CorpComms Magazine

The power of influence
Reputation management | How companies are using new platforms to identify key influencers

Ring the bell; it's a crisis
Reputation management | An experienced director of corporate affairs at a FTSE100 company tackles a simulated social media crisis

Headhunter X Factor
Personal View | A disgruntled candidate shares tales of woe about headhunters

Use your Ed
Media relations | Has Ed Miliband been too media trained?

How reliable is Twitter verification?
Social media | Not much is known about Twitter's approach to verifying accounts

Returning to business
Public relations | Getting back to business as usual in the wake of G4S's abortive takeover deal

Open to debate
Personal View | Dan Roberts, national editor of The Guardian, explains the rationale for open sourcing the newspaper's news list

Should PRs edit Wikipedia pages?
Public relations | Bell Pottinger's woes are a lesson for PRs

Once upon a time
Corporate reporting | The art of storytelling in public relations

Cleaning up the lobby shop
Public affairs | How the lobbying industry is reacting to persistent scandals and the growing cries for regulation

Promoting the bright side
Social media | How Debenhams used Twitter after the riots to achieve positive media coverage

View from The Bridge
Reputation management | Behind the scenes at GolinHarris's 24/7 newsroom - real time conversation in action

Undercover Boss and beyond
Public relations | Zoe Melarkey, PR programme manager at npower, reveals the reasons why the energy company took part in Channel 4's Undercover Boss and the benefits

Firing for a Facebook post
Digital media | Company reputation and the rights of the individual

Recruitment goes social
Recruitment | The hiring process is increasingly being carried out on social networking sites, finds Rosie Murray-West

Reflections on the NLA/Meltwater case
Media relations | Dominic Young, former chairman of the Newspaper Licensing Agency, reviews the recent High Court decision on licensing newspaper websites

A social approach to the media
Media relations | Helen Dunne discovers the thinking behind HSBC's social media newsroom offering

Sepp Blatter versus the sponsors
Brand | FIFA sponsors Coca-Cola, Sony and Visa issue anti-racism ­statements

Can Olympus recover?
Reputation management | And what the Olympus saga means for the Japanese national brand

The right to reside at Dale Farm
Public relations | Alan Anstead, founder and chief executive of Equality, a charity to uphold and support the rights of ethnic minorities, discusses how the Travellers at Dale Farm are turning around public opinion

The Meltwater response
Media relations | Jens-Petter Glittenberg, director of new business development at Meltwater Group, responds to Dominic Young and offers the company's reasoning for continuing legal action against the NLA

NLA responds to Meltwater
Media relations | David Pugh, managing director of the NLA, responds to claims in Meltwater's article and clarifies myths about online copyright law

A sentimental approach
Media Evaluation | Andrew Cave considers the role of sentiment analysis in establishing the mood of the people when it comes to business

Spreading the good word
Media relations | Andrew Cave finds that media training is flourishing despite the fragile economic environment

Changing direction
Brand | How Land Rover is altering its course

Precise Exchange
Social media | The role of government within business: supportive or obstructive?

The big World Cup PR story
Reputation management | How Mike Tindall's alleged indiscretions in New Zealand made things tricky for his PR agency

Going for gold
Sponsorship | Andrew Cave considers the risks for commercial sponsors in the lead up to London 2012

Policing the riots
Social media | Emily Nicholls considers the use of social media by the nation's police forces during the August riots

Play time
Best practice | Sheli Rodney goes beyond the gamification hype to find out whether game mechanics can really revolutionise stakeholder engagement

A new type of emergency plan
Reputation management | Amanda Coleman, head of corporate communications at Greater Manchester Police, shares valuable insights that the force learned from the August riots

It's time to party on
Public affairs | Clare Harrison finds out whether communicators still need to attend the annual party conference season

How hacks use social media
Social media | Helen Dunne reviews the latest Meet the Media panel debate, hosted by PR Newswire, in which journalists downplay the role of Twitter as a serious source

Controlling the media
Media relations | Andrew Cave considers the current debate about the potential regulation of Britain's press in the wake of Hackgate

The death of the press release?
Media relations | Clare Harrison looks at the rise of the virtual newsroom and considers the future of media relations

Here is the news
Reputation management | Mark Leftly considers how News Corp reacted to the furore surrounding hackgate and whether its actions are enough to restore its reputation

A contented customer
Digital media | BA marketed its new app through related content rather than traditional advertising, finds Sheli Rodney

Why codes matter in business
Best practice | Helen Dunne reviews Radley Yeldar's analysis of the codes of conducts for the FTSE 350 companies

Suppressing the press?
Media relations | Andrew Cave examines the rise of superinjunctions and asks if they are ever justified

The Break Up
Public relations | Helen Dunne considers National Australia Bank's audacious campaign to distance itself from Australia's banking community and improve customer satisfaction

The rise of the intranet
Internal communications | Clare Harrison considers how the intranet is becoming a valuable tool in the internal communicator's armoury

The customer service gurus
Digital media | O2 goes the extra mile to assist customers, finds Sheli Rodney

The story of a crisis
Reputation management | Helen Dunne reviews the findings of Precise's analysis of the media coverage of corporate crises

Precise Exchange
Social media | The business case for social media

Passing the baton
Reputation management | Andrew Cave considers the thorny issue of succession planning as several high profile events throw a spotlight onto the issue

Banking on Twitter
Social media | Charlotte Beugge considers the legal restrictions that limit financial services companies' ability to use social media

Sponsorship sea change
Sponsorship | Rosie Murray-West discovers a new model for corporate sponsorship that puts the companies firmly in the driving seat

BP: One year on
Reputation management | It may still be too soon to analyse BP's communications strategy but some lessons can be learned now, says Andrew Cave

BP and social media
Social media | Rachel Humphris examines the role social media played in BP's crisis

Hold the front tweet
Social media | Helen Dunne looks at the findings from a new survey of journalists' attitudes towards using social media in their professional lives

The power of nuclear
Reputation management | Andrew Cave considers the reputational issues surrounding nuclear power in the wake of the Japanese earthquake and Tsunami

Precise Exchange
Media relations | Is it ever possible to regulate financial journalists?

