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Thursday 31 January 2013

Can sports presenters get out of date?

In sport, age and ability is often seen as being closely linked. As an athlete gets older they become slower; they win less and get picked less. In football the impact of age is even more transparent as a player's value in the transfer market will be openly and directly linked with their age and the number of 'playing years' they have left. Age discrimination though is unlawful and legal advice should be sought. Age is one of nine "protected characteristics" covered by the Equality Act 2010. Uniquely though age is the one characteristic that will apply to all employees. The term 'employees' here is used in its widest context in that this covers all types of worker including those working under any personal contracts in sport. Despite this age discrimination is hardly ever mentioned in the world of sport. The legal test In order for a claim of direct age discrimination to succeed the claimant has to show that the less favourable treatment is "because of" age. The appropriate test is to consider the "reason why" the employee was treated less favourably i.e. what was the employer's conscious or subconscious reason for the treatment? In practice a claimant will usually point to another person in a similar position with the same employer – the comparator – who is of a different age group. They will then try to show that they have been treated less favourably than this comparator on grounds of their age. There may also be allegations that a 'provision, criterion or practice' applied by the employer, which is neutral, puts people of a certain age group at a particular disadvantage. This would amount to indirect age discrimination. However when faced with an age discrimination claim, direct or indirect, the employer will have a valid defence if able to show that the treatment or policy is justified. In legal terms, the statutory defence will only be established where it can be shown that the alleged act of discrimination was "a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim". A clear 'pass' for everybody employed in the sports world? Sports presenting Well no, not everybody it seems, as the news in January was that former Channel 4 Racing pundit John McCririck has started legal proceedings alleging age discrimination on the basis that he has been dropped from the show because of his age. He is apparently 72 years of age whilst it is reported the new presenter will be the younger Clare Balding. It is possible that Mr McCririck’s claim may fall at the first hurdle of demonstrating that he is an "employee". Often the services of media stars are engaged through a third party company or in a consultancy capacity, usually for tax reasons, so we will have to watch this space. Further it remains to be seen whether an Employment Tribunal will find that the reason for dropping him was his age. If it does then it will still be an issue whether the decision by the broadcaster was nevertheless justified. Was there a good reason for the treatment in question? Assessing whether potentially discriminatory action can be justified is essentially a balancing exercise. The disadvantage caused to the employee will have to be balanced against the negative impact on the employer. The disadvantage to Mr McCririck would be his loss of income. It may be that the employer is able to show that his retention could lead to falling viewing figures. It could be argued that maintaining an audience is a legitimate aim and not renewing the presenters contract after he had reached the age of 72 was a proportionate means of achieving the aim. However such arguments were rejected in the age discrimination case of O'Reilly v British Broadcasting Corporation which involved Countryfile presenter Miriam O'Reilly. Her claim of age discrimination succeeded after she was dropped from the TV series. In particular an Employment Tribunal did not accept the decision was justified on the grounds younger presenters were required in order to appeal to a younger audience. It was considered not proportionate to "do away with older presenters simply to pander the assumed prejudice of some younger viewers". How much money? Once a finding of discrimination is made the Employment Tribunal will usually award compensation to the claimant. This will reflect losses resulting from the discriminatory act. Clearly this will include wages and other benefits that the individual has been deprived of on grounds of their age. It will also include a sum to reflect their 'injury to feelings'. This is the emotional upset that they have suffered as a result of the discrimination. The exact sum that will be awarded in this respect is always difficult to gauge as it will depend very much on the individual and how the discrimination has affected them. As a minimum it would be £600 and in the most serious cases it could reach as high as £30,000. One unusual facet of discrimination claims is that they can be brought against named individuals in addition to the employing company. The decision in question may have been taken by Mr Y as part of his job. So, for example, in addition to X Ltd being named in the legal proceedings, Mr Y, who could be the manager, coach or any other employee, can also be named as a party that is required to respond and defend the claim. That's not the worst news for the unsuspecting individual respondent, if the discrimination claim succeeds the compensation is awarded on a joint and several basis. That means the full award can be claimed from the individual rather than the employer. The normal practice is for the award to be paid by the employer as it will have more funds available. However we have seen on all too many occasions in recent years that sporting concerns can get into financial difficulty and if that does happen it could leave the individual liable for the whole award to the claimant. Bio The Sports Reputation Group is a new and unique entity offering complete media management and reputation management exclusively for clients in sport.

