place it outside of the Job Centre after his resignation announcement

Iceland solves the cabinet problem

What to do (and what not to do)

Be quick BUT accurate.

Newsjacking only works when the story is still being talked about.

There's nothing worse than getting to the joke too late. The moment has passed. The topic has moved on. But you're still clinging on to it like Gary Barlow and his glory days of Take That.

But ensure you're well versed. Do your research so you can defend your position.

Whether you swing left, right or sit right in the middle, diving your brand head first into the political agenda can have consequences. Be careful not to alienate supporters, unless this is the objective, of course.

But if you're keen to make a stand, here are a few things to think about:

What are people saying? Look at what other brands in your industry are saying. The opinions of your customers and the general viewpoint of the population.
Is it relevant? Your brand has a voice, personality and values. Consider if the issue is relevant to your brand before you jump on the bandwagon.
Does it affect your audience? If it's going to positively or negatively impact their lives, this could be the time to take a stance - but be prepared to be challenged.
Are the facts clear? Avoid petty party politics, heresay, and rumours and stick to the evidence

13/07/2022

Thought leadership: When is it too early to engage PR for my startup?

In short, it’s never too early to start PR for your startup. But you need a few things in place to set you up for success.

PR for startups is a brilliant way to grow your brand, profile and business, and compared to some other marketing practices, can be relatively low cost if you think creatively about how you go about it.

So, if you're thinking about it and want to get started, here are six top tips you need to know before you do.

1. Know your goals

The opportunities for PR are endless.

It sparks conversation. Shapes how you're viewed by your customers and the wider industry. Establishes your credibility. It can attract investors, drive leads and most importantly, support the growth of your business.

However, just like everything in business, you need to have a clear understanding of your goals and what you want to achieve from your efforts. Ask yourself, what does success really look like?

Perhaps you're looking to increase brand awareness, educate a specific audience or establish yourself as a thought leader.

These are great goals to have, but choose a few and stick to them.

If you’re looking for a quick marketing hack that will drive instant revenue, then look elsewhere. PR is not the solution.

2. Think about your audience

It’s easy to get lost in the romantic idea of having your business written about by the BBC or featured in The Times…

But let's imagine you’re a B2B SaaS platform in a niche category. Are these national titles really the right place for your business?

Or could you, in fact, gain more value from placing stories in industry-specific publications, that are read by your customers and peers?

Something to think about.

3. Building the story

We all want the big headlines and prime-time stuff.

But let me tell you now, these do not come over night. Reputations are built and most journalists will not have heard of your startup before. So you'll need to educate them.

How do you do that?

Well, the best way is to start small and build momentum.

Every conversation with a journalist, and every piece of coverage you generate will form the basis of your PR efforts going forward. It builds a picture of your business in the media and establishes you as a trusted voice. So the next time someone Googles you or your business, guess what they'll read?

And trust us, journalists use Google more than most.

4. Make time for PR

As a startup founder, it's probably safe to assume that you don't have bags of time to spare.

Wearing five different hats from CEO, to head of marketing and HR, your time is precious.

So you probably don't want to hear this, but PR takes time.

Crafting the right story for a specific journalist, following up only to hear nothing back. Not to mention all the back and forth if a journalist does engage with you. And then, when you do get your story covered, you need to ride that momentum and it starts again. It's all about consistency.

Unless you're willing to stick at it and build time into your week for PR, you're never going to benefit from the impact it can have.

5. Make sure your messages are aligned

To achieve effective PR results for your startup, you really need to ensure you have an established marketing strategy in place that is performing well against your objectives. Then, it's important to ensure your PR efforts complement this.

There's no point saying one thing in your social ads, and saying a completely different thing in an interview with a journalist.

Keep banging the drum and deliver a consistent and unique message. This is what people will know you for.

When you do start getting results in PR, amplify them across your marketing channels.

Share your coverage on personal and company social media accounts (don't forget to tag the journalist). Include links in your customer emails and add them to your website too. It all builds credibility.

