Category: News

When you’re at primary school and asked what you want to be when you grow up; I doubt many tousle-haired five-year-olds pipe up with “I want to work in B2B tech PR!”

It wasn’t my answer. I wanted to be a nurse, then a vet, then a novelist, then a travel writer. Yet somehow I found myself interning at a B2B tech PR agency for my first foray into the world of work.

Throughout your childhood, teens and even at university, there just isn’t much conversation around jobs. It never crossed my mind that this is where I’d end up. Not least because, after university, I left to travel for close to two years. During this time I worked as a freelance travel journalist and copywriter. Alongside polishing glasses in a bar when I had to.

Before I came to work at Nelson Bostock Unlimited, I’d never really worked in an office before. I’d never much thought about PR as a career. Nobody who’d ever met me would have thought, “I know where she’s going to end up”. “She’s going to be pitching in stories on innovation in cloud-based APIs to Computer Weekly”. However, as it turns out, this job suits me more than even I realised it would.

The only way to find this out, though, is to try it and see. You’ve got to intern.

I quickly realised that I enjoyed the variety of working in PR. Building relationships with a range of different people is really enjoyable. I like drafting media pitches and writing killer bylines to persuade publications to feature our clients. I love how sociable it is too. The main criteria for success isn’t where you went to school or what your parents do, but your ability to adapt. The bottom line is, you need to develop skills where you can and see where best suits you to apply them. For me, it was running a travel blog that honed my writing skills and gave me a window into content promotion and social media.

As long as you’re curious, motivated and open to a career path that you might not have expected, you don’t need to worry about finding a great job. Often, the great job will present itself to you.

More challenge than opportunity

The Connected Home is undoubtedly a revolution. The way that smart technology is automating our homes can be life-changing. But is it a revolution that people need?

We surveyed over 2,000 consumers to understand how people feel about the Connected Home. Despite the hype, our findings show most people don’t grasp the benefits. As we approach Black Friday, technology marketers shouldn’t assume that consumers need, or even understand, what they’re talking about. The lesson for marketers is clear. They must work harder to communicate the benefits if they are to break through the UK’s scepticism.

The principal challenge is that people don’t understand the Connected Home. Less than 1 in 10 of the population say they know a lot about it. You would expect the concept to be more familiar among technology owners or 18-24-year-olds. However, just 17% of these groups expressed familiarity with the Connected Home. Over half (53%) think that the technology isn’t worth investing in. Moreover, just 29% of the population agree that “People should embrace Connected Home technology, it’s the future.”

We wondered whether there was a mystical cool factor with the Connected Home. We thought people may be impressed by the technology they’d seen around a friend’s house. However, the answer was no. Over a third of the population (37%) think it’s just for “show-offs” and that “none of it is very useful!”

Marketers should be aware of this scepticism. Consequently, they must reconsider how the Connected Home is communicated. Whatever they are doing currently is missing the mark. Simplicity appeals to people. They like things they can relate to. They need to understand the benefits more. Over half (60%) believe that companies must do more to demonstrate the benefits.

Behavioural economics provides useful context here. A lack of understanding leads to our status quo bias taking charge. This means that we prefer to take no action or to stick with past decisions. Accordingly, we see the current situation as a reference point. We see any change as a potential risk. This means strong motivation is required to drive action. Especially when it comes to higher-value purchases.

This is all contributing to a modest take-up. Less than one-third of British consumers (31%) have any Connected Home tech currently. Meanwhile, 17% plan to purchase technology in the next 12 months, but 52% don’t have anything. Moreover, they don’t plan to get anything either. Only two types of Connected Home tech proved slightly popular. The Amazon Echo (14%) and smart thermostats (10%) are in one in ten, or more, of British consumers’ homes.

We wondered whether there were other perception challenges associated with this important trend. To read the whole report, click here

With CES 2019 drawn to a close, our Senior Press Officer Ash Scott discusses her time there. 

CES is the place to be. Indeed, over 1,200 press, analysts and tech fans from all over the world converge here. They’re all hoping to catch a glimpse of the latest technology, gadgets and product innovations.

