I’ve lived in London for just over 7 months now, and as outlined in my last post, I have relished in the opportunities my internship has provided so far. However, to satisfy my passion for politics, I’ve had to look further afield…
Roundabout this time last year, I was lucky enough to be invited to shadow Jason McCartney MP in Parliament, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
I learned a great deal from Mr McCartney, and thought it to be only fitting that I contacted my local MP for Hammersmith, the Rt Hon Andrew Slaughter MP.
Mr Slaughter is also the Shadow Justice Minister (I know, slightly ironic name given his position), and he kindly agreed to be interviewed.
Israel & Palestine
Do you think that a peaceful two state solution in Gaza can ever be achieved?
Well, that is the policy that everybody, including Israel, is signed up too. The issue for the last 5-10 years has not been ‘is that the solution?’ The issue is that the facts on the ground have changed to such an extent that it is practically impossible right now.
If there is continued colonisation of those parts of Palestine that would constitute the Palestinian state, then it becomes practically impossible unless those settlers move back to Israel.
Given the catastrophic mishandling of British involvement in that region in recent history, is foreign interventionism really helping the Palestinians’ struggle?
It is a political problem, and it is not one that can be resolved exclusively by Britain because there is such a disparity in power between the two factions.
Israel has n
uclear arms, which render it the regional superpower and the Palestinians do not have sufficient resources of their own. Unless Israel is willing to compromise, then yes – foreign intervention is absolutely essential.
The problem is that it is not being delivered in the right now. Although the UN and EU certainly have an influence, it’s ultimately America that holds all of the cards in terms of if and when the negotiations take place.
If I were to say to you that ultimately, the fundamental barrier to a two state solution is religion, would you agree?
No I wouldn’t. Religion does play a part depending on what’s happening on the ground. However the Palestinian authority and the party of president Mahmoud Abbas for example is a secular party.
There was a surprise in the Israeli election insofar as some of the secular parties did much better at the polls than some of the more religious parties. A lot of the extremism, certainly on the Israeli side, stems from secularism.
Religious fundamentalism is undoubtedly one of the factors in the mix, but I wouldn’t say it was necessarily the main factor.
It can legitimise illegitimate aims, such as the idea of an Israel that consumes the whole of Palestine. But the geo-politics of the region plays a larger role in terms of barriers to a two state solution.
Religion in Secular Politics
On the broader issue of religion in secular politics, I wanted to ask you whether you think it’s just that religious institutions are exempt from tax in the UK?
There’s been quite a lot of interesting debate on the issue of charitable status –some commentators criticise the charitable status of public schools for example.
There are some Zionist organisations that have charitable status here in the UK, and some have suggested that that may tacitly imply that the UK supports illegal settlements on the West Bank.
You’re very right to question this issue, and we, as MPs, must keep this constantly under review.
Although charity law has been modernised to a degree, it dates back to several centuries ago and is predicated on a lot of issues that are not very contemporary, such as the relief of poverty.
Charity law is strongly biased to religion, because religion played a much larger role in people’s lives when these laws were originally drawn up.
However religious communities would argue that they do a great deal of good and deserve such a status, if you look just over the road you can see the wonderful community centre that Hammersmith Parish Church have recently opened, which is open to everyone.
It’s difficult to disassociate the history of an organization from the work that they actually do.
There was a great deal of pressure on the last Labour government to revoke the charitable statuses of public schools, however what we did instead was to make those schools prove they did actually have a charitable purpose. We don’t look at the origins of the organization – we look at the work they do.
Staying on religion and justice, religious freedom is seen as an integral part of any modern democracy, particularly here in the UK, I know that’s something you’re a strong advocate for, however I wanted to ask you a rather paradoxical question: to what extent should we tolerate the acts of intolerance by the religious such as honour killings, segregation and humiliation of women, arranged marriages and so forth?
We live in a liberal democracy, however all of the things you just mentioned would affront any modern society.
Brutal acts that are more to do with power, racism, sexism etc. often hijack the ‘cloak of religion.’ You can find examples of liberal, generous practice in all of the major religions.
I think it’s often people cloaking what are personal or political aims with a guise of some false religious mandate.
