Blogs

Did you know that Blue Monday actually originated from a PR campaign by Sky Travel in 2005? 16 years later #bluemonday still trends on the ‘unhappiest day of the year’.

Still think PR isn’t important?

I have seen multiple articles today, not only discussing Blue Monday, but linking back to Sky Travel as well. This shows the power of PR and how much cover a single creative campaign can gain your business.

Reactive PR is incredibly important. When you have a PR team working alongside you, they will keep a close eye on what is currently trending in the media, what national days are coming up and what topics get people talking. They will then look at your company, your story and your products or services to see if they can create content that incorporates it.

That’s where SEO comes in. If a large number of people are going to be searching for Pancakes during February (ready for Shrove Tuesday), and your company creates a product that would be perfect as a pancake topping, you’re going to want to have content on your website and social media as well as articles in the press that link back to you, that connect your product with pancakes. This will then boost you up that search list, resulting in more people seeing, and hopefully purchasing your product.

Unfortunately, many businesses want a ‘quick fix’, they want to see instant results. PR is a marathon, not a sprint (excuse the cliché), and it takes time before you start to see the results. Do you think Sky Travel’s initial goal was to still be getting coverage off the back of that campaign 16 years later? It’s unlikely, but they put the trust in their PR team and let them get to work.

PR is so much more than creating press releases and emailing journalists. A good PR team will work with you to create fresh and exciting campaigns that will get people talking about your brand.

Want to have a look at some of the recent coverage Posh Cockney has gained for clients? Take a look Here.

For more information, or to discuss how Posh Cockney PR can help take your brand to the next level, get in touch with us today emma@poshcockney.co.uk.

By now, many of us have seen the Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma which highlights the implications and effects that data collection can have on society. Facebook was the main focus in this documentary and this week, they have announced changes to the privacy policy of the messaging app, WhatsApp, which they have recently taken over ownership of.  So, what does this mean for our data?

“As part of the Facebook family of companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information with, this family of companies,” the new privacy policy states.

Currently, this will not include data within messages, as end-to-end encryption will remain in place on all conversations. Affected data will be contact information, images, contacts, and diagnostic data. These changes will not affect countries within the EU, and for now, this includes the UK, but now that Brexit has gone through, Facebook is legally allowed to go back on that decision at any time.

Users will soon receive a pop-up asking them to agree to the new Terms and Conditions, failure to agree before 8^th February will mean the app will non longer work for the user.

Why are they doing this?

The main reason is to include a fast payment system across the whole of the Facebook umbrella, similar to the Chinese app WeChat, which is now used for many payment transactions, as well as being the leading social media and messaging site in China. (Perhaps mainly due to most others being banned.)

What are my options?

Users can of course agree to these changes and carry on as normal, but many are opting to swap to alternative messaging apps such as Telegram and Signal.

Telegram is a Russian-owned app, already very popular in many parts of the world. Its main benefit over WhatsApp is that it allows for large files to be transferred, without the need for compression. Telegram users also receive notifications for screenshots taken and the secret chat cannot be forwarded.

‘Secret Chats’ are only accessible by those within the group. The Channel creator can make decisions on which users can post and who can view them. The end-to-end encryption chat feature allows users to set a timer on messages to self-destruct after a specified time.

It is also possible to have two Telegram accounts open at once within the app, similar to having two Instagram accounts that you can swap between. This is helpful if you have a business number and a private number and you want to be able to access both from one device.

The main downside is that Telegram is not as well-known as WhatsApp. WhatsApp currently boasts 1.6 billion active users compared to Telegram’s reported 200 million monthly active users. This makes it difficult to use as both users will of course need to have the app.

While both apps offer voice calls, Telegram does not currently have video call options, which is a popular feature on WhatsApp.

If message security is your primary concern, then Signal is the app for you. However, in terms of user experience and other features, the app is a little behind there.

Many people may feel that this will just mean another app to have to check in the ever-growing list, but if data sharing is a concern of yours, it may be time to disable WhatsApp and make the move to Telegram.

Liam Norval’s top 3…

Staying Motivated is more important now than ever. With the announcement of yet another lockdown, it is crucial that we find a way to stay focused on our goals and continue to grow. Here are Liam Norval’s top 3 Audio Books and Podcasts to get you started in 2021.

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Most new businesses fail. But most of those failures are preventable.

The Lean Startup is a new approach to business that’s being adopted around the world. It is changing the way companies are built and new products are launched.

The Lean Startup is about learning what your customers really want. It’s about testing your vision continuously, adapting and adjusting before it’s too late.

Now is the time to think Lean.

Relentless by Eddie Hearn

The first book by Eddie Hearn, an inspirational and motivational guide to success.

