PR’s not-so-dirty trick of the trade: how to spin a good PR story I’m here to talk to you about PR’s dirty word – spin In this industry we get our fair share of name-calling: flacks, spin kings – even the term ‘PR’ is sometimes met with ‘knowing’ smiles from those who think our jobs are all about cover-ups, manipulation and saving face in a crisis Popular TV shows like Flack and Scandal perpetuate this image, and don’t get me started on SITC’s Samantha But while some people only believe in PR in a crisis (or think it’s all about drinking cosmos and schmoozing celebs); true believers use our PR powers even in times of smooth sailing, because they know a

If you’ve spent time working in the not-for-profit sector recently, you’ll know it’s a fiercely competitive world With things only set to get tougher On one hand, you’ve got the public benefit or community trump card to play your way On the other, it’s dog-eat-dog competitive when it comes to securing social cut-through, worthy media attention, corporate sponsorship and donations Having consulted to a myriad of not-for-profit groups over the past 20 years, I’ve been schooled by my clients on a thing or two Here are five things to consider when profiling a not-for-profit in today’s ever-changing landscape of marketing, PR and social engagement 1 Cut to the

Engaging Rural and Regional Communities With seven million people living in remote areas across Australia, understanding the different approach and tailored techniques required for rural engagement is critical to project success Australians living in remote communities often face unique challenges such as poorer health and welfare outcomes, lower levels of education and restricted access to essential utilities like power and water Challenges most of us may have never considered let alone faced Ensuring we understand the challenges and concerns faced by these communities, prior to engaging is critical So, if you’re heading to a rural community for your next engagement project

 The power of video by Bec Kowald If there were a battle between text and video, video would win every single time The human brain process images 60,000 times faster than text So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that vision is one of our most dominate senses, as our brains are constantly transmitting visual messages With the rise in smartphones usage, videos have become increasingly more accessible, allowing people to watch, learn and be influenced on the go It’s not hard to see that video is one of the most versatile and profitable marketing tools out there right now The new landscape of content marketing is changing how brands are interacting with their

Erin Rigby joined P4 Group in October 2018 as an Account Director specialising in marketing and communications, after three years at an innovative agency in London In this Five under Five, Erin shares her tips for engaging with your audience on social media 1 Be a story teller Regardless of your product or brand, you have a story to tell! Uncover this and take people on a journey with your content to allow them to connect with your brand at a deeper level 2 Spark up conversation Social channels are a two-way street Encourage your audience by asking questions, inviting suggestions, voting and sharing experiences 3 Be responsive Socials are 24/7 so brands need to keep up

Commencing in 2018, the Australian Government’s Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety is an industry-changing initiative Our client, a Queensland provider of aged care services, engaged P4 Group to advise on and deliver a proactive corporate communications and engagement strategy to support the organisation during a period of industry transformation Our client wanted to achieve key outcomes through this brief with P4 Group, including: Articulate the position of the organisation Inform staff, residents and the community Establish a plan for engagement and communication Inform internal leadership around the 18-month process Maintain high performing business

Books and Gifts Direct is Australia's largest direct seller of books and gifts They sell products from lunchrooms and reception desks in more than 25,000 workplaces around Australia, and now also sell online P4 Group was engaged as an extension of the Books & Gifts Direct team, managing all online and offline marketing activities In 2019, it was identified that there was a need for a new way to recruit franchisees who deliver the company’s products and interact with businesses who have display boxes Previously, traditional advertising, such as radio and letterbox flyers, were used to recruit franchisees This method was expensive and did not often result in a positive Return on

St Joseph’s College is a secondary school based in Toowoomba, Queensland, with more than 60 years’ experience providing exceptional Christian education P4 Group was chosen to work with the St Joseph's team to revitalise the school's brand and bring the brand to life through a fully integrated marketing and communications strategy St Joseph's wanted to achieve key outcomes from this brief with P4 Group including: Shape a new brand definition and positioning to re-establish market foothold Revitalise the brand identity with a contemporary feel Identify and leverage opportunities to communicate the new brand with target audiences P4 Group marketing, communications and

P4 Group is part of the Personalised Plates Queensland (PPQ) team delivering public relations, media and influencer strategies for consumer campaigns P4 Group was tasked with promoting the launch of a world-first Emoji Plates in 2019, for which PPQ wanted to achieve key objectives: Generate pre-registrations before the launch Promote the launch of Emoji Plates to Queensland drivers Generate awareness of the initiative outside Queensland The launch provided Queensland drivers the opportunity to ‘add a little character’ to their plates by adding one of five emojis, including ‘cool sunglasses’ and ‘heart eyes’ All revenue from plate sales goes to supporting Queensland

My first 18 months working in the communications industry has been a combination of many things, however the most obvious words to describe it are exciting and challenging As my first full-time gig, the experience working at P4 Group has offered me ample opportunities to grow as an emerging professional, as well as teaching me plenty of lessons along the way Whether you’re chasing your dream grad job or have just commenced your first PR role in an agency, hopefully my experience in the first 12 months working agency-side will help prepare you for yours! Since my very first Introduction to Public Relations in a lecture at QUT, I knew this was an industry I wanted to be in and with

