Call 0161 236 0770 to find out how we can help you build rapport with your target audience.
January 2009 Blog Archive
30 January 2009 Rapport’s Got Talent
Having been to see Britain’s Got Talent this week (and I must stress I was in the audience, not auditioning as everyone keeps asking!!) I was really shocked by the shear lack of talent on the show (apart from Sean Smith who sung ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’, my hot tip as the one to watch!)!! Believe me most acts were dire including the guy dressed as Darth Vader dancing to Michael Jackson!! However here in the Rapport office I have uncovered a few hidden talents such as Ellie's ability to know what the time is without looking at the clock (spooky!) and Paul says his talent is that he can guess the name (and artist!!) of a song after only hearing the first few bars! Look out for them at next year's auditions!
Talking of someone with talent (though many may disagree) we have heard today that the Queen of Pop herself Madonna has added two UK dates to her ‘Sticky and Sweet’ tour, one of them has been confirmed as our very own M.E.N Arena here in Manchester! The M.E.N which can hold up to a mammoth 22,000 people has not only played host to many a star including Take That, Oasis and Kylie but also used to employ none other than comedian Peter Kay as a steward!
I wonder if Peter would have got on quite so well working as a steward for Virgin Airways?! For those who have seen (and loved!) the latest Virgin advert claiming they are still ‘Red Hot’ they may also want to view this letter of complaint to Richard Branson. I must agree that the cookie from the ‘evidence bag’ does indeed look grim, not a patch on Paul's biscuits in the office!
Have a fab weekend!
Vicky
P.S At Rapport HQ we are all looking forward to a new arrival on Monday, watch this space!
23 January 2009 You can never be too careful!
Barack Obama’s inauguration dominated the news this week and although a very good job was done of making people feel like it was the most important moment in the history of the world, I found something slightly more interesting about the president-elects new job - his car!
Built by Cadillac and nicknamed “the beast”’, it is rumored that the “presidential limousine” could withstand a rocket-propelled grenade. Complete with 8 inch think doors (weighing the same as a cabin door on a Boeing 757), tear gas cannons and emergency oxygen supplies; the vehicle’s specially designed steel tyre rims are built to keep the car moving even if the tyre is missing! Supplies of Obama’s blood will also be kept onboard ‘just in case’. I get the feeling that for something designed to be the benchmark for world security its hardly going to be discreet.
Turning to more local affairs, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson this week announced that he is going to inject £35m into helping new businesses start up in the North West over the next five years. The Business Start up scheme aims to support 12,700 new businesses and create 22,900 new jobs in the local area. Mandelson believes that helping new businesses flourish now, during the economic downturn, will aid the upturn that will follow. The MP drew comparisons from Manchester’s major influence in the 19th Century’s Industrial Revolution, stating that “the next revolution will once again be driven by the regions”, when this happens Mandelson argues that local young entrepreneurs need to have the adequate training and skills to ensure Manchester can once again rise to the occasion. Funding for the programme will come from a number of local authorities including Rapport client NWDA.
After attending a yoga class at my gym (apparently my membership is now considered an “income eater”) I was pleased to find myself feeling suitably tranquil and at one with my inner chi, however it seems that this is not the case for everyone practicing the ancient Indian art. It seems that Yoga has now become a brutal and cut throat competitive sport, with the world championships being held next month in the spiritual mecca of LA. It seems there is even a chance that you may see yoga competitions appearing in the London 2012 Olympics! With celebrity clientele like Madonna who can argue with centuries of Eastern heritage and tradition?
16 January 2009 Politics, Pirates and Poison
It’s been a busy week in the news; Prince Harry’s latest public scandal, begged the question should the royals be more careful or is Britain becoming far too politically correct? My question was answered when, later that day, I also read that Cadburys now feels the need to explain on their Dairy Milk chocolate bars that they contain milk.
The Sirius Star has been released from pirate control after a reported (but not confirmed) ‘$3M ransom’ was dropped onto the ship. Unfortunately the pirate’s ship then ‘capsized’ as they tried to make a getaway towards central Somalia. Two of the pirates ‘drowned’, one was found washed up on shore with $135,000 in this pocket (which apparently his family are currently trying to dry out!), while another 3 survived but have ‘lost’ all the money while swimming back to shore. Sounds like a Disney film, and a lot of the reported events seem to be fantasy too!
Although research showed this week that Manchester has been voted the third best conference destination in the world our plight of the past few weeks has been trying to find a venue which is big enough to hold 400 guests and able to feed 400 guests, all within a historic or visually intriguing environment – no mean feat and suggestions are welcome. So it was reassuring to read in the MEN that Manchester City Council have put in an £75m offer to the owners of the Great Northern Warehouse which, if accepted, would see it transformed into a key part of the cities conference district, providing extra conference facilities. The Great Northern Warehouse is an integral part of Manchester’s industrial heritage which, in its heyday, housed numerous train lines and junctions, 5 platforms and provided jobs for 350 workers. If only it was ready now!
This week I learnt that the worm in tequila is a marketing gimmick and the urban myth that it contains hallucinogenic properties when eaten is actually not true – there go my plans for the weekend! Finally I wanted to say a fond farewell to the Bush Administration, next time I write it will be the Obama Administration (which I don’t think has the same ring) I think deep down everyone is a bit sad to say goodbye to George, I doubt Barack’s speeches will ever be as entertaining. One of my favourite “Bushims” I think applies to the current climate (especially at Rapport HQ) perfectly “It’s clearly a budget it’s got a lot of numbers in it”…
9 January 2009 Happy new Year!
2009 has been declared by the United Nations as the year of Natural Fibres. Apparently this year we need to raise the profile of the natural fibre as way of improving communications and strengthening partnerships between the various international fibre industries across the world. It should also help to promote the natural fibre as a sustainable and efficient material – that’s my new year’s resolution sorted!
As the wind whistled down Ducie Street and the ice froze the Rochdale Canal, the temperature inside the Rapport office this week has been somewhat more unpredictable. With the heating on the blink at the beginning of the week meaning we all were donning our Rapport fleeces and using office equipment (such as the shredder which heats up through overuse!) to keep warm, it was then subsequently fixed, resulting in us all now sat with the windows open and the water cooler cold tap permanently pressed!
So I took it upon myself to find out that the optimum office temperature, it seems that 25 degrees Celcius (or 77 degrees Farenheit) is the temperature when workers feel most comfortable (a Cornell University study). However, here at Rapport we found that the boys preferred it cold, while the girls prefer it warm and it seems we are not alone. Everyone regulates their body temperature in a slightly different way (this can be due to a number of factors such as age and diet), however it seems that gender plays a big part. The human temperature gauge is located in the hypothalamus which is at the base of the brain and women are more prone to hypothyroidism which means the thyroid slows down and the patient becomes more susceptible to cold.
Anyway the bottom line is that you can’t please everyone!
It seems that Oldham now has its very own Banksy; an unknown artist created 3 sculptures depicting teenage ‘hooligans’ sat in a Failworth Park drinking alcohol. Apparently so life-like that local residents were apprehensive to walk past the gang, upon closer inspection they actually made from rubbish and lager cans!
I do enjoy a good fact and was more than pleased this week when MSN released a series of ’10 Common misconceptions’, it seems that wild gold fish are actually green and Columbus did in fact know that the Earth was not flat. For more follow this link!
Anyway, Christmas is now well and truly over (although could someone please inform Piccadilly train station who still had their Christmas tree up on Wednesday!) but look on the bright side, summer is on its way – as from the 21st December we get an extra 3 minutes of sunlight per day!