A deal for healthy living
CSR | More than 150 food and drinks companies have signed up to a new voluntary scheme to prevent obesity and alcoholism. Rosie Murray-West finds out why

Location, location, location
Digital media | Sheli Rodney checks in to location-based social media, and finds out how brands can engage with consumers via applications like Foursquare and Facebook Places

An ethical dilemma
Reputation management | Andrew Cave considers the unique challenges faced by overseas companies operating in Japan when the official advice is to evacuate expatriates

Operation meltdown
Reputation management | As several well-known figures are embroiled in high profile scandals, Andrew Cave tackles the thorny problem of handling the fallout when your boss goes mad

Online power to the people
Social media | Rosie Murray-West considers the role of social media in revolutions and lessons that organisations can draw from this

A brand new approach
Brand | Sheli Rodney asks whether a rebranding exercise really can reinvigorate a business

Mapping the discussion
Best practice | Clare Harrison examines the growing importance of stakeholder mapping for today's communicator

Facebook likes equals share price hikes
Best practice | New study claims a brand's popularity on social networking sites may play a role in driving its share price

Fans get prizes
Digital media | Helen Dunne looks at online platform Fanshake which allows brands to connect directly with fans and share their networks

Confusing multi-layered communications
Brand | Andrew Cave considers the growing importance of content strategy as corporate communications specialists tackle sprawling websites

Coping with WikiLeaks
Reputation management | Andrew Cave considers the challenge that WikiLeaks poses to communicators

Licence to print money
Media relations | Andrew Cave reviews the current debate about licensing newspapers' websites in light of the recent High Court decision

From meerkats to opera stars
Brand | Rosie Murray-West learns how financial services companies are exploiting character-based advertising and social media to drive sales

Cultural change
Digital media | Museums and galleries are dusting down their fuddy duddy images and embracing new tools of communications, as Rosie Murray-West discovers

The power of the brand
Public relations | Sally Sykes, communications director of the Health and Safety Executive, has looked into the future, and thinks that it's rather bright for PR

The role of the comms director
Careers | Helen Dunne investigates the key characteristics valued in a communications director

Hostage to fortune
Reputation management | Andrew Cave examines the complex issue of communications during a hostage situation

Changing behaviour
Public relations | Companies are drawing on lessons learned from the public sector to launch campaigns that change the behaviour of consumers, finds Caroline Poynton

Seal of approval
Customer engagement | Which? has enjoyed huge success with its Best Buy icon licensing scheme, finds Sheli Rodney

Precise Exchange
Reputation management | Communicating through a crisis

Bobbies on the tweet
Public sector/nonprofit | Greater Manchester Police's Twitter Day proved a huge success in engaging the public and educating citizens about what policing really involves, finds Sheli Rodney

Filtering the debate
Public relations | Andrew Cave looks at new recommendations by the FSA to restrict unguarded conversations with journalists

Ready for your close up?
Media relations | Brewing giant SABMiller takes its photographic image just as seriously as its brand image, as Helen Dunne discovers

Now you see it
Media relations | Nick Fitzherbert, owner of Nick Fitzherbert Training & Development, explains how he applies the rules of magic to presentation skills

Their masters' voice
Reputation management | Caroline Poynton considers whether trade unions need a new strategy to win general support for industrial action

The perfect hedge
Reputation management | When and industry is on its knees, it requires a cohesive and determined PR strategy in order to stand tall, finds Helen Dunne

Honey, who stole the bees?
CSR | The Co-operative Group is working to save the honeybee, as Louisa Coward discovers

The right to settle
Public affairs | Joanna Lumley may have given it star quality but, as Helen Dunne finds, the campaign for Gurkhas' residency rights started many years before in Folkestone

One step at a time
Profile | Charlotte Beugge meets Keith Johnston, head of communications at STEP, and discovers he is a champion of membership organisations

The king is dead, long live the king
Public relations | Caroline Poynton considers the role of a charismatic leader and what that can mean for companies, particularly when it comes to succession

Business speak
Corporate reporting | A presentation of the unintentional wit and wisdom of the FTSE 100 companies' annual reports as they grapple with the thorny subject of values

On the brink of change
Best practice | Nicola Foley examines whether new technology has a role to play in annual meetings and whether the live event could one day disappear

Precise Exchange
Public relations | Why doing good is good for business: the rise of sustainability up the corporate agenda

Two becomes one
Public relations | Andrew Cave considers the importance of internal communications during the merger process

Boris, Barclays and the Big Blue Branding
Sponsorship | Louisa Coward considers the benefits reaped by Barclays Bank in sponsoring London's new cycle hire scheme

Here's looking at you
Media relations | Caroline Poynton considers the role of web television as part of a corporate communicator's armoury

Deciphering the path ahead
Corporate reporting | Caroline Poynton considers how companies are coping with new regulatory requirements and the need to be transparent and engaging in their annual reports