2013 6 Nations Predictions

In advance of the eagerly anticipated 2013 6 Nations, ENS has asked some of its clients for their predictions going into the tournament….. Rob Henderson – Ireland This year is one of the toughest championships to call in some time. The French look strong with their clubs doing fantastically well in the Heineken cup, the Welsh are struggling with injuries, the Scots are looking to bounce back from their dented pride from the Tongan loss in November and the departure of Andy Robinson, England are on a high following their impressive defeat of the All Blacks, the Italians are still on their upward curve and Ireland's are players hitting some form at the right time. From an Irish perspective, I will be interested to se how Jamie Heaslip adjusts to the captain’s armband. There is no doubt he is a quality back row forward and I hope and believe that the extra responsibility will raise his performance levels even higher. I would like to see Freddie Burns of Gloucester be given a chance at stand-off for England - he has shown his full range of abilities and skills all season and deserves the chance to show them off in the Six Nations. It is hard to look past Scotland and Italy for the Wooden Spoon. I think Italy might find a win from somewhere however. With 2013 being a Lions year, I can see the winner coming from the home nations and currently England and Ireland are best placed to challenge for top honours. If I had to pick a winner, I would back Ireland as we have the French and English on home soil. Michael Owen – Wales This year’s tournament is too close to call but I think England and France start as favourites, simply because of their performances during the Autumn Internationals and their strength in depth. However, on their day Wales and Ireland can beat anyone. I think a lot of the games will go to the wire and each team’s respective goal kicker will be crucial. It is hard to look past Italy for the wooden spoon because they are still the weakest team in the tournament but no nations will relish a trip to Rome as the Azurri are capable of an upset. I think Owen Farrell could have a large say on the outcome of the 2013 6 Nations – he is going to be very important for England and is growing in stature all the time. I am a bit apprehensive for Wales this year but they will have a strong team out for their first game against Ireland with lots of experience. If they start the tournament well, they will get their confidence back and could retain their title against the odds. David Flatman – England I think England will win the tournament this year. Travelling to Dublin in the second round of fixtures will be very tough but the English look to be the tightest-knit team in the tournament at the moment. Unfortunately I think Italy will struggle again but Scotland might not be too far ahead of the Azzuri. There are several new faces for Scotland, both on the playing and managerial side, which is a good sign, but it's tough to win international matches with that many rookies. Joe Launchbury is my player to watch for the tournament is Joe Launchbury. He burst onto the scene with his outstanding performances during the Autumn Internationals and this kid could well be the next big thing. I honestly think England will fare very well and this is our best chance of a Grand Slam in many seasons! Craig Chalmers – Scotland Perhaps surprisingly, I think Ireland will win! They have a good mix of youth and experience and play good attacking rugby, constantly asking questions of the opposition. They also have the best number 10 in the tournament in Jonny Sexton who will put them in the right areas of the pitch at the right times. Also, in my opinion they are the best all-round TEAM in the tournament! Unfortunately I think Italy will pick up the Wooden Spoon, simply because they have to travel to Murrayfield. They will target Wales at home and Scotland away, but I feel they will just not have enough quality to win a game. They have a real lack of quality at half-back and one or two of their forwards are now getting a bit long in the tooth. I am really looking forward to seeing Craig Gilroy of Ulster in action for Ireland as well as his teammate Simon Zebo of Munster. Both have been in electrifying form for their clubs recently and I hope they can transfer that to the international stage. I am backing Scotland to beat Italy and Wales at home! This would be a huge improvement on last season and something for Scottish fans to cheer, but I just can't see them beating England, Ireland or France at the moment. Think they’re wrong? Prove it by signing up to our ESPN fantasy 6 Nations game here. Simply create your team and then enter our league with the PIN: 35404. The winner at the end of the tournament will win a rugby ball signed by Ian McGeechan and Lawrence Dallaglio! ENS Ltd is a sports PR agency based in central London, tasked with promoting and protecting brands in sport. Its services include football public relations, online PR and SEO.

