A year in the life of the Head of Consumer PR at Sainsbury’s
By Carly Thornton, previous PR student at the College of St Mark and St John, currently working as an account executive at Green Row PR

Monthly consumer magazines are a consumer PR’s bread and butter but the long lead times on these publications are one of the biggest head-aches for the PR industry. PR’s are forced to be very structured and prepared with their PR calendar as most publications work anything from three to five months in advance or even six months at key times such as Christmas. No where is this more evident than in food PR.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Mel Cooke the head of consumer PR at Sainsbury’s about how a business of this scale organises its PR in order to fit in with these lead times and capitalise on the most profitable times of the year. As her title suggests, Mel specialises in consumer PR for the whole range of Sainsbury’s products from food to fashion as well as homeware and beauty, which is a huge task to manage and coordinate. Mel explains the importance of these publications; “Consumer magazines are a great vehicle to deliver our key messages and they hold such authority and longevity with our target audience.”

However, as there isn’t always the luxury of time with daily news stories, the PR team at Sainsbury’s often have to act in a reactive way, therefore they also have to make the most of short lead publications and daily newspapers to maximise publicity. Mel says; “We have to be very flexible to the media environment as we can’t always predict what stories may break.”

It is also very important in the current climate of nutritional awareness for the team to monitor the government’s health agenda for upcoming initiatives, such as salt, fat and preservatives, to make sure Sainsbury’s is aware of what will be in the media and make sure it is supporting these initiatives to maintain credibility.

Taking these issues into account, Mel’s year has to be very structured and preparation for key seasons such as Christmas and Spring/Summer can take the whole year to organise, implement and review. It is also important for Mel to guide the rest of the business into being prepared early to be able to give the press office what they need to reach consumer deadlines.

The key story for Sainsbury’s in January is health. Many consumers at this time are concentrating on diet and fitness, therefore the majority of consumer PR and news stories generated by Sainsbury’s at this time fit in with this theme. This is something that is organised months in advance. All new products will have been sold into the consumer magazines in the early autumn for features running in the January issues. However the team also have to keep on top of daily news topics for any opportunity to piggy back or make comment reactively.

The biggest job in January is to review the coverage achieved over the Christmas period. At this time the consumer PR team evaluate the quantity and quality of the coverage achieved and whether their key message reached their target media. They will then use this data to begin planning the following Christmas season for which they work on for the rest of the year in order to target the consumer press in a major media event early July.

The next big calendar events for all food PR’s are Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day in which the main focus is on food as a gift. All consumer magazines, daily newspapers and weekend supplements run gift features at this time of year so Mel and her team liaise with the Sainsbury’s buying team in September to discuss what the key items are for the season and begin to notify the press and send out samples for Valentine’s and Mother’s Day just before Christmas.

Easter is another key event, so to ensure coverage of the Easter eggs and gifts available in store at this time, Mel has to ensure that the Easter samples and press material are prepared for launch to the media at the beginning of the year.

Spring/Summer is the second biggest time of the year for Mel and her team following Christmas. The team hold a press event at the end of the previous year for journalists to sample all the products available for the spring/summer season, such as products suitable for al fresco dining, BBQ food and seasonal fruit and vegetables. As in January, Sainsbury’s consumer PR team also have to monitor the daily press for editorial opportunities as well as issuing their own newsworthy stories.

The summer is the time for final preparation of the Christmas press event which as mentioned takes place in early July. All large food retailers, suppliers and producers target the press at this time of year and according to Mel there are generally two weeks at the beginning of July where journalists attend a Christmas event every day. As this is a tiring and busy time for journalists Sainsbury’s is aware that they need to reach them early to ensure they are still ‘fresh.’ Therefore the Sainsbury’s Christmas event always takes place within the first few days of July.

Mel says; “Organising this event is like a military operation – you have to think like the journalist. They don’t want to travel too far, so the event has to be in a central London location. To keep their attention the event must be engaging demonstrating Sainsbury’s as a one-stop-shop with a quality differential and expertise. We want journalists to go away not only feeling like they have learnt something but also feeling special, so the goody bags are carefully planned to contained products that we know they will get use out of and write about, without being too heavy or awkward to carry home.

“Sainsbury’s is very lucky to have its headquarters in the central London location of Holborn, so the event has been held here for the past two years which has worked very well. The Atrium at the building’s entrance is transformed into a Christmas theme, for example ‘magical winter wonderland’ to create a wow factor as soon as they walk in with the products displayed in the best possible way.

“They are then invited to our food centre where they get to see, smell and taste the very best Christmas food thanks to the in-house team of chefs with key buyers and suppliers on hand to talk passionately about their products and food trends.”

As well as out-sourcing stylists and a production company to design the show, the whole business gets involved in this one event to make it as successful as possible and ensure the best results.

