It's not about choo choosing sides

Goodness me, this week has been exhausting. Not just because of the weather. But I mean, it’s August, the sun literally had one job. I’m just relieved the toilet roll hoarders booked every tent, every room, every yurt, caravan or cabin going on the South coast this week, otherwise I’d be lying on the beach with an ice cream whilst it siled it down.

But those bothersome rascals Storm Ellen and Storm Francis are not in themselves enough to cause indignation when we’ve come to expect torrential rain in summer.

No, I am of course referring to the four non-stories that have caused Daily Mail readers to fire up their vitriol-oiled webbed fingers. I’ll give you the highlights: Land of Hope and Glory, Gay Trains, Slavery in the National Trust and Woke Sky Sports.

📸 @AvantiWestCoast Twiiter

The response to the stories has put into painful focus just how far we still have to go to reach equality. Back in May, I really felt like there was a palpable change as people stopped, and listened, to the stories of systemic racism, of oppression, and acknowledged we must do better. But I guess it was all performative. Chat. Empty promises. It was a child acquiescing to a parent’s demands so that they could get a bag of sweets. It was me nodding and smiling in a disagreement when I think I’m right even when faced with contrary evidence. It was a wife agreeing to *things* to shut her other half up.

Just a cursory glance at any of the comments beneath each story tells a story of partisan England and the rebellion against rebellion. Those who challenge the status quo are reduced to ‘woke lefties’ who hate the country they live in and seek to erase its heritage.

But it’s so easy to homogenise people. And though it sometimes feels – particularly on social media – polarising, as if we’re reduced to black and white; us and them, in my experience, there are more good people out there. They’re willing to take a stand, give up a seat, amplify a voice or cause, support a fight, step up and out.

And it’s these people we should be giving oxygen. So well done to the National Trust for acknowledging the part slavery plays in the sprawling stately homes. Well done Sky Sports for giving fresh voices a chance. And well-done Avanti West Coast for your rainbow train staffed by an LGBTQ+ crew.

I think we are united by our differences. And whilst we continue to give energy to ‘debating’ these changes, we overlook the people who are truly failing us.

But more importantly, we overlook those who are being failed.

And Still I Rise

The UK is rich in culture; a melting pot that tells the stories of the intrepid explorers who settled on our shores. Our history is intertwined with that of the commonwealth; when Britannia ruled the waves and opened her arms and heart to people across the globe. Our tiny island has become a beacon for progression, for change, for acceptance. It has legislated against discrimination in the workplace, setting a precedent for other nations.

Photo by Simon Callaghan. From Room For Love, by SLBPR x DS.Emotion, Dukes Lane AKT Charity

But is this reflected in the composition of our industry? The PRCA reports that “there has been little change in diversity since 2011.” The figures are stark. PR is a young industry, dominated by white British females.

So why does diversity matter and how does one measure the impact? Is it the number of people called to interview? Is it the percentage of staff one hires? Is it the number of diverse employees who sit on a board? Is it the retention rate of underrepresented groups?

Is it about the happiness and change one can spread once their authentic self is welcomed in the workplace?

What does it mean to bring your whole self to work?

It’s about not having to shoehorn yourself into society’s sanitised version of you. It’s about celebrating your beliefs without fear or shame, about your culture being valid. It’s about you owning your ideas and having a voice.

It’s about being treated as an equal rather than some museum curiosity.

It’s about being seen, and heard, and loved.

And when that happens, the impact is immeasurable. 

Here at SLBPR, we know what it is to be authentic. We may be a small team, but we appreciate our diverse hires. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds. Homophily has no home here. Between us, we represent a number of marginalised groups. In numbers, 75% of our team are from under-represented groups referenced in diversity reports: non-white, over 50s, males below board level, LGBTQ+. We subvert the standard agency tropes, and it’s no coincidence that our people are making an impact in wider society. This isn’t performative. We’re not checking boxes. We simply refuse to judge someone by a set of arbitrary and archaic standards. We apply the same rules to our clients. We know that barriers to inclusion start at the recruitment process and that’s why we don’t ask for CVs at the initial stage. 

How has our inclusive environment impacted areas outside of our agency? We have committed to making the world a better place! Our Account Director Sam Johnson (he/him) led on the Room for Love campaign, an exhibition of Pride posters from artists and illustrators who are part of the They Made This collective. Their pop-up print shop on Brighton’s Dukes Lane opened in conjunction with Pride celebrations last year. It is a cause Sam feels very passionate about and we are able to live our values through our support.

Sam wearing an akt rainbow face covering. 100% of the proceeds go directly to the charity

The exhibition featured 20 Pride designs from 20 artists. Each design had been created specifically for the exhibition and was available to buy to raise money for the Albert Kennedy trust (akt) - a national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity, providing safe homes and better futures for LGBTQ+ young people. 

Throughout the launch, the Dukes Lane community came together to transform the lane into a chill-out family friendly space for Pride, with fundraising activities to raise money for akt. The They Made This store stayed open until September, but the artists left their mark on Dukes Lane, with a permanent colourful Pride mural emblazoning the phrase ‘We’re all Brighton lovers’ - designed and painted by artist couple, Rude.

For some LGBTQ+ young people, lockdown has meant being trapped in a hostile environment. Between April and June this year, akt reported a 44% increase in demand nationally, and a 107% increase in London from vulnerable people in dangerous situations. It was thus important to us that all proceeds went directly to the charity, and Sam partnered our client Duke Lane with akt again to offer face coverings, with all profits directly benefiting the charity. 

We encourage clients to actually get involved and support, either by donating (which we appreciate isn’t always possible) or spreading positive messages instead of rainbow-washing. For us, it’s about giving a platform to the under-privileged and we helped with this in our Pride panel event in conjunction with Wellington Place for Leeds Pride. This gave people the opportunity to be part of the discussion about celebrating diversity in the workplace.

We know diversity isn’t just about following a trend. We believe in our causes year round because discrimination doesn’t take time off. That’s why you’ll see us flying the rainbow in our logo no matter the season. We have also chosen to display our pronouns in our email signatures to stand in solidarity with our non-binary siblings. Using pronouns can promote a safe space where individuals are free to be themselves, and it enables discussion around gender pronouns. We acknowledge that we have privilege in our singular and visible gender identity and we ally ourselves to those who feel unseen, unvalidated and unwanted.

Our new Account Executive Teela (she/her), a champion of social change, has joined association groups to tackle the inequalities minority groups face. Having experienced a number of setbacks changing career from a teacher, she hopes to remove barriers to recruitment. Her ‘Forget You’ blog, written about applying for jobs in the industry and shared on comms2point0 is a must read. She has volunteered with the PRCA Diversity Network to help address the challenges in the industry and implement some robust changes. She joins us with the mantra ‘no child left behind’, a philosophy that perpetuates inclusivity in schools. 

Our MD Sharon (she/her), representing the over-50s group, but not that you’d know looking at her, has planned a campaign titled ‘Diversity’ with our client the National Hair and Beauty Federation, which has been pushed back slightly due to lockdown. We are looking at diversity across all areas, providing information on opening up discussions for people of all ages, body shapes, skin tones, hair textures, abilities, sexualities and genders. We have also partnered with the British Beauty Council on their mission to make the beauty industry more diverse, including providing training and information on Afro hair best practice.

As we plan our diary and events for the year ahead, with our fingers crossed that 2021 doesn’t throw us a curveball, we start by calendarizing the diversity-led dates that can help us to impact communities. We acknowledge that we still have room to grow but we can help to make more gains by educating ourselves and others, cementing Blueprint status, but most importantly, making sure marginalised groups are given a voice.

