My Time at Morrows- Emma Devlin

When I graduated Queen’s University, armed with a degree in English and French, I hadn’t the slightest idea what I wanted to do. As career goals go, saying “Booker-Prize-by-twenty-five” to a friend when you’re thirteen just doesn’t cut it. Besides, I was 23 and that stellar writing career wasn’t going in quite the direction I’d hoped (read: going nowhere). I knew I wanted something dynamic, something creative, something fulfilling. But what?

Looking for some inspiration, I signed up to the GAP programme, a work experience scheme for graduates, who placed me with Morrow Communications for three months. With no prior experience in Public Relations (“you make people look good, right?”), I knew I was in for a huge learning curve.

Luckily, the staff at Morrow’s are a friendly bunch, and from day one I felt included in the team. With their guidance, I worked on client projects for companies like Moy Park, which gave me a unique opportunity to see the kind of hard work and preparation that goes into every successful PR campaign.  

I made the most of my time at Morrow’s, and I think I’ve learned a lot about the industry. For example, I have a much better idea of the relationship between PR and the media. Before I began at Morrow’s, the only thing I knew about PR professionals was that they sent press releases to journalists. Writing press releases, attending photocalls and contacting newspapers for myself has taught me that there is much more to it than that.

I’ve got plenty of memorable moments to choose from. From going to a pop-up farm to glamming up a pair of rubber gloves for a photo-shoot, no two days were ever the same. But if I had to choose, it would be the first time I saw one of my press releases appear in a local newspaper. While it wasn’t a big story, I took a lot of care to make it as lively and engaging as I could. It was a lot of fun to write – I got to exercise my pun muscle – and seeing it in print was hugely gratifying. 

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the Morrow Communications team. I feel privileged to have been placed with a talented and hardworking group of people who made a complete novice like me feel welcome. This experience has not only given me valuable insight into the PR industry, but also helped to shape my goals for the future.

Emma Devlin

Fool's Gold

It’s that time of the year again when jokey journos and comically-minded communications consultants engage their prank-gland to think up the most attention grabbing April Fool’s stunt – all in the hopes of capturing the eyes and imaginations of the world (and of certain picture editors).

April Fool’s Day stretches back as far as 536BC and, as with any long-standing tradition, the world of marketing and communications are keen to use the event to engage the hearts and minds of the public. The April Fool’s news story has become a very modern tradition and shows no sign of abating.

We’ve all been reading our Sunday papers with a more cynical eye this morning as some headlines will be even more unbelievable than usual. Let us know your favourite promotional April Fool’s story and in the meantime here are a few of Morrows’ favourites from the archives:

In April 2010, BMW combined Westminster election fever with the annual prank day by announcing it was offering posh politicos the chance to customise the iconic BMW logo on their vehicle’s name badge to reflect their political persuasion.

Whether anyone took it seriously or not, it was a timely communications stunt which gained incredible coverage for the German car brand.

In the same year, Virgin Media managed to highlight its ongoing modernisation of Britain’s rural broadband network with this clever bit of animal husbandry.
According to the story these highly-trained ferrets were the secret weapon in laying fibre-optic broadband cables in underground pipes across the UK. We particularly love the “ferret at work” hazard sign.

In 1998 Burger King advertised a new addition to its menu – The Left Handed Whopper. The new product was exactly the same as the existing whopper but with all of the condiments rotated by exactly 180 degrees.Despite admitting the hoax on April 2^nd the fast food chain were still fielding enquiries from meat-loving southpaws for weeks after the USA Today ad appeared. Proof, if it were needed, that press advertising still had power?

In 2010 again – a vintage year for April Fool’s PR – ill-fated high street department store Woolworths announced the first negative calorie confectionary with its Diet Cola bottles. The popular penny sweets had been given a new twist with artificial sweeteners resulting in zero calorie content, meaning the energy required in chewing and digesting them burned more calories than they produced – finally giving sweet-toothed dieters the perfect excuse to hit the pick 'n' mix and hit it hard.



Whatever this year brings, April Fools’ stunts should always come with a warning. PR stunts in general can backfire with overtly commercial attempts gaining poor coverage and big costs for clients – but when they deliberately play with the gullibility of their audience a backlash can all too often result. It’s good to take creative risks...as long as they’re calculated creative risks.

But who wins best April Fool’s "PRank" this year? Virgin Volcanic and their trips to the centre of the earth? YouTube’s DVD delivery service? Who promotionally punk’d you the best?