6. In house, freelance or agency?

So, you know your objectives and you've identified your audiences.

But maybe you don't have the time to commit. Perhaps you've tried and haven't succeeded. Or maybe things are going well and you want to increase your efforts.

What are your options?

Freelance: There are plenty of great freelancers who can help, and many have industry specialisms. You pay them for a dedicated amount of their time each month, and they bring their contacts and experience. This is a great place to start and the flexibility means it can be very cost effective.

Agency: PR agency teams have a wealth of experience, contacts and specialisms which will really supercharge your efforts. Perhaps you're getting ready for a big launch, or gearing up for some company news, dealing with some crisis management or simply want to invest in PR as a key pillar of your marketing mix. They should act as an extension of your team, understand your brand and provide consultation on how to take PR to the next level. But they will still need management, so you'll need to think about who is best placed in your business to maintain and cultivate that relationship.

In-house: Hiring an in-house PR Manager is something you should think about when things are going well. Like really well. Well enough to take up someone's whole day, five days a week well. This is a great hire when you're looking to expand into other markets. They should work closely with all areas of your business and any agency teams to ensure that communications are aligned.

07/07/2022

Insight: What I wish I knew before I started my career in PR

Hey, I'm Dan, and I've been working with Words + Pixels for almost four months now.

PR is a fast paced, reactive, and creative industry and I'm absolutely loving it. BUT, there are a couple of things I wish I knew before starting my career in PR.

Getting started in PR can be a daunting prospect, especially when you come from a background of journalism and your sole PR experience is one module on a three-year course. So, after a third of a year in PR, what have I learned? And what do I wish I had known before?

Here are some things that would have benefited me before starting my career in PR:

PR is not advertising

From a place of very basic understanding it can be easy to see PR as advertising for your clients, but this is not the case. PR is about creating campaigns (by providing insight and value to your clients' audience) with the goal of creating organic brand awareness.

It’s about working around the clients’ goals and values to help share their message.

Be persistent

Now that I have a few months of pitching under my belt, I have come to understand the importance of being persistent, and patient! Even the perfect pitch can be ignored by journalists so it is important not to get hurt by that.

Often, reporters will ignore, turn down, or rudely reject an opportunity. It is vital not to become dejected by this. Instead of thinking ‘this is all wrong’, it is better to think ‘what can I do to make this more appealing?’ This way, you can adapt your pitching style to make it alluring to journalists.

Build relationships

In journalism, building relationships is everything, and PR is no different. Having contacts in high-profile roles and/or suitable people in relevant titles makes it SO much easier to get coverage. If everything goes smoothly when working with a journalist to publish a piece, then they are more likely to work with you again.

Demonstrate that you are capable of working professionally within their time frame. Why? Because they are much more likely to open your email the next time you need coverage.

Become familiar with a range of titles

Consuming news is incredibly important in PR. Staying up to date and continuing to be reliably informed on current events is hugely beneficial. Understanding what content is in particular titles, as well as the style they write in, makes it a lot easier to determine where to pitch certain stories and clients.

Don’t become too comfortable with one major publication since it is not always going to be suitable with what you’re working on. Having a well-balanced media diet will go a long way into being successful in PR.

Expect the unexpected

When working most jobs, it becomes easy to fall into a general routine.

Knowing what you’re likely to be working on each day. This is NOT the case in PR. You have to be prepared for everything, even when it appears to be running smoothly. You have to be ready to drop whatever you had planned to do in case there’s an urgent email you need to address, or there’s a complication in the campaign you’re planning.

It is vital to understand early on how to stay organised and work out the best way to react and adapt to sudden changes.

Preparing for your career in PR

Adapting to a new craft is always going to be tricky at first, and there’s a long way to go before being comfortable in all areas relating to PR. Even someone who’s been in the industry for years can still have issues and complications.

So don’t panic.

