Blown Away to Stornoway....

Jane Watson, Events Director explains how and why she ended up in Stornoway for 3 days in March….

Following the hugely successful British Ports Association (BPA) conference in October 2014 on behalf of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority, Morrows were approached in January this year by the Stornoway Port Authority (SPA) who are hosting the 2015 BPA Conference to assist them with event logistics, planning and delivery.  Ports are the lifeblood of the towns and communities in which they are located – importing and exporting supplies & freight, employing local people in operations and transferring ferry and Cruise passengers visiting the area.  This is true right across the UK (and Ireland) – from the southern shores of Dover who host 2016 to the Outer Hebrides where Jane found herself.

“Contemplating my trip to Stornoway focussed mainly on BBC News’ weathergirl Carol for the few days before, who often highlights the Islands in the daily forecast – and as suspected snow and rain was in the picture. (Nothing we’re not used to, no sweat I’ll pack my wellies just in case).  The journey from Belfast was pretty good, after a short de-icer delay in Belfast within 4 hours of leaving the office, including a short stop in Inverness departure lounge (where I mistakenly picked up a bag of Haggis & Cracked Black Pepper crisps and burnt the bake of myself!) courtesy of Flybe and Loganair, I was there. 

 

Flying over the snow-capped ‘Harris Hills’ (separating Harris and Lewis – 2 ‘Isles’ with 2 kings, but no water in between) it was like a winter wonderland but stepping out of the plane reminded me of the last scene in the Bond film – Skyfall – miles and miles of low lying, rustic brown moorland and I even saw two Stags on the roadside (apparently they only come out in the rain, but my host Magda hadn’t seen them very often – really?). 

Magda Choluj is Marketing Manager with SPA, originally from Poland but has lived almost everywhere (she has a motorhome with her Tasmanian partner Bo), but settled in Stornoway for over a year.  Magda had a jam-packed recce planned for us in the space of 48 hours….

The Conference venue is An Lanntair an arts centre and creative gallery space which is fully funded through their commercial activities and grant applications – they have excellent facilities for the BPA conference, and overlooks the Harbour. 

The Cala Hotel group operate three properties on the island - The Royal, The Cabarfeidh and the Caladh Inn and we have already booked out most of the bedrooms on the island for BPA. The Royal Hotel overlooking the marina was my abode for 2 nights – a traditional style hotel which is well equipped with a big telly, plug beside the bed, and wifi on every floor – the breakfast was good too with personal and attentive hotel staff wherever you went. 

During the BPA conference, day trips are planned for guests joining the BPA members – this is really the best way to explore the island which can be done from 1 end to the other in about 4 hours. We’ve planned a trip to a Harris Tweed factory, Whisky & Gin distillery (set up by Village residents), Standing Stones, Black Houses, Beaches, Ancient Churches, Craft Workshops and breath-taking viewpoints. There really is a lot to offer the discerning tourist, cyclist or hiker in Harris & Lewis and you’ll be made to feel very welcome. It’s customary to wave to passing drivers letting you through the single track roads and bridges – Just like you do if you’re from ‘the country’. 

Perhaps the most special part of my visit was squeezed in at the end – after meeting with the Local Council or “Comhairle” – we managed to sneek a peek at the newly restored Lews Castle and Museum Centre which is due to open in July.  Sitting high above the Harbour, the Castle had many former lives including a hospital, school and home to Lord & Lady Mathieson before lying derelict for many years. Approximately 18 months ago Heritage Lottery, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Council funding was agreed and our very own Graham Construction were shipped in (no pun intended!) to restore and rejuvenate the Castle to its former glory.  BPA Delegates will have the opportunity to enjoy traditional Gaelic entertainment at the finale dinner in beautiful surroundings. 

On the way home, my case was over the 20kg limit, but the check-in clerk didn’t seem to mind (it was the wellies and the extra hotel toiletries that ‘fell into my case’!) The hangar style airport and 40 seater propeller jet planes from Stornoway reminded me of the ‘way it used to be’ in Belfast City – who else remembers dropping your bags at the foot of the steps?  I was even offered a free cuppa and a biscuit from Flybe – a free lunch does exist after all. 

SPA are also celebrating their 150 year anniversary in 2015 and hosting the BPA Conference is quite a big deal, so much so that delegates will receive a bespoke gift made from their Anniversary Harris Tweed.   SPA and Stornoway itself are very proud to be hosting the BPA conference and along with other anniversary events this year, it’s set to be the ‘talk of the town’ for years to come.  Our job is to make sure it’s as easy as possible for over 100 BPA members and exhibitors to come to Stornoway, they have a great time and ensure the budget is break-even. 