All of things you just mentioned should not be tolerated by any society, and all parties should, and do seek to stamp them out.
What do you make of preachers of hate, such as Abu Qatada, who some would argue exploit our liberal way of life whilst also simultaneously trying to destroy it?
Well, that’s one of the great dilemmas of liberalism isn’t it? Governments have to balance the protec
tion of freedom of speech and other essential liberties against protecting its citizens’ safety and security.
Labour brought in quite a lot of legislation against racial hatred and incitement pre-2010. I do not think that’s incompatible with having a free and tolerant society. This is not a new issue, John Stuart Mill wrote quite a lot about this very issue in the 19th century. There’s a long tradition of analyzing what is acceptable and what’s not acceptable in a liberal society.
Immigration
I noted on your website, you’re a member of a pressure group called ‘Labour Friends of Poland,’ which I found quite interesting. As I’m sure you’re aware, Polish is now the second most spoken language in the UK. I wanted to know what you think the long term implications of unbridled immigration from EU countries such as Poland are for the UK?
It’s an issue that is taxing the government at the moment, with the restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian immigrants being lifted at the end of 2013.
We have an established Polish community here in Hammersmith, with Polish community centres and so forth, which I believe are great assets. This demographic dates back to at least before the Second World War.
We had an influx of Polish immigrants following Poland’s acceptance in the EU and many came to Hammersmith and other areas, because of that established community.
It’s difficult labeling it as immigration, as it’s more like the movement of people. You can’t generalise – you’ve got some Polish who come with their families and settle here, and you’ve got people who come here to work and then go back to Poland.
The overall effect, I think, has been very beneficial. The Polish community integrates very well, they almost all speak English, they are notorious for working hard.
The only criticism I’ve had over the years regarding the Polish community is employers undercutting wages. There have been many instances of employers paying Polish workers below minimum for relatively skilled jobs. Clearly, that has a negative effect on the economy.
Disgruntled workers blame the wrong people, you can’t blame immigrants for seeking a better quality of life. Those at fault are the gangs and traffickers who bring them here illegally.
The Labour government and some trade unions have done a great deal of campaigning to sign up Polish workers, so that they know their rights and know that they shouldn’t be working for exploitative wages. Overall, I think it’s a positive development.
Taxation
Ed Miliband has been accused of copying the Lib Dem’s ‘mansion tax’ policy. Now devil’s advocate might say that generally people that reside in these alleged ‘mansions’ have very limited liquid wealth, with most of it tied up in their property, is this a fair policy?
I 
think you’re going to have to examine the details, as this is a policy that is in principle supported by the Lib Dem party and now Labour.
There is a very good piece by Tim Montgomerie in The Times (and I don’t often say that!) which looks at exactly why a mansion tax is a good thing to do, as you’re still targeting people with very high levels of revenue.
Even in Hammersmith, £2 million+ is a lot of money. But even modest homes in some parts of London would have an extremely high value. What would be a definition of luxury is not the same across different parts of the country. I think the key is to set the threshold at £2 million, so you are targeting people with very high levels of assets, and therefore they probably do have that liquidity as well.
Equality
Where do you stand on gay marriage?
I voted for gay marriage, as did 421 to 175 of the vote. I think within Parliament, those figures speak for themselves.
For me, it was simply an issue of achieving equality, while at the same time not disadvantaging religions, which didn’t want to sign up to it. I think we’ve hit the right balance.
Some MPs have said this is an issue that has filled up their post bags, however I’ve had very little commentary from my constituents. However Hammersmith is a very liberal area.
Education
Michael Gove’s U-turn on GCSEs has been a heated topic in the news recently, what’s your take on the education system and Gove’s failed reforms?
I think Gove is a very controversial character. I think he’s a good example of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing.
Along with a group of very right wing advisors, he thinks he knows better than teaching staff
that interact with children all day, every day.
I suspect we’ve seen the first on a number of U-turns because he’s pressing on at break-neck speed without taking appropriate advice. I think some of his objectives are rather obnoxious.
