Month: September 2019

Riot Communications
Senior Campaigns Manager – permanent, based in London
Salary – £ Competitive 

Are you passionate about culture and entertainment? Have you got a track record in comms? Riot Communications is hiring. 

We are looking for an experienced communications professional to be our next Senior Campaigns Manager.  You will be responsible for creating and implementing PR campaigns of exceptional quality that are in line with our agency ethos: intelligent, passionate, collaborative, and disruptive. You will work with some of the best creatives in the world – writers, artists, actors and visionaries. In turn, you will be part of a team of highly skilled colleagues, in a supportive environment with emphasis on your personal training and career development. As part of a small, growing company, you will be exposed to a 360-degree view of what it takes to build a successful agency.

About the role:

Essential skills:
Media relations
Talent and client management
Copywriting skills
Project management
Events management
Delegation skills
Negotiation skills
Strategic planning

Key responsibilities: 

• Lead and project manage campaigns independently and as part of a team, delegating as required
• Pitch our clients and their work succinctly and creatively leading to demonstrable high-quality coverage 
• Create bespoke, strategic and creative publicity campaigns for specific projects identifying media angles and media targets 
• Negotiate scopes of work and time management with clients 
• Liaise directly with clients and manage your own clients 
• Liaise directly with and manage talent 
• Organise and attend regular journalist/influencer meetings, building, nurturing and sustaining media and influencer contacts 
• Organise and implement events
• Help to generate and participate in new business activities 
• Manage personal administration

 

About you: 

• Be a proactive self-starter – you’ll be personally motivated and get things done before being asked 
• Be super-organised 
• Have excellent attention to detail 
• Be an exceptional communicator in all mediums – writing clear, creative copy is vital as is a natural social ability on the phone and in person
• Have experience of effectively delegating to junior team members 
• Be curious – you will go out of your way to discover new things, and will be eager to question and to learn 
• Be imaginative and thoughtful – your approach to work will be considered, and you will think about things laterally
• Be able to work independently and as part of a small company that places teamwork at the heart of the agency 
• Have entrepreneurial flair to spot creative and commercial opportunities

Essential Criteria:

• Minimum 4-5 years of solid PR experience either in-house or at an agency
• A passion for culture and entertainment
• Proven media relations skills
• Proven copywriting skills
• Proven client-management skills

 

About Riot Communications:
Riot specialises in culture and entertainment PR because, like our clients, we want to make a positive impact in the world. We are purpose and integrity driven: we passionately believe that both culture and entertainment help promote empathy, creativity, respect for others and joy. We are guided by the four principles of the Riot ethos: intelligence, passion, collaboration and disruption which drives everything we do: from the clients we choose to work with, how we deliver our work and who we hire.

If you want to impact the world in a positive way, and this job description sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you. Please apply in writing to info@riotcommunications.com with a CV and a covering letter explaining why you should be our Senior Campaigns Manager, including your current salary and notice period by 5pm, Friday 11th October 2019. Only candidates invited to interview will receive a reply.

Judges praise Criado Perez for drawing together compelling research to reveal systemic discrimination

On Monday 23^rd September 2019, Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men (Chatto & Windus) by writer, broadcaster and feminist campaigner Caroline Criado Perez, becomes the 32^nd winner of the prestigious Royal Society Science Books Prize, sponsored by Insight Investment.

In Invisible Women, Criado Perez brings together for the first time a range of case studies, stories and new research from around the world that highlights the ways women are ‘forgotten’ on a daily basis. From government policy and medical research to technology, media and workplaces, she exposes to readers the lack of gender-specific data that has unintentionally created a world biased against women.

Criado Perez presents a clear case for policy change by exploring the myriad ways the world is designed for men; from the size of mobile phones to women being more likely to be misdiagnosed following a heart attack. Invisible Women is a rallying cry to close this gap by paying attention to the whole population, not just half, and ensure that our world is constructed for everybody.

Criado Perez becomes the fifth woman to scoop the Prize in as many years, following last year’s winner Sarah-Jayne Blakemore (Inventing Ourselves, 2018), Cordelia Fine (Testosterone Rex, 2017), Andrea Wulf (The Invention of Nature, 2016) and Gaia Vince (Adventures in the Anthropocene, 2015). The panel of judges praised the 35-year-old writer for challenging their worldview and perceptions by revealing the systemic discrimination caused by a data gap.

