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Archive for the ‘Surveys’ Category

Four In Ten Can’t Cook A Potato

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

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Is that a surprise?

That it is news or that people cannot cook?

We tend to think at times that the media is looking for that knock out story or that we have to wait for something to happen before contacting them.

The media is competitive.  It has pages, airwaves and web pages to fill every day.  Where a good PR comes in is to supply the staple diet of stories, but also look for new angles: reveal something we did not know or had taken note of.

Two stories come to mind are the potato one today, which we probably knew many people can rustle up a mean Pot Noodle but not much else.

The other from a little way back is one about the deadly keyboard: the bubonic germ investedWMD Saddam loving environment.  We could have guessed that keyboards are dirty places, but the delivery from the University of Arizona was done so well in made headlines worldwide.

It is creativity and presentation that count.

A home for surveys

Thursday, March 6th, 2008

Surveys, surveys, surveys.  Where would PRs be without surveys?

I am sure many journalists get irritated by surveys unless they really show something highly insightful or entertaining.

One Manchester Evening News journalist started a piece a few months ago with: “According to another pointless survey……..”

I like NW Business Insider’s approach: a monthly half page round-up of surveys complete with thumbs up or down according to what they show.  Put all surveys in one place away from proper news, then you can choose whether to indulge or not.

I do not know whether Insider was making fun or being tongue in cheek or serious but it works for me and them.