So with the draft programme in place and everyone on the island lined up, the rest is over to us! Best get cracking…..”

    

 

   

 

 

Morrows Voted Best in Class in UK

It's always great to have your hard work rewarded and recognised, especially when it comes from your peers. Morrows was recognised as Best Agency Conference Organiser in the UK at the inaugural Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO) Excellence Awards held in London last week. The award capped a great week for the company as we were also highly commended in the Marketing Agency of the Year category in the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Ireland Marketing Excellence Awards 2014.

In London's landmark OXO Building, we were voted the best agency PCO by our industry peers for the design, delivery and marketing of the International Business Women’s Conference (IBWC) 2014 hosted by our client Women in Business NI in Belfast in May.

A particular emphasis of the ABPCO awards was the broadening of the PCO’s role to include the promotion and wider communication around such events and IBWC2014 was the perfect platform to showcase all of our skills to deliver a very successful conference for Women in Business NI.

Anyone involved in the industry will appreciate the huge amount of work and effort that goes into a conference of the scale and ambition of IBWC 2014. The fact that this recognition was awarded following a vote from industry peers makes it all the more rewarding and is further evidence that we in Northern Ireland can compete with the best.

 We received a number of ringing endorsements too from our client as well as Visit Belfast. Safe to say we couldn't be more pleased !

 Roseann Kelly, CEO of Women in Business Northern Ireland said;

“IBWC 2014 was a first for Northern Ireland, a first for Women in Business NI and a first for Morrow Communications. High levels of energy , passion and vision were required and Morrows shared this journey with us. Morrows input was a key element to the great success of IBWC and their success at the Association of British Professional Conference Organisers Excellence Awards is no surprise and very well deserved.”

 Rachael McGuickin, Director of Business Tourism, Visit Belfast, which supported the IBWC2014 conference commented;  

“Belfast is now competing with the best cities in the world to host major international conferences and events. To be successful in this market, it’s not only about first class event delivery, it’s also about coming up with innovative solutions and that’s exactly what Morrow Communications delivered for the IBWC14 in Belfast. I am thrilled that the vision, dedication and hard work of the Morrow Communications team has been recognised at the highest level in the UK. To have secured the endorsement of APBCO is an important achievement and Visit Belfast looks forward to working with Jane and her team to build on this latest success as we continue to strengthen Belfast reputation as a world-class conference destination.”

7 Things We Learned at the Digital DNA Conference

Titanic Belfast, where the Digital DNA Business Conference took place

Lots of entrepreneurs and social media lovers gathered at the Digital DNA Business Conference 6 Nov 2014 at Titanic Belfast. The conference featured speakers from global companies like Twitter and Google, but also included speakers from local businesses. In case you couldn’t make it to Digital DNA, here are seven digital tips we picked up at the conference.

1. So your brand doesn’t tweet? That doesn’t mean you’re not on Twitter.
Dennis Bree, Twitter’s UKI Sales Manager, said there is no way to stay away from the social media conversation. All brands are being talked about online, whether or not a brand has a Twitter or Facebook account. For instance, Dennis noted that 31% of Twitter users tweet about recent purchases. It’s best for brands to embrace social media and use it to their advantage.

2. If you’re confused about Google AdWords, call an expert.
The world of Google AdWords can be intimidating for a lot of marketers, including CDE Global Head of Marketing Peter Craven. He said he finds Google AdWords terrifying. If you’re confused about how to use AdWords or social media, contact an expert to help you make the most of your digital efforts. And of course, with our AdWords qualified consultant here at Morrows we’re happy to help!

3. Good social is planned but great social is agile.

There are fantastic tools to plan, schedule and manage your social media presence and a strategic approach to the social web is essential to reap the benefits. However, the best content is often those spur of the moment pics, videos or tweets that riff on something which has just happened on TV. 60% of Twitter users tweet while watching TV and this presents a great opportunity for brands to engage with those audiences.

4. It’s impossible to predict the future.
Shane Nolan, Google’s Director UK & Ireland SME, said brands shouldn’t try to predict the future because it’s impossible to know what gadget, platform or trend is going to be the next big thing. Instead of trying to guess what will be popular in the future, Shane said brands should look at trends within their customer base to better understand their customers.