Because when you feel seen, and heard, and loved, the impact is immeasurable. 

MD Sharon with Millie Kendall MBE, the CEO of The British Beauty Council

Don't mess wi' Yorkshire

Flat caps and whippets; breakfast, dinner and tea (and supper if thas posh); Hendo’s relish; Yorkshire puddings and a glottal stop instead of the definite article. Yorkshire - or God’s county to those in t’ know - has given us many great things. So there’s no surprise there’s a whole day dedicated to t’beauty. That’s right. And Yorkshire Day - as it is named (classic) - just so happens to fall on a Saturday.

How will you be spending Yorkshire Day?

I posed this question in the office and here’s what’s cracking.

Our Bournemouth-born MD Sharon may not have relinquished her arghs, but in all other respects, she’s earned her Yorkshire lass status. She says: “Well obviously I’m doing the most Yorkshire thing possible – going for dinner with my girlfriends at Iberica! Imagine it will be messy!”

Photo by Rankin. Attitude by Sharon.

It may not be a roast with Yorkshires (see also Gravy: A Gift From The Gods) but we approve Shazza.

Our resident Leeds United fan, Eve says she’ll be: “drinking rhubarb gin as Yorkshire is the home of the rhubarb triangle and I love rhubarb…. And all the gins.”

That explains the Friday playlist. If you know, you know.

ALAW

For some, once you’ve had a taste of the Yorkshire life, it stays with you. Our Sam says: “Since my migration down to Brighton, Yorkshire Day is even more important than ever before. I’ll be mostly sitting at home dunking Greggs sausage rolls into big bowls of gravy and drinking Yorkshire Tea. So pretty much what I do every day.”

Bringing the Northern style

With you big man. And as for me, I’ll be celebrating it by chain drinking martinis - in our Northern jewel Leeds - for my breakfast, dinner and tea.

Dreaming of the Yorkshire puds

Eat out so you don't have to get your meat out (of the freezer)

If, like me, you were born in the North (we’re talking anywhere Sheffield upwards, lest you don’t know your borders) you were undoubtedly raised with several beliefs. 

Number one: everything tastes better smothered in a thick covering of gravy - it’s a gift from the gods. Number two: it’s not cold, ‘yer just nesh. Put a coit on. Number three: an evening meal is your tea. No ‘supper’. End of. Don’t even get me started on the whole breadcake sitch. But the most overwhelming belief is that them there down in t’Big Smoke don’t know owt about us Northern folk. 

Boris occasionally throws us crumbs from the big table. Just this week, it’s been announced that he’s suggesting a move to York for the House of Lords. Naughty school boy feels? Lord Singh of Wimbledon, one of the members suggested: “My Lords, York is seen as something of an Outer Mongolia by the general public.” Aye, lad, if Outer Mongolia offers two-for-one cocktails on the weekend and is serviced by the 2:30 train from Doncaster. I can imagine it now: the hordes of stag and hen parties, their blow up dolls and phallic straws punctuating their outfits as they step out with expectant-sophistication, onto the Outer Mongolia strip. 

In all seriousness, York is one of my favourite places. Watering holes aside - going out out in York is a must, day or night - it is a beautiful historic city, steeped in culture and rich in diversity. Why the Lords think it is beneath them is beyond me. I see you, Lord I’m-better-than-York McYork face.

It does nothing to dispel this fictional North/South divide. There’s an irony that we’re seen as the South’s poor cousins, because the economy forgets to propagate those businesses and industries that exist outside of the concrete confines of the M25. 

Sure there’s BoJo’s Northern Powerhouse pledge. I’m hearing all the right kind of sounds, but I’m with Rihanna here, bitch better have my money. 

The latest from the capital is that restaurants - already running at a 50% capacity - are suffering. Despite Dishy Rishi’s mooted ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ (it makes me blush just saying it) campaign, Londoners are staying home. And yet...Oop North meanwhile, we’re eschewing our homemade chip butties, our Yorkshires and roasts with lashings of the brown stuff, our pie and peas, in favour of restaurant cuisine. You can’t get a booking for love nor money. And they were Sharon’s words, and we all know she knows people. Our Northern hospitality industries are making the moves. It’s looking quite positive. We’re following the government’s instructions to get out and fill our gobs. We’re filling our boots. 

I am particularly eager to support businesses that do a cracking lasagne and pinot grigio.

With a side of chips and gravy, obvs.

Why why why Delilah

As our hairdressing friends return to what they do best, Teela Clayton looks forward to her next haircut…

The fifties. The seventies. The nineties. If I asked you to describe these eras, the chances are, you’d talk about two things - hairstyles and music. 

Rock and roll meets the pompadour or bouffant that was ubiquitous to the 1950s. Think Danny and Sandy in Grease. The seventies redefined rock and gave us the afro, the Farrah Fawcett, the shag; though we asked our hairdressers for a ‘Stevie Nicks’ rather than the latter. Then there’s the nineties, man. The nineties gave us the Spice Girls, Britpop, grunge, Rachel Green, butterfly clips, that Winona pixie and basically all the feels. 

As we start to come out of lockdown we are already seeing a shift in hair trends. Could the 90s revival and today's "lived in" hair trend see the return of The Cut? We think it's certainly a possibility.

Our hair and culture have a symbiotic relationship. Many iconic figures have become defined by their mane. But beyond that, like the biblical figure Samson, I fully believe my power is in my hair. Just don’t tell Delilah.

It’s been 128 days since my last cut. Not that I’m counting.

But since that fateful trip to get the, erm... snip, through lashings of the Alanis-Morissette-style-ironically-inevitable rain, I’ve just not had the same vibes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not feeling it as much as that year I decided to read a book at the salon and my words (“trim”) were interpreted in a truly creative fashion (“pixie cut” and no, not the cool Winona one).

My post-pixie grow-out was horrendous. In real time, I was hitting the festivals: Bestival and Lindisfarne; holidaying abroad; I was experiencing new adventures in the shape of a new job. In many ways, I was living my best life. But that terrible hair cut is the prevailing memory. I don’t want to appear over-dramatic here, but I’m with Fleabag: Hair is everything.

It’s the reason I’m willing to spend a small fortune on my bonce above anything else. It’s the reason I felt a flash of envy as our MD Sharon returned after the weekend with perfectly coiffed locks. It’s who you know. Good hair can make or break your look and subsequently your confidence. A cursory flick through the most popular social media channels demonstrates just how integral our appearance is, not just to our identity, but also to how we are perceived by others. Like it or not, we are judged by the way we look, with studies from such as the University of Florida concluding it can affect our wages. And not only do blondes have more fun, they reputedly get paid more for doing so. 

Maybe it’s time for a fresh colour? I’ll take the peroxide modern shag but the music?

Forget the 2020s, I know the perfect era…

*Winona feels provided by Tint Leeds

Wear Sunscreen

Here at SLBPR we are thrilled to announce the appointment of account executive Teela Clayton. And what better way to introduce her than with a blog? Here she describes getting her job in lockdown.

Welcome to the team Teela! Espresso martinis all round!

I still remember hearing Baz Luhrmann’s sage voice, in his iconic song “Everyone’s Free” and feeling like I had entered a higher state of consciousness, like I was better than the uninitiated few. I think I was about twelve at the time. It was with these words ringing in my ear that I found myself entering the working world.