It’s a learning process and the only way to get better is to apply yourself, learning from what you do right, and what you do wrong. However, having an understanding of these tips before starting will go a long way in managing your expectations, and preparing you for a role in PR.

20/06/2022

News: What did you miss at London Tech Week?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that last week was the annual London Tech Week.

Covering an abundance of tech themes and hosted by some very talented panelists, there was much to learn at London Tech Week.

We know it can be a minefield finding out what actually went on, so that’s why we’ve created a roundup of the key takeaways from London Tech Week...

The Tech Industry

Climate Tech

Government Policy

Diversity in Tech

Emerging Technologies

If you've enjoyed our London Tech Week roundup, why not chat to us about all things tech PR? Drop us a line at hello@wordsandpixels.co.

16/06/2022

Awards: CIPR’s Small PR Consultancy of the Year

One week on, the Words + Pixels team are still buzzing with excitement about winning Small PR Consultancy of the Year at the CIPR Excellence Awards. The hangovers have, however, thankfully passed.

To win our first PR award at only two years old deserved a serious celebration.

As a new startup...

The recognition meant a lot to the whole team. Every day we help to shine the light on other exciting businesses and their incredible work. To have that beam directed our way for one evening felt special.

In their feedback, the CIPR Excellence judges credited us as “an agency with a clear focus and direction. Securing amazing levels of coverage for clients whilst looking after its people, and growing the business”.

It is this direction and focus that we believe sets us apart.

I launched the agency with the idea of partnering with new, innovative businesses, telling the stories of companies changing the world. To do this, we needed to staff our business with a team of shared values - disruptive, personal, supportive, passionate- and develop the right client relationships to make that work possible. Those relationships needed to be close. For most, closer than they had experienced in their previous roles.

Our clients’ feedback has testified to the success of that approach. In our first 360 degree review, clients scored us 9 out of 10 on the coverage we secured them. They scored us 9 out of 10 for our strategic guidance. And they scored us a near perfect (there’s always room to improve…) 9.8 out of 10 for our client comms.

Even better, when asked whether they would recommend us to other companies, almost everyone said “without question”.

The Pixels

Our great start to this journey is completely down to those that have created those unbreakable relationships - the Pixels. Our team is special and we know it. Our success is only possible together, challenging each other to go further.

This accolade is testament to each person involved. I could not be more grateful.

If you want to join our special group, (and be a part of CIPR's small consultancy of the year) get in touch at jobs@wordsandpixels.co. We’re always looking for our next superstar. But until then, here’s to the next one!

bottle of champagne with CIPR award for Small PR consultancy of the year

13/05/2022

Advice: 12 tips for tackling your first media interview

So, you landed your first interview... Congrats! But what now?

Learn how to prepare for a media interview here! Landing your first media interview is no mean feat. Some journalists receive hundreds (if not thousands) of pitches a day, so when they decide they want to write about you, take a hot minute to celebrate!

However, whether you approached them or vice versa, getting them interested is only half the battle. You now need to give them a story worth writing about.

So, what next?

Preparation. Is. Key.

(Otherwise you'll end up like this bloke)

Even those that spend a lot of time in the eyes of the media will take time to research before giving an interview.

Here are our top tips for how to prepare before your first media interview, stay on track, and build a relationship with the journalist once it’s done.

1. Ask the right questions

First things first, ask about the piece. A journalist isn’t likely to give you the interview questions in advance, but there’s a small window before where you can ask a few questions of your own so you understand where they're coming from and their expectations.

Make sure to ask about:

The angle they’re approaching it from
The format of the interview
Anyone else they’ll be speaking to for the piece
How much time they need from you
The publishing date (make a note in your calendar and circle it in red ink!)

2. Read the media outlet

You'd be surprised how many people go into an interview without ever having read the outlet they’re about to feature in...

Understanding the publication provides invaluable insight into:

Its editorial slant
How much detail the interviewer is likely to go into
The interests of its readers

We always tell our clients to prep this way, because then you can prepare with information about your business that is going to be most relevant for the journalist.

