Mandy - PR for UK plc

The Guardian today (Thursday 19th) highlights a master PR craftsman at work and someone in a senior position in government wrestling with major communications perceptions and issues at a UK plc level. Peter Mandelson as Secretary of State for Business is particularly concerned about perceptions of UK currently on Wall Street and corporate America, that the UK is now "Iceland-on-Thames". He is understandably worried that this will impact on investment decisions in the UK by major global corporations. The articles surrounding the main story are particularly interesting in highlighting some of the key participants and issues which are framing the discourse. Termed "commentariat" by UK diplomats and referring to Wall Street columnists, pundits and economists.

It is unusual in an organisations, in this case UK plc, to find a senior person who has such antenna and insight about the mood of the current discourse, its significance and how it needs to be reframed. Perhaps, he has been able to use his tactical insight as well to realise that the discourse will gain greater currency if it can be linked with some element more immediate. His swearing and general attack on comments made by Howard Shultz, CEO of Starbucks while on a trip to the USA (covered in the Guardian on Wednesday 18th) has given him strong coverage back home - "Plucky Peter standing up for UK plc" etc. (Note the particularly strong discourse around this article - around 300 comments on the first day. Interestingly the Guardian has moved the commentary from original story on Thursday to today's development of the story, now over 400 comments, midday Thursday - a topic for another blog.) Boy, is Mandelson getting a good press now. He has also picked a good target as Starbucks has a current valuation of $7.5bn while three years ago was $25bn and is about to probably further damage the brand by introducing instant coffee. I kid you not.

World Economic Forum starts exclusive social network

The World Economic Forum has not had a good week in terms of media commentary with its brand of thought leadership, namely globalisation and role of free markets, under fire from many quarters. However it has certainly achieved extensive coverage and provided a forum for a wide range of arguments which the media have enjoyed covering from having a go at the bankers and corporate leaders to supposed allies Turkey and Israel having a very public argument.

As an organisation I admire the way it has used new media to open up and allow the rest of us to look over the wall or through the fence at the discussions taking place inside. As an excercise in communications it has worked hard to fight the charge of elitism. But has it scored an own goal with the announcement of an exclusive social network called Welcom? Do exclusive online social networks work? They certainly do offline but online I find it hard to think of a good example. It will be interesting to see how it develops and the discussion online about it.

Digital Britain

Mixed reactions on the recently launched report by the UK government on broadband and its vital role in UK competitiveness. But an excellent source of data on UK media, impact of internet, size of e-commerce in the UK, online growth rates, etc.