You have probably heard about it, you may have even engaged with an influencer, but how much of your marketing goes towards influencer engagement and promotion For a lot of brands, this resource often goes untapped As the world evolves towards a more digital-centric focus, using influencers to help spread your messaging is only becoming more important What is a Micro-Influencer The term influencer has been thrown around a lot recently (especially if you have seen Frye Fest!) but the common understanding for many is that an influencer is social media’s version of a celebrity While this may be true for those with millions of followers, this is not where most of the marketing is (well,

Brain fog… isn’t it a pest You’re on top of your game, smashing your deadlines and feeling great until a major client is hit with a crisis Time to drop everything and get moving…BUT before you do, how will you manage the madness before it manages you Adrenaline-inducing at times, the pace of Public Relations is certainly one of the most thrilling and rewarding parts of the job When others might crack under the pressure, PR professionals crave the heat, take control and thrive With several accounts on the run, multi-tasking quickly becomes your knack Although, without the right strategies in place, it can be easy to get stuck in the crossfire when times get busy You’ll

We may be through January already (how did that happen!), but there’s still time to reflect on the weeks, months and years past and look ahead to what you’d like to achieve in the New Year That shiny new gym membership aside, it’s also a good time to think about the top goals you want to see your business achieve in 2019 Here are four things to think about to get your marketing moving, now: 1 Don’t fail to plan Sticking to the plan often falls to the wayside when things get busy – you’re only human, after all Tactical activities are important when it comes to getting things done but make sure you take this time to look at the bigger picture, pull together a plan and

As you may have seen on our website, e-signatures and newsletters, P4 Group is one of a handful of Australian agencies that are a part of PROI Worldwide – a network of international, independently owned agencies, with over 75 partner agencies across five continents, 50 countries and 100+ cities But what does being a part of this cohort actually mean, and how does it benefit our staff, clients and agency as a whole  To help you better understand, below are five of the pros of being a PROI member: 1 We’re leading the way: PROI partners are usually the leading, or largest, independent PR firms in their markets and must meet stringent criteria before they are approved for membership

It’s January and the P4 team is feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as we jump into 2019 Like many of you, we have all taken some time over the holidays to reflect on our professional and personal goals for the year Here are some of our team’s top new year resolutions that they’ll be striving to achieve each day: Hannah – Account Manager Creative thinking is my area of interest, so my New Year’s career resolution is to attend workshops and events that focus on creativity, and share my learnings with the P4 Group team to enhance our idea generation processes I’d also love to use these opportunities to network with other creative minds To keep this up throughout the year

Can you believe it’s the Christmas break already Time flies when you're having fun, and this year is no exception for the P4 Group team! We’ve have had another award-winning, jam packed 2018, filled with strategic campaigns and inspiring clients So, sit back, relax and join us as we wrap up 2018 with a snapshot of some of our favourite memories: Shop Brisbane City This year marked the second bi-annual Shop the City celebration, a collaboration between QueensPlaza, The Myer Centre and Wintergarden to bring Brisbane's biggest shopping party to life After being appointed to implement an integrated PR and creative campaign, we upped the ante with a new creative look and feel for the

The adage ‘practice makes perfect’ has never resonated more than the day I walked into my first internship - bright eyed and bushy tailed, with a solid GPA and unrivalled enthusiasm only a 19-year-old was capable of Not only would I soon realise nothing I had been learning throughout the semester applied in this office, but I would also grow to understand that practice was key, and a solid university result did not equate to a perfectly crafted media release Amidst the red pen mark-ups on my writing and, what seemed like never-ending media list development, grew confidence and skills that only an on-the-job education could teach Soon, days would become weeks and those weeks would

An integral part of my role as an Account Manager in the PR and communications industry is to ensure I have my finger on the pulse of breaking news across multiple subject matters – that is, knowing who is talking about what and when, finding out why this is a hot topic and, most importantly, seeing if we can capitalise on this for a client In layman’s terms, if there is an opportunity to leverage your client and increase their chances of appearing in the media, then there’s an opportunity to ‘newsjack’ To further explain this, I’ve shared the ins and outs of newsjacking below, as well as offering some insights into how this PR tactic could benefit your business in the

Following a year of consistently delivering strategic campaigns that drive real change for our clients, we were ecstatic to walk out as award winners at the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) National Golden Target Awards (GTAs), held in Sydney Following our success locally at State Awards event earlier this month, last night’s event saw our team awarded Best Pro Bono Campaign of the Year, for Women’s Legal Service Queensland’s (WLSQ) annual Dancing CEOs event P4 Group was engaged to use publicity activity to drive hype around the event, to assist with the 2018 fundraising goal of $250,000 We took a ‘pitch and plan’ approach to publicity, identifying media angles

After a stellar year of delivering strategic, results-driven campaigns for clients, P4 Group was recognised at the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) Golden Target Awards (GTAs) last night, taking out awards in the Major Campaign, Pro Bono Campaign, Integrated Marketing and Communication Campaign and Consumer Campaign categories Speaking on the success of the night, P4 Group’s CEO, Adrian Basile, said he was proud of everyone involved in the award-winning campaigns "The team at P4 Group continually go above and beyond to deliver results to clients, so it’s no surprise that their hard work was recognised against some very deserving competition at the State GTAs last

Brainstorming is the creative bread and butter that gives our team at P4 Group the space to offer our clients an out-of-the-box approach to projects and campaigns We believe the team brainstorming process is THE best way to generate ideas Why 1 Brainstorms utilise a diverse group of thinkers Different teams and disciplines, from various backgrounds, bring unique perspectives 2 They provide a creative-thinking environment where the focus is on quantity of ideas To help you facilitate better brainstorms and spark the creativity and imagination that exists inside every employee, we wanted to share the tips and tricks for each of our key brainstorming elements – the environment, the

