It always makes interesting, if unsurprising, reading. This year’s telephone poll, conducted with 651 Australians over the age of 14 on May 9 and 10 and released this week,  again put nurses up the top with a 90 per cent rating for honesty and ethical standards, the 18^th consecutive year the profession has led the standing. And, for the 31^st year running, used car salesmen have occupied the bottom rung with a rating of 2 per cent – a drop of 1 per cent on the previous year and three points below the dizzying heights of their 5 per cent peak in 2003.

The advertising industry had a welcome rise, bouncing from 5 per cent in 2011 to 8 per cent this year to remain in second last place, just ahead of real estate agents (9%), and federal and state MPs (both 10%).

At the top, nurses were followed by pharmacists (88%) and doctors (83%) and it is interesting to try and extrapolate just what it is about those professions that stands them apart and what business executives (18%) could learn that might resurrect their profession in the community’s standing.

And executives should try to learn because honesty and ethical standards should be at the core of every company’s reputation.

We can talk about the caring nature of the top three professions and the life-enhancing nature of the work they perform – something most company executives can’t hope to emulate – but what they all have in common is face-to-face interaction with their customers. People know them. They know what they do and how they sound. They know and trust them to the extent that they will divulge their innermost secrets and fears to them and are willing to accept bad – sometimes the worst – news from them.

Yet very few company executives ever talk to customers especially customers with a problem (David Thodey, Telstra CEO being a notable exception)? Complaints are delegated to a front desk or a department, with the response being handed down from on high through that intermediary. How many executives invite cranky customers into their offices and sit down and discuss the problem with them? How many instruct the switch to send complaints directly to them for resolution?

One of the reason companies find themselves in trouble when a social media campaign goes badly awry is that few know what their company’s reputation actually is. I wonder if it’s because  our company executives know the share price, the sales figures, the forward projections, but they don’t know what the public – their customers and potential customers – really feel about them.

Trust is not just automatically doled out to those in positions of traditional power and influence. The social media age has given power and influence to many disparate voices so it is imperative that trust is now earned through an authentic two-way conversation – the sort of heart-to-heart that you might have with your doctor or nurse or pharmacist.

And, just as with those conversations, the executive might not always like what he or she hears but it just might end up being good for your company’s health and reputation.

It’s a very noble, humanitarian tactic by Facebook yet for some, it may be met with even more scepticism around privacy concerns. One can only imagine how the black market must be rubbing their collective hands together at the thought of so much ‘fresh meat’ on display if you’ll excuse a horrific pun. Pessimistic? Perhaps, but you can’t be too careful these days. It’s been well reported that frustrations are abound when it comes to Facebook’s Machiavelian approach to privacy and perhaps this announcement is one more step in that direction.

For those unperturbed by this knowledge share, you can follow the below steps to update your own organ donation status from Facebook Timeline:

1)      Go to your profile.

2)      Click Life Event.

3)      Scroll down to the Health & Wellness section.

4)      Click Organ donor and type your state information and date you became a donor. If you’re not officially registered, click on the link that will take you to the state agency responsible for such information.

Voila!

Ogilvy PR Melbourne’s Managing Director, Lelde McCoy, has been the driving force behind this event which is now in its 8^th year.

“Over the years this event has become a key meeting place for women in PR. It’s about having fun, giving back to the community and also learning something new. This year we’re looking at the online news environment, how the landscape has changed and how public relations practitioners can get on top of stories.”

The lunch is an opportunity for women in PR to network and also ‘do good’ by raising money for the Merle Howard Student Prize, an academic prize given to the best research project by a final year PR student at RMIT University. Each year a not-for-profit organisation is also chosen to benefit from a raffle and auction at the event. This year’s partner is the Reach Foundation’s Birdcage program which runs workshops to promote the mental health and wellbeing of teenage girls.

