Picture power helps Gwalia impress

Today's South Wales Evening Post highlights a fabulous example of how a new building can marry beautifully with its stunning natural environment.
Gwalia is creating new-generation care scheme Cwm Aur at Llanybydder, near Newcastle Emlyn, and they went to the trouble of taking a landscape photograph of the site under construction.
The result shows how strong imagery can help media exposure: the Post use the photo and accompanying text prominently in today's Find a Property supplement.
For more about the £6.5m development in Carmarthenshire's rolling green hills, tune in to S4C's Sioe'r Ty this Friday.
Meanwhile, Swansea Council are unlikely to be impressed with two more big pictures in the Post.
The authority plans to repair cobbles and screen a collapsed wall before TV cameras follow Tour of Britain cycle racers up historic Constitution Hill on September 13. But that's not stopped the Post flagging up the issues with big-style photos - and the concerns of one resident - on pages one and three.

Celebrity PR gets to work on all levels

The power of celebrity has been evident this week at grassroots level in southwest Wales.
It's brought decent PR for a wonderfully wide range of organisations and causes.
Everybody from global rock icons the Manic Street Preachers to a homespun community swimming facility have benefited.
The latest editions of newspapers on the Media Master desk reveal some telling tales of what makes journalists sit up and take notice as publicity is sought.
The Manics, for instance, are busy plugging new single (It's Not War) Just the End of Love. The internet has been alive with news of the accompanying video for a few weeks now and South Wales' Nation Radio tweeted a link to the film yesterday - http://tumblr.com/xqegslanw.
It's main point of interest is that Newport and Port Talbot boy Michael Sheen stars in the video. And today's South Wales Evening Post records the fact with a photo and page lead by reporter Paul Lewis.
The same issue uses a more sporty celeb to promote the forthcoming first Gower Cycling Festival. Former Wales rugby skipper Colin Charvis, a Swansea resident, is pictured with event organisers at Blackpill's Junction Cafe. He plans to join two of the festival's rides.
Meanwhile, the latest Carmarthen Journal taps in to the hint of Hollywood glamour brought to Wales this week by actress Minnie Driver.
Her presence as she works on new film Hunky Dory has provided the Evening Post and Western Mail with images and stories of her filming in rainswept Swansea. The Journal focuses on the fact that Driver has used Twitter to ask fans for ideas to raise money for Brynamman Lido.
Campaigners have been fighting to save the historic facility against a background of council cuts. Little did they know that helped would come their way in the form of such celebrity PR.
Well done, Minnie Driver ... and good luck to all those who support and use the lido.

There's an art to magazine success

It's good to see two Effective Communication friends benefit from exposure in one of Swansea's new breed of community magazines.
Near neighbours the Village Hotel and Peter Lynn and Partners have substantial presences in the August issue of The Bay. Both are impressed by the good-looking nature of the journal, a football programme-sized free which last clocked 88 pages.
The hotel takes a full-page ad extolling the virtues of its Christmas offerings: "Gold? Frankincense? More!"
The solicitors use a two-page advertorial penned by partner Sophie Pincott and flagging up the firm's family services.
The elegance of The Bay can be largely attributed to designer Simon Williams whose inventive way with advertisements has impressed since issue one last year.
This month's highlights include a hand-drawn illustration of hotel and restaurant Norton House by night. The image is like something from a sumptuously colourful 1930s railway poster for weekend trips by GWR to the Cornish Riviera.
Meanwhile, Angela's seaside shop - specialising in crepes and waffles for visitors to Caswell beach, offers a different style of fun factor with imagery reminiscent of Britain's traditional saucy postcards.
A cafe in Southgate continues with its eyecatching Enid Blyton style drawing of a family picnic. "Boy: Crikey! There's no food left. Mum: Never mind, we'll all go to the Three Cliffs Coffee Shop."
When seeking exposure in the print media it's worth first of all checking that the title itself takes pride in what it delivers in it money-spinning advertising space. If it features irresistibly attractive pages then it's safe to feel positive.
After all, when did you last see an ugly ad in Tatler or Vogue?

Blogs in demand at the Evening Post

The long gone days of early summer saw South Wales Evening Post digital publisher Abigail Edge issue an invitation for readers to channel their blogs through the newspaper's website.
It's not a bad idea for those bloggers worried about how they'd otherwise promote their toils.
However, there seems to have been slow interest. Today's www.thisissouthwales.co.uk blogs signpost leads to just three platforms - the Post itself, the National Botanic Garden of Wales and this autumn's Neath Food Festival.
The latest garden post was penned by work placement students Sarah Trinder (University of York) and Charlie Long (Durham University). It reveals how they're getting a kick out of helping the professionals to DNA barcode more than 1,100 species of Welsh flora.
The foodie blog reveals that Neath's second annual food extravaganza already has 44 exhibitors signed up. I'm glad to see that backers include the Neath Abbey-based Bay Radio.
That's a shame because the Post, as southwest Wales's dominant print media, has great online possibilities.
To all bloggers, I say: "Give the Post a go."
To the Post, I say: "Promote your blogs in the paper - potential bloggers need encouragement."

