Pinterest is a social network that has been creating a lot of interest online in recent months, but what exactly is it and how does it differ from old favourites Facebook and Twitter? Take a look at our handy need-to-know guide below, and then look up Launch Group’s very own Pinterest page!

What is it?

Pinterest is a new social network that allows users to ‘pin’ the things they love from around the web into one place. These ‘pins’ are organised into ‘boards.’ Try to think of Pinterest as a great big interactive scrapbook where you can show off everything you’re interested in, and follow, as well as comment, on others with similar interests. Anytime you pin something, you are given the option to share it across your Twitter or Facebook pages.

Re-pinning, following and likes

‘Re-pinning’ works much in the same way as ‘re-tweeting.’ If someone has posted something you like too, re-pinning it will add it to one of your own boards. You also have the option of following other people – either every single one of their boards, or one in particular. Those that you follow will appear on your Pinterest dashboard when you log-in. ‘Liking’ a pin tells the person who pinned it exactly that – you like it! It does not automatically add the pin to any of your boards.

How does it work?

First of all, you need to download the ‘Pin It’ button from the website and add it to your browser. That done, it’s incredibly easy to use. When you’re browsing the web and come across an image or a video you like, hit the ‘Pin It’ button. This brings up a window with all of the available ‘pin-able’ content. Select the image or video you want, choose which of your boards you want it added to, add a short description and BOOM! You have successfully pinned an item. When others click your pin, they will be directed back to its original source, which is great news for brands who have had pins taken from a product page and will benefit from the back-link.

What are the demographics?

According to Mashable, 42 per cent of users are aged between 25 and 34, and of those 56 per cent are male (versus 44 per cent female).

Why are people using it?

Pinterest is a slightly different kettle of fish from your Facebook and your Twitter – primarily because the emphasis is on being inspired. People flock to Pinterest for ideas on what to have for dinner, how to re-model their bathroom and what they should wear to a friend’s wedding. In this way the site gives its users vicarious pleasure in taking a look at what other people – all over the world – like. Visitors are also already in a ‘buy hungry’ state of mind by the time they arrive at Pinterest, which offers a not insignificant opportunity for brands.

How could brands use it?

Showcase ‘exclusive’ never-before-seen content
Let followers get involved in curating brand content by selecting the function that allows others to add to your boards
Request images or video of followers with a particular product in return for rewards
Run image and video competitions
Run focus groups and use the comments functionality to collect feedback
Promote new products and campaigns in a visually interesting way
Upload a selection of coverage
Inspire a brand lifestyle by going beyond simple product-pushing. We really like the Whole Foods Market Pinterest page, which inspires not just on the culinary front, but across exercise, well-being and environmental too

I’ve been to Tesco loads of times. Seriously. I’m not bragging, but I mean loads and loads of times. In fact, I’ve been so many times I know that if you were to live your life sequentially, rather than chronologically, then the time spent in Tesco would take up a 64 day stretch. That’s bonkers really. 64 days. Two summer months and two days. 9 weeks and a day. 92,160 minutes.

But I’d never been with Launch Group. Not for one second.

I am new at Launch Group, coming to the end of my third official week. It’s been great: really cool. What I have particularly responded to, and talked about at home and on the phone to my mother, is the immediate sense of cohesion. I never felt like the ‘work experience’ kid, I never felt like the ‘tea-mule’, rather a legitimate member of Launch Group. Sure, the most inexperienced member, but a member none-the-less.

This sentiment is no better explained than on my second day. I was at home, talking about how much I was enjoying Launch and eating a Solero, when I receive a text asking whether I would like to attend a photo-call in the morning at a nearby Tesco to launch the Together for Trees initiative. I didn’t expect that. It wasn’t necessary to extend a professional olive branch. I was grateful enough, as I should have been, to be on work experience with Launch Group, let alone be allowed to attend official business with our CEO Johnny and an important client. But then again, I have been in Tesco loads, so maybe they have spotted my retail nous. ‘I’d love to’. ‘Great news David, see you at 8am’.

It’s 8am. I enter, what is a very large Tesco near Earl’s Court, and bashfully ask whether a PR event is being hosted. The gentleman didn’t know, but pointed me to an aisle that had been turned in to a “rope bridge or a jungle or something”. I’ll give that a try. I walk down the central reservation, no real jungle in sight, but there is a group of people at the very far end. As I get closer and closer, what unravels is both surprising and charming. The aisle isn’t an aisle any more, it is closer to an installation: lined with looming plants, and a wooden bridge on the floor held together by rope. Two colleagues are being directed by the photographer. I stand, reticent. Not only do I not know how to help, but I don’t know what I could even do to enhance what is an impressive display of PR imagination and implementation. In the meantime, Kevin is still being told to hold the hose higher above Harri’s umbrella while she peers out looking delicately affected by the fake rainfall.