Tuesday 29 January 2013

Top six things To Do In Limassol

Limassol is the second largest city in Cyprus and is located on Akrotiri Bay on the island’s southern coast. Built between the two ancient cities of Amathus and Kourion, it is renowned for its long cultural history, museums and archaeological sites. With such a variety of attractions, here are the top six things we recommend on your trip to Limassol; 1. Time Elevator – It is unlikely you will holiday in Limassol without hearing about it. The Time Elevator is a multimedia cinematic experience which has moving seats, wind and even a little bit of water. The 40 minute long attraction allows you to be taken back in time and observe the history of Cyprus from 8500BC to 1974. 2. Limassol Castle – This Medieval castle is situated in the heart of the historical centre near the old harbour surrounded by popular bars and restaurants. It dates back to the Early Christian era (4th to 7th Century A.D.) and Richard the Lionheart is said to have married Queen Berengaria of Navarre there in 1911 – the first Royal Marriage to take place outside England. 3. Limassol Marathon – Taking place on 24th March this year, the Limassol Marathon is an annual international marathon run by the sea. The flat marathon course makes this event popular with new runners or experienced runners looking to set a personal best time. As well as the full marathon, there is the very popular international half marathon. 4. Scuba Diving – Popular with both tourists and locals, scuba diving is a great thing to do from Limassol. This is partly because of the many wreck sites being so close to the shoreline. The Pharses II wreck is one of the top diving highlights, and teamed with the magnificent marine life, it’s no surprise that it is one of the most exciting tourist activities. 5. Lambouri Winery – This award-winning winery offers a great opportunity to sample some of the local produce as well as enjoy an interesting guided tour of the site. It is around 300 years old and has invested in the latest equipment as well as a lovely tasting room. The Lambouri Winery is a short drive from Limassol and well worth a visit. 6. Water Parks – There are a few good waterparks around Limassol; The Wet ‘n’ Wild Park is generally considered to be the best with rides including body flumes, fast slides, tube rides and a pool, all of which are next to the beachfront itself. The Fasouri Watermania Waterpark is another popular attraction and has a wave pool, ‘black hole’ slides and a six lane mat race. Bio Run by the sea, Limassol is the host venue for one of the most picturesque internationa half marathons in Europe. It is popular amongst experts seeking flat marathon courses or novices simply wanting to run abroad.

OMNICOM MEDIA GROUP UK ANNOUNCES TALON AS NEW OUT OF HOME SPECIALIST AGENCY

Omnicom Media Group UK today announces Talon Ltd as its new Out Of Home (OOH) specialist agency of record, replacing Aegis’ Posterscope. Talon was established in 2007. In July 2012 Eric Newnham purchased a majority stake in Talon and became its CEO. Over the past six months, Talon has heavily invested in the industry’s best personnel, systems and tools with a view to becoming the UK’s most future-facing, digitally-led and innovative Out Of Home specialist agency. Philippa Brown, CEO, Omnicom Media Group UK says “Talon approached us last year to help them shape a new type of Out Of Home specialist agency for the UK. Given Talon’s ambition to lead the marketplace, the evident pedigree of its leadership, the quality of their tools and systems, and their commitment to providing our clients with a fresh, powerful and integrated approach to Out Of Home media in the UK, we could not turn down this exciting opportunity to join forces”. Colin Gottlieb, CEO, Omnicom Media Group EMEA adds “Our relationship with Posterscope goes back many years and we thank them for their professional and dedicated service. Out Of Home is changing rapidly and will witness even greater acceleration given the explosive growth of the mobile internet. The timing of Talon’s approach to us and the opportunity for us to help drive this exciting change proved irresistible”. Eric Newnham, CEO, of Talon Ltd says “At Talon we have created a mould-breaking Out of Home company that is unafraid to challenge the conventions of the industry and do things very differently. We are delighted that Omnicom Media Group UK shares our ambition and we look forward to working with them and their clients”. For more information contact Sam Phillips, Chief New Business and Marketing Officer, Omnicom Media Group, UK via sam.phillips@omnicommediagroup.com or call on 020 3037 7011. Note to Editors: • Omnicom Media Group (OMG) is the media division of Omnicom Group Inc. Its businesses include leading media service companies OMD Worldwide, PHD Network and M2M, as well as a number of specialised companies in areas including search engine marketing, sports and entertainment marketing, econometric modelling, branded content production, corporate asset barter and ethnic marketing. • Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, media, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