Village people on song for new challenge

Well done to Andrew Petherick for securing a tidy piece of positive media coverage for Swansea's Village Hotel.
He was phoned by South Wales Evening Post business reporter Rupert Hall late last week, the newspaper eager to record the imminent arrival of a new Premier Inn at Swansea's SA1 quarter.
Andrew's the general manager of the Village and was quick to articulate his confidence about the future. Yes, the economy's tough, he told Rupert, but the Village has much to offer.
Since it was established in SA1 more than three years ago it has built a fine reputation for its accommodation, food and drink and leisure club.
Andrew succeeded in getting Rupert to mention all these in his story which appeared as a page lead in the Business in the Bay section of yesterday's Post.
Morgans managed similar success albeit with quotes from a faceless "spokeswoman" but the Dragon missed out with a bland "refused to comment."
So good on yer, Andrew ... and thanks for coming to Effective Communication for a little advice.

Full story http://bit.ly/9UbJBr

Craig's list of PR hits helps Cardiff

Some see it as going for broke - others call it a potential timebomb for the changing room.
But Cardiff City have certainly started seeing the benefits of having Craig Bellamy on board.
The club bagged three points as they started to eye promotion to the Premiership, they sold every seat in their new ground and they shifted a shedload of shirts.
In PR terms too the many thousands of pounds the club's paying the striker began to bear fruit.
My own weekend snapshot highlighted some priceless national publicity for the Bluebirds. It included a substantial feature on Saturday lunchtime's BBC TV Football Focus, albeit with some churlish downbeat comment from the increasingly predictable pundits.
The Beeb followed it with a splendidly upbeat piece to kick off that night's Football League Show. It included interviews with fans, Neil Kinnock, Bellamy and manager Dave Jones. It would only have been bettered had the show presented an insight from the Doncaster Rovers keeper who had seemed surprised as a 30-yard Bellamy shot scooted past him.
Saturday's web was alive with Bellamy, including high-profile pieces on betting industry sites and on any site dedicated to soccer or to sport from South Wales or South Yorkshire.
Yesterday's Media Master household invested in the Wales on Sunday and The Observer. The Welsh tabloid went big on the 4-0 win as expected so more significant was the Guardian stablemate's decision to put Bellers all over the front of its sports section.
Of course, things could all still go pear shaped - but at this early stage in the Welsh international's npower Championship adventure, you can only give everyone involved a big PR thumbs up.

Radio, golf ... and Royal Porthcawl bacon butties

Ever fancied dipping a toe into local radio advertising?
Well, South Wales' new kid on the broadcasting block is offering an innovative trial run opportunity.
It features an ad package, membership of a new business club, online presence, a round of golf and a lively networking session.
South Wales Radio account manager Matthew Anderson revealed all when we sat down for a cuppa in the Uplands Diner, Swansea.
His offer applies to all the local and regional stations in the group -  Bay Radio (covering Swansea Bay), Scarlet FM (Llanelli), Radio Carmarthenshire, Bridge FM (Bridgend), Radio Pembrokeshire, Radio Ceredigion and Nation (South Wales).
He said that for £450 each business will get 50 half-minute ads shared between one or two stations. You'll also be a launch member of the Swansea Wales Radio Business Club which he'd like to develop strongly through 2010 with offers and gatherings.
The deal includes a rather attractive event at the Royal Porthcawl Golf Club on Tuesday, November 9. There's coffee and bacon rolls to start, a shotgun start for the four-man teams, 18 holes, dinner in the clubhouse then a presentation and auction/raffle with charity and celebrity hooks.
It's a pleasurable way for Matthew to attract some new business - and it sounds like an effective way for golfers to network and gain radio exposure.
I'll be preparing a brief today for Effective Communication clients but if you'd like more info just give me a shout.
Matthew, by the way, was previously seen on the South Wales media circuit as an account manager with Swansea Bay Business Life. I get the impression he's relishing the new challenge.

