Speed specialises in the business, consumer, corporate, and technology sectors, and has been formed by bringing together the teams of BMA Communications, Custard PR, Lighthouse PR, Mantra PR and Rainier PR. All of these teams were acquired by Loewy in the past three years. The new consultancy structure and brand is effective from today.

“The PR industry has reached a watershed moment and we’ve designed Speed to deliver on what clients need now and for the future,” said Stephen Waddington, managing director of Speed.

“The fragmentation of media, rise of social networks, increasingly savvy purchasers and the recession are combining to challenge the established PR industry hierarchy. Speed is a modern consultancy that is seeking to tackle this head on in delivering assured impact for our clients.”

The 50 person-strong consultancy is based in The Communications Building, Leicester Square, London and has an annual fee income of around £5 million. Its clients include The Economist, ntl:Telewest Business (part of Virgin Media), Tesco, Toshiba and Wickes. The team is led by managing directors Steve Earl and Stephen Waddington, who previously ran technology specialist Rainier PR.

To find out more about Speed check out the blogs, web site, YouTube channel on YouTube or give us a call on +44 (0) 20 7842 3200.

Midtown London is defined as the triangular sized area above the Thames, which stretches from Trafalgar Square in the West, to St Paul’s in the East, up to King’s Cross in the North – where I live.

Apparently the area is now cool thanks to big name media companies and designers, such as Alexander McQueen and Agent Provocateur, flocking to the area to take advantage of the more competitive rents.

I’m not sure this really makes the area cool or is a sign that Midtown London is escaping the economic downturn. In a recession it’s not uncommon for businesses to reduce their costs by relocating or downsizing to a less expensive office. But it’s a good angle and I like it!

Prior to the meetup I was sent a personalised email, containing the ingredients to make a cocktail reflecting my blog, or at least my initals. Apparently Mint, Pineapple and Watermelon are all you need! I thought this was a great idea, and by providing an image of my cocktail they made it very easy for me to blog about it.

I was invited to join Smirnoff’s facebook group, and even sent a video on YouTube showing how to make a Moscow Mule.

If I happened to have any questions I was invited to contact Smirnoff via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, e-mail, phone or even by post. Not by carrier pigeon though!

All this before the event even took place.

Following the meetup, photographs were added to the London meetup group, for attendees to check out. And those like me who regret not going!

Cheers to you, Smirnoff.

If your PR blog is missing please comment and let me know. If you haven’t added your blog to the AdAge Power 150 yet you can do so by clicking here.