5. “If you’re going to fail, fail fast.”
Shane from Google also said it’s important for companies to try new things and take risks. Employees at Google are encouraged to try new ideas, even if the plan doesn’t work out. If you try something new and it fails, get over it quickly and move on to the next idea.

6. Design your website for humans.
With the ever changing world of web design and search engine algorithms, knowing the best course of action when designing your website can be difficult. Peter from CDE Global talked about how he now believes in the simple principle of designing a website for humans. He said his website is the best lead generator for the company, so it’s crucial to make sure it is user-friendly. He no longer puts all of his emphasis on search engine optimisation.

7. Buy your sand from a quarry, not a store.
For the most random tip of the day, Peter from CDE Global shared a secret he learned from his business dealing with quarry equipment: buying sand from a quarry is cheaper than going to a big box retailer! Not a digital tip, but still a useful one.

One major learning from Digital DNA was how vast the area of digital marketing is and how important it has become in business. If you’re thinking of dipping your toe into the world of digital marketing, give us a call and our qualified and experienced consultants will be happy to talk through the options and a properly integrated approach.

What did you think of Digital DNA and who was your favourite speaker? Tweet us @morrowcomms or leave a comment below.

Profits of Boom

In some circles and for some strange reason, 'profit' is seen as a dirty word. Under the expert guidance of broadcast veteran, Jim Fitzpatrick, a new business programme for Northern Ireland called ‘The Profit Margin’ will seek to decontaminate the word and instead celebrate the pursuit of profit as the means of rebalancing the NI economy.

‘The Profit Margin’, which is made possible by sponsorship from our longstanding client First Trust Bank and the University of Ulster Business School, is a 20 minute audio programme that focuses on issues relevant to the business community in Northern Ireland. It will target anyone with an interest in local business matters whether at home or abroad. Listeners will be able to access the show on a weekly basis directly via iTunes podcast, Twitter, Facebook and email subscription starting on Friday 17th October.

Listeners can expect analysis and insight about a range of issues relevant to the local business community, as well as a more in-depth look at the business news making the headlines each week. The programme will feature analysis around key business issues from a team of experts as well a regular ‘Business of the Week’ slot.

Local start-ups and entrepreneurs should also polish up their 'Elevator Pitch' as a regular slot on the show will carry the best 30sec pitch received that week.

The programme is unashamedly 'pro business' and in the absence of regular business broadcast which offers in-depth business coverage, insight and analysis of the NI market, it is very welcome indeed.

At a time when we need to encourage more local entrepreneurs and support more businesses to grow and develop here, this show promises to be a fantastic platform to champion business issues. We will be listening every week and recommend you do to.

‘The Profit Margin’ will be available from the website www.theprofitmargin.co.uk starting on Friday 17 October. It can also be downloaded directly as a podcast from iTunes as well as through the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Profit-Margin/274265196116309 and twitter account @TheProfitMargin

Starting up, up and away

In our business we’re lucky to work with some of Northern Ireland’s largest employers and top 100 companies, Moy Park, Asda and Dale Farm to drop a few names. We’re also lucky to be in a position to work with some of the most exciting, innovative young businesses emerging on the local start-up scene.  Invest Northern Ireland’s Propel, now calling for 2014/15 applications, is an annual programme aimed at fast tracking high growth potential, export focussed start-ups. In the past three years, we’ve helped tell the story of some of the participating entrepreneurs or ‘Propellers’ as they’re affectionately known.. from Lucy Annabella Organics, an organic beauty range developed by Colleen Harte of County Tyrone, now available in the UK, Ireland and Europe, to Plotbox, Leona McAllister’s online tool aimed at revolutionalising the way we research our family history.

The current Propel participants include, among others, Keen, a natural nut butter business based in Bangor that we're all nutty about; Indigo Ivy, a fashion label from Doagh that's putting tweed on trend; Islander Kelp, a fresh kelp producer off the coast of beautiful Rathlin Island; a luxury handmade wooden homeware business Harch Wood Couture and Little Deli, an app that hopes to make queuing for lunch a thing of the past (we're all for that!)

With such diverse talent in the mix, we’re excited to see what innovative new business ideas make it through to Propel 2014/15. And with big futures ahead, we’ll always be proud to say ‘we knew them when they were starting out!’

