October 10, 2011 0

First Step on the Ladder

By in meet us..., Uncategorized

Well what an exciting week – and no I’m not talking about the Tory Party Conference, though I am going to steal/borrow words from ‘Dave’ that we must all ‘work together to make a better brighter future’ – now thats exactly what I am going to do – thanks Dave – I’m joining the great and the good at Media Eden.

Last week whilst everyone was enjoying the Indian Summer I seemed to be staring at a computer – getting sidetracked by Stephen Fry Tweets -Naughty ! I love the hustle bustle of life in the Media Eden fast lane and although I have pages and pages of ‘notes to self’ I am getting the hang of it !

I first met up with Sue on our ” How to use Twitter effectively in Business “workshop - she blew me away – as she knew everything and more – quite the tweet guru of Cheltenham.

Well I am a happy gal and will blog again with news and views from the bottom of the ladder .. looking up !!!!

 

 

August 9, 2011 0

New faces and old knickers

By in showing off, Uncategorized

Well it’s been a busy few months here at ME HQ, with lots of changes on the team and some changes to the way we do things.  Rhiannon will shortly be returning to Uni for the final year of her degree and we miss her already!  She was a very valuable asset to the team and we all wish her well in her final year.

Sue joined the team in March (OMG I can’t believe its over 4 months!) and has quickly settled in as gatekeeper, office manager, tweeter and all round good person.  So much so that she’s being whisked off for a Spa Day treat later this month for working so hard for us and holding the fort whilst the rest of the team have been scattered to the four winds!

Marianne Sweet joins the Media Eden portfolio of experienced freelancers and is working on PR projects for some of our key clients.  She has already highlighted why we picked her by securing a major feature in a national that will be published early next year – more of that nearer the time.

We’ve had a very productive time on the PR front.  Clive Payne, a furniture restorer from Kingham made an exciting discovery when restoring an early 18th century bureau for a private client.   The buearu had been purchased from the Devon estate of famed author Agatha Christie and on taking the back off the piece, Clive discovered a telegram sent from Noel Coward in 1957 to Agatha Christie, reluctantly congratulating her on The Mousetrap breaking his record (with Blythe Spirit) for becoming the longest running play in the West End.  We teamed up with the lovely chaps at Cotswold TV to record a very unique video press release which prompted BBC Points West to work with us to break the story to the international media.

Agatha Christie

Noel Cowards's telegram to Agatha Christie, 1957

Clive’s story hit the headlines and within 24 hours was to be found all the way up to page 50 on Google and on just about every news site across the UK and USA (we even made The Huffington Post!).  The media attention brought an invitation to take the bureau (and a recepit for Ms Christie’s underwear which was also found in the bureau!) to The One Show and you may have seen yours truly lurking at the back of Matt Baker’s head on Monday, trying not to grin inanely!  Our client Clive was delighted with the coverage and the forthcoming local features will help to highlight Clive’s talents as a restorer and his position as the UK’s premier dealer in Mason’s Ironstone china.  You can find out more and see Clive’s fabulous collection at www.clivepayne.com

We’re very excited by the idea of creating video press releases – its a sure fire way to get your message across!  I think there will be more to come….

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July 23, 2010 0

In the beginning…

By in rhiannon's diary

2nd June was the date. Relevant paperwork had been signed and filed, living arrangements had been sorted and the obligatory new stationery shopping trip had been made. I was as prepared as I could have been, so off I went to the first day of a 12 month placement at Media Eden.

A month and a bit have flown by already and I’m lucky enough to have my own little space on the blog! Turns out that joining at the beginning of June was just right.  I managed to hop on board at the start of some very exciting new projects, as well as the rebranding of the Media Eden business and various new opportunities with existing clients. Perfect.

One particular project that has stood out has been the Lechlade Festival, the dates of which will allow me to see the project right through from the initial idea to the full on music festival (hopefully not with the well known weather that is notorious for targeting field based events.)

This was all introduced within the first few weeks and my time was spent getting to grips with current projects and clients as well as researching and collecting stock imagery for the projects on the go. I am now well acquainted with the majority of stock image/photography/vector sites.

I’m glad to say that since my first few weeks my task list has grown along with the progress of the projects and I’ve created a wide range of design imagery. The fact that Media Eden deals with marketing and PR has given me the opportunity to learn about a focus that isn’t covered on my course, as well as get me to use software that has always been at my disposal but never given a second look.

So as the work continues on and the to do list gets longer, I find myself in a truly creative environment. The work that I do here is very enjoyable, at this point I look to my screen to see my latest creation of a Bumblebee wearing boots followed closely by a pair of squirrels having afternoon tea. It is all work though. Honest.

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July 22, 2010 0

PR in perspective

By in marketing, Uncategorized

You have no doubt heard people tell you how important PR is for your business and that if you have constant media coverage you will be bigger than Microsoft by Christmas, which is why I have no intention of preaching to you the wonders of PR I just want to shed a little light on the mechanism behind this wonder tool.