Bridge over the River Wye
CSR | Buxton hopes to paint the town green with its new 'on the go' recycle stations, as Louisa Coward discovers

A different sense of reality
Digital media | It is now possible to change consumers' perceptions of reality with online experiences, as Nicola Foley discovers

The state we're in
Public relations | A new survey provides valuable insight into the current status of the European PR industry and the challenges it now faces

Tightening the public sector belt
Public sector/nonprofit | Charlotte Beugge considers how communicators in the public sector will be affected by June's emergency budget

Plain English required
Public relations | Financial services companies are finally learning the art of simplicity, as Charlotte Beugge discovers

A refreshing change
CSR | The time has come for giant corporations to use their power for good and PepsiCo is leading by example, finds Sheli Rodney

Clouding the issue
Public relations | Louisa Coward asks whether word clouds are just fluffy waffle or a hard hitting piece of corporate insight

Counting the pieces
Media Evaluation | The evaluation industry has created a new set of principles to assess the financial value of PR, as Andrew Cave discovers

Do you Yammer?
Internal communications | Rosie Murray-West examines the microblogging alternative to the company intranet which is revolutionising internal company culture

Party Time
Public affairs | Nicola Foley reviews the prospects for this year's party conference season and offers tips on making the most from networking opportunities

Faith in a network
Social media | Rosie Murray-West considers the role of social networking for religious groups and learns how they are exploiting the medium

Covergirl
Customer engagement | Charlotte Beugge learns how staff magazines are being updated from the traditional chairman's views

The power of traditional media
Media relations | Helen Dunne reports on the findings of a year long research report into American media

Winning lessons
CorpComms Awards | CorpComms Magazine and Cision, the media intelligence group, have partnered to offer insight into the reason behind some of our winning entries last year

Crowd appeal
Customer engagement | Organisations are increasingly drawing on the opinions of consumers to shape decisions, as Mark Leftly discovers

I'm a celebrity, get me quoted
Reputation management | Celebrity chief executives can prove a curse to a company rather than a blessing, according to the latest report of the Ipsos MORI Reputation Council

Online reporting: a world of possibility?
Corporate reporting | Caroline Poynton examines the pros and cons of producing an online annual report and recent developments in the sector

Civic eruption
Reputation management | Caroline Poynton considers the role of social media as volcanic ash grounded European air traffic

Travelling light
Best practice | Andrew Cave considers the impact that supply chains can have on corporate reputation

Scores on the doors
Media relations | Charlotte Beugge analyses the first television leaders' debates and assesses why Nick Clegg was seen as the victor

Beyond the corporate blogging hype
Digital media | Caroline Poynton examines whether corporate blogs have really proven to be an important communications channel

Water efficiencies
CSR | Helen Dunne hears how Southern Water is smoothing the introduction of water metering

Fishing in muddy waters
Media relations | Journalists complain that they receive too many irrelevant press releases and urge PR agencies and media distribution firms to improve their performance, as Andrew Cave discovers

Precise Exchange
Public relations | Social media for corporates: essential channel or unecessary distraction?

Sporting volunteers
Public sector/nonprofit | Helen Dunne visits the BT Tower and joins the crowds of volunteers manning phones for Sport Relief

Checking out credentials
CSR | Retailers are not just about selling products, as Andrew Cave finds, but about creating a sustainable vision

Brands move centre stage
Brand | Andrew Cave looks at the changing rules surrounding product placement on British television shows

The business of trust
CSR | Helen Dunne reveals the findings of a new report by the Institute of Business Ethics on public confidence in business

Winning lessons
CorpComms Awards | CorpComms Magazine and Cision, the media intelligence group, have partnered to offer an insight into the reason behind some of our winning entries last year.

The power of partnership
Public sector/nonprofit | Caroline Poynton considers the role of local strategic partnerships in building communities and creating safe environments for residents

Helping Haiti
CSR | Andrew Cave finds that many of the world's leading businesses are working quietly to help rebuild Haiti

A social takeover
Social media | Mark Leftly finds that some financial PR companies are looking to update their models to cope with the rise of social media

Dave by any other name
Brand | Mark Leftly finds that rebranding television stations is no laughing matter

Own goals
Sponsorship | Simon Goodley examines whether the bad behaviour of sportsmen can adversely impact their sponsors

Winning lessons
CorpComms Awards | CorpComms Magazine and Cision, the media intelligence group, have partnered to offer an insight into the reason behind some of our winning entries last year

The return of M&A and the implications for communicators
Public relations | Helen Dunne shares the insights from a lively morning panel discussion

Let's drink to that
CSR | Andrew Cave considers the moves being made by the alcohol industry to promote responsible drinking

Winning lessons
CorpComms Awards | CorpComms Magazine and Cision, the media intelligence group, have partnered to offer an insight into the reasons behind some of our winning entries last year

Payback time
Public sector/nonprofit | Clare Harrison considers how local authorities plan to improve their output at a time when communications budgets are under attack

Reporting the right message
Corporate reporting | Caroline Poynton looks at the role of online reports at a time when companies are trying to spend money wisely and adopt a serious tone to their communications

The price of advice
Best practice | Does procurement have a role in the purchase of PR services, asks Andrew Cave

Reading between the lines
Profile | Helen Dunne meets Gill Webber, head of communications at the British Library, and learns about the challenges of balancing today's digital needs with a collection that dates back 19 centuries

Downing Tweet
Public affairs | Mark Leftly considers how our political parties are using digital media tools to engage with the electorate in the run up to this year's election

