Category Archives: communications

30 days of human comms #25 the Yorkshire motorway police officer and his wife

A while back someone asked what the point of having more than the corporate account was.

Sure, the corporate account can do much but sharing  the sweets and giving the right tools to people on the frontline can be hugely effective. They can post updates on breaking incidents to help keep the traffic moving.

An example of this is the motorway police officer PC Martin Willis captured holding on Superman-style to a van that was about to topple over and roll down an embankment with the driver trapped inside.

It’s by having the tools for the officer to communicate that that the story could be told.

A beautifully human tweet? The cherry was put on top of the cake by the officer’s wife who spoke of how proud she was.

Often police officers can seem remote when they are human beings doing an often difficult job.

Be more human. Like the motorway police officer and his wife.

Thanks to Ben Proctor for spotting this.

30 days of human comms #24 Dorset Police’s Christmas song

On the one level this is great. 

On the other level, I really hope the Facebook algorithm doesn’t spot this and take it down. Or the Jackson 5 copyright lawyer spot it and send a request for damages.

The idea of singing a Christmas song isn’t new. But I like the way that you see human beings in the police car. Not officers.

Be more human. Like Dorset Police.

EDIT: Kristian Ward from Dorset Police to say they’d got the copyright issue nailed with an agreement with the publisher and social media platforms. Good work.

30 days of human comms #23 the human railway conductor

There’s something about trainspeak that somehow misses out on the English language.

This train, the announcement goes, is made of five carriages. Not ‘it has five carriages.’

So, it is a real joy to come across train staff who not only speak English but also do it with joie de vivre like this one:

Just because you have to stick to a script doesn’t make you a robot.

Be more human. Like this railway conductor.

30 days of human comms: #22 Cardiff Council’s traffic warning

The GIF is something that the public sector is gradually getting used to using.

So, when Cardiff Council wanted to send out a warning about traffic congestion they turned to the 1990s technology.

It’s the look of frustration of the driver that makes the post.

30 days of human comms #21: A missing dog pic from the New Forest

Sometimes things just fall into your lap.

The job is to spot these gifts and do something with them.

Step forward New Forest District Council whose dog warden was sent a gem of a missing dog picture here:

The dog turned up safe and well. Look at it? Its a pretty distinctive image.

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Too good to waste, Sara Hamilton has re-used the image for an event on her council’s Facebook page.

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That’s a great use and a great re-use of an image. Well done, Sara.

30 days of human comms #20 a Welsh hardware shop’s Christmas advert

This is beautiful.

A Welsh hardware shop has created a Christmas advert for £7 that’s funny, beautiful and charming.

“We wanted to show everyone you didn’t need John Lewis’ budget of £7m to create something special,” Tom told his local paper the County Times.

 

Thanks to Leah Lockhart for spotting this.

30 days of human comms #19 Bath & North East Somerset’s singing food hygiene certificates

There was a curry house when I worked as a reporter who used to ring up every week to try and get into the paper.

This ranged from the actually newsy, like fundraising for Children in Need, to the not quite so, like we have a food hygiene certificate. Back then everyone used to have them. But then came the one to five start ratings for hygiene. They became something to shout about.

One council in the South West has thought-up a new way to shout about these certificates. Send out the environmental health officer to sing a Christmas carol with them.

So, on the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me a certificate with five stars on it.

A daft but effective way of celebrating a top score on what can be an important yet routine piece of legislation. Good work Dan Cattanach.

30 days of human comms: #18 the busking police officer

Communications should not just be what a small group of people in the comms office does.

For West Midlands Police this is also how its officers behave when they meet the public.

This video clip of a busking police officer went viral when it was posted.

Opinion was mixed. ‘Shouldn’t he be out arresting burglars?’ was one view. But for me, an officer who is able to respond to people as a real person will build more bridges.

30 days of human comms #17 Thames Valley Police’s drugs find

Here’s a thing. You find a stash of drugs and what do you do?

If you are Thamas Valley Police you ask tongue in your cheek for the owner to present themselves.

What does that tweet say? They’ve been cracking down on drugs and they employ human beings as officers. The tone and wit of the tweet makes it more likely to be shared.

Be more human.

COMMS GIFTS: Creative present ideas for comms, PR and digital people

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We’ve all been there… what do you by the PR and comms person for Christmas? Or birthday? Or as a leaving present?

Here are a few ideas that could help solve your present buying dilemma. Secret Santa? Something substantial? There are a pile of ideas that could help you. A big shout to the members of the Public Sector Comms Headspace Facebook group for their input. Full credits at the bottom of the post.

Less than £5

STATIONERY: This meeting should have been an email pen. Buy it here.

BOOK: Tubesperation. Using the London Underground to come up with creative idea.

Around £5

TECH GEAR: A handy tool to help you film or take pictures with your smartphone.


SOFT FURNISHINGS: Typewriter cushion. For helping you bang your head against in safety.

BOOK: Fucking Apostrophes book. For the grammar geek in your life.

Google cardboard. Have a look at what the future looks like.

HEALTH: Stress Paul. Your handy person to squash if you need to vent spleen.

BOOK: Anarchists in the Boadroom by Liam Barrington-Bush. For when you want to think creatively on how to connect and how to understand networks.

Around £10

STATIONERY: Moleskine ruled notebook. For those creative ideas.

BOOK: Potty, Fartwell & Knob. True names that will take your mind off that comms plan or logo competition for children request.

STATIONERY: Creative post-it notes.

MUG: Grammar grumbles mugs. For the grammar nazi in your life. Buy it here.

CREATIVE: Artefact cards. Cards to help you comms plan and think creatively. Buy them here.

BOOK: Inside the Nudge Unit. An account of life in the unit that has changed how organisations look to engage with people.

TEA: Calm the fukc down tea. Herbal tea. Buy them here.

MUG: : First I drink the coffee then I do things. Buy it here.

BOOK: Think Small. A book to help you achieve goals.

BOOK: PR is Dead by Robert Phillips

OFFICE: Icon cable ties. Tidy up all those leads and cables.


Between £10 and £20

BOOK: SEO for Dummies. Understand an often overlooked skill.

More than £20

CARD GAME: Cards Against Humanity.

CALENDAR: Comms cartoon calendar by Helen Reynolds. Buy it here.

T-SHIRT: Being a Communications Manager is Easy. It’s like riding a bike. Only the bike is on fire and you’re in hell. Buy it here.

GAME: Shit Happens card game. Buy it here.

TECH GADGET: A smartphone projector. For when you want to watch the youtube clip with a bigger audience.

DRINK: Bombay Saphire Gin gift pack. Because people from the South Coast seem to quite like gin.

CAFFEINE: Stove-top espresso maker. Start your day with a jolt.

Big shout for ideas and inspiration to Eddie Coates-Madden, Sally Northeast, Vanessa Andrews, Penny Allison, Phil Hodgson, Hayley Douglas, Paul Compton, Jane Slavin, Sara Hamilton, Rachel King, Lisa Potter, Shevaughan Tolbutt, James Allen, Clare Parker, Nicole Crosby-McKenna, Louise Powney, Sian Williams, Emma Wild, Ruth Fry, Paul Coxon, Heather Heaton-Gallagher, Georgia Turner, Ian Mountford, David Bell, Vanessa Andrews, Jude Tidder and members of the Public Sector Headspace Facebook group.

Picture credit: David Mulder / Flickr