Chris & Nige's Big Wine Free Adventure

It is not everyday you get to travel in what is without doubt the world's most filmed Jaguar XJS; however today was such a day! The XJS pictured above was truly the one driven by James May and Oz Clarke in Oz and James Big Wine Adventure where they toured France with wine expert Oz teaching the beer loving Top Gear presenter James how to love the grape.

Well the car used in the television programme was sourced, restored and prepared for the TV series by Classic Jaguar specialists, Knowles-Wilkins Engineering Ltd – at its Greenham Common base near Newbury.

Chris Knowles from KWE explained: “This is the most filmed Jaguar XJS in the world. Featuring in six episodes, James and Oz drove over 1000 miles through France’s finest wine regions. James selected this V12 convertible car as the best way of travelling long distances in comfort.

“He visited KWE several times to mastermind the building of his car, and had his carpenter fit two custom-made wine racks in the boot! At the time, James was a confirmed ale drinker but the BBC tour has lured him now into the arms of the vineyard.

“The car is featured prominently throughout the popular series, which is currently showing again on satellite channel ‘Dave’, and is pictured on the back of the book (pictured right) published about the programme. We even have one of the plastic bottles of wine which was pictured stood on the boot – although to be honest it isn’t particularly nice!

“We bought the car back after filming and thoroughly rebuilt it for its current owner, Garth Cooper, an engineering firm’s Managing Director. He is now emigrating to New Zealand and KWE are offering the car for sale on his behalf via our website.”

Well Morgan PR met Chris, his lovely wife Theresa and the famous XJS last month when we wrote about KWE for Newbury Business Today and we recognised that there was a news story there too and a swift press release later we had the story appearing locally. So began another beautiful pairing of a successful company with the leading public relations agency in the Thames Valley.

We were back meeting with KWE today and Chris offered take me for a spin in the James May Jaguar, bringing me from Greenham Common to Hungerford in breathtakingly quick time... ah the perks of PR!

The car is up for sale on the KWE website if anyone is interested in owning a piece of TV memorabilia that offers more than a little fun! Speaking of fun here are the erstwhile occupants of the said same XJS pictured sat on the bonnet somewhere in France!

I think I'm being followed by the Government...

Actually... I know the Government are following me! More specifically I know that the Office of the Prime Minister is paying particular attention to me!

How do I know and how can I be sure that this is not merely paranoia sneaking up upon me? Well, yesterday I blogged about joining twitter, the micro-blogging website and I have been watching the numbers following me gently grow and at the same time added those twitterers whom I may be curious to follow too.

That is how I stumbled upon Number 10 Downing Street's very own twitter feed. Worth a look, I have subscribed and within mere moments discover that my interest in Number 10 has been reciprocated and now they are following me! Admittedly they are following more than 4,000 people on twitter, but still...

See, so it is true and justifies the deliciously melodramatic headline to this blog post and is an entertaining prelude to my discovery via twitter that a local company, Puffbox, is behind some of the e-Government wizardry, including the new look Number 10 website.

What a small world wide web eh?

Morgan PR all of a twitter

I have little doubt that some of my regular readers will be labelling me simply a twit for embarking on a relationship with micro-blogging site twitter, but to be fair it has taken me since Christmas Eve last year to move any further than simply joining the fray.

That is to say I've just 'twittered' for the first time, mentioning a post that went online earlier on this blog - so in that sense if it drives traffic to this blog then that is a good thing so hold fire on the withering criticisim - unless you can do it in 160 characters or less, which is the text message friendly limit for posts on twitter.

Honestly, the jury is still in the canteen wondering whether to sneak fruit back into the courtroom on this one. I am not sure quite what value twitter can add to Morgan PR and our quest to deliver public relations throughout the Thames Valley, but there are enough people whom I respect out there doing it that it seems to be worth a try. But please do take me out back and shoot me if I start twittering about what I had for lunch. That seems to be quite common on twitter and that scares me. Not least as I skipped lunch.

Olympic 'cheer squads': Building atmosphere or Chinese propaganda? Or good public relations?

There is an interesting article in The Times Online today saying that China has admitted using so called 'cheer squads' to fill empty seats and create atmosphere at less than popular events at the Olympics.

There is a certain about of disdain being heaped upon China for such perceived skulduggery and it is seen as being just a hair's breadth from the undoubted abuse of human rights that does cast a shadow over the games.

Honestly though! It isn't the same thing and they have been quite open about it with the bussed in crowds dressed the same and chanting in unison. Very different to the silence meeting questions about the lengthy spells in 're-education camps' for ticket touts (which may indeed be fair punishment but that is another question!).

So as a public relations company Morgan PR feels this should be examined from a PR point of view - the result of using the 'cheer squads' is that the stadiums are full - not just for the world's cameras, but also for the competitors who are surely spurred on the greater achievements by a roaring and chanting crowd rather than the lost smattering of polite applause that might otherwise echo around the stadium.

Besides, look at the Oscars. They have specially hired stooges to scoot into the empty seat of a celebrity who nips off to powder their nose lest the sweeping camera capture an gap in the audience - and that is seen as good public relations.

So bang the human rights drum loudly, but let's not pick a fight over good PR!

Helping a photographer to focus on PR and marketing

At Morgan PR we are lucky to be surrounded by talented associates who add terrific value to what we deliver and the photographer Giles Penfound is foremost among those; indeed his photography has been instrumental in helping us to exceed our clients expectations time and again.

So it is particularly satisfying to also count Giles as a client too, which means can help to create the reputation he deserves and indeed we have already had a wonderful example of his work published in the media and also on this blog.

Of course, while good PR can flourish from a chance conversation or exploited opportunity, the truth is that it can often come from a well honed strategy and as such we have been working with Giles for a little while to help position his business ahead of a concerted combination of both PR and marketing.

Actually it has been a good example of the collaborative work that comes out of the Newbury Business Group with Carl Wheatley from The Bridge, Chris Turberville-Tully from Inspiration Ink together with Morgan PR all contributing.

The latest part of that ongoing project involved Carl and myself meeting with Giles earlier today and it is truly exciting to see what is developing.

Morgan PR has long benefited from business coaching from Sally Rainbow-Ockwell of ActionCoach and it is always interesting to see how many of the lessons we have learned make it into this kind of consultation and clearly add value beyond our own public relations company.