Women in PR is on Friday May 11, 2012 at 12.00pm at Showtime Events, 61 South Wharf Promenade, South Wharf. Tickets are $99 and bookings can be made via http://pria.com.au/events/event/2012-women-in-pr-forum

Lachlan McKernan:

I was provided with tasks that not only accelerated my learning as an aspiring PR practitioner but also ensured I was able to be a part of real projects and campaigns, giving me a taste of what was ahead of me in the industry. Having been put to the test and seeing what it takes to work in a top agency such as Pulse Communications, I now have a great idea of what it takes to work for, and be, the very best.

Every day I was invited to sit in on meetings, brainstorms and was always told why I was doing things and how it would contribute to a result for a client. All of my work was contributing to an end goal which made for a great learning environment and provided a clear insight into what it would be like to be a full time member of the team.

At the conclusion of my month with Pulse Communications, I realised how lucky I was to work with such a great organisation and to learn from some of the very best in the industry. I now know what it takes, and my time at Ogilvy House has motivated me to work towards being a part of a team like this one in the future.

Lorie and Mike replace Tam Sandeman who has decided to return to the UK after eight years with Ogilvy Public Relations Group of Companies – Pulse and Ogilvy Impact.

The appointments reflect a growing trend of companies recognising there is significant bottom line benefit when more focus and investment are placed on building brands from the inside out and driving strong brand ambassadorship with their people.

“With more than 15 years’ experience in the employee engagement industry, Lorie is renowned for the development and delivery of behaviour change employee programs which have driven countless business results. Together with Mike, whose significant insights from his rich experience as one of Australia’s smartest marketeers, the pair will take an already very successful and leading business to new heights,” said Kieran Moore, CEO Ogilvy Public Relations, Australia.

“Tam leaves Ogilvy Impact in tremendous shape and the new team is working in tandem with her to ensure a smooth transition period for our clients and our people.”

Lorie has been with Ogilvy Impact for over a year and was hired from the UK.  She has vast experience in employee communication and prior to joining Ogilvy Impact in Australia, led in-house functions for large organisations such as BT, Telewest and Trinity Procurement, a SAB Miller company.

Mike brings 25 years’ experience on both the client and agency sides. He has overseen the brand, marketing and corporate communications divisions of such blue chip companies as Sony, Vodafone and Seiko and spent several years running Telstra, one of Australia’s largest advertising accounts.

They are both looking forward to making a strong impact…

Andrew replaces Sarah Cruickshank who is leaving Ogilvy Public Relations after ten years to take up an Assistant Secretary role in the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.

“We are very excited that Andrew is joining OgilvyEarth to lead the team at a time when Australian companies have sustainability issues at the core of their business strategies,” said Kieran Moore, CEO, and Ogilvy PR.  “With over a decade of experience at the coalface of solving key strategic issues in both the public and private sectors and with a particular interest in climate change and sustainability, Andrew brings a new level of skill and talent to OgilvyEarth.”

During his time at the Department, Andrew supported the development of Australia’s international climate change policy, and was a lead negotiator for Australia in UN negotiations.   He was elected co-chair of the international REDD+ Partnership, a grouping of 80 countries aimed at driving progress on deforestation, and established a work plan to encourage private sector investment in REDD+.  He also chaired one of four negotiations under the Kyoto Protocol.

Prior to his time at the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Andrew worked for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a diplomat at the Australian Embassy in Iran. Andrew also spent three years as an Associate Consultant at the international strategy consultancy OC&C in London.

“It’s a very exciting time to be joining OgilvyEarth,” said Andrew Ure, Managing Director of OgilvyEarth.  “As Australian companies increasingly look to integrate sustainability into their daily operations, OgilvyEarth is uniquely positioned to help them develop and articulate their strategies, backed up by an international team of experts.”

“OgilvyEarth clients know that doing more with less is not just good for the environment – it’s good for them and their key stakeholders,” said Andrew.

For further information, please contact:

Sandra Renowden, on mobile: 0403 823 218

The Second National Sustainable Food Summit in Sydney Australia brought to light the many unspoken pressures on our current food system that threaten to leave Australia, along with most other countries around the world, unable to feed their growing populations.