When it comes to public relations, there are three main types of media we use as communication channels; paid, owned and earned media Each type is very distinct and has its own pros and cons, but a good digital media strategy makes use of all three We’ve outlined the differences between the three so you can decide which media type (or combination of media types!) will work best for your business Paid Media Paid media is any form of paid advertising - social media, online marketing tools and search engine advertising, just to name a few Paid media is a great way to start your marketing journey, as it will increase exposure for your brand and content, and drive traffic to your website and

One of the most important aspects of building and establishing yourself (or your company) as a brand is consistency Consistency and cohesiveness build credibility and brand recognition within your target audience As today’s online environment is so saturated with content, it’s important to stand out and be recognisable across all platforms, while remaining true to your brand Here are our top tips to achieving consistency across your online platforms Give your brand some personality A sure-fire way to stand out from the crowd is to give your online platforms some personality! While it’s important to remain professional, the nature of social media is more personable and conversational

How A LinkedIn Strategy Can Positively Impact Your Business LinkedIn can be one of two things to your business: yet another social platform you’ve probably forgotten the password for, or the most powerful tool in your hot little pocket When used right, LinkedIn can be a game changer to your business’ bottom-line Here are some thumb-stopping tips on how to nurture your company’s LinkedIn profile Source, attract and recruit incredible talent As with most industries, technology has changed the traditional HR world we used to know With over four million active Australian users online each month, the platform serves up prospective talent on a shiny silver platter Add-on services

P4 Group Client Spotlight: Women's Legal Service Queensland Whether you’re passionate about supporting Queenslanders in need, or like to think you would have made a fantastic judge on So You Think You Can Dance, you’re going to want to know what these two things have in common The answer An annual fundraising event for Women’s Legal Service Queensland by the name of Dancing CEOs Each year, twelve CEOs take the stage at Brisbane City Hall to bust out their best moves for an even better cause That cause is Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ), a specialist community legal centre providing free legal and social work services to Queensland women and their children in instances of

An Email Direct Marketing (EDM) strategy might just be the most underestimated tool in a digital marketer’s box In a world of social media addicts and website aficionados, email can seem like a forgotten older cousin that nobody ever talks about anymore Plus, with many people receiving hundreds of emails daily, many companies who do use email marketing could just as easily be shouting into a crowded room, completely unheard Here at P4 Group, we recognise the power that a properly-executed email marketing campaign can have for your brand, so we’ve put together seven of our simplest tips to help your emails stand out in a crowded inbox, instead of falling victim to that dreaded

P4 Group currently work with Spicers Retreats on a public relations activity for the each of the Group's luxury hotels and retreats We sat down with Marina Musumeci, Group Marketing Manager, to chat a little more about the Spicers brand and our partnership as an agency Who is Spicers Retreats Spicers Retreats is a collective eight, soon to be nine, luxurious retreats offering relaxed accommodation, gourmet dining and spa facilities, located across South East Queensland and New South Wales How long have you been a client of P4 We have worked with P4 Group for almost two years  Throughout that time we've found P4 to be extremely adaptable in terms of providing strong support to meet our

The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games is well underway, and alongside the action-packed sporting calendar sits Festival 2018 – Queensland’s largest-ever arts and culture festival, boasting 12 days of entertainment across the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville Running from 4-15 April 2018, Festival 2018 includes an array of world premieres and community events spanning music, dance, circus, visual art, performance, theatre and more Last week we saw the likes of Amy Shark, The Cat Empire, and Circa’s Rite take to Festival 2018 stages for these free public events as part of the state-wide program But there’s more to see this week if you have time, so check out our

For the past three years, P4 Group has been lucky enough to work with CitySmart, Brisbane’s sustainability agency, helping them to achieve their goal of making Brisbane a cleaner, greener city At P4, we pride ourselves on being an extension of our clients’ teams, and working with CitySmart is no exception Our regular meetings with the CitySmart team always involve them sharing some green pearls of wisdom on how we can be more sustainable in our day-to-day lives, whether it be around greener Christmas gifting, smarter transportation or tips for saving paper in the office Of course, the rest of the P4 team are always willing to get on board with initiatives that will help our planet, with

If you’re in your final year of high school and thinking of studying PR, or at the pointy end of having to choose your major, my simple advice is: go for it! Although, since you’ve made the effort to do your research, I’ll provide you with some advice that’s a little more complex than three fleeting syllables I recently graduated from a dual-degree in Business (Public Relations) and Creative Industries (Fashion) from Queensland University of Technology I’m often told by others that I’m someone that can be easily convinced, so when my sister suggested I should pursue a career in PR, my answer was something along the lines of ‘OK’ In signing up to my PR major, I wasn’t

We’ve upped our daily treat consumption from 0 to ‘I’ve got to stop eating!’ with the endless amount of baked goods on offer, and we’re officially sick of hearing Mariah Carey spinning on repeat – yep, Christmas has been and gone! With the New Year in full swing, we switch our minds to the excitement ahead, which includes a barrage of resolutions we probably won’t end up keeping, and some welcome advancements to our ever-changing industry So what are the shake-ups headed for PR in Australia in 2018 It’s always said that PR professionals wear multiple hats, and we’re certainly not just publicists here at P4 Group - we’re fortune-tellers too! Here’s what we’re