Fairly trading
CSR | Cadbury switched production of its flagship chocolate bar Dairy Milk to Fairtrade to boost the social conditions of Ghanaian farmers, finds Helen Dunne

The minefield of social media monitoring
Media Evaluation | Caroline Poynton examines the challenge of listening to online conversations without interrupting their flow

PC Tweet of Blog Street
Public relations | Police forces are seeking new ways to communicate and interact with the public, says Andrew Cave

Shop stewards
Media relations | Andrew Cave examines the role of retailers' press departments in dealing with customers

A brave new world
Public relations | Caroline Poynton examines how charities are starting to shake up their communication strategies to gain recognition and funds

The true cost of a shopping basket
Best practice | Andrew Clark finds that consumers want to know more about the impact of their products on the environment

Measuring up
Media Evaluation | Andrew Cave investigates suggestions that media evaluation metrics should be standardised

Under surveillance
Best practice | Mark Leftly examines the issue of privacy and the need for companies to put policies in place governing Internet usage

It's the way I tell 'em
Brand | Andrew Cave considers the importance of tone of voice in a corporate brand

What the staff saw
Public relations | Companies need to monitor online coverage carefully as staff increasingly share their views on customers on social networking sites, as Mark Leftly discovers

A Wave effect
Digital media | Mark Leftly considers the next major initiative in digital media that could revolutionise the way communicators work

Promoting the Fiesta, tweet by tweet
Social media | The Fiesta Movement campaign is generating a positive buzz on social media platforms, but some question whether it is all authentic, finds Kathryn Tully

A responsibility to report
Corporate reporting | Joanne Hart considers how different companies report their corporate responsibility programmes, and the challenges that surround the issue

G4S is GR8
Profile | Helen Dunne meets Patrick Toyne-Sewell, director of corporate affairs for G4S Secure Solutions (UK & Ireland), and learns about making life safer

After the Ashes
Sponsorship | Energy giant npower has extended its sponsorship of Test cricket in the wake of England's surprise Ashes win, says Helen Dunne

Short order working
Internal communications | As companies seek to cut costs, flexible working practices are coming to the fore. Caroline Poynton considers the approach of two companies introducing new employee initiatives

Hitting the bottle
Public relations | Clare Harrison speaks to local authorities to find out how they are dealing with binge drinkers and the associated social problems

Pandemonium
Reputation management | Swine flu is now a real issue for organisations as the threat of a pandemic sweeps the country. Helen Dunne learns that preparation is vital

Podcasting comes of age
Media relations | Nina Montagu-Smith considers the role of pod and vodcasts in boosting brand recognition and driving traffic to corporate websites

The age old problem
Media Evaluation | Can computers take the place of the personal touch in media evaluation, asks Helen Dunne

Counselling satisfaction
Public relations | Caroline Poynton examines the challenges faced by councils in keeping residents happy

A career roadblock
Careers | When the chief executive is replaced, his or her corporate communications director is often not far behind, as Joanne Hart discovers

Communicators dominate Class of 2010
Public affairs | New research shows almost 40 PR people destined for government, writes Helen Dunne

Crowd control
Reputation management | Football clubs are beefing up their communications efforts to avoid an own goal, finds Andrew Cave

Gone in a flash
Best practice | Mark Leftly examines the flashmob phenomenon, which engages innocent people in weird and wonderful publicity stunts

A celebration of success
Best practice | As CorpComms prepares for its fourth annual awards, Clare Harrison catches up with some of the past winners

An Indian summer
Sponsorship | HSBC celebrates India with the latest sponsorship initiative under its Cultural Exchange Programme, finds Helen Dunne

Windows to the world
Brand | Nina Montagu-Smith considers the role of corporate websites and learns how to make the best of this now vital shop window

The merits of trade
Media relations | Trade magazine journalists are often the first in the know, but as former trade hack Mark Leftly discovers, they often feel like the industry underdog

Caught on Camera
Media relations | Nina Montagu-Smith examines the role of media training and local TV studios in boosting companies' reputation and visibility

Web is neglected
Corporate reporting | One third of the FTSE 100 index fail to take advantage of online opportunities in annual reporting

Bringing home the bacon
Reputation management | Helen Dunne wonders whether MPs can redeem themselves

Branding change
Internal communications | Caroline Poynton examines the role that employer branding can play in engaging staff and customers during an economic downturn

In true harmony
Sponsorship | Korn/Ferry is entering the final year of a successful sponsorship deal with Opera Holland Park

Responsible citizenship
CSR | Andrew Cave learns why companies should not slash CSR budgets during a recession and why sustainability is more important than ever

A voice of the people
Customer engagement | Staff magazines need to tread a delicate balance between informative and propaganda, as Nina Montagu-Smith discovers

Telling it like it is
Corporate reporting | How much should companies disclose in difficult times, asks Andrew Cave

Racing certainty
Brand | Horse racing is to be rebranded in an effort to attract a new and younger audience

Around Europe in seven breweries
Public relations | In an effort to highlight journalists' skills, brewing giant SAB Miller launched a unique competition for would-be reporters, as Helen Dunne discovers

Read all about it?
Media relations | Mark Leftly considers the future of local newspapers and what this may mean for regional communicators

One message but many messengers
Media relations | Nina Montagu-Smith considers the role that online media distribution can play in giving life to a press release

Spreading the word simultaneously
Digital media | Nina Montagu-Smith considers how companies are using webcasts as a cost effective means of communicating with staff

Are you pulling my wallaby?
CSR | Helen Dunne learns of Xstrata's unique sponsorship deal to save the endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat

