New job opportunities
New job opportunities have been posted on our Careers page:
Spirit Communications Lead – Bacardi, Geneva
Spirit Communications Specialist – Bacardi, Geneva
Good luck!
Global PR survey seeks your views
The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, has launched an international survey to identify and explore the key trends and advocacy priorities of public relations professionals around the world and is inviting communication professionals from around the world to participate.
The survey is open until 16 December 2011 and the results will be shared in early 2012.
If you would like to take part in the survey, click here.
Melitta
Sometimes the old methods are the best
With so many communication methods to choose from, email, Twitter, Facebook, Sharepoint…we can sometimes be overwhelmed with choice. However, older methods of communication still have a place in society as Canada’s Harold Hackett has been proving.
Over the last two decades, he has sent out more than 4,800 messages in a bottle from his Canadian home along the Atlantic coastline.
Every message asks for the finder to send a response back to Hackett, and since 1996 he has received an impressive 3,100 responses from all over the world, each one with a different story to tell.
The emotions involved in receiving an unexpected personal letter, mean that the older communication methods still have a valuable role to play. Though as Harold has sometimes waited up to 13 years for a reply, there is still something to be said for the speed of new media!
You can watch a video of Harold talking about his messages in bottle on the BBC News website >
Melitta
Wrap up – GCN lunch event on PR and Ethics (14 October)
Many thanks to Jonathan Leighton for his thought provoking presentation at our recent GCN lunch and thank you to the participants who joined in the discussion. Jonathan presented some interesting perspectives on the critical role of values and codes of conduct in today’s PR and communications environment. More information about Jonathan and his recently published book can be found on his website: http://www.thebattleforcompassion.com.
A few photos have been uploaded to the GCN flickr account and can be seen on our photostream on the left of the screen.
For those who are interested in receiving a copy of the presentation, please send us an email or contact Jonathan directly on: jonl@sunrise.ch.
Look out for our next event coming up in November on Public Affairs.
Glenn, Patricia, Melitta and Vincent
Survey reveals how to master video conferencing
A recent global survey by Australia’s 1080 Group that asked close to 1,200 professionals key questions about how they use video conferencing, has given some surprising insights. Here are some of the highlights:
- Productivity is the top reason for using Video Conferencing, with money saving coming second.
- Value depends on your own communication or organisation needs, with Europeans valuing the ability to communicate more regularly with peers, while industries such as Financial Services value it as a ‘green’ alternative to physical travel.
- Cultural issues are the biggest barrier to video conferencing usage, with an “Inability or unwillingness to use new technology” and “entrenchment of the current way we do things” taking the top two spots by a wide margin.
- The need for good examples to learn from. A number of insights pointed to the experiential nature of meeting and collaborating virtually. Sadly, some people disparage the communication medium because they see others using it unsuccessfully. The main gripe was presenters that “have distracting mannerisms or gestures.”
- It’s growing fast! Despite the issues respondents predicted that video conferencing will grow by 211% in 2012!
To read more about the lessons learned from the survey, follow the below link to download the resulting white Paper, which includes a useful checklist.
Melitta
GCN Lunchtime seminar – 14 October, 2011 12.30 pm
Lunchtime seminar – Ethics and PR: the role of values in a changing world With the explosion of information, the competition for attention has never been greater. Companies and organisations are under pressure to vaunt their successes and can be tempted to oversell and distort the truth. In this presentation, Jonathan Leighton will discuss the critical role today of values and codes of conduct in PR and communications.
Date: Friday 14 October 2011
Time: 12h30 to 14h00
Location*: The Swiss Press Club, Route de Ferney 106, La Pastorale, 1202 Geneva.
Fee: CHF 15.- per person includes drinks and snacks – payable at the door.
Jonathan Leighton is a writer and independent communications consultant. Trained as a molecular biologist, Jonathan worked several years in the fragrance industry in various research and management functions. He has worked for a wide variety of clients and carried out European media relations for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Jonathan recently published his first book, The Battle for Compassion: Ethics in an Apathetic Universe, a philosophical exploration of the basis of ethics and strategies for effective impact.
Places are limited due to the venue size, so please register early for the event.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Glenn, Patricia, Vincent, Melitta
*Location sponsored by the International University in Geneva.
Round table discussion – new media tools and human rights
In line with the United Nation’s Human Rights Universal Periodic Review, 12 journalists selected from the 8 countries under review, will hold a round table discussion at Webster University on new media tools and human rights.
Discussion will be followed by a question and answer period and networking.
Drinks and refreshments will be served.
Wednesday 5 October2011, 18-20h00, Webster University, Geneva
Panelists from: Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Swaziland, Syria, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Uganda
Please RSVP to rosso@webster.ch