PR agency appointed?

[Joensuu]

http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/922261/Square-1-advise-Southampton-Football-Clubs-new-owner/

 

I'm never a fan of PR & spin, but is this organisation resposible for the OS now being updated promptly, and the communications being so progressive?

 

 

Edit - slight change to include ", but" as having two seperate sentances has obviously steered the converstation to only talk about spin -sorry!

Edited 23 July, 2009 by Joensuu

[Fitzhugh Fella]

Gawd - its just a football club isn't it.

I'd hoped the politics and spin was in the past and best left to the government.

People in this country are fed up of PR and spin - honesty is the best way.

[Scummer]

Why do I know the name David Bick? Seem to have heard it before.

[stevegrant]

Why do I know the name David Bick? Seem to have heard it before.

He was the PR "guru" the executive team of Hone, Hoos and Dulieu appointed...

 

Great.

[eelpie]

It's got to be better than Lowe's abysmal PR disasters. (And he spent enough on PR agencies)

[Um Bongo]

Ah.

 

Pardew had a PR service when he was at West Ham to advise him after a few comments which raised some eyebrows.

[Thedelldays]

dont worry about it

[Psycrow]

If the article is right that this company has been working with ML during the takeover, we've nothing to complain about so far. We've all been saying how open and honest everything is and how deals seems to be done without a single leak to the media. So maybe there's nothing to worry about

 

A PR agency is more than just lies and spin. They will work to their clients specifications, which could simply be "We want everything communicated cleanly, quickly and in an honest manner, but we also want it done right which is why we're employing an agency"

[Matthew Le God]

Surely a good PR company would keep this story out of the press as it was bound to not go down well with the fans.

[StuRomseySaint]

Of course they would use a PR agency, for a start they have no experience in football, and for another start, they have no experience of the English culture and behaviours etc.

 

Not really big news, they would be completely stupid to act on impulse and not employ a PR agency.

[Verbal]

Well, maybe it's not so bad if the PR effort is directed at the media and corporate clients and not at the fans.

 

Given our recent disastrous history, perhaps the club's first PR statement could be that they regard the fans, the fans' forums, etc., as off-limits to "Square 1".

[mdearlove]

Didn't they come on here and join up, then start commenting on threads?

[INFLUENCED.COM]

Not concerned by it, NC, AO, AP & even ML will have a microphone and/or camera shoved in they're face frequently over the coming months so a heads up on how to handle that is no bad thing, even a written response on behalf of the club with insight, if they are concentrating on these matters and corporate advertising then really do not see a problem but would add..aint no better PR than win after win after win as everything else will simply fall into place.

[Thedelldays]

Didn't they come on here and join up, then start commenting on threads?

 

 

they probably started the tony adams rumours...just to get a feel for the reaction

[Scudamore]

And why does PR have to be associated with spin?

 

It's public relations? We the fans or public want better relations with the club?

 

Where's the big deal? There is no big deal.

[scott_saints]

Why is this bad news??

 

Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

[Stoozer]

If the article is right that this company has been working with ML during the takeover, we've nothing to complain about so far. We've all been saying how open and honest everything is and how deals seems to be done without a single leak to the media. So maybe there's nothing to worry about

 

A PR agency is more than just lies and spin. They will work to their clients specifications, which could simply be "We want everything communicated cleanly, quickly and in an honest manner, but we also want it done right which is why we're employing an agency"

 

Absolutely right. PR doesn'y always equate with dishonesty as some on here seem to think. We should judge our new owners on their actions to date - which in my opinion have been excellent, honest and professional.

[Rebel]

As an ex-spin doctor I wasn't that impressed with David Bick when he worked with/for Michael Wilde.

 

They made a few gaffes to to be frank!

 

Mind you I'm not sure that wasn't Wilde's fault looking back on it all!

 

Ideally a good PR acts as a two-way communications channel - that means they'll be monitoring the message boards for a start! - feeding back what the various audiences are thinking, feeling and saying!