Thursday 24 January 2013

Why Run the Limassol Marathon

The Limassol Marathon will take place at the end of March this year. Here are just six reasons why you should consider running the 7th annual Limassol Marathon over any other… 1. Ideal conditions – Running the Limassol Marathon gives you the opportunity to run in the sun and run by the sea. The conditions are mild and the flat traffic-free route is ideal for participants attempting to run a good time. The slogan for the Limassol Marathon, ‘Run along the Waves’, really is a true representation of the marathon experience. 2. Beautiful scenery – As a coast marathon, the route offers some stunning scenery. Starting at the centre of the city, the race follows the Mediterranean coastline along the beachfront towards the ancient Royal city of Amathus and finishes back in the city centre. It is one of the most picturesque courses in the world. 3. Good for beginners - The terrain is very flat and not too taxing. This makes it perfect for beginners as well as being popular with the more experienced marathon runners looking for a personal best time. The slightly milder climate in March is suitable for novice runners travelling from the UK and the rest of Europe. 4. Something different – The New York Marathon is one of the busiest in the world, with over 45,000 people competing in 2010. Around 37,000 people run the London Marathon every year. Why not break the mould and do something a little different. Cyprus is only four and a half hours from London and flights can be found for under £150. 5. Something for the whole family – There is a race for everyone. As well as the full marathon, there is the popular international half marathon, the 10km Health race, the 5km Corporate race and the 1km Student race. So if you don’t feel up to the full 26 miles, you can always sign up for one of the shorter races. What is more, the majority of the course runs parallel to Limassol’s majestic coastline, the perfect place for supporters. 6. Culture– As well as the marathon itself, Limassol has a great deal of things to see and do around the city. There are historical gems to be discovered from the Limassol Castle to the wreck sites beneath the sea that are popular with scuba divers, as well as other attractions such as the water parks and Limassol’s famous ‘Time Elevator’. Cyprus is also renowned for its fantastic hospitality and warm, friendly people. Bio Run by the sea, Limassol is the host venue for one of the most picturesque European half marathons in Europe. It is popular amongst experts seeking flat marathon courses or novices simply wanting to run abroad.

Monday 21 January 2013

Talon Appoints Andy Tilley as Chief Strategy Officer

Talon, the Out of Home communications agency, today announced that Andy Tilley is joining the management team as Chief Strategy Officer. Tilley, a former Managing Director of Zenith Media, and a founding partner of the brand and communications consultancies, Ingram, and Unity, has consulted for a variety of companies over the last five years including Mercedes-Benz, Leonard Cheshire Disability, Celador, IPC Media, WPP; DCM, GMG, Waitrose, The British Red Cross, Ernst & Young, and a number of London agencies. At Talon he will oversee all strategic brand and communications work at a time when the company is seeking to reinvigorate the Out of Home sector, as well as providing the strategic interface with agencies, clients and media owners. Talon’s CEO, Eric Newnham, said ‘Our vision for Talon is to be foremost at the next stage for Out of Home. There are a lot of new opportunities emerging in the sector and we intend to embrace them. This means that integration, collaboration and strategic thinking must be at the heart of what we do. Andy has joined us to give an added dimension to this thinking. His track record speaks for itself and we are delighted that he will be working at Talon.’ Tilley added ‘When you consider the levels of innovation and investment in the Out of Home sector and the plethora of multilayered opportunities that it can now provide for clients and agencies, we need to ditch the ‘paper-and-paste’ thinking that permeates the industry and take a different approach. Technology has all but removed the delineations common to conventional channel thinking; the silo mentality has to go and make way for a more collaborative approach between agencies, clients and media owners - one that embraces digital, is agile and creative and is able to integrate Out of Home Media (OOH) into the broader media and marketing ecosystem. Talon has recognised this in a way that I find very exciting and which can only be good for our client and agency partners. The senior management at Talon are an impressive, forward thinking group who have the freedom to do things differently given the independence of the board. I relish this way of working and look forward to joining them enormously.’ Bio Talon Outdoor is the only independently owned out of home media specialist. It offers a fresh approach to the planning and buying of all outdoor media, including poster advertising, bus advertising and tube advertising.