As I stared wide-eyed down the supermarket aisle, the conference speakers’ messages seemed terribly disconnected from the abundance overflowing in front of me.  Endless varieties of chocolate eggs had been tailored to delight even the most finicky of tastebuds.  Nowadays, consumers can have their chocolate treats in multiple shades: dark, milk, white or some combination of all three.  They can have them candy-coated, caramel –centred, miniaturised, orange-flavoured, hot, frozen, sugar-free, individually-wrapped or even family-packed.  This is not limited to just Easter goodies.  The average developed nation supermarket is brimming with an abundant variety of inexpensive food year-round.  So, it’s no wonder that most of us are not preoccupied with projected food shortages, dwindling seafood supplies or shrinking croplands on the agenda of the National Sustainable Food Summit.

The reality is, of course, that what see from our perch at our trolley’s handlebars is not the full picture.  Taking a long-term macro view reveals a world where exponential population growth will drive up demand for food production and a rising global middle class will increase the number of people able to afford animal protein (which we know takes more water and energy resources to produce than vegetables).  Additional pressure will also come from rapid urbanisation and the growing number of megacities (those with populations exceeding ten million) which will not only encroach upon fertile agricultural lands and add to the complexities of getting enough fresh food into cities fast enough to satiate our tummies, but also exacerbate the dramatic disconnect between our farmers and our plates.

When we see the big picture, we discover additional pressures on our food system that are telling us our current system needs a re-think.  Diminishing diversity in our basic crop species is putting our resilience at risk.  Predictability of crop production is being threatened, as increasingly irregular weather patterns throw off century-old agricultural practices (regardless of which side of the climate change debate you find yourself).  International trade is encouraging us to relinquish control of our food sources, as we increase our dependence on overseas ingredients and processing.  And the experts we rely on to produce our food are abandoning their vocations, as financial pressures from rising energy costs, industrialised food production and shrinking profit margins chase farmers from their fields to city jobs.  With something as vital as food, how is that we have found ourselves putting all of our eggs in one basket (no pun intended)?

Yet, in the face of this bleak reality, the conference was optimistic and solutions-focussed.  True, we cannot rely on old systems if we are to produce more food with fewer resources in the face of changing environmental conditions.  However, by working together across community, industry and politics, we can create viable solutions.  This was the resounding message that threaded throughout the three days of conference talks and workshops.

Experts pointed to specific technologies, policies, communities and case studies that might hold the answer.  Discussions pointed to concepts such as decentralised food production, urban farming, renewable energy, alternative food sources, cross-industry collaboration, consumer-driven system changes, meaningful partnership between NGOs and food suppliers, supply chain traceability, affordability and equity in food access, national food policies, nutritional requirements and cultural considerations of the role of food in society.

Already we can see evidence of big brands, government and community groups starting to work on solutions.  In Australia, one state government campaign is trying to teach people how to avoid letting perfectly good food go to waste with the Love Food Hate Waste initiative. Major Australian supermarkets Woolworths and Coles have each made sustainable seafood commitments and major seafood suppliers like John West are taking important steps to ensuring the sustainability of their supply.  Unilever is also taking serious steps to improve the sustainability of the food it sources, with its Lipton brand sourcing Rainforest Alliance certified tea and its commitment to move its Ben & Jerry’s brand to fair trade certified ingredients, for example.  Coca-Cola too is working with local communities and environmental groups to improve the sustainability of its ingredients, through Project Catalyst, which aims to make sugar cane in Australia agriculture more sustainable.  Full disclosure here: several of my insights here come from the work that OgilvyEarth has done with Woolworths, Lipton, John West and Project Catalyst).

In each of these cases, the need for proactive collaboration between industries and sectors is critical to making progress.  With my sustainability communication hat on, I see the important role communication will play in enabling the kind of future thinking and real action we will need to change the course of our food system.  Already through my work with clients, I have seen how facilitated conversations and strategic communication can enable the kind of idea sharing, inspired collaboration, trust building and dialogue needed to improve on the status quo.   No, I don’t know exactly what our food secure future will look like.  But I do believe that it will require a combination of technical and policy solutions as well as a new system of values, cultural norms and perceptions to change how we think about the food we eat.

