The MCsquared team will post about brands, campaigns and some funny stuff that has caught their eye.

Click on the link to view: 

http://www.mcsquared.ie/news/

The rationale for a green economy is very simple.  Like all markets, the green economy is based on the identification of some opportunity or opportunities.  It is based on meeting a pressing need.   

Companies are looking at innovative ways of helping Ireland meeting its domestic and international treaty commitments. The energy sector is the most obvious area.  Ireland has committed to generating 40% of our energy by 2020 from renewable sources.  This provides an economic opportunity not only for the companies who will operate on and offshore wind farms but for the people who will make the cables, the turbine blades, who will build the access roads, upgrade the ports.  The job opportunities exist, we merely need to seize them.

Irish people have bought into the green agenda. Ten years ago most of us still believed that green energy was a fad.  Leading economists told us that onshore wind was an expensive waste of money.  These same economists will now tell you that developing renewables is a critical hedge against the increasing prices of oil and gas.  This is no longer disputed. People get the rationale for green energy.

It is not just in the area of energy that things are changing. Irish people are changing their behaviour.  Irish people are well ahead of the curve on recycling.  We are ahead of the curve in reduction in use of plastic bags.   Nearly 2 /3rds of us are conscious and are taking steps to reduce energy consumption in the home.

The areas where we are less impressive include reducing water consumption, public transport and car pooling and switching to a new greener energy supplier.  Well if truth be told, it’s not easy to switch to public transport in Ireland. The evidence of Luas and DART suggests that where there is a viable option, people will use it.  Irish people are happy to be green, and when they are encouraged and preferably incentivised in the early days of a technology they will actively participate in the green economy.

But people differ sometimes as to what is green and what is not.  There are few who will argue against a wind farm being green, but what about a thermal treatment plant.  Many will say such plants can play an important role in reducing emissions, in reducing waste to landfill and ultimately in using our resources in a more sustainable manner.  To others such projects are an anathema. 

What about nuclear energy?  Nuclear energy is carbon – free so it must surely meet the green agenda.  There remains that nagging problem of what to do with the waste. 

Clearly people have different ideas as to what is green and what is not.  More importantly from a planning point of view, they have different ideas as to what is acceptable in their communities and what is not. 

People may not have a problem with wind energy but sometimes they may have a problem with the specific location of a wind farm.  They may also object to transmission lines and pylons which are a critical part of getting energy from one place to another.  Indeed even if it were not for the requirements of connecting renewables, the desperate need to overhaul Ireland’s creaking grid infrastructure means that these pylons and lines must be built.  But not everyone wants this.

So while many people get the green agenda and also act in an environmentally aware manner, they still don’t want green infrastructure built in their neighbourhoods.

Project developers want to build critical projects that can bring jobs and economic benefit to both themselves and to the local communities. Frequently though local residents want to keep them away. A bit like the book title, it seems that Project Developers are from Venus and Local Residents are from Mars. 

The normal default position of project planners is to describe objectors as NIMBYs.  They assume that people who oppose our plans are 100% wrong and that they are 100% intransigent.  The siege mentality of them vs us pervades and unfortunately Irish planning is littered with examples of this approach.  Any project which is based on this thinking has a serious problem. 

So if objectors aren’t NIMBYs then what exactly are they.  Well we tend to look at a broader picture and define a project as having many different stakeholders, frequently with many different opinions. Stakeholders are people or organisations who are impacted directly or indirectly by an activity of a third party. 

To be clear, every project has some stakeholders and large infrastructure projects will tend to have large numbers of them.  Working with those stakeholders and effectively managing their involvement in the project is as important as any other element of the planning and design process.

The economics are simple, unless you engage with stakeholders effectively you increase opposition to projects, you increase the likelihood of a planning appeal and you decrease the likelihood of obtaining planning permission or permitting.

The list of interested bodies is increasing all the time.  You can’t build a significant project these days and hope that no one is going to notice – no matter how attractive a thought that might be to some.  

Not only are there more interested stakeholders, there is also an increasing level of information available to those who have an interest in your project.

Networks are growing up allowing groups to interact in fast and effective manners. Facebook, Youtube, Blogs and micro-blogs like Twitter are allowing groups from all around the world to swop stories, information and reports. The same information used to campaign against pylons in Colarado can crop up in campaigns in Ireland.  The idea of an isolated community is gone. Groups get together and they have greater access to information than ever before. 