This event is known for the weird and wonderful. The key themes present this year were smart health (primarily U.S focused), the smart home and the latest pet robots. The wonder of Unveiled is that there can be anything from smart apps to aid incontinence, to companies wanting to break into the market by restocking your beer fridge. Goodbye dry January! Sadly, there was a lack of Veganuary at CES this year. Clearly, they haven’t the organisers haven’t seen Greggs’ latest stunt. Regardless, here are some things that caught my eye:

Sleep: We can all have trouble sleeping. Hupnos is a self-learning ‘snore-free’ sleep mask. I’m in Las Vegas – sign me up! Moreover, a company called Urgonight reckon they can train your brain to sleep. Just 15 minutes a day and its device will learn your brain waves and train you to sleep better. The headgear is unimposing and you can pair it to an app that can enhance sleep. Accordingly, a decent night’s sleep. ZZZZZZZ.  

Convenience: Ultimate charging. Imagine having your phone, watch and earphones on your bedroom table all powering up at the same time with one power source? I need one!

Robots: If you’re looking for the cutest thing I’ve seen so far, look to the LOVOT! While it is a robot, as they describe it, it also has a sense of life. It’s like it’s a living thing.  In conclusion, I got to experience LOVOT and let me tell you, as a human seeking a pet, it may just do the trick!

In the Instagram age, photography is something we’re all having a bash at. But, as smartphones get smarter and our in-phone camera settings automatically adjust for us, the beauty of the tech behind what makes a great photograph is lost on many. So we’ve gone back to basics to look at what elements make up a camera. We also explore the different ways you can use cameras to get that internet-breaking shot you’ve always dreamed of.

A camera comprises:

1. A lightbox
2. An aperture (a hole)
3. Something that records light (film)

In this picture, you will see a camera obscura – a box room with a hole in one of its walls. This is a camera in its most basic form. But how does it work? The three components above work together in a camera obscura. They create the optical phenomenon which occurs when an image of a scene at the other side of a screen projects through the small hole, resulting in a reversed and inverted image on the opposite side of the room. Mind blown? Ours too.

Since this innovation, which is mostly used by landscape painters, advanced technology now enables us to capture projected images on film. But digital is more common these days. Now, instead of waiting for the perfect lighting and weather, our cameras have features like a shutter, a viewfinder (in place of a lightbox) and an adjustable lens to focus the light (an aperture), alongside a digital sensor (to record light).

Below you can find out more about the key features in cameras we generally use today, what those setting buttons do and how we can control them to capture the picture-perfect snap:

Know your focus (AV)

The ability to control the amount of light hitting a subject is key to accurately focusing on the subject. So, get to know your “AV” button. For this, we can adjust the aperture value, from a small “AV” of f/22 to a large f/1.2, creating vastly different results. Landscape photographers will typically use a small aperture to capture a large scene. But portrait photographers use a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field. This makes the subject stand out sharply against a blurred background. For instance, the Humans of New York (@humansofny) Instagram account follows this technique. This style of photography is essential for the viewers to focus on the subject – the person – amid the busy streets. It’s possible because the face is in focus, but the background is soft and blurred.

Watch your speed (TV)

The shutter speed setting on any DSLR (that’s Digital Single Lens Reflex btw) is responsible for changing the brightness of the photograph and creating dramatic effects. This is done by either freezing action (high shutter speed) or blurring motion (low shutter speed). Sport is an area of photography in which photographers use high shutter speeds. For example, Canon Ambassador and England World Cup 2018 football team photographer Eddie Keogh (@eddiekeoghphotos) strives for sharp, clean images of fast-moving footballers. For Eddie, the difference between an average photo and great photo (that makes it to newspaper front pages) could be a split second.

Capturing a ball leaving a player’s foot, for example, requires Eddie to set his shutter speed to around 1/1000^th of a second. Conversely, low shutter speeds are used for artistic effect. An example would be capturing light trails from a car in the dark. A further example is Australian photographer Cameron Spencer’s, of Getty Images, infamous shot of Usain Bolt mid-race in the Men’s 100-meter semi-final at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. To capture this shot, Spencer has to set the shutter speed on his Canon 1DX MK2, with a 70-200 mm lens set at 135 mm focal length, at 1/40^th of a second. He followed the champion with the lens to achieve the blur.

Get sharp (ISO)

Choosing the right ISO setting starts with recognising the amount of light in the scene you are photographing. An ISO controls the sensitivity of an image and ultimately influences the ‘graininess’ of the picture. The lower the ISO, the less sensitive your camera is to light. This means the image will be darker and the grain finer. Portrait photographers working in well-lit studios will use a lower ISO. For example, Jörg Kyas (@kyasphotography) aims for sharp, clean images of models for his clients, so he photographs in bright studios in which he can use a lower ISO. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive to light a camera; therefore, photographers can use a faster shutter speed. This is useful for sports or wildlife photographers shooting fast-moving subjects enabling them to freeze the moment.