A very big congratulations to the winners for this quarter:

Jacqui Teurlings, Ogilvy Impact – Partnership, nominated by Mike Connaghan, Chris Savage and David Sawicki

“Jacqueline was given the responsibility of Project Managing the STW Leaders conference for 2012. This task required a number of skills to be employed demonstrated by; Flexibility, tolerance, proactivity, intuition, a calm and considered approach, extensive planning, resilience, monitoring and the ability to deal with a high pressure environment at times. A sensational effort with amazing results.”

Shalini Gonsalves, Ogilvy Impact – Partnership, nominated by Tam Sandeman

“It was the extra miles, to ensure she kept up the client service and support, which led us to this nomination. The highest endorsement comes from our client, who said to her, “It felt like you put your arms round our brand and our people.  We can’t thank you enough”. Trust. That’s what it’s all about. Trust and genuine partnership. She showed she really cared.”

Marie-Claire Suter, Howorth – Partnership, nominated by Ant Kelaher

Client feedback – “It takes great skill and care to help your client move from the uncomfortable and unprepared to confident and articulate – thanks to Marie-Claire she made me feel I could deliver a great message. Marie-Claire embodies what I love about working with Howorth – clear, well planned and impactful communications delivered professionally which helped me do the same.”

We look forward to congratulating more trumpet winners in our final round for 2012.

A very big congratulations to the Ogilvy Impact team who won the Employee Communications Campaign of the Year with McDonald’s, All About Me. Pulse Communications received a Certificate of Excellence in the Consumer Launch Campaign of the Year category, for Launching Malaysia Kitchen Australia. And finally Parker & Partners’ State of Change received an honourable mention in the Corporate Publications category.

Serving as a judge on the awards panel this year, Steve Dahllof, Asia Pacific President & CEO, saw firsthand the high standard of work entered. “We are fortunate to partner with brave and bold clients. Our ‘What if?’ promise to them is to constantly challenge traditional, formulaic PR approaches and outline bold new courses of action that help keep their brands relevant and fresh to an increasingly savvy and vocal audience” said Dahllof. ‘What if?’ is a credo embraced agency-wide that gives everyone at Ogilvy PR permission to challenge the status quo and foster a culture that embraces constant change.

This is a great way to end the impressive list of 2011 award wins.

One resounding answer was measurement: finding a legitimate and verifiable method for measuring the effectiveness of public relations. For years we have had plenty of evidence that the hardy old standby of advertising value equivalence was an unreliable measurement method, but despite attempts to run a stake through its heart it kept climbing out of the grave and haunting the profession.

So we decided to do something about it and announced that before the end of 2012 we – Ogilvy PR Australia – would have a viable, creditable system in place that would prove the worth – or otherwise – of our campaigns to our clients and not just in terms of outputs, but the business outcomes that we were challenged with at the beginning of the assignment.

We are a long way down the track in developing a host of measurement options for our clients.

On the back of that commitment to change, I was delighted to accept an invitation to attend and speak at last month’s inaugural Asia Pacific Summit on Measurement, which was organised by AMEC, the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication.

By any measure (legitimate and verifiable, of course), the conference was a great success, reaching agreement on a number of issues, most of which will be further discussed at AMEC’s European Summit in Dublin from June 13-15. Included in those agreements were an outline of 12 key competencies that would give a communications professional an understanding of research and measurement techniques, and recommendations which will lead to the development of worldwide social media measurement principles.

The necessity for change is great because right now CEOs are challenging their CMOs and Communications Directors as never before to prove the financial effectiveness of PR and the impact on the bottom line.

One of the main factors holding back meaningful measurement is persuading organisations to put sufficient fat in the budget to allow for evaluation, or convincing ourselves that there is value in carving something off our own slice to demonstrate effectiveness – or not,  as the case may be.

However, for this to happen we need to be confident in how we measure; confident that a client examination of how we assess ROI will prove illuminating and transparent. It’s a complicated problem but the inaugural Asia Pacific Summit was both a recognition of the need for a solution and a sizeable step along the path to finding that solution.