A load worth sharing
Following many years of coordinating other people’s weddings, I recently had the challenge of organising my own.
In the beginning, I refused offers of help, but as the months galloped away it dawned on me that family and friends weren’t just offering their help to be nice, they too wanted to play a part in the wedding ‘production’. They wanted to feel needed and above all, involved.
Events can be a daunting beast, but by delegating roles and sharing the load, the pressure mounting on your shoulders dissipates.
Events can weigh heavily on resources – certainly time and money – so be sure that if you’re throwing an event, no matter what shape or form, that you’re doing it for the right reasons and the right outcome.
Here’s some handy tips to ensure your next event is a hit:
• Ask yourself, your colleagues and/or clients what the purpose of the event is and the overall objective. Ensure everyone involved is aware of the end goal and that all aspects will help you achieve this. If you want it to be truly memorable, be prepared to put a fair amount of effort in.
• Themes are important in providing direction for elements across the board, including invitations, decorations, entertainment, speeches, catering and so forth. Try to avoid falling into the trap of clichés – aim for unique and memorable.
• Planning and preparation are paramount to the success of your event. The more time you give yourself, the better prepared you will be, however sometimes time can be a luxury. Regardless of how much time you have up your sleeve, putting together a detailed production schedule outlining tasks, deadlines and responsibilities will put you in good stead. Also have a contingency plan in place, particularly around weather conditions if it’s an outside venue.
• Surround yourself with good people – not only your events team, but suppliers also. All elements are incredibly important such as catering, entertainment, venue etc, and can speak volumes about you, your organisation or client if you’re acting on their behalf. You’ll be spending a lot of time with these people so make sure they share similar values, work ethics and reflect your level of professionalism.
• Delegation is the key! There’s no need for you to think like a superhero and take everything on yourself. People respond better when they have a sense of ownership and responsibility.
• Finally - and most importantly - enjoy yourself! If you’re having a good time it will rub off on others.
Happy planning!
Alex Ruffin, Senior Consultant
0 commentsIs free speech coming to an end?
A number of governments around the world, along with our own State Government, have expressed concern about how someone can anonymously express their views online.
Amendments to the SA Electoral Act, which came into force on 6 January, require anyone who comments online about the SA Government or a state election to disclose their real name and postcode on their comment.
This recent change to legislation was largely in response to the rapid growth of the internet, and its various chat forums and blogs. Is it the case that the Government feels it's losing the PR battle, and this is perhaps one way to combat the increasing public scrutiny and questioning that's occurring online?
It begs the questions, however - can legislation be used to control free speech, and combat the use of the internet?
After the initial announcement, networking sites, talkback radio, news sites and blogs were flowing with public opinion on the new legislation. Many who commented were outraged and viewed the legislation as a form of censorship, with one online user comparing it to a ‘communist regime’.
Electronic Frontiers Australia, a non-profit national organisation that works to promote and protect the fundamental rights of Australian internet users, highlighted the problems with the legislation: it was poorly drafted, did not provide enough guidance and no consideration was given as to how it would be monitored outside of SA. Maybe SA's Electoral Commissioner could spend his days prowling the internet during the election campaign policing such a law?
Web and Online Marketing Commentator, Steve Davis, said “the Government’s ill-informed attempt at mass censorship should be resisted in order to protect our freedom of speech in the future.”
Two days after the initial announcement, following the public outcry and pressure from the Opposition, SA's Attorney General Michael Atkinson released a statement, indicating he would repeal the law after the election, acknowledging it as 'unduly restrictive'. In the meantime, the law will remain in place, however it wont actually be enforced.
For a Government so used to being in control, the internet still remains new and unknown territory. Is the Government’s intention clear? Is it saying that if it can’t control the story, it wants to control the comment? Or is it trying to reduce reckless and defamatory comment? It depends on who you listen to.
If you don’t agree with the new internet censorship laws, click here to join the Facebook petition.