PR Rank….AA Rank………… Blog Name……………………Country …………AA Score

1. ………….29…………………PR 2.0……………………………..US…………………….93
2. ………….36…………………PR Squared……………………..US…………………….89
3. ………….54…………………A shel of my former self.…….US……………………..84
4. ………….83…………………POP! PR Jots…………………….US…………………….73
5. …………122………………..Strategic PR……………………..US…………………….66
6. …………124……………….PR Blogger………………………..UK…………………….66
7. …………126……………….Young PR…………………………AUSTRALIA…………….66
8. …………130……………….Pro PR……………………………..CANADA…………….65
9. ………..193…………………PR Communications…………US……………………..58
10. ………..202………………..PRNewser…………………………US……………………..57
11. ………..206………………..A PR Guy’s Musings…………….UK…………………….56
12. ………..255………………..PR meets the WWW…………..US…………………….53
13. ………..260………………..Corporate PR……………………US…………………….52
14. ………..274………………..PR Works…………………………..CANADA…………..51
15. ………..276………………..Common Sense PR…………….CANADA………….51
16. ………..277……………….Drew B’s take on tech PR……..UK…………………..51
17. ………..290………………..KDPaine’s PR……………………..US……………………..50
18. ………..293……………….Wadds’ tech pr blog……………UK……………………50
19. ………..308………………..Hispanic Marketing & PR……..US…………………….49
20. ………..338……………….Brendan Cooper…………………UK…………………..46
21. ………..343……………….Corporate Engagement………AUSTRALIA……….46
22. ………..354……………….Beyond PR………………………….UK………………….45
23. ………..357………………Simonsays…………………………..UK………………….45
24. ………..362……………….Online PR Thoughts…………………US……………….45
25. ………..374……………….Into PR……………………………….US…………………….44
26. ………..380……………….PRoactive………………………….US………………….44
27. ………..385……………….Observations of PR…………….US……………………43
28. ………..395……………….Wired PR Works…………………..US……………………43
29. ………..407……………….PR Disasters………………………….AUSTRALIA………42
30. ………..417……………….This is herd…………………………………UK………………..41
31. ………..438……………….Valley PR Blog……………………..US………………….40
32. ………..443……………….Publicity Hound’s…………………….US………………..40
33. ………..456……………….The New PR……………………………CANADA…………39
34. ………..460……………….Media Relations Blog…………….US………………….39
35. ………..464……………….Client Service Insights…………….US………………..38
36. ………..475……………….PR Meets Marketing………………US…………………..38
37. ………..476……………….Pudding Relations………………….UK………………….38
38. ………..501……………….Student PR Blog……………………CANADA…………..36
39. ………..511……………….Profitable Business Edge 2……..US……………………36
40. ………..513……………….A view on PR…………………………US………………….36
41. ………..519……………….PRos in Training……………………….US………………….35
42. ………..537……………….Tech PR Gems……………………..US………………….34
43. ………..542……………….PR Talk………………………………….US………………….34
44. ………..551……………….Shiny Red…………………………………UK………………….33
45. ………..561……………….Eyecube………………………………….US………………..33
46. ………..567……………….IndiaPRBlog!…………………………INDIA………………33
47. ………..585……………….All Things PR………………………….UK…………………..32
48. ………..588……………….Engage in PR……………………….US……………………32
49. ………..597……………….Mutually Inclusive PR………………CANADA………….31
50. ………..609……………….Morgan McLintic on PR……………US………………….31
51. ………..620……………….Alan Weinkrantz PR………………..US………………….30
52. ………..626……………….Strive Notes……………………………..US………………..30
53. ………..627……………….PR Voice………………………………..UK………………….30
54. ………..632……………….New Millennium PR………………….US………………..30
55. ………..647……………….Norton’s Notes………………………..UK…………………..29
56. ………..661……………….From PR to Eternity………………….UK………………….29
57. ………..679……………….PR. Differently…………………………US………………….28
58. ………..686……………….Mosnar Communications…………….US………………….28
59. ………..688……………….Youngblood PR & Marketing………CANADA………..28
60. ………..691……………….Launch PR……………………………….US………………..27
61. ………..716……………….Online Publicity Journal………………US………………..26
62. ………..739……………….10 Yetis PR Blog……………………..UK…………………..24
63. ………..745……………….Blinn PR Report………………………US…………………..24
64. ………..752……………….Minnesota PR blog…………………….US………………..24
65. ………..787……………….First Person PR……………………….US……………………21
66. ………..788……………….Public Relations Matters……………US………………..21
67. ………..802……………….EducationPR……………………………US………………….20
68. ………..809……………….HighVizPR………………………………US…………………19
69. ………..816……………….PowerUp………………………………..US………………..18

The top blogs by country:

Australia: Young PR
Canada: Pro PR
India: IndiaPRBlog!
UK: PR Blogger
US: PR 2.0

The top UK blogs:
1. PR Blogger
2. A PR Guy’s Musings
3. Drew B’s take on tech PR
4. Wadds’ tech pr blog
5. Brendan Cooper, Your friendly PR Social Media Planner
6. Beyond PR
7. Simonsays.
8. This is herd
9. Pudding Relations
10. Shiny Red
11. All Things PR
12. PR Voice
13. Norton’s Notes
14. From PR to Eternity
15. 10 Yetis PR Blog

Setting up a poll on Facebook was incredibly simple, whereas coming up with the right question and answers was a little trickier.

Here are three ways to get the best out of facebook polls:

Pose an interesting question.
Facebook users don’t have to fill in your survey, so attracting their attention with an interesting question is a key factor in generating as many responses as possible.

Be concise.
Your question can be a maximum of 100 characters long, and your answers can only be half that length. So it’s crucial that you keep the word count down. Also, a lengthy question and answers could be offputting to some users.

Keep it simple.
Terms like Web 2.0 and mobile applications may make perfect sense to you but they could appear like gobbledygook to some users who might not know their RSS from their elbow.

Do you have any more tips for improving Facebook polls? Or have you conducted any interesting surveys recently? Please let me know!

This got me thinking. What are the world’s top PR blogs? So jumping on the band wagon slightly I’ve produced a list of the top PR blogs according to the AdAge Power 150. It’s by no means perfect since it only features blogs on AdAge with PR, Public Relations or Relations in the title, but I think it’s a decent indicator nonetheless.

If your PR blog is missing please comment and let me know. If you haven’t added your blog to the AdAge Power 150 yet you can do so by clicking here.

