72 Point Blog National News, PR and Market Research Specialists…

Name And Fame

I am aware several posts on this blog carry a 'them and us' theme.

In fact an earlier article of my own comments on the lack of knowledge within the PR industry regarding how newspapers operate.

During my time on the newsdesk of a national newspaper I more than had my fill of picking up the phone to be talked through PR dross which wouldn't have made the paper in a million years.

So I can see where freelance journalist Kevin Braddock was coming from when he controversially 'named and shamed' PRs who he claimed sent him irrelevant press releases.

Not long after that the much talked-about 'Inconvenient PR Truth' campaign provoked debate when it emerged British and American journalists receive 1.7 billion irrelevant press release emails each year.

And to be honest, I'm not surprised.

As editorial director at 72Point I am still bombarded on a daily basis with poorly written press releases, which are over-branded, carry embargoes (on which my colleague Jay Williams blogged last week) and feature endless, but incredibly tedious Notes to Editors.

Okay, so now you're thinking; ''Here we go again, old hack banging the 'PRs don't know anything about papers' drum''.

Well I'm sorry to disappoint you. I am, for once, going to buck that trend.

Admittedly, I never thought I would utter the following statement, but - I have to admit it... some of you guys are very, very good at what you do.

Knowing what makes a story and how to write good strong copy and deliver the finished product at the right time is an art.

But it is an art which, in my opinion, a handful of outstanding PRs have mastered.

Some of these PRs we at 72 Point work alongside regularly, others we admire from a distance.

These are people who have caught our eye and who are clearly at ease with how to create impressive exposure within an area of PR which is perhaps still the most elusive - the national news pages.

So to everyone who made the 72Point Hall of Fame, I take my hat off to you:

OUR TOP 40 (in no particular order)

Simon Horne - Camelot
Jenny Hill - ZPR
Lisa Penny - Bounty
Shakila Ahmed - Travelodge
Gareth Lucy - Kellogg's
Kelly Davies - Confused.com
Jo Roberts - Confused.com
Asia Yasir - Esure
Kat Taylor - Mischief
Rich Turner - House PR
Kathryn Crawford - TheBabyWebsite
Frances Browning - RBS Insurance
Adam Vincenzini - Paratus Communications
Nicola Andreasen - Paratus Communications
Lindsay Wilson - Speed Communications
Mark Perkins - Cow PR
Carol Richardson - Confetti
Brandon Stockwell - Citigate DR
Chris Webb - Pegasus PR
Alex Clack - Ogilvy PR
Matthew Coy - Tonic Life Communications
Rebecca Mann - Public Group
Victoria Etaghene - BSkyB
James Crawford - Citypress
Helen Doyle - Biss Lancaster
Kate Howe - Biss Lancaster
Justine Allister - Mothercare/ELC
Noella Dixon - Mothercare/ELC
Gemma Harris - McKenna Townsend
Anna Harris - Murray PR
Nina Hands - Brahm PR
Gemma Walters - Brahm PR
Alison Moss - Fleishman Hillard
Carrie Knowles - Fleishman Hillard
Mira Ryness - Frank PR
Danielle Carter - Frank PR
Fiona Robinson - Frank PR
Lucy Hart - Frank PR
Bethany Tang - MediaHubb
James Newman - Finn Communications

Written by Doug Shields