I turn around and am suddenly shaking hands with Ed Stafford. I know of Ed Stafford. It was a real pleasure to meet him, and he put me at an ease I didn’t realise I needed. He gets called to position by the photographer. “Here?”. “Yeah that’s great”. Immediately, and with consummate ease for an explorer not a model, he looks like he is back walking the Amazon. Except for the trolley of food. Although I wouldn’t put it past him to walk the Amazon again with a trolley full of food, that’s for sure.

The photographer is done. I look to my colleagues. “Right, back to the office’. That’s it. This magnum PR event finished. Except of course it isn’t finished. It is just the spark that starts the day’s work.

It’s not all swank dos and drinks receptions in the glamorous world of PR…but then again, sometimes it is! This week Launch were lucky enough to join First News at The Park Plaza to celebrate Henry Winkler’s newly awarded OBE. Henry Winkler (AKA ‘The Fonz!’) was given his OBE in September in recognition of his work with schools across the UK as he helps children to better understand dyslexia.

Having being diagnosed with dyslexia as an adult, Henry has undertaken numerous tours over the past few years to talk to children about the learning disability. He has also written books for children featuring the fictional character Hank Zipzer, a boy with dyslexia whose stories mirror Henry’s real life experiences. Having grown up in a time when he was simply labelled as stupid or incapable, Henry knows all too well the struggles that face sufferers of the condition, and consequently speaks about the cause with genuine passion, care and intelligence. By the time he leaves a school all of the kids want to be dyslexic!

The party was the perfect opportunity to celebrate his achievement and the continuing success of First News, who delivered a brilliant speech on brand responsibility before Henry was given the chance to show off his new medal. With entertainment provided by Dynamo, Bradford’s hardest working magician, everyone left with a smile on their face.

A thoroughly enjoyable evening for a genuinely lovely bloke!

Happy days.

(budum chh)

So last Thursday was the day that the Launch team headed across the Channel to Paris for some well deserved fun and to kick off our 10^th birthday celebrations. Standard stag night rules of course apply in terms of ‘what happens in Paris stays in Paris’, but hopefully this should give some insight into what turned out to be an amazing day.

Setting off bright and early from St Pancras station after a delicious breakfast of croissants and caffeine, the anticipation in the departures lounge was palpable. Pictures were already being snapped and quiz sheets filled out. Highlight of the morning was trying to guess which of the listed 33 previously unknown facts related to each Launcher. Did you know that amongst our happy bunch we have a Launcher who once swallowed a yellow paintball mistaking it for bubblegum? A trained pharmacy assistant? A child model for Woolworths? Someone who is afraid of Pinocchio (sorry Disney)? And a Launcher who performed and danced in the finals of a national school musicals competition winning an award for best choreography which was done by their mum? Probably shouldn’t mention it was Dan who appeared in this critically acclaimed musical Children of the Night…

So as you can probably imagine there was much excitement while trying to work out the shady secrets of the people we spend most of our waking lives with. Upon arrival en France we headed to Jardin du Luxembourg for the most amazing picnic I’ve ever seen. Much saucisson, camembert, delicious bread and vin rouge was consumed before we set off around Paris with a list of challenges and tasks. We tend to get a bit competitive in these situations and this occasion was no different.

Tacky souvenirs were bought, landmarks visited and ‘French-looking’ people were photographed. Luckily we made it back to Gard du Nord just in time for our train back to London where the fun continued and needless to say we were all feeling rather ‘merry’.

It was a fantastic day and a great way to kick off our birthday celebrations. A huge thanks to Johnny for taking us, and to Katie and Stuart for planning an amazing day and looking after a group that was about as easy to manage as a bag of snakes.

I’m not sure the buffet carriage on the Eurostar had ever seen quite so much chaos and I’m glad I managed to get through this blog without mentioning the incident involving a bicycle, the police and a smashed taxi driver’s headlight…well nearly.

Howdy, I’m Lucy and I got the privilege to do a week’s work experience at the fabulous Launch Group HQ.

I have had a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting week working with all the delightful people at Launch. They were all so friendly and within the first day I felt like I had been there for a while!

This was the first time I had worked within PR and I have to say I loved it, from helping with day to day admin tasks, to brainstorms and meetings! My glimpse of living the London life couldn’t have been any better; eating out everyday, going out for lunch with the Launch lot (especially going out with the corporate team to Wahaca where we had the most delicious Mexican food), and also being shown the interesting sites of Soho, even the ‘adult street’! I got to see the Olympic Ceremony of “one year to go” at Trafalgar Square with the likes of The Feeling performing and even standing next to one of The Feeling’s mum in the crowd!

My week at Launch consisted of working in every aspect of PR and it gave me a real insight into PR. I have had a brilliant week working within Launch Group and the people I worked with were amazing. I would like to thank them all for an enjoyable and fun week of work despite having been on holiday for a whole month already they made it easier getting me back into the working mood!