Earlier this month we interviewed Angelee Samin, National Marketing Manager of Nightlife Music and asked about her experience working with P4 Group across all aspects of graphic design, strategic marketing, public relations and digital marketing, here is what she had to say  Who is Nightlife Music  Nightlife Music is a music subscription service for businesses that combines the best in music and tech to deliver immersive customer experiences For over 28 years, Nightlife’s investment in innovation and curatorial expertise has increased the value music holds in out-of-home settings, creating a better outcome for artists, rights holders, businesses and end consumers Partnered with

New year, new social media update - nothing like kicking off 2018 with something new to digest  Thankfully for you, the P4 digital team constantly have their finger on the pulse, ready to adapt to the ever-changing world of digital marketing To ensure you start the year on the right foot (and don’t keep living in 2017) we have compiled a need-to-know guide on all things social media for 2018 to help you transition with ease Facebook If you haven’t been living under a rock this year, you would have heard of Mark Zuckerberg’s latest announcement on Facebook’s algorithm change – if you have no idea what we are talking about you can read his official statement here

As 2017 draws to a close, the P4 team reflect on the year that was! Here are a few highlights from some of our team members, from what was one of the biggest years in our 23 year history Adrian, CEO and Founder For me, the highlight of 2017 was growing our marketing and digital teams Not only do we now have a full team of experienced marketing and communications strategists in-house, we also now offer a full suite of digital services – including design, social media content creation and advertising, SEO/SEM, eDM strategy and creation, video and web development Offering these all-encompassing services under one roof has not only proven beneficial to our existing client base, but we’ve

Despite what Absolutely Fabulous may have led you to believe, being a publicist is not all champagne and fashion shows (although admittedly, there is some of that) As a communications professional, we spend most of our time researching, planning, talking, pitching, strategising, writing, briefing, networking and reporting – while the reality may not be as glamorous as the job title suggests, it’s undoubtedly a labour of love Based on real-life conversations and scenarios, here are seven things we wish family and friends could understand about communications professionals: 1 “How can you possibly send that many emails in one day” When I say I sent 300 emails today, I’m not

In the past 12 months, P4 Group has grown immensely with both our client base and team almost doubling in size! We have also continued to solidify our position as a leading integrated communications agency after taking out multiple award wins at the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) Golden Target Awards Following three award wins at the Queensland (PRIA) Golden Target Awards in October, P4 Group were progressed to the national event, where we won Best Major Event Campaign for the creative and impactful Brisbane Festival Campaign We also received Highly Commended awards for our work on Bridge to Brisbane Day (News Corporation), the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation

As we prepare to enter the silly season (where did the year go!) we want to stop for a moment to reflect on all of the fantastic wins in the P4 office as of late Over the past 12 months P4 Group have been joined by three very talented marketing communications experts – Melody Nalatu, Nina Ellingsen and Sarah Broad who together bring over 50 years of industry experience In welcoming these talented professionals to the team We have more recently expanded our P4 clients: Burgess Rawson, OwnIt Homes, Helix Legal and Books and Gifts Direct, the Office of the Commonwealth Games for Festival 2018, TAFE Queensland, Livvy + Harry, PPQ, Dancing CEOs, Taxi Council Queensland and Millionaires

To our clients and colleagues Welcome to the new era of P4 Group! Today we launched a new look and feel to align with the impressive growth we have seen over the past 12 months, both within the team and within our client base After expanding our service offering to genuinely deliver on the integrated agency promise, P4 Group has grown its team of 15 to 26 experts across public relations, corporate communications, marketing, social media, digital strategy, graphic design, branding and stakeholder engagement Boasting a new tagline as ‘your reputation managers’, and a reinvigorated design that equally pays tribute to the company’s 23-year history – I’m excited to see what

Gone are the days where business owners would reach out to PR agencies just to assist with traditional media relations campaigns, whilst other agencies/ departments managed additional communications needs Today, more than ever before, businesses of all shapes and sizes are seeking holistic communication and marketing solutions in one streamlined place At P4 Group, we pride ourselves on being able to deliver a multidisciplinary approach to our clients, with services spanning traditional PR, social media, marketing, sponsorship, stakeholder engagement and more And with such a variety of service offerings and skills within the organisation, unlocking and harnessing creativity in the

Property development is a complex world The process for obtaining planning approvals is complicated and confusing, communications is focused on marketing a product that doesn’t exist yet, and it feels like roadblocks appear at every turn This complex landscape, paired with tight time-frames, has major impacts on one of the most important aspects of property development…community engagement In the communications industry, we see this critical activity slip through the cracks time and time again More often than not, it's an activity to tick a box, or it’s completely swept under the rug and forgotten about Unfortunately, a failure to proactively and meaningfully engage with key

"Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will” – Karim Seddiki And just like that we are already halfway through September! Here are a handful of highlights from the past seven days that we’re thrilled to share with you in our weekly wrap London Grammar hits Brisbane          The incredible London Grammar arrived in town last week to perform as one of Brisbane Festival’s headline acts! They performed alongside festival favourites, James Vincent McMorrow, Kite String Tangle, Mansionair and Wafia in an exclusive Brisbane Festival event at the Riverstage - read about the phenomenal English trio in Brisbane Times here Commemorating the Battle of Polygon Wood We’ve