For the purposes of building an infrastructure project you are effectively engaged in a battle for hearts and minds. You must retain those who support you.  Attempt to convince those who oppose you. Activate and enthuse the apathetic to champion you and inform the uninformed as to why yours is the right argument.  This is the challenge.   

The aim should always be to win that battle and  to win it in a manner which enhances the reputation of the project and which respects the community in which you are building. To do this you must manage stakeholder engagement.

The process of managing stakeholders begins by understanding them.  Once again you cannot assume that people are NIMBYs.  Far too many people do this.

It is a very useful exercise for any project promoter to sit down, look at their list of stakeholders and think of all the reasons why they might oppose the project. Indeed it is useful to look at the individual reasons why certain people are supporting you.   You need to understand as much about stakeholders as you can.  You have to know their source of concern, their sources of information – on what basis they have come to oppose the project.  Most importantly you have to move to understanding where their concerns are justified and how you can overcome them.  

As communications professionals, we see the same broad themes emerging time after time. People are worried about health issues, property values, noise pollution and visual intrusion.  Sometimes these objections are based on rumour, myth or deliberate misinformation. 

Sometimes fear of change is a big issue for people.  Studies consistently show in relation to wind farms that concerns regarding visual impact drop substantially after completion of the projects.  People assume that change will be negative.     

Empowerment is also an issue.  Communities can feel that  they are being exploited by outsiders and they have no say in what is going on in their community. 

Communication is a two-way stream.  Successful projects do not consult by talking at people.  The core of stakeholder management is to effectively communicate, this involves listening. 

By listening we learn where the problems are and we develop the ability to overcome them.  Many of the complaints and objections that people have can be addressed through consultation.    Frequently the most contentious aspect of a development is of little economic value to the promoter and could be changed.

Consultation is key and should begin early. Messaging should be consistent and it should be based on openness and honesty.  Get a reputation as being shifty or untrustworthy at the start of a project and you will not recover.  Most importantly you should never promise more to stakeholders than you can deliver. 

Effective Stakeholder management is based on plan.  The plan can’t be rigid, it must change with circumstances.  But there must be a starting point. You cannot afford to say it will all be alright on the night.

A stakeholder management plan outlines the project, stating the key milestones. These include events such as project launch, planning application date – effectively anytime where there is the potential for external interaction. It identifies the stakeholders and their issues and considers how best to address them. 

Like everything in life timing is important.  The old way of thinking said, if you have to consult do it at the last minute.  This is not real consultation.  It is ticking a box and doing it badly at that.  Every project is different but consideration about stakeholder engagement needs to begin from the very outset.  

In terms of resources, many companies do not have a dedicated communications resource.  If you are serious about developing a project, particularly a significant infrastructure project, then you need to consider how you are going to manage your stakeholder relationships.  You need to invest the resources necessary to ensure that partnerships are forged and opposition is minimised.  That leads to better projects and better planning outcomes.  Failure to invest in this area can mean that all the money spent on design, planning and other legal costs are wasted

For further information contact

Joe Heron

Email: jheron@murrayconsult.ie
Linked In Profile

http://ie.linkedin.com/in/renewableenergyireland

Twitter Name: RenewsIreland 

As part of its recent launch, MCsquared, the new look Consumer & Brands division of Murray Consultants, commissioned research* into well known brands, in association with Empathy Research, which resulted in some interesting findings with regards to brand loyalty and media consumption patterns amongst the hyperconnected18-30 year olds.

Nicky Crichton, Director,  MCsquared speaking at the announcement of the research findings said: “The research reveals that brand equity, and brand loyalty are still amongst the most influential factors in purchasing decisions, despite an increased focus on value during the economic downturn. It is promising to note that Irish brands are still well represented in the top twenty list of powerful brands, demonstrating considerable resilience in recessionary times, and a genuine pride in “home-grown” products.”

The research indicates that certain gender stereotypes may be well founded, with females highlighting Cadbury chocolate, Tayto crisps and Ballygowan as must have ‘desert island’ luxuries, whilst males opt for Guinness, Heineken and Brennan’s Bread!

When it comes to ethics, it is clear that the ethical behaviour of a brand continues to have a significant impact on consumer decisions regarding purchase, assuming the price is reasonable. In addition to this, Irish consumers view brand values taking precedence over value for money in certain categories, such as infant food and children’s products, where an underlying trust in the product and its product values are the key differentiators.

Amongst the research findings are the following:

Powerful Brands

• When asked which brand’s communications campaign was most impactful in the last 12 months, the most popular campaigns by brand were identified as Guinness (11%), Apple (9%) and Hibernian Aviva (9%).