The key item that Mel and her team must ensure the journalists go away with from this event is an informative media brochure highlighting multiple food and non-food shots and product information, as well as a CD containing all the high-resolution images featured in the brochure. After the event journalists may also want to sample or review the products, so this tool at a glance acts as a reminder when they request products at a later date.

The team will spend much of late summer selling in stories and arranging samples for journalist product call-ins following the Christmas event as well as monitoring the back to school coverage which will have been sold in during the spring. This will mainly focus on lunchtime snacks and healthy eating.

Christmas product call-ins will continue into the autumn for the short leads, such as weekly magazines, weekly supplements and daily newspapers. The theme of this time of year is Halloween and bonfire night, so the focus will be on confectionary and comfort food for the cooler weather. Again monthly consumer coverage for this season will have been arranged up to four months in advance.

The Spring/Summer press event takes place in November to showcase what is on offer at Sainsbury’s from March the following year. This is based on a very similar principle as the Christmas event, although on a slightly smaller scale.

Coverage of Christmas gift guides begins as early as October, therefore Mel and her team monitor and evaluate the media at this time ready to review the results in January when the year starts all over again.

As well as this jam packed schedule of events, there are a number of additional events that have started to become important for Sainsbury’s over the past years, namely events such as Fairtrade Fortnight (February/March), Organic Fortnight (September) and British Food Fortnight (September/October). Consumers are requiring more transparency from the food they are purchasing, they want to know where it comes from, was it ethically produced and how does it affect their carbon footprint. Therefore, as part of Sainsbury’s corporate social responsibility agenda, as well as the traditional events that Mel and her team have to focus on, they also have to ensure that they cover all aspects of this by getting involved in these key events in the British calendar.

This is evidence of national consumerism changing, in which the consumers require their local supermarket to take all these things into consideration to gain credibility. This means that Mel’s job will continue to get harder and her PR calendar become fuller in order to maintain the well known integrity that Sainsbury’s has always upheld – a quality supermarket providing healthy, tasty, fresh, safe food.

Contact Carly on 020 8960 8950

TURNING THE TABLE ON CYBER BULLIES
NEW STRATEGY TACKLES BULLYING ON-LINE

The Ban Bullying at Work campaign, part of The Andrea Adams Trust, the UK’s first charity dedicated to raising awareness of bullying in the workplace is launching a new online campaign using the internet and social networking site Facebook.

Working with Global ad agency Leo Burnett a fresh new web presence has been created with several interactive features that link directly to off-line participation. For the first time visitors to the site will be encouraged to speak out against bullying in the workplace and submit a virtual balloon message online. On the 7th November 2007 these balloons will then be released across London in a mass balloon launch.

http://www.banbullyingatwork.com/ also features a brand new Speak Out mass participation survey which aims to form the largest survey into attitudes and behaviours surrounding workplace bullying ever undertaken: www.banbullyingatwork.com/speakout-survey.html

The Ban Bullying at Work group on social networking site Facebook has already attracted over 200 members. This is set to increase as awareness grows in the run-up to November 7th. Members use the Facebook group to share advice and support from others and membership extends globally growing the message that bullying in the workplace should not be tolerated.

Lyn Witheridge, Founder and Chief Executive, The Andrea Adams Trust says; “Last year we had 1 million visits to our site. Such an unprecedented number of people taking part through digital channels made us sit up and take notice. We have at our disposal an invaluable tool for communicating with individuals and with businesses to tackle bullying. We have developed a digital strategy which allows us to interact and expand our network and ultimately raise awareness of the issues surrounding workplace bullying to a new audience. All too often and as is the case with cyber-bullying, email, which we call flame mail has been flagged up as easy tool to bully others. However, our mission is to turn this on its head and use these same resources for the benefit of others.”

As part of the campaign an email marketing communication has already been sent to over 3000 businesses. Now in its fifth year the Ban Bullying at Work day will take place on 7th November. The day is spearheaded by The Andrea Adams Trust, the world’s only non-political, not for profit charity tackling workplace bullying. The 2007 campaign will encourage people to ‘SPEAK OUT’ against bullying to address issues and create a productive working environment. Over one million people took part in Ban Bullying at Work Day in 2006. Businesses and individuals can take part in the online survey and find out more information at http://www.banbullyingatwork.com/

THE WINE LOVERS GUIDE TO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP QUARTER FINALS

Whether your passion is rugby, or wine, or both, make sure that you indulge all of your passions during the Quarter Finals of the Rugby World Cup, this weekend (6th October). http://www.lovethatwine.co.uk/ the UK’s leading independent resource for all wine drinkers has created an easy to drink guide to the most delicious wines for this Saturday’s head to head matches between four of the best nations for rugby and wine.