Wednesday 16 January 2013

Seven European Marathons With a Difference

Around 37,000 people run the London Marathon every year and, along with the Paris Marathon and the Berlin Marathon, it is one of the most popular long distance running events in Europe. Yet there are so many other marathons that get overlooked. Here are some of the best European Marathons with a bit of a difference. The Midnight Sun Marathon – This race takes place in Tromso, Norway and is run in the evening. The start time is 8.30pm and most runners finish at around midnight. However, because Tromso is so far north, runners finish the marathon in broad daylight. The Limassol Marathon – Also knows as the ‘Cyprus Marathon – run along the waves’ the Limassol Marathon takes place in March. It is a flat marathon and much of the route follows the coastal road of greater Limassol. This makes it a great beginner’s marathon and the main race is accompanied by the half marathon and 10K as well as a 5K race and a Kids Fun Run. The Madrid Marathon – This marathon is Spain’s biggest athletic event. It is currently know as the Rock ‘n’ Roll Madrid Marathon and unusually the route is redrawn every year. Taking place in late April, it is a great opportunity to not only run abroad, but also to run in the sun. The Polar Circle Marathon – Located in Greenland, The Polar Circle Marathon has a completely different atmosphere to most otherinternational marathons because of its beautiful arctic landscapes and scenery. Runners must sign up to a five day package which includes accommodation. The Istanbul Marathon – Highly regarded amongst runners for its excellent organisation and stunning scenery, the Istanbul Marathon is the only transcontinental marathon. It begins in Asia and crosses the Bosphorus to the European side of the city. The Seville Marathon – This race is preceded by two days of events which begins with the runner’s fair and includes a traditional pasta lunch at the Palenque the day before the race. The course is flat and runners cross the finish line at the Olympic Stadium. The Jurassic Coast Challenge – Not so much a marathon as a triple marathon, this 78.6 mile race takes place in Dorset, UK. It is equally beautiful and brutal and will challenge even the fittest of racers. The route takes participants along the coast from Lyme Regis to Poole and finishes in Shell Bay. Runners must cover the distance within a 24 hour time limit. Bio Run by the sea, Limassol is the host venue for one of the most picturesque international half marathons in Europe. It is popular amongst experts seeking a flat marathon course or novices simply wanting to run abroad.

Tube Advertising

The London Underground system carries over 1 billion passengers every year, with around 3.5 million journeys made each day. It’s no surprise that tube advertising has become increasingly successful and popular amongst many businesses, as it is such an effective way to get a product or service into the public eye. There are a number of options for targeting the public on the underground; from tube car, lift and escalator panels to larger poster sheets extending along the length of the platforms. Tube advertising allows companies to convey their message to an affluent audience who have enough time to absorb the information. Travellers spend an average of three minutes on the platform interacting with various adverts and passengers on the tube have an average of 13 minutes to take in the ads inside the carriages. And it works. Research shows that around 80% of commuters have bought something, looked something up or visited a place as a direct result of tube advertising. Bus advertising is another effective marketing tool and with over 6 million people using buses in London every day, it is not something to be overlooked. Digital Out of Home media (DOOH) has become a popular means of communication and can now be found on many of London’s transport services. This type of outdoor media is very powerful and can heavily influence decision making and experiences of the general public. Research has shows that it leads to easy consumer engagement which can develop into brand loyalty as well as allowing advertisers to reach otherwise difficult audiences. Digital advertisements can be precisely located to target a specific audience. The introduction of recording devices on televisions now means that people are more frequently skipping through television adverts, and therefore out of home advertising is more appealing. DOOH includes interactive media in venues such as bars, restaurants and health clubs, and the availability of cheaper LCD screens has enabled companies to create interactive video messages. Other advantages of DOOH are that adverts can appear almost anywhere, they have a 24/7 presence, they do not interrupt people in their daily lives and are less intrusive. Additionally, digital ads have more flexibility as the technology allows sites to be updated or changed very easily. Some examples of this Digital out of Home media can be found at various bus stops, shopping malls and train stations. Standard Life Investments have had digital screens at City Airport, Artemis at Heathrow, L&G Investments at Liverpool Street and JP Morgan at Victoria Station. It has been estimated that DOOH advertising as an overall industry increased by over 15% in 2010 which suggests that digital media really is the future of advertising. Bio Talon Outdoor is the only independently owned out of home media specialist. It offers a fresh approach to the planning and buying of all outdoor media, including poster advertising, bus advertising and tube advertising.