The best tip (and we can't emphasise this enough) is if you’re being interviewed for a regular slot then read the previous articles. You'll get a good indication of the questions you’re likely to get asked.

3. Research the journalist

We're not telling you to go overboard buttering the journo up, but a thin spread wouldn't go amiss. Look at stories they’ve written recently and how they’ve covered specific industries or themes:

Are they pro or against certain issues?
Is there a specific theme running through their pieces?
Have they written about your industry before, and if so, how was it covered?

Journalists all have their own agenda and this will likely feed into their interview with you so it’s worth getting to know them through their writing. Make sure to follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn too, you might be able to find the name of their dog or favourite take away which will be handy when trying to form a relationship with them.

4. Write down your key messages

Now you’re familiar with the outlet and the journalist, start to write down a list of the things that you want to get across in the interview.

These should be things you want people to know about your business and offering, but there should be no more than five or six.

Importantly, they should be tailored towards the audience of the outlet, and the article the journalist is writing. There's no point talking about why you're the best consumer offering on the market in Leeds, if you're speaking to a B2B audience in Bristol.

5. Remember you’re ‘on the record’

Remember The Bill? Of course you do, so you know that anything you do say may be given in evidence.

No really, anything you say to a journalist can be published. So, as a general rule of thumb, don’t say anything you wouldn’t want to appear in capitals on the front page. Stick to the facts and don’t speculate, and definitely don’t criticise competitors...

In fact, don’t talk about them at all, this is your interview!

6. Build a rapport

When the interview starts, use this opportunity to build a rapport with the journalist. How, you ask?

Be friendly
Thank them for their time and the opportunity
Mention something they’ve written that you liked
Throughout the interview, be helpful and answer the questions, offering to share additional detail with them that will help their story
Follow them on social media

7. You don’t need to know everything

If a question comes up during the interview that you don’t know the answer to, the best thing is to avoid making it up on the spot and hoping for the best. It rarely works.

It’s fine to let them know that you want to fact check something and will send the correct information after the interview.

8. Follow up

Building a rapport is all in the aftercare, so treat the interview like a first date.

Even if you haven’t promised to send any additional information, follow up with the journalist once the interview is done. Thank them for their time and to check they have everything they need, whether its images, stats or facts. If the journalist does request anything, share it with them as soon as you can as they will likely be on a deadline.

9. Wait for the article

Now it’s just a waiting game.

If the journalist gave you a publication date, don’t chase them before then. If that date comes and goes, send a polite email to check they have everything they need and ask when it will be going live.

Remember though, for most journalists the publication date is usually out of their control, so be patient.

10. Share the coverage

When the piece comes out, read it thoroughly to check for factual inaccuracies. Assuming there are none and it’s a positive and accurate reflection of your interview, shout about it! Share it on social media, with your team and customers, and don’t forget to thank the journalist to let them know how much you like it.

11. What if they got something wrong?

If there is a factual inaccuracy, for example the spelling of a name or an incorrect date, politely let the journalist know and ask if they can update the article with the correct information.

Accuracy is super important for journalists too, so this should never be a problem. Remember though, not liking the piece or headline is not a factual inaccuracy.

12. Stay in touch

Journalists move around a lot as they climb the ranks...

While they might be at a smaller trade or industry publication now, many move on to national and mainstream publications to focus their specialisms.

Stay in touch with them
Follow them on social media and engage with their posts
Read their articles and message them about anything you like or have an opinion on. It will help them remember you for anything they’re writing in the future.

And Voila! You're now equipped to smash your first media interview. Good luck!

Need media training?

Find our services here, or contact us at hello@wordsandpixels.co - can't wait to chat with you!

21/04/2022

Tech: A commitment to telling the stories of companies changing the world

Words + Pixels have signed the Clean Creatives pledge to cement our commitment to a cleaner creative future. We're also spotlighting some of the best GreenTech companies out there.