On windy mornings - the rain falling in sheets - when the train throbbed late through the station, I held those words dear. On dark nights, as the inky blackness threatened to swallow my hunched over form at my laptop, I repeated Luhrmann’s mantra. As my former colleagues ripped open their pay packets as I pined over yet another pair of black Chelsea boots (much to my husband’s vexation), I said those words aloud.

Just to be clear it wasn’t the “wear sunscreen” bit but rather “Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.”

So after ten years of having a ‘sweet spot’: a place in my classroom where words - nay commands - garnered maximum attention, I prepared to take my place behind a desk. A chance at chasing happiness, and indulging my love of words on the daily.

WHO’S ZOOMING WHO

The interview with ‘deliberatively disruptive’ SLBPR had been relatively painless as far as interviews go. But let’s not relive some of the past *cough* shows I’ve endured. I had built up a rapport with account director Sam Johnson over social media, leading to a much more organic route into PR. There weren’t the unnecessary hurdles; the jigs; the hoops; the chase then the ghosting; the ‘subvert the rules’; the show us two years of experience for a junior role. And refreshingly, my CV came secondary to any skills readily displayed on the world wide web. Yes, I’m including karaoke on my list of skills. (I’ll wait until the ink is dry on my contract to see if Sam fancies being the Elton to my Kiki).

Why are PR agencies still asking for CVs btw? You want to root out unconscious bias? Change your recruitment practices. But you already know that.

After brushing up on Zoom interview techniques (consider background, check sound, display well-lighted-well-proportioned face and shoulders and finally barricade room to stop hungry children wandering in [see also Sky’s biscuit gate]) I took my place in front of my sexiest wall and well, the rest is history as they say. A sweaty, panicky, jittery, can-not-find-the-right-words history.

Finding a job is difficult. Add the dimension of a pandemic and it becomes near on impossible. But persevere. Manifest. Imagine the job you want and do everything in your power to make it happen. Connect with people who are different to you, who you want nothing from in return except to learn. Do things that make you happy. Destroy your comfort zones. Knock on every door until your knuckles bleed.

Look after your knees. You are not as fat as you imagine. Don't worry about the future or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.

Wear sunscreen.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

Our team stand in solidarity with everyone around the world who is fighting against systematic racism and historical oppression. Today, we are muting to stand together for #blackouttuesday, but we need to make sure that even when muted, we are always listening. 

We want to take this day to encourage our friends to think about how we can be the best allies we can be, not just today, but every day.

POST

On Tuesday 2nd June, allies all over the world are posting statements of solidarity and togetherness to provoke accountability and change. Use hashtags such as #blackouttuesday and #antiracism, and post links to thought provoking articles and important petitions to share with your followers. To make sure important educational resources can be seen properly on Instagram, remember not to use the Black Lives Matter hashtag on your solidarity posts. 

SIGN

There are a number of different petitions that value your signature, and none are more important than others. For those seeking justice for George Floyd, an innocent black man who was murdered by a police officer in the United States last week, you can sign the official Justice for George Floyd petition here. The purpose of this petition is to ensure those responsible for George Floyd’s death receive the appropriate penalties for their crimes.

change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd

DONATE

The murder of George Floyd has sparked protests throughout the United States calling to eradicate white supremacy, but this has led to many arrests throughout the country. It is for this reason that bail funds are essential now more than ever for innocent protesters who require cash bail bonds to be released from police custody. 

bailproject.org

EDUCATE

While all of the above are effective ways of tackling racism issues now, what is really needed is longevity. There are many beautiful and important resources readily available - books, papers, stories, articles, social posts, videos, podcasts - for people who want to understand, and actively work to create change.

This is a great place to start.

blacklivesmatter.com

BANANARAMA

Banana bread. Why though?

As we get to the end of week three of a government-enforced lockdown, the signs of cracks are beginning to show. If you haven’t been binge watching Tiger King, reaching for the clippers or the (unforgiveable) box dyes, you’ve been baking banana bread in this latest, very unexplainable craze. Grazia actually enlisted the help of a psychotherapist to try and explain, but he couldn’t. Maybe, strangely, this is just our way of coping. 

We’ve put together five alternative recipes to use your bananas. But remember please do buy your bananas responsibly, you don’t wanna be that guy…

Banana cookies

We can’t Stan the word ‘moist’ but that is the appeal of this banana chocolate chip cookie recipe. It’s also from a blog called ‘Life, Love and Sugar’ - so you know it’s legit.

https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/banana-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Banana ice creams

This recipe only requires one ingredient: bananas. Now you can curb your sweet tooth without feeling guilty afterwards. You’ll probably just feel very, very sick.

https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/a35590/easy-one-ingredient-ice-cream/

Milkshake

Combat your rage against banana bread and your fond memories of McDonald’s (we all miss it) and make a banana milkshake. 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/banana-milkshake

Pancakes

Because of the banana bread bandwagon, flour is basically sold out everywhere. But you can still enjoy the sweet taste of pancakes without them - just mix eggs and mushed up bananas to make the batter. 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/banana-pancakes

Sushi

Banana sushi. Not sure how we feel about this one - maybe just stick to banana bread after all. 

https://www.creativehealthyfamily.com/healthy-banana-sushi-rolls/

Money saving tips, as told by Extreme Cheapskates

We’re a fan of unusual research methods. So when thinking about how to harvest the best money-saving advice, we turned to trashy American TV to give us our answers. TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates follows the lives of the cheapest people in the USA and their extraordinary frugal ways - here are some of the best.

1. Lightbulbs

Ever have that lightbulb moment where you know instantly something is a good idea? Well, so did Stephanie from Season 2, who decided to use just one lightbulb throughout her entire house which she moves from room to room. Sounds weird but this actually saves her $60 per month on her electricity bill. We see you Stephanie, even though you probably don’t see us.

Saving: $60 per month

Cheap rating: 3/5

Cringe rating: 3/5

2. Gas

“Gas is like makeup, less is more” are the wise words of season favourite Jeni, who fills up her car with whatever petrol she needs for that trip, rather than filling up the whole tank. Now unless she actually lives in a gas station, we’re struggling to see the logic behind this one. But don’t fear, we haven’t seen the last of Jeni. 

Saving: $0

Cheap rating: 3/5

Cringe rating: 2/5

Extreme Cheapskates is an American reality television series that airs on TLC and premiered on October 16, 2012. It documents the lives of those who take fru...

3. Coffee

Kia gained internet fame for making her latte last her three days by re-heating the same lipstick stained Starbucks cup, but her standout moment for us was watching her pull out strands of her actual own hair and using it as an alternative to dental floss. Kia, this is not a thing.

Saving: $2 per month

Cheap rating: 4/5

Gross rating: 5/5

4. Canned goods

It’s a little known fact that cans of tuna that we eat cost around ¢30 more than the cans of tuna we feed to our cats. So why wouldn’t you just knock it in a sandwich and feed it to your mates? Before you reject the idea completely, this logic actually comes from Season Two’s Aimee, who is proud to be the world’s cheapest multi-millionaire. She not only has a net-worth of $5.3million, but she also lives in a villa (for free) which was given to her by her ex-husband who even comes over to clean it (for free). Bet that tin of Sheba is looking real tasty right about now?

Saving: ¢30 per sandwich

Cheap rating: 5/5

Gross rating: 5/5

Genius rating: 5/5

5. Dishwasher

Stephanie (the lightbulb lady from Season 2) also has issues on running more than one appliance to do her chores, so likes to double up wherever possible. Stephanie’s wisdom tells her that since the dishwasher reaches almost the same temperature as the oven, she can cook a lasagna in it. We don’t need to tell you how well this one worked out. 