Chair of this year’s judging panel, Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt FRS, Principal and Professorial Research Fellow in Computer Science at Jesus College, University of Oxford, said: “Invisible Women is a brilliant exposé of how the world is designed around the default male. Caroline Criado Perez writes with energy and style, every page full of facts and data that support her fundamental contention that in a world built for and by men gender data gaps, biases and blind spots are everywhere. As an AI researcher and data scientist, it makes me look at my field afresh. Read it and be prepared to think again.”

Fellow judge and bestselling author Dorothy Koomson added: “Invisible Women shows quite clearly: modern-day life has been built for one particular type of person and if you do not fit that type, the world doesn’t work properly for you. From tech that doesn’t recognise feminine pitched voices to health symptoms that are dismissed and often prove to be fatal; from work situations that are set up to prevent women being promoted to public transport networks that make life harder for the people who use them most, we have a real world problem that needs to be talked about. And changed. This important and vital book is only the beginning of the conversations we need to be having about how to make sure modern life works properly for everyone, no matter who they are. It’s definitely a worthy winner.”

Professor Brian Cox OBE FRS, The Royal Society’s Professor for Public Engagement in Science, hosted the awards ceremony at The Royal Society at which Criado Perez’s book was announced winner. He commented: “We look to science to provide objectivity and curb our human biases. To be reminded then – as Caroline’s book so forcefully does – that our modern society is built upon a foundation of incomplete and often biased data, is cause for real reflection, not just for readers of popular science writing, but for the science community too. This book proves why contemporary science writing is vital and relevant and has an important role to play in challenging us to do better.”

Caroline Criado Perez received a cheque for £25,000 at the ceremony and the five shortlisted authors were each awarded £2,500. Invisible Women is Criado Perez’s second book, following the well-received Do it like a Woman.

Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt FRS was joined on the judging panel by: Dr Shukry James Habib, stem cell specialist and Royal Society University Research Fellow; bestselling author, Dorothy Koomson; actor and science communicator, Stephen McGann and Gwyneth Williams, former Controller of BBC Radio 4 and 4 Extra.

Founded in 1988, the Prize is the only major international award that celebrates popular science writing for a non-specialist audience. Over three decades, it has championed writers such as Stephen Hawking, Jared Diamond, Stephen Jay Gould and Brian Greene and last year’s winner Sarah-Jayne Blakemore.

Clarke has headed the studio’s international rights and marketing department for over a decade

Bristol, UK – Aardman, the multi-award-winning, independent animation studio, has today (Thursday 19^th September) announced the successor to David Sproxton, who is stepping back from the MD role after 43 years at the helm of the organisation.

The role is to be taken up by Sean Clarke, who has been at the company for over 20 years and headed up the International Rights and Marketing department for over a decade.

Famous worldwide for its unique and entertaining productions, Aardman is home to much-loved characters including Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and Morph – as well as being the creative powerhouse behind dynamic and cutting-edge content for advertising partners, digital platforms, games developers and immersive entertainment experiences for a global audience. Co-founded by Peter Lord and David Sproxton in 1976, the company transitioned into Employee Ownership in November 2018 in order to secure its creative and cultural legacy for decades to come.

David Sproxton, co-founder of Aardman, commented: “We were determined to find the best possible candidate for the role, which is critical for securing the studio’s future especially in its Employee Owned incarnation. I am delighted that Sean cut through very strong competition to take my place. He has a deep understanding of the creative culture at Aardman – which will ensure continuity – in addition to a very strong, clear and exciting strategy to take the company forward, so it will certainly not be resting on its laurels. There are wonderful projects on the slate with new creative talent behind them and the future looks very bright. I am more than confident that with Sean leading the Executive Board the company will thrive.”

Sproxton will continue his connection with the studio by sitting on the Trustee Board as well as applying his decades of film-making experience to a number of projects as a consultant.

Peter Lord, co-founder and Creative Director of Aardman, added: “I’m absolutely delighted that Sean Clarke is going to continue his wonderful work at Aardman, following in the footsteps of Dave Sproxton, my long-term partner and co-founder. In a rich world of new opportunities, Sean takes the helm of a dynamic, creatively-led company in a very strong position. Not content to rely on our considerable heritage, we are pioneering a slate of the best in animation entertainment and Sean is the perfect candidate to handle its rich diversity and lead us on to ever-greater things. Most importantly, along with his expertise in the global marketplace, he brings a deep understanding of the legacy and culture of Aardman. Sean will thrive on the challenge and excitement of leading a company, which is not only dedicated to creativity but also Employee Owned by its incredibly motivated workforce.”

