Are you ready for some pre-MWC drinks with me and Hotwire PR?
I’m getting my thoughts in line for the upcoming Hotwire PR pre-MWC drinks reception in a few weeks time. If you work in PR or marketing you’re most welcome to come along. [You can, theoretically come along if you’re working in another role, just, you might find the discussion about media deadlines and press meeting management a little bit limiting!]
Hotwire are MWC legends. Much of the video footage you might have seen from MWC over the years has been thanks to some serious efforts on the part of the Hotwire team moving heaven and earth to sort out logistics to enable me to get some of their client executives on camera. It’s all a bit of a rush during those 3-4 key days and rarely does everything go exactly to plan. Which is why preparation is absolutely key, especially if you’re new to MWC — or if you haven’t yet had the responsibility of managing your CEO’s expectations when he’s expecting you to deliver a sit-down 3-hour fire side chat with a chap from the Financial Times — with 10 minutes notice. And when all he’s got to talk about is a 0.8 product revision.
Oh it’s a stressful time for the PRs. I do my best to get organised as quickly as I can and get the meetings in the diary. And I do my best to try and work with as many PRs and companies as possible during that week.
There are some really smart techniques that you can deploy as a marketer/public relations person. If you happen to know the journalist or blogger in question (and Hotwire do), then you can style the news and announcements to their exact requirements. For instance, I much prefer capturing output on video. I don’t *like* sit down interviews at MWC where I have to take notes, because the chances are I’ll be running a massive sugar low — and can’t write fast enough.
If you’ve got that kind of media knowledge then the chances on getting better, faster or higher quality coverage are so much greater. THIS is the sort of thing the Hotwire team will be discussing at their reception. It’s all informal though. No presentations, no speeches. Just good company, a keen topic and a bit of food & drink.
By the way, in terms of sugar lows, did you know that Rafe Blandford of All About Symbian and All About Windows Phone stuffs his laptop bag with Mars Bars at Heathrow Airport prior to coming to MWC? I thought it was hilarious until I found myself starving running from interview to interview. Rafe’s offer of a Mars Bar kept me going. Now I do the same. BUT. And this is a big but… why don’t you think about doing similar with your press briefings? For instance, last year I arrived to film one of Hotwire’s clients and Annette from their team asked if I’d like a coke from the bar of their client’s stand. Yes. Yes please. It might sound a bit trite or a bit irrelevant, but that sort of thing really can help a blogger/journalist along. These are the sorts of tips I’m getting into order for the reception — I shall be there to vent forth on my viewpoints if you’d like to listen.
Please do consider coming along.
The reception is taking place on the 25th of January 2012 from 6-830pm at Zebrano Bar, 18 Greek Street, Soho, W1D 4DS. If you’d like to come, please simply drop a note to Fiona Stevens (fiona.stevens@hotwirepr.com) to RSVP or give her a call on 020 7608 4697.