• When asked which brands they perceived to be truly powerful brands, the respondents surveyed listed Coca-Cola as the most powerful brand (31%), followed by Cadbury (15%) / Apple (15%) with Nike (6%) in third place.

• Of the top twenty brands seen as ‘powerful brands’ in unprompted questioning, thirteen of these are Irish including Cadbury, Tayto, Ballygowan, Brennan’s Bread, Avonmore, Denny, Barry’s Tea, Guinness, Bulmers, proving that Irish people are still passionate about home-grown brands.

Gender Specific Brand Preferences

• Food and drink brands quoted as being ‘desert island essentials’ amongst a mixed gender target group included Cadbury, Tayto, Coca-Cola, and Kellogg’s.

• However, when females were asked the same question, 32% of respondents claimed that Cadbury chocolate, Tayto crisps, and Ballygowan water topped the list of priorities. Interestingly Guinness, Heineken and Brennan’s Bread were top of the list for male respondents.

• Services quoted as being desert island essentials were phone (35%), internet (31%), and interestingly, ranked in third place was electricity (17%) for males, and hairdressing facilities (11%) for females – good news for hairdressers in recessionary times!

Brand Values

• With regards to ethical purchasing patterns, assuming the price is reasonable, 58% of respondents believed that a product having been produced in Ireland was a deciding factor in whether or not to purchase, 63% believed that the product being produced in ethical working conditions was another key consideration in deciding which brand to choose, and 84% claiming that a ‘brand I know and trust’ is the key consideration in purchasing decisions.

• In relation to value for money versus brand values, in the case of infant products and baby food in particular, 36% of respondents believe that brand values are more important than value for money whereas, with regards to cereal and supermarket brands, 39% and 59% respectively found that value for money was the more important factor.

Information Sources 

• Somewhat unsurprisingly, when asked to rank the information services which were most influential, internet (93%) and TV (81%) led the poll, however 62% of respondents in the 18-30 age bracket felt that their network of friends were as influential if not more so that print media at 61%, proving beyond doubt the power of word of mouth in today’s marketplace.

MCsquared is a full service brand communications agency, with a simple formula – talented people giving powerful brands a clear point of difference, by adding maximum value through cutting edge insights and delivery of great results.

The launch of the new identity marks a successful year for MCsquared  in 2009, having added 3 Mobile, Love Irish Food, Trebor Gum, Lough Rynn Castle, Kilronan Castle Estate and Spa, and Sqeez, to its extensive client portfolio since early 2009. Since the beginning of 2010 the agency has also been appointed to handle all consumer PR for Odlums, Roma and Shamrock Foods brands.

*Research was carried out amongst a group of 1,000 people (63% female / 37% male) within the 18-30 age group across the four regions of Ireland.

ENDS

For further information, log on to www.mcsquared.ie / please contact:

Nicky Crichton

Director

MCsquared         

Latin Hall

Golden Lane

D8

Tel:         + 353 1 4980325

Mob:      + 353 866085454

To read the full review click on Industry Articles.

Today, Tuesday 10th November, sees the unveiling of  MCsquared, the new look Consumer & Brands division of Murray Consultants, Ireland’s largest independent public relations and issues management agency.

MCsquared is a full service brand communications agency, with a simple formula – talented people giving powerful brands a clear point of difference, by adding value through cutting edge insights and delivery of great results.

Over recent years the agency has created a number of innovative consumer focussed campaigns, both on and offline for category-leading brands, such as Cadbury, Kellogg’s, Green & Blacks, and Cow & Gate and has successfully launched new brands such as Love Irish Food, and Trebor Gum on to the market. Using the expertise of a team drawn from a wide range of backgrounds including Journalism, Arts & Culture, Marketing, and New Media, enables MCsquared to reach audiences in innovative and complementary ways. Brand communications services have expanded dramatically to include social networking, viral and guerrilla campaigns, experiential activity and sponsorships.

Check out the News Section for the full press release.

Best of luck to Nicky and all the team at MCsquared!!

The Irish Internet Association (IIA) launched a Guide to Business Blogging in Ireland on April 22nd 2009. As a member of the Social Media Working Group tasked with developing this research for the IIA, John McGuinness, Murray Consultants details key findings of a recent survey of Business Bloggers.