Sean Clarke joined Aardman as Head of Consumer Products in 1998, after several years as UK Licensing Director for Disney Consumer Products. In 2008, he became Head of Rights & Brand Development, responsible for global brand development and distribution of Aardman and third-party rights across all platforms: film, TV, DVD & digital, merchandising & licensing, and themed attractions and live events. He was instrumental in developing Aardman’s rights team, which now includes 30 people and works across 170 territories worldwide; the launch of the studio’s YouTube channels, which currently exceed 1.2 billion views annually; and the studio diversifying into new areas of immersive storytelling, including its first Shaun the Sheep Land which opened in Sweden in 2015.

Sean Clarke, Aardman’s new MD, commented: “It’s an honour to be taking on the MD role and a privilege to be leading Aardman in this exciting new era of Employee Ownership. The studio’s strength has always been in its visionary creativity and storytelling expertise which, combined, mean that we are able to adapt to new platforms and changes in the way we consume entertainment whilst delivering consistently inspiring, funny and engaging animation. Ensuring that our independent spirit and our unique blend of innovation and integrity remain at the heart of everything we do – while nurturing and supporting sensational new creatives alongside our existing roster of incredible talent – will be a guiding principle.”

Aardman has a number of new projects about to launch, including its latest film, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, which is distributed by StudioCanal and opening in UK cinemas on Friday 18^th October. The studio’s first major piece of original content for the theme park market, a 4D immersive experience with brand new characters, will open at Efteling: World of Wonders in the Netherlands at the end of November.

 

• New research shows three quarters of British parents feel ‘under pressure’ to make sure their child excels in their schoolwork and exams
• 62% of parents put their children’s work before their own, with 22% admitting that homework puts strain on home life
• Maths requires the most time and attention for most parents and children
• Almost half (47%) of children surveyed admit they want their parents’ help with homework

Yesterday, Collins  announced the results of research into how much time and effort parents invest in their children’s school work. The survey, released as families prepare to go back to school this autumn, revealed that three quarters of British parents feel ‘under pressure’ to make sure their child does well with school work and exams.

A study of 1,000 parents and 1,000 children in school years 1-11 found that over a third of parents said that their youngsters’ success is important to them because they want them to do better at school than they did. The research also found almost one quarter of households feel ‘strained’ due to the demands of homework, with one quarter saying it impacts on their quality family time together.

The final year of primary school was pinpointed as the most pressured time for both parents and children, with the leap to secondary school having an impact on family life.

Over half of respondents said that a child’s homework is regularly the centre of family conversations. 62% of mums and dads also admitted that they put their child’s work before their own work.

Maths required the most time and attention, with 45 per cent of parents admitting they spend the longest time helping their children with this subject. English comes in second place at 27%.

Almost half (47 per cent) of primary school children would like their parent’s help with homework, as would 44 per cent of secondary school students.

Seven in 10 students, both primary (71 per cent) and secondary (73 per cent) agree their parents’ support helps them do better at school and over one third – 35 per cent of primary school children and 37 per cent of secondary – would struggle on their own.

The research was commissioned by Collins, leading publisher of school, homework and revision books. Colin Hughes, Managing Director of Collins said: “We know that parents care deeply about how their children are faring at school, which makes them feel under pressure to ensure their children thrive. It’s important to note, though, that even though homework can create strain at home, most children want their parents’ help. As families prepare for the new school year, we can provide support and encouragement both to parents and school children that will help take off some of the pressure.”

According to 42% of parents, their main concern when it comes to their child’s education, is their confidence being affected if they don’t do well, whilst over two thirds fear their child may not get the grades they want or need.

A further 40% of parents said they worry their child’s grades will affect what people think of their parenting skills and four in five said one of the proudest moments of being a parent is seeing their child ‘thrive’ in education.

Three in 10 parents admitted to comparing their child’s success to others, and believe social media adds to the pressure they feel. Similarly, over one third believe social media only shows the positives, with 26% of mums and dads saying that other parents shouldn’t post updates on their child’s behalf. In the words of one parent: “I feel it’s unnecessary to brag about how well children do at school as it puts pressure on parents and can make them feel inadequate.”

Colin Hughes added, “As well as working closely with schools, we understand how difficult it can be for a parent navigating the education system. Collins offer a wide range of books that help families find answers to questions about homework and revision quickly and easily. We hope to ease some of the pressures parents feel under at key times during their child’s school journey.”