Saving: $3

Cheap rating: 4/5

Cringe rating: 4.5/5

Stephanie's cheap behavior embarrasses her boyfriend, Patrick, who thinks they have plenty of money to spend. Stream Full Episodes of Extreme Cheapskates: ht...

6. Pool

When Jeni isn’t driving back and forth to the gas station to fill up her car, she’s thinking of other clever ways to cut down her bills. She has a pool, which she admits is a bit of a splash out (pardon the pun) for such a cheap person, so she’s hell bent on making the most of it. To save money on running the pool, she fills it with barrels of sand to make it less full (normal), uses baking soda to clean it (gross), and covers it with bubblewrap at night (what?). Oh, and she washes her clothes in it, too.

Saving: $200 per month (v impressive

Cheap rating: 3/5

Cringe rating: 4/5 

7. Mouthwash

Mason comes from a family of penny pinchers and describes buying an iced tea as ‘frivolous spending’. His finest moment is reducing costs of mouthwash by spitting used mouthwash into a separate bottle to then use again. This isn’t even being cheap, this is financial self abuse.

Saving: $4.50

Cheap rating: 5/5

Gross rating: Just wrong

8. Toilet

The last, and certainly not least is super cheapskate Victoria. There’s no sugarcoating this so we’ll just come out with it - she pees in a jar to save money. Sounds mad, but she actually saves $10 a month doing this. Not sure about you but I will literally give her the $10 she needs to flush.

Saving: $10 per month

Cheap rating: 5/5

Gross rating: 5/5

Disclaimer: this blog is in no way a reflection on current economical uncertainties, and merely a fun way to impart money-saving wisdom following a self-isolated binge watch of lots of episodes of TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates. Please do not try any of these at home, especially the last one. 

Room 101

We know we’re supposed to be focusing on our wellbeing and being happy, so before we get into our downward dogs, Team SLBPR are venting a few pets hates, in a bid to banish our negativity before we become at one with ourselves.

First up, it's Sharon and her dislikes, from parking to plastic footwear.

“All drivers have pet hates so here are mine and let it be known. The first is… indicate! There’s a direct correlation between how expensive the car and how often the indicators don’t work – if it was mine, I’d take it back and ask them to fix it. I’m not psychic – I don’t know which way you are planning on turning at a junction.

“This is a biggie – say thank you if I let you through. I don’t want balloons and a brass band, but I do want some effort. One raised finger off the steering wheel is not enough – it’s lazy. However, I’ll take that over nothing at all. Me expressing myself at no thankers using the full richness of the English language is somewhat embarrassing when I forget I’m driving a convertible with the top down! Save my embarrassment by being polite.

“Also, learn to park! I present M&S in Moortown, and Sainsbury’s Street Lane (Leeds, we see you) as my evidence, your honour. You are supposed to park within those white lines – you don’t get a special points for going over them – unless these people know something I don’t.”

Next, we reach the beverage segment.

“Coffee – I don’t actually hate it – it just gives me stomach ache and so I can’t drink it which makes me horribly jealous of those who can order a mocha chocca pumpkin latte with almond milk and an extra espresso shot to go. Earl Grey with lemon sounds so pedestrian in comparison.”

Milk, or as more fondly known to Sharon as and we quote - “devil’s juice”.

“Slippers – no words – they are just ugly and no one should wear them – ever! Same with Crocs and Uggs, it’s never ironic, never cool and I know chefs wear them, but it makes me die a little bit more inside.”

Next up it’s Sam with slow walkers, reality TV and people on public transport.

“What kills me about people who walk slow – whether on the street, in the supermarket aisles, or my personal favourite, in a busy tube station – is that they’re never aware of their situation. Usually, these people travel in packs and will be three abreast leaving you trapped behind trying to run for the bus. But worse yet by far are the stoppers, those people who think they are somehow exempt from physics and choose a crucial moment to pull up. You’ll spot them at the top of an escalator checking their phone, or in front of a ticket barrier looking for their oyster (but don’t even get me started on that one).”

“Baffling is the thought that a grown adult woman who has made a very conscious decision to participate in a show called ‘Ex On the Beach’ is then surprised (!?) when her ex miraculously turns up… on the beach. Stop the world and let me off.”

“People on public transport are the worst. By all means piss around with your suitcase in the aisle while everyone else waits politely. We’re sure you need to be equipped with your headphones, katsu curry and travel kettle for this 35 minute journey.”

And last but not least, a lesson in shoe respect from Eve. 

“People who don’t clean their trainers. Imagine, you’ve spent 80 quid on a brand new pair of box fresh Air Force Ones and then think it’s a fantastic idea to go on a night out with them on, only to get them caked in sludge, drinks and mud - and to top it off don’t clean them after and continue to insult everyones eyes with your dirty trainers. Ludicrous. Respect the crep.

“Crisps that aren’t potatoes. If it ain’t broken don’t fix it. There’s no place in this world (for me anyway) for crisps that look like a negative side effect from a scientific experiment (I’m looking at you, Quavers).

“Bartenders who put all the tonic in the gin. This one goes out to my mum, never have we seen someone glare as much as when a bartender puts all the tonic in a gin. In the words of Deborah “I LIKE TO TASTE THE GIN NEAT FIRST!”, and I agree.

"Pre-mixed Long Island Iced Tea. Love, I know you're short changing me.”

Andddddd, breathe. 

Happy Mother’s Day to all Mums, Grans and Guardians

It’s Mother’s Day this Sunday 22nd March! 

Every year, Mother’s Day gives us the chance to celebrate the mother figures in our lives, even if we can’t celebrate face-to-face this year, we can still share and show our love.

People aged 70 and over have been advised to stay at home for 12 weeks from tomorrow to prevent the spread of the virus, which is very dangerous for this age group. So, brunch or a Sunday Lunch may not be the best idea this weekend…and there’s nowhere open to take her anyway.

So, look no further for inspiration as we have the perfect gift guide below to show your mother figure how much you care:

That's a wrap! As the curtain falls on another fashion month, tap the link in our bio to catch up on all the beautiful backstage moments you may have missed. Photographed by @coreytenold

76.7k Likes, 128 Comments - Vogue (@voguemagazine) on Instagram: "That's a wrap! As the curtain falls on another fashion month, tap the link in our bio to catch up..."

Handmade Care Package: 

A care package is a fantastic way of showing someone you care, put a selection of all Mum’s favourite products in a nice gift box and present it to her (only downside will be finding somewhere to buy them from!).

Branded Gift Box:

Or, if you don’t have time to make a care package, branded gift boxes are perfect for your Mum.

Iggy Box, the UK’s number one scented luxurious artisan candle subscription is a perfect gift. Each month, Iggy Box partner with a different UK based artisan candle maker, beautifully package up their candles and will deliver them straight to your Mum’s front door - one a month so it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Any of the fantastic monthly Beauty Boxes: Beauty Pie, Cohorted and Roccabox are our favourites

Another on-going treat she can enjoy all year round. Our esteemed boss Sharon would love any of these - nudge nudge to her daughters - although they’ve probably got her gin already!

Watch a film:

Do you have a special film, or TV series that you always used to watch together? A Sunday afternoon is the perfect opportunity to binge-watch a film - just make sure you are sat at least two metres apart or even in separate houses using the joy of FaceTime!!