Between 2008 - 2017 fossil fuel trade associations spent almost $1.4 billion on PR, advertising and communications contracts. In 2020, current and recent fossil fuel clients invested $57.9 billion annually in new fossil fuel projects.

We don’t think that’s right.

The UK Ad and PR industry must address their contribution to the climate crisis.

That’s why last year we signed the Clean Creatives pledge. This is a commitment from Words + Pixels to refuse work from companies whose primary business is the extraction, transportation, and processing of fossil fuels, or power companies with more than 50% of their generation in fossil fuels, or with trade associations representing the interests of fossil fuel companies.

From the circular economy to shared transport, energy innovation and climate tech, the good news is that investment in GreenTech startups is growing.

Since Words + Pixels launched, we’ve had the opportunity to work with a number of challenger brands in this space. Each of them working to change the way we live, travel, consume products, save food and power spaces.

Words + Pixels 🤝 GreenTech Companies

Back Market

Had you ever considered the environmental impact of buying new technology? For our client Back Market, the largest refurbished tech marketplace, we launched a campaign to highlight just how little people knew about the impact of buying new tech, and show just how much unnecessary tech they were buying.

Kindora

Another startup helping us make more sustainable, circular choices. Founded by Sarah Oulette and based in Ireland, Kindora is a reselling platform that specialises in designer children’s items, helping parents’ save money, time, and the environment.

Want to learn more about Sarah and her journey? Read more here.

Oaktree Power Ltd

One of Words + Pixels’ newest clients is disrupting commercial property. Energy prices are seemingly higher than ever, and globally we rely heavily on fossil fuels to power our cities.

Oaktree Power Limited provides a solution by helping building owners reduce their energy consumption.

Their hardware and software can automatically reduce the building's energy consumption by monitoring the building's usage and turning it down for short periods of time when needed. This helps companies to maximise their energy savings and can help them to reach net zero emissions.

New innovation is supporting the world’s sustainability efforts

We’re lucky enough to work with some incredible brands doing their bit for the planet, but it doesn't stop there and the GreenTech tech sector is booming.

From hyper-growth scaleups to small creative startups, and everything in between. Here’s some of our favourites:

Future Farm

The future is plant based! Future Farm is an independent food company that uses cutting-edge tech to create the best plant based meat on the market – mince, burgers, sausages, meatballs and chicken.

Future farm has a vision that people will choose plant-based meat substitutes because it outperforms in all areas.

Clim8

Clim8 Invest help climate conscious invest their money in an environmentally-friendly way. When users invest, they can help make a positive impact on the environment. Clim8's 6 core themes guide their sustainability efforts and include: clean energy, clean technology, smart mobility, clean water, the circular economy, and sustainable food.

Clim8 also invest in companies and specialist green funds focused on tackling the climate crisis.

Wild

Wild offers a sustainable deodorant subscription service. Users buy one refillable deodorant container and subscribe to infills based on their needs.

In its infancy, Wild had already amassed over 200,000 followers on social media and 5,500 five star reviews on Trustpilot - highlighting the popularity and potential of this natural, refillable deodorant brand.

TreeCard

Most bank cards are made from first use plastics... These cards have a lifespan of only four years!

TreeCard offers an alternative: wooden payment cards. These cards help to fund reforestation via the interchange fees that are generated with every transaction.

Contact us if you want to chat about leveraging PR for your GreenTech company!

Click here to see the services we offer.

18/03/2022

Insight: A day in my life in my first week in PR

Get some of my essential tips to smash your first week at your new job in PR.

Hey 👋 I'm Daniel and today is the final day of my first week working as a Junior Account Executive at Words + Pixels

While I know I’m far from being an expert in the field, my PR industry knowledge has increased exponentially in the short time that I have been working at the agency and I am excited to keep this train rolling.

News alerts will become your best friend

I didn't have any previous experience before joining W+P, in fact, I only recently graduated from my journalism degree. That's not a problem though, I've developed a wealth of transferable skills that can be applied to PR and I've already been putting them into practice.

