Gray Media Services Blog

Internships: Are they vital for success in the "real world"?

2012-01-23T12:32:00.006+10:00

RecentGMS Intern Katie Dunn gives her thoughts on the worth of internships.

My answer isemphatically YES. While I feel my degree has provided a good background oftheory and skills useful in the world of PR and Marketing, there are many areasand practical skills that haven’t been covered.

In tutorials andlectures last year it was really hammered home that lack of "realworld" experience will quickly see your job application sent to the shredder(even with a university degree). Which I have got to admit, is fair enough. Hiringsomeone with no experience would be a massive unknown risk to a PR agency,potentially wasting a lot of time and effort. I knew I simply had to get theexperience to give me a competitive edge.

I've got to say, I gotlucky. Whilst trolling through the QUT website I found an internshipadvertisement from Gray Media Services which looked perfect for me! Itmentioned supporting the consultants with projects and campaigns, liaising withmedia, assisting in events organisation, administration support, social media,newsletters, press releases, etc.

I was an intern at GMSfrom August to November last year and the experience in the office allowed me tomake valuable industry contacts and experience the day-to-day tasks of a PRconsultant. It also seriously upped my daily caffeine consumption!

I had a very positiveexperience at the GMS office and believe I have improved my writing and learnedvaluable “real world” skills.

Internships provide "students withstructured opportunities that more fully develop their talents, abilities, andinterests” (Juntune, 2009). I definitely believe I achieved this at myinternship.

My previous experience in offices and universitytheory provided me with a good base to grow from and putting my skills intopractice has further instilled me with a desire to succeed in Public Relationsand allowed me to develop tangible skills.

Last week I started officially as an AssistantPR & Marketing Consultant for GMS and I can’t wait to continue learning fromthe fantastic consultants in this office.

- Katie

Bring in the PR and communications experts earlier - don't wait until it's too late!

2010-11-16T12:05:00.000+10:00

It never ceases to amaze me how many companies do not realise the importance of public relations and communicaitons until it's too late!

Reading the following article it was yet another clear case of the 'if onlys.'

If only they had built up strong relationships with their target audiences through good communications.
If only communications had been a part of their main business plan.
If only they had prepared a risk strategy.

Have a read and see what I mean:

http://www.moneymanagement.com.au/news/communication-the-key-to-rebuilding-trust?utm_source=20101116&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletters

The sooner companies realise the importance of bringing communications experts into the board room the better. This was a key theme discussed at the recent Public Relations Institute of Australia conference in Darwin and I couldn't agree more.

So often it's not until a crisis arises that companies then suddenly feel the urgent need to consider the benefits of having strong public relations and communications strategies integrated into their business plans.

PR and communications is not just about getting hits in the media, it's about business growth and development through a number of communications channels.

As this article points out, people are more forgiving if they feel valued and this stems from building strong relationships with them early on. By doing this and laying strong foundations in terms of relationships then, should a crisis arise, it will be much easier to recover.

A good PR Consultant will also have prepared a risk strategy plan in advance which will then come into play and have a much greater chance of success on the back of the strong communications strategies.

Good business is about good relations. If more companies were to make PR and communications part of their overall business strategy they would be amazed at the difference it can make.

Is Social Media Optional for Marketeers?

2010-02-17T08:39:00.000+10:00

This was a question posted by marketing blogger Gordan Whitehead on Linked In. Here is what Director of Gray Media Services, Yasmine Gray had to say:

Social media is a fantastic new tool that needs to be embraced by marketing and PR professionals alike however it isn't necessarily the right medium for all businesses and as industry advisors we need to have a good understanding of how best to use it, when and why. This medium is only going to grow and develop and so to not have any idea about how it may or may not be beneficial doesn't display a great deal of future market insight. We don't have to use it at all times or for all campaigns however I would hope all of my staff would at least have a few clues about what it's all about. It is obviously not a fad in that the medium is already well developed and continuing to grow. It will change and morph and it remains to be seen into what forms however to ignore it is at your peril as it is here to stay in some format or other that's for sure.

Why ex-journos should NOT (or should?) head the PR function

2010-02-10T10:49:00.001+10:00

Why ex-journos should NOT (or should?) head the PR function

This was the title of a debate started by PR blogger Craig Pearce as appeared on Linked In. Here is what Yasmine Gray, director of Gray Media Services had to say about the issue. To follow the debate go to the PRIA group on Linked In.

Yasmine Gray says:

This debate re-enforces the age old problem of divide between PR and journalism. Having worked as a journalist for over 23 years before setting up a a PR company I can tell you that I found many, many PR's did not have a clue about media and what our requirements were as journalists. Likewise now I find many journalists have an instant bias towards having a dislike of PR's when of course there are many fine practitioners out there that make the life of the journo a lot easier. The bottom line is that we are all in the same industry and are trying to achieve the same goals ie create media. Those of us that have had experience on both sides of the fence have the greatest overall understanding of how the media machine works and I would encourage both journos and PR's to open their minds to learning about each other's worlds.I employ people with experience from either side of the fence but ensure that those staff members learn as much as possible about the area in which they are less knowledgeable. We need to have respect for both professions and the importance they both have in providing interesting media for the varying target audiences we are trying to reach. So it's not a case of one being better than the other and at the end of the day it will always be a case of the individual having ability. The wider and more diverse your experience is within the media industry the better you will be at which ever role you perform.