PR Rank….AA Rank………… Blog Name……………………Country …………AA Score

1. ………….38…………………PR 2.0……………………………..US…………………….91
2. ………….43…………………PR Squared……………………..US…………………….89
3. ………….57…………………A shel of my former self.…….US……………………..83
4. ………….89…………………POP! PR Jots…………………….US…………………….72
5. …………111………………..Strategic PR……………………..US…………………….68
6. …………113……………….PR Blogger………………………..UK…………………….68
7. …………126……………….Pro PR……………………………..CANADA…………….66
8. …………201……………….Young PR…………………………AUSTRALIA…………….58
9. ………..204………………..PRNewser…………………………US……………………..58
10. ………..211…………………PR Communications…………US……………………..57
11. ………..222………………..A PR Guy’s Musings…………….UK…………………….55
12. ………..236………………..PR meets the WWW…………..US…………………….55
13. ………..253………………..Common Sense PR…………….CANADA………….53
14. ………..260………………..Corporate PR……………………US…………………….52
15. ………..263………………..PR Works…………………………..CANADA…………..52
16. ………..268………………..Naked PR………………………….US…………………….52
17. ………..296………………..KDPaine’s PR……………………..US……………………..49
18. ………..313………………..Hispanic Marketing & PR……..US…………………….48
19. ………..324……………….Wadds’ tech pr blog……………UK……………………47
20. ………..331……………….Drew B’s take on tech PR……..UK…………………..46
21. ………..345……………….Corporate Engagement………AUSTRALIA……….45
22. .,………346……………….Brendan Cooper…………………UK…………………..45
23. ………..350……………….Tech PR Gems……………………..US………………….45
24. ………..352……………….PRoactive………………………….US………………….45
25. ………..355………………Simonsays…………………………..UK………………….44
26. ………..357……………….Beyond PR………………………….UK………………….44
27. ………..366……………….Observations of PR…………….US……………………43
28. ………..375……………….Online PR Thoughts…………………US……………….43
29. ………..376……………….Valley PR Blog……………………..US………………….43
30. ………..405……………….Media Relations Blog…………….US………………….41
31. ………..424……………….PR Disasters………………………….AUSTRALIA………39
32. ………..428……………….PR Meets Marketing………………US…………………..39
33. ………..450……………….Into PR……………………………….US…………………….37
34. ………..468……………….Wired PR Works…………………..US……………………36
35. ………..478……………….Student PR Blog……………………CANADA…………..35
36. ………..486……………….PRos in Training……………………….US………………….35
37. ………..490……………….IndiaPRBlog!…………………………INDIA………………35
38. ………..492……………….Profitable Business Edge 2……..US……………………35
39. ………..498……………….The New PR……………………………CANADA…………34
40. ………..500……………….Shiny Red…………………………………UK………………….34
41. ………..507……………….A view on PR…………………………US………………….34
42. ………..515……………….Alan Weinkrantz PR………………..US………………….33
43. ………..529……………….PR Talk………………………………….US………………….33
44. ………..530……………….Engage in PR……………………….US……………………33
45. ………..539……………….New Millennium PR………………….US………………..32
46. ………..544……………….Pudding Relations………………….UK………………….32
47. ………..545……………….Morgan McLintic on PR……………US………………….32
48. ………..556……………….Mutually Inclusive PR………………CANADA………….31
49. ………..575……………….All Things PR………………………….UK…………………..30
50. ………..594……………….Youngblood PR & Marketing……CANADA………..29
51. ………..602……………….PR Voice………………………………..UK………………….28
52. ………..624……………….PR. Differently…………………………US………………….27
53. ………..630……………….Launch PR……………………………….US………………..26
54. ………..631……………….Tech for PR……………………………..US………………….26
55. ………..661……………….10 Yetis PR Blog……………………..UK…………………..23
56. ………..666……………….Blinn PR Report………………………US…………………..23
57. ………..684……………….Mosnar Communications…………US………………….22
58. ………..693……………….First Person PR……………………….US……………………21
59. ………..697……………….PRwordSmith…………………………..UK…………………21
60. ………..699……………….EducationPR……………………………US………………….21
61. ………..713……………….From PR to Eternity………………….UK………………….19
62. ………..715……………….HighVizPR………………………………..US…………………19
63. ………..718……………….PowerUp………………………………….US………………..19

The top blogs by country:

Australia: Young PR
Canada: Pro PR
India: IndiaPRBlog!
UK: PR Blogger
US: PR 2.0

The top UK blogs:
1. PR Blogger
2. A PR Guy’s Musings
3. Wadds’ tech pr blog
4. Drew B’s take on tech PR
5. Brendan Cooper, Your friendly PR Social Media Planner
6. Simonsays
7. Beyond PR
8. Shiny Red
9. Pudding Relations
10. All Things PR
11. PR Voice
12. 10 Yetis PR Blog
13. PRwordSmith
14. From PR to Eternity

Class of 2008: Public Relations with Media BA (Hons), The University of Huddersfield.