Being up to date with world news, is one of the most important parts of my role. As a PR you need to know what's happening generally on the global stage, but also be aware of news that relates to your clients industry. This way you can be constantly reacting to breaking news.

My journalism training means I'm used to the demands of constantly being on top of topical, breaking news.

Understanding of PR

Having had no previous experience working in PR, I honestly didn’t know what to expect in my opening week. As I have found in previous jobs, often you are thrown into tasks and expected to immediately understand how to do it, which can be pretty daunting.

However, working at Words + Pixels was the complete opposite.

The rest of the team at W+P could not have been more helpful in moderating the workload and gradually increasing the responsibilities that I have, only after offering extensive help and feedback on the work I produce.

Public relations is an effective way of building relations with a multitude of audiences depending on the clients’ focus. Already, I understand the process of gathering relevant coverage and how it relates to our clients; as well as the methods of delivering pitches to journalists, publications and other media outlets.

In this first week, I've gotten a broad understanding of how PR works across a variety of clients, all requiring very different needs. I've had the opportunity to work with Seed Legals to discuss the struggles of fundraising, to working with Lime to promote the expansion of their e-scooter program in cities across the country.

Teamwork

Having completed my first week at my new job in PR, the importance of teamwork was very apparent.

Clients are assigned to teams of small numbers to ensure that they receive quality coverage and support. Working in conjunction with your team is the most effective way to provide the best service for your clients.

I've loved working with the team at Words + Pixels. Everyone is more than happy to help, even if it's regarding a client they don't directly work with. The team flag important updates about their client in daily standups; this provides us with a holistic view of client activity across the agency.

Having a team on hand to help with anything creates a culture where you feel supported - even as a newbie to PR!

Even though it’s early days, I can see there is a clear path for me in this industry and I couldn't be more enthusiastic about developing in this role.

Words + Pixels feels like the perfect place to improve my knowledge and understanding of PR. The people and working environment couldn't be any more welcoming; they've given me a brilliant introduction to my first PR job.

I'm one week in and I'm looking forward to seeing where this job takes me!

08/03/2022

Interview: Kindora’s Founder and CEO Sarah Ouellette on International Women’s Day #BreakTheBias

It’s Tuesday 8th March, and it’s International Women’s Day. This year’s theme #BreakTheBias aims to challenge the unfair gender bias that women face in today’s society.

Sarah Ouellette is the Founder and CEO of Kindora, a platform to buy, rent, and sell baby goods. We had a chat with her to explore how motherhood has impacted her career, and how she tackles gender bias in her own company.

Sarah, CEO and founder of baby reselling platform, Kindora. Words + Pixels interviewed Sarah about International Women's Day and how she tackles gender bias at her company

Has motherhood changed how you operate in business?

Without being a mother, Kindora would not have existed, or in my opinion, even mattered to others. That being said, it is an everyday mental workout to manage everything. I'm more efficient with time and I make decisions faster but it's hard.

What advice would you give yourself at the beginning of your career?

It's okay not to know everything! Take the time to learn and unlearn!

What are the biggest challenges you face when implementing gender equality in the workplace?

We want to hire smart people across the board in our business – from sales to marketing to business growth. We've intentionally focused on finding as many women as possible to add to the team, but there are times where there just haven't been as many women in the candidate pool. The same thing happened with Angel investors in our business. Although our biggest investors are women, more men are on our investor list.

What do you think the biggest misconception is regarding women in business?

In the early stage of startups, I'd say there's a sense that women need more advice or mentoring – often discussed in Sifted. In fact, women are statistically better at pitching and need investment more than advice. Tessa Clarke, the founder of Olio, just wrote a great piece in Sifted about this.

Do you experience gender bias as a woman in a C-suite management position?

Early in my career I progressed quickly to C-suite and was often the only woman at that level. It wasn't until I was pregnant and had a baby that I felt the real difference in how I was perceived and treated.