What does it take to succeed? What is the mindset required to be the best? How do you stay at the top of your field? How do you come back from failure?

Structured around the key skills that Eddie Hearn values the most, this book looks at his business, life and the drive to succeed. Covering subjects such as discipline, passion, preparation, motivation and failure, this book shows you what it takes to get the most in your life and career.

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

Catching greenlights is about skill: intent, context, consideration, endurance, anticipation, resilience, speed, and discipline. We can catch more greenlights by simply identifying where the red lights are in our life, and then change course to hit fewer of them. We can also earn greenlights, engineer and design for them. We can create more and schedule them in our future—a path of least resistance—through force of will, hard work, and the choices we make. We can be responsible for greenlights.

The Eventful Entrepreneur

Delving into the sharpest minds in Business, Events, Entrepreneurs & Sporting icons.

Anything Goes with James English

The show isn’t called anything goes for nothing as he chats with Gangsters, Comedians, Actors, footballers, Porn Stars, politicians and much more.

Paul Mort Talks Shit with Tyson Fury

Join Paul Mort and the heavyweight champion of the world on Paul Mort talks shit… in this episode, Paul shoots the shit with Tyson Fury, the Gypsy King. They talk everything from losing 10 stone, being suicidal, beating Deontay Wilder and weekly visits to the Tip.

Being Vegan does not have to mean eating boring. London has an incredible range of vegan restaurants, and the best news? Most are delivering their delicious food straight to your door! Here are 10 Vegan Restaurants in London that you should (virtually) check out.

1. Palm Greens

Ethically sourced, plant-based food. Their menu changes to reflect availability due to changes in season and they pride themselves on working with only the highest quality ingredients. If you are looking for healthy, sustainable, vegan food this is the place for you.

2. By Chloe

From vegan roast dinners to greasy burgers and chips, By Chloe has it all. By CHLOE. aims to share delicious, wholesome, plant-based food that fuels and energizes without compromising flavour, taste, or satisfaction.

3. Biffs Jack Shack

Self-proclaimed Vegan Junk food Gods, Biffs have created the perfect dirty burger, without any meat. This is one absolutely not to be missed.

4. Purezza

Purezza (purity) was founded in 2015, becoming the first vegan pizzeria in the UK.  They are plant pioneers, revolutionising Italian food through cruelty-free ingredients.

5. Spicebox

Their menu is derived from the Indian food served to the Mughal emperors at the time of British India – but with a little Bengali twist. Spice box has a specialist Vegan Menu, sure to rival all others.

6. Acai Sisters

Fresh and nourishing superfoods. Choose from a delicious selection of Acai Bowls, Zoodles, Smoothies, and snacks.

7. Magic Falafel

Delicious Felafel served in a fresh pita or in a salad box – made with 100% chickpeas and lots of love.

8. The Athenian Plant-Based

Delicious plant-based Greek food. Vegan Halloumi Fries, Souvlaki and so much more, delivered fresh to your doorstep.

9. What The Pitta

London’s premier plant-based kebab shop, delivering soya doner wraps from its Camden location.

10. Farmacy

Locally sourced, sustainable vegan food. Farmacy boasts a wide range of menus including Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, and High Tea.

More people than ever now find themselves working from home and many of them are not there through choice. It is incredibly important to find ways to keep up motivation and productivity whilst working from home. We all know it isn’t easy. Picking up your phone and scrolling through social media can be all too tempting whilst not under the watchful eyes of managers and colleagues.  Here are our top 7 tips for staying motivated whilst working from home.

1. Dress for work

As tempting as it may be to remain in your PJs, you will instantly feel more energised and focused if you get up and get changed. Some people even find going as far as putting shoes on helps them feels like they are really at their desk and ready for work.

Dress for the occasion and you will see your focus grow. I personally find I do everything much better with a bit of lippy on!

2. Organise your day

Make lists! There really is no better feeling than seeing a big tick next to each task you have to complete. By making yourself a to-do list you can set out a clear journey for your day, and make your way through it, one job at a time.

If you have several projects on the go, time blocking is a fantastic way to approach this. Set yourself a certain amount of time to spend on each thing, and ensure you stick to these times and move on when you need to.

3. Create a good workspace

Creating a clean, bright workspace will make a huge difference to your focus whilst working from home. Find an area that can be your own, away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the house. The last thing you want is for another member of the house to have moved your notepad from the dining table the previous night and not know where to find it.

If you are living in a shared house and don’t have this luxury, open your curtains, clear away any mess, allow yourself to focus.

4. Give yourself breaks

When working at the office, most workers will demand their lunch break in full and ensure they escape the office for it. So why do we then spend our lunch breaks at home, sat at our desks? Get up, sit in a different room, go outside if you can. Take your eyes off the computer screen and take your mind somewhere else for a while. You will return feeling rejuvenated.