He was talking last month about the possibility of free schools making a profit, which he initially said he wouldn’t allow them to do. And the bringing in of private companies and organisations, some of which have very close links with the Conservative Party to effectively marketise education, just like their notion of privatising healthcare. I think that’s something that shouldn’t, and won’t get any support.
Although everyone in government would sometimes like to see things move more quickly, on issues as important as education, you have to take advice and you have to tread carefully, and as we’ve seen he’s got his fingers burnt.
I think the damage has already been done by what he’s already said about GCSEs, and many students feel their qualifications have been publically devalued.
I think that’s absolutely right. And it’s disgraceful in a way. I speak to young people all the time in my constituency and I don’t find cynicism and laziness, I find people who want to succeed.
It’s very irresponsible of politicians to behave in that way. The only silver lining to what’s happened is he’s become effectively a cynical figure, and not many people will take what he says in future overly seriously.
Media Ethics
Lastly, I wanted to ask you about the Leveson Inquiry: ‘independent self-regulation’ to me sounds like a bit of contradiction in terms. What’s your take on Leveson and the recommendations?
Where the press has a vested interest, you’ve always got to be terribly suspicious. You’ve got to take what the press say about Leveson with a pinch of salt.
The press is very much in favour of the Defamation Bill because it weakens people’s ability to engage in court proceedings against newspapers that publish unsavory stories about them.
As you would expect, they are against Leveson’s recommendations because it gives powers to those abused by the press.
David Cameron and The Conservatives, just like all of the parties, have given into those vested interests in the past, because in a liberal democracy, the media play an extremely large role in the voting process.
I think all of the evidence from Leveson has outlined quite clearly you cannot trust the press to regulate itself, and you must have a formal system which the media cannot avoid. It doesn’t mean state censorship, it means an ability to enforce law on illegal activity.
‘You’re only as good as the last email you sent’
December 22, 2012
An interview with Matt Grossman, VP for Publicity, Communications & CSR at The Walt Disney Company EMEA
It’s been quite some time since my last post and a great deal has happened in the meantime, the biggest of which has been the start of my internship at The Walt Disney Company (TWDC).
Disney’s Pop-Up Boutique at Harrods, Knightsbridge
Since I started back in July, I have worked on a number of campaigns and initiatives including the Inspired by Minnie Mouse designers collection, the Winnie the Pooh Storytelling Academy and most recently the collaboration with Harrods to create a Disney Boutique, the first Disney Cafe in the UK and a Disney Princess Windows Extravaganza in the Knightsbridge store.
I have enjoyed access to some of the most senior executives at TWDC EMEA, all of which I’ve found to be extremely passionate and inspirational people with a real desire to develop their staff, in particular their interns, as much as they can.
With this in mind, I approached Matt Grossman, Vice President for Publicity, Communications and CSR at The Walt Disney Company, who kindly agreed to let me interview him.
CV and Experience
Matt’s path into PR is an indirect one, which emerged from his love for film and entertainment. Matt studied his undergraduate degree in Film & Production at Middlebury College in Vermont, USA. It was at this time that Matt began to get his first real taste of the entertainment industry, including working as a ‘runner’ for Woodstock 94 – the 25th Anniversary Concert of the famous Woodstock in 1969.
Matt Grossman joined Disney in 2008
Soon after that, Matt was taken on by worldwide talent agency for writers, actors and directors, William Morris, as a trainee – despite failing his typing test!
“I loved working for the William Morris Agency; I got to see the whole film process from start to finish.”
Matt knew he wanted to work in the entertainment industry, but hadn’t quite found his calling. It was at this stage Matt decided to study for a MBA in Marketing and Entertainment at the highly revered Anderson School of Management, UCLA.
Having gained an invaluable network of influential contacts during his time at UCLA, Matt was soon snapped up by First Look Entertainment, an internet company that promoted upcoming movie, music, games and TV releases with sneak peak previews on the internet.
Matt was then quickly snapped up by The Motion Picture Association (MPA) in 2001, working on Digital Strategy and Corporate Communications. The MPA is funded by the major US studios, 7 at the time, including MGM, Sony, Universal, Fox, Warner Bros., Paramount and of course Disney. Matt’s network multiplied significantly during his time at MPA, as he liaised with all of the Comms Heads across the 7 studios on a regular basis. During this period, internet piracy was beginning to emerge as a serious threat to the future of entertainment business.