The New Year got off to a flying start for the Virgin Holidays team at Launch Group as we attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Burlesque Dance, in celebration of Virgin Holidays’ famous January sale.

A burlesque troupe made up of brave Virgin Holidays staff and burlesque enthusiasts dressed only in sexy burlesque attire, braved the freezing January temperatures to perform a five minute routine in front of the National Portrait Gallery in London’s Trafalgar Square.

The event certainly helped to put a smile on the faces of bargain-hunting shoppers and bemused tourists alike, as well as the waiting photographers, who included PA, The Sun, Daily Mail, The Telegraph, Getty, Sky News, Rex, AFP, AP, United by Photography and LNP – none of whom complained!

To date the campaign has generated over 90 pieces of coverage, which includes 4 national pieces in The Sun, Daily Mirror, News of the World and The Financial Times, as well as London Evening Standard and OK!, and online news sites including The Telegraph and Metro.

The total audience reached is in excess of 107,921,885 people, with the AVE currently standing at £81,118 – and the coverage just keeps on rolling!

I read today in The Times that today is the day when two out of three women who started a New Year diet give it up. I must confess that my New Year diet lasted officially 8 hours and 45 minutes. It covered a period of time between waking up on New Year’s Day and discovering a half eaten box of chocolates I had hidden in a kitchen drawer several months ago when I was starting my previous diet. I find this failure rate rather saddening.

I think everyone, in one way or another, sets themselves some sort of New Year’s resolution, and this got me thinking about to what extent we manage to actually achieve those goals. Experts advise that there are key ways to achieve them. Top tips include writing down your goals on paper, being realistic about those goals and most importantly making sure that you reward yourself at key milestones along the way to achieving them.

Here at Launch we are all encouraged to set goals – not only as part of the company, but also personal targets. Launch provides us all with an annual ‘wellbeing budget’ that encourages us to do something that will benefit ourselves – such as joining a gym or taking up yoga classes. Two brave Launchers have signed up to take part in a marathon this year, and another will be doing a sky dive!

Remembering to be realistic and to reward myself, I have resolved to write down the contact details of my nearest gym, buy a yoga mat and reward myself with the last few Christmas chocolates.

Here at Launch Group we realise that December is typically a gluttonous month focused around consuming vast quantities of food and drink! So, in order to ‘do our bit’ and give back to charity we decided to host a Charity Coffee Morning this week to raise money for The Royal British Legion, one of the most prominent and newsworthy charities and also a client of ours.

In order to get as many people involved as possible, we asked all Launchers to get their baking hats on and create something delicious that would sell in the masses. And we weren’t disappointed….Amongst our baked beauties we had a delicious and handmade coffee cake, decadent (and giant) chocolate brownies, crammed with dark chocolate pieces, and a variety of cookies and cupcakes decorated beautifully with glitter.

As with all sweet treats, the baked goods went down very well with the team, and everyone was very generous. Launch Group managed to raise a very respectable £51.00 for the charity. Eating all those cakes seems all the more acceptable now…

Launch Group has worked on integrated pr campaigns with family favourites Butlins  for over seven years, with our greatest hits including the hugely successful Ocean Hotel Launch  and Sushi Menu. 

Butlins of course needs to stay front of mind with the nation’s mums as the holiday choice for families.  So this summer we’ve let mums and dads in on the secret of how to build the perfect sandcastle – because there’s little that tots and toddlers appreciate more! Sand Guru Mark Anderson was enlisted to reveal 5 secret tips and star in a ‘How To’ video for parents. At the same time, Sandcastle ‘Masterclasses’ were held on Butlins Resorts.

Results included 87 pieces of coverage including top blog Easier Travel, GMTV and the Daily Mirror. Not to forget a screening on Butlins TV.

Other current videos we’ve made for Butlins as part of integrated PR campaigns are the fantastic ‘flash mob’ Street Dance and the humorous Toddler Art Prize ‘talking tots’, helping Butlins find the nation’s mini-Mondrians and weeny-Warhols for the first time.

Well, we are all back in one piece and life has returned to normal at Launch HQ following the excitement of this year’s end of year conference. From ‘Bus Bingo’ to traipsing across the countryside behind dark glasses (!) we all had a great time.

The team showed their usual Launch spirit, singing and dancing until the early hours – with even the bar manager commenting that he didn’t think the Cotswolds have ever seen such a party!

As well as having a good time, it was a great opportunity to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the coming months. We heard from Andy (Director of Integration) and Rich (Head of Digital Strategy & Creative) about their new piece of thought leadership, ‘Optimised PR’ – more on this soon I am sure. We also unveiled our new look benefits package, with highlights including days off for charity work, sabbaticals and a new personal wellbeing budget for all Launchers to help them get the work/life balance just right.