5. Create a morning routine

For many, a huge benefit of the WFH life is that they can roll out of bed and directly into work. However, the journey into work is often what sets us up for the day. Try and get out in the mornings, whether it’s a run around the park or just a quick walk to the shops, get yourself moving and get some fresh air. Leave time to make and eat breakfast, or before you know it, you’ll be three zoom meetings in and realise you never did put on that toast!

6. Find an Accountability buddy

For many, this could be a work colleague or manager. Let them know what you plan to get done that day, and report back at the end of the day with how it went. Having someone hold you accountable will very quickly increase your productivity. If you work for yourself, use a close friend or buddy up with another self-employed individual and help each other to stay motivated. Whilst you may be physically working alone, in many cases, you have team members working on similar projects, reach out to them.

7. Self-motivation

Sometimes, you just have to invest the time to motivate yourself. Books, podcasts, and webinars are a great way to do this. Refind your passion, remember why you started. Find out our CEO Liam Norval’s top 3 Podcasts and AudioBooks here.

These are just a few ways to help stay motivated whilst working from home. It’s important that you experiment with these and find out what works for you.

The NHS has always been a vital and much-loved part of the community, and this year, more than ever, we have realised and appreciated the sacrifices that they make. 2020 may have finally come to an end, but for the thousands of NHS workers, the fight is far from over.

Beckenham Beacon has given critical care to so many over the last twelve months. Covid has caused staff to be stretched and pushed, often working incredibly long hours, in order to save lives. Covid didn’t stop for New Year’s Eve, and therefore, the staff did not stop either.

There were 100 dedicated people working at Beckenham Beacon this New Year’s Eve, and Pierluigis, along with Posh Cockney CEO Liam Norval, wanted to give back to those who have given so much to so many. It’s time to thank our incredible NHS for their relentless work over the last year.

This family-run restaurant is well known in the community for fantastic food and an incredibly warm and welcoming family environment. During lockdown, they kept locals fed through their takeaway service, and last week they extended this warmth by providing 100 hot, free meals to the staff at Beckenham Beacon.

“I am privileged to have been able to provide hot meals for the incredible staff at Beckenham Beacon. They have been the heart of our community this year and I hope this is a small step towards showing our thanks and gratitude to them all.” – Marco, Owner of Pierluigis

For more information on Pierluigis head to their website www.pierluigis.com or take a look at their Instagram Pierluigis (@pierluigisbeckenham) • Instagram photos and videos

Two-step all the way to the moon this NYE.

Pick a charity, dust off your rave outfit, and log in to what is sure to be the biggest virtual rave ever.

Rave to the Moon is a totally free online party, and the world’s very first Rave-a-thon, aiming to stomp the distance to the moon (577M steps…approximately) with the collective steps of ravers across the world. Similar to any other sponsored event, ravers will be able to select their own charity and ask for sponsorship from friends and family.

The event has been created by world-record-breaking beatboxer and festival mainstage staple, SK Shlomo, following his string of award-winning digital raves. Electrifying virtual DJ sets will be beamed live into homes worldwide from global stars including Rob Da Bank, Mr Scruff, Arielle Free, Ellie Prohan, DJ Yoda, Basement Jaxx’ Felix Buxton and Vula, Beardyman, Heartless Crew, and many more.

Posh Cockney is delighted to be partnering with Rave to the Moon and supporting this fantastic initiative. We will be live streaming the event directly to our social media platforms and cannot wait to join the party.

2020 has seen thousands of events canceled all around the world, this not only means that many people have lost their jobs, but incredibly important charities have lost a huge amount of donations. This virtual event aims to start putting money back into the pockets of those that need it most, whilst throwing an incredible party for everyone to enjoy.

With collective steps being counted in real-time using the free app Sweatcoin, revelers can rave at home and battle for the top spot in the live leader board to win big prizes.

Want to sign up to the event? Head to http://ravetothemoon.tv to sign up now!

#RaveToTheMoon #RaveFromHome #NewYearsEve #Charity #Rave #FreeEvents #Win #Prizes #SaveNightlife #LetUsDance #RaveReady #culturematters #ACEsupported

Tier 4 announcements have left many Londoners feeling alone and isolated this Christmas. We just wanted to take this opportunity to reach out to you all and let you know that we are here. This year has been incredibly difficult for everyone in the hospitality industry, but now more than ever, it is important to see the enormity of the community we find ourselves in. You are not alone in this fight, please reach out if you need to, we are stronger together.

Stay connected with friends and family. If you can’t be there in person, pick up the phone. I know we all hoped we would have seen the back of Zoom by now, but it could be the only connection for some, this festive season. That quiz that is an annoyance to you, could be the only social interaction for another.

