Month: January 2021

Over recent years, we have seen an increasing number of brands join forces and collaborate. But why would you team up with another brand, sometimes even a competitor?

Co-Marketing allows brands to increase their consumer reach. Two companies can share databases, social media reach and hopefully, customers. Collaboration can often be a fantastic way to create innovative new products that would have previously not been possible. It is also a great way to gain press coverage. Attention grabbing campaigns, unexpected team ups and exciting new products make great stories. This of course leads to increase coverage, links to your company and will almost certainly result in higher sales.

This could be as simple as including the leaflet of a brand in your product package and be as extreme as using another company’s branding on your products. We take a look at some of our favourite brand collaborations.

Uber and Spotify

These two, well-known brands, teamed up to create a more customisable taxi experience. Spotify Premium customers are able to link their account inside an Uber and be in control of the music from their Uber or Spotify app on their phone.

This allows Uber to offer users personalised music in a very simple way – no need to develop their own system. It also gives Spotify another reason for users to sign up for their service.

Sounds like an uber great idea to me! (sorry…)

McDonald’s and Burger king

Yes, two lifelong rivals did indeed team up (sort of) for a recent campaign. Although, many would argue that one brand came out on top.

In 2019, McDonald’s Argentina announced that for one day, they would donate all profits from the purchase of their Big Mac to the charity Children with Cancer. In response to this, Burger King launched ‘Day Without Whopper’. Not only did they remove The Whopper from their menu for the day, but they actively encouraged people to go and buy their burgers from their competitors, to raise more money for the charity.

Whilst Burger King may have lost some sales that day, they won their place in the hearts of many. Press coverage and social media noise were huge – PR success can be measured in more ways than immediate financial gain.

Cheetos and Forever 21

This is just one example of brands teaming up with clothing retailers, to create unique products. Collaborations like this turn customers into walking adverts for the brand, hugely increasing brand awareness, and create new and innovative products for the retailer.

BrewDog and Aldi

What began as a spat between two brands on Twitter, became a fantastic PR campaign. Shoppers had seen similarities between Aldi’s Anti-Establishment Beer and BrewDog’s Punk IPA, to which BrewDog responded by suggesting it would create ‘Yaldi IPA’.

To this, Aldi said, “We would have gone with ‘ALD IPA, send us a crate and we’ll talk…”.

So, BewDog did just that, and two months later, ALD IPA was stocked on the shelves in Aldi stores around the country.

This gained fantastic coverage on both social media and in the press. Both brands became a big talking point and sales increased as a result.

Cath Kidston

Cath Kidston has teamed up with many brands over recent years, allowing the iconic prints to be seen by unexpected consumers. Brands include Heinz, Slydes and most recently, the game Animal Crossing.

Each of these collaborations has gained great coverage. It isn’t every day you see a can of tomato soup featured in glossy magazines! Consumers love an exciting brand story, and collaborations like these create exactly that.

Posh Cockney are specialists in brand collaborations and would love to help you grow your brand today. Email liam.norval@poshcockney.co.uk and find out what we can do for you.

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Is the era of large chains behind us?

Independent shops, cafes, and restaurants are becoming an increasingly familiar sight.

At the start of 2020, there were 5.9 million small businesses in the UK, a rise of 1.9% on the previous year. And whilst the pandemic has created many struggles for small business owners, it has also given many people the time to finally put plans in place to create the small businesses they have always dreamt of starting. More than 95,000 new businesses were created between July and September, according to a recent analysis of VAT, HMRC, Companies House data, and business surveys, marking a 5.3 percent increase on the same period last year, and a 7.2 percent increase on the previous quarter.

Hundreds of people were made redundant from their long-standing, time-consuming jobs, or put on furlough and told to stay at home. While some made banana bread, others used the time to pivot their skills and become entrepreneurs. As well as this, people all over the country pledged to shop local and support small businesses in their time of need.

Amy Gwynn who owns Amy’s Personal Paints, a small business specialising in hand painting Gower Beaches says, “What’s been really exciting for me as a new business owner during the pandemic is seeing how many people want to support local businesses through buying gifts for family and friends they’ve been unable to spend time with this year.”