If you believe your business idea has what it takes to go global, check out www.investni.com/propel

Orlagh McVeigh of Harch Wood Couture, current participant on Invest NI's Propel Programme, with Invest NI's Niall Casey

Outstanding in our Fields ?

As always...but in this case we mean in the more literal sense as we face another busy week in Morrows World.

We will be taking to the fields across Northern Ireland - as we help deliver the third Bank of Ireland  Open Farm Weekend on behalf of the Ulster Farmer's Union to be held across the province between 14th/15th June. During the weekend 21 working farms will open their doors to the public to showcase our rich agricultural heritage and to highlight the quality food provenance we enjoy. Our team has not only been busy helping the farms get ready for the crowds, but  and we have also been  spreading the word to get as many people through the gates as possible over the weekend. This most recently involved taking Aoife the Irish Moilie Cow to Belfast city centre to give city folk a taste of life on the farm.  

Meanwhile as football fever kicks off in Brazil, our 'Brazilliant' World Cup Squad will also be on the field of play helping World Cup Sponsors Moy Park celebrate in true Samba style as they host World Cup parties in Belfast and London (Wembley) to coincide with some of the big matches involving the host nation and England.

As well as samba bands, authentic Brazilian food and drink we will also be joined by soccer legends Sir Geoff Hurst and David Seaman to give their insight into the live games and to take questions from the audience.

As you can see our team are already getting into the FIFA World Cup 2014 theme and are 'feeling the rhythm !'



 

Does Your Work Do the Talking ? Communication Consultants Wanted !

As one of Ireland’s largest integrated communication consultancies, at Morrow Communications we let our client work do the talking. We are currently on the lookout for some new talent to join the conversation.

Ideally, the successful candidates should have a relevant third level qualification in Public Relations, Communications or other Marketing discipline and will have three to five years top end PR/communications experience working with clients across the public and private sectors.

You should have excellent influencing and relationship management skills with the confidence and ability to competently engage with senior stakeholders internally and externally. You will be expected to demonstrate a consistent record of strategic thinking, management and results and to convince us of your instinctive flair and creativity.  You will also be able to demonstrate your skills and experience in identifying and shaping new business connections.

We are particularly interested in people with direct PR consultancy/agency experience, but will also welcome interest from those who believe they can excel in this type of challenging environment.

The Morrow Communications Ethos
We are first and foremost strategic thinkers who understand the importance and power of professional communications within our varied clients’ worlds. With a wide range of communication tools at our disposal, it’s our job to think ahead of our clients’ immediate needs to plan communication programmes with real impact.

Through our core specialisms of PR, Event Management, AV Production, Design and Digital Communications, we service an impressive client list that spans the private and public sectors throughout the island of Ireland and the UK.  Our commitment to excellence has been confirmed by being recognised as CIPR ‘Consultancy Team of the Year’ on three separate occasions in recent years.

To Apply follow the link to NIJobs and upload your CV. To illustrate your creativity, in 200 words or less, also explain why you deserve to be on our ‘must see’ list.

Closing date: Friday 20th June 2014. 

Bikes, business, welly boots...

What a week we have ahead.

One of the world’s biggest sporting events is turning Northern Ireland pink with cycle fever as we gear up for the Giro d’Italia Big Start. Swiftly followed by the International Business Women’s Conference (IBWC 2014), entrepreneurs from across the globe will gather in the city for this groundbreaking two day event. Meanwhile, our biggest agricultural forum will showcase the local thriving agri-food sector at Balmoral.  These three very different, important events are platforms for us to showcase how diverse, welcoming and vibrant a place Northern Ireland is – for sport, for tourism, for business.

The Morrows team will be dusting off our welly boots and working with our agri-food clients represented at Balmoral Show – Moy Park, Asda, Irwin’s Bakery, Glens of Antrim Potatoes, Dale Farm and Open Farm Weekend. We are also particuarly proud to this year be partnering with Women in Business NI to deliver IBWC 2014. The first event of its kind on the island of Ireland, it will bring a first class lineup of global speakers to Belfast to address hundreds of delegates as part of a programme aimed at unlocking  business potential. Women in Business NI hope its legacy will be felt for years to come, driving business growth through empowering individuals and putting the business case for gender diversity high
on the agenda of the private sector.

IBWC 2014 is about looking outwards and forwards - a vision which embodies where Northern Ireland is and should be today. Hosting world class events like those in the week ahead give out a clear message - we might be small in size, but we’re capable of big things.

The world’s watching, Northern Ireland. Let’s put on our best show…