Pre-show twirls at @MarineSerre_Official's fall 2020 show, where Serre took stock of what she has achieved so far. The collection featured a focus on the label's commitment to upcycling-which Serre says now accounts for 50% of her business-and most of the collection was about perfecting existing silhouettes. The weaving of past, present, and future together was compelling, and a powerful and thoughtful celebration. Tap the link in our bio to see the full collection. Photographed by @coreytenold

25.6k Likes, 50 Comments - Vogue (@voguemagazine) on Instagram: "Pre-show twirls at @MarineSerre_Official's fall 2020 show, where Serre took stock of what she has..."

Cooking and Baking:

Treat your mum to a home-cooked meal – even if you have to leave it on her doorstep - the thought is still there!  Although my mum would never trust me to make her a meal as this one time, I kneaded a cake…

If you’re me, do not bake. However, if you’re you, bake a cake, some cookies, some bread - obviously this depends on what ingredients you can find - lightbulb bread anyone? Again, perfect for leaving on her doorstep!

Monthly Subscription:

If your mum enjoys a good read, she will love a book subscription to an Amazon Kindle, with thousands of books to choose from, your mum will never get bored - and guaranteed no contact.

Flowers: 

A classic Mother’s Day Gift. Whether you’re a little bit more upmarket and love an M&S bouquet or are a lover of online businesses such as Bloom and Wild who send a bouquet of flowers in an envelope straight to your door. Flowers are a perfect choice and your Mum will love them no matter the colour, unless they’re red roses…

Tea Break:

Is it just me who didn’t realise biscuits could be hand-made and delivered to your door? These personalised Biscuiteers biscuits are perfect for a naughty afternoon treat and quick, they have next day delivery too! 

Messages:

Send a personalised video to your mum, discussing all the things you love about her and why she is the best mum ever. Or, if you’re a little bit old school, post your mum a handwritten letter, she’s sure to love it!

each day is a blessing with you 🦋☁️ thank you God for these moments. it was beautiful celebrating stormi x @kyliecosmetics launching 2.1.20 ⚡️

9.1m Likes, 48.2k Comments - Kylie 🤍 (@kyliejenner) on Instagram: "each day is a blessing with you 🦋☁️ thank you God for these moments. it was beautiful celebrating..."

Dad’s the word:

Get your Dad, or whoever lives with your Mum, to help! Send some ‘Mum Tokens’ for things like ‘chocolate on demand’ that she can cash in on Mother’s Day. Cha-Ching!

Finally, ignore this whole article and just get your mum a bottle of wine, she will probably appreciate it more anyway.  And remind her of all the hugs you will give her once this madness over! 

Published by: Charlotte Wilkin

The Greggs Bakes RANKED worst to best

Disclaimer: this blog has absolutely nothing to do with PR, but who wants to read more toff about the importance of influencer marketing?

"I have an extra sa_sage _oll"☀️ What's missing? ... U R 📸: @soyanotsorry #vegan

3,102 Likes, 87 Comments - Greggs (@greggs_official) on Instagram: ""I have an extra sa_sage _oll"☀️ What's missing? ... U R 📸: @soyanotsorry #vegan"

10. Three Cheese Pizza

Recreate that childhood torture of chewing cardboard for your school dinners with this inedible plank. Just the presence of this stomach-ache-waiting-to-happen (now also with pepperoni) is quite frankly offensive and should be outlawed at once.

9. Beef and Vegetable Pasty

Those people who are from the South West and try to tell everyone they’re from Cornwall to sound posh. Bore off, you’re not fooling anyone. 

8. Cheese and Onion Bake

Sure, they taste alright but you’ll have breath for days strong enough to start the windmill on an old Dutch painting. Avoid when in polite company.

7. Vegan Steak Bake

The only place a vegan Steak Bake belongs in that Alanis Morisette song where she’s consistently disappointed by everything. Rain on your wedding day, traffic jam when you’re late, and so on and so on. 

6. Chicken Bake

The chicken is good, the pastry is good, but the weird pasty colour of the gravy is too anaemic for me. I’d quite happily have a bash if they were trying to serve me something cold. 

5. Bacon and Cheese Wrap

I never understood this one. It’s good, but what is it? Is it a pasty? A wrap? A squashed savoury croissant? Who needs to know. You can quite easily fall into the soggy cheese trap if they’re turning tepid, so would recommend to approach with caution. 

4. Vegan Sausage Roll

I don’t partake in veganism but I commend those who do. That said, I will often dabble in a vegan sausage roll, not for its uncanny resemblance to the meaty original, but for its slightly less calorific content. Moment on the lips etc.

Did you even go up North if you didn't get a Greggs? #greggs #leeds #festivebake #yorkshire #north #greedybastard

50 Likes, 4 Comments - Sam Johnson (@samjnsn) on Instagram: "Did you even go up North if you didn't get a Greggs? #greggs #leeds #festivebake #yorkshire #north..."

3. Steak Bake

There’s only one reason that the steak bake isn’t lower down on this list and that is the abundance of gravy. Gravy is to the north what quinoa, shakshuka and grains (we still don’t know??) are to the south. One of many fine foods that will put hairs on your chest (see also: bread crusts, broccoli and stubby bottles of lager).

2. Sausage Bean and Cheese Melt

Controversial but absolutely worth being slammed for. Best way to be enjoyed is piping hot as if they were prepared within the core of the planet Mercury. The combined melted cheese and beans fuse to form a sauce that is broken up by delicious chunks of sausage meat, and perfectly encased in a sufficiently greasy pastry casing. 

1. Sausage Roll 

A strong, commendable favourite. Loved by millions always and forever. 

BACKSTAGE AT LFW AW20 WITH SLBPR

As always, London Fashion Week is crazy busy for our team, and this season we have been working hard backstage for AW20. 

We have spent over ten years working with one of our fave clients, BaByliss PRO, to identify, negotiate and bring hair sponsorship to the most interesting and talented designers - which in the past has included House of Holland, Halpern, Vivienne Westwood, Shrimps, DSQUARED2, Paul Smith, Simone Rocha, Victoria Beckham, GCDS, MaxMara and Preen by Thornton Bregazzi.

This season we worked with the creative talents of Guido Paulo, Syd Hayes and Richard Phillipart at Matty Bovan, Richard Malone, Marques’Almeida and Victoria Beckham, organising all the sponsorship and hosting the beauty press backstage – generating significant coverage. 

@SydHayesHair produced extraordinarily big, bold and a-line hair pieces to compliment the @BabbyM AW20 show alongside classic bends and heavy fringes, created using the @BaByliss 9000 Cordless Straightener, for a cool and rebellious girl tribe look. #BaBylissPRO #BaByliss #SydHayesHair #SydSquad #LFWAW20 #MattyBovanAW20 #GreatHairAnywhere #BaByliss9000

36 Likes, 2 Comments - BaByliss PRO UK (@babylissprouk) on Instagram: "@SydHayesHair produced extraordinarily big, bold and a-line hair pieces to compliment the @BabbyM..."

MATTY BOVAN AW20

We’ve worked with our friend Matty since he was at Fashion East, and BaByliss PRO have supported Syd Hayes and his team at every show since. Syd and the #sydsquad took hair to new dimensions to compliment Matty Bovan’s Off World Aesthetic Exit collection. They spent two weeks perfecting the runway looks creating new, innovative and over the top hair to stand out against Matty’s A-line style dresses. 

We loved @RichardPhillipart's fusion of masculine traits from 1920s dandys and sleek smooth ponytails using the @BaByliss 9000 Cordless Straightener to blur the gender binary for @RichardMalone AW20 show. #BaBylissPROUK #RichardMaloneAW20 #LFW #RichardPhillipart

37 Likes, 0 Comments - BaByliss PRO UK (@babylissprouk) on Instagram: "We loved @RichardPhillipart's fusion of masculine traits from 1920s dandys and sleek smooth..."