How does your company culture address the gender disparity between men and women in the workplace?

We have a 50/50 split in our staff but, most importantly, we are constantly walking the talk in our investor set and advisors. We're currently raising our seed round – as we speak (!!!) - and have prioritised VC funds with at least one female decision maker in the fund.

Europe's platform to buy and sell baby goods

Kindora is an award winning platform to buy, sell, rent premium baby and children’s items that are not just as good as new – they’re better than new. Every item you buy, rent or sell on Kindora is one item less added to the mountain range of new goods manufactured each year.

Follow Sarah on LinkedIn

Check out our interview with Flash Pack's Radha Vyas on International Women's Day 2022 here.

22/02/2022

Tech: The PropTech companies helping Zillennials get on the property ladder

PropTech companies lead the way in helping first time buyers.

Whether it’s buying avocados or those pesky Netflix subscriptions, Millennials and Gen Z are often being blamed for not being able to afford their own home. Kirstie Allsopp is the latest person taking aim at the younger generation for not getting on the property ladder.

However, it is fair to say there is much more at play. The rising cost of living, low salaries, and the astronomical cost of property has created a perfect storm for first time buyers. This has also contributed to the average age of first time buyers surpassing 30 across the UK.

Infographic — House prices as a multiple of average earnings

However, all is not lost for Generation Rent.

There are a number of incredible companies out there that are helping Zillennials get on top of their finances and seek out the extra boost they might need to get their deposit together.

Check out Words + Pixels' favourite companies helping Zillennials get on the property ladder:

Even - Help to buy for preowned homes

There are lots of great initiatives out there to help people buy new homes, but Even is one of the first of its kind to provide a help to buy scheme for pre-owned houses.

Created by Nested, Even can lend you up to two times your deposit to help you on the road to ownership. This provides a great option for people who might have 5% saved, but are restricted by salary.

The loan is interest free and when you sell, you simply share the profit back with them based on their contribution.

Nude - Saving from start to finish

Figuring out how much you need to even start looking at properties can be a minefield, which is why Nude is such a helpful app.

How does it work?

You start off by searching for your dream property type and location; '2 bed flat in East London'.
Receive the real time price AND the amount you would need for a deposit.

Our favourite bit? Nude give you a countdown of how long you will need to save based on what you can afford to set aside each month (don't look at houses in Notting Hill or Chelsea, you might cry!). This is particularly helpful for first time buyers to keep track of spending. Nude even provide tips on how you can save even more.

They’re also one of the few providers that is still offering the government sponsored Lifetime ISA, which includes a free 25% bonus, helping you get one step closer to that dream flat.

Peach - Helping you achieve your goals

Soon to launch app Peach helps you take control of your finances, so that you can plan your future.

You can track property, pension, financial and physical assets in one place, simply linking your different accounts, giving you a complete overview of your finances in one place. Peach will help you create goals, such as buying a house of X value and adjust these based on the real-time market value.

Money Box - The Investing Guru

Money Box is a great platform to guide you through the investment journey. Investing can be a great way to grow your money and get you closer to that deposit goal. You'll also be offered higher long-term returns than a current or savings account.

The best bit? You can start at just £1 and pick their cautious starting option which aims for modest growth with minimal risk. It's worth exploring other options including their own Lifetime ISA to help save and grow your money.

LOQBOX- The Credit Saviour

Money saving is the obvious key to getting on the property ladder. Getting your credit score in order is also essential if you’re looking to take out a mortgage. LOQBOX helps you build your credit rating and get better rates for when you look to borrow money.

You figure out how much you can afford to save in a year and LOQBOX then locks this away in a digital piggy bank as a 0% APR loan. You pay off the loan over 12 months, and LOQBOX then report this to the three leading credit agencies - showing them that you can handle credit.

Once you are all paid off you can release every penny back into a new account. As with any form of loans, make sure you read the small print!

Like this post? Check out how our work with PropTech companies here.

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