Getting regular coverage in relevant publications and well timed press coverage is fantastic for business but how does this happen? Well having strong relationships with journalists and editors is the golden ticket to most publications, gaining these relationships takes time which is why so many companies choose to use an agency for their PR who has done the leg work on building these bonds. With many editorial teams understaffed and under pressure you can get coverage by having a wonderfully written press release ready to spring on a journalist gagging to go home, this involves excellent preparation so that you are always ready to strike. Journalists are swamped with information so makes yours stand out, when you develop a story make sure it is real news. To me nothing says it better than this:

Dog bites man – Boring

Man bites dog – Fascinating

(Apologies for using such a coined example it is a favourite of mine)

Think of an eye catching angle for your story and make sure you put it in context for example if you have won an award what does this mean for your business?

Advertising is not PR.

It certainly has its place and it is fab when you want to raise brand awareness but PR will take your company from just knowing who you are to buying your goods. At Media Eden we love using tools that help give companies a personality, a great way to do this is getting a regular column in a relevant publication that helps you build up a following you can speak to on a regular basis and share news about what has been happening in your company. Positioning yourself as an expert in your field will make people view you as just that and they will think of you when they are next thinking about spending some time and money on your services.

Never fear PR.

I’ve come across many people who hide from PR because they don’t understand it and fear entering the media’s fast paced and exposing stage. I remember when I was a media sprog sitting next to an Account Manager who was chatting away about all the amazing PR hits she had got for her clients and being wide eyed and deeply confused about how she had done this and not paid the magazines. Then came the day when I started getting hits in the media and I had an intern sitting next to me whilst I showed them my work knowing the sheer panic they were feeling and that all too familiar manic eyed stare. I just told him not to worry and when he saw a double page spread in a publication he would see how powerful PR is and how it can make a business’s cash register sing a merry tune.

July 16, 2010 0

We love new stuff…

By in Uncategorized

Welcome! Cháo! Bonjour! Ahoij!

New is the word of the month here at Media Eden as not only do we have this fabulous new blog but our whole website has undergone a drastic revamp. Have a gander yourself www.mediaeden.co.uk and let us know what you think.

We have a new telephone number so if you fancy a chat about marketing or to put the world to rights call us on 01242 256892. Don’t worry if we are already saved in your speed dial as the regular number still works on 01242 579407.

In the spirit of newness we have two new team members one being myself along with the very skilled Rhiannon. Rhiannon is joining us for her placement year and is currently studying a multimedia degree at the University of Gloucestershire. It is great to have her on board with a sparkly design style and some nifty Flash skills she is doing a great job and bringing adverts and websites alive for clients.

I’m Laura the second new team member and I’ll be working with marketing, PR and whatever else clients want to throw my way (always game for a challenge). I’ll also be regularly writing on here sharing news, views and some useful tips on how to improve marketing for your company. If you have any questions regarding marketing, PR or Web please send them to me and I will dedicate a blog entry to answering them.

Bye for now

Laura

July 16, 2010 0

Shiny New Diary

By in rhiannon's diary

Well then, welcome to the diary space! This part of the Media Eden blog will be occupied by my thoughts, musings and maybe a few pretty pictures about the work and projects I’m doing here at Media Eden.
Before I shoot off and start work on the weekly reporting, let me introduce myself a bit more. I’m Rhiannon…hello!  After recently completing my second year studying Multimedia at the University of Gloucestershire, I got a stroke of luck and landed a placement as Creative Assistant at a unique marketing company called Media Eden. I’ve now been here for about six weeks and it has been incredibly beneficial, for anyone out there thinking maybe a placement “isn’t for them”, you’re wrong! Invaluable experience is out there to be gained.

Keep an eye out for updates on the diary space for new notes on work and projects as well as thoughts and info on placement related items.

Signing off
Rhiannon

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July 16, 2010 0

Meet… Laura

By in marketing, meet us...

Hello!

I’m Laura and I handle marketing, PR and account management here at Media Eden. I’ve worked as part of an in-house marketing team as well as agencies which gives me a great understanding of both sides of the coin. I’m obsessed with all things media making me your come to when you need your company to get exposure for a project or to raise brand recognition.

When not I’m not working I love reading, writing, films and pug spying (the act of wandering around the park next to my flat hoping to spot a pug).

If you want to pen me a note I’d love to hear from you whether it be about marketing or a great book you’ve read recently.

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July 16, 2010 0

Meet… Rhiannon

By in creative, meet us..., rhiannon's diary

Greetings! I’m Rhiannon the resident placement student here at Media Eden.
After finishing my second year studying Multimedia,the lovely people at Media Eden welcomed me on board as Creative Assistant, giving me a chance to experience the reality
of the working world and producing some exciting graphic design.

In general I’m interested in anything creative and when not designing I can usually be found attached to a camera or guitar.

To keep track of my time here and the work that I do, I’ll be posting updates on my diary, so feel free to have a read here.

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July 16, 2010 Off

Meet… Phil

By in creative, meet us...

Hi I’m the Creative Director here at Media Eden and in a nutshell my job is to bring ideas to life.

I previously worked for a few large agencies working on accounts such as Barclays Group, Sky, npower and Timberland but I left that life behind to deliver creativity in a different way. I love my role because I get to take the time and attention to produce extraordinary work for people like you!

When I’m not designing I spend most of my time being attacked by my crazy Labrador (Inca) and apologising to my ‘better half’ for not doing the washing up, cleaning etc…

If you want to have a chat with me about what I do, or more importantly what you would like done for you, drop me a line, or write me a note.

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