Shopping local helps to instill a sense of community. It allows customers and business owners to build up trust and a friendly relationship, meaning people are far more likely to keep on coming back.

This is an exciting time for new business. With lots of shops and restaurants sadly closing down and buildings standing empty, for those that are able to find investors to back their ideas, there has never been a better time to jump-start your business. Our towns and cities are going to look very different on the other side of this pandemic, but this could be the shake-up that our high streets have been waiting for.

Do you have a new business or product that you need help launching? Posh Cockney can help. Get in touch today at liam.norval@poshcockney.co.uk.

Wondering why you need a home cinema kit when you have a perfectly good TV? We are about to show you.

We have put together some of our favourite home cinema setups, perfect for families, couples, keeping the kids quiet, or just having some you time.

Garden Cinema

This is a great one to get the kids involved with – Turn your garden into a cinema! Lots of us spent the summer giving our gardens a makeover, so why not get the most out of them through the winter too. Pour yourself a hot drink, snuggle up under a blanket and enjoy your favourite family movie.

What you need:

• Blankets
• Firepit
• Outdoor lighting
• Snacks
• Warm Drinks
• Large Fence/Wall

Duvet Day

Watch your favourite movie or TV show, without even needing to get out of bed! Our projectors can project directly onto your ceiling, making them the perfect addition to any duvet day.

What you need:

• Your bed/sofa
• Duvet
• Chocolate

Pub

I don’t think any of us can pretend that we don’t miss a trip to the pub, especially if you’re a sporting fan. So, why not turn your dining room/lounge/spare room/man cave into your very own pub!? (Sticky tables optional.)

What you need:

• Comfy Chairs
• Salted Peanuts
• Selection of Drinks

Superbowl

Always fancied the Superbowl experience? Now’s your chance. This is only really possible if you have a driveway or a space to reverse your car into so that your boot is facing a large enough space. Pop up our projector screen and fill your boot with blankets and pillows. Obviously, no Superbowl experience would be complete without hot dogs and beers! Try it out for yourself on 7^th February, thank us later.

What you need:

• Car with largeish boot
• Big Wall/Garage Door
• Hot Dogs
• Beer/soft drinks

Den

I challenge you to find us anyone who wouldn’t love to turn their living room into a den made of sheets and pillows. This is the perfect spot to cosy up with your family and watch a movie. Got work to do? Let your kids create a den for themselves – sure to keep them quiet for a while.

What you need:

• Pillows
• Sheets/Duvets
• Nice lighting
• Snacks
• Drinks

Date Night

Valentine’s day is fast approaching and with the usual options of a trip to the cinema or a meal at a restaurant off the table, it’s time to get creative. Impress your loved one by creating a romantic valentine’s experience from the comfort of your own home.

What you need:

• Bubbly
• Popcorn
• Fancy Lights

Relaxing in the Bath

Why not take that relaxing bath one step further? Turn off your notifications, tell everyone you’re busy and run yourself a bath. Turn on your favourite TV show, project it onto the ceiling, light some candles and enjoy some you time.

What you need:

• A bath
• Candles
• Wine/Tea
• A lock on the door

Our client Celestial Cinema recently launched their new Home Edition cinema kit. Make sure you go and check them out for the very best cinema-in-a-box experience!

Have you found more exciting ways to use your Cinema in a Box kit? We would love to see them! Tag #poshcockney in your photos across social media and we will share our favourites!

The brand new, audio only, social media app that everyone is talking about.

If you enjoy thought-provoking conversation, networking, and motivation, this is the app you’ve been waiting for. And you may even find yourself having those conversations with A list Hollywood celebs – want to know more?

What is Clubhouse?

Clubhouse lets you drop into different chat rooms and listen to or join conversations, a bit like dropping into your favourite podcast or radio show, but this time you can join the conversation (if the chat moderate allows this). The app has even been used for X Factor-style auditions for Broadway shows such as Hamilton and Dream Girls.

In a world where social media has been having incredibly negative effects on people’s mental health, mainly due to body image, this app could hold huge benefits for the future of social media.