South Wales Radio group. Monthly reach stats include: Bay - 55,000, Bridge - 48,000, Nation - 143,000

Fashion Addict returns with a big publicity opp

Eleri Walters is a dynamic bundle of energy and ideas. She's events manager at South West Wales Media and has loved her first year in the role.
We met yesterday to discuss one of her current major projects, creating the South Wales Evening Post's second Fashion Addict extravaganza. It's due in November and follows the roaring success of March's inaugural event.
A mightily impressive aspect of Fashion Addict is how SWWM staff promote it fully across their substantial portfolio. It was, perhaps, the most expansive promotional activity ever staged by the Post, its website http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/ and sister titles such as Swansea Life and Swansea Bay Business Life.
The knock-on effect for commercial backers must have been very handy.
The focal point of the forthcoming Fashion Addict will be a Swansea catwalk show highlighting the fashion world's winter collections. More than 1,000 guests are expected on the night, city boutiques and big name stores are already on board and promotional coverage is well under way. You can check out the Facebook page here.
From a PR and marketing perspective the early planning means a potential three months of coverage for those who hop aboard now. March's main sponsor, the Sancta Maria Hospital, has stood aside due to business changes so that leaves a huge opportunity for a successor who'd like a greatly raised profile in the months leading up to Christmas. The core audience will be Swansea, ages 25-45.
The main sponsor's branding, ads, advertorials, photos and other messages will appear regularly on SWWM platforms across southwest Wales and into southeast England.
There are also 10 VIP tickets for the show which, in itself, should be great fun and a superb networking opportunity.
I'll be preparing a brief for Effective Communication clients today. If you'd like more info just give me a shout.
Oh, and good luck, Eleri - I applaud the energy with which you're attacking this fun and sassy project.

Gower Getaways featured in Swansea What's On

Good luck to new business Gower Getaways, featured in the latest edition of glossy mag What's On in Swansea.
The holiday lettings agency is run by former architectural illustrator Andrew Hilton and has the makings of a fine addition to the South Wales tourism scene.
Andrew hired Effective Communication to write copy for his What's On feature and he should get good results from the splash.
From local people he's looking for high-quality properties to let. To visitors he offers great accommodation and an innovative concierge service.
The first few sentences of Andrew's What's On feature follow.

Unforgettable Gower Getaways
A FAMILY renowned for capturing the Swansea areas's glory on canvas has launched a new holiday lettings agency, Gower Getaways.
The new enterprise delivers a full management service to the owners of beautiful homes across Swansea and Gower. What sets Gower Getaways apart is its concierge service, an innovation which will greatly enhance the experience of visitors.
Andrew Hilton, who heads Gower Getaways, says: "There are many wonderful things to do on Gower but a lot of visitors don’t have the time to find out about them before they travel and find that the activities they’d like to do are fully booked when they arrive .
“Our concierge service addresses that issue. It allows visitors to make the most of every minute here, helps tourism businesses and encourages repeat bookings for our property owners."
Gower Getaways is based at Mumbles Fine Art Gallery owned by Ron and Mary Banning, the parents of Andrew’s wife Arwen. Ron is one of the peninsula's most respected landscape painters, Arwen is renowned for her paintings of figures.

Cardiff polo - and the best of Welsh

If there's one new sports photo you see this month, make it the polo double-page spread on pages 24 and 25 of Sporting Wales. It's a beauty, with colourful kits, gorgeously groomed horses and Cardiff Castle as a dramatic backdrop.
For three years, photographer Steve Pope and editor Hamish Stuart have worked hard on their fledgling publication, employing glorious imagery, elegant design and intelligent wordcraft.
They deserve praise for Sporting Wales - and it duly came with the pair being named journalists of the year by the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame.
The magazine's distributed free across Wales and has a refreshing agenda, happily embracing the lesser publicised sports as well as the usual suspects. The latest edition features activities such as extreme adventuring, Paralympians, swimming and cycling.
For businesses wishing to be associated with a quality product and dynamic Welsh sports performers it might be worth exploring possible commercial hook-ups with the magazine. I can happily advise.
Advertisers in the latest edition include the Celtic Manor, insurers CCV, retailer InterSport and the St David's Centre, Cardiff.

Radio bosses club together for South Wales business

Good news from Town and Country Broadcasting, whose portfolio includes Bay Radio, Scarlet FM, Radio Carmarthenshire and Nation Radio.
As part of their evolving commercial scene they're about to launch a business club.
Its membership features will include on-air and online promotional offerings with this young company whose reach stretches across South Wales with around 330,000 listeners every month. They have an interesting mix of demographic markets, including the young rock lovers who enjoy Nation to the West Walian audience of Radio Ceredigion.
Its Swansea Bay presence is a strong alternative to the more established Wave and Swansea Sound and offers a greater listenership than community stations such as Radio Tircoed and Afan FM.
The South Wales Radio 2010 Business Club is due to tee off in November, with a golfing-themed event.
I'm due to meet Town and Country account manager Matthew Anderson this week so will report fully on his proposals after that coffee.