Justifying my existence
Media Evaluation | Andrew Cave considers the need for corporate communicators to assess their performance and looks at how media evaluation agencies can assist the process

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the G20 meeting!
Public relations | An irreverent look at the news from the office of one leading FTSE 100 communicator

Boardroom battle
Reputation management | Joanne Hart examines what corporate communicators should do when the relationship between their chairman and chief executive irretrievably breaks down

Healthcare goes green
CSR | Andrew Cave examines the latest plans from the NHS to slash its carbon footprint

Birdsong
Digital media | Twittering is no longer strictly for the birds, as Andrew Clark discovers

A coherent message
Media relations | Nina Montagu-Smith looks at the role of media relations in preparing staff for the onslaught of 24/7 news

Hacks take flack
Media relations | Mark Leftly considers whether financial journalists can be blamed for the current economic downturn

Committee rules
Public affairs | The House of Commons select committees have the power to call people and papers during any of their investigations. Helen Dunne looks at how ‘guests' should prepare for the grilling

What part of ‘Go away' did you not understand?
Public relations | An irreverent look at the news from the office of one leading FTSE 100 communicator

Lessons from Obama
Public relations | Helen Dunne examines how Barack Obama converted the power of social media into a landslide victory

An ode to an establishment
Public relations | Rosie Murray-West examines the role of artists in residence and the benefits that their benefactors reap

A handle on blogs
Digital media | Andrew Cave considers whether it is possible to accurately monitor the Blogosphere for coverage of individual companies

A year of marking time?
Careers | Helen Dunne examines what career opportunities are available for today's corporate communicator

A message in film
Media relations | Nina Montagu-Smith looks at the role of broadcast in internal communications

Sharing the pain
Internal communications | Nina Montagu-Smith examines how communicating bad news need not lead to a disaster

On the gravy train
Public relations | Our columnist ponders the role of choice editing in today's society

One voice
Public affairs | Clare Harrison examines PASC's recent recommendations regarding controls over Britain's lobbying community, and finds dissent among the ranks

Coping with the squeeze
Public relations | With budgets under pressure, Joanne Hart considers how corporate communications professionals plan to cope

Standing out from the bleakness
Media relations | Andrew Cave considers how companies can get a good news story into the media at a time when the focus is on highlighting the bad news

Stop the presses?
Corporate reporting | Online annual reports are emerging as a popular alternative to their printed relations, offering companies new opportunities to communicate with stakeholders, according to Caroline Poynton

Back to the seventies?
Public relations | Helen Dunne hears that companies need to introduce remorse and austerity into their mission statements as they seek funds from governments to survive

A targeted approach
Media relations | Nina Montagu-Smith considers the correct approach to getting the story into the media

Trailblazing
Reputation management | A lack of planning did not stop the Cutty Sark communications team coping with media demands following last year's fire, as Helen Dunne learns

Speaking one's mind
Digital media | Andrew Clark considers the role of the corporate blog in today's media age

All in the wording
Best practice | Caroline Poynton looks at the development of word of mouth marketing and its power to influence consumers

Lessons in finance
CSR | Helen Dunne hears how Barclays is learning about the basics of finance from a remote village in Uganda

Predicting the future
Customer engagement | Jon Ashworth considers the role of market research firms in predicting election wins and determining corporate strategy

A youthful approach to communications
Public relations | An irreverent look at the news from the office of one leading FTSE 100 communicator

Another fine mess
Public relations | Helen Dunne considers the appropriate actions for communications departments struggling with an ever-changing marketplace

Second line
Reputation management | ArcelorMittal attempts to improve communications to shareholders with a presence on Second Life, as Helen Dunne discovers

The Costa trading
Best practice | Costa Coffee has embarked on a partnership with the Rainforest Alliance to make sure that its farmers are both supported and sustained

The beautiful game
Sponsorship | Businesses may be keen to sponsor football clubs but David Lister asks whether they are getting value for money

Tiffany's campaign for sustainability
CSR | The press luncheon for the New York launch of Too Precious to Wear, a campaign about coral conservation, brought together a curious assortment of people...

I want to tell you a story
Brand | Charlotte Beugge learns how the foundation of a strong brand may be a good story

Preparing for battle
Media relations | Getting your boss ready for a television appearance can be a many pronged attack, finds Clare Harrison

Where have all the spokesmen gone?
Public relations | An irreverent look at the news from the office of one leading FTSE 100 communicator

Because I'm worth it
Media Evaluation | Joanne Hart examines the techniques used by corporate communications professionals to evaluate their output

Charity partnerships
CSR | They say charity begins at home, but for many the workplace can be very important as well. Picking the right companies to work with can be vital for the survival of any charity, especially in these straitened times.

The hardest word
Reputation management | There have been demands for bank chiefs to say ‘sorry' for the unfolding financial crisis but, as Caroline Poynton discovers, apologising is a process fraught with hidden dangers.