RICHARD MALONE AW20

This was our third season for BaByliss PRO with Richard Phllipart at Richard Malone - a show which just keeps getting stronger. Richard P and his team complimented Richard Malone’s collection with a hair look that fused masculine traits from the typical 1920s dandy character, but with strict ‘military precision’. The key was to keep the look boyish, creating textured flat waves (rather than a finger wave) but with sleek ponytails to blur the gender binary. 

VICTORIA BECKHAM AW20

Victoria Beckham focused on the different identities and ideas of women revealing a new look of sexy silhouettes, shorter hems and knew-high boots for her collection this season. Super-stylist Guido Paulo and a team of 35 stylists complimented these runway looks with natural woman vibes, enhancing hair textures through a variety of different sleek styles using the world’s first high-powered cordless straightener - the infamous BaByliss 9000.

@RichardPhillipart created beautiful hairstyles with flowing movement at the @MarquesAlmeida AW20 show, enhancing every model's personal style and natural texture for an effortlessly cool finish. #RichardPhillipart #LFW #MarquesAlmeida #LFWAW20 #BaBylissPROUK

32 Likes, 1 Comments - BaByliss PRO UK (@babylissprouk) on Instagram: "@RichardPhillipart created beautiful hairstyles with flowing movement at the @MarquesAlmeida AW20..."

MARQUES’ALMEIDA AW20

In the fashion world, it’s often that things come full circle. We first worked with the lovely Marta and Paulo of Marques’Almeida at a Leeds International Festival event with Harvey Nichols a few years ago, so were happy to be supporting Richard Phillipart with BaByliss PRO at their show this season. Working with professional models and the designers’ fans, known as MA Girls, Richard and his team enhanced their natural hair to add texture, creating ‘air hair’ as they walked the runway.

Oh and just in case you think it’s glam - we spend a lot of time unpacking products, plugging them in and putting stickers on mirrors! 

See you in Paris!

Crackdown on advertising Botox, warns NHBF

Working with our client, National Hair and Beauty Federation (NHBF) means that we are at the forefront of discussions and legislation which have a major impact on the hair and beauty industries. Both are fast-paced in terms of technology with new innovations coming to market everyday.

The rise in non-invasive aesthetic treatments has changed the industry forever and whilst the opportunity to have the physical changes to make us feel more confident is positive we need to ensure that those offering these treatments are honest and transparent.

As such the NHBF has issued a release warning of the crackdown on advertising Botox. As from today the advertising rules on botulinum toxin injections are being tightened up and will be enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority.  There will be a short grace period until 31 January 2020 to allow advertisers to voluntarily remove non-compliant ads.  From 1 February 2020, the enforcement authorities will be using monitoring technology to detect non-compliant posts and to serve enforcement notices.

Botulinum injections are often known by their brand names – Botox, Vistabel, Dysport, Bocouture and Azzalure.  They are all prescription-only medicines which cannot legally be advertised to the public.  This applies even if the prescription-only medicine is administered by a registered medical professional.

Advertising includes social media, including paid-for or not paid-for marketing posts on your own or someone else’s pages and influencer marketing.  Promotional advertising such as offering ‘Botox parties’ or Botox treatments as a competition prize are also banned.

The ban on advertising does not apply to dermal fillers as these are not prescription-only medicines.

The Committee of Advertising Practice advice is:

• ïRemove any direct reference to Botox or other botulinum toxins, including names such as ‘Beautytox’ or ‘Beautox’, including in images and hashtags.  

• ïDon’t use alternatives such as ‘wrinkle relaxing injections’ as it still counts as promotion of a prescription-only medicine.  References to ‘anti-wrinkle injections’ alongside a price will also be counted as an ad.

• ïDon’t refer to treating medical conditions in a way that suggests you are promoting a prescription-only medicine, for example ‘injections for excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)’.

• ïYou can promote the service you provide and the consultation, for example ‘a consultation for the treatment of lines and wrinkles’ but you must be very careful not to directly or indirectly advertise a prescription-only medicine.

Caroline Larissey, NHBF Director of Quality & Standards said, “We welcome the crackdown on advertising, especially on social media which can unduly influence young people or vulnerable adults to have treatments that may not be needed.  For this reason, we would also support a ban on injectables being provided for under 18s.”   

A copy of the Enforcement Notice can be found here:

www.asa.org.uk/enforcement-notice-botox-social-media.html

Originally established in 1942, the National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) is the UK’s largest trade body for businesses working in the hair, beauty and barbering industries with over 5000 members.  The organisation focuses on running a successful hair and beauty business and provides specialist support, tailored services and advice to meet the unique challenges of running a salon.

Ain’t No Party Like A I’m Gonna Hide Under a Duvet and Binge Watch TV for a Week Party

New Year? Same old TV binging. We have watched some great telly over our Christmas break so thought we’d share our scathing reviews with you all.

Laurel: Wurzel Gummidge

A reboot of the classic 80’s kids TV show Worzel Gummidge sees Makenzie Crook (of The Office and Pirates of the Caribbean fame) take on the iconic scarecrow lead role as well as writing and directing the show. 

Inner-city care home residents Susan and John are in for a shock when they are sent to Scatterbrook for a summer farmhand programme – they are in for an even bigger shock when they are visited by a walking talking scarecrow. The friendly defender of Tenacre Field, Worzel, mistakes the children’s ill-prepared countryside get up for scarecrow costumes and ropes them in to help him sort out the seasons which have become locked, the birds aren’t flying south, the trees aren’t turning and the harvest isn’t ripening. Worzel has the key but can’t remember what it is, he calls a truce with the crows to help him clear plastic bags from the tree of trees to get the message out to all the other scarecrows and unlock the season.  A feel-good show with a strange under tone of climate change propaganda, it is definitely one to watch.

Sharon: Bancroft & The Trial of Christine Keeler

I’m a sucker for a crime drama – although dark Scandi ones are my fave – but this ticked all the right boxes. Psycho police chief seeks psycho murderer, who also happens to be trying to frame said DCI’s son for the heinous crime. As always, the motive links back to childhood trauma proving just how right Mr Philip Larkin was! And now we are left with psycho police chief in prison on remand for the murder of a colleague. Whilst I don’t condone violence, I have learnt a lot from DCI Bancroft to use in my professional life!!

Since my uni days I’ve been a little bit obsessed with 1960 politics and so this is a dream of a series. She’s not particularly likable but me and Miss Keeler would probably have danced on tables together at some point. I like Mandy a lot more but people forget how young and impressionable and in Christine’s case, stubborn and obstinate, they were – and I applaud them for kicking back at a misogynistic and arrogant establishment which viewed women as playthings or stay at home wives. And the clothes are great!

Eve: Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special:

Disappointment.

I’m a devout Gavin & Stacey fan but found the special a waste of time. Last time we saw the duo the story that had been left to a perfect end in 2010, with Stacey expecting their first child sat with Gavin, Smithy and Nessa on Barry beach. Now nearly a decade on they’ve got three kids, Pam and Mick are dabbling in recreational drugs and Smithy has gotten himself a snobby girlfriend. For me the special didn’t have enough time to really answer any questions, and the characters didn’t quite seem the same. A lot of time has passed but I feel the beauty of the series should’ve been preserved by leaving it where it ended.