Make it simple Make it memorable Make it inviting to look at Make it fun to read – Leo Burnett It’s hard to believe we are now officially in the final quarter of 2017 and, despite the speed at which the year is going, our team is continuing to produce incredible results for their clients  Below is a snapshot of last week’s success in our weekly wrap up - Choice, Passion, Life Last week our client Choice Passion Life (CPL) celebrated National Disability Action Week 2017 which focuses on empowering people with disabilities and improving access and inclusion throughout the community Our dedicated CPL team secured some fantastic coverage throughout the national awareness week, as

So you’ve graduated, or about to graduate…congratulations! But your journey is far from over… While your university degree is incredibly important, it’s your industry experience that will give you the upper hand over other candidates applying for graduate roles As a rapidly expanding agency, we are always scouting for up-and-coming young communications professionals to join our team, and we can’t stress enough the importance of having internships under your belt! So what exactly will you get out of agency internships We posed this questions to our intern Fiona, and here's what she had to say: Learn new skills Agency internships will expand your skills well beyond those

There’s no denying that the media landscape has changed dramatically The number of print media outlets we can pitch stories to has almost halved in the past ten years; journalists and photographers are more time poor than ever before; and the 24-hour news cycle means brands must be ‘on’ at all timesor risk being left behind So with all these changes, how can we still secure positive coverage for our clients and reach the people we want to reach Bec Burn, Account Manager at P4 Group, shares her insights… Visuals are key Having a great story to tell is no longer enough The largest news outlets now only have a few photographers to share across multiple mastheads, so publications

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm" - Ralph Waldo Emerson Lights, camera, action! Last week went by in a flash – check out this summary of everything we got up to in P4 HQ Brisbane Festival is on! It’s here! It’s finally here! Saturday 9th September marked the official launch of Brisbane Festival and it’s safe to say the weekend was chock-full of great entertainment and everything PINK! Our dedicated #Brisfest team have already achieved some amazing results to date, with over 162 pieces of media coverage secured in the week leading up to the launch and a total of 650 pieces to date!  Read all about the glitz and glamour of the weekend in The Courier Mail

“Marketing’s job is never done It’s about perpetual motion We must continue to innovate every day” – Beth Cornstock The arrival of spring also marks the arrival of another busy month on the P4 calendar! Here’s the rundown on what our team have been up to this week Queensland Child Protection Week P4 Group is proud to be working with Queensland Child Protection Week again this year on raising the profile of all issues connected with child protection Last Thursday, as part of QCPW, a special ceremony was held at Parliament House to honour Queensland’s superheroes of child safety There are some incredible people walking among us - you can read about all the awards and winners

We cannot accomplish all that we need to do without working together – Bill Richardson One thing many of us have seen over our years in the biz is that many organisations keep their PR, communications and digital activity separate Often, they split this activity among separate internal teams, or they work with multiple different agencies The thing is, in today’s hyper connected world, all of these things go together like peanut butter and jelly, cheese and wine, Netflix and pizza…you get it! What many people don’t realise is that when you bring these teams under one roof, you've got a force to be reckoned with Not to mention, you'll save a heap of time without having to

As someone who’s been in my field for about six years, I’ve experienced the process of working my way up the corporate ladder under several management/mentoring styles, with one type of manager that stands out - the one that empowers you Some might go as far to say that without acknowledgement for great work, and being offered guidance over being told what to do,  you’re not only having the morale zapped out of you, but you’re bound to be looking for where the grass is greener A recently released Employee Retention Report confirms that micromanagement drives all kinds of employees away, but Generation Y are the least likely to stand for it, even if they are in the infancy of

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships – Michael Jordan What a week! Here’s what’s happened in the wonderful world of P4 Group during the last week #BESTTIMEBNE On Sunday August 27, thousands of people took to the streets to enjoy Brisbane’s best fun run! Bridge to Brisbane Day 2017 saw 30,000 participants pound over the Story Bridge and raise almost $700,000 for deserving charities Not only did Sunday mark the 21st Bridge to Brisbane Day; it was also the tenth time P4 Group have worked on this project! P4’s terrific trio of Lauren, Sophie and Dani worked hard to ensure that this year’s campaign built on the success of the last – and they

In today’s social and digital era, proper spelling, grammar and punctuation in our personal lives has slipped off the radar in place of rapid-fire sharing of content using heavy slang, trending colloquialisms and digital shorthand But what about in the corporate world Does it really make much of a difference if something is hyphenated properly or not Our answer is a resounding yes - writing mistakes do matter! Correct grammar and punctuation in the professional space is still just as essential now as it was before Why Because whether it’s in print, online, in an email or on a billboard, it says a lot about you and your brand A well-written resume can be the difference between landing

What a week! There may have only been four working days but the P4 team managed to achieve so much in a short time From festival openings to new findings, and even a feature on The Bachelor Australia – take a look at our weekly wrap from within the P4 office Mates4Mates Senate Inquiry This week the Senate released long-awaited findings of the Inquiry into suicide by veterans and ex-service personnel, titled The Constant Battle: Suicide by Veterans  Our client Mates4Mates provided a submission to this Inquiry in February this year and many of the recommendations made by the organisation were endorsed, making this a positive step forward for Australia’s veteran community In line