Irish businesses today are facing the ever expanding challenge of the growth of New Media. More and more consumers are going online to research, gain feedback, compare prices, and review product histories before they proceed to purchase. Ratings websites, discussion boards, social network sites, blogs and Twitter are all helping to put more raw information in the hands of consumers.

Getting to grips with the New Media sphere can be a pretty daunting task – the IIA Guide to Business Blogging aims to provide helpful markers for companies going down the path of an online environment – helping them understand how they can appropriately interact with their customers online, enabling them not only to defend their brand reputation but also enhance it.

The IIA Social Media Working Group undertook a nationwide survey of Business Bloggers as part of the research process in the development of The ‘IIA Guide to Business Blogging in Ireland’. The Guide will be released in electronic format on 22nd April at a breakfast briefing in the Burlington Hotel.

The survey found that over one third (39%) of the Irish business blogging community use their blog as a source for sales leads, while nearly three quarters cite ‚’positive feedback from customers‚’ as a key measure of blogging success.

As regards frequency and commitment, 39% of business bloggers post several times a week, 50% spend up to 4 hours each week blogging with 32% spending up to eight hours a week blogging.

Sales leads aside, additional benefits of a well-maintained blog included an improved Google ranking, thus making it easier for the business to be found online. Whilst demonstrating expertise in a given sector was emphatically identified by 79% of respondents as a key objective for a blog.

Positive customer feedback (73%) and unique visitors (50%) were both detailed as key indicators for return of investment of time and expertise in a blog.

The IIA Social Media Working Group plans to release four more guides in the coming months and intends to run the Business Blogging survey on an annual basis going forward. If you would like additional information or a copy of the Business Blogging Guide please contact John McGuinness on the details below.

Business Bloggers: Examples

No Nonsense Car Insurance – http://blog.nononsense.ie

The No Nonsense Car Insurance blog offers tips on buying insurance, saving money and talks about a range of other topics that No Nonsense feel their customers would be interested in. The blog has so far delivered increased visibility on search engines and has seen an increased profile for the new brand.

PaddyPower Trader – http://www.paddypowertrader.com

The Paddy Power Trader blog supports financial markets traders (many of whom trade from home, some of whom are novices) with education, views on the market and examples of ‘how the professionals do it’. Paddy Power see blogs and community as a unique selling point of their service, engendering loyalty, attracting new customers, improving stickiness and increasing average spend per client

RecruitIreland (Twitter) – http://www.twitter.com/recruitireland

RecruitIreland began to microblog on Twitter to give the website a personality and to answer questions from candidates and companies who are recruiting with a view to differentiating themselves from the competition. The activity on Twitter has generated sales leads in addition to feedback and suggestions from candidates about how to do things differently or feedback about usability which they see as invaluable.

Ice Cream Ireland – http://www.icecreamireland.com

The Ice Cream Ireland blog is the business blog of Murphy’s Ice Cream. In addition to dozens of recipes the blog provides news and updates to customers on the business’s activities and new products. The blog has brought customers to their retail shops, helped facilitate comments, complaints, and suggestions and sense of community among customers. The business has received much publicity as a result of the blog and a book deal for an ice cream cookbook ‘The Book of Sweet Things‚’ came directly as a result of the blog.

Blacknight – http://blog.blacknight.com

The Blacknight blogs cover a variety of topics, from promotional / marketing through general news and technical topics. The blog has won numerous awards as well as generating PR and press coverage for the business.

For further information contact:
John McGuinness
Senior Consultant
Murray Consultants
01 498 0361
jmcguinness@murrayconsult.ie

Murray Consultants Technology & New Media

The Technology & New Media team specialises in national, regional and global campaigns that get results. We are equally at home working with the world’s biggest technology brands and with early stage start ups.

While the media heartland for many of our clients is the IT and telecom press, the scope of market influence that we create for them covers business magazines, social media, blogs, national, regional and international newspapers, and broadcast outlets.

Our team combines professional pride, a passion for technology and a deep understanding of the industries we work in from Telecommunications, ICT and Software Development to Consumer technology offerings.

Our New Media expertise has resulted in a significant number of companies large and small availing of these cost effective new media tools to develop open and honest two way communication with customers, potential customers and the public at large.

We are living in the age of the empowered consumer. Never before have consumers had such an ability to research brands and their products throughout the world before they purchase them. Never before have they had the ability to infuence the purchasing decisions of others in such vast numbers. This has been made possible by the proliferation of Internet tools that allow people to easily share their experiences of organisations with each other. These tools include discussion forums, chatrooms, social network websites, rating websites and blogs.

Click here to download the guide