Sam:  Don’t F*CK with cats & You (Season 2)

Netflix have been churning out some of the best true-crime documentaries for a while and fixation on grotesque serial killers is at an all-time high. Their latest, Don’t F*ck with Cats follows a group of internet sleuths hell bent on revealing the identity of a mysterious online cat killer which leads to an international manhunt. The documentary isn’t like any ‘cat and mouse’ (pardon the pun) murder chase you’ve seen before, and the decision to tackle the case from a different perspective is a twist in itself.

Everyone’s favourite stalker/murderer is back but this time he’s got a new name, new address and a new victim. We last saw Joe Goldberg confronted by his past at the end of Season One and after a year of speculation we sought to find out WTF is going on, but sadly the end of Season Two gives more questions than answers. If You isn’t your first trashy guilty pleasure of 2020 you should be locked inside a plexiglass cage.

MERRY AD-MAS

It’s arrived – the time to get your jolly on and get in the Christmas spirit! Team SLBPR are loving the release of this year’s adverts but the rightful champion of this year’s Battle of the Ads is a very controversial topic.

John Lewis x Waitrose

This year marks the first combined Christmas campaign with John Lewis and supermarket sibling, Waitrose & Partners. We think it’s safe to say that every child (and big kid) will be requesting #ExcitableEdgar to be added to the very top of Christmas lists – MERCH MERCH MERCH!

A collective favourite in the office, it’s the one piece of Christmas content that we can get Sharon to willingly talk about before 1st December…

Sainsbury’s

Now this one has caused a heated debate; in the words of Eve, this one is a bit of a snooze-fest whereas it’s my current favourite (after changing my mind multiple times – it’s a big decision, after all).

 Watch this space – I’ve got my money on this advert melting the Ice Queen’s heart sooner rather than later… *plays on repeat for rest of the week until tears roll down Eve’s cheeks*

 Aldi

 Any advert that manages to combine Peaky Blinders, The Greatest Showman and Robbie Williams was always going to make it on to this list, and that’s before the addition of Kevin the Carrot.

 Aldi, as always, has delivered an iconic advert adding to the ongoing saga of Kevin the Carrot (and his vegetable friends’) journey – time to sit tight and wait another year for the next instalment…

Argos

 It’s on the bottom of Laurel’s list but it had Eve and I bopping our heads through Wednesday morning – Argos has delivered a witty play on the ‘Laminate Book of Dreams’ this year and it’s certainly well thought-out.

Perhaps lacking on the tear-jerk factor, which for some (Eve), is like a breath of fresh air – what do you think?

 Tesco

And last but certainly not least, Sam’s personal favourite…

 Celebrating their 100-year birthday this year, Tesco travel through time to deliver Christmas to their mates from the past century – Winston Churchill, Her Majesty the Queen and good old Jim Bowen from Bullseye.

 Nostalgia is marketing’s powerful secret weapon and Tesco is reminding people of all ages that they’ve been around for a long time and will be around for a long time to come.

Published by: Kelsey Dobson

Well-being Woes

Here at SLBPR we’ve been in our busiest period of the year. We’ve been running around, up and down the country and even overseas with our clients and sometimes it’s quite easy to forget what’s most important - our own well-being.

Recent statistics show that 89% of a poll of 400 PR practitioners have struggled with their mental wellbeing, in a larger study 60% of professionals had been diagnosed with a mental health condition. Another study released on World Mental Health Day, 31% of PR professionals said they found their job “Very Stressful” (can relate) and 59% versus a 30% UK average, say the major cause of stress is their workload

 Workload- it’s the main source of stress in the workplace and the biggest contributing factor to why Practitioners don’t take time off, as they fear it may jeopardise their career.

 Blatantly there’s a big problem within the PR world, but whilst we love what we do - how do we go about tackling the stress that our career brings? On a more positive note, the PR industry performs well above average when it comes to willingness to open up about our struggles with mental health, through sharing experiences.

 But, there’s still a long way to go.

 The industry still fails to identify the issue with the “keep your head down” mentality that excessive workloads bring and need to create a work environment that produces results but doesn’t have a detrimental effect on mental health.

 Here at SLBPR we have our very own well-being champion - Ted. Although he can’t write a press release or schedule social media posts, he’s very good at boosting office morale. It’s actually proven that having a four-legged friend benefits an office environment- they lower stress levels and in turn promote productivity, and Ted gets to spend the day socialising too!

BEAUTY LOVERS UNITE: MADE UP LEEDS IS BACK

Made Up Leeds is back in a couple of weeks – bigger and better than last year - bringing the best of beauty and beyond to Leeds city centre on 26th and 27th October.

 Again, we’re working for client LeedsBID to organise a range of events championing self-expression and positivity so have a whole host of fantastic industry experts and guest speakers to celebrate beauty, well-being and create a fully immersive experience across the weekend.

Cannot contain our excitement to announce the most fabulous @joancollinsdbe who will be one of our headline speakers this year. Chatting with her MUA @alynwaterman about being gorgeous. Tickets available soon - link in bio. @victorialeeds_ @leedsbid #makeup #makeupartist #joancollins #leeds #beauty #leedsbid #mul

76 Likes, 5 Comments - Made Up Leeds: Beyond Beauty (@madeupleeds) on Instagram: "Cannot contain our excitement to announce the most fabulous @joancollinsdbe who will be one of our..."

We are hugely excited to announce on Saturday 26th October, the legend that is British style icon, Dame Joan Collins will be joined by her make-up artist Alyn Waterman at Victoria Leeds, to discuss how she’s stayed looking so amazing throughout her illustrious career. Over in Trinity Leeds the ever-inspirational Katie Piper will be in conversation with Capital FM’s, JoJo.

 Continuing the beauty embracement, on Sunday 27th, You Tube sensation and influencer Reuben de Maid will be joining us in Trinity Leeds to talk on his industry success at a young age followed by a meet and greet on the concourse.

 In addition to these spectacular guest appearances we are working with major retailers John Lewis & Partners and Harvey Nichols, who will join us in The Beauty Space on Briggate, to host hair and beauty pop-ups, where you will have the chance to receive expert advice from some of the best beauty brands around.

Also in The Beauty Space, don’t miss your chance to be the next big thing as Premier Model Management host a live model casting from 2pm – 6pm on Saturday ready to find their next international runway star.

Last year’s event saw us shortlisted for several awards as well as winning the CIPR In Excellence Award for Best Integrated Campaign.

Keep an eye on the Made Up Leeds website and social for the latest info: https://www.madeupleeds.co.uk

Farrow & Ball, furry bikinis and a forty foot T-Rex: Fashion Week SS20 London and Milan

Fashion Week is never boring. It’s creative, dynamic and interesting, and we love it. While the demanding and sometimes chaotic goings on backstage can be a bit of a nightmare for most, it’s a PR dream for us…

Fash Bash, 2019

This season, we organised the sponsorship deals for our client BaByliss PRO for three astounding brands: Halpern, Richard Malone and Matty Bovan.

Absolutely loved these creative super sleek power ponies, finished in pastel hues by @sydhayeshair for Matty Bovan SS20 @babbym. Created with the revolutionary new @babyliss 9000 Cordless Straightener and finished off with our Cordless Super Motor Clipper for perfectly blunt ends. #BaBylissPROUK #BaByliss #GreatHairAnywhere #MattyBovanSS20 #SydSquad #LFW

62 Likes, 1 Comments - BaByliss PRO UK (@babylissprouk) on Instagram: "Absolutely loved these creative super sleek power ponies, finished in pastel hues by @sydhayeshair..."

To kick things off on Friday, Syd created sleek and powerful ponytails backstage using the brand new BaByliss cordless straightener, which you’ll hear more about in the months to follow. Some of these were dipped into paint - that’s right - actual Farrow & Ball emulsion to finish the look. Wild.