Brisbane Festival is one of Queensland’s largest arts festivals, taking over our beautiful river city from 9 – 30 September with a jam-packed program of dance, theatre, comedy, music, family events, free activities, and wrapping up with the iconic Sunsuper Riverfire With so many different shows and events on offer, it can be a tricky process to whittle down your list of must-see’s and must-do’s  But fear not, the team at P4 Group have put together their top picks from this year’s Brisbane Festival program to lend a helping hand Check them out below! “Terror! A choose-your-own-adventure Goosebumps-esque show for adults Amazing Count me in! - Kate, Account

Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally It comes from what you do consistently – Anonymous As we kick off another week, we take a moment to reflect on our team’s achievements from last week in our latest weekly wrap! Welcome back ACCU! We’re delighted to be working with the Queensland ANZAC Centenary Coordination Unit (ACCU) on a PR campaign to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the Battle of Polygon Wood To honour the courage of the 57,000 Australian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice, a tree-planting ceremony will take place in Roma, Cloncurry, Cairns and Rockhampton on September 24th  We worked with the ACCU earlier this year on the Battle of Bullecourt

Goodbye July and hello August! As we move through the second half of the year at full steam ahead, here are some of our team’s incredible achievements in our weekly wrap up A supersprint to success! The Virgin Australia Supercars Championship raced into town last weekend with the Coates Hire Ipswich Supersprint! The event was a huge success, with an eight per cent increase in ticket sales from last year! But the success extends well beyond the racetrack…our superstar Supercars team of Lily, Bec and Kate secured a HUGE 92 pieces of coverage for the event Well done to all involved - we can’t wait to see what the Vodafone Gold Coast 600 brings in October! It’s a race against the

When it comes to event planning, it's important to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possibleor at least, that's how it must appear to guests! Events can range from large galas and media launches to stakeholder luncheons and bespoke experiences…and these only scratch the surface! However, the very nature of it being an “event” means that it will be memorable and leave a lasting impression on those in attendance There’s so much to consider when it comes to event planning, from budget and guests to location and food, and everything in between Here are our top tips that you can implement from the get-go to ensure your event is a success The secret: planning is

If you're like me, you've probably not heard of a speech disfluency until now, however, again like me, I'm sure it is a habit you have unknowingly adopted in your everyday Disfluency: A speech disfluency, also spelled speech dysfluency, is any of various breaks, irregularities (within the English language), or non-lexical vocables that occurs within the flow of otherwise fluent speech In simple terms, a speech disfluency is any interruption in the normal flow of speech Most commonly, or at least in my experience, these are sounds such as 'um,' 'like' or 'ah' and, unofficially, represent a break in conversation Some of us are most in tune with this when we are nervous,

Picture this: we’re doing our daily scroll through our social channels and we come across a beautiful snap posted by one of the most envied travel bloggers of today: @helloemilie Our thumb freezes and hovers over the screen as we pause momentarily to gaze in awe at Instagram photos of Emilie unthawing beside a campfire outside an igloo in Finland, or wandering through an endless forest of bamboo in Japan We’ve all been there But Emilie doesn’t have one million followers for nothing! In taking her Instagram photos, she adheres to several unofficial rules that have led her to her enormous success Well, we’re here to write the unwritten - here are four key tips that will take

Interestingly, communication is among the most misunderstood professions in business As an industry, we haven’t excelled in doing for ourselves what we do for others every day Isn’t life funny like that If you’re our client, we’ll find your audience and educate them about who you are and why they should care, in a way that is meaningful and memorable Yet what comes to mind when you think about public relations Absolutely Fabulous, darling Marketing Mad Men Social media Brunch photos, filtered selfies, #blessed These perceptions don’t even scratch the surface of what communications professionals actually do from day to day So without further ado, join us as we dispel some of

If you’ve spent any time working in the not-for-profit sector recently, you will know that it can be a brutally competitive world, with things only set to get tougher On one hand, you’ve got the upper hand in representing a brand that is operating for public benefit, and, more often than not, meeting a community need On the other, it’s fiercely competitive when it comes to obtaining corporate sponsorship and donations Having consulted to a myriad of not-for-profit groups over the past 20 years, I’ve been schooled by my clients on a thing or two Here are a few things to consider when profiling a not-for-profit in today’s ever-changing landscape of marketing, PR and social

On any given day, a typical Facebook user is spending over 12 hours a week on Facebook For this reason, whether you're a luxury hotel chain, fashion boutique, burger restaurant or a financial planner, being active on social media is a must, and should be utilised effectively to reflect your overarching business strategy However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach: a corporate accounting firm's social media activity will vary dramatically from that of a luxury fashion label The key to understanding the when, where and what of your social media strategy is to first understand the who and why Who are you trying to speak to This means having an in-depth understanding of who your

As another financial year is quickly coming to a close, it might be time to take a good look at your marketing strategy (or lack thereof) to ensure next year’s budget is wisely allocated and your efforts are getting maximum results for your spend Businesses often make the mistake of thinking they need to be everywhere doing everything Having a scattergun approach to social media advertising, Google-remarketing and influencer campaigns, coupled with traditional PR, advertising and marketing campaigns won’t always mean your efforts are effective Without strategy behind these activities, your efforts can quite often lose focus, resulting in bad spending decisions Investing in

There’s a lot to be said for taking a 15-minute stroll to get a coffee or forcibly removing yourself from your desk to have lunch with a friend, on a day when you truly believe you need every second of your working week to get things done News flash: you don’t Research shows we are more productive, more positive, and generally better employees when we don’t subscribe to the PR stereotype of 12-hour days and three coffees, because you “don’t have time for lunch” In fact, a study from Stanford University reveals that overworking led to less output than what we would produce in a standard 40-hour work week Those working longer weeks often experienced stress and fatigue, and