It would appear that man, Boris Johnson was listening. Or at least his aides were.

Teaming up with a famous young Londoner like Lily is a very shrewd way for the new Mayor of London to position himself as a proactive crime fighter committed to reducing the levels of knife crime in the City. That said I very much doubt that a photoshoot with Lily and a brainstorming session will make a massive difference. Kids won’t stop carrying knives because Lily says so. Kids will stop carrying knives when they feel safe on the streets.

I think many knife holders are carrying knives to protect themselves rather than to commit crimes. So rather than a knife amnesty or a Knife Aid type concert I think working to publicise initiatives setup to lower the rates of crime and news that crime rates have dropped will have a bigger effect.

A good example of this is the news released today that the rate of recorded crime has nearly halved since 1995, and is 9% down on last year. However I doubt that will be on the front page of the newspapers tomorrow. Especially since the BBC has reported that another youth has been knifed to death tonight, and tomorrow is the day of Ben Kinsella’s funeral.

The media should cut down on sensationalist reporting of crime that just heightens people’s fears and focus on the facts, no matter how mundane they are. But sadly I think selling papers is more of a priority than saving lives. The BBC has an article reporting a similar idea here, and a nonsense article here claiming that Nike has shelved its Air Stab trainer because of fears it promotes knife crime. That shoe has nothing to do with knives – it’s a stability shoe!

My first week at Rainier PR has been great. I’ve attended lots of meetings and training sessions, and even had a chance to do a bit of proper PR – phoning journalists. Prior to this week I’d never sold a story in to a journalist and truthfully I’d been dreading it a little. However I found it was actually okay and by the time I’d reached the end of my list I was quite enjoying it.

On the first day I was introduced to the staff and given a laptop and smart phone. One of my clients sells mobile advertising so I’ve been trying out the mobile internet since then. I think it’s important I practice what I preach. Also I haven’t had broadband installed yet and a life without facebook isn’t worth living. Some of my other clients include Ntl:Telewest, Dante and Seniqua. As well as this I’ll also be working with one of Rainier’s sister companies, Lighthouse PR, developing their new blog.

I received my exam results and degree classification on the second day. I got a 2:1! I’m very pleased with that and thrilled that I got a 1^st on my dissertation, which asked is blogging the future of PR, as well as a 1^st for the Opus project. I think I averaged about 67% but every time I try to work it out I get a different figure so it’s lucky I didn’t study mathematics.

Thursday was the 5^th birthday of this blog. I started it at 16 as a sort of online diary documenting nights out and silly stuff from school for my friends to read, without the ability to comment. The blog was part of my website, which hosted photos, videos and displayed some information about myself. If only I had known a bit more about web design and thought to make my website into an interactive network I could have had the next Facebook or YouTube on my hands. Alas I was more interested in writing Biggish Sibling, my series of blog posts about a fruit bowl where the fruit got evicted and a mango died from using hoof paste instead of tooth paste. What was I thinking? It seems mad to think I’ve passed my GSCE’s, A-Levels, and driving test, and even gotten a degree since then. Here’s to the next five years!

Friday kicked off with a celebratory champagne breakfast and movie premiere to celebrate some of the team completing the three peaks challenge last weekend. Rather them than me. See the video here.

This weekend I had a look around a few of the sights; Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, China Town and the Topman store on Oxford Street. I remember a few of the places from a school trip to London when I was in primary school. Having never really holidayed in London since then it’s very strange living there now as it half feels like I’m on holiday or doing work experience and going home soon.

Gradually I immersed myself into the ‘Twittersphere’ and started following other PR people and entering into conversations. I thought it was interesting but I certainly had no idea that it would further my career.

After just ten days of twittering I was contacted by Stephen Waddington of Rainier PR and invited to attend an interview the following week. A few days later I had a second interview over the phone and now today I have been offered a job with the company. I start next month and cannot wait. It’s been my dream for quite some time to work in technology public relations, so to work for one of the top 10 tech PR companies in the UK is unbelievable! Plus I got a mention on their blog to boot.

Directly through twittering I have also acquired twenty-one followers or contacts. This means that I have gained a new contact for every day I have spent microblogging. Indirectly I look set to gain many, many more contacts in the form of my new work colleagues.

Not bad for a website I didn’t see the point of.