“How can PR increase accountability and where should it be located in an organisation?”

2009-12-08T08:38:00.000+10:00

As appeared in Marketing Magazine's 2010 Media Survival Guide.

Yasmine Gray – Director of Gray Media Services

There is no question that ROI and accountability are the big buzz words of recent times and whether we like it or not in some measure we need to address this.

Accountability well and truly lies on the shoulders of the executives that have to best decide how to spend a company’s available funds and as they get increasingly publicly scrutinized for justifying their positions then it’s understandable why they may be nervous about spending on something that is intrinsically creative.

Creativity doesn’t, and never has, really lent itself well to the nuts and bolts of life. It is about expression and innovation and often involves an element of risk. The best PR campaigns are run on instinctive decisions that grow from fantastic ideas – not on cheques and balances.

However if those who hold the purse strings are nervous about making decisions without proof then we have to find a way to make them feel more comfortable about investing in PR.

Results can be very comforting and there is no reason why the PR industry can’t provide charted measurements on the success, or failures, of their campaigns for clients.

As an industry we should never rest on our laurels and take it for granted that companies need us. The marketing world is constantly evolving and as an industry we need to embrace new methods in terms of both creativity and best business practice.

Why would anyone invest in something if they didn’t think it was going to work? We have to provide enough evidence to show that PR can, and does work, and while there are no guarantees, at least more people will be likely to take that creative risk.

The Pyjama Foundation turns five with cupcakes, champagne and Nick Earls

2009-10-12T11:20:00.001+10:00

Rising to the occasion The Pyjama Foundation’s fifth birthday party at Brisbane’s Powerhouse included all the essentials – balloons, cake and party bags. However their party was like no other as they shared with guests a special screening of the latest play from award winning author Nick Earls, The True Story of Butterfish.

The Gray Media Services team joined over 200 fellow guests on October 7 in celebrating and showing their support for The Pyjama Foundation and its special birthday, enjoying the cupcakes, champagne and special theatre performance on offer.

A proud long-time supporter, Nick Earls made an exclusive appearance on stage to share with the audience why he is so passionate about helping The Pyjama Foundation and the influences and intentions that inspired his tale of The True Story of Butterfish.

The birthday party concluded a busy few weeks for The Pyjama Foundation in the media spotlight as they featured in a series of articles in Queensland publications as well as radio interviews on Queensland’s ABC radio program and Brisbane’s FM station 96.5 as organised by Gray Media Services.

Our targeted public relations campaign drummed up publicity for this special birthday event, increasing ticket sales by five times more than the expected amount.

Look out for the next issue of Woman’s Day to see a feature on The Pyjama Foundation’s founder Bronwyn Sheehan as she shares why she chose to start this organisation five years ago and the profound impact it has had on the lives of thousands of foster families during this time.

Dates for your Diaries

September was a busy month for the Gray Media Services team and the following months prove no different. The Gray Media Services team will be at the Victoria Point Sharks Club on Wednesday November 4 as Yasmine Gray delivers an insightful talk on public relations, sharing with local businesses why PR is the next big thing for their company to benefit from.

Important dates to mark into your diaries are October 26 and 27 for the National PRIA conference featuring an exciting line-up of PR professionals including Obama for America organiser Scott Goodstein, NRL media boss John Brady and Tourism Queensland CEO Anthony Hayes. Gray Media Services is the proud major sponsor of this event and will be hosting the cocktail party during the evening of the first day. Visit www.pria.com.au for further information about this exciting event.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The Pyjama Foundation turns five under a media spotlight

2009-10-02T13:23:00.000+10:00

There’s nothing like throwing a party to get attention! When Gray Media Services client The Pyjama Foundation turned five recently, the GMS team made sure this fantastic Queensland charity received all the media coverage it deserved.

With balloons, cake and party hats in tow, as well as a group of excited children dressed in their best and brightest pyjamas, on Thursday September 24 GMS created a ‘pyjama party’ media event as the start of many to help promote The Pyjama Foundation’s milestone.

It was all the GMS PR Consultants could do to stop the kids from tucking into the fantastic chocolate birthday cake in the shape of the number five as they excitedly gathered around for the photo shoot that had been arranged with The Courier Mail.

The result however was wonderful with a lead picture story in The Courier Mail on Saturday September 26 (read the article here) and yes, the kids all got to tuck into the cake immediately after. They obviously thought all the media attention was great.