  “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it” – Henry David Thoreau At P4 Group, a short week certainly doesn’t mean reduced output! Here are a handful of highlights as we hopped towards the Easter long weekend We heart Green Heart We’re excited to welcome a new client to the P4 family – CitySmart; an initiative of Brisbane City Council CitySmart is currently delivering $25 million worth of projects, with another $290 million in the pipeline, all designed to contribute to Brisbane’s economic growth and reduce our environmental impact We'll be managing media relations for the upcoming Green Heart Fair on 4 June; Brisbane’s biggest community

As a Senior Account Executive, I’m still fairly junior in the world of PR and Communications While I’ve worked in the industry for more than five years in PR, events, external and internal comms, creative and corporate writing (and the list goes on), I still find myself a little nervous picking up the phone with an important pitch to a big name journalist or presenting a strategy to a major client for the first time Part of a publicist’s role is to be calm and confident at all times, and keep those around them feeling the same And you know what We nail it every time But that doesn’t mean we’re not battling some nerves on the inside I’m a firm believer that nerves are a

“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about” – Oscar Wilde As we near the end of another exceptionally busy week at P4 Group, we’re proud to share some of our team’s sensational achievements of the past seven days! National campaign launched to tackle PTSD Earlier this week, we were proud to launch the research findings of the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation and RSL Queensland’s world-first PTSD Initiative – an unprecedented three-year study into the long-term physical impacts of post traumatic stress disorder P4 Group secured widespread national media coverage reaching an audience of more than 2 million,

The PROI Worldwide has further cemented its international reach with yet another Australian-based agency to join the fold, with Queensland-based integrated marketing communications agency, P4 Group, becoming the fifth Australian-based global partner Adrian Basile, CEO of P4 Group, said that becoming a member of PROI Worldwide is as much about enhancing the learning and development opportunities of his team as it is about working alongside and sharing knowledge with other like-minded business leaders from around the globe “P4 Group is made up of a team of highly creative dedicated professionals who are constantly seeking opportunities to strengthen their skill set Collaborating and

From an outsider’s perspective, managing social media for a business may seem like a lot of hard work Well dear friend, that’s because it is But understanding what success looks like to your business at a social level, means you can ensure your approach is playing the part it needs to be in your overall business and marketing strategy In the end, resulting in less work and more successes To help with this equation, we’ve identified five things you can be doing right now to enhance your current practises, and hopefully strike a little social media gold in the process Know your social media platforms and audiences Before you post that next piece of content on Facebook, ask

Knowing how to maximise your online presence can be overwhelming and labour-intensive, with the need for organisations to be present, up-to-date, relevant and responsive to customers at all times But by understanding the opportunities that exist in the digital space, and identifying what success looks like to your business at a social level, you can ensure your social media approach is playing the vital part it should be in your overall marketing strategy Before you dive in head first, here are some considerations from our Account Director Adam Brunes

  Social media is like one of your babies, right You love it because it’s a labour of love and it’s yours But deep down, you can’t help but think… ‘Could it be better’

In the age of social media, hashtags and 'regrams' are spread across the Insta-sphere, linking consumers to brands, movements, organisations and individuals This brings the relationship between a brand and their consumer closer than ever before – allowing for instant feedback, easily followed trends and accessible insights With the roll out of Instagram's highly controversial (yet now highly celebrated) Stories feature, it was always going to be interesting to see how Snapchat would fare in a world where ephemeral content is being embraced at lightning speed Many digital marketers were quick to throw in their two cents on the debate, and thankfully most have concluded that both

Have you ever been scrolling through your Instagram feed, watching a YouTube video, pinning on Pinterest or playing your Snapchat stories to only find a celebrity raving about a new product Have you then gone and searched/purchased that same product because of their recommendation Enter influencer marketing  Whether it is a face mask, a new dress or a teeth whitening kit, what you are witnessing and taking part in is known as influencer marketing It’s the word of mouth of the 21st century, and it’s been happening right under your nose

We've taken things to a whole new level at P4 Group… Following a HUGE 2016, we’re proud to announce that the team of experts from Evoke Communications have joined the P4 Group fold, marking our agency’s transformation into a full-service marketing and communications agency as complete Not only is our office bursting at the seams with incredible talent, this move also has immense benefits for our current and prospective clients, as we can now offer a fully-integrated ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to marketing and communications P4 Group now offers communications and marketing strategy, publicity, digital, design, corporate communications and stakeholder relations all under one

Our favourite app has just announced an exciting new update As of today, Instagram users can upload up to 10 photos AND videos in one post! When uploading, these posts are completely customisable – you can change the order, apply a filter to all photos at once, or edit them one-at-a-time A little square icon will appear over your post in your profile grid to show your followers that there’s more to see Simply #swipeleft to see them all! One thing to note, however, is that these posts have a single caption and are square only, for now… We’re HUGE fans of this Instagram update at P4 Group and feel that our clients will benefit from this immensely! We know all too well the

Today's fast-paced and exciting world can also be a stressful one Your inbox is overflowing, your phone is ringing, deadlines are looming, and you feel that familiar tense feeling in your shoulders Given that so many of us spend hours on end looking at computer screens, the importance of taking a moment for yourself and implementing activities to de-stress your day is more important now than ever before If you find yourself distracted at work, or you are slowly losing movement in your neck, here are four simple tips on how to decrease stress and increase productivity in your workplace Learn to breathe We breathe on average 20,000 times a day, but are we doing it correctly Learning focused