“What we had to communicate was that illegally downloading content was stealing! People just didn’t seem to understand that they were harming the industry they enjoyed so much.’
In response to this growing problem, Matt and his team at MPA launched localized and adapted an industry-wide education program in more than 40 countries to raise consumer awareness on the impact of new technologies and piracy. Although Matt was keen to stress that getting 7 competitors to form a consensus was “difficult” to say the least!
Matt then decided to use his expertise in the increasingly significant digital world as Senior Vice President of Digital Entertainment, Rights & Technology at Edelman, in California in 2005, before moving across the pond to Paris in 2007. Matt’s clients at Edelman included the likes of Microsoft, Warner Bros, MySpace, Avid Tech and Xbox.
“In an agency environment, attention to detail should be at the core of everything you do. When I was at Edelman, I used to preach to my team that you’re only as good as the last thing you sent – so make sure it’s perfect!”
In 2008, Joyce Lorigan left her role as Vice President of Corporate Communications at TWDC EMEA and one of Matt’s contacts at Disney from his MPA days put him forward as a candidate and he was offered his current role.
Marketing vs PR
Working at such a vast, transnational company has reignited my interest in the turf war between Marketing and PR, and the extent to which one ends and the other begins. When asked for his opinion, Matt claimed there was a fundamental difference in the two fields.
“Marketing can be seen as one to many, where as PR is one to one, then to many. Marketers just want to get their message out there, there’s not really a dialogue—think of most advertising for example. Where PR is concerned, there is an argument to make, which makes getting our message out there and presented in the desired way somewhat more challenging.”
Matt argues that Marketing is either owned or bought, where as PR is earned – resonating with Richard Bailey’s advocacy of Fred Hoar’s saying: ‘advertising is pay for play, PR is pray for play.’
Who owns social media?
I asked Matt about his views on social media, and more specifically should it owned by PR? Or Marketing? Or neither?
Matt claims that managing social media should certainly not be a standalone business function and instead should be utilized by both Marketing and PR initiatives, depending on the nature of the message or call to action. According to Matt, there’s no reason why Facebook and Twitter should be exclusively used by either discipline. Although, blogging and blogger relations has to be handled by PRs.
However, as the discussion developed, Matt illustrated how it’s not always as simple as that and the nature and sector of the organisation will dictate the division of ownership over social media.
For example, the social media channels of an FMCG brand like P&G will be dominated by Marketing. However as Disney’s multichannel business model derives from a heritage of storytelling and quality content, the way in which Disney leverage social media is split between the two disciplines.
“I think people get caught up in who ‘owns’ social media. Slice and dice it however you like – as long as your messages are aligned and coherent.”
In-house or agency?
I asked Matt to critically analyse his experiences of in-house and agency roles in terms of skills gained from each and which he thought would be more suitable for a graduate.
Matt responded immediately with ”time management skills! When you work for an agency, you have multiple clients to cater for – all expecting you to devote the most time to their account, you learn how to prioritise your work much more effectively.”
The randomness of the clients you work with at agency is also beneficial to developing your skillset, according to Matt. In addition, in an agency, you work on products you don’t always want to sell, which really tests your PR skills. As Matt puts it ‘you get really creative when you have to sell s*** products!’ But you have to be at the edge of changing industry and are expected not only to embrace new trends, but also be an instant expert.
“Agencies compete for intellectual capital. Therefore to thrive in the extremely competitive market, you have to have a rigorous work ethic. Your clients expect exceptional results, and if you don’t deliver, there’s always someone else who will. But the main advantage for a graduate is agencies are always looking for new people.’
Matt then talked about how in-house roles are generally more secure, but you don’t get the breadth of work in the same way do in an agency.
What’s the best way to evaluate PR?
During my degree, I’ve found that evaluation of PR is a tricky subject to talk about. Despite the CIPR trying to curtail the use of AVE as an evaluative tool, Disney heavily relies on AVE its main measurement of success.