 

but it is about spin - telling people what they want to hear - or making the bad sound good!

[Glasgow_Saint]

Why do I know the name David Bick? Seem to have heard it before.

 

David Bick is Rupert Lowes step son

[INFLUENCED.COM]

David Bick is Rupert Lowes step son

 

So....Lowes step son assisted ML in buying the club, fair play to him I say.

[mattyd]

Gawd - its just a football club isn't it.

I'd hoped the politics and spin was in the past and best left to the government.

People in this country are fed up of PR and spin - honesty is the best way.

 

All organisations sell and need PR support.

[DT]

Why is this bad news??

 

Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

nor me. very few companies out there without communications help. PR can just be a conduit for getting messages out, not 'spin'. doh

[saintbletch]

If a company has employees who regularly speak to the press (printed, radio and television) and constantly announces news, and is keen to change its image from previous regimes and wants to attract supporters to come (back) to watch football matches, it would be fairly stupid not to have a PR company to advise them.

 

SFC has an image problem. It's ownership has now changed. The image no longer matches the reality. The perception needs to be changed. PR companies help change perceptions.

[trousers]

David Bick is Rupert Lowes step son

 

True story?

[hectors house]

Don't see a problem with this, it's what I would expect with a professional organisation. Crikey if RL had employed a “spin doctor” they may have told him what a prat he was about to make of himself before he opened his gob. For the dream to work it's very important that the club eventually get the stadium full and to achieve that they need to understand what the fans want (and don't want) – hopefully that's part of the PR companies remit.

[MLT's Headed Goals]

Not concerned by it, NC, AO, AP & even ML will have a microphone and/or camera shoved in they're face frequently over the coming months so a heads up on how to handle that is no bad thing, even a written response on behalf of the club with insight, if they are concentrating on these matters and corporate advertising then really do not see a problem but would add..aint no better PR than win after win after win as everything else will simply fall into place.

 

Ain't that the truth!

[iansums]

I am quite happy for Herr Liebherr to run the club as he sees fit.

[Clifford Nelson]

AP's honest and unspun views are so refreshing compared to the abject nonsense we've been fed for so long, and still are, if you remember Stewart Henderson's recent interview in which he told us that the team was well prepared for Millwall and League 1!!!

 

We can live with straightforward points of view even if they are not palatable at all times, because we watch the team and form our own opinions. Far too often I have wondered if I'm just being patronised or if the coaching staff and managers are living in a different universe. In either way it just makes me angry.

 

Nonsense/spin is usually designed by PR companies trying to sell what is really a sub-quality or 'not fit for purpose' product.

 

AP seems to be the sign of a new era.

[Wildgoose]

If the article is right that this company has been working with ML during the takeover, we've nothing to complain about so far. We've all been saying how open and honest everything is and how deals seems to be done without a single leak to the media. So maybe there's nothing to worry about

 

A PR agency is more than just lies and spin. They will work to their clients specifications, which could simply be "We want everything communicated cleanly, quickly and in an honest manner, but we also want it done right which is why we're employing an agency"

 

Absolutely right. The client is in control. The signs are good so far. Nothing to worry about

[INFLUENCED.COM]

 

Nonsense/spin is usually designed by PR companies trying to sell what is really a sub-quality or 'not fit for purpose' product.

 

That statement sums us up over recent years so maybe they are charged with trying to change the public perception of the product which has recently been rebranded ?

[Killers Knee]

It's Liebherr's club, he can do what he wants. None of our concern.

[TopGun]

nor me. very few companies out there without communications help. PR can just be a conduit for getting messages out, not 'spin'. doh

 

Exactly right. Good communications with stakeholders (supporters, council, police etc) is not spin.

 

Bad comms leads to desperate spin which then gets castigated as PR.

 

PR is fine. It stands for public relations. Nothing wrong with that.

[Give it to Ron]

We could of done with some of that last season....Ryan Smith for example!

How ridiculous a statement was that.