The following day, BaByliss PRO made their debut sponsorship with Halpern - a brand that is all about unabashed glamour, reimagined embellishment and a sense of hyper femininity with a nod to classical couture… all of our favourite words. Oh, and did we mention we worked backstage with Sam McKnight?!

Spring/Summer 2020 - A huge thank you everyone involved to make this show a dream come true! Styling @Patti_Wilson Makeup @IsamayaFfrench using @MacCosmetics Hair @SamMcknight1 using @Babylissuk Shoes @LouboutinWorld Music @MichelGaubert @Swarovski crystal to help us shine Casting Maida Boina and @MaximeValentini Nails @MarianNewman using @Cndworld Production @StudioBoum Press @KarlaOtto Image by @Thomasdecruzmedia

398 Likes, 3 Comments - Halpern (@halpernstudio) on Instagram: "Spring/Summer 2020 - A huge thank you everyone involved to make this show a dream come true!..."

Monday morning saw the return of Richard Phillipart to the backstage of the Richard Malone show - whose collection this season featured pieces made from recycled plastic from the sea.

@RichardPhillipart for @richardmalone SS20 fused sustainability, religious influences and minimalism in one striking look using an intricate hair accessory for added shape and sculpture. #BaBylissPROUK #RichardMaloneSS20 #LFW #RichardPhillipart

51 Likes, 1 Comments - BaByliss PRO UK (@babylissprouk) on Instagram: "@RichardPhillipart for @richardmalone SS20 fused sustainability, religious influences and..."

Three shows down and a break was essential. Thankfully, Creative Head Magazine were on hand with their seasonal Fash Bash event - a chilled out party space to meet up, catch a breath and celebrate the season with your team (and several cocktails).

Break over, and we flew to Milan to work with Sam McKnight (again) backstage at the MaxMara show. Out of the 50 models, Bella and Gigi made an appearance, with super long military schoolgirl braids with a Killing Eve vibe.

Military moments @maxmara #mfw @ninamarker @hannah_motler @carineroitfeld @ian_griffiths1 @laura_lusuardi @giorgioguidotti15 @tompecheux @hairbysammcknight @babylissprouk #babylisspro #hairbysammcknight @brettrussellldn @galopine

454 Likes, 9 Comments - Sam McKnight Personal (@sammcknight1) on Instagram: "Military moments @maxmara #mfw @ninamarker @hannah_motler @carineroitfeld @ian_griffiths1..."

Cut to Saturday, and two shows with the one and only Syd Hayes. With the #SydSquad in tow, Syd created Manga looks backstage at GCDS (the show you’ve probably seen on Dazed with the giant dinosaur on the runway), and stunning finger waves and chignons for Ermanno Scervino - also a debut collaboration for BaByliss PRO. 

@gcdswear @giulianocalza @annatrevelyan @erinparsonsmakeup and my incredible #SydSquad Thank you for another epic show! @babyliss @babylissprouk #babyliss9000

136 Likes, 3 Comments - Syd Hayes (@sydhayeshair) on Instagram: "@gcdswear @giulianocalza @annatrevelyan @erinparsonsmakeup and my incredible #SydSquad Thank you..."

For us, it’s not just about being present at the shows and sending out a press release afterwards, it’s about capturing every precise thought-out detail when selecting final images, writing about the show in a way that brings the whole concept, and the hair in particular, to life for whoever is reading about it. 

Each year we work tirelessly to deliver the very best results from the work we do, strengthening relationships with key contacts and getting to know the lay of the land at Fashion Week so well that we almost become part of the furniture. 

Until next season!

THE LUNGS OF THE EARTH ARE BURNING – HOW CAN WE BREATHE FREELY WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE? CURRENTLY, WE CAN’T.

As you read this, the Brazilian Amazon rainforest continues to burn to the ground, three weeks after the devastatingly destructive fire ignited in the very rainforest that plays an incremental role in keeping us alive.

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Once again the media has failed to circulate such critical news. I only found out about these fires today, although they started 3 weeks ago. But I’m not here to lecture mainstream media outlets, because we’re running out of time. If they won’t do their job, we need to do it for them. We must utilize social media in order to raise awareness about climate change. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro suggested that people should “poop less” as a way to save the environment, after he came under fire for a surge in deforestation of the Amazon since he came to power. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Since 60% of the Amazon rainforest is contained within Brazil, Bolsonaro has full control over the future of the Amazon. And as you may know the future of the Amazon deeply impacts the future of the earth. The Amazon is the world’s largest tropical rainforest, often called the “lungs of the earth” because of the vast amounts of carbon dioxide it soaks up and recycles into oxygen. It produces 20% of the air we breathe. It also produces 20% of the world's fresh water. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’m feeling helpless. So I decided to do the only thing I can do at the moment, and that is to raise as much awareness as possible. I encourage you to do the same.

A post shared by Saint Hoax (@sainthoax) on Aug 20, 2019 at 10:41am PDT

The Amazon rainforest provides us with 20% of the oxygen and fresh water needed to survive, yet 2019 has seen an 84% increase in rainforest fires just this year, with 72,000 fires reported since January 2019. The fire, which continues to ferociously engulf what remains of the beautiful home of indigenous people and endangered species, is finally receiving the media attention it so drastically requires, whilst the Brazilian government fail to protect the rainforest that supplies us, and them, with a clean supply of air and water each day.

President Jair Bolsonaro claims that environmental NGOs deliberately started the fire to embarrass his government, despite openly encouraging illegal deforestation to clear land for farmers in aid of economic advancement. Obviously, an advancement very much backed by the Brazilian government, as the head of Brazil’s space agency was fired last month when the President disputed the official deforestation data from satellites.  

But why must deforestation, and as a result our depleting oxygen supply, be favoured over a little less farming land? The answer – Palm Oil, described by The Guardian’s George Monbiot as “the greatest environmental disaster of the 21st century.”

Palm oil is one of the most profitable crops, easy and inexpensive to grow. ‘Slash and burn’ agriculture is therefore considered to be the quickest way to clear land for plantations, appealing to corporations and small-scale farmers alike. But with the sheer ignorance these farmers are demonstrating of the impact this murderous behaviour is having not only on the environment, but the future of the human race and endangered species alike, what can we do to help?

For years, we have been ignoring this environmental crisis and have continued to consume the thousands of products available to us without fully comprehending the damage we’re inflicting. Up until now, we haven’t necessarily been completely to blame, as the promotion of the consequences associated with our excessive consumption of Palm Oil has been hidden in the shadows – like the 2018 Iceland Christmas advert, for example, that never made it to our television screens.

You won't see our Christmas advert on TV this year. But we want to share our 'No Palm Oil' story with you this Christmas. Say hello to Rang-tan.

However, hopefully by now you realise that we really do live up to the statement you see on our homepage, as we refuse to hide from controversy and do everything we can to promote positive change. We’re proud to work with brands that recognise the importance of embracing change if we wish to protect the home of indigenous people, endangered species such as the beloved ‘Rang-tan’ and years of generations to come, and ensure that our supply of clean air and water also remains clean of guilt or greed.

We’ve recently been working with plastic free, vegan brand Lavandi, that use absolutely NO Palm Oil in their products; 1% of Lavandi’s turnover is pledged to the World Land Trust to buy acres of rainforest to stop any development of it, with one acre protected so far and a further six acres soon to be the same.

It’s small steps like these that truly start to make a difference, and we plan to keep taking them.

*The National Institute for Research, 2019