Shout out to our in-house photographer @danwongphoto for his pro tips that helped us create this post! NBU has been working for Canon Europe for over 16 years, so putting our book knowledge to the practical test with Dan Wong was a fantastic way to get hands-on and learn more about the products we are PR-ing every day. We hope you can put the above to use – happy snapping!

Written by Nelson Bostock’s Canon Pro team.

One of our Account Executives, Olivia Harry, packed her bags to head to ISE in Amsterdam this week with our client Canon Europe. Here she sheds light on what ISE’s all about and why the world of projection is more exciting than ever before.

Shared passion

This week, systems integrators (who work with venues and manufacturers to install audio-visual systems) from around the world have descended on Amsterdam. They’re here to share their passion for audio, visual and lighting installations. We think the king among these is the incredible projection technology on display at the show.

Think Time Square in a trade hall, but with the most eye-catching and creative pieces of digital art around. Vendors show off the power of their technology in an exhibition of colours, brightness and interactive installations. This is what makes ISE one of the most vibrant events of the year. Although, I probably need to get out more…

ISE 2019 has come a long way since the first event back in 2004. It has become the largest AV and systems integration show in the world, while the industry and products on display couldn’t be more different. As the imaging landscape rapidly evolves, AV technology is working hard to keep up with the demands of enterprises and consumers alike.

4K innovation

With the demand for 4K rising and the first instances of 8K creeping into the audio-visual world, this year’s ISE was all about resolution. Our client, Canon, further expanded its 4K line-up to meet the demands of systems integrators with its first-ever large venue projector. In December, the team here at Nelson Bostock also launched two compact 4K resolution projectors for Canon – one native and the other UHD.

While 4K is in high demand, there are many sectors, such as education, who can’t afford to change their entire infrastructure. This means we are seeing the first instances of pixel-shifting technology. Because this technology offers these industries the same resolution, without the cost.

As with 4K, brightness plays a huge role in the power and accuracy of projection. Last year, we saw most major players in the market launch projectors with a laser light source. This is a trend that will continue to grow. This year was the battle of the lumens. One projector boasted a massive 50,000 lumens of brightness. In large venues or spaces, which have a lot of ambient lighting, this brightness ensures powerful and accurate projection. Basically, it gives the same results as using a screen, but with the flexibility of a projector.

Exciting displays

Projectors are increasingly used to create exciting and creative displays, from education environments to advertising billboards. As the demands on these devices become increasingly complex, we’re seeing lighter models to facilitate easy installation. Meanwhile, lens shift and laser light source mean they can be positioned at almost any angle. Even pushed right up against the projection space.

This is creating some incredibly eye-catching displays. Just consider the work of world-renowned set designer Es Devlin. She used projectors to create sets for Kanye West, and the closing ceremony for the London Olympics. Her work is wildly innovative and totally immersive. It has also overcome the challenges of venue size, light dispersion and consumer expectation.

This year’s ISE showed a similar level of imagination. Stands were designed to attract in a fiercely competitive environment. They featured some of the most eye-catching projection. Including holographic, an interactive projection tube and a wall-to-ceiling 4K display. Quite an achievement in the enormous RAI venue. The bar has been set incredibly high. It will be amazing to see what ISE 2020 has in store for visitors!

Read about more of the event support we provide for Canon Europe here. If you’ve got an event or project you need support on, please feel free to get in touch!  

Photo credit: Canon Europe

Finding yourself in a minefield in the middle of a maze doesn’t sound like an ideal situation. However, that’s exactly where today’s marketers are – metaphorically speaking, of course – according to Joel Harrison, Editor-in-Chief of B2B Marketing. Joel and his colleagues came up with the ‘Get Stacked’ event to help make sense of the increasingly complex martech landscape.

Anyone with even an ounce of experience in B2B marketing will be familiar with Scott Brinker’s annual Marketing Technology Landscape super-graphic, the latest version of which boasts a somewhat absurd 6,829 vendors. You needn’t view anything else to understand exactly what Joel means. With so many tools out there, how do marketers avoid the mines to build a valuable and change-enabling tech stack?