The pyjama party was part of a targeted public relations campaign organised by GMS to promote The Pyjama Foundation’s fifth birthday with a focus on its forthcoming major fundraising event, to be held on October 7 at the Brisbane Powerhouse. Leading Brisbane author Nick Earls is staging a special production of his highly acclaimed play The True Story of Butterfish with all donations going to the foundation and its wonderful cause in supporting foster children and their carers.

Over the past few weeks, GMS has scored plenty of coverage for The Pyjama Foundation and the charity’s founder, Bronwyn Sheehan, in a number of media outlets.

The highly rated Steve Austin show on ABC Queensland radio kicked off a string of radio interviews for Queensland Australian of the Year Bronwyn Sheehan.

Radio station 96.5FM took up the GMS challenge and the morning crew threw a special pyjama party in honour of the foundation’s birthday – and yes they were all wearing pyjamas, including Bronwyn.

This was followed by stories and event listings in City News, MX, The Courier Mail’s Go Directory and ourbrisbane.com.au all as a result of the campaign.

Yet to come is an article all about Bronwyn and her work with The Pyjama Foundation in an upcoming issue of national women’s magazine, Woman’s Day.

Keep an eye on the GMS website ‘What’s New’ section for more details with regards to this and see you all at the PJF birthday party at the Powerhouse soon.

Businesses in the Redlands learn how PR can help them grow

2009-09-17T11:28:00.005+10:00

On Tuesday, September 15 the Gray Media Services team enjoyed the opportunity to meet with fellow business people in the Redlands area at the Cleveland RSL.

The evening was a rewarding experience with a large turnout of businesses in the area from a number of different professions ranging from engineers and graphic designers to builders and landscapers offering Gray Media Services the chance to keep up to date with what’s happening in the local business community.

Director of Gray Media Services Yasmine Gray made quite an impression amongst her local audience, advising them on how their business could grow with PR by doing more for less.

The crowd particularly reveled in the client case studies, taking note of how small start-up company Yeahpoint benefited from the constant flow of local and national PR to become an international success.

Watch this space as Gray Media Services has already been invited to share their PR know-how at another Rotary Club event. Details are yet to be confirmed but keep a look out as information regarding the time and place will be posted here soon.

The Pyjama Foundation Up- Close and Personal on ABC 612
Gray Media Services is pleased to share the news that one of its clients, The Pyjama Foundation, featured on ABC Radio’s Up Close and Personal section on Tuesday night.

The charity’s founder Bronwyn Sheehan was interviewed by ABC Radio’s Steve Austin at 9pm on September 15 to discuss the amazing achievements the charitable organisation has accomplished in the last 5 years in light of their upcoming birthday festivities.

Visit the link http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/612_evenings/index.html to hear all about the trials and triumphs this charity has experienced in its mission to improve the literacy of foster children and relieve the pressure placed on foster parents.

Keep an eye out in the media in the next couple of weeks as Gray Media Services have a few press opportunities to celebrate The Pyjama Foundation turning five years old, culminating for their big birthday party with a special showing of Nick Earl’s new play The True Story of Butterfish on October 7 at the Brisbane Powerhouse.

Gray Media Services Blog: Brisbane businesses discover the positive power of PR

2009-09-11T16:45:00.000+10:00

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Brisbane businesses discover the positive power of PR

2009-09-02T08:59:00.000+10:00

On Thursday, August 27 the Gray Media Services team thoroughly enjoyed meeting a wide variety of dynamic business people at the Women’s Network Australia lunch held at The Pavilion in Albion, Brisbane.

Director of Gray Media Services Yasmine Gray impressed the corporate audience, giving them a valuable insight into the world of PR and answering the big questions of whether all publicity is indeed good publicity, how to do more for less and how much their business should expect to pay.

Brisbane business women eagerly listened in, asking Yasmine questions of the future of the media industry, whether newspapers will eventually all go online and how to measure the contribution of PR.

The GMS team had a great time meeting businesses big and small across many different corporate industries and showing them how they too could benefit from a well targeted PR campaign. Businesses in attendance varied from specialists in finance and accounting to events companies and small start ups across hospitality, real estate and non-for profit sectors.

Yasmine’s speech received an excited response with many business women in attendance expressing the value in gaining a greater understanding of what PR is and how it can help their business. Here is what a couple of these business women had to say:

“Thank you for your informative talk today at the luncheon. You have a lovely voice to listen to. It makes understanding the reason for good PR easier. I often wonder why some people/businesses always get their stuff written about. I often respond to media alerts with usually no response back. I obviously will have to come and talk to you.”

Marney Perna Kiniquem, Author and Kinesiologist

“The presentation made by Yasmine was fantastic and very informative. Kudos to yourself [Margaret] and Rosie for being so professional – Yasmine must be very proud of her team!”

Jade Fisher, Escala Events, Event and Sales Coordinator

Look out for the next chance to watch Yasmine Gray in action and learn how your business can do more for less with PR on September 15 when she presents to the Cleveland Rotary Club.

A truly valuable opportunity no business can afford to miss! Contact 07 3488 1199 for more details and we’ll see you there.