Blog | Matt Silver

Comms XV: The Ultimate PR Rugby Team

11th August 202011th August 2020 Matt Silver Leave a comment

Comms XV Rugby PR team — Photo by Olga Guryanova on Unsplash

With top flight rugby returning to UK soil, I thought I’d have a little fun with this dusty old blog. Inspired partly by Messrs Payne, Haskell, and Tindall on the old House of Rugby podcast, I’ve pulled together a list of communicators I’d like to put on a pitch together (see what I did there) in the ultimate PR rugby team, the Comms XV.

The squad isn’t filled with people who (have) play(ed) the sport, though some certainly have done. It’s more those that show the characteristics required of the position they’ve been fielded in.

It’s a bit of light-hearted fun and something that kept me amused on a warm summer’s eve, but if you’re a rugby fan in PR and want to pick a Comms XV to go up against mine, or just for your own amusement I’d love to see it.

Will 2020’s “silly season” be disrupted by Coronavirus?

31st July 202031st July 2020 Matt Silver Leave a comment

For all the talk of the ‘new normal’ in 2020, one area that seems to have been overlooked is the media’s so-called ‘silly season’. So far this year, much of the news agenda has been dedicated to fast-paced reporting of serious issues. So are we going to see the traditional late summer silliness in our favourite publications? Or will current affairs dictate a more serious tone?

A cursory look at Wikipedia will tell you that the first written account of the term ‘silly season’ came in 1861. It remains in popular use today. Although in some other places, it is apparently better known as cucumber time ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Leadership In Crisis: PRs Can Learn From Politicians

27th April 202024th April 2020 Matt Silver Leave a comment

Crisis communications and political speeches_Matt Silver PR

If we think of well-known crises and the key communications activity that took place within them, we often think of politics and political leaders. As we continue to experience the worst global crisis in modern times with the Coronavirus pandemic, it’s worth exploring what good communication in a crisis looks like, and what, if anything, we can learn from history.

Is Trust In Our Institutions Declining?

14th February 202021st April 2020 Matt Silver Leave a comment

In recent times, every new year seems to have begun with the declaration that our trust in institutions is changing, and for the most part we hear it has been on the decline. But in 2020, fresh questions have been asked about the research driving those conversations. It might be the only public relations IP known beyond our industry bubble, but should it be considered anything more than a clever lead-gen asset?

3 Top Tips For Purpose Communications

20th January 202021st April 2020 Matt Silver Leave a comment

Purpose communications WEF Davos_Matt Silver PR

Over the next couple of weeks, conversations among global elites will be dominated by Davos, with the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in the Swiss Alps taking place from the 21st– 24th of January. Over the course of the event, some of the world’s largest and most well-known companies will shed new light on their “purpose” and corporate citizenship initiatives.