With over 100 000 unique visitors within the first few months of launch and reviews from wine drinkers and wine experts, http://www.lovethatwine.co.uk/ is encouraging you to join in its great debate of which wine producing country is the best: Angela Mount, MD of http://www.lovethatwine.co.uk/ says; “It is true that there are similarities between the rugby nations and the major wine producing nations and this weekend’s head to head matches feature four of the most exciting countries for both rugby and wine. We’re encouraging people to talk about their favourite countries of origin and giving expert recommendations during key matches – whatever happens on the pitch I don’t think it will be as straight-forward when it comes to the tasting off the pitch.”

On Saturday 6th October England face their first knockout game against fellow finalists of the 2003 tournament, Australia. In support of this exciting match http://www.lovethatwine.co.uk/ recommends Chapel Down Flint Dry a fresh clean, aromatic English white by winemaker of the year, Owen Elias. Available for £7 from Waitrose. Or for those who won’t be supporting the home team, try Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2004, from the South Australian region, available at supermarkets and wine retailers priced between £10 and £15.

Following the England match the host team France, play the tournament’s favourites New Zealand. For this tie http://www.lovethatwine.co.uk/ suggests a 2005 Caves Saint-Pierre Preference Vacqueyras from the Rhone region of France, available from Thresher at the £7-£10 price bracket or a New Zealand Jackson Estate Sauvignon Blanc with the refreshing taste of ripe fresh fruit and a real zing in the mouth. This is available from major supermarkets for under £10.

Authenticity will cut through the green haze

The good ship ‘Green’ has well and truly sailed, leaving behind it a dockside full of cynical consumers tossing their carbon calculators into the sea. And they are not weeping. They are scratching their heads wondering what to believe and quite probably wondering just how much carbon they have emitted with the last breath that they have taken.

Whatever the tabloids would have us believe we do live in a society where people genuinely care about the environment and the impact that they have on it. This feeling manifests itself acutely in the products and the services they purchase and consume.

It is not a new concept for consumers or for business. Managing and improving a businesses’ impact on the economy, the environment and society as a whole is the crux of CSR. Where business must now crucially succeed is with actions which are truly authentic.

It is a challenge for big business, used to throwing cash at projects – will planting a forest in India really offset the carbon emissions produced by a multi-national? Not when it is predicted that 50% of India’s arable farming land will be lost to forestation and bio-fuels within 50 years as a result. Is it a turn-on or a turn-off when the cash machine advises me not to print off the 10cm by 30cm advice slip ‘to do my bit’ for the environment?

Certainly what has been required of a business up until now has been merely to ensure that it is doing something, anything pro-environment. In real terms this creates enough spin for media relations but not true CSR. Simply doing what is required is no longer enough - business needs to go one step further to create real change.

Why is it so hard to create authentic environmental CSR campaigns? History and progress tells us why. The wheels of manufacture and production have driven us to produce mass-market goods at the lowest possible price. Since the industrial revolution development has been driven forward without considering (or even ignoring) the affect on the environment. Now we know better, a non-environmentally conscious business will no longer be tolerated by stakeholders or the public.

The public are proving that there is genuine consumer demand. We are buying more organic food than ever before and are willing to pay more for it. Transparency in farming has become so common-place that it is no longer considered CSR but is the integral core of the business. The company’s methodology in the treatment of its livestock becomes one of its most important USPs. A reputation based on a positive relationship with the world in which the business lives – not just profitability.

It is a noble concept and ever so slightly smug if you are in any of the hundreds of over-priced urban farmer’s markets. But how can a business that produces on a mass scale at low prices make an authentic ethical change and still be economically viable? It is a challenge but a necessary challenge and as the global market broadens even further with a greater role played by China it is an opportunity to create differentiation and stand-out for British business. Authentic CSR will embrace the global aspects and be transparent.

Right now ‘good value’ is perceived as a cost saving on a standard quality item. The public will come to reappraise the notion of ‘value’ as they become more sophisticated. The more knowledgeable the public becomes the more they will question this notion of ‘value’ at what cost to others. The global market place has created a global social conscience which is wise to the origins and practices of business.

On the other side of the fence there are some businesses that if you cut them open, inside would be green through and through. By contrast to the mainstream the ground on which ethical companies must make their stand is purely on the benefits and quality of their products. Their relationship with their environment is at the very core of the brand. Established ethical companies have benefited from a society eager to embrace them. Where they must now succeed is in keeping them as the mainstream infiltrates their market share.

One thing is true, that in spite of the hype (the US movie, the concert at Wembley, TV news live from a melting glacier and so on) the general consciousness has changed and it can not now go back to ignorance. Rather than a ‘green’ backlash authentic CSR will drive a coming together of mainstream and ethical markets.

If the boardroom expects an environmental policy then consumers expect real, tangible change. As consumer knowledge increases, the point of differentiation will be based on the authenticity of that company’s environmental policy. When it comes to the complexity of consumer choice those brands with solid, thought-out, tried and tested reputations for positive environmental impact will be chosen over their tissue-thin, fluffy-policied, gas guzzling competitors. And why not?

PR WEEK 21st September