Wednesday 9 January 2013

How to Get a Good Client Shot

Whether you are in sports public relations or any kind of PR, at some point you will be running a photo shoot that involves getting a great shot of your client – here are some ideas to help you get the shot that any sports public relations exec would be proud of and a picture your client will love. 1. Suggest to your client that they are fully rested and don't overindulge or over-train the night before. A late night or dehydrated face always shows in the photos, so unless you have a very talented make up artist on hand or are prepared to invest in photo-shopping, take it easy or expect a disappointing image 2. Depending on who is styling the shot either allow time beforehand for a try-on session or ask the client to review their choice of outfit at home. They need to have a critical look in the mirror and make sure what they wear is really flattering. Sports public relations execs understand that sportspeople usually have amazing physiques but frequently live in tracksuits, so whilst the opportunity to do a shoot is exciting, some athletes find themselves outside their comfort zone 3. Suggest your client brings a couple of alternatives in case you need to do some diplomatic restyling. They need to feel comfortable but they also need to look good 4. Unless your client is in TOWIE, tactfully ban self tanning products for at least 3 days beforehand. It is also worth avoiding a shoot immediately after a client’s return from holiday – you have no idea how red they may be 5. Unless your client is known for wearing glasses (or if it is a shoot to promote them) it's best not to wear them at the shoot as reflections in the lenses can be distracting, If someone who usually wears specs is opting not to wear them, they need to take them off ten minutes before they go on camera, otherwise the marks on their nose will show 6. Bring a comb, water and an iron; shirts tend to get very crumpled under suits so if you decide to do an informal shot after a formal one, your client risks looking dishevelled. If you have packed an iron, you will be deemed a sports PR hero 7. Everyone is very busy but urge your client to allow time to relax before the photo session and enjoy it. Photographers are serious about getting their subject to look their best and it is much easier if everyone involved is happy London sports agency ENS Ltd has seen some excellent shoots as well as some distinctively poor ones. Make sure you follow our advice above to get the best results from your photo shoot. Bio ENS Ltd is a sports PR agency based in central London, tasked with promoting and protecting brands in sport. It specializes in football public relations, online PR and SEO.

Thursday 3 January 2013

Brighton: On the Cutting Edge of Advertising

Just a little over an hour away from the action of central London is the stunning Sussex town of Brighton. Amongst its many claims are a beautiful beachfront, a world-class pier and a wide range of cultural and sporting activities for all age groups. Every year Brighton plays host to a range of exciting international events, including the Brighton Fringe Festival, the second biggest of its type in the world. In addition it is considered to be the gay capital of Europe and it is one of the UK’s premier spots for nightlife. However Brighton is much more than just a cool tourist destination, it is rapidly becoming one of the UK’s leading media hubs. Just one example is the New Year launch of the Brighton SmartScreen, a digital advertising outdoor site which will be the first of its kind outside a major city in Europe. It’s located on Queens Road, by the train station and will offer advertisers a new – and environmentally better - way to reach potential customers. The screen’s environment credentials are based on its LED technology, meaning it consumes a low amount of energy – and does away with issues like paper that is associated with poster advertising. This new piece of Brighton media is also unique in offering ‘state of the art’ super-slim smart screen technology, so advertisers can create and broadcast advertisements in real time - a real advantage over traditional forms of outdoor advertising. This dynamic media will be a great way for organizations of any size to reach out to their customers, from large multinational companies looking to capitalize on the mass market of 360,000 consumers who will pass the screen each week, to small businesses looking to make a targeted, local impact via a cost effective medium that may have previously been unavailable to them. Brighton is widely regarded as a very aware place to live so typically, in the spirit of the town, the Brighton big screen looks set to become a community resource. Charities, not-for-profits and arts groups can enjoy a ‘value-added’ service, which puts outdoor advertising within their financial reach. Additionally, the local police have been promised free use of the screen for important public information, such as missing persons or safety announcements. With the town looking set to embrace another truly cutting edge piece of media thinking, Brighton once again proves that it is more than just a great place for visitors, it is great for forward thinking businesses too. Bio Maxx Media creates dynamic media and digital outdoor advertising, changing the face of the media in Brighton and the South Coast with its Brighton big screen.