It’s impossible to fully understand the martech vendor environment. Therefore,  it’s best not to be drawn by vendors and assess your own needs before venturing out to build a tech stack:

• What do you currently have and is it working?
• What do your key stakeholders want? Strong ROI? Better customer insights?
• What do your customers want?
• How will you measure success?

Once you’ve answered these, you can more clearly assess the solutions on offer. Another nugget, shared by Think Direct’s Shane Redding, is to ask your potential vendor for a diagram of their tech stack. Marketo, for example, employs another 30+ tools alongside using its suite. What better proof of concept than another martech vendor proactively and successfully using the product?

The conference also showcased a myriad of solutions which prove technology’s integral role in marketing. The marketing function is of growing value within a business. This is because transformation CMOs and their teams can instigate through this tech. B2B Marketing unveiled new research to support this, revealing that 67% of marketers are looking to increase their martech budget, although only 56% are happy with their overall tech stack.

Such a clear discrepancy only goes to highlight the challenge laid out at the start of this blog. As the board watches, there isn’t any scope for error in determining budget spend or justifying results.

As one of the industry’s leading B2B & Tech agencies, we have been at the forefront of driving brand reputation for over thirty years. Last week we announced further growth as we welcomed leading agency DirectionGroup into the fold. Overseeing our Pillar’s ambition is long-serving MD, & now B2B & Tech CEO, Nick Clark, who shares his outlook for the year ahead and what the Group’s latest acquisition means for the agency.

Below is an interview by the PR manager of the Unlimited Group. 

The Tech & B2B Pillar has grown significantly over the last few years Nick, what’s driven this client demand?

We’ve always had a great reputation as a comms specialist agency who are equally comfortable running busy press office accounts. However, we’re also market leaders when it comes to building compelling stories for ambitious and progressive technology brands.

In recent years clients have asked us to translate this experience into more integrated comms and marketing campaigns. but they’ve also wanted us to centre these campaigns around content and make them culturally relevant. 

Over time, we’ve built a team of specialists. These experts span brand development, reputation management, PR and social, content marketing, performance campaigns and sales and partner enablement. By offering specialists in an integrated, client-focused model, we can easily flex to the demands of our clients & always with a keen nose for what makes a story as our key driver.

How will DirectionGroup fit into the B2B/Technology fold alongside Nelson Bostock & First Base?

We acquired First Base a year ago to help build out our content marketing and lead generation capabilities for technology and B2B businesses. The addition of DirectionGroup enables us to add significant creative/ATL capabilities. Moreover, we can also supercharge our digital marketing and sales enablement offerings.

The three agencies will operate under our ‘connected specialists’ proposition. Together we’ll work across clients that are looking for an integrated campaign approach.

What will the addition of DirectionGroup to the B2B/Tech pillar mean for clients, and the agency’s talent?

The acquisition is hugely exciting from an internal people development point of view as well as for our clients.

One of our core values encourages our employees to be ‘ambitious’. We want everyone who works for us to own their career. This acquisition is the perfect illustration of how you can do that. If you want to remain as a PR specialist, helping brands protect and manage their reputation, that’s fine. Equally, if you want to learn new skills, maybe in digital marketing or account-based marketing, we make it easy for you to do that.

It’s simple for clients. We offer a team of specialists who work in a completely integrated structure. Therefore, we can solve individual challenges or help businesses meet more complicated business objectives.

What are shaping up to be the key trends in the Tech & B2B sector in 2019?

B2B marketing is complex, that’s not going to change. And with the ever-evolving media and digital marketing landscape, change in customer needs and advancements in marketing tech, a Marketing Director’s role is never going to be easier than it is today, implying that it’s only getting more difficult. 

The term ‘business transformation’ has become obsolete. Because the concept of transformation has become a constant state for modern-day brands. As agencies, we’re mirroring what our clients’ technologies are delivering for their clients – flexibility, connectivity and improved return on investment. Therefore, this agility and commitment to business evolution is something that needs to be present across our talent, and the way we solve business problems for our clients.

As technology around voice search and interface progresses, we’re seeing even greater emphasis placed on personalization at every touchpoint. Because brands are given so much access to customer data, there is now a huge opportunity to provide an end to end personalised experience for customers.

It’s our job as agencies to make these things simple. Simplicity is what we offer our clients and how we help our clients communicate with their customers.