The Gordon Brown Makeover
Public relations | With his popularity sinking fast in the opinion polls, is there anything Gordon Brown can do to make himself electable? Helen Dunne asks the experts

Delivering results
Internal communications | Rosie Murray-West tackles the problem of staff absenteeism

Power from networking
Digital media | Caroline Poynton examines the growing role of social networking sites in building corporate reputations

In-spired PR
Public sector/nonprofit | British universities are using strategic communications to reach students all over the world, finds Clare Harrison

Fast and loose with the facts
| An irreverent look at the news from the office of one leading FTSE 100 communicator

Driving an initiative
CSR | Land Rover has escaped much of the censure directed at other SUVs. Helen Dunne finds out how

Crunch time
Reputation management | Andrew Clark considers the different approaches Wall Street firms have taken to crisis management

Plain Sailing
Sponsorship | Accenture plots a winning course with its sponsorship of Skandia Team GBR, finds Helen Dunne

Holding Value
Best practice | Owning shares used to carry more than just the right to vote in the company's annual meeting, as Tim Human discovers

A wordy cause
Media relations | Nina Montagu-Smith investigates the importance of good oratory ability for senior company executives

Good works
CSR | A successful CSR programme begins with staff engagement but may ultimately affect the bottom line, finds Nina Montagu-Smith

The science of PR
Media Evaluation | David Lister considers the increasing importance of media evaluation and how it is being used to monitor the blogosphere

Eastern Promise: Feng shui in the workplace
Public relations | Tim Human examines how feng shui is being used in UK offices to boost morale and productivity

Righting the Writing
Public relations | Rosie Murray-West looks at how corporate writing can project and reinforce a company's image

Banking on the brand
Brand | Joanne Hart considers the role brands have to play in reinforcing banks' strengths during the current market fallout

Containing unwanted disclosure
Public relations | Helen Dunne examines the proposed statement of good practice for financial PR firms

Supplying change
CSR | The world's leading companies are using their bargaining power to effect change in the supply chain, as David Lister discovers

Living on the street
CSR | Andrew Clark examines how Sesame Street funds educational initiatives around the world

Getting staff onside
Internal communications | Rosie Murray-West examines the importance of engaging employees in any rebranding exercise

Message in a headphone
Digital media | Tim Human considers the burgeoning use of podcasts

Openly private
Public relations | Nina Montagu-Smith explains how a camel may have been responsible for greater openness and transparency within the private equity industry

Would like to meet...
Public relations | Tim Human considers what companies should look for - and what they should avoid - in a PR firm

From deluge to drip
Media Evaluation | Dominic White looks at the rising importance of media monitoring and the options available to companies

Licence to network
Public relations | Andrew Clark examines A-Space, the new social networking site for America’s spies

Customer satisfaction
Best practice | Andrew Cave looks at how companies seek to engage with customers – and learns that pricing is not the only answer

Future perfect
Best practice | Forget the consultants. Andrew Cave reckons there may be another way to build corporate reputation and strength

Spreading the news
Best practice | The power of ‘advocates’ is growing and even influencing the behaviour of companies, as Mark Leftly discovers

Little time to impress
Digital media | Office workers consume an enormous amount of online video, usually in small chunks. Tim Human looks at the tactics employed by advertisers to reach this audience

All the fun of the fair
CSR | Helen Dunne visits the stalls at BT’s second CSR fair

Information overload?
Corporate reporting | New regulations have transformed the annual report, but David Litterick wonders whether this extra information really helps or informs investors

Wise council
Customer engagement | Nina Montagu-Smith looks at how councils are adapting their communications policies to alert residents to their services

All in a name
Public affairs | Clare Harrison examines where and how public affairs departments fit into the communications hierarchy

Stormy times ahead
Public relations | Helen Dunne finds that tactics to fight off a hostile bidder have not really changed, although the regularity of attacks may have

Manic speech teachers
Best practice | Nina Montagu-Smith looks at the role of motivational speaking in providing a jump-start to disillusioned employees

Offsetting the guilt
CSR | Tim Human examines how businesses have started getting to grips with the carbon-offsetting market

Communicating with ease
Media relations | Rosie Murray-West looks at why everybody from High Court judges to military troops could benefit from media training

Lightening the load
Best practice | Mark Leftly considers how companies are solving the tricky problem of transporting goods in a green fashion

Socially networked
Internal communications | Employees using Facebook during office hours should not necessarily face the sack, says Rosie Murray-West

From job centre to inbox
Public relations | Nina Montagu-Smith looks at how switched-on companies are using their websites to recruit new staff

The company voice
Public relations | Rosie Murray-West considers the role of employer branding in motivating and engaging staff

A strong foundation
CSR | Mark Leftly looks at the reasons behind company foundations and examines the charitable work they do

On the campaign 2.0 trail
Digital media | Tim Human takes a look at the role new media are set to play in London’s up-coming mayoral election

Never look a gift horse...
Public relations | Andrew Cave considers the ethics and tribulations of corporate gift giving

Knit cases
CSR | Every year, thousands of knitters produce woolly hats for Innocent Drinks bottles. Helen Dunne finds out why

A long and winding road
Careers | Fiona Walsh examines the career paths of some of the country’s top communicators

New ways to remember
Public sector/nonprofit | Tim Human investigates the role of digital media in this year’s Poppy Appeal

Swearing allegiances
Internal communications | Clare Harrison asks whether employers should be encouraging bad language in the workplace

I shall be free
Digital media | Tim Human investigates the rise of interactive advertising campaigns on the worldwide web

From PDA to Z
Digital media | As communications become ever-more mobile, Caroline Thomas looks at a range of palmtop devices that can access company websites

How to avoid 'ho, ho, hum'
| Father Christmas offers his tips on establishing a global brand and a marketing phenomenon

An ambassador for tourism
| Helen Dunne meets Sandie Dawe, director of corporate communications at VisitBritain, and learns how Sherlock Holmes still makes an impact

Colleague equals customer
| A lively breakfast discussion focused on the need to treat colleagues as customers and to plan brand strategy accordingly

Worth a read?
Public relations | Nina Montagu-Smith examines the latest trends in narrative reporting and considers the value of some companies’ annual reports