Socially Interactive Outdoor

Much has been made of Outdoor’s natural affinity with mobile, people are out of home, they see posters, have a mobile and they can be prompted to interact. Going back only five years, a century in tech time, Blue-tooth was the channel of buzz, with lots of talk about how people would download film clips, photos and other multi-media. Handset compatibilities and network limitations made Bluetooth campaigns hard to set-up and manage and the experience was in the main extremely people unfriendly. As time has gone by mobiles have become powerful pocket computers and people are used to downloading software and smartphones. Apps are now mass-market. NFC is currently high on the hype curve, although little has yet been demonstrated where business needs match what the technology can deliver, and people want. What has risen rapidly up the media and communications agenda is social media - Facebook, Twitter and Youtube have millions of people using their services daily, as well as Foursquare which promotes the concept of location check-ins - gimmicky perhaps but it seems some people aspire to be the digital mayor of their local Domino’s Pizza. Although it’s still early days it’s also apparent many advertisers and brands are keen to run socially enabled campaigns to generate PR, social buzz (word-of-mouth) and test levels of interaction. Here we highlight some interactive and social campaigns that have caught our attention. The National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) wanted to raise awareness about how people can intervene to stop domestic violence. Using the eMotion poster advertising screens at Euston station people were encouraged to use their mobiles to interact with the screens and drag away a man haranguing a woman causing him to move away across the adjoining screens. Europcar ran an outdoor media campaign promoting their hire car delivery and collection service which could “save an hour in your day.” The campaign was based on a Twitter stream #myextrahour where people described what they would do with the hour they gained. The tweets were shown across JCDecaux’s D6 network and on the “i” digital site on Cromwell Road. As part of Nike’s multimedia campaign with top UK athletes they wanted to inspire people to make their own pledges under the #makeitcount initiative. Shoppers at the Nike store at Westfield Stratford could have their picture taken by a professional photographer and hand-write a pledge on how to better themselves. Photos and messages were then beamed across CBS Outdoor’s 100 LCD digital screens at the shopping centre. To celebrate the global nature of the UEFA Champions League Final, Heineken UK ran an integrated social media and digital out of home (DOOH) campaign to capture the global conversation inspired by one of the largest annual sporting events in the world. The Twitter powered world map dominated digital out of home sites across London and encouraged people to “Feed the Tweet Map.” Traditional Outdoor will continue to deliver for brands looking for broadcast, targeted and proximity communication but there is no doubt we will also see a more socially interactive world of digital out of home. Bio Talon Outdoor is the only independently owned out of home media specialist. It offers a fresh approach to the planning and buying of all outdoor media, including poster advertising, bus advertising and tube advertising.

Top 10 Reasons to Run the Limassol Marathon

The Limassol Marathon is held in Cyprus and will take place on 24th March this year. Here are the top 10 reasons why the Limassol marathon should be the one you choose. 1. Get Fit – The number one reason for running a marathon is of course the health benefits you reap from getting fit. The long term commitment required to prepare for a marathon means you are also more likely to stick with your fitness regime after the marathon 2. The flat course – The Limassol Marathon has a very flat course which makes it ideal for a beginner’s marathon or for experienced runners looking to set a personal best time 3. Perfect conditions – Held in the beautiful mild spring time, the warm (but not too hot) weather makes it a great time of year to holiday in Cyprus as well as providing ideal conditions to run the race in 4. Boost your self confidence – Running will energize you, improve your physical appearance and give you a feeling of accomplishment. All of these things go a long way to improving your self confidence 5. Live a longer life – According to Running Planet some studies have shown that running can prevent the development of diabetes and help manage existing cases. There are also multiple studies that show physical activity can prevent many types of cancer, especially colon and breast 6. Raise money for charity – Choose a charity that resonates with you and get people to sponsor your run. If the feel good factor of completing a marathon isn’t enough you will also feel the high of knowing that you have made a difference 7. Make new friends – The Limassol Marathon is a friendly and fun adventure. It is a great way to meet new, like-minded people. You could even join a local running club beforehand and make new friends at home 8. The coastal course – Unlike so many international marathons, which are run through concrete jungles, this marathon is run by the sea along the beautiful Limassol coast line 9. Become mentally tough – Running is as much about mental endurance as it is about physical. Once you’ve pushed through the pain barriers and spurred yourself on to run a 26 mile race the chances are you will feel like anything is possible 10. Experience Limassol – Head to town a couple of days early or hang around after the race and check out the magnificent culture and rich history of the city of Limassol as well as the legendary local hospitality. The Limassol Marathon is being run on the 24th of March 2013 so get your running shoes on and head to Cyprus for a fun run in the sun! Bio Run by the sea, Limassol is the host venue for one of the most picturesque European half marathons in Europe. It is popular amongst experts seeking flat marathon courses or novices simply wanting to run abroad.