When asked about his views on evaluation of PR, Matt cited a quote by Sir Martin Sorrell: “I’d cut 50% of our marketing budget, if only I knew which 50% to cut!”
Matt advocated that although PR initiatives are not always easy to evaluate when studied under the objective lens of ROI, it is still a vital business function. Positive, editorial coverage in the media is something you can’t put a price on.
Matt highlighted how Microsoft evaluated their outreach initiatives during his time at Edelman based on impact. Microsoft would set a target of a certain number of what they deemed “top stories”. But the criteria for a top story included among other things:
· That the brand name is in the title of the article
· The article must be exclusively about the brand
· It must feature a powerful quote from one of the brand’s executives
· It should include a placed image
Matt then claimed that thinking of PR in terms of ROI is a fundamentally flawed way of thinking as reputation is not always a monetarily quantifiable thing. Evaluation of PR should consist of comparing the results of your initiatives against the initial objectives of what the initiative wanted to achieve- whether that is awareness, sales, brand elevation, social engagement, tune-in etc.
On the future of PR
As a student entering the PR industry, I find the turbulent interefficatious relationship between PRs and journalists fascinating. I asked Matt how he envisages the future of PR in a changing media landscape.
Matt commented on how every journalist has increasing workloads, shrinking resources and less expertise and influence.
“Consumers get their info from so many different sources nowadays. New technology, such as Google Alerts has changed everyone’s mind-set – we no longer look for news, news finds us.”
With this in mind, Matt advocates that PRs should be extremely mindful of what journalists and the demographics and psychographics they write for want.
Advice for students and aspiring communicators
Matt was keen to stress the importance of experience to any budding PR, but not in the conventional sense.
“Of course climbing the ladder is important, but students and young professionals need to look at the importance of inspiration, broadly speaking. The next step in enhancing your career and personal development is not always upward or linear.”
Matt then went on to discuss how choosing to study an MBA in Marketing and Entertainment presented a pivot point on how to develop his broader skillset with a more business-focussed lens.
When asked for advice on my own academic path, Matt recommended that I gained 3-6 years work experience after obtaining my BA before considering studying a Master’s degree, as this will ensure my skillset will be developed enough to maximise my value for money and indeed time.
All in all, Matt Grossman is an incredibly fascinating, knowledgeable guy who relishes in sharing his wisdom to employees of all levels, and I hope to emulate his success in my own career.
“Play Hard, Work Harder!” – Ailsa Brogan-Hewitt
March 24, 2011
Ailsa Brogan-Hewitt graduated from the BA PR course in 2009. She is now an Account Executive at Rising Digital, a social media and word of mouth marketing consultancy specializing in the music industry.
Ailsa was undecided about where to study, however the reputation of PR at Leeds Met coupled with a more than impressive open day swayed her choice.
Ailsa’s fondest memories of LMU include achieving her first ‘first’, finally completely her dissertation, graduation day and of course what every student loves best – excelling in the Leeds club culture.
In her current role at Rising Digital, Ailsa helps both emerging and discovered artists make the most out of new technologies and online platforms. She works to create environments where clients can communicate with fans, look after and maintain their social networks by uploading quality content and enhancing their online presence in an ethical manner.
Mostly, Ailsa manages accounts by promoting new releases, podcasts and competitions. She also updates clients’ websites, blogs and social networks with relevant content.
Working with DJs / Producers the likes of Axwell, Deadmau5, Chris Lake, Michael Woods, Sander van Doorn, Mauro Picotto, Mason, Sasha, Paul Rogers and Simon Patterson, Gorillaz, Ailsa struggles to pick a favourite as they’re all so different and talented in their own way.
“The best thing about my job is that no day is ever the same – it’s one of my favourite things about working in social media. Everyday presents new ways of doing things through the use of evolving technologies and obviously the fact that it’s music means it’s very difficult to get bored. For example, I love the instant satisfaction of posting a blog post on a clients Facebook page and seeing the amazing feedback left by fans… you don’t get that from seeing your press release in a magazine.“
Ailsa’s advice to current students is to “play hard, but work harder, nothing that’s easy is worth having – a great philosophy which I live by!”