The idea, a spokesperson told The Evening Standard, is to create “a social experience that is focused on connection, learning, and authentic conversations, where people close the app feeling better than they did when they opened it because they have deepened friendships, met new people and learned. The focus is on dialogue and connection, rather than likes or followers.”

The conversations cannot be recorded, allowing people to speak more freely, without what they have said hitting the headlines the following day. This also gives an extra layer of exclusivity to anyone who has joined the chat room.

How do I join?

The app is currently running on a member only basis. To become a member, you must be invited, and each member is allowed to invite one person (with three extra allowed after some time).

Current users include celebrities such as Oprah, Estelle, Drake, and Ashton Kutcher. The star-studded app has a very Hollywood vibe to it, however, it is slowly starting to grow in popularity in the UK.

One current drawback is that the app is only available on Apple devices, leaving Android users feeling like they are missing out. And this is certainly the case according to our CEO Liam Norval, who recently downloaded the app.

“I have recently joined Clubhouse and my mind is blown. It seems like the perfect app for someone like me who, last year, started the Posh Cockney Podcast and Posh Cockney TV. I love connecting with inspirational people and on Clubhouse, it seems that there are inspirational chats going on with some of the biggest names in the world, every hour of every day, across so many different industries. There is so much sharing and so much positivity, it really does look like the future of social media. People are connecting with people on topics that they are genuinely interested in. I am really excited about this app. I’m just 24 hours into being a member and I’m planning how I’m going to use it to the best of my abilities. Watch this space because Posh Cockney and Liam Norval will be making waves on Clubhouse very soon.”

The app is currently still in beta testing stages and may look to be made available to all soon. This is certainly just the beginning of things for Clubhouse and we are very excited to watch how it develops.

If you are already a Clubhouse member, give your CEO a follow @poshcockney.

Did you know that Blue Monday actually originated from a PR campaign by Sky Travel in 2005? 16 years later #bluemonday still trends on the ‘unhappiest day of the year’.

Still think PR isn’t important?

I have seen multiple articles today, not only discussing Blue Monday, but linking back to Sky Travel as well. This shows the power of PR and how much cover a single creative campaign can gain your business.

Reactive PR is incredibly important. When you have a PR team working alongside you, they will keep a close eye on what is currently trending in the media, what national days are coming up and what topics get people talking. They will then look at your company, your story and your products or services to see if they can create content that incorporates it.

That’s where SEO comes in. If a large number of people are going to be searching for Pancakes during February (ready for Shrove Tuesday), and your company creates a product that would be perfect as a pancake topping, you’re going to want to have content on your website and social media as well as articles in the press that link back to you, that connect your product with pancakes. This will then boost you up that search list, resulting in more people seeing, and hopefully purchasing your product.

Unfortunately, many businesses want a ‘quick fix’, they want to see instant results. PR is a marathon, not a sprint (excuse the cliché), and it takes time before you start to see the results. Do you think Sky Travel’s initial goal was to still be getting coverage off the back of that campaign 16 years later? It’s unlikely, but they put the trust in their PR team and let them get to work.

PR is so much more than creating press releases and emailing journalists. A good PR team will work with you to create fresh and exciting campaigns that will get people talking about your brand.

Want to have a look at some of the recent coverage Posh Cockney has gained for clients? Take a look Here.

For more information, or to discuss how Posh Cockney PR can help take your brand to the next level, get in touch with us today emma@poshcockney.co.uk.

By now, many of us have seen the Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma which highlights the implications and effects that data collection can have on society. Facebook was the main focus in this documentary and this week, they have announced changes to the privacy policy of the messaging app, WhatsApp, which they have recently taken over ownership of.  So, what does this mean for our data?

“As part of the Facebook family of companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information with, this family of companies,” the new privacy policy states.

Currently, this will not include data within messages, as end-to-end encryption will remain in place on all conversations. Affected data will be contact information, images, contacts, and diagnostic data. These changes will not affect countries within the EU, and for now, this includes the UK, but now that Brexit has gone through, Facebook is legally allowed to go back on that decision at any time.

Users will soon receive a pop-up asking them to agree to the new Terms and Conditions, failure to agree before 8^th February will mean the app will non longer work for the user.