Between a rock and a disaster
Public relations | Joanne Hart finds Northern Rock’s lack of a customer-friendly response to its financial situation to be a case study in how not to handle a crisis

Pressing time
Media relations | Nina Montagu-Smith looks at the role press conferences play in today’s new media world

Watch out: accountants about
Personal View | John Morgan, media relations director at Legal & General, looks at new accountancy thinking regarding reputational risk

Pastoral Care
Internal communications | US companies are hiring chaplains to provide counselling and advice to stressed employees, as David Litterick reports

How green is my report?
Corporate reporting | Annuals may cover environmental issues, but few FTSE companies try to quantify the impact. By Helen Dunne

Going public
Public affairs | Clare Harrison finds out how UK lobbyists are facing up to industry challenges

TV times
Public relations | Caroline Poynton considers the changing role of corporate television

Plane truths
Public relations | Catherine Boyle considers how airlines are fighting back against the environmental lobby

Something to think about
Public affairs | Clare Harrison examines the funding policies of UK think tanks and their relationships with political parties

Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate
Best practice | Media output may have changed dramatically but Factiva believes the fundamental principles of media evaluation still apply, finds Tim Human

Wiki-PR-edia
Public relations | Andrew Cave looks at the battle between Wikipedia and the PR industry about the truth, the whole truth – and the somewhat edited truth

Lost in translation
Media relations | Andrew Cave considers how overseas companies have a different approach to media – and wrongly expect their way to work in the UK

Face value
Internal communications | The rise of electronic communication devices may have caused as many problems as it has solved. Philip Whiteley examines the debate

Mobile magic
Public relations | Nina Montagu-Smith examines the phenomenal rise and potential of mobile marketing

Second byte
Public relations | Picture the scene. You are trying to run a swanky PR office in a nice part of town, when a six-foot Italian called Pamplemousse takes a fancy to one of your receptionists. Before you know it, he is materialising in your office wearing only a thong, with the potential for wreaking havoc with your business relationships.

Because I’m worth it?
Media Evaluation | Nina Montagu-Smith examines new media evaluation techniques that can quantify the output and success rate of PR campaigns

Patently obvious
CSR | Katherine Griffiths examines how pharmaceutical companies, by helping less developed countries, may actually be helping their share price

Fly me to my wife
Reputation management | Andrew Clark, fresh from reporting on Conrad Black’s trial , finds corporate excess is just an everyday tale

Surviving a scandal
Reputation management | The exposure of fixed phone-ins and ‘fake’ reality shows has dogged TV broadcasters recently. Caroline Poynton wonders whether public trust can be restored

A look at the shop window
Public relations | Andrew Cave takes an in-depth look at corporate websites to discover what makes one stand out against the competition

Fat is a childish issue
Public relations | Childhood obesity is reaching unprecedented levels and food companies are being held responsible. Rosie Murray-West examines their response

Wish you weren't here
Media relations | In the office a press trip can seem like a great idea for educating journalists. The reality can be somewhat different, however, as Rachael Jolley discovers

Baking Skoda
Best practice | When Skoda wanted to advertise its new Fabia model , it needed a campaign to highlight the car’s hidden gems. Helen Dunne goes under the bonnet.

It's in the bag
CSR | Supermarkets are putting much of their CSR efforts into reducing plastic bag usage. Andrew Cave examines why

Bad for your stealth
Brand | Clare Harrison learns how companies create a buzz around a product and gain direct access to the consumer

The Spanish acquisition
Reputation management | Abbey is taking the lead from its Spanish owner, Banco Santander, and offering an unprecedented range of benefits to small shareholders. Helen Dunne samples the wares

Preserving the nation's assets
| Andrew Cave meets Julian Lloyd, head of media at the National Trust, and hears some of the strange requests he has received

From pop to poll
Public relations | Social media are changing the face of politics, as Andrew Clark finds in the US presidential contest.

What’s the buzzword?
CSR | Andrew Cave examines how the meaning of sustainability has changed and is now at the heart of corporate and social responsiblity

Retail retaliation
Public relations | David Litterick examines how Wal-Mart is trying to reposition itself as a company that cares about everything

Ignorance is not bliss
Media relations | Helen Dunne examines the results of a survey on PR attitudes to online and broadcast media

Another brand another tagline
Brand | Andrew Cave goes on a ‘journey to knowledge’ to understand the value of corporate straplines

Media matters
Best practice | Joanne Hart examines the rise in media training and considers its value

Under the covers
Internal communications | Staff magazines have thrived for almost 90 years. Nina Montagu-Smith sorts the best-sellers from the bin-fillers

Sprucing up the website
| Helen Dunne hears the reasons behind Charcolonline’s relaunch as Charcol

News in a pod
Best practice | Podcasts are becoming an important part of a communicator’s toolbox. Andrew Cave looks at how companies have incorporated them into their everyday life.

A marathon effort
Public relations | Andrew Cave looks at the work going on to engage and maintain public support for the London 2012 Olympics.

The rise and fall of the agency
Public relations | When in-house communicators are paid millions or hold management board positions, do they really need advice from financial PR agencies? Helen Dunne reports

A match made in heaven or hell
Internal communications | Rosie Murray-West considers the importance of keeping staff members informed throughout a merger process

Rewarding their loyalty
Best practice | Loyalty cards have become an increasingly sophisticated tool for communicating with customers, as David Lister discovers

Picking up the pieces
Public relations | Andrew Cave examines how retail companies handle the reputational fallout from product recalls

From prisoner to plumber
CSR | Rosie Murray-West looks at National Grid’s Young Offender Programme, which offers trade apprenticeships to prisoners

Turning the frog into a prince
Brand | Companies are increasingly using storytelling skills to develop their brands, as Helen Dunne discovers

Going green
CSR | Making your business a model of carbon-neutrality is not as easy as it sounds. Adrienne Baker looks at reducing your carbon foorprint

Drum roll, please
Media relations | Selina Mills considers why leading companies are so keen to sponsor awards.