If you can’t reach out to friends and family, there are many organisations, ready and waiting to speak with you. Below is a list of just a few.

Your mental health is important. It is perfectly okay to feel however you are feeling. If we stick together, we will get through these new restrictions, and come out the other side in a world full of vaccinations and celebrations.

The team at Posh Cockney would like to thank you once again, for everyone’s continued support this year. We are proud of how much we have grown, and we can’t wait to see where 2021 takes us.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a much brighter New Year.

Samaritans: Call 116123

Mind: Call 03001233393 Text 86463

Shout: Text 85258

Young Minds: Call 08088025544

Sane: Call 03003047000

Another day, another sad announcement.

Café de Paris is one of London’s oldest and most iconic venues. Known not only for its incredible cabaret shows and memorable parties but for its phenomenal history.

The venue first opened its doors in 1924. Back then, Café de Paris was frequented by famous faces such as Cole Porter, as well as Louise Brookes who made history there, by performing the first-ever Charleston in London.

During the Second World War, the venue initially stayed open with its manager promoted it as the “safest and gayest restaurant in town, being 20ft below ground.” In 1941 the venue was hit during the Blitz, with many performers, staff, and guests sadly losing their lives.

The venue didn’t reopen until 1948 when it firmly re-established itself as one of the leading theatre clubs in London, playing host to Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, and many more. Since then, the venue has been host to many incredible performers, as well as providing the backdrop for films and TV shows.

In 2002, Café de Paris was bought by Maxwell’s Restaurant Group, which also owns Tropicana Beach Club as well as many other well-known bars, clubs, and restaurants. Unfortunately, this month the group has had to make the heartbreaking decision not to reopen any of these much-loved venues. 400 jobs will be lost, and that of course does not include the dancers, performers, DJs, and others who freelance there.

The closure of these iconic places really goes to show the impact that this pandemic is having on the nightclub scene.

The NTIA has been campaigning for better support from the Government, as the move into Tier 4 puts even most strain on the sector. “The Night Time Economy & Hospitality sector has lost all confidence in the government strategy against Covid,” said Night Time Industries Association CEO Michael Kill in a statement. “The unrelenting closing and reopening of businesses are costing owners hundreds of thousands of pounds, and coupled with the erratic decision-making around restrictions, is rapidly destroying the ability of the sector to bounce back.”

Café de Paris welcomed a new General Manager, Aaron Sinkia at the end of last year. After an incredibly successful January and February, they were set to have their best year yet. But with their doors tightly shut for the last nine months, the story has sadly had a very different ending.

Posh Cockney CEO Liam Norval spent 10 years working at Café de Paris as Marketing Director. Here he built his career, making contacts right across the hospitality world, and hosting incredible events such as Celebrity Saturday.

“This is truly heart-breaking news. I spent almost a decade at this amazing venue and have some unforgettable memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I think back to some of the incredible parties we threw, the celebrities we had through the door, the people I met, and the friends I made.  Café de Paris was an institution and will always be in my heart as I know it will be in many others. The team I worked with over that 10-year span were fantastic, and I call them all very dear friends today, I wish them all the very best of luck. Who knows if this is the end for Café de Paris, I certainly hope not.” – Liam Norval, CEO at Posh Cockney

This is a venue close to the hearts of the whole team here at Posh Cockney, and we are hugely saddened by the news. However, we know that with closure, comes opportunity. We are confident that these venues will not stay closed for long, and we are excited to watch the next stage of their history unfold. 2024 will be Café de Paris’ 100^th birthday, that sounds like a party everyone will be wanting an invite to.

PURE is an Organic Vodka brand which has already seen huge success this year with the launch of their latest product PURE Lite. Managing Director Adam Player developed the idea for this home-grown British brand, after realising the need for a cleaner, healthier vodka alternative.

After working with the brand for over a year, Liam and Adam have built up an exceptional working relationship, this is a fantastic step towards further developing the brand.

“I am very excited to take on this new role within PURE Vodka, I have worked closely with the brand for over a year and moving into a non-exec role will allow me to help the company grow and develop further. I am delighted to be able to lend my experiences and knowledge to this fast-growing brand, watch this space for some huge announcements in the next year.” – Liam Norval

“It’s been a pleasure working with Liam and his Posh Cockney team for the last year, bringing Liam on board with his experience and contacts is a great move for the business, and we look forward to having more success as a company and seeing where this new relationship can take us.” – Adam Player, Managing Director at PURE

2021 is looking like a big year for PURE Vodka as they hope to build on their recent success. With Liam on board, we can be sure that there will be star studded events and exciting new product launches coming your way very soon.