Why are they doing this?

The main reason is to include a fast payment system across the whole of the Facebook umbrella, similar to the Chinese app WeChat, which is now used for many payment transactions, as well as being the leading social media and messaging site in China. (Perhaps mainly due to most others being banned.)

What are my options?

Users can of course agree to these changes and carry on as normal, but many are opting to swap to alternative messaging apps such as Telegram and Signal.

Telegram is a Russian-owned app, already very popular in many parts of the world. Its main benefit over WhatsApp is that it allows for large files to be transferred, without the need for compression. Telegram users also receive notifications for screenshots taken and the secret chat cannot be forwarded.

‘Secret Chats’ are only accessible by those within the group. The Channel creator can make decisions on which users can post and who can view them. The end-to-end encryption chat feature allows users to set a timer on messages to self-destruct after a specified time.

It is also possible to have two Telegram accounts open at once within the app, similar to having two Instagram accounts that you can swap between. This is helpful if you have a business number and a private number and you want to be able to access both from one device.

The main downside is that Telegram is not as well-known as WhatsApp. WhatsApp currently boasts 1.6 billion active users compared to Telegram’s reported 200 million monthly active users. This makes it difficult to use as both users will of course need to have the app.

While both apps offer voice calls, Telegram does not currently have video call options, which is a popular feature on WhatsApp.

If message security is your primary concern, then Signal is the app for you. However, in terms of user experience and other features, the app is a little behind there.

Many people may feel that this will just mean another app to have to check in the ever-growing list, but if data sharing is a concern of yours, it may be time to disable WhatsApp and make the move to Telegram.

Liam Norval’s top 3…

Staying Motivated is more important now than ever. With the announcement of yet another lockdown, it is crucial that we find a way to stay focused on our goals and continue to grow. Here are Liam Norval’s top 3 Audio Books and Podcasts to get you started in 2021.

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Most new businesses fail. But most of those failures are preventable.

The Lean Startup is a new approach to business that’s being adopted around the world. It is changing the way companies are built and new products are launched.

The Lean Startup is about learning what your customers really want. It’s about testing your vision continuously, adapting and adjusting before it’s too late.

Now is the time to think Lean.

Relentless by Eddie Hearn

The first book by Eddie Hearn, an inspirational and motivational guide to success.

What does it take to succeed? What is the mindset required to be the best? How do you stay at the top of your field? How do you come back from failure?

Structured around the key skills that Eddie Hearn values the most, this book looks at his business, life and the drive to succeed. Covering subjects such as discipline, passion, preparation, motivation and failure, this book shows you what it takes to get the most in your life and career.

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

Catching greenlights is about skill: intent, context, consideration, endurance, anticipation, resilience, speed, and discipline. We can catch more greenlights by simply identifying where the red lights are in our life, and then change course to hit fewer of them. We can also earn greenlights, engineer and design for them. We can create more and schedule them in our future—a path of least resistance—through force of will, hard work, and the choices we make. We can be responsible for greenlights.

The Eventful Entrepreneur

Delving into the sharpest minds in Business, Events, Entrepreneurs & Sporting icons.

Anything Goes with James English

The show isn’t called anything goes for nothing as he chats with Gangsters, Comedians, Actors, footballers, Porn Stars, politicians and much more.

Paul Mort Talks Shit with Tyson Fury

Join Paul Mort and the heavyweight champion of the world on Paul Mort talks shit… in this episode, Paul shoots the shit with Tyson Fury, the Gypsy King. They talk everything from losing 10 stone, being suicidal, beating Deontay Wilder and weekly visits to the Tip.

Being Vegan does not have to mean eating boring. London has an incredible range of vegan restaurants, and the best news? Most are delivering their delicious food straight to your door! Here are 10 Vegan Restaurants in London that you should (virtually) check out.

1. Palm Greens

Ethically sourced, plant-based food. Their menu changes to reflect availability due to changes in season and they pride themselves on working with only the highest quality ingredients. If you are looking for healthy, sustainable, vegan food this is the place for you.