Annual reports for dimmies
Best practice | Joanne Hart considers the most effective way to turn a dreary annual report into an engaging read

A mutual decision
| Even the customers of Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society agreed it was time for a modern new look, as Helen Dunne discovers

A social circuit
Careers | Conferences, cocktail parties and work functions are the perfect opportunity to network. Helen Dunne learns how to make the appropriate connections

The succession challenge
Public relations | Helen Dunne considers the thorny problem of succession planning and how to communicate changes in the kingdom

One perfect CSR day
CSR | Last year more than 40,000 employees at Citigroup got together to make a difference, as David Litterick discovers

Fair to trade?
CSR | Andrew Cave examines whether CSR programmes can be distinguished from the Fairtrade movement

Blogging comes of age
Digital media | Companies already recognise the tremendous power blogs wield – but they need guidelines to exploit it correctly, finds Dominic White

Thank you for not smoking
Internal communications | Simon Goodley filters the issues surrounding the ban on smoking in public places

From sitting rooms to cyberspace
Public relations | It’s not just teenagers who have jumped on the social networking bandwagon, as Andrew Cave discovers

Your right to copy
Best practice | Andrew Cave battles his way through the confusing maze of copyright

A racing certainty
Sponsorship | Andrew Clark considers the Nascar model of sports sponsorship – viewed by many as the ultimate success story

Building reputations
Best practice | Helen Dunne listens to strategist Leslie Gaines- Ross explain how to create and maintain corporate reputation

Green is the new black
Public relations | As public interest in global warming heats up, UK companies are talking and walking green. Adrienne Baker reports

Unwrapping the myth
Brand | Rosie Murray-West reveals one high-profile client who could become a PR disaster unless he starts to look to the future and tick some bureaucratic boxes

Is the pen mightier than the sword?
Public relations | Alex Northcott, former PR man and founding director of Gorkana, turns the tables and reveals what journalists do that really irks PR people

A Conservative new look
Public relations | David Lister examines the rise of the political brand and its power over the masses

The Circle Line is running fine
Public relations | Selina Mills reveals the story behind Poems on the Underground, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year

McScholarly intentions
Internal communications | McDonald’s is shaking up its image as a poor employer with the launch of an audacious training programme, as Rosie Murray-West discovers

The facts are there in black and white
Best practice | Companies are increasingly realising that diversity has immense social and commercial implications. Joanne Hart reports on why it is also important for PR

Unknown predator
Best practice | Andrew Cave considers how companies should react when their share price is assaulted by anonymous hedge funds

'I had that PR man in the back of my cab...'
Best practice | With the rise of liveried cabs, taxis are being used for more than just short journeys. Nina Montagu-Smith takes a ride

Hitting the target
| If PRs threaten the Economist’s Matthew Bishop, he knows he’s hit the bullseye

An identity crisis
Public relations | Major corporations can overreact in their response to internet blogs and online rivals, turning a minor scuffle into a public debate. Rosie Murray-West reports

Spreading goodwill
Public sector/nonprofit | The innocuous corporate Christmas card may look pretty in a client’s office but it is the cause of many internal conflicts, as Helen Dunne discovers

Revaluing the assets
Public relations | Philip Whiteley examines new research that challenges the long-held view that employees do not count on the balance sheet

In defence of trash
| Miles Costello takes a contrarian view of junk mail

You scratch my back
Public relations | The political party conferences offer a chance for UK companies to get some deals behind the scenes, notes Peter Oborne

Video killed the internal PR
Internal communications | Helen Dunne finds that communicating with staff has become more sophisticated than just sending out the monthly newsletter

It's draining
Public relations | Water companies have hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons this summer. Rosie Murray-West asks how they can boost their beleaguered public image.

An own goal?
Sponsorship | The World cups's official sponsors are now counting the cost of their investment and assessing whether it proved value for money. Simon English investigates.

A meeting of minds?
Best practice | Joanne Hart examines the rationale for press conferences and assessess whether their glory days are over

Eyes down for a new look
Brand | The national Bingo Game Association has revealed a new image designed to stand out from the lurid logos of it's member companies. Helen Dunne reports

Butcher, baker, candlestick maker
Public relations | Andrew Cave looks at how Tesco, the country's biggest supermarket chain,is making efforts to pursuade consumers that it's message is positive and fighting back against accusations that it is destroying the high street

You're fired! You're rubbish!
Internal communications | Bullying at work can be a problem, but a sucessful internal comms programme can help. Karen Higginbottom reports

Looking for the right one
Public relations | The chemistry has to be right betrween PR agencies and the in-house corporate communications department, as Joanne Hart discovers

Everything to play for
Sponsorship | German sportwaer giant Adidas may have spent over £200 mn on the World Cup to promote its products, but as Helen Dunne discovers, it's determined that it's staff share the fun

Time management
Best practice | Slicing and dicing your executive into bite-sized chunks is a fine art - and it won't hurt a bit, as Philip Robinson discovers

From cheese facts to cheesy pitches
Public relations | PR's beware FT media editor Andrew Edgecliff-Johnson keeps a file of useless irrelevant and baffling press releases and is ready to expose the worse culprits