This year’s local elections came at a pivotal point in the wider political landscape. In a General Election year, with the Labour Party leading convincingly in the polls, the incumbent Conservative Government was braced for a challenging set of results which would see over 2,000 council seats across England contested, as well as a host of Mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners. Rishi Sunak faced a difficult time at the ballot box, with emerging fractures within his own party and a set of economic circumstances that continue to be felt deeply by the public. With this in mind, and perhaps as ..read more

Google has hundreds of search algorithm updates every year, with a handful of Core updates each year. These Core updates tend to be confirmed, but no specifics are given out on what they include and how they could impact brands or the SERPs (Search Engine Landing Pages). But every now and then, Google launches a major algorithm update which, in some cases, can change the whole search landscape and how brands carry out their SEO strategies. What is an algorithm update? Google’s algorithm updates are when Google changes its search engine to help improve user experience and quality of searches. G ..read more

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Helen Salvin to our newly created position of Head of Sustainability. We have seen significant growth in our sustainability client portfolio and sustainability communications practice, offering expert positioning, counsel and storytelling for organisations while helping them navigate an increasingly complex media, societal and regulatory landscape. In addition to providing strategic communications, digital, and creative services for sustainability clients, we are strengthening our portfolio with a growing range of ESG capabilities, including ESG ..read more

In April’s edition of ‘The Reputation Report’, our experts provide insights into the month’s leading corporate communications trends and reputational challenges. This month’s analysis covers Nottingham Forest’s ill-advised social media post, the reputational crises facing both Labour and the Conservatives as well as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA’s) new policy to ‘name and shame’ businesses under investigation. Nottingham Forest and the PGMOL Nottingham Forest’s social media post questioning the integrity of a match official was a serious blunder – more befitting of an angry supporter fi ..read more

It’s been a difficult period in the world of grocery, with purse strings tightening as inflation has impacted households across the UK. However, the recent news about the rate of grocery inflation falling to a 30-month low is cause for some cautious optimism. With the latest Kantar data indicating that sales of branded groceries are now growing faster than own-label, now is an exciting time for the industry – with space for innovation opening up and offering the promise of incremental growth for brands.  With the Food & Drink Expo coming up (29 April – 1 May 2024), we take a look at t ..read more

The women’s health gap equates to 75 million years of life lost due to poor health or early death per year; the equivalent of seven days per woman per year. Across the UK, Femtech start-ups, organisations and brands are working hard to address women’s health issues and overcome gender biases in healthcare and medical research.  However, recent research published by the BMJ has raised concerns about corporations co-opting feminist messages around women’s well-being to promote useless health tests and treatments. The research points out how these marketing messages echo those historically u ..read more

In today’s fragmented media landscape, capturing and keeping audiences’ attention is a constant challenge but thought leadership remains a vital channel to build trust and enhance reputation. This is particularly true for organisations that operate in service-based industries, like professional services, where thought leadership is often a key calling card to showcase expertise, technical knowledge and strategic muscle. A well-placed opinion article in a reputable media publication has been a mainstay of communicating thought leadership insights for decades, and for good reason. However, there ..read more

Within the current climate of heightened competition, rising costs and political upheaval, an effective EV marketing strategy is a cornerstone for any business operating in the sector. Despite the UK exceeding the 50,000 public charging point milestone, energy prices have continued to rise which has made public charging significantly more expensive, leading to significant growth for the private & home/domestic EV charging industry. The increased demand for this sector has also led to heightened competition. This means that organisations operating in the space must work harder than ever to ..read more

The way we consume alcohol in the UK is changing. According to the University of Sheffield, one-third of adults consumed no/low alcohol drinks in 2022 and 18% consumed low/no drinks at least once a month. As well as this, the same report revealed that sales of low/no drinks accounted for £221m, almost doubling from the previous year.  The change doesn’t stop there, as consumers are now also looking for health-conscious alternatives when it comes to their alcohol consumption. Linney’s EAT insight report reveals that 66% of consumers are interested in products that boost cognitive health. I ..read more

Policy around climate change and associated measures to reduce the level of emissions the UK is producing have come under intense scrutiny in recent years. This has been no more apparent than in the case of the transition towards electric vehicles. Towards the end of 2023, Rishi Sunak announced that the planned ban on the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and vans would be delayed until 2035. The delay in the ICE ban was met with a mixed response from industry, with some saying the Government had failed to meet commitments and others highlighting that many businesses and indivi ..read more