“An engaged woman is always more agreeable than a disengaged She is satisfied with herself Her cares are over, and she feels that she may exert all her powers of pleasing without suspicion All is safe with a lady engaged; no harm can be done” – Jane Austen Over the last 15 years, I have been working on delivering stakeholder and community engagement strategies on large infrastructure projects While each project has been vastly different from the next, one question continues to haunt me: “Why do people disengage in community engagement activities” The idea is that by reflecting on this from project to project, I will be better equipped for the next project that comes my way

While it’s still hot, hot, hot outside, the hectic summer season in the hotel and tourism sector is beginning to wind down For our client, Seahaven Noosa, this means it’s the perfect time to kick off our media and influencer familiarisation (or famil) program for 2017! What's a famil If you haven’t heard of a famil before, the concept is based around inviting a journalist or social media influencer to experience your product or service, in the hope that they will write, post or blog about your brand to their audiences When executed correctly, a famil program will keep your brand front-of-mind for people already engaged with the brand, allow you to reach entirely new audiences

Sales-target driven business development has never been my thing I’m not a salesperson who sees the sport in the thrill-of-the-chase, seeking out any old client who has money to spend, romancing them and then locking them in with a pitch process full of bells and whistles used to seal the deal I am, after all, a tragic deep thinker who thrives on meaningful relationships So, while a realistic budget and timeframe is vital to a successful professional partnership, it should come as no surprise that working alongside clients who fit our agency’s skill set, and inspire and motivate our team is my thing But finding these match-made-in-heaven clients is rare (thankfully we have been

Public relations professionals are generally ‘people people’, but balancing skillsets, interests, experience and the right personality fits often requires careful consideration In a busy agency environment, company culture is paramount, and can often make or break both a business and the individuals that work with it As Team Leader at P4 Group, here are my top six tips for building and retaining the right team for your workplace Build a team that complements one another In agency land, no two days are ever the same and there’s no guarantee that today’s client portfolio will be the same in three months’ time As such, it’s important that your team canvasses a variety of

Turning an internship into a job isn’t just something people tell you to help you sleep at night – it is absolutely possible! The marketing and communications industry is a competitive one, and decision-makers in agencies are always scouting to snap up great talent just as much as graduates are eagerly searching for the perfect first job I started as an intern at P4 Group in April 2016, and in June, I commenced my role as an Account Coordinator, working part-time while I completed my studies Kicking off the New Year with a bang, I’m now working full-time as an Account Executive, and loving every minute of it! However, if you think these kinds of opportunities are going to be

Everyone has good intentions when it comes to being organised at work, but realistically, the thought of purchasing matching stationery, rainbow highlighters and post-it notes, and downloading a series of ‘organisation’ apps really just makes the whole exercise seem far too hard You don’t actually need fancy pens and notebooks to get yourself organised, so here are five tips to save you time, calm your mind and give your colleagues serious inbox-envy 1 Treat your inbox like a filing cabinet There are two types of people in the world - those who file their emails and can always find the information/contact/attachment they need, and those who don’t I know which I’d rather

Creating effective stakeholder management strategies is often easier said than done – there is no “one size fits all” approach Here are my tips to delivering best practice stakeholder engagement solutions 1 Always seek and share knowledge Read widely and always ask questions Get together with people in similar roles and in the industry to understand the lessons learned on their projects so that you don’t make the same mistakes Forget about competitor advantage…let’s engage in tried and tested ways with our stakeholders As well as seeking advice from others, be sure to share your own experiences For the not so experienced among us, start going to courses and

One essential thing to know in this industry is the necessity of a good story and how to get it published where you want it to be A perfectly placed and delivered story can do wonders for your client – it builds their brand, positions them as experts and thought leaders, and increases their credibility However, getting your story noticed can be a challenge with journos, who often receive hundreds of pitch emails per day Here are a few top tips to ensure your story ideas stand out from the rest 1 Know your audience What is your story about and who do you want to read it Do some research – make sure that when you’re searching for the ideal media outlet to pitch your story to, you

This September the P4 Group team took on Brisbane Festival, Queensland’s largest arts festival with an exciting program of music, theatre, dance, comedy opera, circus and much more - making up 70 productions and 540 performances Each year Brisbane Festival paints the town pink for 22 days in September The festival theme for 2016 was “Welcome to Youtopia”, encouraging festival goers to step outside their comfort zones and truly embrace the full festival experience P4 Group were completely immersed in the Youtopian paradise and were able to produce some fantastic results for the client The P4 Group team achieved, over2000 media clips, generating a potential reach of 46,560,863

As the jacarandas bloom and Brisbane heats up, take a look at P4 Group’s tips for an epic November in the Brisbane river city Start the month in style Brisbane Racing Club  has a range of Spring Racing Carnival events including St Vincent’s Private Hospital Stakes Family Day, on November 5th,  and  is a race day the whole family can enjoy Eye-opening experiences Embrace these beautiful spring-summer evenings at the Ben and Jerry’s Open Air Cinema! Take yourself to South Bank’s Rainforest Green to enjoy some of the latest flicks, or get nostalgic on Time Travel Tuesdays, with old movies like Romeo and Juliet and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on