- Melanie Wellington, Media Monitoring and Team Support
The material on this web page comprises the personal views of the author and does not represent the view or opinion of communikate et al. communikate et al accepts no liability for the content of this web page.
0 comments'Photoshopped' versus reality
Every now and then magazines will do something out of the ordinary to shock the public, whether in a bid to boost readership or simply to publicise an organisation or cause.
Most recently Marie Claire was scrutinised as to why it chose to put model and former Miss Universe, Jennifer Hawkins, nude – without any airbrushing or enhancement - on its February cover as a way of celebrating the female body. The magazine stated a framed copy of the image would be auctioned off with proceeds going to The Butterfly Foundation, which provides support for Australians with eating disorders and negative body image issues.
Personally I think this is a small step forward in promoting the use of untouched images of models and celebrities in magazines, but was Marie Claire’s choice to use Jen the right one? Is she really someone who’s going to make me feel proud and confident about my body? After all, she is a lingerie model who gets paid to wear next-to-nothing in advertising campaigns and keep her body in shape.
Yes, the magazine wants to promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, but I wonder if the everyday woman relates to Jennifer.
We buy magazines and aspire to recreate what we see in them in our own lives, so do we actually want to see more real women in magazines or do we like the edited versions?
Research shows that exposure to the images of wafer thin and airbrushed models can be linked to depression and loss of self-esteem. With that in mind, we have someone like supermodel Kate Moss causing outrage last year by revealing that she lives by the motto “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”. Imagine the impact this would have had on impressionable young girls across the world, who are already feeling vulnerable. This shocking statement would have surely become the mantra for some of these teens in their unhealthy pursuit for an unrealistic thinness.
An untouched fashion magazine cover is certainly a step in the right direction in raising awareness of what is real, but choosing an Australian icon like Hawkins who only has minor dimpling on her thighs and a crease on her waist isn't exactly groundbreaking. Yes, Jennifer Hawkins equals sales but is she REALity?
- Natasha Cicchiello - Frontline Operations & Team Support
The material on this web page comprises the personal views of the author and does not represent the view or opinion of communikate et al. communikate et al accepts no liability for the content of this web page.
1 comment
Where is the love?
The post-Christmas sales can bring out the worst in some people. However, it's not the obvious that irks me most - the crowds, the race to find a car park, the checkout lines that snake up and down aisles - it's when you survive the mayhem and finally reach the checkout, only to be given the cold shoulder by an obnoxious sales assistant. It makes me wonder - what has happened to quality customer service?
Even outside of the silly season, it amazes me the way some organisations treat their customers. The horror stories are endless. In fairness, some problems are unavoidable, but a polite smile and genuine apology can go a long way.
As the saying goes, if you have a good experience, you might tell one or two friends, but have a bad one and you will tell ten more. Then there's Facebook and Twitter, adding a whole new dimension to spreading the word, where one spontaneous status update could turn hundreds off a particular brand.
The 'United Breaks Guitars' video clip posted on YouTube last July is a prime example of the impact social media can have when casting revenge. Currently sitting at more than 7 million views, the music video was created by then unknown US band Sons of Maxwell after United Airlines damaged one of its guitars on a flight. The band spent a year trying to win compensation from the airline, to no avail, but they certainly got their payback when United Airlines' share price reportedly dropped 10 per cent as a result of the clip, at a cost of $180 million to shareholders.
While not every bitter encounter with a sales assistant will result in such damage, now more than ever in the wake of the GFC and with customer complaints no longer confined to refund counters, it is paramount that all organisations encourage a culture of quality service. Rather than begrudge the crowds during the post-Christmas chaos, why not see the increased foot traffic as the perfect opportunity to reach thousands of customers and give them a shopping experience they can feel jolly about.
- Holly Kitson, Business Support Manager
The material on this web page comprises the personal views of the author and does not represent the view or opnion of communikate et al. communikate et al accepts no liability for the content of this web page.
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