2. By Chloe

From vegan roast dinners to greasy burgers and chips, By Chloe has it all. By CHLOE. aims to share delicious, wholesome, plant-based food that fuels and energizes without compromising flavour, taste, or satisfaction.

3. Biffs Jack Shack

Self-proclaimed Vegan Junk food Gods, Biffs have created the perfect dirty burger, without any meat. This is one absolutely not to be missed.

4. Purezza

Purezza (purity) was founded in 2015, becoming the first vegan pizzeria in the UK.  They are plant pioneers, revolutionising Italian food through cruelty-free ingredients.

5. Spicebox

Their menu is derived from the Indian food served to the Mughal emperors at the time of British India – but with a little Bengali twist. Spice box has a specialist Vegan Menu, sure to rival all others.

6. Acai Sisters

Fresh and nourishing superfoods. Choose from a delicious selection of Acai Bowls, Zoodles, Smoothies, and snacks.

7. Magic Falafel

Delicious Felafel served in a fresh pita or in a salad box – made with 100% chickpeas and lots of love.

8. The Athenian Plant-Based

Delicious plant-based Greek food. Vegan Halloumi Fries, Souvlaki and so much more, delivered fresh to your doorstep.

9. What The Pitta

London’s premier plant-based kebab shop, delivering soya doner wraps from its Camden location.

10. Farmacy

Locally sourced, sustainable vegan food. Farmacy boasts a wide range of menus including Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, and High Tea.

More people than ever now find themselves working from home and many of them are not there through choice. It is incredibly important to find ways to keep up motivation and productivity whilst working from home. We all know it isn’t easy. Picking up your phone and scrolling through social media can be all too tempting whilst not under the watchful eyes of managers and colleagues.  Here are our top 7 tips for staying motivated whilst working from home.

1. Dress for work

As tempting as it may be to remain in your PJs, you will instantly feel more energised and focused if you get up and get changed. Some people even find going as far as putting shoes on helps them feels like they are really at their desk and ready for work.

Dress for the occasion and you will see your focus grow. I personally find I do everything much better with a bit of lippy on!

2. Organise your day

Make lists! There really is no better feeling than seeing a big tick next to each task you have to complete. By making yourself a to-do list you can set out a clear journey for your day, and make your way through it, one job at a time.

If you have several projects on the go, time blocking is a fantastic way to approach this. Set yourself a certain amount of time to spend on each thing, and ensure you stick to these times and move on when you need to.

3. Create a good workspace

Creating a clean, bright workspace will make a huge difference to your focus whilst working from home. Find an area that can be your own, away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the house. The last thing you want is for another member of the house to have moved your notepad from the dining table the previous night and not know where to find it.

If you are living in a shared house and don’t have this luxury, open your curtains, clear away any mess, allow yourself to focus.

4. Give yourself breaks

When working at the office, most workers will demand their lunch break in full and ensure they escape the office for it. So why do we then spend our lunch breaks at home, sat at our desks? Get up, sit in a different room, go outside if you can. Take your eyes off the computer screen and take your mind somewhere else for a while. You will return feeling rejuvenated.

5. Create a morning routine

For many, a huge benefit of the WFH life is that they can roll out of bed and directly into work. However, the journey into work is often what sets us up for the day. Try and get out in the mornings, whether it’s a run around the park or just a quick walk to the shops, get yourself moving and get some fresh air. Leave time to make and eat breakfast, or before you know it, you’ll be three zoom meetings in and realise you never did put on that toast!

6. Find an Accountability buddy

For many, this could be a work colleague or manager. Let them know what you plan to get done that day, and report back at the end of the day with how it went. Having someone hold you accountable will very quickly increase your productivity. If you work for yourself, use a close friend or buddy up with another self-employed individual and help each other to stay motivated. Whilst you may be physically working alone, in many cases, you have team members working on similar projects, reach out to them.

7. Self-motivation

Sometimes, you just have to invest the time to motivate yourself. Books, podcasts, and webinars are a great way to do this. Refind your passion, remember why you started. Find out our CEO Liam Norval’s top 3 Podcasts and AudioBooks here.

These are just a few ways to help stay motivated whilst working from home. It’s important that you experiment with these and find out what works for you.