[Saint_clark]

Well the club has not been very good at dealing with it's fans, so why shouldn't they get advice on how to relate to the public?

As long as they are not actually hiring these people to write the statements etc, that's fine.

[hypochondriac]

Gawd - its just a football club isn't it.

I'd hoped the politics and spin was in the past and best left to the government.

People in this country are fed up of PR and spin - honesty is the best way.

 

PR isn't spin though. It can very well be about honesty and openess.

[Clifford Nelson]

That statement sums us up over recent years so maybe they are charged with trying to change the public perception of the product which has recently been rebranded ?

 

Well spotted!

[once_bitterne]

Gawd - its just a football club isn't it.

I'd hoped the politics and spin was in the past and best left to the government.

People in this country are fed up of PR and spin - honesty is the best way.

 

 

Any sizeable organisation will need to retain a PR company if only to manage things like the Dyer/BWP situation last season.

 

Us Saints fans do like to find something to complain about don't we! (tho in fairness the above was from our formost worryier and club hysterical.. sorry I mean historian.....

[Clifford Nelson]

I've got a job for the PR agency.

 

They can train the players in not ever again use the dreadful and defeatist word "hopefully" from every interview they give. I don't want their "hope" but their determination and fighting spirit, and if they haven't got it then there shouldn't be a place for them here.

[Azor]

Glad to see that there are quite a few people on this board that understand that PR isn't just an evil, dirty industry. As someone who has studied PR for both my Degree and Masters (and now works in advertising) I can honestly say it is simply a category of communication. The actual official definition of PR is "the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and it's publics"

 

Putting it in practical terms it can cover task such as website communication e.g. content, corporate reports and press releases / news releases. Every time you see video content on Sky Sports news or local news channels this would fall under the remit of PR. We are going into a really exciting era for SFC and it we are putting an infrastructure in place to compete long term then this is a great move.

 

If we as a club, want to be competing in the premiership in the next 3 - 5 years we need to ensure we maximising revenue from all streams which means investing into marketing, advertising and PR to deliver a return on our investment e.g. if we are paying agencies 1million make sure that outlay brings back 3 million in revenue and profit. A 3 to 1 return on investment should be the target.

 

I work for an agency, and it's one that has effected Saints in the past (we do all coke's football promotions in the UK and came up with and run the coke football win a player promotion in the UK, unfortunately we bought BWP) however I can confirm that when we get paid, we deliver and that means ensuring the client who is paying us make more money back in profit.

 

I honestly believe this moves just goes to show how serious our new owners are about sorting out all areas of the club with the team obviously being the most important but secondly address the business side of the FC.

 

Exciting times guys. Exciting times.

[Wopper]

Any sizeable organisation will need to retain a PR company if only to manage things like the Dyer/BWP situation last season.

 

Us Saints fans do like to find something to complain about don't we! (tho in fairness the above was from our formost worryier and club hysterical.. sorry I mean historian.....

 

More respected than you my friend.

[Crab Lungs]

It's gotta be evil - look at these poor Turkish sods 'celebrating' Darius Vassell's transfer to their club ;-)

 

http://video.turk.net/video/izle/17374/Ankaragucu-Darius-Vassel-i-Ankara-ya-getirdi---ANKARA/

 

3,000 of them, apparently.

[Crab Lungs]

It's gotta be evil - look at these poor Turkish sods 'celebrating' Darius Vassell's transfer to their club ;-)

 

http://video.turk.net/video/izle/17374/Ankaragucu-Darius-Vassel-i-Ankara-ya-getirdi---ANKARA/

 

3,000 of them, apparently.

 

Sorry, seen this on another thread too...

[Wes Tender]

Surely a good PR company would keep this story out of the press as it was bound to not go down well with the fans.

 

That was when the fans suspected that money was wasted on PR that could have been spent on players. Now that the club's finances are not an issue, ML can spend his dosh on whatever he wants and I for one couldn't care less if a PR company is involved or not. Under the circumstances we now find ourselves, it is probably a plus.