“Be Confident, Not Arrogant” – Seb Mysko
January 30, 2011
Sebastian Mysko is the Managing Director of the social media and word of mouth marketing consultancy – Rising Digital, with clients the likes of Deadmau5, Swedish House Mafia, Chris Lake, Gorillaz, Mauro Picotto, Miss Dynamite, Sander van Doorn , Simon Patterson to name a few.
Seb stud
ied Marketing Management at Northumbria Uni. It was at the music festival Sonar when he landed his first Comms Job when one of his uni friends (who’d graduated a year before him) offered him the opportunity to work at Harrison Cowley (now Grayling ).
“I got in early and left late, made the tea, but also developed good relations with the team and three weeks after my graduation, I was offered a position as Account Executive. Looking back, I’m really glad I started near the bottom and worked through all the stages – I feel it’s given me a much greater understanding and sense of compassion for the whole team network.”
Seb’s role as MD at Rising Digital consists mostly of meetings, phone calls and pretty much constantly talking digital strategy. Getting 200 to 400 emails a day, of which about 30% need dealing with there and then, Seb is a big advocate of the phone!
“I’ve worked more campaigns than I can think of, the most obvious being that of the Swedish House Mafia; eighteen months ago they started with no Facebook fans and no online presence. By Q4 of 2010, well… I think you know the rest. But, I have to say, it’s all well and good working on a campaign when you’re a part of it, but it’s much more exciting when you’re actually leading and controlling it.”
Some of his most memorable clients include the Gorillaz, who Rising has supported since they started, Radio One’s In new DJs we trust and Alex Metric - “he continues to educate me in quality and eclectic sounds. But, really I love them all – Axwell’s team is just fantastic… honestly, I could just go on and on.”
Seb admits he wasn’t the most studious student, but he is an excellent people person. When he landed that first PR job, he absorbed so much information about a topic he really had no knowledge of. Coming from an expat background, he didn’t listen to radio, read the UK papers or really ever watch the news. He didn’t read any trade magazines other than music industry stuff, which for the most part, he ‘only bought for the free CDs.’
“At Harrison Cowley I was surrounded by so many personalities that I guess I had real access to, even the MD. I was like a sponge, mopping up every single piece of advise and theory they could throw at me.”
Seb’s advice to current students is to treat the business world like a new client proposal; do your research and set your objectives, the strategy and treat the industry as your target market. Be confident in your approach, not arrogant, but believable.
“ In our first two years of trading, I’m confident we’ve won 99% of our business because people like us. The fact we do the work well is the bread and butter.”
“Don’t Flake Out!” – Anna Wilson
January 29, 2011
Anna Wilson graduated from Leeds Met in 2009 with 1st honours. Having started on the HND Business & PR course, Anna excelled in her initial years, switching to the BA Public Relations course in year 3. Anna is now the Digital Junior Account Manager at Tangerine PR.
Having grown up Birmingham, Anna chose Leeds Met because of its great integration of practical work experience into the course, which she found to be invaluable throughout her degree.
Anna secured her final year placement with Hatch Communications, where she was able to work as part of the team managing the Ocean Gateway Challenge and the launch of the Alea Casino in Leeds.
“I had a great time working on these projects and I learned so much, met some wonderful people and the experience was invaluable. Winning the Trimedia prize was fantastic, the late nights and all the work that went into our pitch was well worth it!”
Anna relished work experience with Ptarmigan PR (know as Bell Pottinger today) where she worked on clients such as Yorkshire Bank, Lemsip and Diageo. She was also part of a team that ran the Northern Journalist Awards where she met some great contacts and even got to meet Greg Dyke! Keen to gain journalistic experience, Anna wrote regularly for the student newspaper ‘The Met.’
Anna’s advice to current students is if you’re going to do something and do it – don’t flake out when it gets hard. Ask for help, the lecturers aren’t just available during your lectures/seminar’s –e-mail them, book appointments and ask for help, advice and guidance. But most importantly don’t say no and don’t make excuses – If you get the chance to do work experience go for it, if you’re sat stuffing letters in envelopes or writing PO forms (as she did at her first day at Ptarmigan!) then do it and do it well – that way you’ll be invited back.
